There’s excitement buzzing in the air this morning and it’s all because the Prince had organized a day to spend with the participants. In the note read to us during breakfast, we were told to be ready soon after to spend the day out into the solarium. It was supposed to be a test and I was supposed to be the Prince’s accomplice. Though he took my commendation and regarded Minah, he still wanted a sort of placement for the rest of the lady participants.  The event in the solarium is not so much as a get to know the Prince but a get to know of the real sides of each and every lady in the mansion. Because this was impossible to do when the ladies almost always show a different side of them in front of the Prince. No better way to elicit their real sides than to hide an accomplice that will act as an insider. Of course I’ve known about it already. Prince Sehun and I came up with this plan last night due to the pressures he was getting from his father.  He’s to eliminate a couple more of the ladies and finally go out on a proper date with some of them. It’s been the talk of the kingdom apparently, the every move that the Prince is making in regards to his choice of Princess. Everyone in the kingdom is anticipating. Some cheer on for their favorites going along with the excitement but there are also some who are hoping that the Prince will make a decision that will help political relations with other kingdoms. There is unrest in the North and everyone is scared that it might spread so far as to reach our kingdom and bring down the long prosperity it had endured for many decades now.  So we both came up with this plan last night to weed out the participants. 

“So you’ve been with these girls for weeks now and you still haven’t memorized their names?”

“It wasn’t my prerogative. It's yours” I said nonchalantly teasing him and he quirks his lips into a smile. “Have you?”

“Of course. I have. I had to.”

   I play with my the hem of my skirt in thought. "What else do you know about them?”

“Their names goes along with a number which is their rankings.” He bit his lips after. He knew that was something he shouldn’t be talking to me about considering we both knew I was in the very bottom of that list. 

“I mean… I also know where they are from because of it.” Flustered he mustered the words.

“That says nothing about them. Your father is right. You really need to start going on proper dates to get to know them.” I finally said as I’ve learned many things from my travels and from just being around the girls in the mansions it just doesn't compare. 

"It's hard to choose first..." I cocked my head with his words. Not sure what he's meaning to say. But a shake of a head and tightening of his jaws tells me his answer had been changed.

"It’s hard you know. I never really get to be with the real them.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” I was more confuse than before he started.

“These ladies... they act one way around me and I’m sure another in front of others. I don’t really get to know the real girl inside. I get the pretty girl in the pretty red bow presented to me all neat and perfect. For once I want to unwrap that present and find out what’s inside.”

    I wanted to laugh. Though his words make sense, the analogy itself is very simplistic for the Prince and I just couldn’t believe he used it. 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Worried, he faced me to examine my reaction.

    I chuckled finally unable to contain it.  “'A pretty red bow', 'present to unwrap'? That is deepest but most comical and simplistic way of putting it.” I chuckled some more. Clutching onto my stomach and covering my enthusiastic giggles. 

“Don’t laugh at me. It made sense in my head when I—“

    Suddenly I perked my head and had an idea. 

“Wait what if…what if we test them? I mean I am already an insider for you? Why not take it to a whole other level and I help you unwrap some of the "Presents"?” I gestured quotations with my fingers.

“Huh? Lady Hei-Ran I think you’re beginning to start to sound comical.”

“No wait and listen. What if we set up an event and gather them in one room? With boredom, irritation and nothing to do, the unwrapping may begin.” I turned to him in excitement.

“You and I wont have to do anything. They will have to do it themselves.” He faces me in equal glee. Prince Sehun was starting to get the idea. 

“Except you will be the judge of the unwrapping and have to report to me.” Prince Sehun added.

“You make it sound like I'm one of your guards.” I turn away not liking the sound of that. 

“No but you are my accomplice. My partner in crime. Sehun and Hei-Ran Partners in crime, the Night Bandits of the Rose Castle.”

    I couldn’t help but laugh. The ease in our conversation is just comfortable. It reminds me so much of home. 

    I look around the table only one thing ran through my head. I must mirror the excitement around me to seem inconspicuous. I smile to Minah who clearly couldn’t contain her own glee. She shoots me a warm smile and I just know she’d be perfect for the Prince.

    My maids had prepared for this day specially. I can see the intricacy of my gown and I can just imagine the hard work they put in to make this just right. Everything about my whole appearance and the preparation is careful as if they knew as well. Too bad they had no clue, I am not part of this event. 

“Emilia, Yoona, Selis, 4 is out, Minah, Sooyoung, Hyeri, Yuri, Jiwon, Soji, Eomi, 12 is out, Seolhyun, Hyemi, then… ugh! I will never memorize this.” I barely interact with the lady participants that I had not a clue as to how oblivious I was being. I didn’t even know any of their names and was referring to them in my head as per their rankings all along. I remember this much only because these are the ladies I’ve been mirroring for the past couple of weeks. It was so embarrassing for the Crowned Prince himself to coach me the rest himself last night. 

    Emilia is one, the all put together like a doll, she singles herself out as if she’s humoring the King for being here. But clearly I can tell she doesn’t have to be nor does she want to be.  Yoona and Selis are two peas in a pod with the same arrogance of high society shoved inside both spilling indifference to anything but the Prince or the Crown. I'm not too sure which one yet. There’s nothing else in their minds but parties and spending money. The smugness of the two is too apparent as they distance themselves from the rest.  Minah is number five. As much as she’s up there in the ranking she’s shown me great friendship and had been the only one to acknowledge me. I would always appreciate her for that. 

    Sooyoung, Hyeri, and Yuri seems to be in a class of their own. They’ve kept to themselves but clearly has their eyes on the Prince. Hyeri has been stuck to Soji’s side from day one. It’s nice to see her reach out to Soji who is ranked number ten considering she is a seven. Soji is already considered the middle class. Nobles as they come from 1-10, it is from the parts of the kingdoms closer to the King that ranks the highest. The lower the rank goes, the farther to the outskirts they live. Prince Sehun had to explain this to me last night.  Soji ten, Eomi eleven, Seolhyun 13, Hyemi 14, Minyoung 16, Yeonjun 17, Mooyoung 19 are all middle class while Narae 20, Sojin 21 and I are considered the working class living in the very outskirts of town. 

“The daughters of Ardea were picked this way, ten from each tier. There’s no coincidences. They are all random per tier but they are also picked for equality sake.” 

    I remember Prince Sehun saying last night. I could see why it needed to be this way.

   I just couldn't break it to him how the governess had erased almost every sign of the working class on the very first day we met her. I wanted to spit my suspicion of discrimination of that very moment but that would put me in an awkward position. I was the lowest of them all yet picked to stay. I was the biggest pretender that the Prince hated yet he chose me as a friend and I continued to be his. So in the end I chose to shut my mouth. I was only an accomplice anyway.  

    There were a couple of ladies huddled together already when I first came in. Low whispering and unsettling looks in their faces told me something was not right. I try to eaves drop on my way to the other side of the room but all I can hear is more murmuring. They weren’t so much as looking at me or glimpsing at me as they spoke, so I knew they weren’t gossiping about me specifically. But something was definitely happening and it’s time for me to work. Finally Lady Minah sits next to me.

“One of the girls, Lady Hyeri, was injured this morning. The guards found broken glass in her shoes. They found the remnants of the broken glass in Soji’s closet.”

    I gasped. Couldn’t phantom what she just uttered. 

“What? Lady Soji wouldn’t do that. Those two are inseparable. They’ve become close friends since the beginning of this whole thing. Why would Lady Soji do that to Lady Hyeri?”

    Lady Minah doesn’t move. She simply pressed her lips and folded her hands in front of her.  I stiffened to mirror her.

“Did you just hear what happened to Lady Hyeri, Lady Minah? I swear these low ranking country girls think we don’t know what they’re doing. They’re hanging from our coat tails to stab us in the back. Unbelievable.” Lady Selis began to say completely ignoring the fact that I was standing right next to Lady Minah. A mere working class participants, I wasn't worth acknowledging. Lady Minah doesn’t reply. She maintained her posture like Lady Selis had not even spoken. Her eyes roam around the room except at Lady Selis.

“Serves her right though for being ignorant, I guess. It doesn’t suit us to be surrounded with servants if you ask me.”

    Finally Lady Minah looks to Lady Selis with no emotions. She simply nodded her head once excusing herself away from our group. I had no other business but just be what Lady Selis had just described, a lowly country girl hanging on to a coat tail at that moment. I trudged right behind Lady Minah because I had nowhere else to go and would rather do that than be put down some more. 

    It was a bad idea. Lady Selis just chuckled to herself.

   I was floored to hear the news about Lady Hyeri and Lady Soji. It seems like everyone else is as well.  The friendship between the two is very well known. We all have seen their interactions together. Like sisters, they have regarded each other as such from day one. That's why, everyone looked indifferent. If friends can turn on each other like that, how much more the other ladies. But something wasn't right. I just couldn't put my finger on it. This is not part of our plan. The Prince and I decided to remove a participant to make the lady participants uneasy and "unwrap" themselves from tire and impatience and the variable that we ourselves controlled, the absent participant. But this incident is not what we expected. This caused more unwrapping than what we had imagined.

  The groups thinned then finally, the participants had singled themselves not even talking or mingling with each other anymore.  They looked at each other with suspicion eyeing each like in combat. The solarium had become an arena. Tensed and bloodthirsty, the air in the room is anxious. Nobody moved maybe in fear of what being the first to fall or get hurt or have others point fingers at them. Instead, they chose to stay put in their cold corners avoiding each other. 

   Food and drinks were served and when one of the maids slipped and dropped her tray to the floor, spilling all the plated cakes, there were some chuckling and some snobbing of the two participants who helped her up. Lady Eomi and Lady Narae found themselves reaching out without thought for the maid earning them some murmuring from the other participants. It had stopped both them in their tracks momentarily but both looked at each other seeming to have made a compromised agreement of some sort.  They reached out at the same time completely ignoring the rest and ushered the now crying maid to the door. But the compromise had been short lived. The two walked away from each other in opposite directions like nothing happened.  

   Hours had passed and still no Prince. The lady participants had almost all faltered. Some showed their tired and impatience, with irritation and bickering. I over heard hateful words in the other corner from Lady Jiwon spatting  words to Lady Mooyoung about her position in the mansion.

"Why are you even here? The Prince is not a lifeline." Lady Jiwon says to Lady Mooyoung.

"Why do you care?" There was anger in her voice.

"Why do I care? Because I happen to really like the Prince." Lady Jiwon says easily.

"Oh please, Lady Jiwon. Let's not pretend amongst ourselves. You are just like us here." Lady Sojin steps in out of nowhere. "I know what you must all think what we working class are here for. And you're right. I am here to change my life.  But aren't you doing the same? My father works for your house Lady Jiwon and your family is in debt with the lost ship last summer, you have lost your profits for this year. Your family is going down and the Prince, this contest is your lifeline as well. So don't pretend like you're some fallen maiden for the Prince." Lady Sojin walks away leaving Lady Jiwon with her face in embarrassment.

   It's almost lights out and impatience, irritation and pressures, most of these ladies are going through something and doing this for many different reasons. But it's not what the Prince needs.  It's not what the kingdom needs.  I almost want to run to the Prince and congratulate him for the success of our plan. It had truly brought out most of the participants' real selves. But I wonder now. I look at the rest, the ones who had not fully shown themselves today. What their secrets are. It would take a more elaborate plan that this to unwrap those pretty red bowed presents.

   I tried to remember every detail of this day.

"Selis, Seolhyun, Hyemi, Sojin, Mooyoung and Jiwon" I thought to myself. I must remember these names. 

    Out of the eighteen participants,  twelve had shown up for breakfast.  After reporting to the Prince last night about the events in the solarium, he decided to send notes to the lady participants that very next day. I looked around and was surprised to see that Lady Selis was still sitting in the table with us. The Prince had not joined us today as well and his absence had both brought more irritation than I have imagined. The ladies was really in need of some comforting and Prince Sehun and I had to be smart on our next move. Unwrapping this next group is a bit harder. They are more trained to handle themselves better in pressures as proven from yesterday's events.

   I study the face of the ladies some more and I want to mimic them as usual but something caught my eye. The place cards were gone. The sitting was random now and Minah was seated all the way to my far side and I wasn't able to mirror her actions anymore.  She is sitting next to the head of the table and across from her is Lady Selis. What surprised me more is when the guards had all stood erect in attention and the Queen was announced. 

"Queen Hyorin of Ardea." We all stood up to receive her. When she had acknowledged us, we poised to sit back down but she quickly held out her hand to stop us. 

"Lady Hei-Ran, Narae, Yeonjun and Minyoung. Please step out and meet with me for a second." Her regal tone was intact and her gaze looked straight with no falter. I heard a sudden gasp from someone, Lady Selis who managed to quickly hide her sudden smirk too instant to be unbeknownst of what's going on. I chance a glance of Minah who is looking straight ahead to nothing in particular and I was floored. There's something amiss here. 

   We walk out of the dining hall and into a study right behind the Queen. She sits in the farthest lounge while we lines on the adjacent seats in front of her.  

"Lady Narae, Lady Yeonjun and Lady Minyoung. You three are all to go home right after we end this conversation. You will be going home with a consolation so no need to fear. We are to speed up this process and I must step in before something goes array." She looks my way making me look down for some reason. I had not a clue as to why she had done it but her gaze herself made me shrivel in fear.  "That'll be all. You may go."

   The three had looked at each other wanting to debate it further but the Queen had sat astute looking in front to nothing in particular. They stood up and bowed respectfully before walking out of the study. I ought to follow but I had no clear direction what to do until the door was closed and she finally turned to me. 

"You should go home as well. No one in your stature, especially yours, belong in this place or beside my son." I look down not able to look her way. She's not saying anything I don't already know. But nonetheless, it still hurts to hear. Someone measuring me by my rank and status in life than my being.

"But my son, The Prince, favors you." I look up suddenly and she retorts too quickly with "Not in the way you think."

   There is still no softness in her gaze and I feel like shriveling up in my spot. 

"Prince Sehun had explained to me your position here. Why he is keen to keeping you. He has told me that you are in agreement of this position. Is that true?"

This position...

"Yes, your Majesty." I nod.

"Then, I will keep you here. But you will prove to keep your promise and remember your position to keep your provisions."

Remember your position...

"You're too kind, your Majesty." I nod again.

"Then, that'll be all." She waves a hand gesturing our conversation is over. 

   I stand to bow before walking away when she added coldly.

"Oh and the next time you tell my son what to do, I will call it treason and behead you myself."

   My head stayed low frozen in its spot. She had known of our plan, of last night, and she had known of my report. The only reason Lady Selis was mentioned last night was because of her actions towards me which suddenly clicked many gears in my head. Lady Selis still joining us for breakfast. Her seat next to the head of the table where our host would be seating. 

   Lady Selis. I look up at the Queen and she stares me down. Lady Selis is in the favor of the Queen. And this contest, and the choice of the Prince is not really a choice given to him but allowed with limits for him. 

   The realization had slowed me. I was paralyzed with my thoughts, I could barely make my feet walk in the high heels towards the door when it had already been hard enough to get used to to begin with. When I arrived at the dining hall, the lady participants had looked up in confusion and wonder while Minah had been relieved. But what shook me is the evil smirk of Lady Selis that rattled me in my place. She knew what just transpired. She knew what my position now is. I sat down with knees shaking still. This time I fear her knowledge. I'm sure she will use this to her advantage.

   I've lost my appetite since then. Two things had bothered me so much to the point of not caring about the bounty in front of me. Lady Selis is in the favor of the Queen. But most importantly, the last freedom Prince Sehun thinks he still has is non-existent.  

“Everything had been chosen for me. My future had been set in stone before I was even born. And for once, I want to choose for me.” Prince Sehun turns to me now and there’s something in the sparkle of his eyes that tells me of his intent. Sympathetically, I hold his gaze almost feeling the burden and pressure of his situation, but even more, I was shocked when he reached out to my shoulder and acknowledged me.

“This, this is my only chance in happiness. This will be the first and last time I get to choose for me and I don’t want to make a mistake. So please.  Please help me. Help me find a Queen, Lady Hei-Ran.”