She instantly regretted it as her mom turned around and gave her a wicked smile. “Then sign up.”

She should have known. Her mom had been pushing this matter for days on end now.

“Anything but that.”

Her mom shrugged. “Alright then. I’m taking your binoculars after lunch.”

“NO! Come on, mom. I swear I’ll never use it for spying again.”

“Nope.” She was almost at the dining room now.

In a spout of desperation, Elaine said, “Fine! Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll sign up for that freaking palace competition. Happy?”

She could tell her mom was grinning again. “Really?”

“Yes, really. But only under the guarantee that you won’t say anything about taking away my binoculars again.”

“It’s a deal. We’re going to the county to sign you up first thing after lunch.”

That day, the food wasn’t very appetizing. Elaine spent the majority of lunch pondering how her mom had gotten her to agree. She wouldn’t be very surprised if her mom came out as a con artist sometime in the future.

After lunch, she threw on a light jacket and headed towards the county with her mom. She groaned when she saw the long line of people waiting. About an hour into it, the girl in front of her turned around. “Hi, My name’s Hannah. Are you here for the THAT?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

The girl’s face brightened. “Ooh, maybe we’ll be roommates!”

Elaine shook her head. “I doubt I’ll even pass the first round.”

Hannah chuckled. “I’m sure you will. You seem like the type.”

“Thanks.”

The girl tilted her head towards the sky and clasped her hands together. “Just thinking about it has my heart racing. The luxurious life, all the able suitors. If I could even get a slight chance of winning, I wouldn’t ask for anything else.”

“Ok.” Elaine went back to staring at the wall. This girl was way too ahead of herself. The simple fact was, most of the girls here dreamt of the same thing and most of them wouldn’t get it. It was hopeless to dream about such idiotic things. The only reason she had agreed was so her mom wouldn’t threaten to take her one source of enjoyment, her binoculars, away again.

The girl tilted her head. “Aren’t you excited? You have the chance of becoming a noble. Think of all that money and the guys…” Hannah giggled as she hopped up and down. “I can’t wait!”