"Good morning Lady Sol." Starlet said as she drew the curtains aside. Sunlight flooded the room in a golden warmth. I sat up, rubbing my tired blue eyes, and yawned before the door opened. Juliana and Cassia ran in with what seemed like thousands of fabrics, rhinestones, glitter, feathers, and notepads in their arms. 

"Come on Lady Sol." Juliana squealed as she dropped her load onto the floor and ran over to my bed. Tugging on my arm, I laughed as I was finally torn out of my covers. Juliana and Starlet helped me hop to where Cassia was organizing all of her materials on my vanity. Juliana released me from her grip and ran back to her abandoned supplies, swooping down to pick them up and bringing them to where Cassia had just placed her's. 

"What's this all about?" I laughed as they pulled out measuring tapes from their pockets and began wrapping them around my waist, butt, and chest area. 

"King Maxon's birthday ball is only seven weeks away." Cassia stated, unfocused on me and more so on getting the exact measurements from the tape. 

"Only seven weeks?" I asked, slightly sarcastic, as all three of them wrote down their recorded measurements. "That's more than a month and a half away. What's the rush?" Juliana giggled. 

"There's nothing like getting started early." she said in a sing-song voice. "Besides, we want you to be the girl that captures everyone's attention that night. We want you to be the talk of the Pre-Elite among the people at the ball. You will be dazzling." I wanted to argue, oh boy did I want to, but I knew the effort would be useless. When these three young ladies had their mind set on something, they would not stop until it was achieved. It was inspiring. 

"Alright, alright," I said, giving in to their demands. "You can get started on this project of yours, but I was planning on redoing my room today." All three of them froze, dropping their notepads and pencils on the floor. They all looked at me like I had three heads, and I began to grow nervous. Had I said something wrong? Suddenly, Juliana began to jump up and down in an excited manner, her frozen expression melting into an ecstatic one. Starlet and Cassia began to move just after she had. 

"Oh my. Miss, this is so exciting. Forget the ball gown, we can do that tomorrow." Juliana squealed. I had to cover my ears, as did Starlet. Cassia just glared at Juliana. 

"Julie, we need to get started on this. We don't want to save it for the last minute."

 "It won't be last minute. We'll start on it straight away tomorrow. Besides, we've already got her measurements." Cassia humphed, but seconds later sighed and shook her head, a small smile blooming on her face. 

"Alright," she said, then turned to me. "Anything in specific?" I nodded my head, already having colors and a theme in mind. 

"Teal," I replied. "Also, a shimmery silver and white. I want to do the walls first and everything else after. Let's make the room match the walls." The three of them nodded their heads before scurrying off to retrieve the cans of paint. 

As soon as the door flew shut with a small bang, something glistened in the corner of my eye. Slowly turning my head to that direction, I noticed that my glass box was sitting out in plain view. And inside, a mixture of amber and turquoise lights bled into each other. Instead of turning away, something seemed amiss. I slowly limped the length of my room to the nightstand, peering into the box to see not one, but three tiny slips of paper. I opened the box, cringing as it creaked with every minuscule movement. Finally, once the box was opened to its widest, I picked up one of the two new pieces of paper. 

"Hello my love," I read aloud. "I wanted to speak with you last night, but you were asleep by the time I got here. I must address two things: one being Sam's crystal necklace. I know what it really means, and I think that you also deserve the right to know. She would want that." I squinted down at the paper. Who was this person? Did they really think that Sam would want this, because I knew for a fact that she most definitely didn't. She specifically said to give it to Fabian... which I still need to do. The next time it comes into my mind I will give it to him. Sighing, I turned my attention back to the letter. If it weren't typed, maybe I could identify the handwriting.

"I don't know when I will be able to tell this to you, but I hope its sooner rather than later. I never felt more betrayed by a human being than by Samantha Crystals. The second thing I want to say is to deal with the other crystal in the box; the amber one. I meant to tell you this once I gave it to you, but it is actually supposed to be on a necklace chain. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough money at the time to buy you one, with obtaining the expensive box and all. I'm getting off topic. What I'm trying to say is that I've gotten a chain for you, and pretty little gold thing. I hope you'll wear it, because it and you mean the world to me. What could be better than amber, my eyes don't lie. With much love to you, forever your love, Fabian" 

I jumped back, the paper falling out of my loose grasp and slowly floating down to the floor. Shaking my head, I picked it up as it touched the ground and dropped it back into the box. Gingerly lifting up the small crystal, I began to twist it around in my fingers. The light caught in different places, casting amber shadows onto the rose pink wall behind me. Inspecting it a little closer, I brought the crystal near my eye. I gasped in shock and threw the bead. Engraved in a small cursive font was the letters S.W., my initials if I were to be married to Fabian. How could that rat even think...? Cursing under my breath, I got down on all fours and stuck my arm underneath the slim space between the nightstand and the floor. Just as my fist enclosed the piece of rounded amber crystal, my door burst open and in came my maids with buckets of paint hanging on their wrists.

 "Lady Sol!" Juliana yelled cheerily, causing me to jump. My arm whacked into the underside of the nightstand.

 "Yeow." I screeched and withdrew my hand from underneath, the amber crystal still in my fist, and hugged my arm to my chest. 

"Milady, I apologize," Juliana said once I had risen to my feet, hugging my hand to my chest. "I didn't mean to startle you." I forced a friendly laugh. 

"It's alright, You just frightened me a little is all." She blushed lightly and held up her paint buckets up. I smiled a soft, yet tight lipped smile as I put the piece of amber-colored crystal down in the box atop the nightstand. "Let's get started ladies, shall we?"

*********************

After I had changed into the jeans I had brought from home, as well as put on my former favorite blue sweater, my maids and I had each grabbed a paintbrush and began working on the walls. Now, a few hours later, as I was about to open the can of  silver paint while the three of them continued on the teal covered walls, a knock sounded on the door. Sighing, I placed the fat brush on top of the closed lid and hopped all the way to the door. Whipping my teal-colored hands on my pants, I opened the door; surprised to see Daniel. At first he was only looking at me, my clothing very out of the ordinary to him, but then his eyes slipped past me and into the room, capturing his gaze. He slowly walked in, inhaling the horrid scent of wet paint, and looking at the covered walls. 

"I didn't know you were redecorating," Daniel said. I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up his hand and chuckled lightly. "Otherwise, I would have worn plain clothes instead of dressing all nice in order to ask you on a date." I blushed lightly and giggled uncomfortably. 

"Yeah, sorry about that. I just felt that this room... it just wasn't me. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful the way it was. It's just that I—" 

"There is no need to continue rambling on, my darling Sol." Daniel said and removed his suit jacket. Throwing it on top of my comforter and sheet bare bed, he began rolling up the sleeves to his hunter green shirt. Then, following this action, he rolled up the bottoms of his suit pants and shook his shoes and socks off of his feet; removing his silver tie last and letting it join his jacket on the barren bed. 

"Where's a brush?" he asked, causing all three of maids to turn around and shriek. 

"Your Highness." Juliana said, startled. Cassia and Starlet remained silent. Daniel laughed and held up his hand.

 "No need for that, thank you." Daniel said, then turned to face me again. "So, where is a brush?" Before I could answer, Juliana beat me to it. 

"You can use mine if you would like, Your Majesty. I was about to go pick out Lady Sol's bedding anyway." Though Daniel did not seem happy to hear my maid speak instead of me, he smiled and turned to her. 

"What a simply splendid idea." Daniel said and approached Juliana. Juliana's head tilted up to meet his eyes, surprise filling them, but dulled once he grabbed the brush from her grasp. However, just by that one look she was giving him, I discovered something about Juliana: she was in love with Daniel Schreave.

************************

Hours had passed since Daniel had left for a meeting with his mother and Princess Clara. I hadn't asked him what it was about, it wasn't any of my business. But even as he placed a kiss on my cheek, my maids pretending that they were not looking, I was curious as to what the meeting was about. 

The teal paint on three of my walls was just about dry, while the silver painted wall behind my bed had about twenty more minutes of drying time. I had just dismissed my maids, there was nothing left to do in the room, and flopped down on my new bedding. Even softer than the last was a teal comforter, plenty of silver and teal throw pillows atop it. A velvet-like silver blanket sat folded neatly at the bed's end, some of it poking through the bed's swirled, white wrought iron bars. I could only take one breath before there was a knock on the door. Sighing, I sat up and jumped off the bed, landing ungracefully on my good leg. It wasn't that I was not in the mood to see someone, I just looked like a complete slob. My hair, long past its perfection from last night, was all tangled together in a sloppy high pony, which was close to falling out. My hands were dyed teal and silver, as were my pants. Miraculously, my shirt had minimal, if any, damage. I slapped the door handle down and opened the door wide, staring down at the person's polished black shoes. 

"Yes?" I asked, turning my head up when there was no answer. I felt like an ass when my eyes met Matthew. Quickly backing away, I opened the door wider for him to step in. 

"Oh Matthew," I said, bowing my head. "I didn't know it was you." Chuckling, Matthew walked in and captured my face with his left hand.

 "How would you have known?" He asked, running his thumb along my cheek. I thought it was a nice gesture until he pulled his hand away and presented his thumb to me; covered faintly in teal paint.

 "Now how did that happen?" Matthew teased as I scramble out of his loose hold, making my way to my bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I cupped my hands and filled them with water, splashing my face. "Surely it couldn't have been from painting your room." Matthew called from the bathroom door. Shutting off the water and drying my face with a hand towel, I turned to Matthew. 

"Don't tease." I said and threw the towel down. Matthew simply laughed at me. 

"Why didn't you have maids do this? You didn't have to do any of this work." Sighing, I hobbled over to him, slipping underneath his arm and over to a new pristine white vanity. Three mirrors were lodged in-between the white wood, two on a slight tilt inward to allow me to see three angles at once. Opening the top drawer and lifting up every makeup covered tray, I removed the few pictures of my family that I had brought with me. Putting the trays back inside of the drawer, closing it lightly, I faced Matthew.

 "That isn't the point," I said. "The 'doing' is self-satisfying Matthew. Of course my maids help me with this, others did too, but knowing that I put the effort in to this is even more rewarding than the outcome, this beautiful room." Turning away from Matthew, I spread the pictures out across the flat surface, each one bringing a happy memory. 

"You know Matthew, there is a way you can help me finish the room too." I said quietly and watched his reflection perk up. His eyes smiled for him as they met mine through the one-way window. 

"And how can I do that?" he asked, approaching me from behind. I was about to answer when Matthew wrapped his left arm around me, across my stomach, his hand resting on my right hip. His chin settled down just beside the crook of my neck, his hot breath giving me chills all through my body. Smiling a closed lip smile, Matthew brought his right hand around and presented the folded grey material resting in it; my sweatshirt. Grinning widely, I took the jacket from his hand and turned my head to kiss his temple. I felt his face heat up underneath my lips. 

"Thank you." I said, throwing the sweatshirt over my shoulder and side stepping Matthew so he could see the pictures. "I need to stick theses pictures in between the mirror frames and the mirrors. Will you help me?" Matthew silently nodded his head and limped closer to the vanity. We stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing at the photos of me and others from various years, deciding where to put them. Finally, after much thought, it all just clicked. About twenty minutes later, all of my pictures were up for me to view. They all brought back many memories, both good and bad. 

"See," I laughed. "This is more rewarding than having a maid do it." Matthew laughed along and pulled something out of his pocket. 

"I have been meaning to give this to you Sol." He said and held out his open palm to me. Knitting my eyebrows together, I slowly reached out and grasped the small box with the sky blue bow perfectly tied around it. 

"What is it?" I asked and Matthew chuckled before placing his crutches under his arms. Moving away from me, he stopped at the door and looked back. 

"That is for you to find out, my dear." With that, Matthew made his way out of the room, leaving me smirking. 

"I'm still not your dear." I shouted back, even though I was sure Matthew could not hear me anymore. Shifting my gaze down to the box, I carefully pulled on the ribbon, afraid to ruin the box's beauty. The bow untied easily, drooping in my hand. I put the bow down on the vanity and lifted the lid to the box; gripping it tight so it wouldn't fall out of my hand due to my gasp. 

Inside of the box rested a sterling silver bracelet, one of the most simple yet beautiful I had ever seen in my entire life. But the bracelet was not even the best part. No, it was the small charm hooked on to the bracelet. Coated with small blue topazes that glistened with the smallest movement was an infinity sign. It was so breathtaking that all I could do was stare at the shining charm in awe. It was as if the charm had unleashed a new light into the world, the way it sparkled. 

After my surprise had faded, I gently put the box down beside the ribbon on the vanity. Picking up the bracelet, I wrapped it around my right wrist, satisfied once I felt the ends link together, and shook my wrist right and left; admiring how the light danced off of the charm. I was about to hop to my bed when I looked back at the box and noticed a small note inside. Reaching in, my thumb and index fingers pinched the card and lifted it up toward my eyes. The writing made my insides turn all warm, my heart beat a little faster. 

So this was what it was like to be a Pre-Elite. 

'Maybe this could be the beginning of our own infinity.

 ~Prince Matthew Damon Schreave'

A/N: Hello good citizens of Illéa!

Well, that's it. Do I hear a round of applause? *Is only one clapping* Fine, fine, I'll just cheer for myself. I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you for your support and encouragement. Without all of you, I might have given up on this story. So a big thank you to all of you.

I don't know if that was the ending you were all expecting, but it just felt right to me to end it here. There is another book on the way, so it's not the end, not really. 

Let me know if you have any questions/comments/corrections or even just want to talk. Feel free to message me.

The last person I would like to thank is Sol; for telling me her story and letting me share it with all of you.

Love you all lots,

See you on the flip side ~Halebella

QOTD: What do you think will happen next?