Charlene stared out the window of her carriage, taking in the grand castle in the distance. Her heart pounded as she clutched the thick, glossy invitation in her hands and she wondered if it was too late to withdraw from the Festival of Eros and return to her home.

The Festival of Eros was more like a competition than an actual festival and was held for nobles who could not find a spouse by a certain age which differed in the different kingdoms of Eden. Every year, there would be twelve nobles and one of this years participants was none other than Prince Henry of Camelot.

The twenty-six-year-old prince was first in line for the throne which made him desirable among the many eligible ladies and their parents. Not only was he handsome, but was kind and caring, or so she heard. She had never met the prince before and had no way to gauge whether the rumours were true or not. Furthermore, the royal family of Camelot was rather seclusive and preferred to keep their private lives from prying eyes.

Charlene sighed as she leaned her head against the glass window. "You'll be fine, darling," her mother said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She internally rolled her eyes. If only her mother knew what she was feeling right now, but how would she know? After all, her mother was the one who insisted on her participating despite her vehement protests. And much to her mother's joy, after the elimination ball hosted by the Council of Gods five days before the official start of the Festival, she was shortlisted as one of the five candidates in the race for Prince Henry's heart.

The Festival would come to an end after eleven months and if a participant couldn't find a wife, they could choose to continue as a candidate in the next round. And during the grand weddings, Libra, the God of Justice, would be there to oversee the ceremony with Ursa Minor and her crystal ball. The crystal ball was the final test and it would lay the truth out for all of Eden to see-did they really love each other?

Charlene's stomach churned as their carriage approached the massive blue and gold palace. The golden gates were wide open as a long parade of carriages entered the royal grounds. The starlings of Camelot were gathered on the streets, throwing red flower petals in the air to welcome their possible future queen. With Henry being the heir to Camelot's throne, whoever he married would become the future queen, further raising the stakes of this year's Festival.

"Remember the rules and just be yourself," her mother advised as their carriage approached the giant roundabout in front of the grand staircase leading up to the palace.

Prince Henry stood there with his parents, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, while a line of guards and maids stood behind them. Prince Henry's raven black hair was swept to the side as his piercing red eyes swept over the line of carriages before settling on hers. Meanwhile, his parents looked like the typical royal power couple with their striking eyes and blonde hair.

It struck her how much Prince Henry looked like his parents, save for the hair and eyes. It had raised quite a few questions, but it was Eden so it wasn't uncommon for starlings to be born with totally different eyes and hair colours. Many reckoned that it could be the rich magic that interfered with their genetics.

Suddenly, Charlene frowned, realising that not all the members of the royal family were present. "Where are his siblings?"

Her mother answered, "Prince Jacob and Princess Isla went to the Council Building to represent Camelot in one of the Zodiac Council's weekly conferences."

"That's where Father went, right?"

Her mother nodded, looking at the white-and-gold marble fountain in the middle of the roundabout.

"What about Lucien? Is he out hunting? I heard from some of the maids that he loves to hunt in the woods between Camelot and the Moonrose Empire."

Her mother raised an eyebrow at her. "Hunting in the Jade Woods? Now? Nonsense! I heard that he took his new wife, Princess Verity, out to the countryside earlier this morning. I wouldn't blame them for wanting some fresh air and they're only halfway through their wedding celebrations. However, they would return later tonight for the welcoming performance."

Charlene nodded, mentally cursing herself. How could she forget that Prince Lucien and Princess Verity just got married? The whole of Eden was buzzing with the news and the headlines of Eden's most well known news industry, the Moonrise Newsletter, was of nothing but the wedding.

Unlike what Charlene had read about weddings on Earth, weddings in Eden lasted for one week with a series of events and balls to celebrate the couple's union. Even the average countrystars would get their week-long celebrations, though less grand than a noble's. But that was what hierarchy was for, wasn't it? Well, at least they were subsidised by the Council.

She didn't have much time to ponder about it as their carriage approached the grand staircase. She quickly fixed her hair before the footman opened the carriage door after announcing their arrival.

Prince Henry helped her and her mother out of the carriage like the gentleman he was. "Lady Charlene, Lady Makaria," he greeted, inclining his head at them.

She and her mother curtsied and said, "Your Majesties."

"Alex! Lily! Escort the ladies to their quarters and let them freshen up before dinner," King Arthur commanded. "Please ensure that Lady Charlene is properly settled in as she'll be staying there for the duration of the Festival."

A tall burly guard and a young servant girl stepped forward, ready to escort them to their rooms. "This way, Your Highnesses," the guard, Alex, said, directing them through the grand double doors of Camelot's castle.

Alex led them through marble corridors and up many staircases. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, flooding the castle with light and illuminating the various portraits and artifacts on display.

"Here's the common room," Alex said as they entered the guest wing.

The common room had a small kitchen on one side where a servant girl was now baking cookies, filling the room with a delicious aroma. On the other side was a set of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves full of books waiting to be opened and read. Meanwhile, the rest of the carpeted floor was dotted with couches, armchairs and coffee tables. It looked like a comfortable place to relax and spend the evening with the other guests.

"All guests are welcome to use the room as they please," Alex said, as they cut across the room towards a smaller set of staircases at the end. Seeing Charlene's mother's horrified expression, he hastily added, "As long as it is within reasonable means, of course. In fact, it is encouraged for candidates to get to know one another. Although the Festival is a competition, it is also a time for bonding and friendship."

Charlene nodded at Alex's words. However, her mother pressed her lips together. She obobviously didn't think of this as a time to make friends, making Charlene internally sigh at her behaviour.

However, she chose not to dwell on it as she followed Alex and Lily up the wooden staircase that led them up to the rooms. They stopped outside the second room on the third floor. "This is your room, my lady," Alex announced, pushing open the double doors and revealing an expansive room twice the size of her room back home.

"Wow," Charlene breathed as she walked into her new quarters. It was her dream room brought to life, with the canopy bed and walk-in wardrobe with a separate bathing chamber.

"If you ever need help, call either me or Lily and we'll be more than willing to provide our assistance," Alex said gently. "If you don't mind, I'll be outside guarding the door."

"Should I prepare a bath for Your Highnesses?" Lily asked quietly, her head bowed and hands clasped before her in a show of respect.

"Yes, draw a bath for me first then focus on helping Charlene get ready," her mother ordered. "Make sure she's presentable for tonight."

Charlene bit back a groan. This was going to be a long day.