the selection | semi-advanced discussion
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aster walked out of the airport and got into the limo, waiting there for the other selected to get in. instead of getting on her phone as most teenage girls would, she pulled out a book and began reading. as one of the first who got in the limo, she stuck to the window opposite the airport. she leaned her head against the window as she read her book quietly, headphones in her ears as she listened to music. they had already taken all of her bags and put it in a separate car with the rest of the selected's things. thankfully, she had her name labeled on everything. the only bag she had with her was her backpack, which had spirit sleeping soundly within it. since she had it around her front, it didn't take up much space. she wasn't the jerk who'd put their bag next to her and take up needed space.
Katniss was wide-eyed with wonder as she looked around herself. The airport was already fascinating to a girl who had never been away from her home town, and she'd never seen such an odd place, with suitcases and busy people going to and from. Sure, it had been overwhelming, but it was also breathtaking, a new experience, and one Katniss absolutely had to write about every night. Now, she headed to the limo parked near the airport, and her stomach tumbled in a mixture of nervousness and excitement. This was real, it was really happening and she was going to ride in this luxurious vehicle and meet the prince. Stay at a palace. She bounced on the balls of her feet and tucked a strand of flyaway red hair behind her ear. She knew she should calm down but dang, this was amazing. Taking a deep breath, Katniss opened the door and crawled inside to see one other selected already there.
She pushed herself in next to the other girl to make room for whoever came next, and then smiled and held out a hand. Sure, they are competitors, but Katniss believed in being friendly to people until they proved there was a reason they couldn't be trusted. And even then she believed all had good in them. "Hello," she greeted the girl, hoping she wouldn't bother her, even if she was reading. "I'm Katniss, from Carolina."
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aster, who had her music turned on low in case anyone were to speak to her, took out one earpiece and smiled. she closed her book. the one before her seemed a lot more.. innocent than the one she met at the market. like an excited country bumpkin. not that she could judge, after all, it's not like she was a big town girl either. she took her hand and shook it. "aster, waverly." she greeted. her introduction was a bit short, but it was fine. "are you excited?" she asked the girl before her.
aster wasn't too excited about this whole thing, and while she had never been in a limo before, she didn't seem unnerved. she was calm, maybe a bit too calm for one of the few who got to meet the crown prince and stay in the palace. it's not like she was used to it, it's just she's been through a lot of unexpected situations, so what use was there to be nervous? it was better to be focused.
upon smelling the new person, spirit poked her head out of the bag and glanced at the person. the fennec made a small cooing noise, almost as if it was greeting the person before them. ears shot upright, the small fox tilted its head before climbing out of the bag. it was about to climb onto the stranger's lap when aster stopped them, picking them up. "sorry. are you okay with foxes? i know some people don't like animals." she asked. the fox seemed to really want to go over to the person, sniffing the air. it seemed like it wanted to sniff katniss, something canine animals often did upon meeting. aster knew this, which is why she was holding her. she wanted to make sure the other was actually okay with animals before she let spirit free.
aster noticed how red her hair was, which reminded her of a playful argument her mother and she had once. they had been fighting over which color was better, blue or red. aster, who had blue hair, obviously went with blue. her mother was always more partial to red though. it was a common argument amongst people, so she found it quite amusing that the two of them were sitting side by side. red and blue. she didn't say anything though, not wanting to overwhelm the girl next to her.
"It's nice to meet you, Aster!" Katniss was glad that Aster seemed receptive. Her mom had warned her people may be stuck up, especially those from the upper castes, so right now she was relieved to see that at least on the surface, Aster seemed nice. "And yes, I'm very excited. I just don't get out a lot, and to think we're going to be staying somewhere with such beautiful items? And...the food. That's nice," she added, somewhat quietly. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that, Aster could be a two or a three and scoff. "How about you? Are you eager?"When the fox started crawling on her, she gasped, delighted. They had no pets at her home, not with five people and a smaller income. But the fox was absolutely beautiful. "Oh, she's lovely," she whispered, and held out a hand for her to sniff. "Yes, I'm okay with foxes, I..." The cheerful girl had no words. The soft fur, the eagerness of the animal...she wanted to hug her close. "What's her name?" She asked Aster with wide eyes. "Also your hair is very pretty, the blue is a very nice color. Anyway, how did you get a fox as a pet?" Even without having pets, Katniss knew that people who did have pets had dogs and cats. But a fox? She was intrigued to say the least.
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her smile widened a bit at the girls eagerness. it reminded her of the little kids she'd see on the streets when she performed. "I'm a bit excited. I do have to say though, I think the food is probably the most exciting thing about being able to stay in the castle. they have enough money to get excellent chefs, so the food must be amazing." she said. thinking about it made her hungry. honestly, aster didn't exactly get excited about much. but to be able to eat good food is her life goal.
upon getting approval, she let the fox go. spirit jumped out of aster's arms and onto the other person, sniffing them lightly as their tail swayed behind them. despite being a fox, it seemed more domestic than anything. she likely raised the fox since birth. "her name is spirit," aster began. "my name means star, and my mom's name means heaven, so we figured spirit fit her best. since people are believed to become a star when they die and their spirits go to heaven." she hummed, explaining the strange pet name. aster was an atheist, but her mother was a religious nerd.
she thought about the first time she met spirit. "it kind of just happened. i'm pretty sure her mother might have escaped from some traffickers and had her. we took care of her mother and the litter she had. spirit was the only one who survived, and by then she was already used to living with us so we couldn't release her in the wild on her own." she explained. she didn't buy the fox or anything. she didn't have the money for it. thankfully, the animal was small and would continue to be small, even if it grew, so it didn't eat much.
she looked at the girl for a moment. "i take it that you aren't from a high caste? don't get me wrong, your lovely, it's just I've never particularly seen someone from a high caste be excited about the food. would you mind if I asked you what your caste is? I'll tell you mine." she hummed. it's not like it matters, she was just curious. it would be nice if she was around someone in a similar caste to her rather than some stuck-up brat that was from a higher caste.
Oh, thank goodness, Katniss thought. She hadn't made a fool out of herself when she said she wanted the food, Aster did too. Her grin widened a little. "That's a good point. Oh, I can't wait to try their chocolate. All their sweets, really." Her family had no money for extra things like that, at least not often. So when they did Katniss liked to savor them, savor the sugar and the sweetness."Spirit," she breathed and hugged Spirit close. She was just as soft as she looked, and for some reason this made Katniss so happy. Already she was having an experience she'd never had before. "What a nice name, and yes, I can see how such a name would fit into yours and your mother's. I didn't know 'Aster' meant star." She was quiet for a moment as she considered that theory, that when people died they became stars and their spirits went to heaven. Katniss's family was not super religious, but she'd heard her fair share of that concept of heaven and was probably more keen to believe in it than anyone other than her younger sister. "Do you believe that?" She asked Aster as she scratched Spirit behind the ears.
She nodded at the explanation. "I'm very glad her mother was able to escape such terrible people, and that's so kind of you to take her in. I feel like a lot of people would never do such a thing. Some people are so cruel to animals." But she could never understand that, not at all. They were so precious. She ran a hand down Spirit's back and then pet her under the chin.
"Oh, it's okay." Katniss blushed slightly at the compliment. "You're really nice yourself. And I'm a five, I'm not touchy about it. I actually adore my job," she told Aster. "Maybe that's a bit odd." But it was true. Unlike so many people she knew, Katniss was satisfied as a dancer. It made her happy and it made others happy. Yes, more money would be nice, better food, a bigger house. But the work itself she loved. "How about you?"
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she smiled. she hadn't even thought about that. chocolate sounded good. "I've never had chocolate, does it taste good?" she asked the girl. she had always been curious. she's heard people describe it as bitter, but it was also described as a sweet? it definitely sparked her interest. honestly, if she could, she'd probably be a freeloader who just ate and slept all day.
"it's not too common of a name, so I understand," she said with a small chuckle. she then heard her question about what she believed in. "ah, i don't believe in anything particularly. my mother isn't exactly religious either, she's just a religion buff." she hummed. "I've always said if I were to believe in anything, it'd be a polytheistic religion though. i guess I like the thought of multiple gods who have their own separate flaws rather than one all-powerful one." she hummed a bit. she seemed to be enjoying the conversation. it wasn't often that she got to talk to other people after all.
"I don't really understand those who would ignore such a small animal. fennec foxes only grow so big, I've seen cats bigger than her mother. i couldn't leave her on the street to get run over." she said with a hum. spirit, who was in the girl's lap, licked katniss's chin gently. despite being an animal and animals usually having bad breath, the fox's breath smelt minty.
aster really enjoyed the girl's reaction. she was definitely going to feed her compliments over the course of the selection. "I'm a five as well. my mom and I are musicians. I enjoy my job as well, but unless I want to become an eight, I need to make some money quickly. hence the whole signing up for the selection. otherwise, i wouldn't be here." she hummed.
"It does. Some is sweet, some is bitter. I like the sweet chocolate best." Katniss hadn't had it in a few years, but she still remembered how good it did taste. Katniss tilted her head. "That's interesting. I never thought about it that way, with multiple gods versus a powerful one. Actually I don't think about religion much at all, save for what I've heard. Heaven was always a fascinating concept, I guess, but I never considered polytheistic religions. Actually it's just as fascinating to me." She smiled. "And for the record, I like that Aster means Star. It's fitting. I've just met you but you seem unique and bright." She didn't have a real friends her age, and did talk a lot, and both of these made her realize maybe friends didn't say that sort of thing. Honestly Katniss didn't know if they even were friends. But she hoped so. Aster seemed so nice and also very easy to talk to.
Katniss giggled as Spirit lifted her chin. "You're so adorable," she whispered to her, and her eyes widened at the minty smell. But that only made her love the fox all the more. "I agree, people who ignore small animals aren't very good people. Well, the kingdom has lots of those but you know. I'm glad Spirit has a nice owner though. I wish I had a pet." She'd begged for one as a child but nothing has come of it. Now that she was older she understood why, but she still wanted one.
"Oh!" If it was even possible, the redhead brightened even more. "That's wonderful! I mean, not if you don't like it, which you just said you do, I just meant it's nice to meet someone else who is my caste." Her cheeks were a little red again. Gracious, her brother was right, she really was an annoying little bird who talked too much. "I-I'm sorry. Anyway, music sounds beautiful. What do you play? My parents and I are dancers. And that makes sense. Money can be hard to come by." And while the money was a plus to the Selection, Katniss had also signed dup because she was curious. What if she did fall in love with the prince? Then maybe her family would slowly start to come together again. And she had to admit, the idea of nice things for awhile? Not a bad one.
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"It sounds good. Do you think they'll give us some in the palace if we ask?" she asked curiously. Due to always having lived in poverty, the girl never got to experience things such as chocolate. she only spent money on necessities, like clothes, food, and the debt that they were in. they didn't even have lights. if the sun went down, then it was lights out. the only thing they did have was water.
"I didn't really have a choice. the only education I could receive was from my mother, so religion was something we delved into a lot. I just always thought that it'd be better if we didn't have someone omnipotent ruling over us. even if the god is utter trash, at least they aren't all-powerful and can have other gods around to keep them from doing whatever they want." she explained. "I wouldn't want there to be a mass purge of humankind just because we pissed off one god." she hummed. "and thank you. it's my name, so I can't help but to love it as well. Your name is pretty unique too, right? I believe it's an edible aquatic plant of the sagittaria genus. it's a very pretty flower." she hummed. she reached into her bag and pulled out a book about herbs and flowers. she worked at a flower shop and it was a gift from her boss. she flipped around a bit before finding it, showing it to the girl. "I have it written down in my notebook, but that's with my other stuff."
the fennec rubbed against the girl, leaning into her pets happily. it seemed as though the fox was definitely enjoying the attention. "if spirit ever has pups, you can always have the first pick. they aren't actually that hard to take care of. they actually find their own food as well. they mainly just eat insects." she explained. "you just need to provide fresh water and brush them every once and a while. of course, give them love too." she explained.
she then chuckled a bit at the girl's nervousness. "it is pretty nice. a lot more freedom than the upper castes might have." she hummed. "I play a few instruments. my mother was from a noble family originally, so she learned quite a bit. I can play guitar, piano, violin, and I'm great with flutes and harmonicas." she listed off. "I've never had a drum set before, but it's another thing that I'm thinking about picking up if I could afford it. if I do, i can be a one-girl band." she added, watching both females next to her. spirit was just rolling around, loving the attention and the human girl seemed quite happy too. "Maybe we should collab sometime? you and me i mean. heck, with your parents and my mom if you want. it could be fun and it'd give us an excuse to talk outside of the selection." she hummed. "and if you become queen, I could apply for a job at the castle." She added.
"I think so! It would nice nice, anyway. I've had it on rare occasions so I think it's something fancier." They had it sometimes on Katniss's birthday and sometimes on her sisters, but again all that depended on how they had to spare. Her brother never got anything nearly as fancy for his birthday, one of the complaints he--and Katniss--had about the family. "That's an interesting point, and one I never, again, considered much. Are there any particular gods and goddesses you follow? Or at least find more believable than the others, I suppose? I would assume that different people believe in different ones." Then again, it wasnt like the redhead knew that much about religion or the general the way the world worked. She knew that she could come off as naive and overly innocent, but she did find new things and new people so darn fascinating. Katniss nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! Thank you, I appreciate that. It is a plant, and ." She looked down at the book, surprised. "Oh! I didn't know you had a flower book, this is wonderful, do you hike or like nature a lot? I do, a lot. Seeing sunsets and sunrises reminds me the world can be good, and nature smells so nice." Katniss paused, her cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry, I'm talking too much. Habit of mine." One her brother absolutely loathed, much to her deep sadness.
Cradling Spirit, the smile jumped back into her face at Aster's words. "Really? Oh, thank you, that would be wonderful! That doesn't sound too hard." The goal would be keeping the fox away from her brother....and honestly away from her family, but that was a challenge Katniss hoped the Selection would somehow remedy in any meaning even if she didn't win.
She stared at the list of instruments Aster could play. Even for a five, that seemed to be a lot. "Do you have a favorite?" She asked. "I've always loved the way flutes and violins sound." She grinned at Aster's comment about the one-girl-band. "That would be an interesting dear, trying to play all those instruments yourself." She tilted her head, sending some red hair drifting from her braid. "Your mother came front a noble family? I think my lineage is all...five." She booped Spirit's nose with a grin and then looked back up at Aster. "I would absolutely love to work together on something!" She bounced a little in her seat. "My parents, maybe, they're good dancers and work well together for business but sometimes they don't really like each other," she admitted. "But your mom and us? For sure. We could always start when we're not seeing the prince, write down ideas." She was really looking forward to hearing Aster play and maybe getting a real friend out of this, something she didn't have a lot of back home. Oh, queen?" Katniss shook her head. "I don't think I'd win. It would be nice, I admit, to help my family but people always say I really am too cheerful, you know?" She shrugged. "But on the off chance I do win of course I'd give you a job." She smiled.
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"We should ask the staff when we get there." She suggested. "It'd be nice if we could enjoy ourselves while we're there anyways." she hummed with a smile. if she was going to be honest, she didn't care much for food. she ate to survive, but it's not like she was too interested in different foods. curious, sure. but not so interested that'd she'd waste her money on it.
she listened to the girl talk quietly, smiling a bit as she listened. most of the people she talked to were actual children, so most couldn't make heads or tails of the things she spoke of or the words she used. it was refreshing to be with someone in the same age range. "honestly, if i were going to be completely honest, probably the gods of the old nordic religion. such as odin and thor. religion has always been something I've taken great interest in from a young age. it's also a religion my ancestors followed. though, as an athiest, I follow no religion. however blasphemous other people may think that is." she explained. she noticed how the conversation kept changing back and forth, and while it may seem to be a bit much to keep up with, she actually quite enjoyed it. "ah, i do hike a bit. sometimes when I have time or when we travel, I like to hike around areas with a lot of vegetation. it's always good to know what is edible and what isn't, in case you get lost. it also helps to harvest your own herbs sometimes if you want better quality. i actually grow a few things, such as medicinal herbs. i can't really make medicine, but it's good for making a bit of money." she explained. while some people might never even think about harvesting their own food or growing herbs, it seemed like the girl didn't mind it too much. "and I don't mind if you talk a lot. it's charming, and if I don't have anything to say, I don't have to worry about it being awkward. not to mention, it gives us more things to talk about. I prefer talkative people over quiet ones to be honest, it's easier to hold a conversation." she explained to her. in fact, the girl before her was probably more of her type than the actual prince would be, and aster was 100% straight. well, maybe more like 98%, but close enough.
it also helped that the girl kept her thinking. she thought for a moment, did she have a favorite instrument. "Hmm... I think I like the guitar the most, but that's probably because I'm more used to that one than the others," she said. "but if it's performance-wise, i typically lean more toward violin and flutes. people tend to like them more." she said. "and for the one girl band, I could always record myself playing beforehand and just put all the recordings together. I've seen people watch videos of people doing it on this video platform once." she explained. she clearly didn't think too much about it, as she had no idea what that video platform was even called, but she did put some thought into it. "and yeah, they were high caste people. unfortunately, they put all of their eggs in one basket though, so it was very short-lived, so my mother has lived similarly her entire life up till now. a high-class family going bankrupt is not a place you want to be. at least in our low castes, we aren't used to constant luxury. at least, the lot of us." she hummed. "and I think she would like you, so I'm sure she'd be more than willing to collab with us. We could exchange numbers, so even if we aren't near each other, we could exchange ideas." she suggested. it'd be easier to text ideas than wait until they met up again to write it all down.
"If you did win, it'd be nice. but from what I've heard about how the crown prince is, or well, the princes in general, it'd seem like they'd be looking more for a business partner than a wife. at least, that much could be said for the first and third prince. at least, from the rumors of their behaviors anyways." she said. she had heard rumors here and there, it'd be impossible not to. "if you do become queen, I wish you the best of luck. it's definitely a long and difficult road." she added. as she finished that thought, another one popped up. "Speaking of which, do you know the proper greetings and how to address everyone? despite all being royalty, you have to address them all differently, so it can be a bit hard to keep up with. it's fine to be comfortable with the staff, but it'd be best to always properly refer to the royal family respectfully." she explained. while her mother never expected her to be a noble, aster had always been curious about that as a child, though short-lived. she was taught basic etiquette, but with the girl's unwillingness and lack of effort, that went all the way down the drain. it helped that her mother drilled it into her mind as soon as she found out aster was applying for the selection to that point.
"It would be! It really would be." She smiled at the thought of not just chocolate, but honestly, any other sweet foods too. And a nice, soft bed with fluffy pillows. This would be a definite positive experience even if it only lasted for a few weeks or days. Provided no rebels attacked."Nordic religions? I do think I've heard of those." She sighed and leaned against the seat. "You sound so intelligent, so smart. I wish I knew half the things to seem to know. And in terms of being an atheist, well, I'm sure everyone has different beliefs or lack thereof, doesn't make you any less of a person," Katniss told the other girl with a one-shouldered shrug as she pulled Spirit onto her other shoulder and ran her fingers through the fox's fur. She tilted her head as their conversation moved back to the plants. Honestly, her hiking was never super educational. "See what I mean? You're so smart. I have never considered looking at what plants are edible and what aren't. All I know is what is poisonous to the touch," she admitted. "But I can now easily say that I'd happily get lost in the woods with you." She paused. "And by that I mean out of anyone I know, I'd probably survive with you," she quickly amended, her cheeks flushed. Granted Katniss didn't know a lot of people or even why her cheeks were red--honestly, awkward things were said all the time--but they were anyway. "Oh," she whispered, surprised to hear she didn't mind her talking a lot. "Really? You mean that? Because I agree, of people talk then they get to know each other but my--but some people I know say that's it's obnoxious." She sighed. "Which has always made me very self-conscious but I really hate it when people just sit there in silence when they're in a group." She shook her head and adjusted the end hair hair in her braid. "And...thank you, I suppose. You're so nice to talk to, too. Such a fascinating and kind person."
Katniss nodded as Aster spoke about her preferences for different instruments and how it kind of changed when performing. "I do like violin and flute music," she admitted. "But guitar is nice, too. So was that the one you learned first then?" She then gasped and sat up a little straighter. "Maybe you could teach me? That would be nice!" That way she could expand her artistry and maybe make a little more money. But she had to reel herself in, it was...not like she was going to be great at it anyway. "Oh I see now, that makes so much more sense. I'm so silly, I was thinking one girl band where you'd play all at once." She ducked her head. "So dumb. I'm sorry. And--and I am also sorry. About your mother losing her nobility status, I'm sure even knowing she had it once would be hard...and okay!" She perked up again. "I'd love to exchange numbers and work with you and your mom!" She fished out her phone and opened it up. It was an older phone, nowhere near the new models the upper castes could afford, but it was functional and that's all that mattered.
"So not fall in love? He doesn't want love?" She was shocked. Katniss dreamed of love, whether a man or a woman, she just wanted love. So to think someone didn't when it came to marriage boggled her mind. "I-I suppose he is royalty but they're people, too. Oh, that must be so unfortunate." And definitely made the Selection prospect a lot less exciting. But she didn't say that aloud. She didn't always catch up on news and rumors and was always busy outside or just... avoiding the TV. She found it a bit boring, if she was being honest. "Well, thank you. I just hope if I do win there will be mutual love and respect." She chewed her lip, thinking of her parents' own kind of failed marriage. "And I wish you luck I'm anything, too. If by some chance you do win, I have no doubt were in capable hands." She smiled at Aster. "You're right...well, I don't want to make a fool of myself, but I would assume it's 'Your Majesty' for the queen and king and 'Your Highness' for all else?" She asked, looking to Aster for confirmation.
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she liked how the girl thought, but the compliments just kind of made her feel embarrassed. it also seemed like the girl was putting herself down as well, which she didn't really like too much. "It's easy to be book smarts. And I only really know the necessary stuff I needed to survive, so it's easier to say that everything I know was out of necessity," she explained calmly. aster was a lot different from when she was in the marketplace with vivien. she was calmer and her voice was a lot gentler. it seemed as though her tone changed with who she was with. "And yeah, I mean it. It's incredibly charming, and being a conversationalist is a great skill to have, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you had a bit more confidence, I bet you could even become a socialite amongst the high-class people and nobles." she complimented. she found the girl before her rather cute, like a puppy she had discovered on the side of the road. but rather than a 'pet', the right term would be a companion. she honestly wanted to tease the girl before her, but she kept her urges to herself. if her mother were here and saw her just do whatever she wanted, she'd never let it down. she'd be known as a sadist. it was kind of hard not to be entertained by people like that though. their reactions were fun to watch, especially if you complimented them.
"Ah, yes. I did learn guitar first. I wanted to play for the other kids on our street, so I was pretty eager to learn." she hummed, thinking of her memories fondly. even if they lived in poverty and her childhood was full of trauma, she still had good moments every now and again. "I'd love to teach you. I might not be as great of a teacher as my mother, but I'm sure I can teach you what I do know." she hummed happily. "And don't worry too much about it. It's not something everyone would have thought of. originally I did think of it the same way, and I only found out about the video program thing because someone made fun of me. So, you definitely aren't dumb or anything." she reassured her. "And don't worry about it. it's been over twenty years since it's happened, and if it didn't happen, she wouldn't have had me. so we are both very grateful for her parents screw up." she hummed. She saw her take out her phone and took out her own. aster's phone was in no better condition. it was also an old version and was pretty banged up. it's a surprise that she could even use it, with a cracked screen like that. she handed the girl her phone so they could trade and put each other's numbers in their phones.
"I'm sure it'd be nice if he had love. Of course, I can't speak for him because I don't know him, so I can't say he'd want it." she tried to rationalize. not everyone wanted to love or even thought about it. she could understand why, in a position like his, love wasn't the first thing on his mind. "It might be unfortunate, but for some people, I think they prefer it. it might be painful to be with someone you don't love, but in the end, it's a lot less painful than being in a relationship and getting heartbroken. For some people, it's just more bearable. not everyone can handle the pressures of the crown, and if royalty were to marry for love, it could hurt not only them but their kingdom." she added, still trying to rationalize it. it's not like she couldn't relate either.
she chuckled a bit at her remark. "I don't plan on being the queen. If the prince has his wits about him as well, he wouldn't pick me. Do you want to know something I was recently told? nothing is worse than someone who doesn't give it they're all. by that logic, I'm probably the worse there is when it comes to this whole selection nonsense. the crown prince would be nothing short of a fool if he were to pick his worse candidate, who would be managing the kingdom alongside him." she explained. it seemed more or so like that was part of her plan, really. to not try so she wasn't picked. she only needed to do the bare minimum. she believed that if she were to seriously participate in this petty fight for who got to marry the prince, she'd be the real fool.
she nodded at the girl's words. "right, so when greeting the king, it'd be 'I greet his majesty the king' and with the queen, it'd be the same but reverse. for the prince and princesses though, you have to greet them according to their rankings. for example, for the second prince, it'd be 'I greet his highness, the second prince' and the same for the princesses. it's a lot less complicated since this is a kingdom rather than an empire. if you had been greeting those ruling an empire, it'd be greetings such as the sun, moon, and stars. imperial etiquette is a whole different stage than royal etiquette, something even I wouldn't be able to help with." she said with a long sigh. "I'm just glad we ran out of time. if I had to go through my mother's lessons one more time, I think I might have died. before leaving, she tried to talk to me about imperial etiquette, like i'd ever need to know that. I'd be surprised if the emperor of another nation came here. illea is an independent kingdom, so my chances of meeting imperial royals would be close to none and it'd probably be on my death bed as they take over illea." she explained, complaining a bit. it really did seem like a bunch of knowledge was crammed into her before coming there. it was stressful, to say the least. "you should be glad that your mother wasn't a former noble. if you were my mother's child, she'd probably try to teach you ballroom dancing in short notice. I managed to escape my fate, thankfully, but it's a dog-eat-dog world and I'd probably leave you to her evil clutches. no offense." she rambled.
"I suppose so." Katniss shrugged it off. "But necessity or not, it's given you skills lots of others don't have. So that's a stand out to me." For all she enjoyed hiking in the woods, maybe she should have learned some edible plants, too. maybe that was something she could bring up to her mom if she lost the Selection. She smiled at Aster's comments about being charming, and she gaped at the mention of socialites. "Oh, gracious, no! I-I think those people tend to be more about small, polite conversation! I think I'd blow someone's ear off. At least that's what my brother always says, anyway." She shook her head. Merrick had some good in him somewhere, she knew, but it was so hard to find. "Besides, I'm a 5, I could never get into such society...unless I was popular in the selection, I suppose," she missed as she scratched Spirit behind the ears. She smiled at Aster, hoping so much that the blue-haired girl was someone who she could trust and was being genuine. "Thank you! That would be wonderful, I'd love to learn. And I'm sure you're a perfect teacher. That sounds absolutely wonderful, being able to play for the kids on your street. I'm sure they enjoyed that." Music was, to Katniss, life. Well, almost. Dance was life, but music was a close second, not needed for dance but very, very tied to it. She preferred dancing to music than without it, because in her opinion it became awkward then. So the thought of someone of their street playing music for the other kids was a pleasant one. "Oh, well, thank you." She frowned and wrinkled her nose. "Someone made fun of you? I'm sorry, Aster, that's wrong and they had no reason to do so." Katniss hated bullies. Her brother was bad enough, and sometimes the others she worked with could be rude and mean, so whenever someone was bullied she wanted to stand up for that person. Katniss nodded at the comment about Aster's mother. "You two seem close," she stated. It was half a question, but half a statement. "And thanks!" She slipped her own phone into Asters hand and then proceeded to type in her name and number. A thrill jumped through her. Maybe she really would get a friend, an actual friend. Someone who didn't find her annoying or super agitating. When she finished, she handed Aster her phone back.
"Huh." Katniss propped her chin on her free hand as she processed Asters words about love and the prince. "I guess that makes sense, considering he will be running a country and if his wife is someone he loves but can't help him at all or is the antithesis of everything in Illéa, well, I can see that may not end well." And she also knew Aster had a point that not everyone wanted romantic love. She knew that, but it still boggled the mind of such a romantic. Katniss's own parents, she got the idea, were not in loves and it created friction and tension, favoritism and bullying in her own home. It made her deeply sad, actually, and she wanted to fix it. But she didn't know how, so for the prince's future kid's sakes, she hoped he found someone he loved and who loved him in return.
"Well, I think you said you're here to help your family, right? Admirable. Still, if anything did change your mind then I'd root for you. We need an intelligent queen." She smiled again and this time brushed her hair back, tired of the wisps of hair tickling her skin. "And I guess not trying would probably turn him away from you, especially if he really is so driven to find a business partner instead of a romantic one." Against the thought soured her stomach but oh well. If he showed an interest in her, she'd only reciprocate if love and attraction were involved.
"That does sound like a lot." Sorry passed through her eyes before it vanished. "I mean, that is complicated both here and imperial, and I hope I'll remember all of that," she fretted as she bit her bottom lip. "I'm sure it can't be that hard if I even remember the lineage order of the princes and princesses." She chuckled nervously. "Oh I hope we don't meet any other rulers, that would...well, be exciting and horrifying. But ball room dancing? Oh, I already know how to do that. Maybe I could teach you and you could teach me how to properly interact around here. See, I had to learn all dance styles, because if I don't, that's less money coming in. I do enjoy it, though. And well that's fine, I'd much rather be taught by your mother so I don't make a fool of myself."
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She shrugged. "I guess so. though, it's something anyone can learn and do out of necessity. that is, if they don't want to starve. so, it's hard for me to really call it a 'skill.' It's just accumulated knowledge." she tried to rationalize. "And being a socialite has nothing to do with small, polite conversation. most of it is just talking shit on people with smiles. in the end, the only thing you'd need to do is keep your cool. because if you lose your temper, that'll start all kinds of rumors and stuff, which ultimately means you lose. it's more of some sick word game. But it's not always like that. Your refreshing, kind, and you know how to keep a conversation flowing, so people are bound to like you as long as you maintain your cool and remain confident. the main problem would be your status. Unfortunately, even if you were a famous musician or dancer, you'd be looked down on because of it. Ultimately, we're tied down by our castes. If we weren't, you'd definitely have the potential with a little teaching." She hummed. Her mother was going to be the year's socialite, as she had already entered social circles before her debutante and had gained the ladies' favor. unfortunately, her family went bankrupt before then. "though, it's not like it would be worth it. the social circles are nothing but a never-ending war. honestly, even I'd rather fight in an actual war than end up in the kind of situations those girls put themselves in. my mom said it was utter terror." aster explained with a sigh. She then looked toward the girl with a smile. "I think you'll be pretty popular, even if it's not with the prince. As we will be filmed within the selection, I'm sure the audience will come to love you. I'd be surprised if we weren't being filmed right now." she hummed, trying to reassure the girl. she wanted to boost her confidence.
upon hearing the compliment about her being a perfect teacher, a small smirk formed on her lips. "of course I'll be the perfect teacher. I'm great in all the instruments I picked up after all." she bragged, seemingly boosting in confidence. honestly, she just hopes her words would make the girl before her smile. "and I just wanted to play for the other kids to show off, since a lot of them had things I couldn't have, like the newest toys and such." she said. she reached her hand out over the girl's lap to pet spirit. "and they had a reason to make fun of me, just not a very good one." she hummed as she remembered the kids who'd make fun of her. of course, she'd always fight them and end up coming home with things like bruises because she was always fighting with the boys, but she wasn't going to tell the girl that. "and yeah, we're pretty close. we had to be. unlike my sperm donor, she was actually responsible." she said. she refused to call that man her father, as he did not act like one. as she spoke, she wrote her contact on the girl's phone. the contact read 'beloved teacher' with a heart rather than her actual name. she, of course, didn't expect the girl to keep it as that. it was more or so done as a joke.
"Yeah... still, i do agree with you. It'd be nice if his partner would be someone he loved and that his children were the children of someone he loved. I've seen a lot of people that end up marrying and having children for reasons other than love, and it's always the children that end up suffering. if it was to produce an heir, then that child is likely to be raised in such a manner rather than because their parents simply love them. after all, it's not the child's fault that the parents are unhappy in any way. children deserve to be raised with unconditional love from their parents. unfortunately, it seems most of the world doesn't share the same sentiments." she muttered. from how she spoke, she seemed to like children. it didn't even seem like she wanted the prince to marry for love for his sake, but rather the future children they are bound to have. actually, from the way she's spoken so far, it seemed like she couldn't give less of a fuck about the prince.
She thought for a moment. "It's hard to say I'm here to help my family, it's more or so just me and my mom. family would infer that there were more than just the two of us." she said as she stretched. "It would be nice if we had a smart queen, even if she was incredibly fake. I'd much rather have a capable queen rather than one who wasn't. of course, there are probably many like that amongst the selected, so hopefully, the prince isn't superficial and only looks for the prettiest girl." she hummed. "I have a foolproof plan for that too! if, for some reason, my not trying doesn't work, I'll just make myself unbearable. I could even stand him up." She said with a smile. she was sure she wouldn't fall for the prince anyways. after all, he was probably a brat anyways.
"Don't be apologetic," she said, having noticed her look, "it's torture, but at least I won't have my head chopped off for disrespecting a royal." she hummed. "Don't worry too much about meeting someone from an imperial family. Illea is prosperous, but the only way you'd meet one is if you become queen. and, to become queen, you'd receive necessary lessons beforehand so you won't have to worry about not knowing what to do. I did hear that the prince and princess from new asia were there as well though, so if you run across them, you'll need to address them appropriately as well." she explained. she had only heard it in passing, mainly because people just loved to talk. "it could just be a rumor though, so don't be too nervous." she added. she shook her head at the for thought. "I don't plan to be doing any dancing. anyways, even if i did, it'd be because the prince asked and then she got to step on his feet, which would deter him from picking her again anyways. "it's cool that you've learned all kinds of dance styles though. mind teaching me some moves sometime? I know the foxtrot, tango, samba, cha-cha-cha and jive, and flamenco, but that's about it. and that's only because my mom wanted me to have a quinceañera to honor family traditions. we didn't have one, but she sure did act like we were preparing one." she said with a sigh as she thought about it. while she didn't look it, her mother's family was from dominica. her father was white and her grandfather on her mother's side was also white, which is why she didn't resemble her mother's side in the slightest. if anything, she looked like her father/sperm donor. her mother was still Latina though, so she couldn't escape it.
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((yeah I can do that! I'll respond to the limo when I have a little more time but I can make Katniss And Aster a chat and also the prince and some others))
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there's also the royal group chat and the selected group chat for everyone to interact seperately. it's just, without the dms, the prince has no way of contacting the selected
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((everyone))
(view spoiler)
Vivien was the last one to enter as she allowed the other girls to walk in first. Might as well set the tone as the polite one before they all got off on the wrong foot. She spotted Aster's shock of blue hair and immediately turned around. She couldn't let anything happen today. No outbursts, nothing. Nothing to make her a target amongst the other selected. As she climbed into the limo after the second to last girl, one of the guards closed the door and off they went. At least if they were targeted, Vivien would have an easy escape by being the first one to open the door. Sitting on the plush seats, Vivien had one leg in front of her and the other close to the door, just in case.
Vivien caught Aster talking to another girl further down her left and snuck a couple glances at her. Would she even remember her? Of course it was only a couple hours since they saw each other. But when you worked like Aster, the faces tended to merge together and everyone looked the same. But Vivien must've made some sort of impression on her.
She peeled her eyes away from Aster. Forget about her, there are more than enough girls here. Vivien inclined her head to the girl on her left and smiled, fixing her bangs as she waited for the girl to answer. "Hello, and what might your name be?"
((if i'm doing it wrong, please let me know. XD))
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((I do. I'll bring them in. On that note should I have Katniss respond to aster or to Vivien?))
Quinn entered, "I'm so sorry, I was running a tad bit late." she chuckled, then sat down. She tugged on the sleeves of her shirt and pulled it more over her knees, "I'm Quinn, lovely to see you all." She crossed her ankles and smiled gently at the rest of the girls, "How are you all doing?"
Quinn looked at all the girls, they looked so perfect and she felt like an outcast amongst them. She was only here to escape from her family, these girls were here because they loved the prince. She looked around the limousine and immediately noted how sophisticated everything looked. Even the floor was a deep velvet colour and she felt as if she was doing something wrong by putting her feet even on it.
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(( i think aster? She's avoiding aster, so I'm not sure if she'd be trying to talk to the girl next to aster that aster is having a full-blown conversation with. but, the girl to her immediate left could definitely be one of your characters
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Quinn entered, "I'm so sorry, I was running a tad bit late." she chuckled, then sat down. She tugged on the sleeves of her shirt and pulled it more over her knees, "I'm Quinn, lovely to see you al..."
(( if only she knew how aster really felt-
she's here for the money- the girl's a gold digger.
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((agreed. vivien is trying to be far away from aster as possible right now. XD yeah. anyone can chat with vivien :3))
Quinn entered, "I'm so sorry, I was running a tad bit late." she chuckled, then sat down. She tugged on the sleeves of her shirt and pulled it more over he..."
((If only-
((okay so I'll have Katniss respond to Aster and then one of my other characters can be the other one))
ᵐⁱʸᵃ ᶜʰⁱⁿᵉⁿ wrote: "She shrugged. "I guess so. though, it's something anyone can learn and do out of necessity. that is, if they don't want to starve. so, it's hard for me to really call it a 'skill.' It's just acc..."
Katniss gasped as the limo opened and more people filled in. More had come in as she spoke to Aster, too, and while she wanted to greet everyone, she knew it was polite to finish one conversation first. "I can see that. I'm sorry it was a matter of survival, though." It boggled the redhead's mind, she had to admit. Both she and Aster were a 5, but their lives seemed so different. She inhaled sharply, flushed at Aster calling her refreshing and kind, but also worried. "I could never talk shit about someone, though," she murmured using the words Aster had told her. "And maybe I can carry a conversation but it sounds like a cutthroat environment and I cannot handle that." She shook her head, tugging at a red curl by her temple. "And o-oh, that's very kind of you to say. I'm sure you're popular, too, with your beautiful music." She offered her a warm smile.
"Ah, that makes sense. And well music is a wonderful gift, you know." She winked at Aster. "I'm looking forward to being taught by a great teacher." Katniss arched her eyebrow. "No, there is never a good reason to make fun of someone. Ever." She was firm in her belief about this. "So, I am very sorry you had to experience bullying, Aster," she finished genuinely and with a firm voice. She then smiled wistfully. "Being close with your mother sounds very nice and I am really happy for you that that was the case but I'm sorry about the sperm donor. He should have helped." She agreed. Katniss took her phone back and laughed. "'Beloved teacher'. Yes, that will do. Thank you, Aster!"
"Exactly!" Katniss agreed. "Like, my parents didn't marry for love and my family is quite a mess underneath the facade," she mumbled, and then realized that was probably too much information for someone she had just met, even if that someone seemed nice enough. "And I agree as well, I'd much rather has someone who has brains. Then again, if you're right about the prince wanting a business partner then we probably would get a smart queen. At least that's what I hope anyway." She tapped her fingers on her knee with her free hand as she scratched Spirit with the other. She gaped, he'd mouth and eyes going wide. "You'd stand him up?! Isn't that taking it too far? Then again, that would probably get you tossed," she admitted. "And if that's what you want then I think that's probably a good idea in that case. Just please don't get yourself killed."
"Head chopped off?" Katniss couldn't tell if the other was serious or not, and if she was thank goodness Aster had ran her through the basics ...and that they hopefully wouldn't meet any from an imperial family. Well, the New Asia prince and princess maybe. Her stomach knotted at the thought, and Katniss took a shaky breath. "Of course I'll teach you some! Anything you want to know! And thank you, I actually rather enjoy being a 5 for the dance," she admitted. "And surely well all have to go to some ball anyway, even if we don't dance with the prince."
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((no worries, I'll have one of my other ones address Vivien for now))
Meanwhile, Cobie was lounging in the back of the limo, trying hard to avoid contact with anyone. Honestly, she wasn't even here because she wanted to be, she had a mission and a purpose and it was not meeting the prince nor marrying him. The airport and plane were fascinating enough but unlike the gawking, annoying chatty redhead she didn't let it show. The girl was a fool in her humble opinion. But then someone just had to slide in and speak to her. Cobie looked up from staring at her lap. It was Vivien, though she didn't know her name yet and hadn't bothered to memorize anyone. "Cobie," she answered the question shortly. She didn't even bother to ask what the girls name was in return.
(( :(
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aster glanced toward vivien. naturally, she did recognize her. that didn't mean she felt the need to talk to her. instead, after staring for a brief moment, she glanced toward the new newcomer. instead of a greeting, she simply waved slightly at Quinn. She would introduce herself, but she was in the midst of a conversation with her first friend. She turned her full attention back to the girl in front of her. "Ah, it's fine. I'm used to it, and it's fun to do when you have nothing else to do. so you don't need to be sorry for me." she explained with a small hum. she didn't mind, she was used to it by now. "And yeah, I understand that. You wouldn't have to do that, of course, but from what I've heard, those in social circles can be rather loose-lipped and vicious, so it's not a very pleasant environment. I'm sure I'd get indigestion during gatherings like that." she said with a sigh. she watched the girl as they spoke, making sure to make eye contact as she was taught. "I would like if you keep your image of me being popular in your head though. Only if it makes me seem cool though. If me being popular makes me seem uncool, you could totally abandon that image." she said. she wasn't going to say whether she was popular or not, but rather leave it to the girl's imagination. if she was going to be completely honest though, she wasn't popular in the slightest. most people didn't like her because she was always fighting or other petty reasons.
She nodded in response. "I see you appreciate the greatness of music. You'll be a great student." she hummed. she seemed to be in a good mood. while she may come off as temperamental, it seemed like being around innocent girls like katniss helped keep her cool-headed. "It's fine. If we're being honest, I don't mind if someone bullies me. I could always just beat them up, and if they're strong, I'll make them make a fool of themselves. Karma comes two-fold, and it's not like I was a pushover either. I like to think that the reason they would bully me is exactly as my mom says, they either like me or are jealous." she hummed. it was optimistic, of course, and she knew better than to actually believe it. she already knew that people just liked to trample on those they believed were weaker than them. it was a cruel reality that had always been obvious to her.
she listened to the girl's words about family. "sometimes love isn't all that great and happy either, so you shouldn't worry too much about it. My mom did, once upon a time, love my sperm donor." she explained. she didn't seem to understand why katniss was so surprised. "I mean, yeah? I might decide to play nice and play along, but the end goal is to get tossed eventually, so it works." she said with a shrug. "and I'm not stupid enough to get killed, so don't worry. If the guy turns out to be egotistical and tyrannical, I'll play along. I don't want to face the electrical chair." she said. technically, what she was doing could be considered as defaming a royal, but she didn't seem to care much. "though, if he's tyrannical, I'd be a bit concerned for the future of our kingdom." she said with a sigh.
she noticed how concerned she was about the head part and tried to hold in her amusement. "don't worry. I don't think they'd pull a guillotine out to chop someone's head off. at least, not anymore. the death sentence these days is by electric chair, or in some cases, on the spot. I've heard of the third prince having executed such an order before with a spy, but the worse you'll get for defaming a royal is a year in prison." she explained. "and the only way I'd have to dance at one of those balls is if a member of the royal family asks for my hand. so I can just decline everyone else who wants to dance. I'd doubt I'd get any offers though. I don't exactly plan to show up in a big pretty dress or anything. it's not exactly my style." she reasoned. no reason to learn the waltz if that was really the case. she just hoped she wasn't going to be forced to wear a dress.
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((oooo that'd be interesting. makes sense for them to do that too.))
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((elizabeth))
Vivien was having her back stick straight, expecting the girl to ask her name in return. When she just left it at that, Vivien nearly pouted. She should've expected this. Naturally, there were going to be some ruffians in this odd group. Vivien smoothed down her pants and said, "Vivien Braam, a pleasure to meet you." Seconds ticked by before Vivien clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and said, "You know, if we are to get along, it would be nice to know who I'm talking to. After all, the prince probably wants to see how well we can work with strangers. So come on, let's practice your speaking skills we meet the dear old prince." Cobie could use the practice. If she was going to speak with one word sentences, Vivien would rather walk. Her cousin Harold always gave her one word replies and it drove her up the wall. As she waited for Cobie's response, she scanned the limo several times. Hm. There were a few girls who looked promising. Maybe even the chatty redhead. Aster... perhaps. They already talked briefly and although Aster could be used as her good deed, there were other girls to talk to.
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after the start, every day that pasts are around 1 hour in their time.
"Well, I do like to give my sympathy for people anyway," Katniss told the other girl with a shrug. "Because that way people at least know they're not alone, you know?" She shrugged and continued on. "No it doesn't sound pleasant. I really don't think I'd like being in vicious social circles where every move is judged. And where everyone says horrible things around one another. There's a difference between me liking to talk and...well, talking shit about people." She sighed. "And yes of course I'd keep that image of you." She couldn't help but wink. "Can't ruin your reputation." Katniss liked foolish around with Aster a little, she did find her really cute but oof, she'd never admit that aloud. Especially since she was here for the prince, at least... somewhat, anyway. "I do appreciate music. There's so much that can be done for it, or that it can do for you. People who listen to absolutely no music are missing out." She truly couldn't imagine life without it. Maybe that was partly because she was a dancer, but she still couldn't even fathom how dreary life would be without it. She blushed. "Well, we'll see about that, I'll try and be a good student." The thought of Water teaching her made her giddy for some reason but she held it in as she hugged Spirit a little tighter. The smile fell off the redhead's face. "I...well, knowing that they're jealous or like you doesn't help, if someone truly liked you they wouldn't hurt you. And jealousy is absolutely horrific." She knew that firsthand, thanks to her brother. It was sad and sickening, the things he did in the name of jealousy. "And beat them up? Well..." Katniss hated violence, and she inhaled sharply. She couldn't disparage anyone for defending themselves, though. "I suppose if it's necessary to your self preservation."
Katniss sighed and took in all Aster said. "Tyranny isn't good," she agreed. "And I suppose I wouldn't know much about him, I knew less rumors than you do. But I agree that if it is tyrannical, well...that would hurt us more than we already are." She sighed and lifted her hand, tugging at the end of her red braid. "Love being great and happy, as you put it, should be the goal, though, at least for people who do claim to love one another. To me, if they don't love each other, they will divorce, you know? And I mean, i suppose love isn't happy all the time, but it shouldn't be cruel," she amended her earlier statement. "That's the way I see it anyway." She shivered at Aster's mention of the electrical chair. "I trust your judgement," she told her. "You're intelligent. But...hey if you need a sounding board or need to complain about anything during your time here, let me know." She smiled slightly. "It can be overwhelming to have to look perfect all the time, I know that from dance performances and auditions. Granted you probably do too, but still." She gave her what she hoped was an encouraging smile.
Katniss swallowed down her rising lump of anxiety as Aster talked. "Oh, because knowing all that helps," she fretted in a slightly sarcastic voice, and then sighed. "Actually I suppose it does help, at least knowing prison may be the worst should I skip up." And boy, was she worried about slipping up. She chewed her bottom lip and shook her head. "But I'm going to try and be on my best behavior, I really am not known for rebellion. According to Mom I never had a rebellious phase, even when I was younger." Her brother on the other hand seemed to be living rebellion but she didn't say that. "Oh." She was a little surprised at how resistent Aster was to dancing. "Well okay. If you do want any dance help though, I'm here. And as for the dresses, I would assume wed have to wear one at least once or twice while we're here....but maybe not! I guess I won't know till we actually get there."
((Lorien))Cobie raised a brow and held in a smirk at Vivien deflating when she didn't ask her name. She cocked a dark brow. Pleasure to meet you? Ooh she's a high born little brat. But then the girl grated on her skin with her comment about practicing speaking skills. The brunette sighed and glanced up. "Well, hello, Vivien." She have her a false smile. "Don't expect me to remember your name like I care that much. And my speaking skills are fine, thanks." Cobie was tempted to slide down and prop her feet up on the seat in front of her, but she wasn't an idiot, she saw the cameras. And she had to make it far enough to see what she needed to, to gather what she could for the rebels. So she refrained from acting like she desperately didn't want to be here. "I already told you. I'm Cobie. Cobie Mannon, Hudson."
ᵐⁱʸᵃ ᶜʰⁱⁿᵉⁿ wrote: "(( we'll officially start the first day when everyone finishes their interactions here or when Elizabeth makes a roleplay post with the crown prince. after the start, every day that pasts are aro..."
((I can start something if you want but do you want to finish these interactions first?))
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((sounds good. So we're starting even with only around 7-8 Selected? Just checking))
