A Crown's Game|✔︎UNDER MAJOR EDITING

-Chapter Nine-

"Is this good?" Lise says, tightening the corset. I prefer the dress without one, but alas, this is Thecia, where rich people wear ancient clothing and corsets.

"Yes!" I say, not breathing.

"Okay then," Lise says as she ties the corset. I also have to get my hair done, and makeup. Anastasia said that my hairstyle will be some sort of braid and turned into a crown hairstyle. Whatever that is...

Lise zips the dress up, and I take a deep inhale, ready to be unable to breathe. Yet, for some reason, the dress is fairly loose. I sigh out of relief. Lise brings me to the mirror of a quick look into the mirror and wow! I still look great in this dress!
She sits me down at a vanity, to get hair and makeup done. After a long, long argument with Helen, Lise ends up doing the hair, leaving Helen with the makeup.

I've never worn makeup before, and now I have the right to say that I absolutely hate it! Don't people look beautiful on their own? But at least Helen did a good job with a soft, neutral brown look that matches the dress.

The pins that Lise used poke into my scalp! It hurts a lot! But the outcome will be worth it, I hope...

Honestly, I look amazing! Helen did great, and so did Lise. I wonder how Onix looks. Maybe she looks better than me.

"Alright, is she done?" Anastasia walks in, full glam with a long pink dress on. She looks more like a queen than I do.
"Yes, ma'am." Lise steps back and shoos Helen out of the room.

"Is Onix prepared?"

"Yes, she is at the elevator. Now we must rush." Anastasia yanks me out of the chair and rushes me into the high heels, and she summons Lise to help pin on the sparkling cape. Once on, They both rush me out the door, to the elevator.

Onix looks just like me in a way, except for her black hair and dark eyes. She smiles at me, before embracing me in a hug. "I'm sorry." She whispers, almost in tears.

"Sorry for what?"

She pulls away and looks at me. "I've treated you like crap over the past few days, and I'm sorry about that."

"I treated you like crap, you don't need to apologize for anything," I say. I really have been so rude to her, and I don't even know why. I guess I was thinking that she was going to end up killing me. "I'm sorry."

"I forgive you, I guess." She laughs, along with me. And then, the elevator arrives.

"Alright girls, get ready. You're about to be projected to the 20 provinces of Thecia." Anastasia hushes. We all smile, almost bouncing up and down from excitement. Honestly, if I die, I want to be remembered wearing this dress.

She clicks a button that read S, which I don't know what the heck it stands for. But the elevator rushes down so fast, I might be sick!
A wave of nervousness rushes over me, and I start shaking. I grasp Onix's hand so tightly, that her arm looks a bit purple. She looks down at me, sort of annoyed. I let go of her hand.

DING!
The doors open, and suddenly, we're backstage. All forty of us are supposed to be lined up against the wall, but many girls are drifting away to the buffet table to get a bite to eat.

A faint voice yells in the background. "Welcome! Welcome! Tonight, you get to meet the 40 wonderful ladies, one of them, who will become your queen in the next 7 days!"

According to Anastasia, his name is Julius. By the name, I remember the occasion of Mom and Dad watching television after Liam and I went to bed, and we would sneak down the stairs to catch a glimpse of him interviewing Queen Marie or other celebrities.