The Princess Competition | ✔

Chapter 1

Started- July 20 2014 Finished May 2015

 I specially dedicate this chapter to xXSimplyCrazyXx because of the wonderful covers she has made for this books, and obviously you have seen one of the choices- the one I chose- but she is just amazing and please make sure to check out her stories too! Now onto the story!

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I sat on my small bed in the corner of the room, looking longingly at the picture of my parents in the glass frame that lay in my hands. My head jolted up as I heard my name being called angrily from down the stairs.

"Evangeline Stacy, get down here this instant!" Someone screeched. Rushing out of the room and down the huge spiral staircase, I saw that it was Mrs. Gallagher, the owner of this orphanage. Yes, I am an orphan, and have been since I was seven years old. My parents, they had died from some reason that I still have yet to know. One day they were there, we were a small but loving family. And the next thing I know is that I'm being pulled off into some strange place far away from my quaint town and parents. I realized that it was an orphanage right after I woke up the next morning. I had been told my parents died, and that was that.

I stood in front of Mrs. Gallagher, she was rather short and pudgy; I was a fair bit taller than her, and much skinnier too. Even though every girl here was skinny, due to the fact that even though they wanted to, they couldn't find the money feed us enough food in this place.

"Yes Mrs. Gallagher?" I asked politely with a curtsy. She observed me with a discreet look of hatred upon her face. This was something I had never seen come across her typically kind features before, and I wondered why, since this lady I had known for nearly eleven years now had always been so gentle and forgiving.  

"You have stolen from the market that I sent you to yesterday!" She exclaimed as though I didn't know what she was talking about. "Didn't you!" She screeched. I grimaced as I knew this was true. Mrs. Gallagher always sent the older ones, at least sixteen, to get things that the orphanage needed. So when Mrs. Gallagher sent me out yesterday to get the food required for the next three days, I couldn't resist because everything just looked so inviting. And I'm sure the other girls would thank me too if they found out that I had taken another day's worth of food in one outing. Last night all of us here in the orphanage went to bed with a full belly, which was so very rare. I began to plead for forgiveness that she wouldn't throw me out onto the streets.

"Please, no one saw, I....I just couldn't resist I haven't had enough food since the last shipment of girls came in, and, and..." I stuttered to find the right words. Once Mrs. Gallagher saw tears slowly coming out of my eyes she grabbed my hands in hers.

"Oh dear," she said forgivingly, he facade fading away. "I know it's been rough lately with none of the girls being adopted, and you being here almost eleven years in a couple of months, but we just can't risk it," she continued honestly and gingerly. Then she wiped my tears from my face. "Look, how about I make you a new dress, this one is getting a bit worn out now isn't it?" She asked tugging at the skirt of my dress that had numerous patches and tears. I nodded and wiped the last few of the tears away that were falling from my sea green eyes.

"Good, good," she replied to my nod, then gave my hands a small squeeze and went away off to her office without saying another word.

I went back up the spiral stairs to check on the other girls. Being the eldest of at least another seventy girls, meant that I had the most responsibilities. And that if any girl had work, I needed to make sure that they got it done. I did this mostly because I cared, since every time one of the girls got a job done, they earned money, not much but sometimes they get to come to the market with me to buy something of their choice.