Our luggage was taken away and we were led to our rooms, in different wings of the castle. Servants branched off down different hallways, directing us to where we shall sleep, dress, and basically live until the Appointment is up.

The floors were gleaming white tile, and little tables were pushed against each wall. Vases of flowers perched atop them, a splash of color against the blinding white. The windows were made of stained glass, like a church, also standing out.

The servant was a pale-skinned lady with straight auburn hair, a constellation of freckles on her nose and cheeks. She was dressed in a plain white blouse and black dress pants, the uniform for the servants. She deposited Kaelin and me to our rooms, in a little square away from the main rooms.

"You will have lunch with the royal family in an hour and a half," she informed us, curtsying. "Maids will come and get you ready."

"Thank you," Kaelin replied, bowing her head a little. I'm glad she didn't try to curtsy; if she fell over, I probably would've laughed.

I was silent as the girl opened a door and hurried down another hallway. No one in this palace deserved any thanks, even a lowly servant. They should be the ones who thank us.

"You know," Kaelin murmured, "I think I'll call you Ember. November is too much of a mouthful, and you have a fiery spirit anyway. I see the ember flaring up inside you sometimes."

Wasn't she poetic. I liked the nickname though, even if I am surprised. I mean, no one gave me a nickname. No one ever knew what one could be, so having one felt... special.

"Ember it is," I remarked, and she waved before she went inside her room. I turned around, took a deep breath, and twisted the doorknob.

Oh my God, it was marvelous. The bed was on the right side, with a rectangular black headboard, fluffy white pillows, and about three blankets striping it. An ebony nightstand stood beside it, complete with a lamp and tissue box, and next to me was a dresser. On the left wall, facing towards the bed, was a vanity with a bunch of cases and tubes I don't even know the uses for.

There was even a light switch that worked.

The floor was paneled wood, a red carpet that had golden tassels surrounding it laid out in front of the bed. There was also a TV mounted on the wall! The TV in my living room was small and cracked, and doesn't even work. Foodies get their news by mail.

I could stay in here for five days. I don't even need to see the prince, I can just hang out in this sweet room.

A knock sounded on my door before three ladies burst in, almost knocking me over. "I can't believe we have a Foodie!" I heard one snarl, before another chided, "Ena, calm down! The Foodies aren't all bad!"

I balled my hands into fists. "Excuse me," I snapped, "are you lost?"

They weren't the girls on the train. Are they servants or something?

One cleared her throat, and simultaneously they all crossed their legs and dipped low, doing curtsies. "We are your maids, Miss November," one explained. "We are here to prepare you for lunch."

"Lunch?" I echoed. Why would they need to prepare me for lunch? Have I been staring at my room for an hour and a half? That was impossible!

"Yes, and we need to do a severe one as well, considering you left mud tracks," a plump maid muttered. I realized she was Ena, the one who was complaining about me.

"Lunch is supposed to be in ninety minutes," I retorted, ignoring her. "Why are you messing with me now?"

"Messing with you?" a painfully thin woman with purple hair scoffed. "Miss November, we are going to fix you."

I began to say There's nothing wrong with me! before they ushered me in front of the vanity.

"I am Ena, by the way," the plump maid greeted, beginning to tug off my shirt. "The one with purple hair is Cesil, and the lady with all the tattoos is Vunia."

I swatted away her hands. "What are you doing? You can't just undress people!" I snapped.

Ena rolled her brown eyes. "Um, honey, maids are supposed to do that. We have to give you a nice bath, you see..."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I can undress and bathe myself, thanks!" No way was I going to be naked in front of strangers.

Cesil clucked her tongue and wagged her finger. "Miss—"

"Please stop calling me 'Miss,' too," I continued, trying to show some manners. "Like, I'm a lower status than you. You don't have to treat me like the royalty."

Vunia finally spoke up. She was also unhealthily thin (don't they feed people in this place?) and was covered neck to toe in tattoos. "Don't you get it, November?" she asked. "As long as you are in the palace, you are royalty."

"At least let me undress myself," I begged.

"Fine," Ena grumbled. "We have the same body parts, girlfriend, so I don't know why you're like this."

Oh, if that was everyone's logic, then why do we wear clothes at all? I thought sourly, heading into the bathroom.

They washed me, put on twenty pounds of makeup and a frilly navy-blue dress, and crammed my feet into flats. After wearing sneakers, shorts, and large shirts all my life, I felt itchy, pain, and weighed down.

"Oh, don't look so down!" Ena chided, brushing my hair. "Be thankful we didn't put a corset on you. You need to eat, honey, you're so thin!"

I almost backhanded her across the face for saying that. However, I restrained. These ignorant little pigs, stuffing themselves every time they feel like it, I thought in disgust, almost feeling bugs crawl up and down my skin.

"Oh, November, you look perfect!" Cesil squealed, rubbing one of my curls in between her fingers. "But the prince prefers straight hair instead of curly..."

"Never mind that! This girl is five minutes late!" Ena pushed her out of the way and dragged me out into the hall. "If only Vunia spent less time putting that body wash on you.."

My maids steered me into a huge dining room, where the prince and the five girls sat around a big table. Food took up every part of the table, covering every surface. I don't think I ever saw this much food at a  time! My mouth watered, and the aromas wafting around the room were so rich and warm my stomach growled.

Kaelin patted the seat next to her. "Come sit, Ember," she invited me.

I weaved my way to her side and sat down on a lush velvet chair. She had her long hair down, somehow, and they cleaned the grime and sweat from her. She sported a peacock-like dress, blues, yellows, and greens shimmering in the light.

"I made a plate for you." She handed me a plate laden with rich palace food, grinning. "A bit of everything, really."

"Thank you." I began to wolf down my lunch, ignoring everybody else. Lunches were supposed to be small, but I didn't care. I was going to stuff myself on everything in this palace.

I began to slow down, though, as guilt pierced me like a blade. Here I was, acting like a snobby Royal, shoving down food without any thought about the starving Foodies in America.

"Why were you late, Miss?" I glared at the head of the table, where Prince Oliver sat and regarded me with a thoughtful look in his eye.

I swallowed and spat out, "Daddy isn't here to punish me, huh?"

Oh God, maybe that wasn't the best approach. Everyone around the table was staring at me like I was crazy. Who knows, maybe I am.

Prince Oliver pushed his long hair out of his eyes and laced his fingers together. "No, the king has more important matters to attend to."

The jerk on the train whipped around to stare at him. She was on his right side, closest to him, while I was on his left and the last in the aisle. Even our seats were affected by status. "Oliver, are you seriously going to take that?" she hissed.

He met her gaze. "Clarissa, please call me Prince Oliver, and I think I can handle the poor ones by myself, thanks."

I think I can handle the poor ones. I gritted my teeth and continued eating. Kaelin cut me a sympathetic glance, but who needs sympathy? At least I wasn't a complete jerk, like the richer people.

"So, you like to read, huh?" the girl across from Kaelin inquired.

She nodded, chewing on a sandwich. "We can't get many books, but I like to read the traditional ones, you know, the ones you have to have," she explained.

The girl's eyes lit up. "I like to read, too. Entertainers have libraries all over the place, though, so we have more access to books."

"This palace has a remarkable library," Prince Oliver chimed in. "I can show you two after lunch, if you like."

Clarissa fumed while Kaelin and the Entertainer bounced excitedly in their seats. I smirked at her, and she gave me a glare that could melt a glacier.

Lunch was pretty okay, at best. The girls chosen for the Appointment talked amongst themselves, excluding me. I learned that the girl across from Kaelin was named Raven, the other Entertainer was Katherine, who wanted us to call her Kat, the arrogant Royal who kept talking to me on the train was named Clarissa, or Clare, and the other Royal who defended me was Chelsea.

After the whole thing, I took a walk in the garden, listening to the birds chirp and the trees rustle in the breeze. This place was the closest to home, where I could pretend to walk to the fields for another long day of work.

I eventually sat down on a bench and gazed around. There were tons of flowers, along with fruit plants such as strawberry fields and apple trees. I wonder if Kaelin will like it out here...

"A proper lady would never go off on her own," a voice scolded from behind me.