Our world was crumbling. No one could survive much longer. The government took away everything. Food, clothes, we were stuck with the little we had left. "Kathryn have you seen the news." My best friend Betty looked back at me. I was doing laundry. "No I have not and I don't intend to. All they talk about is the deal." I went back to doing the little laundry we had. The deal was something that happened  fifty years ago when the king and a gang leader got in each other's way. The gang leader, Cole, said that in exchange for money his first born female in his family would be married to the kings son. So far the female has not been born and has changed the world as we know it.

"Betty can you take the clothes and put them away I have to head out to work." She came and took the basket upstairs. I threw on my shoes and jacket and walked to work. "Hey Billy. Anything new?" I went over to his desk and sat next to him. He handed me an apple. "Well actually there is." He turned to face me. I was shocked. "The government is coming in today and testing all the females blood to see if there is a girl out there that can save us." I dropped my apple. This has gone to far. Why can't they just let us live our lives. "Then I have to go." He stopped me. 

"You have nothing to fear Kathryn. If you run they'll think you're hiding something." I sat back down and then the government came rushing in grabbing every female. I was one of the last people to get grabbed they took us in the back. "The king is holding a ball tonight you all must attend. That is when he'll announce the princes new wife." After a few hours it was my turn. 

I went back home and Betty had lunch on the coffee table and had a movie on. I joined her. "We should probably make some dresses for the ball tonight." She giggled and we ran into our sewing room and started making the dresses. After what felt like forever we were done. I made a white long flowy dress. It was tight at the torso and went out at the hips. Betty made a red dress exactly identical to mine. We went to get ready. I curled my long black hair while Betty straightened her short blond hair. I looked at myself my crystal blue eyes looked sad and my glossy red lips were trying to shout at the government for doing this to us. We walked out and got in Betty's car. I had a car I just rarely used it. We made it to the palace door. And made a quiet entrance.

  What we thought was a quiet entrance made everyone's attention focus on us. "Betty why are they looking at us?" I whispered.

"Isn't it obvious? We're the best dressed girls here." I looked around. I wouldn't say that wasn't true. We walked over to a butler and grabbed a glass of champagne. "How long is this ball going to take?" My feet were starting to hurt from these heels. Right then the doors opened and the king and prince were announced. The tv did not do the prince justice. He was so much hotter in real life. He had emerald green eyes and dark brown hair he was also really tall. 

 "Ladies tonight is your lucky night. The prince is going to speak to each of you to find out who makes an impression on him the most and you will get to stay in the palace till he finds a wife." We all gasped I thought they were testing the blood. "The blood we have taken from you has been ruined so we are giving up on the search to find the gang leaders ancestor." I was so happy would they make everything normal again.

The music resumed and we went back to talking while the prince went around talking to the ladies. He made it halfway around when I stupidly bumped into him. "Oh my. I am so sorry." I spilled my champagne on him. He laughed. "It's perfectly fine. I was getting tired of this suit jacket anyway. So I should give you my thanks." I giggled while he took his jacket off and gave it to a butler.

We talked for an hour and then he said he had to go. That made my whole night. I got to speak with the hot prince. I wasn't hoping to be chosen for this decision though. I didn't want to get married to royalty.

     A few hours later the prince walked up to the stand to announce the people that would be staying. "Thank you all for speaking with me tonight but out of all of you I have chosen twenty-five girls that will be staying after the Ball." I gasped. Twenty-five girls to choose from. "Here they are. Betty Walsh, Kathryn Lodge, Veronica Densel, Janet Cooper, Haley Suntch, Kalie Fend, Emma James, Laila Abernathy, Anna Denmark, Beatrice Yack, Izzy Black, Olivia Redstone, Gianna Nectar, Fawn Miller, Paula White, Carey Brown, Annalise Proctor, Daisy Tyson, Nicole Ferna, Hope Rice, Sandra Hebisen, Quinn Delgado, Willow Burnet, Terry Hunt, and Zaley Kirk." That was all and I was second on the list.

"I would like everyone that I called to meet me in the foyer in five minutes." He walked away and I looked for Betty. "So what'd you do to make an impression?" Betty was walking toward me. "I might've spilled my champagne on him and he thanked me. What about you?" She laughed as we headed to the foyer. "All you need to know is that I am here with you. He knows why I want to be here." I giggled.

 In the foyer there were many girls trying to be at their best before the prince came in. A few minutes later the prince walked in with a bunch of maids. "If any of you do not know I am Prince Nate and I have assigned them to the people I think they will work best with. You will each get three maids." He sent them all to their people. Three girls came rushing to me. The shortest was with red hair and brown eyes. The next shortest was with blond hair and Silver eyes. The tallest had strawberry blond hair with green eyes. "Hi it is very nice to meet you Miss Kathryn Lodge." They all curtsied in unison. It kinda freaked me out but I gave them a slight nod instead. The tallest spoke first "My name is Denise and the blond is Quincey and then the red head is Opal." Opal spoke next, but not to me. "Denise I hate when you call me "red head"." I held black a laugh. They got in a little argument about it but then quickly stopped. Denise was the dress maker and Opal did hair and makeup. Then Quincey was just around to help with anything I needed. "Well you all seem very nice. I think we'll get along just fine." They curtsied and left. 

Betty walked over to me. "My maids were something."  I nodded in agreement. "Next I will assign a butler to you, which I already have." The butlers came and bowed. "They will escort you to your room. I have also assigned those to what I think you would fit best with. Breakfast starts at eight o'clock in the morning tomorrow." He turned and the butlers led us to our room. 

"Mr. Hans you have been very kind escorting me but I think you should go to sleep instead of waiting outside my room tonight." He bowed and left.

I walked in and I changed into a nightgown laid on my bed. I fell right to sleep.

      "Excuse me Miss Lodge but it is seven fifteen and we thought we would wake you so you could get ready." I woke up to the sound of Quincey speaking in her soft calm voice. "Thank you." I sat up and Denise came rushing in with a dress. "You'll want to make a first impression so I stayed up late making you this gorgeous plum colored dress." She was taking the dress off the hanger to lay on my bed. It was a tight torso dress that then flowed down to my knees. I was going to wear a pair of black heels with it. "Quincey is Opal already here." She nodded and pointed to the bathroom. "Thank you." I walked in and Opal threw me in a seat so she could do my hair and makeup. She went light on the makeup and did a braided crown in my hair but left my bangs stay out and curled my flyaways.

I walked out and met with my butler Mr.Hans. "Miss Lodge would you like me to escort you to the dining area." I nodded and put my arm in his. He was around the age of fifty just like Billy. And he was so sweet too. Once we made it to the dining area he opened the doors for me. It seemed like I had made it right in time. He escorted me to my seat near Betty, Fawn, Olivia, Izzy, Kalie, Laila, And Willow.  I sat in between  Olivia and Betty.

Breakfast came and Olivia barely touched it. "Are you not hungry after what happened before we came to the palace?" I sat up straight and looked her in the eyes. "No, I am hungry. It's just it makes you look fat when you eat a breakfast in front of the prince." I laughed. A little to loud. She just stared at me. "Oh, you're serious." She nodded. I saw Betty smirk a little.

For the rest of breakfast Olivia would lean in and whisper to either Izzy, Kalie, or Laila. I was pretty sure it was about me. I asked Hans to come get my plate but before I could stand up Prince Nate stood. "Ladies tonight we are having a pool party and I will get a chance to get to know almost all of you, but be careful tomorrow will be my first elimination." We all froze. I wondered if he would kick Olivia out. I stood up and left to my room.

For a few hours I played cards with Quincey and Opal while Denise made my bathing suit. Someone knocked at my door. Opal went to get it. "Miss Lodge Betty is here for you." I walked to the door. "Hey Betty. What's up?" I let her in and she joined in the card game. "Nothing. I was just bored so I came to see you. "I smiled and we continued the game. Opal ordered lunch to my room for all of us and we all told our own stories of home.

Later that afternoon Betty left to change into her bathing suit for the pool party. So did I. "Denise this bathing suit is beautiful." It was grey and that was my favorite color. She smiled as she handed me a towel and sandals. I grabbed my sunglasses and left to meet up with Betty.