I walked up to the stage, barely able to contain my excitement. I was about to be queen! Or, have my first interview, but they're practically the same thing. "Everyone, let's give a warm welcome to Miss Melina Castaway of Hansport!" I giggled and waved at the camera, playing up to the crowd as much as I could. The structured mint green dress I wore showed I could be soft and a ruler at the same time. My hair was swept into an intricate braid crown. "Hello Illéa! I'm beyond pleased to be here!" I said, throwing my arms open.

The crowd roared in response, eating up my words. "I'm beyond pleased to be here with you." Said the prince politely. I turned to him, feeling a flush grow on my cheeks. He wanted me to be here. I smiled the smile of a young girl in love as the prince talked to the crowd.

"I believe you are quite close with your servant, Mary Lacy?" Said Prince Dedrick. I smiled right at the camera, bobbing my head. "She is more than a servant, but a dear friend, and I do hope that she is raaaather proud of me." I said, dragging out the rather. Gavrick proceeded to ask questions about my life, and what the prince meant to me. At one point he asked for my motivation to come, and my slight glance at the prince and blush set the crowd off.

As I was escorted off the stage I could see the jealousy and anger rolling off the girls in waves. Nobody had as spectacular an interview as I, soon to be "Queen Melina".

After I walked off the stage, Bhianca sat in the plush interview chairs. Her face was sincere with an obnoxious edge, like she truly believed she was to be the Queen. "Let's welcome Miss Bhianca Katz of Waverly!" She exchanged pleasant chatter with the prince and all the girls next to me tensed every time he laughed or smiled in her direction. "Now folks, I can feel you bubbling in your seats. Why don't you ask the lovely Lady a question?" Gavril said.

"Why do you want to be Queen?" Someone called out. "Whatever about boring questions like that. Do you and the prince have a connection? How do you feel about your sister being the lucky 36th contestant?" Another person asked. Bhianca shifted in her seat. "The Prince is a lovely man and I very much hope to get to know him better, as for my sister, I am glad she is here to see me, hopefully become the Queen."

A girl next to me, presumably Bhianca's sister, stomped her foot and growled. The audience roared in approval, sucking up every gossip filled response they could get their hands on. Bhiaca exited the stage just after the Prince kissed her hand daintily. The crowd again went wild and my cheeks turned crimson with rage.

Bhianca descended from the stage, waving at the crowd formally in a way that made me want to rip her hair out. Her sister, Bree pranced up to the stage, elbowing her sister. She was wearing a knee-length baby blue tea party dress with lace and high heels. I scoffed. It was way too simplistic.

Bree stared at the prince with baby doll eyes, smiling widely. "I'm ever so pleased to be here, and proud that I have made it." She started politely. "I never could have dreamed that I would be here with...you." Bree looked at the prince, pouting her lips slightly. Bree had started off the radar, since most of the attention was focused on her older sister, but this interview would surely bring her to light.

"I'm pleased to be here with you as well." Said the prince. From his eyes, I could tell he simply didn't care for her, not like me. "I was incredibly nervous to leave home, but I'm glad I did." Bree said, starting out by looking scared, and ending by looking adorably confident. The crowd "awwwed" as the prince took her hand. "I'm glad you did as well." He said smiling.

Bree tucked a thick strand of black hair behind her ear, girlishly giggling. Uhg. The girly strategy. She was trying to pretend to be brave in a cute way, and make the crowd fall for her along with the prince. This girl was an amatuer. She walked off the stage, soaking in the applause and I felt Bhianca glaring from a mile away.

"Let's give a warm welcome to Bren of St. George!" Said Gavrick. Bren walked on the stage, her posture a-glow with confidence. I wondered why everyone was so attached to her, but it seems how different she was played to her benefit. Again she wore no shoes and only string bracelets on her ankles. Her dress was pale blue and blew in the wind against her form. "How does it feel to be on the stage today?" Gavrick questioned. "Really amazing. Even more handsome than I imagined." Bren said, side eyeing Prince Dederick when she said handsome. "Anything you're looking forward to? Prince Dedrick asked, fidgeting with his fingers in a nervous way. "Getting to know you of course, silly!" Bren replied, playfully nudging his shoulder. This girl was not only strategic, she was playing up the friends to lovers card. A secret flirt.

Bren left the stage with a playful wink that led the crowd to cheers and chants of "QUEEN BREN OF ST. GEORGE" and the occasional, "BREN AND DEDERICK SITTING IN A TREE-"

I clenched my fists till marks were scrawled across my palms. "That's how it's done sweetie's." Bren said, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead. I suppressed an eye roll and turned away.

The crowd chanted questions until finally another girl entered the stage. "Settle down, we've got more ladies to go. Here we have it, Beryl Sven of Midston!"

The girl was curvy and had luscious albino hair that fell in waves around her waist. Her dress is a gorgeous silver with a matching hair comb.

I picked up bits and pieces of their conversation, but my eyes were trained on Everly. Fan-favorite, no doubt the Royal families favorite to, considering their impact on the public. But why? What did she do to become so popular? Bribery? Not likely, she was only a three after all. But I still couldn't shake the feeling, what if there was another reason she was so popular?

I almost missed the cheers as Beryl exited the stage. Her face was flushed and her grin was pure and genuine. No wonder the prince kept glancing back at her, I thought bitterly.

I didn't realize how hard the competition would be, but only one interview in and everything was changing. Winning the prince might be harder than I thought.