Rails were built on the ocean for this specific occasion. Foodies don't have the money to pay for air travel, and the airport companies refused to let their planes fly hither and tither without payment. So rails rose up from the ocean, and the train chugged along above a churning expanse of water.

How nice of them to do it just for us.

"The ocean looks beautiful, doesn't it?" I turned in surprise to see Kaelin biting her lip, tapping a beat only she could hear on her knees. She gazed out of the grimy windows, her frizzy hair obscuring her face. "I wonder what the sky would look like, though. You know, on an airplane." She whirled towards me, brown eyes wide.

"Yeah." I studied her face. She was actually kind of... pale. I knew she worked out in the open, because that's what everyone does in North America. Work a farm. "How come you're so white?" I inquired, changing the topic.

She skimmed her fingers over her face. "I can't tan. I can only burn, like the world around me." Her eyes strayed to the window again. "My family makes sure to buy me sunscreen so I won't get skin cancer."

We get a small amount of money each week for our work, but it's nowhere near the amount we actually need. Kaelin's home must be more rundown than mine for her family to buy sunscreen for her.

I also can't stop thinking about her words: I can only burn, like the world around me. Oh, how I can agree.

"Good morning passengers, I hope you will have a nice stay on the Worldwide Express," the conductor boomed through the speakers. "It will take about two days to get to Europe, the home of the Royals. If you are getting hungry or thirsty, then don't hesitate to press the button by your seats and our servants will come take care of you. Have a nice stay." The speaker crackled, then was silent.

I marveled at the little red button on a tray, attached to the armrest. Service at the press of a button? Is this how Royals live every day?

I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes, ready for some sleep. I could probably take a two-day nap.

But my rest was interrupted by an urgent tap on my shoulder. I opened my eyes, expecting Kaelin, but the same blonde from before hovered over me, expression surly.

I curled my lip at her. "Can I help you?"

"Stay away from Prince Oliver. I don't want my husband to be ruined by your horse smell." She shook her head and sashayed down the aisle, as if the prince was on the train.

I huffed and laid my head down again. "You can have him," I muttered, before drifting off to sleep.

I woke up to see black sky above, and the lights were dimmed down so passengers could sleep without it stabbing into their eyes. I glanced at Kaelin, my new friend, who had her elbow rested on the window ledge and her face cupped in a hand. Her breathing was quiet and even, though in the near-silence I could still hear it.

Someone left me a plate full of food on the tray, and eagerly I gobbled it down. Apparently Foodies did have service, and the food wasn't bad.

The Royals were probably criticizing it, but who cared about what they thought?

Kaelin opened her eyes and stared at me. "What?" I whispered.

She smiled, but put up a hand to hide it. "We are going to a palace to gorge ourselves on everything we want to eat."

"Yeah, and seeing a prince everyone would kill to marry," I whispered back.

"The court ladies will feast on him with their eyes," she murmured.

I snorted, causing her to smile again. Almost simultaneously, we both turned to the window and went back to sleep.

The two days went by the same way. Wake up, eat the food left for us, look out the window, maybe talk, then go back to sleep again. We third-class folks didn't bring any entertainment, but we caught up on some much-needed rest, which is even better. The chatter of the other girls, the flipping of pages, or the scratch of a pencil became white noise to me, a lullaby before I sink into a strength-regaining sea.

Then we arrived at the palace.

"Bring your luggage to the station, and a man will take it from you so you ladies don't have to carry it all the time," the conductor informed us as the train slowed. "Have a nice time at the palace!"

Kaelin and I were the last ones to hop off the train, and the sight before me almost made me go blind. Ladies in colorful dresses mingled among themselves and gave us curious looks, some giving us death glares. Red, yellow, orange, pink, blue—you name it. Not to mention almost every one of them had glittering rhinestones attached to their fancy dresses. Men wore plain tuxedos, but everything still screamed royalty and luxury.

We were finally in Europe.

The Appointment can now begin.

A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading! Please vote and comment on the story, and have a nice day! Also, don't forget to put this in your library so you know when it's updated. Thanks!