Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

Chapter Twenty Five

"I can't believe this!"

I smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't exaggerate"

"Ugh!" Ora came out of the ladies room and flattened out her dress. "I cannot believe I bumped into that potter plant!"

I laughed and slipped my arm through her, makign my way down the hallway. "Calm down, the dirt didn't even stain your dress"

"But that's besides the point," she said. "Why am I so freaking klutzy!"

I giggled.

"Yoohoo!"

Ora and i both turned around and I smiled as Krystal ran up to us in her bright yellow dress. She smiled and held onto my other arm.

"I have gossip"

I chuckled. "Do you now?"

"Yes," she said amtter-of-factly. "I do! So supposedly Kara and Maddy are planning on sabatoging Gabriella who's planning on ruining Vanessa which would then get Talia and Janet angry which would in turn make Constance angry and so Constance will have her guard down because her little click will be all bent out of shape which will then give Bianca and Hope the chance to steal the Prince right out of Constance's grasp so that she doesn't win that contest and goes to the ball with the Prince" she took in a deep breath and my head was spinning by how fast she was speaking. "Which will give each and every one of us the perfect opportunity to win because everyone will already be too concerned with that side of the drama."

Ora and I looked at Krystal.

She laughed and sighed deepily. "i've been dying to tell you guys this all day!"

"Where did you hear that from?" I asked.

"I heard it from-"

I quickly put a hand up. "Never mind" we all chuckled.

When we turned the corner Cecilia, Tiny, and Vanessa, were waiting at the corner. I gasped.

"Wow"

Cecilia smiled and dipped her head and Tiny's chest welled when she smiled at me. They both looked incredible. Tiny wore green, a color I realized matched her best and Cecilia was wearing a stunning blue dress. The icy waves of her skirt set off the dark burning flames of her hair. She was so incredibly beautiful. Tiny too. She looked like the kind of porcelain doll a little girl would admire behidn the window of a toy store.

"You girls look....incredible"

Cecilia smiled and swayed her hips. "You like it? Its not too much?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. And Tiny." I was at a loss for words. "Wow Tiny. You took my breath away"

Tiny gazed at me dreamily. "You look like a lavendar angel!" she cooned.

I smiled and touched her shoulder.

Vanessa said, "Are you ready? I think the royals are inside already"

Vanessa looked breath taking in a long silver-gray dress and pretty pins stuck in her hair. She smiled at us and opened the doors to the dinning room. Since it was already evening and the sun was mostly set candles were lit everywhere. It was a sight to behold.

The table was set and adorned with ravish pieces and stunning silverware. Gorgeous porcelain plates and lovely cloths. Girls were swishing about in their lovely, colorful dresses and I kind of felt myself shrink. I don't belong in a palace with a bunch of royals, luxuries, and gorgeous girls. Why am I trying to play princess when I know I'm not one?

The girls were walking around and minglign with everyone. I just felt like a ghost, floating around and following them. Why am I making myself so miserable? Why do I keep inflicting this upon myself? In all honesty I felt like leaving.

I recieved many compliments which I graciously took and thanked everyone. Most people loved how it was an open dress back. They said they loved me in open back dresses. I noticed there was a piano and my fingers ached to touch its keys. Emilie and Leslie taught me to play piano, and a few other instruments over the course of the years. I forgot most of them by now but the piano was soemthing that always stuck with me.

See I would have played the piano but there were already a million and one girls hovering over it, struggling to stand out compared to the other. They all tried pressing keys and schooling the other by displaying thier great passion for the instrument and the music. God, they were all so aggrivating sometimes. They were like complete clones of each other. They all had insane passions for music and were driven to be great writers, readers, and philosophers!

They all pretended to have a love for the world that I pretty sure was just a front when the Prince was around because every time he left they went back to being completely and utterly boring. Did it not occur to anyone that being themselves might win his heart? Maybe by trying so hard to stand out and pop all they're really doing is hurting themselves. They're just blending in with everyone else.

Tiny gasped. "Look! The Queen!"

I looked to where she pointed and a women in a shinning champagne dress came in with a man on her arm. I couldn't help the shiver that went down my spine. Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamed of meeting the King and Queen. The Queen looked immaculate. Her long dark hair was cut in lucious layers shapping her beautiful face. Queen Eadlyn was so incredibly beautiful. And King Amos was just as gorgeous with blonde hair and killer eyes.

Not to mention he looked amazing in his suit. Like, amazing.

"They look like the prince and princess of a fairytale" Vanessa said.

"I want to look like that after four kids" Ora agreed.

Cecilia giggled. "She does look like she hasn't aged a day since her selection"

"And now its her son's turn. Hmm" Krystal smiled. "Its funny. How life continues in an endlessly beautiful cycle that way."

I didn't see Princess Rosie or the twins so I supposed they were coming later.

The King and Queen walked to the small stage set up where the thrones were and the Queen smiled in front of the microphone.

"Good evening, ladies." she smiled. "Its a pleasure to finally meet you all"

I rubbed my locket.

"22 years ago I was undergoing my own selection process. And now two decades later its time for my son to do the same. I am so honored, and privilaged to have 20 outstanding, and amazing women of Illea here tonight" she continued. "And I would be so humbled to have anyone of you as my son's wife and my daughter in law. Hopefully I will meet and speak to all of you.

"To you! The selected daughters of Illea. May one of you make almost as fine a Queen as my mother once was. And I should hope that it is one fo that will make my son smile for the rest of his life" she smiled and raised a hand, her simple gesture enough to make people squirm where they were. "Please take a seat and let's begin. My daughter will be here shortly."

The girls and I walked over to the long table and tried our best to find seats next to each other. We did the best we could but TIny and Krystal ended up on the other end of the table, Vanessa was acorss from us, too far for any real conversation, and Ora and Cecilia were on either side of me. The King and Queen were at the head of the table and on the other end of the table the seat was ending.

I started wondering where Will was.

I went to put the napkin on my lap when it slipped from my hands. "Oh!"

I leaned over the side of my chair to reach for it when my hand touched someone else's.

"Its alright"

I blinked, surprised. "Will! Why aren't you at your seat?"

He tilted his head back and forth. "I'm not too late am I?"

I hated when people were late but maybe it was his facial expression that made me smile."You missed your mother's speech"

He shrugged. "I don't care much for her speeches," he looked around quickly before he brought his lips to my ear and said, "Just between us, you look stunning"

He left before I could say another word. But one thing was for sure. My heart couldn't stop pounding.