2 Audition To Be Crown Prince’s Wife

The royal palace of Maeteron was buzzing with activity, as soldiers on horseback galloped out of the gates and into the streets, kicking up dust behind them. The sound of hoofbeats echoed through the city, filling the air with a sense of urgency and excitement.

Curious locals gathered on the sidewalks to watch the spectacle, wondering where the soldiers were headed and what they could be up to. Some people speculated that war had broken out.

But their speculations were quickly silenced, as a group of soldiers dismounted from their horses and began entering the nearby houses. The sound of their boots on the cobblestones was the only thing that broke the tense silence that had descended on the crowd.

Moments later, the soldiers emerged from the houses, each one accompanied by a woman who looked bewildered and afraid. They were all ushered into horse-drawn carriages that had been waiting nearby..

Suddenly, a man appeared, his face filled with fear and desperation. He was pleading with the soldiers not to take away his visibly pregnant wife, who they had just pulled out of their home.

"What exactly do you want to do? My wife is completely innocent! She's pregnant, please don't take her!" he begged.

People could see one of the men pleading with the soldier who brought out a woman who seems to be his wife with a visibly enlarged belly.

"This is an order from Crown Prince William. It's not an arrest, don't worry," the soldier replied firmly.

The locals watched in confusion, trying to make sense of what was happening. They could see the royal stamp on the letter that the soldier carried, but they couldn't understand why the Crown Prince would want to take away all these women.

As the soldiers continued to make their way through the city, the locals began to speculate about the Crown Prince's motives.

"Wait a minute. Doesn't Crown Prince William not yet have a future wife? Do you think he is selecting women to be his wife?" one person wondered aloud.

"What do you mean? How could Crown Prince William want to find a wife candidate from the common people? It has to be from the nobility! She must at least be the daughter of a Count!"

Another countered, "What do you mean? How could Crown Prince William want to find a wife candidate from the common people? It has to be from the nobility! She must at least be the daughter of a Count!"

But a third person had a different theory. "It could happen, you know! Her Majesty the Queen has black hair. It could be Crown Prince William who wants to find a wife like his mother! You don't know what could have happened!"

"That… maybe you're right"

The soldiers eventually left, taking the women with them, leaving the villagers to wonder about the fate of their loved ones. The only thing they could agree on was…

Crown Prince William must have wanted a black-haired woman as his wife!

The speculations continued long after the soldiers had departed.

***

As the women were gathered in the grand room of the palace, their eyes darted around the lavish furnishings, trying to take in every inch of their surroundings.

They looked nervous and uncertain about why they were brought here, but also grateful for the chance to set foot in a place so grand, which was only reserved for the nobility.

As they began to settle in, the room became abuzz with hushed whispers and excited murmurs, as the women began to speculate about the reason for their summons.

Some wondered if they were being considered as potential brides for Crown Prince William, while others scoffed at the notion, insisting that he would only marry someone from a noble family.

Despite their mixed reactions, the women couldn't help but start preening themselves, adjusting their hair and clothing in the hopes of making a good impression on the Crown Prince.

They looked around at each other, sizing up their competition, and trying to gauge their own chances. Some also looked very annoyed that they hadn't worn better clothes, as it would have added to their beauty

Suddenly, the room fell silent as the door creaked open, and an elderly old butler appeared. The women's faces fell in disappointment, some also sighing in disappointment, as they realized that it wasn't the Crown Prince himself, but the old butler who had come to address them.

"Good day, ladies. I apologize for the wait," said the old butler, his voice carrying a hint of formality.

"Now, if you would be so kind as to approach one by one and try on these shoes. Those who fit them may stand behind me, while those who do not must follow the soldiers," said the man who brought a chair and a small cushioned bench.

The women exchanged curious glances as the old butler presented them with a pile of unattractive boots. A murmur of confusion filled the room as they wondered why the Crown Prince would want to see them wearing such unappealing footwear.

"Perhaps he wants a wife who can still look beautiful even in the ugliest of boots," one of the women speculated, causing a ripple of excitement to spread through the group.

With a mixture of anticipation and apprehension, the women stepped forward one by one to try on the boots. Some struggled to get their feet into them, while others managed to slip them on with ease. They all hoped that they would still look beautiful, even with the unflattering boots on their feet.

As the women made their attempts, the old butler observed closely, making notes and gesturing for those who fit the boots to stand behind him. Those who didn't fit were escorted out of the room by the soldiers.

The tension in the room was palpable as the women awaited their fate, wondering what other strange requests the Crown Prince might have for them.

***

The room was filled with nervous anticipation as the women who had made it past the shoe selection waited for the arrival of the Crown Prince. When he finally walked in, they let out a collective scream, causing him to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"This much?" William said when he saw that there were still many women in the room.

"Yes, Your Highness, they are women who fit in those shoes," said the old butler.

William just kept silent and walked around the room, silently observing each woman. Some women were confident and held his gaze, while others were too embarrassed to meet his cold eyes. William made sure to catch their gaze and inspect their features carefully.

After finishing his inspection, William simply said, "You can take them home," and left the room without another word.

The women who hadn't been selected looked devastated when they heard that.

"Are none of them what you are looking for, Your Majesty?" asked the old butler when William was not leaving the room yet.

William nodded.

"Call me when you have selected the women from the new group that will arrive," William said without turning to the old butler..

"I will definitely find you!" thought William, who couldn't wait to see her again.

***

As the night grew darker, William's frustration continued to grow. He paced back and forth in his chambers, unable to shake the feeling that he was missing something important.

He had searched through all the women brought to the palace, but the woman he was looking for was nowhere to be found.

"Is there more to come?" William asked the old butler, his voice laced with impatience.

"Nothing, Your Majesty. We have brought all the black-haired women around here."

William's eyes narrowed. There had to be something more he could do. He couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

"Then broaden your search. Ask for help from the nobles who hold the territory and send horse-drawn carriages and soldiers to pick up the women," he said firmly.

"I understand, Your Highness," said the old butler before leaving the room to do his job.

William collapsed onto his bed, his mind racing with thoughts of the mysterious woman. He did not expect that it would be so difficult to meet her again.

Who was she? Where could she be? Seeing that the woman was not around the palace area made William even more convinced that there was something about that woman.

As the night wore on, William's determination only grew stronger. He refused to give up until he found her.

***

As days turned into weeks, William's frustration grew as he still hadn't found the woman with the black hair. He had personally led the search with his soldiers and even asked for the help of the nobles, but all efforts were in vain.

"Are you sure you did the job properly?" William questioned the old butler and the soldiers in a cold tone. He couldn't believe that after such an extensive search, they still couldn't find her.

"Our apologies, Your Majesty."

The old butler and soldiers bowed their heads apologetically, but William's mind was already working on another idea.

"Perhaps, she's not really a black-haired woman. Maybe she's using magic to change her hair colors?" thought William, who was sure that his man could not possibly make a mistake.

The only reason why he probably hasn't found her yet is because he did the wrong search in the first place, he just focused too much on black hair without thinking that black color wasn't her true hair color.

"This is getting more and more interesting. I will definitely find you!" thought Willian, a little excited.

He then dismissed everyone and ordered the royal old butler to summon the royal painter immediately.

He knew that he would have to use other means to find her, and the painter might be able to help him with that.