Amora

Chapter Three

There’s always been a problem I have had about anything, I am also an overthinker which is what I am doing right now. Sitting under the tree where everything came together and all fell apart. This is where I had my first kiss. I was only 14 years old when we both met each other and he was only 15. His family had caught us in Daffodil selling some peaches when we did sell peaches. I remember them wanting some but didn’t have as much money so my mom being the sweet lady she is sold them for a low price. Dad wasn’t too excited about that but he went along with it anyway. That's how it all started. Peaches. I hate peaches now.

Sighing, I stand up weakly, heading back home. It wasn’t too long before I saw my little shack. Maybe being chosen wasn’t too bad of a thing. I could be far away from here and my parents would be getting a little bit of money because a child would be gone. It was only offered to the lower class because children work and with one gone it could drastically change if they survive or not.

Maybe, I could try for the sake of my family.

Morning arose fast after the long night, and I just wasn’t having it today. Covering myself with my blanket again, I heard my mother walk. Her walk is very distinctive as her plump self waltzed into my room, “Celine, you need to get up, people are to see you.”

Groaning, I turn over and try to hide myself the best I can. If I can’t see them, then they can’t see me, right? “Ten more minutes, momma.”

“Lady Celine, it is time for you to get up,” a stern voice said.

Sitting up, I see a very put-together woman who has an aurora of coldness glowing around her.

“Who are you?” I ask groggily, rubbing my eyes and stretching to try and make myself more awake.

“I am Anna Fallon but you can call me Miss Anna. I will be escorting you to the castle today,” she states as if it was obvious.

“What are you talking about? I thought I wasn’t going till Friday?”

“You aren’t being shown to the public again till Friday and meet the prince again till Friday. Today, you leave after we talk through everything with your parents.”

“Would you like for me to start some tea?” My mom asks showing Miss Anna out of my room.

Gathering my thoughts, I finally get up out of bed and look around my room. I didn’t have much, but it was my room. My bed was a small mattress on the ground with a single black on top and one pillow. There were some draws on the right that held all the clothing I owned then my shoes were around. I walked out of my room to the kitchen where Miss Anna was sitting with my mom drinking some tea.

“Ok, let’s get this over with,” I state as I grab a mug sipping on it.

“As you wish, Lady Celine. Today, you are going to head your way to the castle where you will be escorted to your room immediately. You will have a tour done by me when all the girls get there. You will then go to some classes throughout the week to learn how to act around the royal families and on camera. The camera won’t be there this week but starting next week they will be there to inform the public on what is going on inside. The choosing is a very high honor to be accepted into, so you have to act high class.

“Now I have to talk about the rules. I know this isn’t the fun part however, we have to get it over with. First off, since you will be joining the choosing, you can’t have any other relationships. If you are in love with someone now, we need to know. Secondly, we need to know if you have been sexually active which is illegal for your age but if you have we need to know. Third, if you are to not win over his heart, then you will be sent back home with money and you and your family will be bumped up to merchants because I know it will be hard to go back to a regular life,” Miss Anna finally wrapped up.

I ran a hand through my hair when my mom jumped up and confirmed, “She hasn’t even had a boyfriend so of course all the answers are no.”

“Yes ma’am, I understand. We just have to follow the procedure and ask them anyway. The rest of the rules will be explained to you when you get to the castle about how to act, dress, and address the royal family.”

Nodding, I look down noticing I am still in my pajamas, short shorts, and a large teacher. I don’t think this is what I should be wearing going to the castle.

“Um, can I change before we leave?” I asked, shrugging my shoulders up and down with a smile on my face in a playful way.

My mom starts shaking her head in disappointment, probably thinking how I am going to embarrass this whole town because we are the last kind of people to think about manners to the royal family. I have never even seen the castle before. Not once, and I have lived here my entire life.

“I have brought an outfit for you to wear since I knew you wouldn’t have anything that you should be able to wear to the castle,” she states grabbing a duffel bag and handing it to me.

“One last thing before I change, my parents will get their money today right?”

“Celine, you don’t have to worry about that,” my mom says with a pinch of madness hidden in there as she walks over to me putting a hand on my shoulder squeezing it too tight if I might add. “Miss Anna, that is not all she thinks about. I know she is excited to meet the prince.”

“Yes, of course,” Miss Anna says reassuringly. “The money will be sent out this week from a guard. I am not allowed to hand that out to you, my apologies.”

“Miss Anna, no worries. Celine, go get dressed,” she informed before lowering her voice to the scary, important, “Now.”

Turning on my heel and scooting back to my room, Blaire was in there sitting on my bed. When she saw me, she stood up before running to me. “Celine, I am going to miss you so much! I would’ve been in there with you but Daddy told me not to go in there because they were important people just needing to meet you,” she cried to me laying her head on me as she hugged me tightly.

Rubbing my hand through her hair, I bent down to be at eye level with her. “Blaire, everything is going to be good. Just think about the Prince and the romance you will get to be watching on the news.”

She started smiling from ear to ear doing a twirl. “I get to watch you on the news in pretty dresses falling in love with the prince.”

“Now, Princess Blaire, help me get dressed,” I smile twirling her around some more.

Pushing a piece of hair behind my ear, I stared at the car I was supposed to be getting into. Blaire dressed me in a floral cream-white dress with my flats that I only wear in times that I have to be dressed properly. My hair flowed down because Blaire always thinks it's pretty when it’s down and long.

“Miss Celine, are you ready?” Ms. Anna asked me as she opened the door for me.

Gulping, when I nodded I was going to leave everything I have ever known and that just wasn’t settling with me. Primrose was my home with all my friends and it was a place I knew I could be myself and not be judged. At the castle, or Elite you could call it, I wasn’t going to be able to be myself or I could embarrass myself, disrespect myself, or many other things I could do.

I nodded my head and stepped into the car. I don’t know the name but I know it is black and only elites have black cars. Everyone else is simply not allowed to have black cars. The leather on the inside was black as well as if it was hand stitched but what do you expect? This car was made for royalty. I didn’t feel right to sit in here. Since we were a kid, we were taught to always stay away from black cars; any of them. So, with me sitting in a black car, it just doesn’t settle with me. I am also leaving behind my home. My family. The whole community was a family and it was all mine. I am also leaving behind Rylee. I know he left me and probably doesn’t want a thing to do with me but he still is the man I love and if he still came over to me, dropped on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. I would still say yes.

“Ma’am, did you hear anything I said?” Miss Anna asked pulling me out of my daze.

“Oh, no, could you please repeat it?” I answer shaking my head and looking at her as she shakes her head in disapproval.

“You need to work on paying attention especially when we get to the castle. Celine, there are many that you could do that could be considered disrespectful to the royal family so please work on it. I am going to be your aide at the castle. I am representing Primrose so please don’t embarrass me,” Miss Anna scolds.

I nod as she continues, “Prince Lucas will be getting to know every girl where you’ll go on dates, dinners, or activities and such together. There will never be group dates but when you aren’t on a date or off with him, you will be in class, in your room, or the ladies' lounge. I will show you that when we get there. I heard you thought you weren’t coming on Friday. You aren’t getting shown on the news till Friday which this week you will be getting comfortable in the castle, having some interviews with the news so we can show on Friday, and you will start on your classes. Today, you and Clover will be the first to the castle. Tomorrow, Colu and Daffodil will come. Then, Carnation, pony, and Irises will be on Wednesday. Lastly, Thursday Geraniums will come. They wanted to bring in girls at a time.”

Rolling my eyes I scoff, “And you just happened to start with the lowest first? You think we are that bad.”

“Here is our first lesson, in Amora, you do not have your own opinion as a Lady,” Miss Anna said sternly, looking at me.

My mouth dropped. I always voiced my opinion when I was at home, and now I can’t have a say at all. The queen has no say in the country at all?

“Now,” She counties as she moves her notepad a little bit. “May I continue?”

I stared out the window most of the time because, in all honesty, I didn’t care what Miss Anna said. I knew I wasn’t going to be queen, and I wanted to be sent home first.

How could the kingdom only run on the men’s opinion? That just doesn’t sound right. What does the queen do? Sit there and look pretty? Amora has always been known for their great strategies when it comes to war and the economy. America works well with us, and we only have one country that we worry about; Nauru. They have always been a problem. Last year, they tried to bomb us but missed by a hair. Fear erupted in the country. and the King sent troops over there to bomb them, but did the same, missing by a hair. No one was hurt, but it has scarred the country. Princess Valerie married Prince Alexander Everett Of Monaco. Monaco is very good friends with Nauru, and we hope they will lay off our backs. The marriage was set up, however they did fall in love. It was a beautiful ceremony to watch on the news.

We passed through all the beautiful towns. People would stop and stare at the car knowing it was one of the girls. In every town, the flowers of the town would be all around and I was pictured excited to see Irises. Of course, they were beautiful and so were the people, but what was I supposed to expect; this was the model nation.

I learned that Miss Anna was originally from Daffodil, who are merchants, and she married into the castle of someone who worked in the military. Now, she works for the King and Queen and has the task of Choosing. She and her husband, who is General Timothee, got married six months ago. They met when her father and she were selling some jewelry to the Queen for her mother’s birthday. She was really lucky to move up that much. Usually, women only move up a rank or two. Now, look at me, I could move up nine ranks, but I don’t want to because I only wanted to move up one.