"Everyone, line up!" A man, who seems to look like a butler, judging from his clothes, yelled.
The moment I enter the hall, I can definitely see what will happen... ALLERGY! Everyone is wearing a different perfume, the scents were mixed and turned strong and unbearable for a person like me who has an allergy for strong scents. I can feel my nostrils beginning to swell.
"Ugh," I groaned as I follow granny to the end of the line. Everyone's eyes were on me. Among them, I am wearing the simplest dress. The maids stayed on the other end of the line along with the other servants.
"Stand here, Miss Amelia. Behave, and when the Prince stops in front of you to show respect," the granny said and left.
I can feel my lightheadedness, and my eyes are blurring too. I'm already having a runny nose. I hate allergies. I can even smell the girl next to me, she's wearing another strong perfume! I hate this! I took a couple of steps far from her and brushed my nose.
I reached for my pocket, I think I saw the maids put something on the dress' pocket.
"A perfume?" I mumbled, a bottle of perfume was in my pocket, but I continue to reach inside and pulled a handkerchief. "Yes!" I immediately wiped my nose and covered it.
"The Prince Forest Myler Lorcan is here! Prepare yourselves, ladies!" The butler said and the ladies pulled their make-up from their pockets, as well as perfumes, and started spraying themselves.
I feel suffocated! I covered my nose, but the powder from their make-up's adding to my allergy. I took a few steps away from the line to breathe fresh air.
"You!" The butler pointed at me, "Go back to your line!" He said while taking a few glances behind him.
There stands a tall handsome man. I can't clearly see his face, but based on his posture and fashion, he's someone important, maybe it's the Prince. I take back my words about him earlier, except the stupid and perverted ones. I can't say that he's not perverted or stupid he just because he looks nice.
I think he was staring at me as well which made me feel embarrassed. The ladies all hide their stuff and stand up straight. I went back to the line and hide my handkerchief.
"The Prince will begin the first trial. Whoever the Prince finds attractive will be chosen." The butler announces as the Prince started walking towards the first ladies.
He will stare at the lady for a few seconds from head to toe and he'll nod if he likes her. Talk about arrogance. Tch. He could've even consoled the ladies he didn't find attractive. And I hate this already, choosing based on the appearance for the first trial? How rude.
I try to find any pattern from the ladies he chose, but his type varies. One lady looks elegant, one looks sexy, one looks classic, and the other looks like a porn-star. Only ten left before me, the lady beside me pulled her perfume and turned a little towards me and sprayed her whole body with perfume.
I can feel my chest tightens, I placed my hand on my chest and started tapping it lightly. It will help me calm down from panicking that I can't breathe! Only three left. I can endure this. I inhaled deeply while my eyes are closed. Just breathe.
My chest felt lighter, but my nose tickles... I opened my eyes and I sneezed... right in front of the Prince.
I can even feel a wet and warm thing on my nose. I can see his disgusted expression. I covered my nose and pulled my handkerchief, but the perfume was pulled too. It fell and spilled on the floor. I wiped my nose immediately while everyone panics on what to do.
This is my end. It's either I get killed or be sent home. I hope I can get home with my head. I frowned and looked at the Prince, he was smirking and he nodded.
He nodded!
"Interesting," he whispered as he passed by me.
I can feel everyone's eyes on me. Especially those who weren't chosen. They are whispering while throwing me stares that can almost slit my throat.
"Congratulations, Miss!" The maids greeted me with a smile.
"We knew you will capture the Prince's heart even though there was an accident," the curly-haired girl said.
I snorted, "At least I am still alive. By the way, what are your names?" I asked with a stuffy nose.
"I'm Lala!" the curly-haired maid raised her hands with enthusiasm.
"I'm Lili," says the short-haired.
"Lulu is my name," the girl with a bun bowed and smiled at me.
Why are their names like that? Is there a maid named Lele and Lolo? I giggled with that thought but I can't breathe properly with this stuffy nose!
"Are you alright, Miss Amelia?" Lili asks.
"Just call me Amy in short, and... about this, do you have a medicine for allergy?"
"Allergy?" Regin asks as he walks towards us, "You are sick?"
I nodded, the granny appears with a smile on her face, "Congratulations, Miss Ame-- What happened to your nose?" She asks and held my hands away from my nose, "Did you catch a cold?"
"Let's take her to her room, she caused a ruckus earlier, it's bad if she stays here with the others," Regin said and held my hand while looking around. Everyone's still staring at me. A lady with horns as a head-dress even broke her hairpin while staring at me angrily.
We went back to my room and the maids helped me change my clothes to a more comfortable dress. Regin entered after and gave me medicines.
"Drink this, it'll help you with your cold. I'll ask the castle physician to check you later," Regin said.
The maids went downstairs to prepare me dinner, while granny sits on the armchair. Her attention's outside. She's watching the night crawl over the sky.
"Thank you, Regin," I said and took the medicine.
"She's refreshing, Regin, isn't she?" Granny said and turned to Regin, who, I only notice, looks flustered. "We've been entertaining people who're higher than us, more powerful, and stronger, but here is a mere human who doesn't even know what is happening and where she is."
Regin nodded and cleared his throat, "Yes, Madam. This is entertaining and... calming as well. She's not treating us badly too."
I raised my brows, how can I treat them badly? They're scary as hell! Regin can chop my head off with his sword, and the granny can make me deaf with her voice.
They both laughed while staring at me. I don't know what is happening, but I feel great to see them smile like that even though I don't know what is happening.
"Can you tell me more about your world?" I asked while Regin took the water glass from my hand.
"This world is... whimsical." Granny's voice became soft and warm, just like any granny sounds like. She sounds like she's going to tell me a bedtime story.
"We have powers, some are weak some are strong. We are divided by that power. Some even look like their power. Some have tails, some have horns, some have wings... some have it all but hides it away."
I wasn't able to understand what she was saying as I began to drift off, medicine for colds make me sleepy all the time.
"And the Prince is the most powerful of all that is why the King arranged a hundred candidates for him, to carefully check the lady he will have to share his power with. And we hope... that is you, Amelia. Don't we, Regin?"
Granny looks at Regin who's sitting on the bed while caressing Amelia's hair. "Yes, Madam. She's just a human, but... she has a great personality and character, just like her father."
"I know, that is why I asked those magicians to specifically take a lady named Amelia Snow. I saw it through my eyes, she will make a great Queen in the future."
Regin frowned, "But... what if the Prince doesn't see that? What if he chose another lady?"
Granny slowly stands up, she snapped her fingers and a light that shows the future appeared. Regin watches the events that will happen in the future with a smile. "He will. He already did."
Lili, Lulu, and Lala passed by the Prince's guards while they're on their way to Amelia's room while talking, "She has an allergy. I hope she gets well." Lili said as they all pull the trolly full of fruits and foods for Amelia.
One of the guards knocked on the Prince's office and reported, "The human has an allergy, we heard from her maids."
Prince Forest stopped signing papers and stared at the guard, "Allergy?" He put down his pen and snapped his fingers. His personal physician suddenly appeared.
"Can you stop doing that, brat? My life's not revolving around you, b`tch!" The physician angrily puts on his coat and took a seat, "What?" He yelled at the Prince.
"Check my bride candidate, she has an allergy." Prince Forest pointed at the guard, "He'll help you. Go."
The Physician stands up with a smirk on his face, "MY bride candidate. This is the first time you used that word." He teased as he gets out of the room.
The moment the door closes, Prince Forest smiled, this is the first time he felt like a normal person. Everyone is afraid to make mistakes in front of him. Everyone's careful and scared. But she... she sneezed like any person would. It caught him off guard. But who even said that he likes perfume? He loves the smell of soap and shampoo more than perfumes and colognes, just like her scent.