"Who's going to sing the solo's?" I asked. No one raised a hand.
I sighed. "You know, just because you're scared doesn't mean you can't try, so here's what we're going to do. Everyone is good to sing the Solo's and we're going to choose a person to sing it based on how well the person does and if someone sings one of the solo better that person is only going to sing the solo, do you understand?"
They nodded, I gestured for a girl to start. She inhaled and exhaled before singing.
I winced when she went high instead of going low.
Another person tried and then another and another and so on.
I stared at them with disbelief.
"Are you guys doing it on purpose? Are you purposely making mistakes?"
I had to ask, because it felt like it, not one of them got the tone right.
A girl spoke up. "I don't know what's happening, it's like my voice is controlling itself."
I shot her a nasty look but quickly wiped my face clear when the others agreed with her.
"You've not tried yet." A woman said narrowing her eyes at me.
I scowled at her, might as well get it over with.
I opened my mouth and started singing, I sang the three solo's before stopping to gauge their reactions.
"So tell me, how did I do."
"That was perfect." They all said.
I scoffed. "Really." they nodded eagerly. "So mine was the only voice not being controlled?" They nodded.
"Bullshit, you all sang terribly on purpose." They disagreed.
"Trust me, I want to be the one singing the solo so I'll be noticed by the prince."The woman who'd spoken up earlier said while I snorted.
"Trust me, you don't want him to notice you."
She frowned. "Why'd you say that, isn't that the purpose of this stupid trials? To win and get picked?"
"Are we even sure he's going to pick anyone? I mean come on, girls has been sacrificing their lives for years and he has never choosing anyone, there's a reason he's called the ice prince you know."
"Because he has ice for a bloody heart we're expected to melt?"
"Exactly, how do we know it will melt if he makes one of you his consort?"
"You say that like you're not part of us, you're also vying for a chance to win and not die trying."
"No, I'm vying for a chance to live and not die trying, there's a difference."
She shrugged. "If you say so."
******
"The one who sings the solo's have to bear in mind that she's not just singing it to win but to call forth the royal family."
I nodded, not that I had a choice in the matter when they all stood on their belief that something was wrong with everyone's voice apart from mine.
"She has to show emotions in her tone, her facial expressions."
Okay now they're just pushing it. If the royal family did indeed answer the call, one glance at the prince and I would choke on my next breath ultimately leading all twelve of us to our deaths.