Heaven's Empire

Waiting

There was a hushed wonder about the room as I took my first pose. The bustling scene had become filled with the same silent respect that is awarded to monarchs when they enter a room. I may not have had a crown or sceptre, but Mario had made me feel every inch a queen.

Knowing it would be my last chance to impress those who would be deciding whether to hire me or not, I gave everything to the shoot. I offered every ounce of energy I had to each and every frame, aiming to give as much soul and expression as I could. I wanted to show the judges, Mario and myself that I could do this.

My dress looked as though it was made of melted gold, and if I couldn't succeed wearing something so exquisite, I knew I never would.

After a few thousand photos had been taken, the team on the lighting began to pack up their kit, and Mario informed me quietly that Casting Day had reached its end.

"Kensa and her panel will make a decision based on how you have performed throughout today. You should hear from them before tomorrow."

He led me through the maze of corridors, which were, by this time, eerily quiet. I caught a glimpse of the outside world through a narrow window and was shocked to see the streetlights on. Had I really spent the whole day here?

Mario showed me into a room I hadn't been in before. It was huge, the length of a small car park, and filled with racks upon racks of clothes.

"Not that you don't look gorgeous, Stasia, but you might be at the agency for a few more hours and I want you to be comfortable."

He perused the racks of clothing, his nimble fingers flicking between the garments as I followed him, staring in wonder at the vast array of clothes. Every now and then he removed a dress or skirt from its rack, ran his fingers over the fabric, and replaced it. Eventually, though, he seemed to settle on something.

A knee-length, figure-hugging dress, it was nude-pink in colour with a thick belt wrapped around the front and tied into a bow at the back. It was simple, but elegant.

"This will do," he said, passing it to me. I privately thought that it would more than do, but didn't argue. "Now for some shoes..." he led the way through the huge room towards a set of shelves against one wall. The place was as high as a warehouse, and the shelves almost reached the ceiling. Thankfully, though, he was searching for something on the lower shelves, and withdrew a pair of nude, lace-up heels, which he also handed to me.