“No, No,” Queen Victoria answered with a laugh. “I only had three bridesmaids, though Nichkhun’s mother suggested I have more. I just wanted my sisters and my best friend, who, coincidentally, I had met during my selection.

I peeked over at Roxanne Im Yoona and was happy to find she was looking at me, too. Before I arrived at the palace, I had assumed that with this being such a high-stakes competition, there would be no way any of the girls would be friendly. Yoona had embraced me the first time we met, and we had been there for each other from that moment on. With a single almost-exception, we’d never even had an argument.

A few weeks ago, Yoona had mentioned that she didn’t think she wanted to be with Luhan. When had pushed her to explain, she clammed up. She was not mad at me, I knew that, but those days of silence before we should let it go were lonely.

“I want seven bridesmaids,” Jessica said. “I mean, if Luhan chooses me and I get to have a big wedding.”

“Well, I won’t have bridesmaids,” Tiffany said, countering Jessica. “They are just distracting. And since it would be televised, I want all eyes on me.”

I fumed. It was rare that we all got to sit and talk with Queen Victoria, and here Tiffany was, being a brat and ruining it.

“I would want to incorporate some of my culture’s traditions into my wedding,” Megan Kwon added quietly. “Girls back in New Asia use a lot of red in their ceremonies, and the groom has to bring gifts to the bride’s friends to reward them for letting her marry him.

Jessica piped up. “Remind me to be in your wedding party. I love presents!”

“Me, too!” Yoona exclaimed.

“Lady Scarlett, you have been awfully quiet,” Queen Victoria said. “What do you want at your wedding?”

I blushed because I was completely unprepared to comment.

There was only one wedding I had ever imagined, and it was going to take place at the Ophelia Services Office after an exhausting amount of paperwork.

“Well, the one thing I have thought about is having my dad give me away. You know when he takes your hand and puts it in the hand of the person you marry? That’s the only part I have ever really wanted.” Embarrassingly enough, it was true.

“But everyone does that.” Tiffany complained. “That’s not even original.”

I should have been mad that she called me out, but I merely shrugged. “I want to know that my dad completely approves of my choice on the day it really matters.”

“That’s nice,” Erica said, sipping her tea and looking out the window.

Queen Victoria laughed lightly. “I certainly hope he approves. No matter who it is.” She added the last words quickly, catching herself in the middle of implying that Luhan would be my choice.

I wondered if she thought that, if Luhan had told her about us.

Shortly after, the wedding talk died down, and the queen left to go work in her room. Tiffany parked herself in front of the large television embedded in the wall, and the others started a card game.

“That was fun,” Yoona said as we settled in a table together. “I’m not sure I have ever heard the queen talk so much.”

“She’s getting excited, I think.” I had not mentioned to anyone what Luhan’s aunt had told me about how Queen Victoria tried many times for another child and failed. Luna had predicted that her sister would warm up to us once the group was smaller, and she was right.

“Okay, you have to tell me: Do you honestly not have any other plans for your wedding or did you just not want to share?”

“I really don’t,” I promised. “I have a hard time picturing a big wedding, you know? I’m a Five.”

Yoona shook her head. “You were a Five. You are a Three now.”

“Right,” I said, remembering my new label.

I was born into a family of Fives – artists and musicians who were generally poor paid – and though I hated the caste system in general, I liked what I did for a living. It was strange to think of myself as a Three, to consider embracing teaching or writing as a profession.

“Stop stressing,” Yoona said, reading my face. “You don’t have anything to worry about yet.”

I was about to protest but was interrupted by a cry from Tiffany.

“Come on!” she yelled, slamming the remote against the couch before pointing it at the television again. “Ugh!”

“Is it just me or is she getting worse?” I whispered to Yoona. We watched as Tiffany hit the remote over and over before giving up and going to change the channel manually. I guessed if I had grown up as a Two, that would be something worth getting worked up over.

“It’s the stress, I think,” Yoona commented. “Have you noticed that Erica’s getting, I don’t know... more aloof?”

I nodded, and we both looked over to the trio of girls playing their card game. Jessica was smiling as she shuffled, but Erica was examining the ends of her hair, occasionally pulling out a strand she didn’t seem to like. Her expression was distracted.

“I think we are all starting to feel it,” I confessed. “It’s harder to sit back and enjoy the palace now that the group is so small.”

Tiffany grunted, and we peeked over at her but quickly averted our eyes when she caught us looking.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Yoona said, shifting in her seat. “I think I’m going to go to the bathroom.”

“I was just thinking the same thing. Do you want to go together?” I offered.

Smiling, she shook her head. “You go ahead. I will finish my tea first.”

“Okay, I will be back.”

I left the Women’s Room, taking my time walking down the gorgeous hallway. I was not sure I would ever get over how spectacular it was here. I was so distracted that I ran smack into a guard as I turned the corner.

“Oh!” I said.

“Pardon me, miss. Hope I did not startle you.” He held me by my elbows, helping me regain my footing.

“No,” I said, giggling. “It’s fine. I should have been watching where I was going. Thanks for catching me. Officer...”

“Aiden,” he answered, giving me a quick bow.

“I’m Scarlett.”

“I know.”

I smiled and rolled my eyes. Of course he knew.

“Well, I hope the next time I run into you, it won’t be quite so literal,” I joked.

He chuckled. “Agreed. Have a nice day, miss.”

“You, too.”

I told Yoona about my embarrassing run-in with Officer Aiden when I got back and warned her to watch step. She laughed at me and shook her head.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting by the windows, chatting about home and the other girls as we drank in the sunshine.

It was sad to think about the future just then. Eventually the selection would be over, and while I knew Yoona and I would still be close, I would miss talking to her every day. She was the first real friend I had ever made, and I wished I could keep her beside me all the time. As I tried to stay in the moment, Yoona gazed dreamily out the window. I wondered what she was thinking about; but everything was so peaceful, I did not ask.