As stepped off the carriage, you took a deep breath, trying to disguise the nervousness bubbling in ur stomach. The grandeur of the palace seemed to swallow ya;the golden towers gleamed against the clear sky, and the marble staircase was flanked by impeccably armored guards who dared not even look you in the eye

Around you, the other girls from the Selection came down with light steps, each one more elegant than the other, with lace dresses and smiles that seemed rehearsed. They belonged there, or at least they pretended well, with delicate gestures and dreamy looks. You, on the other hand, adjusted the simple blue dress that was your best piece, but was completely at odds with the sophistication of ur competitors

"I'm not here to be a princess," you thought, clenching ur fists as you remembered the bills that piled up at home, the tired expressions of ur mother and urs brothers who barely had anything to eat. Ur participation in the national team had a clear purpose: the money and support that the family would gain just by being there. That was what really mattered

You felt the weight of each step, but also the strength of the motivation that led to continue. Alongside the other candidates, you followed the guards who guided them to the great hall of the palace, where they would receive the first stages of the selection. Inside the castle there were professionals and several cameras recording the candidates for the official Illéia news broadcast live. All the candidates sat at tables with golden chairs and glasses of wine and some food

the guards begin to march in sync while behind them the Sink royal family enters the hall with elegant steps