It was Steven, her queer bestie since childhood who called. At this moment, she just wanted to be alone and think about her miserable life but she just couldn't ignore the call.
"Hi Steve, what’s up?"
“You won’t believe what I just heard on the news.”
“What?” Catherine asked, her interest piqued.
“All single ladies aged 20-28 from prominent families were asked to upload their data and basic information on the royal screening website. King Shawn is about to choose a queen.” Steven said unleashing a screech filled with excitement.
”Really?” Catherine replied flatly.
“Yes really. And why is your voice so down? Aren't you excited?” Steven asked curiously. The whole world was excited about this. King Shawn, every woman's dream man, and the world's most powerful king would be choosing a bride. He had finally given in to the people’s demands to have a queen.
“I'm fine, Steve. I just caught a really bad cold,” Catherine lied through her teeth.
Steven knew her so well and could sense the falsehoods in her voice but decided not to press further. One thing he was sure of was Catherine still thinking about her foolish ex, Tristan. He wishes he could smack her through the phone.
“Cool. So aren’t you going to apply? I mean, you have all the qualities they’re looking for,” Steven nagged.
His best friend was born with a sharp brain and an amazing level of intelligence. At just 23, she had already bagged two major degrees from two of the best universities on the planet. Not to mention, she was young and gorgeous. When he thought about it more, he saw that she had a great chance.
“No, I don’t think so. I’m not interested in tying myself down to a stranger just because he’s a king. Besides, I know they won’t choose me anyway.”
“Come on, Cat,” Steven pleaded. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’ll never know if you'd be the lucky girl they chose. You’ll be living in a palace, wearing beautiful gowns, eating the best meals and you’ll have everything you could ever want. Plus, think of the impact you could make as a queen.”
Catherine sighed. She knew Steven had a point, and he had also purposely mentioned something about food which he knew damn well that she couldn’t resist, as the obsessed foodie she was.
Catherine nodded, even though Steven couldn’t see her. “Okay. I’ll apply for it. Thanks for letting me know. You’re the best as always.”
She couldn’t deny the fact that she felt a spark of curiosity and intrigue about the idea. Catherine thought that Steven was right. She thought about all the good she could do, all the people she could help, and it made her heart swell with pride. But at the same time, the thought of leaving her comfortable life and job as a journalist in New York scared her.
Catherine's mind wandered, envisioning herself standing beside the handsome King Shawn, commanding respect and wielding influence.
But amidst her daydreams, a pang of doubt gnawed at her. What if she was merely chasing an illusion, seeking solace in a fairytale that didn't truly exist? The wounds from her past relationship with Tristan still lingered within her, casting a shadow of skepticism over her heart. Could she truly trust love again, especially in the context of royalty and power?
“Now you’re talking. You see that’s why you’re my favorite bitch. I’m hanging up now I wanna call Vanessa to also check on her if she’s done uploading her profile as well,” Steven’s voice jolted her out of her deep thoughts again.
“Okay, bye, love you,”Catherine replied heartily.
After hanging up with Steven, Catherine proceeded to the royal seal website. When she was done submitting her personal information, she quickly scrolled through her gallery, searching the folder where she stored her photos. After scrolling aimlessly for a while, she saw a photoshoot she had done a few months ago.
Although it didn’t look elaborate and she wasn’t particularly dressed to the nines, she felt it was decent enough. She wore a V-necked, thigh-slit royal blue dress, sitting on a simple wooden chair while looking straight at the camera with a small smile playing across her face which wore nude makeup. Her hair was styled in a smooth and sleek down ponytail without any jewelry except her old purple wristband.
She hesitated for a moment, her finger hovering over the "Upload" button. She knew damn well she isn’t one of the favorites or among the popular elite female socialites who stood higher chances of getting the crown. So never in her wildest dreams could she even dream of becoming the queen of Australia. But why was something in her guts urging her to do it? It was as if the universe was whispering in her ear, daring her to take a leap of faith and challenge the status quo.
As a top-tier licensed freelance journalist and a foreign correspondent in the United States, Catherine had a great portfolio. So she couldn't say she didn't stand a chance of being noticed and picked for this, especially since they said they were going for the best. She has published for numerous top media outlets like The Daily Mail, New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and more.
Unlike most young ladies from highborn families across the country, Catherine was hardworking and her career was very promising. She couldn't care less and frankly wasn't interested in this queenship stuff at all.
It seemed like a long shot, a mere fantasy she was entertaining. But something in her stirred, a flicker of hope that whispered of the possibilities that awaited her. She thought about how she would never have bothered to sign up for this if she was still happily in love with that jerk, Tristan.
With a deep breath, Catherine summoned the courage and clicked the upload button. Just then, an anonymous text message appeared on her phone. Her face turned pale and her breathing hitched in an instant.
It’s been seven long and hectic years since Shawn Ivan Larson ascended the throne of Australia at the age of twenty-one following the untimely death of his father, the former king Larson, in a plane crash. Although he admits internally that he was a proud and arrogant man, who looked down on almost everyone he met, that still doesn’t justify the hate he was receiving as the king in Australia. As if it wasn’t already bad enough, he was now being thrown in the same sentence with the likes of war-hungry leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un as tyrants of the present generation. Running both the country’s internal and external affairs has not been an easy task for him to handle alone at all. He was always moody and had a terrible frown on his face almost every second of the day, due to the extreme stress that comes with being the supreme ruler of one of the most successful and famous nations on the planet. He had a lot on his plate and his days were filled with back-to-back mee
He still remembered the last words Rory had said to him before running straight into the arms of Arthur for hugs right in front of him. “I’m sorry Shawnie, I do love you but I have to think of my future and my family’s future first. Being with Arthur means I’ll become the crowned princess soon enough and help my family achieve greater heights in the empire. Please don’t take it to heart”. Shawn couldn't help but feel betrayed by Rory's decision. He had always thought that their love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle, but it seemed that the lure of power and prestige had been too much for her to resist. Despite the pain he felt, Shawn tried to understand Rory's position and the difficult choices she had to make. However, he couldn't help but wonder if she would have made the same decision if she truly loved him. To him, true love was nonexistent in this world. He hated hearing the word “LOVE”. Over the years, Shawn has tried his possible best to move on, but the pain and bet
He had never heard of her before but he knew about the Jones family of Melbourne. Although their family’s wealth, fame, and influence had been dwindling over the years, they were still current among the top 20 kindred clans in Australia, which was good enough, to begin with. Besides, he didn’t ask them to screen the candidates base on who has the best family background but on the caliber of the lady. He didn't want to choose a queen due to her family's wealth or status, but rather on her character and suitability for the role. “Bring me her profile information,” he commanded in his usual authoritative manner. One of the officials quickly scrambled forward and politely handed him a document containing her profile and a picture. Firstly, he took a quick glance at her photo and was stunned. “......”. ‘Not bad,’ he thought inwardly while his face remained grim and expressionless. The woman can be said to be strikingly gorgeous at first glimpse. She had a pair of pretty and bright brown
As the days went by, the people of Australia and worldwide observers waited with bated breath for the announcement of the chosen bride. The highborn young ladies who had applied were all anxious and nervous, hoping that they had what it takes to win the heart of the king and become the queen. Things were getting heated on the internet as the D-Day for the announcement of the chosen queen, February 21st drew closer.As Catherine scrolled through her social media feed, she noticed something peculiar. A lot of young ladies, who had applied to be the queen, were posting their profiles and pictures from the Royal Seal website for all to see on their social media accounts. Obviously, they were trying to get the attention of the king and the people. This caused a frenzy online and people started comparing who had the best background, beauty, education, character, and so on.Catherine couldn't help but feel a little disgusted by the way some of them were flaunting themselves. It seemed as th
It was a cool Saturday morning, Catherine woke up early as usual, feeling refreshed and ready to start her day. She got out of bed and stretched, letting out a long yawn as she walked over to her balcony. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a beautiful orange glow over the city of New York. She couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and contentment as she gazed out and admired the amazing view.She quickly started her usual weekend cleanup and made sure her whole place was extremely neat and cozy. She then made sandwiches for a quick breakfast and fed her pet some canned sardines before heading to the bathroom for a soak in her bathtub.Afterward, she proceeded to her closet to select her outfit for the day. She was going to stay indoors and rest so she opted for simple house wear. Catherine loved white headbands so much that she had about thirteen of them. She put on a sexy sleeveless white top to match her white headband and white flip-flop slippers. And then a tight blue Je
Catherine shifted her gaze back to the man standing tall at about 6ft3 meters in front of her. Only after hearing the voice of Sir Bradley did she realize this wasn’t an illusion at all, the man even knew her last name. She quickly fell to her knees and bowed her head towards the king’s feet in a state of panic.“Greetings to the Great King of the golden lands, master of the endless skies and boundless seas. Blessed with the strength of the sun and Southern Cross, ruler of the vast and bountiful lands of Australia, beloved by all who dwell beneath your banner, I am your loyal subject”, Catherine said in one breath as her head remained bowed. She heaved a small sign of relief thanking God she still remembered the “King’s Official Salutations” which was taught in middle school.“Rise”, she finally heard his deep and authoritative voice. She raised her head to look at him while still kneeling as if pinned to the ground. She could not find the strength to stand back up as he had commanded
"Are you always this nervous around royalty?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Catherine's heart skipped a beat at the question and bit her lower lip feeling embarrassed. She felt her cheeks heat up as she fumbled for a response."N-no, your grace. I'm just..... really surprised by your visit," she managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.The king chuckled. "I know. You look like you've seen a ghost. But you look quite adorable when you're flustered", he said, making Catherine look up at him in surprise and her cheeks blushed even more. She couldn't believe that the king was actually flirting with her. ‘I thought they said he was a cold and unexpressive person with lifeless eyes’, she thought, yet he seemed to be the total opposite of that right now. She had never felt so tense and yet so exhilarated at the same time.She tried to steady her raging thoughts and asked, "Ehmm, your majesty, may I know the reason for your visit?"The king's expression finally turne
Shawn leaned back on the couch, his eyes fixed on Catherine's face. Looking at the way she fidgeted with her dress and bit her bottom lip tightly, his Adam's apple bulbed up and down. She probably wasn’t aware of how seductive she looked right now. He already knew he was attracted to her from the start when he couldn’t stop looking at her photos online. But seeing her in person right now..... He swallowed and tried to clear up his thoughts to focus on what he came for."I know, it's a bit of a surprise visit. But this is a matter of great importance and I had to come and see you in person”, he said firmly.Catherine frowned, still feeling confused. "See me? Why would your majesty want to see me in person?" She asked. His aides stood still, watching their exchange with keen interest.Shawn's eyes flickered with amusement at her question. "Are you sure you don't know? You really don't know why I'm here?" He added while smirking, his voice calm and measured. Catherine's heart skipped a b