Chapter 1: The Letter
Notes:
Hey there!
This is a Noremma Royalty AU (specifically from The Selection Series) and will be from Emma's perspective.
Please note that as much as I'll try to keep everyone in character, this fic is in an entirely different setting; hence, there may be instances that you might find them act out of their canon counterparts.
If you still decide to give this fic a read, feel free to share your thoughts and I'll gladly respond to them to the earliest of my convenience.
Chapter Text
I had no idea my mother would be this ecstatic to receive the letter.
Not just any letter.
The letter.
"I am not filling out that form, mom." There was no way I was selling myself out to some self-righteous lunatic. I had seen him on television a couple of times a week. But I could not bring myself to be giddy like the other girls who probably had gotten the same letter as I did.
I just turned twenty and this was not something I was looking forward to just two years after my legality.
I heard the exasperated sigh of my mother. "You haven't even read the form yet, Em."
"No need to." I hissed at her meddling. "I have no plans to indulge myself in such madness." Since it was true. This whole ordeal was madness for the likes of me.
"Let's talk about it when your father gets home."
I begrudgingly dragged myself towards my room. I hated that I had to put myself through this nightmare. Well, there was less than a seven percent chance I would be chosen by that brat of a Prince. And there was even less than a one percent chance that I would be chosen in the lottery.
But I'd still take the zero percent chance — as in to not fill out that damned form.
Of course, I always knew my family was a middle-class category here in District Gracefield. We were a family of five, all girls were the product of my parents' fairytale of a love story. Our family's situation wasn't precarious, to say the least, but we were living by and by — with mom being a school teacher and my dad being a music teacher in a community college.
"Emma?"
Sherry was not one to enter anyone's bedroom without knocking but this seemed like something urgent like she just had to come here at this very moment because there wouldn't be any time to say it.
Which meant she came purposely at this time to talk about the Choice.
I had motioned for her to come in. She took a few light steps from my bedroom door to my worn-down bed, taking a seat beside me. She looked at me apologetically, must be knowing full well the predicament I was going through. Or will go through.
"I'm sorry." Sherry held my hand as if on cue.
"Nothing to apologize for." I tried to smile reassuringly at her. "There's just no way! I feel like I'm selling myself."
"But you know that mom will push this through. You know how she is."
"Don't worry about me, Sherry. I'm a tough cookie, you know that." I ruffled her hair as she laughed, trying to shove my hand away. "Plus, the good side to this is that you're not the one obliged by our mother to join."
Sherry was seven years younger than me. And if it happened that she was the same age as I was or even just a few days at eighteen, our mom would've been over the moon. Imagine two lottery entries instead of one?
For us, it was a nightmare.
To her, it was a continuation of a fairytale that never happened.
Because during her time, she was one of the Chosen. And I was fairly sure she wanted me to be the one to continue what my grandparents had failed to do.
To make her part of the Royal Class.
To make her the Queen.
"I wouldn't know what to do if I were in your shoes," she fidgeted against her words, knowing full well that our mother was cunning and capable of anything.
"I'll find a way out. I know I can."
Even if it was the last thing I had to do.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Dinner was awfully quiet. I could feel the daggers my mother was throwing my way, pushing me to open the topic. Dad was clueless, as he'd ever been. But he'd never be the one to push me into something ridiculous that'd probably make me loathe this life even further.
"Dear," Mom finally opened the topic of the day since I had no intention of doing so, "Emma had gotten the letter."
Dad had set his utensils down, now eyes on me. "Is this something you would want, Emma?"
I could finally breathe freely. Dad was always on my side.
"No. I think the whole thing is absurd."
Mom was gritting through her teeth. I would never categorize myself as a disobedient child but this might be the only time I'll cross swords with her. Because this was my life we were talking about.
And I wouldn't allow myself to be eaten by the system. More so, by the Royal Class.
Dad held mom's hand in place. "Isabella, we shouldn't push her if she doesn't feel like it." His voice was quite stern like it meant something.
"I hate it," I corrected him.
"She hates it," Dad corrected himself.
"You're wasting your potential, Emma!" Mom was seething with anger and annoyance combined and clearly, I didn't understand why she was seething this badly for a stupid lottery. "Don't you see how unique your features are? You're even too beautiful for a Middle Class!"
"Oh, please. I am not as exquisite as you think I am. At best, I'm fairly average."
"No, you are not. I don't remember raising you with self-pity." Mom countered.
"Even if I do put myself out there as a plausible candidate and luckily selected, which I definitely won't, there is no chance I could compete with the other fourteen ladies!" Plus, the Prince looks like a rigid statue! I wanted to add.
"But think of the possibilities, Emma! From being a Middle Class Two, you can become part of the Royal Class! Part of the royal family! And you can become Queen!" She further pressed on, invalidating all the rebuttals I stated.
"No! There is nothing you can or will say that can change my mind!"
"Why you —"
"Alright, I've heard enough." Dad was already frustrated, mildly tapping his chest. I was never one to raise my voice at either of my parents but they had to see where I'm coming from.
He faced my mother, holding both her hands. They shared a knowing look. "Isa, if this is something Emma isn't comfortable doing, then we shouldn't push her. We'll make it work on our own. Please don't trouble our daughter."
Dad turned to face me. "And Emma."
"Yes, Dad?"
"We won't be pushing you to go through with it. Your happiness is my choice, sweetie. But you might regret it later on that you never attempted to even try. If it wasn't for the Choice, your mother and I wouldn't have met."
This was news to me. I only knew Mom was one of the Chosen. But to hear from Dad this side of the story meant that the Choice was indeed something to look forward to. Still —
"I've thought about it," I looked at both of them. Then to Sherry. Then to Carol. "I don't want it nor will I ever want it." I placed my napkin on my chair, finalizing my presence at the dining table.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some documents to burn."
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The envelope that contained the form and the letter was unexpectedly heavy. Mom had made sure that I was the one going to open it. Too bad for her though since I wasn't one to easily be swayed by gold, money, or an obnoxious Prince.
I laid the contents of the envelope on my bed, quite surprised that everything was all laid out. A small handbook had caught my attention since I have seen one before from my mother's belongings. From what I recalled, these contained all the standard requirements befitting a probable candidate. It also explicitly stated how the social classes and their subcategories were differentiated.
Royal Class:
King Peter Ratri
Queen Legravalima Ratri
Prince Norman Ratri
Prince Ray Ratri
Upper Class
One: Large-scale business owners
Two: Models, Artists & Medical Professionals
Middle Class
One: Small-scale business owners
Two: Teachers/Professors
Lower Class
One: Factory Workers
Two: Maids & Servants
Poachers
- classified as vagabonds, lowest of the low
Since my parents were both teachers, though, in different areas, our class subcategory was sealed.
But that was all there was to it. We weren't allowed to associate ourselves romantically with anyone from any other class, though union between different subcategories was permitted. So if unions were to happen from different subcategories, the woman follows the husband's subcategory. It was to keep the system in place.
How ludicrous.
Yet the only ones who could break this irrevocable rule was the Royal Class — since it was strictly required that the next-in-line to be King must marry from his own people. Princesses and aristocrats from other countries were never options.
There was also a category lower than the Lower Class — we called them Poachers. They didn't have any level like the other classes. They were simply just one and the same: never staying in one place, never working a day in their life. And because of the kingdom's strict rule to marry only those under their regime, Poachers were allowed to enter the lottery.
Which meant some unlucky lady from the Poachers or Lower Class or Middle Class or Upper Class was going to marry that rigid Prince someday.
And here I was, not giving a single heck about any of these conundrums.
I read every single piece of the document on my bed, promising myself to burn it all tonight when three hurried knocks enveloped the silence of my room.
"If it's you, Mom, you can't come in."
She opened the door, rolling her eyes at me. "Seriously, even when you were still in my womb, you were such a reckless thing." She closed the door and leaned on it as she faced me wholly and sternly.
I challenged her gaze. There was no way I was backing down.
"Want to see them all before I burn it all up?" I had a lighter in my drawer and Mom knew that. I was never the type to lie.
Mom was sighing, taking control of what was left of her patience, probably. She approached my bed, smoothed out the wrinkles of my sheet, and took her seat adjacent to my position.
"I only wanted you to try, Emma. For the sake of our family. And it's not because I want you to be something that I've once wanted."
I grimaced at the thought. Did she really want to sell me off just like that? But what did she mean by her last statement? I simply looked and didn't utter a word.
"Your father — Leslie," she choked on the words that wouldn't leave her mouth.
Dad? What was wrong with Dad?
The look of annoyance on my face instantly cleared up as I saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
"M-mom? Why? What about Dad?" I gripped her arms, begging her to speak.
"Emma. You listen to me carefully, sweetie." She took my hands in her. "Your father is sick. He's been coughing blood for a few weeks now. Any medication hasn't been able to tone it down. Sweetie, we just don't have the money for it." Her tears were evident now, flowing freely on her cheeks. "But we're trying. Your dad and I are trying to render extra work."
My own tears have blurred my vision. How could my parents have hidden something as crucial as this to me?
And to Sherry and Carol. Oh, my sweet, younger sisters.
It would've broken their hearts.
"I can work now, M—"
"But, Emma. I am only asking you to just sign yourself up. Please consider doing this for your father. If you don't get picked, I'll let you work alongside us. If you get picked, I want you to see it through. For your family. For yourself."
My heart was torn. A minute ago, I had no qualms about burning the entire envelope along with its contents. Yet now these documents suddenly became my saving grace. Was this really all I could do?
I stared at my mom's face. So this was the reason why she was relentlessly pushing me to sign up. It was for a deeper purpose. And maybe, just maybe, signing up could make up for the what-ifs they were feeling.
I hated it. The Choice. With every fiber of my being.
But if it meant the possibility of saving my father's life, there was no second-guessing this decision.
"Fine. I'll sign up for the Choice."
I guessed I didn't have any way around it, after all.
Chapter 2: The Lottery
Notes:
This kind of AU had been in my mind since rereading The Selection last March and I finally had the guts to turn it to reality. Thank you for all your comments of support in the first chapter!
---
I'll proofread everything when I have time.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I had stared at the forms on my bed for what felt like an eternity.
Mom was long gone after our heartfelt conversation. I had assured her that I would be sending the necessary requirements at the Grace Field Central District Office tomorrow morning with her. But I have yet to fill out everything, even my own name.
I didn't want to do this. Yet, just the fact that I was expected to send my application tomorrow was enough to keep Mom's rigidness at bay. They wanted me to give the lottery a fair chance. And if I wouldn't be selected in the lottery by next week, then I would be working myself off nonstop just to add financial support to Dad.
Everything was a win-win situation for me.
I filled out the forms as quickly as I could, examining each question. All of the questions were standard enough for me to comprehend. This was because being raised by parents, who were teachers by profession, made education in this family much easier.
I could already see the ending of it: working as a teacher alongside my parents and earning enough to support my father's medication bills. The second option would be my life.
Because there was no way I would be selected.
And with that positive future etched on my mind, I finally slept.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
"Emma," Mom's voice was the first thing to enter my hearing. Great. The dreaded day.
"Can I at least get more sleep before I sell myself?" I mumbled as I sat up from my position on the bed.
Mom had started rummaging through my closet, tossing shirts and skirts all over my bedroom floor. What was she looking for?
"If I had known you'd get the letter yesterday, I would've gone straight to the market to buy a dress for you," she continued to assess my closet, "nothing you have here is decent enough to make you stand out!"
I wasn't so concerned about the attire that I'll be wearing to something I didn't remotely want to do so I left that dilemma to Mom. I took my necessary essentials with me in the bathroom and did away with my business. To say the least, Mom was not amused that I had spent more than an hour in there, implying that I was subtly imperiling my chances to be early in line at the District Office — wearing a loose shirt and shorts since I still had nothing decent enough, as my mother phrased, to wear.
"Eat your breakfast, Em. We're leaving in thirty minutes." Mom reminded me before she disappeared into her room, probably checking out if she had something fitting for me to slip into.
Dad was already sipping his coffee when I got down, a newspaper in hand.
"Good morning, Dad."
His eyes had shifted from the headlines to me. There was a big question on his face and he made no attempt to make it even a bit elusive.
"I heard you changed your mind."
"That I did," I said as I took my usual seat at our dining table.
"After that outburst yesterday, it would've been a miracle if you did." One of his eyebrows was arched. It was a push for me to fess up to why there was a rash change in my decision.
Mom explicitly told me not to tell Dad that I knew the situation he was in, though he did do a great job at hiding his illness. If Mom hadn't thrown her greatest trump card last night, I wouldn't have been able to notice now what seemed like little notions but were actually subtle hints of his condition: excessive coughing, frequent visit to the bathroom, recurrent tapping of his chest, and more-than-usual throbbing from a headache.
"Not much to delve into there, Dad. Just had a sudden change of heart," I forcibly grinned at him because as much as I wanted to castrate myself for going against my own words, I loved my dad dearly. This was a suffering that I was willing to endure.
Dad sighed in exhaustion, probably due to my forced grin. "You're old enough to decide for yourself. But please," he continued as a sign he was putting the discussion to rest, "do it if it will make you happy."
And he was right. I was going to sign myself up for that ridiculous lottery to appease my mom and for the low probability of being selected — all for his sake.
"Sure am, Dad."
I smeared a bit of peanut butter on my toast, observing his hunched position while reading today's paper. Dad was particularly invested with the state of affairs not only in District Grace Field but also in the entire Kingdom of Tifari. But the headline nowadays was a bit... gruesome, to say the least.
"How many today?" I asked warily.
"Seven. All from Lower Class 1."
I trembled at the statistics. Seven people were announced dead last night. All of them were only a subcategory below us. We never knew what to make out of those deaths but we called these offenders as rebels. And even before I was born, these rebels have done too much onslaught for any of us citizens to overlook.
What irked me the most about this whole Choice thing was that it allowed even more reason for the rebels to attack civilians, businesses, and peace, clearly the want to showcase their hatred for the monarchy. Even Mom said that during the time she was one of the Chosen, rebel attacks would even seep through the palace's gate. And every time they attacked, there were casualties.
Aside from this, people had begun to show their opposition towards the Royal Class, specifically at King Peter, who was abusing his powers as the king. Problems continued to arise, and not just because of the rebels. Hunger was going rampant in the lower subcategories, and people were beginning to complain about the limited options for employment.
King Peter never listened to these pleas.
I tucked all the negativity of my thoughts away. It was still too early to be marred by visions of horrid deaths.
Still, I silently prayed for the lost souls.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Mom was absolutely right on two things.
First, that this old dress of hers would make me look like an Upper Class Two, at best. It was a knee-length beige dress that needed a black belt going on my waist. The elbow bishop sleeves of it were see-through and loose. It matched my tangerine-colored hair well enough. Certainly, Mom had impeccable tastes.
And second, that I should have woken up earlier today since it was obvious that we weren't the only ones who wanted to submit the application early. Around me was a buzzing sound of scurrying women making their way to the Grace Field Central District Office. Some of them eyed me with contempt, carefully analyzing my features from head to toe.
"I told you, Emma —"
"Yes, Mom. That I should've woken up earlier than usual," I answered for her. Mom did have the theatrics to nag in public. "We're here now, so let's just be done with it."
Mom had positioned herself in one of the lines to the District Office's entrance. The immediate vicinity was packed with women so the lines were carefully managed.
We were an hour in line when I noticed a blonde adjacent to my position. It took a while for the features to register but I immediately noticed that it was Anna Rousseau, one of the youngest medical professionals at eighteen. Between the two of us, she looked definitely like an Upper Class Two, and not just at best.
She might have noticed me staring so she gave me a small smile. I did as well. To think that someone as pretty as her would even consider joining this freak show had me internally rolling my eyes.
When it was my time to enter, Mom had given me all the rules that needed to be followed. She was so happy that I got a headstart among the other women simply because she was one of the Chosen before.
"Remember, Emma. You need to smile for the pictures. Show off that emerald eyes of yours, okay? You are the most gorgeous woman here in this District. Don't be nervous."
I sighed as Mom further complimented me like the doting mother she is. "Yes, yes. Now please, Mom, I need to go in now."
I tried my best to answer all the queries asked of me. I confirmed that everything written in the form was true to a fault. And I poised myself in front of the camera with the most serene smile I could give.
After all this commotion was over next week, I would be free.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It had been a week since I stingily handed over my application for the Chosen.
Mom had been strangely in a good mood since then. She was humming nonstop to a lullaby Dad had composed for her when they were still dating. But it almost slipped my mind as to why Mom would suddenly be in high spirits.
Today was the day of the announcement.
The Tifari Report, the weekly segment that aired for thirty minutes on live television, was about to start. This segment displayed all the announcements, reports, and other important matters in the Kingdom of Tifari that was led by the Royal Class.
And within the Tifari Report tonight, was the announcement of the Chosen — fifteen ladies from the four districts of the Kingdom: Grace Field, Grand Valley, Glory Bell, and Goodwill Ridge. All entries are selected at random. All applications from these four districts were mixed together in four large boxes. Who knows how many women put themselves out there?
Sherry and Carol were sitting right next to me, both curled on my side. Dad had his head stuck in the newspaper again, seemingly a bit bored with whatever he was reading. And Mom had set out chocolate biscuits as snacks, which happened extremely rarely in this household as my younger sisters had a sweet tooth and always had a hard time sleeping after gobbling down sweets.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" Lucas Brodeur, the permanent announcer of the show, greeted the audience.
Finally, the Tifari Report was on.
"As you all know, tonight is something special! How is that so? Since we'll be selecting fifteen fortunate ladies to be part of the Chosen. Our Prince has finally decided to find a suitable wife among the lovely ladies of this Kingdom just like how his father and mother did."
I heard the annoyed groan of my mother. She hated the current Queen. It was because they never really had gotten along during the course of the Chosen back in their days, often calling her vile and wretched now when she saw her on television.
Just like right now. The camera zoomed in on the Royal Class.
King Peter Ratri had unusually long hair that went over his shoulders. He had that spiteful smug, something my mom always shuddered at when they were together during the early days. It was true though. I couldn't help but feel threatened when I look at his face.
On his side was Queen Legravalima, an eerie smile carved on her lips as the camera took her in. She was wearing heavy makeup and her hair was tied up neatly. Nevertheless, she was beautiful despite how menacing she always looked. Same as her husband, huh?
And then, the camera shifted to their sons — the fraternal twins. Sherry suddenly screeched since she adored one of them.
The one on the left side was the younger twin, Prince Ray. His ebony hair stood out particularly because of his bangs that took out almost half of his face. None of the people knew if this was a style to make him more mysterious but it actually worked. No one could deny that he was extremely good-looking.
And next to him was the man of the hour and older twin brother, Prince Norman. In contrast to his sibling, he had platinum blonde hair with a side curl neatly placed at the side of his head. He always wore heavier prince-like clothing despite that frail-looking body. And his face. It seemed like he was always thinking — calculating for whatever reason. The only thing that he had in common with his brother was that he was also dashingly handsome.
Not that any of it changed the way I felt about the Royal Class.
"Your Majesty! The Princes have all grown up! Twenty four years of age and finally ready to find a suitable wife." Lucas focused the microphone on the King.
"That is true indeed. Prince Norman, the heir to the Kingdom of Tifari, had finally found himself in the same position as I had. It'll be entertaining to see where he goes from here." King Peter looked at his son with much amusement.
"You, my Queen, do you have any advice for the future Princess of this Kingdom?"
Queen Legravalima looked devious with the stare she had given Lucas with that question. "Your lives are about to change at any moment now. Prepare yourselves."
Seriously, what kind of girl would be motivated by that advice?
"Prince Ray! What can you say about all of these? A mere seven minutes and you would've inherited all of this commotion!"
Prince Ray looked like he was ready to tease his brother, "I'd rather regard myself as lucky. I could never put myself in a position such as this one. It'll be interesting to see who'll be my future sister-in-law."
It was little but I managed to spot Prince Norman giving his brother a nudge on the elbow to which the latter gave him a challenging grin.
"How about you, Prince Norman? Have you seen any of the entries yet? Gotten a little peak?"
Prince Norman gave out a formal chuckle, "No, I have not. I'll see all the Chosen at the same time as all of you."
"Are you excited to see them? That one of these fine young ladies will be your loving wife by the end of all of this?"
The Prince smiled at Lucas, though it seemed to me he was managing his emotions. He looked quite nervous to me.
"I'm looking forward to it," he simply said.
"Alright! Let us begin with the lottery, shall we?"
Three armored men, who I assumed were guards slash assistants for today's event, had wheeled over four large, golden boxes. The envelopes were piled up much to the bewildered appearance of Prince Norman and the smirk on Prince Ray's face.
"Looks like a lot of ladies from all over the Kingdom want to be your wife, Your Highness!" Lucas quipped. It can even be seen in the background that Prince Ray was snickering at his brother's uncomfortable comportment.
Lucas motioned for the Prince to stand and positioned him in front of the golden boxes where the camera angled at him directly. One by one, he managed to handpick fifteen girls from different boxes, reaching out to complete the ensemble. With the last one in his hands, he gave them to Lucas and proceeded to his seat.
"Fifteen envelopes in my hand," Lucas sifted through the envelopes making sure that all fifteen were there. A small box with Prince Norman's face was situated in the lower-left corner of the television, mainly to see his reactions as the girls were called. "Here we go!"
My hands have started sweating. Why was I nervous? There were a lot of entries there. It would be near impossible to get mine.
"Miss Paula Moulin of District Grand Valley, Upper Class One." A girl with shoulder-length hair appeared on the screen. She was wearing glasses and looked older than me. Prince Norman gave out a straightened smile.
"Miss Anna Rousseau of District Grace Field, Upper Class Two." Anna was explicitly beautiful in her photo. We just smiled at each other at the line last week and here she was now as one of the Chosen. At the small box screen, Prince Ray whispered something to Prince Norman.
"Miss Barbara Legrande of District Goodwill Ridge, Upper Class Two." The girl looked extremely confident. She definitely looked like a model, a much more experienced version with that wavy hair tucked in her ponytail. Prince Norman looked overwhelmed at the screen.
I looked over at Mom who was busy concentrating on every one of the Chosen. "Hey, Mom. Aren't they all part of Upper Class —"
"Miss Emma Marchetti of District Grace Field, Middle Class Two."
I turned at the sound of my name. And there was my picture that looked absolutely radiant and hopeful because I was so sure I wasn't going to be called a week after! And at the lower box, Prince Norman looked speechless, whatever that meant.
Mom was covering her mouth in shock. Sherry and Carol were already dancing and shrieking because I was selected. And Dad looked like he was going to get a heart attack seeing his eldest daughter's face on the screen.
I suddenly found myself lost. A week ago, I had everything panned out — submitting my application, not getting selected, and working alongside my parents.
But that all changed just now.
I was now part of the Chosen.
And I would be participating in the Choice.
Notes:
You can refer to the kinds of class subcategory on Chapter 1! I'll keep on working on this since all the ideas are currently swirling inside my mind. I hope you look forward to it as much as I do :)
Chapter 3: The Goodbye
Notes:
Just how hard is it to become one of Prince Norman's girlfriends?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The days that followed the night of the Chosen announcement had gotten quite busy. Our house was trampled and swarmed on by a number of officials from the palace that had me prepared for the best days of my life, as they said.
Official guards were also commanded to serve as posts at our home. Since the rebel attacks had become more frequent, the safety of those ladies who were part of the Choice was a priority. Of course, it was because whoever will win this whole thing will soon become Queen of the Kingdom of Tifari someday. And the more that I stayed at that palace meant that my family would be an obvious target by the rebels as such.
This couldn't have gotten more aggravating.
I was to leave this humble home of ours within six days' time. And I had hardly packed anything. The jittery feeling wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried and the sleepless nights were just a breeze away from giving me heavy bags under my eyes.
So that's why there was no surprise when a tall woman had come into our home to give me one last preparation before I had to depart. Her curly hair was springing from its shoulder-length height and her smile was giving me all sorts of heebie-jeebies.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Marchetti. It's been a while," she nodded at my mother, "Lady Emma," she instead grinned at me. So, I'll be referred to as 'Lady' from now on.
"Please do come inside. I've made tea," Mom gestured to her in the living room, "I hope Jasmine would suit to your liking." It had only come to my attention that they were acquaintances.
"Jasmine is fine," Mom handed over the tea to the ever-grinning woman, "Thank you."
She took one sip and from that millisecond pause, I immediately knew that she did in fact disliked Jasmine. A swipe of her lips with the provided napkin was all it took for her to go right straight to business.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Krone, one of the officials assigned to assure the credibility, comfortability, and confidentiality matters of all the participants of the Choice," she took out one of the folders in her bag and had gotten the folder with the tag Emma Marchetti on the side, "Ah. So you just turned twenty? Our Prince is four years older than you. Not that it matters. You're also a Middle Class Two, huh? I'll let you in on a little trivia, Lady Emma."
My interest was quite piqued. What on earth could be more interesting than my disinterest in this whole thing? Even this Krone woman would be surprised at how much I hated the Choice.
"What is it?"
"You are the only woman in the running who is from your subcategory. There are no other Middle Class Two. Only you."
I arched an eyebrow against her statement. "Does that mean my subcategory is the lowest among all of us?"
"Heavens, no!" She scoffed at my remark. "There are others from the Lower Class, and well you have a bit of Poachers mixed in there, too," she waved off the mention of the latter, "but you're the only one from this subcategory. You can use it to your advantage. Plus, your features are unique too. Quite a rare beauty you have there."
I could feel the proud smirk emanating from my mother. If we were talking about wooing, surely those from Upper Class Two had a say in it. Models were exceptionally pleasing to the eyes; it was their standard of living. I would pale in comparison to them. They could have him for all I care.
"Going over your document, I could see there are no faults or undocumented statements here that may render your candidacy invalid," she shoved the folder in her back as she looked like she's about to get right to the real business, "I have to go over some things that are quite confidential. You must only speak of the truth, do you understand?"
The sudden seriousness of her voice left me uneasy. But my mother, who looked relatively calm, must've already known what the outcome of this conversation was since she had already undergone it.
Krone continued. "First, the Choice has no time limit. Prince Norman may limit it to only a week if he sees it fit or he may prolong it to months or years, depending on his taste. But seeing that he is already reaching the age of adulthood, it would be wise of him not to prolong it, seeing that His Majesty only limited his version of the Choice for only one month."
Krone gave my mother a look that made me queasy. So the Choice that Mom had participated in only lasted a month? With fifteen ladies raised in varying manners and different social classes, how was he able to lower it down to Queen Legravalima?
"Second, for every week you are not eliminated by the process or dismissed solely by the Prince, your family will be compensated. And this compensation is equal to all ladies participating, regardless of class subcategory."
Now, that was good news. I just had to stay for a few weeks and voila, I'll be able to help out with Dad's medication. Easy peasy.
"Third, the only romantic relationship you will have is with Prince Norman. You are not allowed to associate yourself romantically with anyone besides him. If you are caught, you will be punished befitting that of an adulterer. I hope you remembered that incident, former Lady Isabella."
Oof, that was a harsh one. I remembered a story from Mom that there was an unruly lady who committed sexual acts with one of the guards in the palace during her time and was severely punished for it — with her own life and the guard involved. King Peter was known as a ruthless leader and if he raised those twins just the same, then I had to hold on for my dear life.
"And lastly, I have to know if you have had any experience of sexual intercourse with the opposite sex."
The question immediately threw me off. Was she asking if I was a virgin? And what if I wasn't? Would I be disqualified? Punished? Hanged?
I took a deep breath and stared at her with a sickening scowl, "No. I have no experience of such."
"I highly doubt that this would be an implication of sorts but Prince Norman has no experience of it whatsoever. It is to keep everything pure. A first for a first, if you will. I did not mean to offend you, Lady Emma."
"None was taken." I grimaced at the words. Women should be allowed to do whatever they wanted with their bodies. Yet, here I was, hearing that the Prince was a virgin. I wanted to laugh my heart out.
Krone coughed out to remove the tension and had gotten out a pen. "You may sign here as an indication you understood everything we have discussed here."
I took, yet again, another form signed it and gave it back.
"That will be all, Lady Emma. A chauffeur will come to get you the next day for your departure. You should know that all clothing you have is not permitted to be worn in the palace as they will be the ones to provide for you. You will also be able to learn the basic roles of a Princess in the palace. Should you make it to the top five, you will be officially called one of the Prime. You will learn in-depth knowledge of how everything in the palace works and your probable role as Queen."
It was hard to process everything Krone had said. I had only managed to give out a nod of affirmation as she stood up from the couch and stated that she would be on her way. Once she was out of the door, Mom had a successful smile on her face.
"I knew she hated Jasmine."
Really, Mom was too vile of a woman. I wonder why she didn't win the Choice.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The only day that I had left came by in a swift.
We were all patiently waiting by the gate for the chauffeur to take me to the airport. I would prefer if we could travel by land but I was informed that a lot of rebels would be in hiding and there was a big chance that I might be intercepted along the way. And of course, it was almost a week of land travel versus a three-hour air journey, if it were the case. Lucky me.
What was more catastrophic was the multitude of people assembled at the other side of our gate, fully expressing their praises of adoration and chants of good luck for me to take home the crown. If not for the official guards posted by the royal palace, they would've surely bombarded this place by now, not that I wasn't thankful for the support of my neighborhood. At least, I was at ease that my family would be safe from any rebel attack.
I headed over to the rails of the gate, took out my pen to sign autographs and take pictures with them. I felt adored and this was a rather new experience that I had to let myself get used to. From now, people will be able to separate me from the crowd and the thought alone terrified me. But if I was joining for the sake of my dad, I had to do everything I can to stay at least a few weeks and not give the Prince any reason to kick me out immediately.
Sherry was somehow more thrilled than I was. She had reminded me for the nth time to send her a letter weekly so she'll know everything about my activities from top to bottom. Carol was sleeping soundly in her room so I didn't bother to wake her up. Still, I left my favorite giraffe stuffed toy next to her so she'll always feel that I'm around. Dad looked tense, probably because he was sending his daughter to become one of the Prince's girls in waiting. But after assuring him that this was something I was willing to go through, he made no attempts to make any more convictions.
And Mom. How could I not forget her constant ramblings on how to be a proper lady when I set foot on the palace?
"Yes, Mom. I have mentally listed everything you told me ever since I got the stupid letter."
"Emma —"
"And, yes. I'll keep my tongue in check. And I won't be reckless." Maybe.
In any case, they'll see me soon enough. I'm sure the Prince had higher bets than a Middle Class Two and I had no intention of staying in that glamorous prison with the last woman standing.
Not a minute later, my ride to the airport has finally arrived. A skinny guard took my luggage and placed it inside. I had turned to my family who looked like I was going away forever.
Sherry had tackled me almost to the ground. "I'll miss you, Emma! Take home the crown, okay?"
My smile, albeit a bit forced with the last request, genuinely settled on my sister. She was always my cheerleader, and I was sure to miss every bit of her energy.
I turned to face Dad who had unshed tears in the corner of his eyes. It suddenly dawned on me that I won't be able to keep track of his progress while I'm away. Still, I hope the weekly compensation would do his operation good. This was all for him.
"Keep yourself safe, sweetie. You're one of the most brilliant and mesmerizing ladies out there. Don't ever lose yourself in the process," he hugged me a little too tight, "We love you very much." He took something out of his pocket. "And here, this is from your great grandmother. Wear it whenever it suits you."
I felt my eyes stinging. Dad was the quiet one but when he spoke, it was full. And now that I'm leaving, it hurt that I wasn't going to hear more of it for a while. He even gave me a necklace that obviously meant the world for him to keep even after all this time.
Mom was in evident tears as she enveloped me in a hug. "I love you so much, Emma. Thank you for doing this. I'm so proud of you."
I hugged her back. Mom and I always fought - tooth and nail. But I love her with every bit of me.
"Lady Emma, it's time." The skinny guard reminded me.
I took them all in one last time and settled into a group hug. "I'll see you all soon!"
As I took my first step out of the gates, I smiled and shook the hands of the public, dragged myself to the carriage, and waved to everyone as I left the roads of District Grace Field.
Notes:
Next Chapter: Lady Emma Marchetti meets the other Chosen.
A/N - I made this while I was busy finishing a proposal lmfao HAHAHA.
Chapter 4: The Ladies of the Competition
Notes:
I've been writing this draft since last Thursday, crying my eyes out after my favorite co-worker left + my country had become extremely chotic in the last twenty-four hours. Really, writing Noremma had become a self-therapy of mine.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The ride to the airport was a breeze.
The skinny guard only asked me if I was comfortable in my place one or two times and I had simply just nodded. The jittery feeling was still crawling within me, hitching my breath every time we gradually slowed down at road humps. This was going to be my life for a while. I might just start getting used to it.
At least for a few weeks.
I was guided by the skinny guard to one of the window airline seats in front and was advised that we were still waiting for two more girls from Grace Field. I was certain that one of them was Anna. When my name was called during the announcement that night, my mind went completely blank that I wasn't able to get a closer look at the other candidates on screen. But it was comforting to know I wasn't going to fly to the palace in this enormous airplane alone.
My head was buried in a magazine when I heard the click of heels on the stairs entering the airplane. They were also wearing the same white shirt and denim jeans as I was as they graced the aisle of the plane nearing my location. Anna Rousseau, Upper Class Two, had decided to sit on my side while the girl behind her with curly black locks took a seat next to hers.
I didn't know what to make out of my competitions, as Mom would have recapitulated, but Anna and this girl beside her looked like they wouldn't even dare hurt a fly so I extended my hand, and smiled cordially at them, "Hi. I'm Emma."
"I'm Anna. I believe we've met." She took my hand and shook it.
"Indeed. At the District Office. Who knew huh?" I answered back.
She turned to face the girl beside her. "This here is Jemima. She's from Middle Class One."
I extended my hand to Jemima, now that I knew her name. She took it all the same though the reluctance in her movement gave me the assumption she was unsure of my behavior. I guess all of their families must have given them a briefing of what to act like in front of the other Chosen. Maybe some of the girls wouldn't be as welcoming.
My thoughts were halted in space when I noticed Jemima staring at me. I wasn't used to being stared at so I politely asked, "Is there something on my face?"
She immediately shook her head but she looked like she had a question in mind. It took her a bit more seconds to compose herself as she laid out her inquiry. "Is it true that you are former Lady Isabella's daughter?"
Ah. Here it goes. I expected to be asked about this. "Yes, I am. Her eldest to be exact."
"Woah," Anna and Jemima shared a look of awe like it was something to be envied about.
Not that I had no regard for my mother's experience during her Choice but for a contestant such as myself to had inner learnings definitely does give me a headstart than anybody else. And that was something that I had to keep in mind. A lot of the Chosen wouldn't be graced with a good attitude so it's definitely safe to say that they'd exterminate me the first chance they get.
Just the kind of headache I was looking for.
Anna must've seen the look of uncertainty on my face. She took my hand and Jemima's and fervently shook it. "I know we're all supposed to be enemies or frenemies or whatever they call it. But I hardly have friends even with my status," she smiled sadly at the thought, "so I'm very much looking forward to having friends here even if we are expected to fight for the same thing."
I looked at Anna with so much amazement. She was definitely a princess by birth. Prince Norman would be a huge imbecile if he eliminated this exquisite lady on the get-go. If given the chance, I'd shove her immediately to the Prince so all this hullabaloo would be over soon enough.
I was shocked that Jemima also took my hand as we now formed a mini circle. "I'm really glad Anna spoke out because that was what I was feeling too," her expression suddenly became warm, "I was intimidated because both of you looked extremely pretty and I was given the thought that girls from the Chosen wouldn't be necessarily nice. I'd really like to get along with both of you."
Jemima and Anna now looked at me as if they were waiting for whatever I had to say. They were very poised girls, truly that Prince in his high chair was lucky to have these ladies as his Chosen.
I grinned at them, letting my guard down and hoping to find friendship in this mess of a situation. "Let's all be friends! Let the twelve of them stab each other if that's what they want. I'll support both of you with no hidden ill intentions."
What I said was true. If I was going to support anyone in the Choice, it would be these two right here.
The tension that was mixed in with the air a moment ago had finally dissolved. Both of them looked relaxed and overjoyed as we shared stories of each other. It was truly nice to have found confidantes from my own district. It still felt like home.
I soon found out that Anna had an ex-boyfriend of one year back home named Nat but they had to break up due to her becoming one of the Chosen and their difference in lifestyle: she was a medic while he was a musician, but both in the same subcategory. It was extremely painful for her but if she were to be eliminated early on, she'd get to come home to him soon enough and make amends.
"But what if you fall in love with the Prince?" Jemima had asked.
"I don't think I have any emotions for him as of this time. I'll know soon enough when we get to interact. I mean, my mother said it was foolish not to even try to live out my life as a lady." Anna answered in a less guarded way.
Jemima was from a family of a small business — a repair shop for types of machinery. She apparently helped out most of her days in the shop until she got the letter. Her mother had pushed her as well to enter her application, something we had in common. And then a week later, her name was called.
I also told them stories of my own — minus the part that I had no interest in the Choice or even Prince Norman for that matter. They also gave me a briefing on who the other Chosen ladies were since I paid no attention to the rest on television after going blank.
"I'm actually scared of the other girls that looked scary on-screen!" Jemima shuddered. Did she have a specific person she's scared of?
Anna let out a small giggle. "Tell me about it. There are a handful of Upper Class girls in there, plus I don't want to be a judge of bad character but Poachers, as well. And from what I've heard on the news, a majority of rebels aren't after peaceful relationships, given their situations."
That was one thing that scared me. We had no idea what social classes the rebels were.
Were they all Poachers, sick of their lives on the streets?
Were they Upper Classes, trying to drive the monarchy to the ground?
Or were they Low and Middle Classes, not sure of their existence in these subcategories?
"We'll just have to have each other's backs." I grinned at them and took Jemima's hand, seeing that she was near to collapse at the dread of rebels entering the palace and having to compete with the other girls.
After that, the plane ride was full of our laughter that we didn't even notice that we had finally landed at the airport of District Glory Bell — where the palace of the Royal Palace was situated around three kilometers from it. This was the location where all of the Chosen were supposed to be escorted to the palace.
The three of us happily made our way to the airport terminal where a huge crowd was waiting for us. Posters, banners, and signages of our photo and name were plastered all over. It had come to my senses that these were all our supporters — they were cheering for their favorites. The sudden pang of guilt made its way to my system. It'd be a real shame to have to let them down. Nevertheless, I gave out my sweetest smile to the cameras and to those who supported me, shook their hands, and signed autographs for little kids.
When we got to the inside of the terminal, we were met by different shades of eye colors. Jemima had stuck close to my left side while Anna looked worriedly at me. Right in front of us were the twelve other Chosen candidates that had arrived at the airport terminal a lot earlier than we did. We were met with a lot of eye rolls, snickers, and frowns by the majority.
The battle had apparently begun.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
We were on our way to the palace and being huddled together in one place was certainly not a good way to start.
The girls who were fortunate to be born within the Upper Class had sat together, plainly addressing within sight that they ought to keep their enemies closer. There was no doubt that they felt threatened by each others' presence. In the previous Choice, King Peter had chosen Queen Legravalima - an Upper Class One, so it was safe to assume that it would still be the same scenario this time around. I was glad Anna took a seat next to me, much to the glares of those others who were in the same social class as her.
The Middle and Lower Class ladies were mixed in the middle, making Anna completely surrounded by social classes lower than hers. But she didn't mind. I liked that about her.
In contrast to us, the Poachers were also huddled together at the back, much like the Upper Class ladies. Two of them, who I recalled from Anna's stories were Naila Alberone and Yvette Caron, were all smiles as they admired the view from the window, whereas the others looked completely out of place.
"I like your hair."
The comment had thrown me off guard. I turned my head to a girl who had pixie-cut hair in a violet shade. I remembered her as Violet Perreira from District Grand Valley, Lower Class Two. She looked a little rugged even with the matching attire we all had as Chosen candidates.
"Uhm, thank you. I like yours, too." I complimented in return. I really did like the shade of her hair.
"No need to return the compliment," she took a seat in front of us three, "I hardly see redheads on the streets so it was quite surprising to see one in this competition."
I didn't know whether to regard that as a move to make small talk or whether she was testing the waters with our new arrivals. But she didn't look menacing like the other girls, especially Barbara Legrande that kept giving me a disgusted look. She and Anna were both Upper Class Two but the latter was such a sweetheart compared to her.
"Looks like the competition is tough, huh?" She motioned her eyes to the girls on the back. The others, aside from the two who were busy looking at the streets, must've seen us staring so they evidently glared at us, something that I didn't take offense in.
"Best if we don't talk about the others while we're all here. I'm not even the slightest excited to be in the middle of a catfight." I looked apologetically around and saw that some of the girls were subtly doing their own thing but seemed quietly eavesdropping.
Violet took that us a sign to move back to her seat in the car and all seemed quiet for a while, even for Jemima, Anna, and me.
The jittery feelings were at it again as we came closer to the palace - spotting its golden exterior.
Notes:
Next Chapter: Lady Emma Marchetti gets an upgrade and finds herself in a dilemma.
---
A/N: I already have a draft for the next one! Hopefully, I can upload it ASAP if I won't be dragged to another set of meetings next week.
Chapter 5: The First Night
Notes:
How will Emma manage her first day at the palace?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The photos in the newspaper and video snippets on television did not do justice to what's in front of me right now.
The palace, in all of its gold and black exterior, stood tall within District Glory Bell. A multitude of guards was posted in every corner to make sure security measures were heightened. Every railing had pristine ornaments entangled all over it.
It was breathtaking.
On our way here, I easily spotted the massive garden they had. It would surely be my place of solace in this grand prison. I wonder if we were allowed to venture within it.
Upon entering, with our luggage in tow by the hands of the assistants, a petite lady welcomed us. She was just the same height as I was if it weren't for the heels I was required to wear on all occasions. Her smile wasn't anything I had seen from Krone or Queen Legravalima. She looked too pure to be in this kind of prison.
"Good day, ladies," she greeted us with a smile, "I am Mujika. I'll be your all-around royal planner and etiquette instructor for the course of the Choice. If there are any concerns, you may address them directly to me."
She did a once-over for all fifteen of us and immediately jotted down something that might or might not be something that was wrong with us on her notebook, scribbling a few more when her eyes came to the Poachers.
We all looked at each other, a bit overwhelmed with the treatment. Mujika noticed this and suddenly clapped her hands. With the gesture she did, girls in maid uniforms came out, their heads bowed down as respect for us Chosen candidates.
"You all will be assigned two maids to assist you in your everyday life here in the palace. They will also be the ones to prepare your dress for the interviews and celebrations, your lessons, and other matters that are yet to be introduced."
She looked at the maids, motioning them to come to their respective lady. "They will help you adjust to your life here in the palace. But for now, you will be taken inside for a makeover. After that, you will all be called later to have dinner with the royal family in the dining hall. Present yourselves accordingly."
With that, she ended her note with a smile and left us to socialize with our respective maids.
Things were happening way too fast for me to adjust to. And I was suddenly faced with two girls who beamed at me: one with so much excitement in her eyes that showed just by how much her eyes widened, and the other one with a little more curiosity on the side — adjusting her glasses like it would've made me clearer in her vision.
"Lady Emma, please follow us. We will direct you to your station." The blonde-haired maid called to me with the warmest smile she could give. "I am Gillian and this here is Gilda," as they gave out a curtsy.
"It's nice to meet you both. I'll be in your care." I responded to their warm introduction.
I nodded over to Jemima and Anna, who were also busy acquainting themselves with their attendants. I followed my maids to the station assigned to me while appreciating the interiors of the palace. It was certainly going to be hard to live in luxury when you weren't born for it.
"Lady Emma," Gillian motioned for me to sit down in front of a large mirror, briefly looking around the other Chosen who were sharing the same look of bewilderment as I was, "we must ask you what changes you would like to do to improve yourself."
"Improve myself?" Was there something wrong with me?
"Yes, my lady! From here on out, this makeover will become your image as one of the Chosen."
I had to stop myself from cringing. There was just no way I would be willing to change anything for that Prince. "What if I don't want to?"
Her face was full of amusement at my question. "My, my. Quite the fighter, Lady Emma," she took out a brush and started combing my hair, "but that just might be your winning asset!"
I stared at Gillian from the reflection of the mirror as she beamed at me, both of our stares filled with unknown determination.
Huh. I might actually like the company of Gillian and Gilda.
"For starters, let's retain the color of your hair. It will let you stand out! We'll just give it a big curl to give it more volume. Then, we'll proceed to scrub you all over. After that, we'll concentrate on the manicure and pedicure. And lastly," she excitedly squealed from my back, "the dress we prepared for you for tonight's dinner with the Royal Class!"
My maids looked at me as if these were things that someone like me should already be used to. But looking at them, all determined to make me stand out above the rest, was enough assurance that I wouldn't be walking like a toddler in these halls for as long as that Prince kept me.
This wouldn't be so bad after all.
If I had them by my side.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
I explicitly told Gillian that I was capable of bathing myself but she didn't budge. She seemed to get my nature as she scrubbed every inch of me, much to my discomfort, and poured lotion all over my body that smelled like cinnamon. I smelled like pastry on a Sunday morning.
We also settled for neutral-colored nail polish. I recommended it either to be colorless or in light brown to which she replied that there were varying shades of light brown. I quizzically looked at the box of nail polish collection she had in hand and was surprised to see that there were indeed many to choose from. Already feeling fed up, I chose a random one — Gillian complimenting that ivory white was a good color on me.
But to me, it was just simply light brown.
What I hadn't prepared myself for was the dress that I was going to wear for tonight's dinner.
I could say that Gillian and Gilda had such exquisite tastes, even for a Lower Class One subcategory. The gown they had prepared for me was a deep beige that fitted through my hips, a black ribbon tied neatly at the back. The length fanned down in front just below my knees and reached all the way to the floor from behind. And the sequins! Beads and crystals enveloped my neckline and the hem of my dress, making me shimmer against the night sky view that was strangely alluring from the balcony of my room.
After dressing me up, I took a good look at myself in front of the mirror. I looked ethereal on the outside. If not for the class subcategory I was born in, I would've passed as one of the royals — in this dress. Surely, the other girls would've made the comparison on their own, seeing themselves in this humongous mirror as I did.
"You both made this?" The wonderment in my voice was enough to send them in hushed giggles.
"It was mostly Gilda! She's the best when it comes to wardrobe creation," Gillian patted the girl who was quicken to blush with the praise, "You're in good hands, my lady!"
I came over to both of them and held each of their hands. "Gilda, Gillian, I definitely look like a swan now compared to when I first arrived hours ago," I let them go and gave myself a little twirl much to their amusement, "Thank you for making me more than presentable for tonight."
Gilda was the one to talk now, her first since we met. "Not at all, my lady! We are humbled that you liked it."
Gillian, who was a lot less on the edge, laughed. "Forgive us, my lady. We weren't expecting you to be...."
"Normal? Weird? Hardly enthused by all of this?" I motioned to my surroundings as I tried to finish her sentence.
She gave out a smirk, finally getting me. "A little bit of all of those, my lady."
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
"Ladies, please line yourselves accordingly as we enter the dining hall." Mujika's voice was tiny but full of authority. She must've sensed my staring and directed her attention towards me, giving me a warm smile and a wink.
I suddenly felt a bit better. The jittery feelings were at bay.
I looked around to the wardrobes the other girls were wearing and their maids certainly did not want them to be left behind. Some of their evening gowns were puffy at the seams with glitters cascading all over, others were in brimming colors of the rainbow — which I guess should've been thoroughly thought through. While my gown wasn't technically as glittery as theirs, it was eye-catching.
Simple, yet elegant.
And my appearance was best paired with the necklace my Dad had given me. I was exhilarated that my maids allowed me to wear it for tonight.
I mentally reminded myself to give Gillian and Gilda another round of thanks.
"The entire royal family will be arriving momentarily. After entering, proceed to the seat with your name card on it. It will be your permanent seat from now on. Once the royal family comes, raise yourselves, bow your heads, and lay down a curtsy." Her instructions were clear. This is where we make our real first impression.
Time to impress them for a few weeks before they give me the boot.
I found myself placed in the middle of Yvette Caron, one of the Poachers, and Paula Moulin, Upper Class One. Whoever thought of this positioning deserved an award for placing me in the most uncomfortable arrangement in this table. Yvette was biting her nails in a probable attempt to downsize her nerves while Paula looked too calm and poised that it felt like me being in the middle made sense. As per my subcategory.
How uncanny.
My thoughts were gone in a second when we heard the heavy footsteps of guards coming into the dining hall. As they steadied themselves in what I assumed their usual positions, King Peter graced the dining hall with Queen Legravalima on his side.
All fifteen of us immediately bowed our heads and lowered ourselves in a curtsy, though I felt like I was near to falling off my right foot. I didn't even bother raising my head to peak at the entrance of their two sons, Prince Ray and Prince Norman.
"Ladies, please raise your heads." The King's voice filled the room. "You may all take your seats."
As we were told, we positioned ourselves in our designated seats. Not a moment later, servants with plates of foods on their hands had enveloped the long dining table, filling it with mouth-watering goodness: the appetizers, entrées, and desserts. These were foods that not any would be able to afford, especially if you weren't an Upper Class.
So, seeing one of the Poachers trying to immediately fork her way to one of the steaks had me catching my breath. That was not something you ought to be doing for first impressions. I silently looked around and saw that almost everyone present at the dining table had turned their heads in the same direction as my vision.
"Lady Naila," Prince Norman's voice called out to her, "I see you seem to be starving as well. It had been a very long day for all of you, of course."
I was amazed that he knew her name — even if she was a Poacher.
He eyed all fifteen of us but my breath hitched when his stare lingered longer in my direction. I immediately averted my eyes, trying not to get bathed in his stares even longer.
I saw the embarrassment flashed on the face of Naila, her utensils clanking on her plate, "I-I apologize, Your Highness. I've never seen food like this before!"
The repulsed look on Barbara would be enough to make any girl question her standing in this competition, and it was all directed at Naila. Anna and I shared a worried look. The girl was certainly not getting anyone's favor for tonight. Still, I felt bad for her. It was one thing to be selected in the lottery, but they need to strive to get to the top despite their circumstances, social class or lack of etiquette was something else.
"Then, I guess we should all indulge ourselves. I believe the other ladies are starving, too. To the first day of the Choice!" Prince Norman lifted up his wine glass as we did.
With that, the first of many grand dinners had commenced. The King and Queen were immersed in a conversation while looking over at us, probably picking their favorites. Prince Ray was looking bored at first but found himself talking with Anna.
Prince Norman was the one who looked lost. He tried to engage in conversation with some of us but his questions were always met with either a yes, no, or a simple blush. I found myself avoiding his gaze so that I wouldn't have to engross myself in small talk.
And because I still had no control over my mouth and I might say something treasonous that might get me hanged before midnight.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Dinner was probably my favorite part of the day. Though I liked the wardrobe my maids prepared for me, it garnered me too many death stares from the other Chosen.
It wasn't my fault my maids were amazing.
After that grand feast of a dinner, we were escorted back to our rooms. Mujika reminded us that aside from getting two maids, we would be getting our own personal palace guard by tomorrow. They were supposed to follow us wherever we went unless we were with the Prince. And we were reminded not to leave the premises of our room at night unless told otherwise. Doing so will result in heavy repercussions.
I didn't know what that meant but it could only be two things: either you're alive by tomorrow or missing by tonight.
Not that it bothered me, but I hated being followed or watched.
Still too many things to get used to.
Gillian and Gilda didn't question my sudden silence and I was thankful for it. They changed me into a silky nightgown and brushed my hair. All I needed was rest and they were happy to oblige. The next thing I knew, I found myself alone in this room, with my thoughts all over the place.
Surreal.
Everything felt like that today. Just yesterday, I was playing tag with my siblings around the house, with Mom complaining it wasn't ladylike and Dad smiling behind the newspaper he was immersed on.
And now, I was here, one of Prince Norman's girls.
Having to prove myself worthy of not being kicked out was already sending me hysterical. My family needed me here so I had to try, even if it was against every bit of my morals. I'm positive the Prince wouldn't even keep me for long as he had much better options.
But for the future of the Kingdom for Tifari, I hope it'd be Anna, at least. She'd make an excellent queen someday.
I was about to shut my eyes to sleep it all out when upon clutching the collar of my nightgown, it felt bare. Dad's gift was no longer enclosed around my neck!
I immediately bolted and ran for the door. To hell with the damn rules! The farewell gift from my father was missing!
My room was on the second floor of the palace and if my necklace would've fallen anywhere, it should be here. I retraced my steps, going back and forth while trying to hide from the faint murmur of guards that were doing their patrols.
Tears were starting to erupt. How could I have lost something so important? It made me miss my family, even more, when I only saw them earlier today. I picked up the pace as I dragged myself through the carpeted floor, looking for anything silvery or shiny that can be mistaken for a necklace.
My vision might have been blurry with the unshed tears but a silver thing at the edge of the staircase caught my attention. I hurriedly went over and picked it up.
It was my necklace!
It must've fallen when we were walking up to our rooms. I held it deeply to my chest and sighed in relief. I could very much rest well now.
"Did you hear something?"
"Check the hallway. I'll patrol this way."
Guards!
I was so lost in finding my necklace that I almost shoved off the situation that I was in. If I were to be caught outside of my room, who knows what will happen to me? Mujika explicitly told us not to!
Now that I was clearly thinking, I should've asked Gillian or Gilda for help!
Turning for a vacant room to hide in as the steps progressed in my direction, I was grabbed on by both arms from the back and was pulled into darkness, my attempt to shout becoming a muffled scream.
Notes:
Next Chapter: Emma finds herself in the hands of her abductor(?) Was he/she even one to begin with?
----
A/N: Gillian and Gilda! My girls! They'll definitely keep our Lady Emma on her toes 💓
Chapter 6: The Man in the Room
Notes:
Emma finds herself in a pickle. Was the person an abductor or a savior?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Did you hear anything?"
"I thought I heard a scream."
The faint sounds of footsteps had descended from my hearing. I would've relaxed if not for the hand that had just suppressed my scream and pulled me into the darkness of this room.
Was a rebel able to sneak in?
Was I caught?
Will my family ever see me again?
I prepared myself in anticipation in case I was to be stabbed or choked or gunned from the back.
But instead, I was met with a heavy sigh and the sound of someone's rapid heartbeat. I felt his hand loosened at my quivering state. I immediately took advantage of it as I jabbed my elbow against the person's chest as hard as I could and ran to the edge of the closed door. I heard a loud grunt at the pain as I turned around, fumbled to flick on the light switch, and faced my abductor.
"That was an awful way to show gratitude, my darling."
Even though I cringed at his attempt at giving an endearment, it was completely washed away when I was smacked in the head by reality: it was the damned Prince!
"And why were you expecting one? You may be the Prince but that was a bit of a stretch!" My hands were shaking in fear and panic. If it had been a rebel I would've definitely died on the spot, but since it was the Prince — no. I'd still be dead on the spot!
He was King Peter's son after all!
"I beg your pardon?" He had managed to stand up straight, clearly had gotten over the impact of the pain I inflicted. His body was definitely frail and weak. His face was shrouded with puzzlement at my look of accusation against him.
"Y-you suddenly grabbed me from behind! And covered my mouth! I-I thought you were a rebel!" I almost shrieked.
He took a step closer as I pinned my back against the door, not appreciating his sudden movement towards me. "If I hadn't done that, the guards would've presented you before my father. And I don't know if you believe in deities but my father is not as forgiving as them."
"How would I know? For all I know, you'll have me dead the second I leave this door!"
"Oh, that wouldn't be me," he shrugged nonchalantly, "That'd be the guards under my father's orders since it was specifically mandated that all Chosen must stay in their rooms for tonight unless stated otherwise. I'm not really the one breaking rules here, Lady Marchetti."
He got me there.
And he got my name correct.
"While we're on that topic, I'd like to know what impulsed you to start wandering aimlessly on your own volition along this floor." Without any response from me, he further pressed on.
"You better have a good explanation for it, Lady Emma."
The nerve of this guy! Did he think I wanted to stroll this prison?
"I wasn't wandering! I lost my necklace during dinner," I opened my palm to show the necklace Dad had given me before I departed earlier today, "See! I was only looking for it! I wasn't trying to do anything that would've involved me volunteering my own death!"
It was faint but I thought I saw him stifle a laugh as he examined the necklace on my hand.
"You're quite humorous, aren't you?" He eased up as he took a couple of steps backward and seated himself on the nearest couch.
"I was told differently. Hard-headed and reckless were my usuals." Surely, Mom would've thrown a fit should she find out the mess I got myself into in less than twenty-four hours of my arrival in the palace.
It wasn't until that moment that I realized I was in a rather secluded room. Books were piled up against the shelves and the only thing it complemented was the grand, sturdy desk and cushiony chair situated in the middle of the room. I didn't know why there was a couch there but it surely didn't accessorize the room.
I stopped analyzing my surroundings when we caught each other's gaze. He arched a brow at me. And being the reckless thing that I am, I arched a brow back at him. I awfully didn't appreciate being stared at.
"What?" I finally asked, feeling the uncomfortable silence that surrounded us.
"You're quite different." A mix of wonder and flushed amusement was carved on his face. Like I was something out of this world for him.
"Isn't that the purpose of the Choice? To get different girls until you pick your favorite?"
"For the past Kings, maybe. But I plan on falling in love."
"You don't 'plan' it! It naturally happens! Falling in love in a situation like this disgusts me!" I hissed at his reason for doing this nonsense of a tradition. And I'll look forward to the kind of love story my parents had. Not this Choice abomination.
His thick eyebrows furrowed at my contradiction. "I don't understand. You say that but didn't you enter the Choice with that kind of probable future in mind?"
He caught on to my statement. I tried to whisk away the embarrassment by turning my vision away. "I have a different reason."
"I have all night."
"I'm not spending the night with you."
"Of course," he looked away, "And we've only just met. I wouldn't want to disrespect you in any way."
"At least, that's clear."
The look on his face made it seem like he wanted to prod further but dismissed it entirely and settled for a nod in understanding. "I guess that's a conversation I'll look forward to hearing from you soon enough."
I observed as he lifted himself up from his position and advanced a few steps towards me but his eyes couldn't focus on mine, coming off a bit nervous. It didn't seem to freak me out compared to earlier. He wasn't as rigid as I thought he was.
Then, it only crossed my mind that I was wearing this silky nightgown that hardly left anything to the imagination. I crossed my arms against my chest, slightly squirming with the uneasiness, and silently thanking the person who made the lights of this room particularly dim.
I had to let Gilda know that this seductive nightgown needed some major tweaking.
"I'd like to clarify something from our earlier discussion." I blurted to ease the awkwardness.
"Ask away, darling." He allowed my inquiry but his eyes remained stationed on my eyes.
I tried hard not to roll my eyes at the endearment, once again. "Why are we not allowed to leave our rooms in the middle of the night? Isn't that violation of our rights to freedom?" I didn't really want to use the political card against the monarchy that produced the said law but I wondered what the rule was for.
"Of course, the palace is taking precautionary measures against rebel attacks, which I'm sure you've heard of. The palace guards are keen on maintaining peace within the walls and of course, there's the issue of fifteen ladies who just entered the palace," he swatted unnoticeable dirt on his pants, "You were all strangers a day ago. Who knows if any of you would stab the King in his sleep?"
"If I wanted to stab him, I would've done so with my fork during dinner."
His face contorted to how ridiculous my statement was but a smile was there. "Then, you would've been hanged for treason."
"Only if they catch me."
An infectious burst of laughter escaped from him. It was too contagious that I found myself laughing with him.
I guess I was humorous enough.
He must've realized that we were both laughing like idiots so he calmly composed himself and smiled at me. He was definitely handsome — no wonder those large, golden boxes of lottery entries were spilling.
"Your laugh."
"What?" What did he mean by my laugh?
"It's the prettiest laugh I've ever heard."
My laugh gradually faltered at his compliment. I didn't know what was the purpose of it but I felt my insides tingle.
"You should know that subtly flirting with me won't be fair with your other girlfriends," I interjected in response.
"My other girlfriends?"
"Yeah! We're like your pack of girls, waiting for you to give us love and affection." I said with so much contempt.
His amusement was so evident from the way he was grinning. Was he never entertained before at least this much?
"Since earlier, you've sounded appalled at this whole ordeal," the look on his eyes demanded answers, "I'm very curious as to why you needed to enter yourself in the Choice when it is clear as day that you'd want to be anywhere but here."
There's my chance at survival for a few weeks!
"Then I guess you'll have to keep me around so you would know."
"I could seriously have you arrested for that simple bribe alone, my darling."
"But I know you won't." I strengthened how my arms were crossed at him, tilting my head a bit for an ounce of mediocre arrogance. "You don't want to risk losing one of your girlfriends immediately after dinner, would you?"
He chuckled at my attempt to show confidence. "I suppose that is true."
We found ourselves in an undeniable silence. Instead of prolonging our unexpected bonding time, I bowed myself and did a curtsy as a means to end this little meet and greet.
"Your Highness," I looked at him with a hint of challenge in my eyes, "I should probably take my leave now."
"You keep forgetting that guards may hitch you up," he sighed jokingly but his eyes meant otherwise, "Let me escort you to your room."
He meant well based on the sincerity on his face.
"I'll take it."
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The distance of that room from my assigned room was only five minutes away but we managed to come across a guard who eyed me from head to toe but the Prince immediately covered my body with the golden drape he had on his back and dismissed the guard entirely. He was right on the dot. If I had gone alone to my room, I would've surely been apprehended and seen barely naked by the guard.
And probably long gone.
"You must admit that I was right on my assumption." A knowing look on his face. If our long interaction hadn't happened, I would've thought of how smug he was.
"Yeah, yeah. Prince Norman, one. Lady Emma, zero." I waved my hand as if throwing off the whole quandary as I found myself in front of my room. Then, I remembered how could he have found me exactly where I was?
"I'd like to ask one last thing."
"You've been asking me all night. Please continue to do so. It enables me to know more about you."
I peered my eyes at him, stopping myself from identifying him as an awkward casanova, "How did you know I was prancing around the hallway earlier?"
"Hmm," he adjusted the cufflinks of his suit, intrigue washed over his face, "You must thank my brother for that."
"Prince Ray?"
"Yes. He was the one who notified me of your whereabouts."
"Then, why wasn't he the one to pull me back on his own?"
He looked at me like my question was preposterous to his hearing. "Lady Emma, I must remind you that if the hills have eyes, the walls have ears. It wouldn't be appropriate if any lady of the Chosen would be seen by anyone aside from me. Even if it was my brother, no matter how much of a royalty he is."
I pondered on that thought — owing my life not just to one Prince, but two?
Without giving it much thought, I nodded at his explanation, making sure to steer clear from that kind of dilemma. I knew exactly what would happen if I were to be entangled with some other man during my course here.
Not that I would be interested in anyone.
The Prince stood straight, moderately bowing his head in my direction. "Good night, my dar—"
"Don't call me that," I paused and raised a finger in front of him, embarrassed that I keep forgetting that I'm talking to someone that can rat me out any second, "I would appreciate it if you would call me Emma. Just Emma."
He smiled as if finally understanding me. "I can't simply call you by your given name in public."
"Then call me Emma whenever you want. I don't want to be given an endearment like the other ladies."
"May I know why?"
"I don't like endearments."
"Then I'll make you like them."
"In your dreams." I rolled my eyes but this time it was full of jest.
He laughed again, probably the fifth time that I made him tonight. "I won't call you that anymore if you'll behest my request, as well."
"Which is?" I darted my eyes critically at him.
"I give you permission to call my name as well." He proudly said as he tapped the crest engraved on his uniform.
"Prince Norman?" Didn't he like to be called 'Your Highness'?
"Norman." He corrected.
My eyebrows creased at his sudden request. Was he really giving me permission to call him by his birth name? But if calling him by his given name meant that he'll drop that disgusting endearment for the general female population on me, then I'm all for it.
"Okay... Norman, then." I nodded at his request and grinned at him.
The startled expression on his face made me stop grinning from ear to ear.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing. I must be going now. We have an early breakfast in the morning."
He stared for what felt like a while before taking my left hand and bowing his head. He gave it a faint kiss, light as a feather, and it might have lingered a little too long. Releasing my hand, his eyes moved from it to my eyes.
"Goodnight...," he hesitated, letting our eyes meet with direct intensity for the first time tonight, "...Emma."
I could've sworn I saw his ears were red.
Before I could say anything, he was already walking away — just like I always saw him on television whenever he would walk towards the stage, then to his seat. His stature was screaming royalty but he didn't have the air of arrogance like his parents did. He was poised yet he was humble. He seemed more human than I thought.
Maybe the Prince was different.
No, scratch that.
Maybe Norman was different.
Notes:
Next Chapter: Emma gets a taste of Norman's mind games.
Chapter 7: The Crowd Darling
Chapter Text
For the first twenty-four hours since I met Gillian, this was the only instance that I wanted to shove my pillow at her.
I was a very light sleeper. So, when she pulled back the heavy curtains that restricted the sunlight from my window, my face was met by the sun's blazing rays as I immediately turned around.
"Lady Emma, are you awake?"
I grumbled as a response. I heard Gilda giggled as she seemed fascinated at my indecency to even wake up like royalty.
But I wasn't royalty. So, I ought to sleep for the rest of the day.
"Lady Emma, everyone is expecting the Chosen candidates to be down at the dining hall by seven o'clock." Gilda hummed as I heard her rummaging through the built-in closet that almost felt like an extra room due to its allotted space.
"Can't I just eat here?" That was my first question of the day.
As much as I wanted to get along with the other Chosen, I didn't think the feeling was mutual. Only Anna and Jemima were the solid candidates I could consider as friends.
"No." They said in unison.
I grumbled against the pillow I had hidden in.
Last night, I was almost incarcerated for going against the palace rules. I had only managed to survive because Norman was there to pull me inside that room before any guard could've gotten a whip of my existence.
Norman.
Casually addressing him by his name even in my head felt wrong on so many levels. It was never a respectable act from the public to call royalty by their birth names. If any of the people here knew the exchange that happened between us last night, we would've been in serious trouble.
Or maybe the girls would've envied my dilemma.
Imagine, being secluded in a room with the Prince, all alone, with the lights dim — any regular, power-hungry lady would've pounced on him the very first chance they got.
Which meant Norman must be a tad bit mischievous or oblivious. Hmm.
"Lady Emma, your bath is ready." Gilda's voice knocked me into the present situation where I was dreading getting out of my comfortable bed.
Nevertheless, I scooted out of my comforter and was stripped of my nightgown. I surely had to get used to being naked around my maids because they didn't trust me enough to get out of my clothes on my own.
Whoever was going to be the princess of this kingdom, they were never going to experience doing things on their own ever again.
After what felt like a millennium of endless scrubbing and lathering, Gillian had escorted me out of the bathroom and into the walk-in closet where Gilda had prepared three day dresses for me to choose from.
"Wait," I asked, confused, "I get to choose my dress for breakfast?"
"Yes, Lady Emma!" Gilda excitedly said, trying to contain much of it on her end, "I made sure that you're going to stand out for today's breakfast. You have here a purple one, a gray one, and a peach one."
Peach. Definitely peach.
"Peach?" I was determined to wear that dress but I had to get my maid's expertise on it.
"Brilliant choice, my lady!" Gilda nodded triumphantly. "This was actually a test to prove if you have a taste when it comes to your daily clothing. Miss Mujika advised us to get a closer look at your preferences."
I tried to hide the nerves that were almost spiraling out of me. Peach did suit my hair and skin tone but what if I had chosen the purple one or the gray one? Gilda seemed to notice the question on my face so she nodded before answering.
"It's just added points, miss. The competition requires one. An impeccable taste in wardrobe is something that a princess-to-be should have. Of course, your maids are always there to assist you but your preferences are highly taken into consideration."
I hadn't had breakfast yet I already felt full from all of this commotion early in the morning.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Gillian and Gilda made sure my appearance was as presentable as last night's was. A day version this time.
The peach dress that Gilda made was an a-line gown with puffed balloon sleeves that showed my shoulders off. I practically begged not to wear those heavy earrings and full-on make-up, so Gillian and I compromised with only light touch up and the necklace that I almost lost last night.
My hair was laid down last night. But for today, Gillian decided that my day dress would suit a french twist up-do, securing it with a large golden leaf barrette at the back.
My maids gave me a thumbs up with murmured squeals before I headed off downstairs in the Women's Room, where the other Chosen candidates are probably waiting.
Not even three steps in, I had spotted Barbara Legrande, who I just noticed now had her hair in white highlights as a result of the makeover yesterday, dissing one of the Poachers I remembered as Naila Alberone. The other Chosen candidates all looked taken aback, including Anna and Jemima that held each other's hand for support.
"Do you really think you have a chance here?" Her lips curled in disdain, eyeing Naila from her head to her toes.
"We all have fair chances here!" Naila shouted back but her eyes were almost spilling tears.
"The Prince wouldn't choose a lowly Poacher when he could have an Upper Class for a wife." Barbara had exaggeratedly flipped her hair to prove a point. The disgust in her face was so natural that she would probably be Queen Legravalima's favorite.
"He wouldn't choose you with that kind of attitude!" One of the Poachers, Yvette Caron, had intervened.
"Why you little —"
Before I could've launched myself to let Barbara a piece of my mind as well, Mujika had entered from the door, with the usual calm demeanor but the tension that had enveloped the room would be enough to put a sour frown on her face.
"Ladies, may I remind you that petty fights are inevitable so long as you don't harm another Chosen. Caught doing so would result in your elimination."
Barbara didn't budge, as if being reprimanded was not something she was used to. But Naila meekly smiled at Mujika as she was dragged by Yvette to the other side of the room, away from the derogatory looks of those from the Upper Class that were grouped together.
"For today, I'll be showing you the coverage of the Tifari Report of your arrival from yesterday!" Mujika excitedly beamed at all of us as she opened the widescreen television inside the Women's Room and pressed 'play'.
For the first few minutes, the typical announcements were mentioned — updates on infrastructure projects, progress against rebel attacks, and the usual. We waited in anticipation as Lucas Brodeur appeared on-screen as he made his commentary over the footage of us from yesterday. Through the montage of snippets from the other girls' footage, they definitely looked ladylike as the crowd cheered for them. Mine hasn't come out yet but I guess I would be near the end.
"Here Miss Barbara Legrande smiles and bids goodbye to her fans in District Goodwill Ridge. Certainly, her beauty cannot be overlooked as admirers from all over her town had followed her service until the end of the highway!"
Barbara flipped her hair in a well-pleased manner. Sonya Goncalves, Upper Class One, whispered something to her that made her smile smugly. She unquestionably served looks.
"From District Gracefield! My, oh, my! We have some tough competition here. Miss Anna Rousseau, an up and coming medical professional prior to the Choice, says farewell to her patients in the pediatric ward. Look at the smile of those children! So heartwarming!"
I took Anna's hand and squeezed it. She was just too pure for this whole thing. But she might just be my best bet.
"Miss Jemima Roux dances with the kids in her hometown during her send-off! This lady doesn't falter when it comes to those moves! Just look at her!"
Anna and I smiled at Jemima, who was already blushing from the commentary.
"And lastly, we have Miss Emma Marchetti, the only Middle Class Two in the whole competition!"
The images of me hugging my family members moved me. One of the shots showed how my father gave me the necklace that almost got me in trouble. It was such a heartwarming scene.
"We can see how she upholds such close familial ties! And look here! Our Lady Emma was certainly a crowd darling as she stopped for autographs, pictures and even shook hands with the majority of her supporters! Such a down-to-earth lady! Isn't that exactly what we want out of the next princess?"
Most of the girls turned around to look at me. The same sets of eye rolls, frowns, and mocking stares — it was enough to know that they wanted me gone.
"Wasn't that fun? Everyone in the Kingdom of Tifari had gotten a glimpse of each of you!" She turned off the television and smiled at all of us.
"Now, ladies," Mujika continued, "Before we proceed with breakfast, Prince Norman and Prince Ray will be the only ones to join us for breakfast as His and Her Majesty have other matters to attend to. Still, it's best to present yourselves in front of royalty. And remember, one of you lucky maidens will be Prince Norman's wife by the end of all this."
A mix of hushed giggles encircled the room. Some were still in a sour mood while here I was trying my best to fake a smile. I hadn't recovered from their death stares and now I had another dilemma to direct my focus to. Norman was endearing but I couldn't imagine him as my husband at the end of all this. But he was amused enough to escort me back into my room last night and not tell the guards on me for breaking protocol.
I reminded myself to at least give him my formal apology and thanks when I get the chance.
And probably to his brother as well.
"Come on, ladies! Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"
I found myself strutting the Dining Hall in between my dining seatmates, Paula, and Yvette. With the little confidence I had, I looked for the crystal blue eyes that I had the chance of conversing with last night.
To my surprise, his eyes were already set on mine. I felt like my insides were churning but I didn't know why. He smiled genuinely.
Come on, Emma. At least give him a damn smile.
And that was what I did. But I didn't know how awkward my smile might've been.
I could only imagine it from someone who was holding in their constipation, so I immediately lowered my gaze and sat myself down at my designated seat.
As soon as all the ladies were settled in their places, the servants rolled in with the batch of freshly cooked bacon and eggs that filled my nostrils with its goodness, maple being the center of it. We also had the options of omelette and pancakes if we didn't prefer greasy meat early in the day.
Of course, I wouldn't miss the cream puffs that stood tall in the center of the table. Eyeing them for a distance, I'd certainly ask one of the servants for it later on. I may not be a Poacher but delectable cream puffs of this caliber would definitely put a hole in any Middle Class's savings.
"Lady Emma?" A voice called out of the blue.
I might've been too engrossed with my breakfast because I thought I was hearing things. But when I turned my attention to all the other Chosen candidates that had their heads turned to my direction and to Norman who looked fascinated at my obliviousness, it only registered that he, indeed, was referring to me.
Being addressed with my mouth full of food was the worst. I covered my mouth with my hand as I tried to swallow everything as quickly as I can — which felt like an eternity with all of their stares set on me.
When it felt like my mouth was all cleared up, I responded as genial as I could. "Yes, N—Your Highness?"
The desire to choke myself was through the roof as I felt my cheeks flushed with my almost slip up. I was about to call him "Norman"!
And judging by the laughter he was trying to suppress through his tightly-closed lips, he must've caught on that accidental attempt of mine to call him casually in front of everyone at this table!
He managed to get a hold of himself in a very discreet manner, that much was expected, and cleared his throat. "Would you say that today's sets of breakfast are to your liking?"
Is this his version of small talk? Might as well play his little game.
"Yes, Your Highness. The foods that were prepared were quite exquisite. Surely, I'll never get enough of it." My smile must've been the sweetest one I've ever done as of late yet if someone from my family saw it, it would've disgusted them at how fake it was.
Norman looked entertained as if he knew I was playing along. "Do you have anything you'd like to specifically request? We have a lot of —"
Out of the blue, Prince Ray burst into a cackle, a clear amusement for his older sibling. "Easy there, brother. Are you implying that the lady is a glutton?"
Norman must've realized what his statement must've meant to the others, immediately losing his cool as he directed his whole attention towards me. "Em— Lady Emma, I must apologize if it came across that way. I only wanted you to indulge yourself with whatever food you wanted."
I had to stop myself from laughing a little. He almost said my name!
Guess who's laughing now, Your Highness?
I wasn't even the least bothered by his statement since I knew he meant well. Looking at his brother alone, suppressing laughter of his own at Norman's uneasiness, meant that he was hiding a little bit of mischief of his own.
These brothers may not be so bad after all.
"I know you meant no harm, Your Highness. All is well." I politely responded.
He was also starting to look adorable with that lost expression on his face but after listening to my assurance, his face lightened up. Why was this guy so easy to please?
"If you really have accepted my sincerest apology, then I'd like to ask proof of it from your end, Lady Emma."
"What proof, Your Highness?" It was back to his mind games once again.
"I'd like for you to indulge me on a walk around the palace's Sunflower Garden after breakfast."
It was a good thing that I wasn't stuffing myself with food when he said that wager or else I would've choked myself. Though Norman and I were pretty much acquainted because of last night's circumstances, I wouldn't label our relationship at the friendship level.
But this might only be the chance I get to spend some alone time with him to fully show my gratitude for saving me last night when he could've thrown me out the very second Prince Ray ratted my whereabouts.
Someone from my row might've made a disapproving sound. Oh. I realized that among all fifteen of us, I would be the first official one to get one-on-one time with Norman and that probably didn't sit well with some of them at this table.
I was already driving too much hate my way and I'm not even doing anything.
Just great.
My head turned to Anna who was genuinely smiling and mouthing "Say yes!". My hesitation melted, finally giving a response to the Prince who was waiting for my answer.
"That sounds like a plan for today, Your Highness."
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
As soon as breakfast was over, my maids immediately pulled me into the walk-in closet and changed my attire altogether. They were definitely in high spirits since the Prince had asked for a subtle alone time with me compared to the other candidates. It freaked me out a bit but they shouldn't know that I almost shoved their hard work all over last night.
This time, I was wearing a bouffant gown, a pastel yellow shade with split flutter sleeves. It was a wardrobe that definitely made me look like I was out on a stroll. Gillian also laid my hair down, curling the ends a bit, braiding both of my hair on the sides, and encircled it over my head like a crown.
Now, I looked like a Princess that was going out for a stroll.
A knock on the door had silenced Gilda's humming and Gillian's minuscule squeals from probing about the events during breakfast.
"Ladies," Norman emerged from the door with one of his ever-dashing suits. I guess I wasn't the only one pestered to change the wardrobe for this date. "I'm here to fetch Lady Emma for our stroll. Would you mind if I take her off your hands for an hour or so?"
"Not at all, Your Highness!" Gillian was particularly perky for today.
"We leave her in your hands, Your Highness." Gilda was more reserved but she was grinning, nonetheless.
I stood up from my chair and thanked my maids. I promised them I would tell them everything afterward to which they excitedly squirmed in giddiness.
Norman looked awestricken, with that same expression on his face during our first meeting at dinner. I felt a vague discomfort with the way his eyes were fixated on me. But I can never deny how tantalizing those blue eyes of his were.
I tried to suppress those mixed feelings aside and grinned at him, my eyebrow raised. "You look dashing, Your Highness."
He finally got a hold of himself, straightening his back and reaching his right hand out to me. "I could say the same to you but from the way your maids prepared your appearance for this stroll would be an understatement. You look absolutely radiant, E—" He paused and I could feel myself relaxing. Smiling. "Lady Emma."
I proceeded to approach his direction, taking his hand as I heard the small simpers from my maids. Norman couldn't help but smile at the small commotion at my back. Seriously, I should reprimand them.
I did a small curtsy as I unraveled myself for this little game of his that I was willing to play.
And because I had a proposal for him, as well.
"I'm all yours this morning, N—" Almost.
"—Your Highness."
Notes:
Next Chapter: Emma becomes brutality honest with Norman. How will the latter take it?
Chapter 8: The Prince's First Official Date
Notes:
Emma's first official date with the Prince. Or is it really a date?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"For appearances' sake, would you put your arm around mine as we walk?"
"I'd do that if you could give me an idea as to what I have done for you to single me out during breakfast."
We were strolling along the Sunflower Garden and it exceeded my sight's expectations. The sunflowers were massive in size, blooming at their peak, their position faced the rays of the sun. The only thing that separated us from the beauty of it was the golden railings that had the emblem of the Kingdom of Tifari crested in the middle. Quarried stones made of granite encompassed the garden pavement where Norman and I walked side by side.
For a while, we just walked, enveloped in what I would call our little squabble, as I admired the grand scenery.
The sun was at its highest, even though it was only half an hour past nine o'clock. So, I was extremely thankful for the parasol that Gillian had given me to keep us sheltered from the heat.
"You would have surmised the purpose of it, Emma." His face looked at ease as he could finally call me by my name instead of that ridiculous endearment. "I was not content with the end of our conversation last night."
I sneered at his excuse. "Isn't this just a ploy to have me date you as one of your girls?"
He didn't even try to hide his laughter as he held his chest to contain himself. "I am required to date every single one of you so I am not guilty of asking you out for a stroll. But the majority of my reason is to know more about you, of course."
"All right," I finally gave in as I was indebted to him. "What is it you'd like to know about me, Norman ?"
He looked dazed and his face gradually softened, as if it wasn't normal for people to call him by his given name. But it was his sole request so who am I to deny royalty?
"Tell me about your family."
"Well, you already know I'm the only Middle Class Two candidate in this whole competition. Both my parents are teachers by profession. And, I'm the eldest out of three."
Norman looked at me intriguingly. "You have siblings? "
"I have two younger sisters." I felt myself ease up to him as I mentioned my little sisters back at home. "The youngest is Carol. We share the same hair color! She's seven but I already know she's going to grow up quite lovely. The other one is Sherry. She's a bright young girl that loves fashion. She adores you, you have to know that!"
"She does?"
"Yes! She would always gush about you every Tifari Report. If she were in my shoes, I bet she would have signed up for this competition on her own accord." I cheerfully explained how my sister would've snatched the chance to become his bride if it weren't for the age difference.
"But in your own shoes?" He questioned, listening intently to the stories I've been rambling on.
What did he mean by that?
He must've noticed the perplexed expression on my face so he continued. "You said your sister would've snatched the chance to be in this competition. I'd like to know what compelled you to join if you thought of this whole thing as absurd. Seeing your face during dinner, how you constantly tried to avoid eye contact with me, was amusing. While the other girls tried to make themselves stand out, you opted to go the other direction. I'm beyond curious, Emma."
Should I tell him the truth? But it was better than lying that I actually wanted to be here.
"Listen, Norman," I prepared myself if I was to be booted immediately after this conversation, "You are extremely good-looking, kind, and forgiving. But I don't think I can bring myself to fall in love with you. I just don't see myself falling in love with this kind of setup. And I have no desire to become a princess or queen for that matter."
I could feel him deflating at my words but he must've mastered the art of facial expressions in public gatherings because he still looked contained. "I see. Then, what could be the reason you're here in my arms right now?"
He didn't seem to notice how he unconsciously inserted a bit of subtle flirting on his end but it made me smile. "My Dad is an amazing father. He was never the type to pressure his daughter and he always cheered on me even when I was such a reckless mess."
"I could see why you're such a reckless mess." He teased.
"Ha-ha, very funny." I slightly nudged him by the arm before continuing. "You see, two weeks ago, I found out he was.... severely sick. As you know, teachers don't make a lot in their profession so everything was quite tight. We were struggling a bit, but we were happy as a family. Until Mom persuaded me to put myself out there, to at least put out my name in the lottery. I made a deal that if I was to be selected, I would live out my life here until you kick me out."
I could feel Norman tensed up with how I mentioned the probability of him dismissing my very presence in this competition. "I wouldn't kick you out."
"You would. Eventually." Before he could interject, I proceeded with my reason. "If I wasn't lucky enough to be selected, I would be allowed to work alongside them as teachers. The money would still be scarce but at least it was added income for his treatment."
"But you were selected." The words were like a whisper against his lips.
"But I was selected." It was odd telling this to Norman since I thought the odds were stacked against me. "So now I'm here until you find a reason to shoo me off."
He guided me to the bench that had an overview of the whole Sunflower Garden. Guards were positioned outside of it but were discreetly in every corner, so I just imagined that we were left to ourselves in this maze full of sunflowers.
Norman must've been distressed because all I could hear from him was his heavy sigh every fifteen seconds. When it felt like a minute or so, he finally talked. "It was certainly a delight to have met you. But if this is something you'd like to pursue on your own, I believe I don't have the right to make you stay even if I wanted to."
There was a long pause before he spoke, a sullen expression on his face. "Do you wish me to send you home so you could go to your father?"
What? He was allowing me to go home? "W-wait, are you saying I could go home? Isn't that against the rules?"
"I wouldn't want anyone being here against their will. Though the very idea of wooing you and making you see my way would be a good challenge, I don't think I could bear to see you in pain without seeing your father."
I can't believe I prematurely judged this man that had been nothing but good to me in this golden prison. He was everything I thought he wasn't.
Which was why I wouldn't lie for my sole purpose for staying here.
"That's the problem, Norman. Being in this competition... I-I need to be here. Even just for a few weeks." I felt embarrassed that I couldn't say it out loud.
He must've put two and two together before coming to a conclusion. "The weekly compensation for every Chosen, is that it? You mean, you need the money?"
I conceded in defeat, humiliation scattered all over my face. "Yes. I know it's a selfish reason but —"
Norman took both of my hands before I could fully explain myself. His smile was so genuine that I felt any kind of explanation towards my motive was futile to any of my defense.
"Emma. The mere fact you are here, doing something against your own emotions, is something that I will eternally commend. A lot of the girls here, though I haven't had the opportunity of conversing myself with, have their own reasons for being here. I won't act all self-righteous just because of your reason for staying here."
My heart sank at his words. This man understood me. And he wasn't judging me for something he didn't know. There was something at least I could do to help him out.
"Norman, you already know I don't have any romantic feelings for you." His face fell flat with my honesty, his lips wanting to utter words of inquiry but settled with suppressing it with a grim expression. "So, you don't have to put your guard up around me. In fact, I have a proposal to make do for my uselessness in your pool of girls."
"All right." Even though he was skeptical about what I had to offer, he listened intently. "What do you have in mind?"
I bit my lip as I realized how absurd it would sound but I had to try. "If you let me stay. Well, I mean, look at you! As the Prince, I'm sure you're busy with your everyday tasks as the next person to run the kingdom and you're supposed to narrow down fifteen — well, fourteen girls, down to one?"
His expression drastically changed at the gruesome exhaustion of it all.
"Wouldn't it be much better if you had someone from the inside? Someone who could help you pick out the next princess of this kingdom? Like, a friend?"
"A friend?" he questioned, fascinated with the suggestion.
"Yes. Let's be friends, Norman! I'll help you find your bride, even though I still think of this whole thing as complete nonsense." He continued to smile at my integrity. "You don't have to trouble yourself about pursuing me since you know I don't have feelings for you. But you can talk to me anytime you like and I'd always be willing to listen and help out. I'll be your companion until you find one for good. If you'd like it."
His expression was soft as he spoke, "Maybe this was the reason I was immediately drawn to you. I would really appreciate the friendship, Emma. You would actually become my first friend. But — ah, nevermind."
I didn't want to probe further as it might offend him but I had to ask. "What do you mean? And really? Your first friend?"
"Ah, yes. I haven't had the chance to befriend women around my age. I only converse with diplomats and then I was suddenly thrown into a pit with fifteen gorgeous ladies in it. My brother and I are close as any twins could possibly be, but he wasn't someone I could consider a friend of sorts. I certainly needed a friend in you."
Relief washed over me. Aside from the fact that I got to stay for my family's sake, I was genuinely happy to have gotten to know the kind of person Norman was. We even became friends! But his nevermind bugged me.
"You didn't complete your thought."
"I'm sorry?" He asked, confused.
"The sentence before. You said 'but—ah, nevermind'. What was that?"
He smiled, but it was off like there was a scheme behind it. "Let's just say that I'm treading the waters, Emma. When I've figured it out, I'll let you know."
Here he was again with his mind games. Instead of delving deeper with my inquiry, I decided that it was time to make our eccentric relationship official. As a commemoration of our newfound friendship, I extended my hand, gesturing for him to shake it. "Friends?"
He took it and firmly shook it, tingling a bit against the bareness of my palm. "Friends."
I pulled my hand out of our handshake and immediately remembered that I had to thank him for last night! How could I have possibly forgotten about it?
He began to stand up and offered his hand for support as he prepared himself for another round of walk back to the palace. "Emma, thank you for today. This was certainly a date that I had never imagined. Let me walk you back —"
"Norman, wait!" I tugged on the sleeve of his as he moderately tilted to my side. His eyes widened at my hastiness and the faint redness on his ears appeared again. What was that about?
"I wanted to thank you for last night. You saved my life — and well your brother. You could have thrown me out the very second you knew I left my room or when I yelled at you or when I mildly tried to bribe you, but you didn't." My heart was stammering from guilt and unknown feelings but I continued to stare at the intensity that reflected in his eyes. "I'll make sure to repay you with my loyalty as a friend and as a commoner of this kingdom."
He seemed to be enchanted at my choice of words but he chuckled in the end. "I'd rather you pertain to yourself as my friend rather than a commoner of this kingdom. It will let us have a deeper bond."
"So you weren't mad with me last night?"
A little snort came with his smile. "Let's just say that you were so amusing last night that I forgot your borderline discourtesy towards me."
I could feel my face heating up. There was no mistake in his statement. If anyone would've heard our conversation last night, I would've been sent back to my room — packing.
"I promised my mother that I would behave. Let me make that promise to you, as well." Well, I was going to try.
"Please, you are amusing as you are. You don't have to change anything about yourself, Emma. But I do hope that you refrain from going against the palace rules. You were lucky last night as it is."
That.
He was good with words. If I was every other girl in the Choice who swooned for him until I dropped on my feet, I would've easily been swayed by his words.
I had to mentally remind myself that he was the Prince and he was in the middle of choosing a partner in life — a wife.
And I'm here as his friend.
"Just keep talking that way," I recommend it.
"I do not understand what you mean." He offered his hand. This time, I took it as he guided me back to the entrance.
"With the girls. Keep talking that way. Girls like it when you say that they don't need to change anything about themselves. That they don't need to force anything for you to like them." I wanted to explain that this was what the whole thing was about. I didn't understand the need for a total makeover yesterday.
I just hoped Norman will look at all the girls here with equality.
"Well, to be honest, I would rather prefer a woman who was confident with herself. I wouldn't want to pressure anyone to change themselves for the purpose of attaining my favor."
I smiled at his rationale. I really shouldn't have judged him too quickly. I'll definitely make it my mission to help out as much as I can!
"I guess that's my purpose. Be your confidante and help you find your wife."
"Is that what friends are for?" he asked.
"Only the really great ones," I assured him.
He laughed at my confidence as he patted my hand that was encircled around his arm. "I'm in good hands, then. I'll look forward to this friendship, Emma."
Never would I have imagined finding myself all chummy with one of the Royal Class that I always hated.
It was a good feeling, to find another friend here aside from Anna and Jemima.
Smiling, I realized that I just added Norman, the heir to the Kingdom of Tifari, to my list of friends.
Notes:
Next Chapter: Emma realizes just how fierce the competition is.
Chapter 9: The Only Middle Class Two
Notes:
Emma has to handle the dreaded inquiries from the other Chosen candidates.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As soon as the hour was up, Norman had escorted me back to my room.
After making sure that he was nowhere within earshot, Gillian immediately locked the door behind us as she and Gilda began pestering me about our date.
"Tell us all about it, Lady Emma! Spare no details!" Gillian squealed.
I could only be rattled with a smile as I thought what could I possibly spare from them? We hardly did anything earlier. Aside from my sincerest apology for last night and my sudden declaration of friendship, there wasn't really much worth noting.
"We... just talked. I had my hand over his arm as we walked through the Sunflower Garden. And we just talked... some more." I wanted to be embarrassed. His first date with any one of us and it was impossibly boring.
Gillian and Gilda looked at me like I was trying to hide something. There wasn't just anything more to tell!
"Our Lady is being discreet! His Highness must've done something extremely sweet that she couldn't dare tell us." Gillian assessed.
What?! How did it escalate from us doing nothing to us doing more things?
"You got it all wrong, Gil—"
"We certainly have to keep pampering you to the fullest, my lady! You're the first one to have caught the attention of His Highness and we want to keep it that way!" Gilda added to my misery.
I must've blinked too much that I was starting to question my sanity from all of this. If my maids were already this persevering to get information out of me, what more if it were the other girls?
"Really, guys," I exasperatedly sighed as I plopped myself on the edge of my bed. "We just talked. He was an extreme gentleman and he made me feel like I didn't have to try hard to get him to like me."
The words were out of my mouth before I knew it. Despite the lack of comprehension for what I blurted out, it was true, in all honesty. Norman made me feel like I could be myself in this whole competition, something I found extremely endearing about him.
In any case, that's what all the other girls would've surely felt for sure. It's no use dwelling on emotions that weren't for me.
"Hmmm, it's just the first date! Maybe next time, you'll get to do more than talking."
Gillian's teases were escalating more and more during this entire conversation. With the mention of doing more than talking, I found myself reddening at the thought.
Just how obscene was this maid of mine?
"Gillian! Manners!" Gilda reprimanded her. "You're making our lady uncomfortable!"
I was starting to understand Gillian's nature. She was a bit on the roguish side, reminding me a lot of how Sherry was.
"Ah, I must've gone overboard, my lady. Forgive me." She was apologizing but a smirk was still etched on her face.
I rolled my eyes at both of them as I let out a laugh. "Don't start acting all prim and proper with me now, guys. Let's just be ourselves, okay? And don't worry, if anything happens with me and His Highness, the two of you will be the first ones to know it."
Gillian and Gilda looked at each other before settling for a laugh. "We're honored, Lady Emma."
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
I half expected to be trampled on by the girls as soon as I stepped inside the Women's Room., asking how it had been to exclusively be the first person that Norman went out with.
No sooner than my thoughts could be finished, Violet had come running in my direction, dragging me towards an empty seat.
"Emma, over here! Tell us everything!"
This was not how I imagined being ambushed.
It was Jemima, who was seemingly excited to hear what happened, that bulldozed the question. "How was he, Emma?"
I told them exactly what I told my maids earlier. Although Anna, Naila, Yvette, Violet, and Jemima were smiling and giddying with my oddly boring meeting with Norman, Barbara had rolled her eyes at every word that came out of my mouth.
"You just talked? How boring could that date have been? Oh, well. Maybe it's because you're plain as it is that he didn't even bother to kiss you." She was whipping her hair to and fro, amused at the date's lack of intimacy.
"I think the Prince is a gentleman. He wouldn't do anything to make us feel uncomfortable." Anna calmly explained but I could sense she was irritated with Barbara's vulgarity.
Barbara scoffed. "Listen here, missy. We're in the same class subcategory so I'll try to be a little nicer to you."
The girls parted away as Barbara approached Anna. The menacing look on her face was hard to miss though I know that facade of hers alone was a tough exterior to crack. "You're obviously very pretty. But that face of yours will only take you to medium heights. Want some advice? Get the Prince to bed before any of these lowly girls could even have the chance to do so."
I stood up from my seat, not wanting to hear anymore. How dare she think of Norman as some guy she could just latch on with immoral acts? "I think that's enough from you."
Barbara whirled her head towards my direction, sneering as she gazed at me from head to toe. "If it isn't Little Miss First Date. Sorry to say, this discussion is solely for Upper Classes only." She stared down at everyone else that was below her class. "Not that any of you have a chance."
What a condescending girl. How lucky must she have been to be selected with that rotten attitude? I curled my fist to stop myself from smacking the wits out of her. Mom raised me with more tact than this.
Plus, I promised Norman I would behave. So I just had to settle things word for word.
"If that was the case," I crossed my arms at her as I challenged the leer in her eyes. "Then why did Prince Norman choose me, a lowly Middle Class Two, as his first exclusive date, when he could've chosen you, an Upper Class Two?"
I definitely hit a nerve. Her hands clutched the sides of her day dress. She must've felt compelled to slap me with the same intensity I felt earlier. But she would never dare lay a finger on me.
At least, not in front of all these witnesses unless she wanted to be outright eliminated.
"Emma Marchetti, was it?" She leaned forward, her lips an inch from my ear. "You'll see soon enough just how big the gap is between you and me."
"Enough, Barbara," Paula called out. "Mujika is coming."
Was that a threat? My breathing heaved as she pulled away, the look of contempt never leaving her face as she settled on a seat next to Paula and Sonya, who both looked at me with pity.
Barbara was out for blood, and she would do anything to get her hands on the crown. Or Norman.
And that didn't sit well with me.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The remaining time during the day was horrible.
The food for lunch and dinner was, no doubt, mouth-watering. But the atmosphere was hostile, thanks to the showdown Barbara and I had earlier.
I'm glad Norman wasn't here to witness all of this. Mujika notified all of us that he was dragged somewhere by his advisors for the weekly budget meeting. He must've been summoned by the King, as the matter was deemed extremely important.
Most of the girls sighed in remorse. Yvette twirled through her pasta sadly before speaking. "I thought that at least he would ask another one of us out on a private date."
I smiled at her. "Maybe he'll have time tomorrow. He's extremely busy, you know, preparing to run the Kingdom and all that."
Maybe my answer wasn't convincing enough as she frowned. "But he made time for you."
I felt Paula shifted her vision towards me. How do I explain that we didn't really date? We only talked! It was more of a negotiation than a date, really.
"Yvette, do not be troubled."
I jerked my head at the side, stunned that Paula had spoken. She wasn't the type to initiate a conversation.
"The Prince is an extremely busy person. Surely, he'll make time for all of us. It's only the second day." Paula smiled, taking the napkin from her lap and dabbing it on the sides of her mouth. "And Emma, if it helps, take my word of advice."
This was the first time Paula ever said a word to me, though we've been table-mates since yesterday.
"I'm not one to judge on someone's social class, considering we don't really have a choice from the day we were born. But I'd like for you to know that not all Upper Classes have ill intentions towards those with lower classes than us. I hope you don't see all of us the same way you perceive Barbara."
Paula was right. I was this close to clustering most of the Upper Classes as women who didn't deserve to stay here. Maybe I was too invested in my premature judging. It already happened with Norman once.
"Thank you, Paula. But I don't think I'm changing my perception of Barbara anytime soon." That alone was true. I may have prematurely judged Norman and the other Upper Classes but I was right on the dot with that girl.
She shook her head slightly, giving out a small smile. "Barbara has her moments. But I don't think she's an entirely vile person."
Paula was an Upper Class One, yet from our sole conversation, she didn't look like she was willing to drag anyone down to get to the top. She might be right with Barbara but I wasn't taking any chances.
I'll always have my guard up around that woman.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Mujika reminded us to, once again, not leave the comforts of our room since it was for our safety. Her tone was commanding and pleading. And at the end of her sentence, her eyebrow shot up at me.
She didn't look irked but her face was saying, I know what happened last night.
I like her already.
"Ladies, when you proceed to your rooms, your personal guard will be introduced to you. As I've mentioned yesterday, they will be the ones to ensure your safety in all places of the palace since the uprising of the rebels cannot be overlooked. They will be watching you from a distance, so you don't have to worry much about your privacy."
This day just kept getting worse. I don't want a personal guard!
With that, I watched as all of the girls dispersed in the direction of their rooms. I bid Anna and Jemima a good night, watching them head off to the other side of the second floor.
Walking towards my room, the very guard that was assigned to me was already standing in front of my door. He was steady as a statue, not blinking even once.
Once he got a hold of who I was, he immediately knelt to the ground, his sword clasped against the side of his armored uniform. He took off the silver great helm over his head that was covering his entire face.
He didn't look like a scrawny guard to me.
He looked like a knight.
"Good evening, my lady. I am Sir Oliver Winston. I will be your personal guard throughout the entire course of the Choice. My role is to keep you safe as one of the Chosen candidates that may become the next Princess of the Kingdom of Tifari. I solemnly swear to give my life protecting you, should there be a need, Lady Emma."
I was thrown off guard with that introduction. They were actually required to sacrifice their lives for us? Even if we were only girls waiting to be selected as the official Princess?
"I— uh. I don't know what to say." Stuttering at my words might have actually been a good thing because he smiled like he expected I would act all high and mighty in front of a guard.
My personal guard was actually awfully good-looking, as well. Was this a necessary requirement when you roam within the walls of the palace?
"You don't have to say anything, my lady. I believe today was tiresome for you so I'll let you rest." He stood up, knocked three times at my door, then turned the knob to let me in.
I was bewildered by the gesture but I nodded and smiled at him, too. "I'll be in your care then, Sir Oliver."
He acknowledged my statement with a nod as I let myself into my room, closing the door behind me, with my maids preparing me for a well-rested night.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter 10:
Norman was hesitant to leave but I held his hand, letting him know that my cuts were nothing compared to Olivia's current condition. "I'm fine, Your Highness. Go."
He squeezed my hand and smiled apologetically. "I'll be right back."//
A/N:
(1) There is no Oliver/Emma in this fic. He's just her personal guard.
(2) If you've read The Selection Series, I've patterned Barbara's character with Celeste Newsome. If you're familiar with her, you'll know that Celeste gets a character development in the third book of the series, so she won't be bitchy the entire series. I love Barbara v much.
(3) Know that I only patterned the characters from the book but the plot of this fic will go in a different direction!
(4) Chapters 10 and above will have varying lengths, but they'll all be quite long in general.Thank you!
Chapter 10: The First Wave
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Women's Room, with how one would assume would simply be a waiting room for girls as they waited for the Prince's calling, was actually a spacious one. If the idiom 'you could put an entire soccer field in here' was true, this would be the embodiment of it.
It had a salon where women can do touch-ups to freshen themselves up, a library where you can spend time reading through the countless sections of books about varying subjects, and a wide balcony where you can admire the five gardens connected like a maze from a bird's eye view.
I had woken fairly early compared to yesterday and was the first one here. The solitude suddenly felt different.
In my room, I had my maids with me until I had to rest for the night.
Outside of my room, I had my personal guard Officer Oliver to shield me from any form of rebel attack.
And if I weren't in those places, I was with the other Chosen candidates or with Norman.
Said solitude was now gone when I heard the door to the Women's Room open. Anna had emerged from the door, wearing a blue day dress that hugged the shape of her body. Her hair was up in a ponytail with braids pinned at the side of her head. She really looked like a princess in her own way.
"Emma! You're early today." She took a seat next to me as I closed the magazine that I was briefly scanning prior to her arrival.
"Yes, I decided that I should be early today since I was the last one up yesterday. I'm glad I managed to get here first yesterday before Mujika or else I would've been scolded." Punctuality was essential here, as Mujika would've hedged. The Royal Class was never late, so that goes for everyone below them.
She nodded and it suddenly fell quiet so I looked over at her. Anna looked like she had something to ask, seeing that she was constantly trying to open her mouth to speak but settled for biting her bottom lip.
"Is there something wrong, Anna?" I tried to pry. Was she worried about something?
"I — Uhm, Emma. I hope you don't take this the wrong way." She held both of my hands as she looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. "I consider you as a friend, and I'm flattered that you even plan on rooting for Jemima and me throughout this competition. It didn't seem odd to me at first but it stayed in my mind and I just had to ask something from our conversation on the plane. What you said then didn't quite make sense."
She still looked hesitant, turning her head around the door a couple of times before speaking, making sure to keep her voice down low. "You said you would root for us. But why wouldn't you root for yourself?"
It was my turn to look around the room, pleading that someone would at least come barging in. As much as I wanted to let Anna know what my real intentions in this competition were, it wasn't something that can be shared out in the open. After my friendship negotiation with Norman, I mentally swore that I would root for Anna.
Because Anna needed to win. She was the Princess that this Kingdom needed.
It was best not to let her know, fearing that my situation may rattle her. I don't want her to see me as another competition that she had to tumble down.
I squeezed her hands, thinking that I might have to give out a white lie for now. "Of course I was rooting for myself. But I wanted to root for you too because I felt that you would be able to lead this kingdom peacefully with Prince Norman. I'm not that selfish, Anna. I want to look at the bigger picture!"
Anna digested every word while I squirmed at my lie. I never wanted to become a princess, more so become my new friend's wife. I was even the one helping him look for a wife among fourteen girls! What kind of plight had had I gotten myself into?
"Well, I think Prince Norman favors you," Anna suggested.
"It was just the first date. Maybe he just saw me as someone who was extremely hungry during breakfast." I wasn't about to tell her that Norman singled me out because we had a fateful encounter the night before. It was our secret alone.
Anna laughed at my assumption. "If you're rooting for me, then I'm rooting for you, too! I think you'll be a great princess alongside Prince Norman, Emma. Don't lose hope!"
Smile, Emma. Smile.
Before I could enforce my full-on grin, Paula and Sonya had entered the Women's Room. They both gave us a quick smile before taking a seat at their usual spot. Within minutes, the other Chosen candidates had flourished in the room, leaving us only waiting for Mujika's arrival.
Jemima went to our side with Violet in tow.
"Girls!" Jemima silently called out, away from the hearing of the other ladies, not bothering to hide the faint flush on her cheeks. "Guess what? Before going down here to the Women's Room, we bumped into Prince Ray in the hallway! Ahh, he was so handsome!"
All four of us started laughing. Even if we were technically Norman's pack of girlfriends, it wasn't a bad thing to appreciate how good-looking his twin was.
"Oh! Did you guys hear? He's an excellent swordsman! If the Prince won't take me, I'm snagging that one!" Violet proposed to herself, which made all of our peals of laughter a little too loud, and a bit unladylike.
Anna's laugh was more kept back. "Prince Ray is indeed handsome."
"Right? Right? Gosh! I keep thinking that if Prince Ray held his own Choice, I —"
But Jemima's daydreaming was cut short by the commotion coming outside the Women's Room.
Heavy footsteps stomped mercilessly on the tiled floors. And shouts? They were indistinct from where we all were huddled together but it was enough to know that their voices were in distress. I could only make out a few words and realized they were from the guards.
No sooner than that, a tall guard came bustling into the Women's Room with Mujika. She wasn't shaking, but her face was mixed with pain and disgruntlement.
"To the back of the room, ladies! We are under attack!" The guard yelled as he locked the door behind them, drawing out his gun at whatever was coming our way.
Everyone was suddenly in hysterics and didn't know what to do. Were we under attack? Mom told me of these instances so it could only mean one thing: there were rebels inside the palace walls!
It was hard to comprehend what was happening when women around you were scuttling in different directions, but held their hands to the side of their gowns, afraid that it would be crumpled.
"Mujika! Get them back to the safe room! Do you know how to open it?"
"I do! I'll take all of the girls there! How about the Royal Class?"
"They are already there! Take them, now!"
Mujika's face was torn but decided to move forward. She called out to him before ushering us to what he called was the 'safe room'.
"Sonju. Be careful."
He smiled. "I got this. Take the girls and go."
Mujika immediately turned around, ushering us to the back of the library. After the endless sections of books, we were met by a large bookshelf that towered up to the ceiling. Mujika pushed for it but her lack of strength hardly did any good to it.
She sighed, her exterior was on the verge of collapsing but she remained tough.
Like it was part of her job to be tough.
She tried again to push it, but this time, Violet, Anna, and I volunteered ourselves with the pushing since we were the ones in proximity to her. Mujika smiled at us and muttered an inaudible thank you.
We continued to push when we heard a crash near the windows, sending the shards of glass everywhere, and every one of us screaming. I immediately covered Anna who was stationed in front of me.
I was scared and the trembling of my hands as I helped push the shelf was an indication of it. My hands felt heavy and weary against the endless pushing. I also felt a sting on the side of my cheek and arm.
Cuts. Probably from the glass shards.
As we pushed harder, finally being able to open it, we realized why it was so difficult to gain access to it.
In front of us was a vault door, massive in size that led to the safe room. It looked like it was used often in the past with how faint scratches were embroidered like designs on its steel. And there were obscure dents alongside the scratches that looked like craters. Were these from bullets? Did it mean that rebels had managed to trespass to make their way here?
But I didn't want to dwell on that when our life was currently hanging by a thread.
Mujika headed for the vault with a series of rhythmic knocks. It was too fast to follow through with the constant changing of knocking from knuckles to fingertips. But maybe it was the purpose of it so not everyone could have the luxury of accessing the safe room of the palace.
The vault opened, revealing two muscular guards with their guns pointed directly to the lot of us. Examining until their eyes could reach our backs, they lowered their weapons seeing that it was safe enough for us to enter.
I watched as the girls were escorted by the guards deeper into the tunnel which was what I assumed would lead to the safe room. It had me wondering why they weren't in their usual spots to watch out for us in danger. But then I realized that I couldn't see Officer Oliver anywhere. Wasn't he supposed to ensure my well-being?
"Lady Emma. Your arm and face have cuts! Are you alright? May I be of assistance?"
A guard had called up to me. He was assisting Anna by the arm, who I just noticed was trying to catch her breath and keep her focus. He wasn't dragging her, but I could see he was inexperienced with handling women who were in distress. This must be Anna's personal guard.
"Yes, I'm doing quite well, Officer." I didn't know his name but I answered before going over to Anna. "Are you alright, Anna?"
She looked scared, the shock in her eyes still hadn't left. Steadying herself against the arms of her personal guard, she took a step forward towards me, squinting her eyes at my arm and cheek. "You're the one asking me if I'm okay but you're the one with cuts. You should be checked up, Emma."
Anna continued to examine my face and my arm. "You protected me when you should've protected yourself. I'd like to reprimand you for that but first, let's get you cleaned up. Officer Hayato, do we have any first aid kit?"
Officer Hayato. So that was the name of her personal guard.
"Yes, my lady. I'll get them for you. For now, let me escort you and Lady Emma to where the Royal Class are."
Officer Hayato led us to a door. Anna and I looked at him for questions, but he only mouthed 'safe room'.
Upon entering, I was surprised by the ghastly atmosphere the safe room was shrouded in. Most of the other Chosen candidates hauled themselves. It was a mix of girls who sat at the corner of the wall, their knees tucked over their head as they wept; others were more composed but the terror on their faces was plastered as they covered their ears. Mujika was walking back and forth, with the same worrisome face since earlier. Even Barbara, who I thought was never one to be rattled, was actually quivering but she hid her emotions well.
What was the most serene thing I could've found was how King Peter proudly held on to Queen Legravalima in his arms. They were calm and poised. This must've been something they were used to.
Absentmindedly, my eyes searched for Prince Ray. He wasn't down here. Not with Norman. Not with the King and Queen.
But then, Norman suddenly appeared before us.
"Your Highness."
Before Anna and I could curtsy, Norman immediately raised my arm, scanning the barely dried out blood from it. His hand went to my face, making sure that his hand didn't graze the cut on my cheek. Nevertheless, I could feel the tremor against his palm.
He was composed. But having to attend to fifteen girls could be taxing, even for him.
Anna was the one who spoke for both of us. "Your Highness, I know you must attend to all of us here. If it would be all right, you may attend to the other girls first as I clean Emma's cuts." Norman was about to interject but Anna stopped him before he could have. "I'm a medic. I can handle this, Your Highness."
He sighed, although I wasn’t sure it was because of the relief that Anna was a medic or because he had to leave after just checking up on us. A guard bowed himself and mentioned something inaudible to Norman's ears. He nodded before the guard went away. "Then, I have no qualms that you'll be able to help her, Lady Anna." He turned to look at me, his expression was sympathetic. "Lady Emma, I will come to check on you later. Lady Olivia has fainted so I must check her situation."
Both Anna and I turned our heads and saw that Olivia had fainted from the fright. Michelle was there to assist as she laid unconscious on the cold concrete floor. Though the atmosphere in here was that of an asylum building left to rot, there was no need to make a safe room grand-looking. What enthralled me was how it was nice to see some girls being friendly with each other even though everyone was expected to fight for the same thing.
Norman was hesitant to leave but I held his hand, letting him know that my cuts were nothing compared to Olivia's current condition. "I'm fine, Your Highness. Go."
He squeezed my hand and smiled apologetically. "I will be right back."
I watched as he straightened his coat and headed over to the arms of the other girls that waited for him.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter 11:
Norman looked over at Anna, shaking his head as he smiled at my recommendation. "So, Lady Anna's your best bet?""Absolutely! She won't let you down, I promise!" I beamed at him. No one in this room was better suited to him than Anna.
He chuckled at my enthusiasm. "I might have to disagree with you on that, Emma. I think my best bet is far better than who you're suggesting."
Chapter 11: The Favorite
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Alright, there we go. Good as new!"
Anna had just finished relieving me from the measly stings from the cuts earlier.
"Wow, Anna!" Violet looked curiously at the bandage on my cheek, mildly poking it with her newly manicured nails. "Being a medic must be fulfilling!"
Officer Hayato had come by our corner earlier with the first aid kit that Anna had requested. One look and anyone could tell she was an experienced medic at such a young age. Her hands were meticulous as it disinfected my cuts, applying a cooling ointment to soothe away the stings from my arm and cheek. She never hesitated with the simple procedures, but we did recoil every time we heard gunshots or explosions.
Anna was a gift to this kingdom. She would make a great princess.
We couldn't even count how many minutes or hours had passed since this all started. I was starting to feel the hunger but the fear for anyone's loss of life was more distinct.
Most of the girls were asleep, tired from the shock. It helped that Mujika had given them pills so they could rest easy. Imagine running for your life but you still had pills in your pocket? Convenient, right? That was definitely a trademark of Mujika.
The only ones I could see awake were Paula, Barbara, Sonya, Ayshe, Violet, Anna, and me.
Norman, however, was making rounds of his own, checking with the guards about the status outside of the safe room.
"Your Majesty! We've found Prince Ray!"
All heads turned to the three guards who had Prince Ray draped across their shoulders. He was alive, that was for sure. But his right arm trailed blood, ending all over his fingertips. My eyes traced the origin of it: his shoulder was shot.
"My son!" Queen Legravalima tore herself from the King and immediately went to check on his condition.
"Mother, I'm fine. It was just a scratch." Prince Ray remarked but the crumpling of his face from the pain was so obvious, no one would even dare believe him.
"We were looking for you! Where had you gotten yourself into?" The Queen was shrieking. Thinking about how she could have lost her son in a sudden rebel attack would be any mother's nightmare.
"A rebel had intercepted me from the Rose Garden where I was doing my usual routines. Ah," he winced, shutting one eye out, "I guess it does hurt, after all, mother."
A gunshot of that caliber would've rendered anyone useless, but Prince Ray was even making commentaries.
How was that even possible?
How was this person even possible?
"Isn't there anything we can do with that wound? For heaven's sake! You're losing a lot of blood!" The Queen turned to King Peter, whose face echoed apathy. "My love, what do we do?"
King Peter annoyingly massaged his hands against each other. Clearly, he wasn't raving about the current situation of his son, but the way his eyes darted ominously at him spoke volumes. "Do we not have anyone to attend to him? If ever the heir dies, this one here will take over the crown. We cannot have him die."
Really? Was the King this emotionless offscreen? This was his son!
The Queen mumbled something as she approached the King. From the way her eyebrows furrowed, it must've meant that she didn't appreciate how the King spoke of their sons.
Prince Ray let out a peal of pained laughter, "Father, you must really cherish your sons, do you not? I might be good as dead since I don't plan on letting my brother die and I do not plan on succeeding your throne."
Collective gasps, from those who were awake, loaded the room.
I wasn't part of the Royal Class but anyone would be dragged to their demise if they even attempted to look scornfully at the King, just like how Prince Ray was doing right now.
"Not here, Ray. Maybe you haven't noticed but we have the Chosen candidates here." The King went down from his seat, approaching in a steadfast manner, gripping his arm that was severely injured. I didn't have to be shot to know how painful the gesture was since Prince Ray flinched at the hold against him. "Act with haste, you insolent brat!"
It was Norman who interjected. He looked like he wasn't enjoying the discussion their father was broadcasting. "Father, I think it is best if my brother gets attended to immediately."
All he gave out was an irritated smug against his father, not listening to Norman's interference. "Where were my manners?"
Prince Ray looked at us wryly and I was suddenly thankful that most of the girls were asleep or else they would've cowered in fear with this scene alone. "Forgive me, ladies. I went overboard. I may have pushed His Majesty's buttons too much."
It looked like his mediocre apology was good enough for the King. He turned around, walking back to his seat with his wife by his side, still with the unsettled look on her face.
I was startled at how abrupt Anna stood up, taking the small pouch of the first aid kit that she used on me, and walked towards the direction of Norman and Prince Ray.
"Your Highnesses," she gave out a low curtsy, but her eyes remained at Prince Ray's gunshot wound. "Prince Ray, I'm a medic by profession and I hope you don't look at me as some mere Chosen. Let me take a look at your wound."
Standing up from where I was settled, I could see the surprise in Prince Ray's reaction. He chuckled darkly at her bluntness. "Well, damn. How could I reject your initiative to help when you are coming all strong with that introduction?"
Anna, compared to her usual calm and twinkling aura, was unfazed. "You may spit out sarcasm or pleasantries any time of the day, but I ask that you take my request seriously, Your Highness."
I didn't know Anna was capable of being strict. She was going to need so much of that when she became the princess. Even Norman looked at her as well, completely stunned by her use of tone.
Prince Ray's laughter turned into a disdainful smirk, but his eyes squinted with what I assumed was from the harrowing pain inflicted on him. "You did not talk like that during the first dinner. But I know when I have lost, Lady Anna. I will be in your care, then."
I got to hand it to His Highness. He sure did rile up a lot of people in less than ten minutes since he had been here.
Anna had requested the guards to take the Prince to one of the corners of the wall that wasn't occupied by anyone. I nudged at Violet, motioning in their direction. It would do me no good if I sat idly by while Anna did all the dirty walk.
The least I could do was offer any help I can give.
I tapped Anna on the shoulder as she instructed the guards to lay Prince Ray on the cold concrete floor, much to his discomfort. Norman crouched down next to him, as they silently conversed back and forth.
"Anna, is there anything I could help you with?"
I looked over at Violet, gesturing for her to do the same. "Ah, yeah. I'd like to help out the injured Prince, too. Do you need a hand?"
Anna meekly shook her head. "Everything is fine. The lesser people, the faster I could work. It may take some time with only this first aid kit on hand, but it will at least decrease the chances of lead poisoning from the bullet."
"Uhm, okay. I'm bolting now." Violet immediately dashed to the other side of the room after hearing the technicalities of what Anna just said. I wanted to laugh but it didn't seem appropriate, so I held it in.
"Are you sure?" I asked again. I wanted to be of any help, even though I was clueless as a brick when it came to medicine.
"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry. I'll be with you after this." She assured me as she held both of my hands before letting them go and went to aid the Prince.
What must've been an argument of sorts before became silent acknowledgment as Prince Ray and Norman nodded at each other, laughing quietly from both of their ends. Whatever they talked about in secret, it was settled.
Norman stood up from his position as he faced Anna. They looked good together, with Norman holding one of her hands as he squeezed it and bowed, mouthing endless gratitude, probably for aiding his weakened brother.
The knots in my stomach were at it again. But why?
I was busy decrypting what this odd feeling was when my eyes landed on him. I hadn't noticed that he was already standing right next to me.
"Emma." His lips mentioned my name casually. It was hushed, which meant that wherever this conversation was going, it was not for others to catch on.
"Norman." I acknowledged his informality. We found ourselves smiling at our ridiculous attempts at being actual friends.
"Are you okay? Among all the girls, you were the only one with injuries."
"Mild injuries. These were only cuts." I showed him the bandages that Anna had placed. "All thanks to Anna over there."
"Injuries are still injuries. But I am at ease knowing that nothing endangered your life. I would not be able to take it. And indeed, Lady Anna was able to function her abilities and rise to the occasion. She was even able to put my brother in his place." Norman complimented.
"She's special."
We were looking at how Anna was silently asking Prince Ray to bear with the pain as she tried to examine how deep the wound was. The Palace truly was lucky to have Anna here, as there were no attendants or maids to aid with his pain.
Wait for a second... my maids!
"You suddenly look queasy, Emma. What's wrong?"
"My maids, Norman? What will happen to them?"
He paused for a moment, seeming to recollect whatever was on that vast mind of his. "Your maids... you mean, Gilda and Gillian?"
"Yes." If I wasn't worried about them right now, I would be amazed at how much he could remember everything. He truly was a prodigy, the smartest in all the Kingdom of Tifari.
"They have their own hiding places, Emma." He assured, placing a hand on my bandaged cheek. "They would've been alerted, don't worry."
The inability to talk fell before me. Mom told me stories of her time as a Chosen candidate, and in every attack, there were deaths. No one was spared. Blood would always be splattered on the floor or on the white walls, and it would always take five to seven days to get everything polished up.
Good as new. Like the small-scale massacre never happened.
"Emma," Norman called out to my silence.
Turning to him, I know he could see it in my eyes how I hated that I couldn't do anything for the people I cared for. Gilda and Gillian had grown in me. At the back of my head, there was always the consolation that at least I know my family was safe.
But those girls were like family to me here.
"They're alright, Emma. The guards know what to do in an emergency such as this."
I nodded as we stood there quietly for a minute. I know he was trying to lighten my mood but there was nothing he could do to appease it.
Mom told me that everything would look different when you take deep breaths for three seconds. It was probably the best time to do so.
One.
Two.
Three.
"What are you doing?" He asked, perplexed with the sudden initiative of mine to intake air like a fish out of water.
"Breathing," I answered.
The deep breaths were helpful, to say the least. Norman looked like he wanted to ask why I suddenly wanted to drown myself with air so I volunteered a topic instead. "How are you holding out? With all these scared and weeping ladies in your care? Well, I mean, minutes ago, since most of them are pretty knocked out!"
I could see it in his expression that he was worn down, befuddlement crossed his face. One look and anyone could tell that he didn't know what to do. It was too funny.
"I'm so glad some of them have slept. I have no idea how to stop women from crying, Emma. Two girls have already asked if I'll allow them to go home after this."
"Will you?"
He sighed. "I already told you I'm not keeping anyone here against their will."
"They might change their minds, Norman." I mean, getting caught in a rebel attack was scary but knowing some of these girls, they would fight for the crown even if they had to bleed for it.
"Maybe." He paused. "But as long as all of you are safe, then that's good enough for me."
We shared a small smile. Every day, I keep getting a glimpse of what kind of person Norman really is. How much of a soft person he was underneath the tough exterior he held himself in. So, as his friend, I had to keep up with my reputation as the greatest confidante in history.
He cleared his throat before he spoke. "I should probably check on the other ladies. Some of them have woken up. So, friend," he quipped against the humor in his blue eyes, "any suggestions as to how I will handle these ladies?"
I laughed at the way he asked for help. "Try patting them on the back and telling them everything is going to be okay. If it's coming from you, I'm sure they'll calm down."
Norman looked intrigued at my suggestion. "It cannot possibly be that simple, Emma."
"You're the Prince, Norman. Aren't you supposed to be the one to sweep them off their feet?" An unsettled Prince was just too amusing. I could stare at his bewildered expression all day.
He settled for a small laugh, maybe coming to his senses at how silly he must've sounded, being all unsure. "Perhaps you're right. I should try out that advice of yours."
Ah, finally! I had done something right as his friend! Maybe I should try to push a little further, get my best bet into the spotlight.
"Norman, do you have anyone in mind for your next date?"
Blinking a few times, he analyzed my question. "I haven't had the time to think about it. Do you have anyone in mind?"
I motioned my head to the blonde with the blue eyes, who was now calmly explaining to his brother that whatever she was going to do next, was going to hurt. And that he was going to yelp his lungs out. First aid kits don't come with anesthesia.
Poor Prince Ray.
"My best bet just happens to be that pretty blonde over there who's currently tending to your brother. Ask her out on an official date. She'll be elated."
Norman looked like he was thinking things through, but his question was nothing related to what I had suggested. "Your best bet? You already have a bet as to who will be my wife?"
I snickered. "I've gotten to know most of the ladies here. Some more than others. But Anna might simply be the princess that this Kingdom needs. Ask her out on a date, Norman!"
And then, we heard the hellish wail of Norman's twin brother.
For Pete's sake, Emma! I was striving not to let out a smile at how girly that wail was.
Norman looked over at Anna, shaking his head as he smiled at my recommendation. "So, Lady Anna is your best bet?"
"Absolutely! She won't let you down, I promise!" I beamed at him. No one in this room was better suited to him than Anna.
He chuckled at my enthusiasm. "I might have to disagree with you on that, Emma. I think my best bet is far better than who you're suggesting."
He had a favorite already. Who was it? I felt uneasy with the thought. But I would still push for Anna. There was just nobody better than her for the role of the princess.
And his wife.
"Okay. So, you have no plans to tell me, your dearest friend in this competition, who your best bet is?" I wanted to know. The curiosity would eventually cloud my mind.
"I have no plans of telling it yet. It is a challenge for me, you see." Norman was overly confident with his reply. Who could this lady be for her to manage to get his favor within our two days of stay here?
"You're keeping secrets from your friend?"
"For now." He laid out his soft smile, his eyes closed, leaving me wanting to know more. "But you're right. I should take my time getting to know these girls. Specifically, your best bet."
I gulped at his sudden initiative. "Yeah."
"Then, I'm taking my friend's advice. I'll ask Anna to accompany me on a date. Do you think she'll like horseback riding?"
"Yeah, I think. Maybe she likes horses?" I was unsure of that one.
"Maybe. I'll get to know if she does, anyway."
Before I could ask what he meant by that, guards had blasted through the doors of the safe room — one of them was my personal guard, Officer Oliver, who had blood smeared all over his uniform.
So, that's why he wasn't there to escort me, he was fighting alongside the other guards! The other Chosen candidates were startled from their slumber from the sudden racket coming from the entrance.
"Your Highness!" The guards bowed submissively at the presence of the King and Queen, addressing them humbly despite the exhaustion that was evident with their appearances. "The rebels have been subdued. We have checked the perimeters of the palace. Everyone can now safely come out. But we have to mind the number of fatalities along the way."
The King rubbed the side of his head, annoyed. "How many have we lost?"
"Eleven guards and three maids, Your Majesty. All from our ends."
Maids? I stiffened. Were Gillian and Gilda able to hide? They lived longer in the palace than I did. As Norman had said, they would know where to cover themselves.
From our distance, I could hear Prince Ray murmur a 'tch', with an arm covering both his eyes. What was that about?
I had to calm down. They're fine, Emma. They're fine.
"See to it that they would be disposed of accordingly. Please escort the ladies to their rooms. We have a lot to go over."
The static ringing in my ear was too much to hold in. Dispose of them accordingly? Were they not human to him? They risked their lives for the safety of the Royal Class and this is how he saw them?
My hands were balled up in a fist when Norman gripped my wrist leniently. I turned to face him.
It might have been a mistake, but this was the first time I saw hollowness from those blue eyes.
Calm ocean on the outside, raging blue seas on the inside.
"Emma, I know what you're thinking and what you're planning to do. Don't do it."
He moved his hand from my wrist to my hand, squeezing it, but it felt like a plea for me to stay in my lane.
"I hate your father." That was all I could mutter. This wasn't the time to be reckless when I know very well that even before I could give the King a piece of my mind, a guard's bullet would shoot through my head.
"That makes three of us."
"Three?" My nerves were all over the place. It was enough knowing that my hatred for the King had its bearings.
"You, me, and my brother. But that's a topic for next time. I still have to date you during this course, you know. Maybe we could talk about it soon enough."
I could feel myself easing up. This wasn't the time to insert his little quips, but it made me crack. "Whatever you say, Norman."
Seeing me calm down, he released my hand before straightening himself. "I should probably start checking on the girls that had woken up. I've been hauled up to your side for quite some time now."
"Wouldn't want to hold you back from your other girls." I teased.
He laughed before bowing down while I gave him a rather rippled curtsy as he headed on to be with the other Chosen candidates.
My eye caught him stopping over to Anna's spot, gesturing for her to come a little closer. He whispered something that made her smile, nodding at whatever he had asked or said. Whatever Norman must've asked or said was brief, as they bowed and curtsied before he moved on to tend to the other girls.
Anna turned her head towards me, beaming. So, he must've already asked her for her time with the one-on-one date.
She waved.
My lips tightened, giving only a weak smile.
I should have waved back, but I could only give out a thumbs up.
At least, my best bet would be getting the spotlight she truly deserved.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter 12:
I found my stomach fluttering with his concern but I didn't stop to analyze it. "Okay, we've cleared that part as the first agenda. What's the other one?""Because of the sudden attack, my father deemed it necessary to uplift the mood of the whole Kingdom. You might as well know by now that the palace prioritizes its image, always keen on doing a clean slate. And these attacks happened so often before that there was only one thing to appease the public from their terrors."
My ears shot up. I had an idea from Mom's stories but I had to hear it from him to be sure. "And that would be?"
"A live broadcast of the ladies of the Choice for the Tifari Report next week."
Chapter 12: The Aftermath of The First Wave
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Lady Emma, I must apologize. I wasn't there to assist you during the attack."
The King had assigned our personal guards to escort us to our rooms. Though there was a small possibility, some rebels might still be looming in one of the hidden corners of the palace. It was their job to keep us secured for our entire stay here, and that included the aftermath of the attack just now.
If anything were to happen to us, our official guards would have to pay for their heads for the price.
I wasn't quite acquainted with my personal guard, yet I didn't want his head served in a silver platter for the King to just mindlessly dispose of.
Hand in hand with Anna, we walked silently out of the safe room. We were the last ones out of it, as Norman and the others prioritized the wounded Prince Ray and the other ladies who were overly shaken by the rebel attack.
Officers Oliver and Hayato were on guard, but as gruesome as what happened earlier, I found them calmly talking to each other. Officer Hayato said something in the words of 'I thought you would die' which earned him a nudge from Office Oliver.
They looked like they were good friends.
"Lady Emma, Lady Anna."
Anna and I turned to face Officer Oliver. His face echoed worry and concern. "I must give you a warning that the palace staff hasn't done... thorough cleaning of the place," he coughed off the uncertainty in his voice, "so you might see something... horrible along the way to your rooms. Officer Hayato and I apologize in advance."
On the side, Officer Hayato's face was remorseful, but he nodded.
Just what were we going to see after the end of this underground tunnel?
The answer to my question was immediately answered as soon as we stepped out of the vault where we entered earlier.
The Women's Room was ransacked. Books were scattered across the carpeted floor; shelves were knocked over against each other. Glass windows were destroyed, leaving only the pointed shards that had grazed my skin beforehand, as it cracked against the heels of our shoes.
In one look, it was a disaster.
But nothing was more gruesome than the view outside the Women's Room.
Blood.
Lots of it.
They were smeared on the walls and all over the marbled floor. Potted plants were tumbled, vases were broken, and even the large chandelier that hung at the Great Hall was no more majestic than when I first saw it.
I felt Anna's hand tightened against mine. Out of the corner of our eyes, guards were dragging bodies towards the back of the palace, trail of blood following en route their origin's destination.
This is what Officer Oliver was preparing us for: the aftermath of every rebel attack in the palace.
Our personal guards noticed our hesitation to even take a step forward from the ghastly scene we had just witnessed. They motioned for us to go upstairs — away from the horrors of it all.
How did the people in the palace manage to survive such madness?
I remembered Mom, how she told me that rebel attacks were frequent during the time of her Choice. She was a tough woman so I knew she would never back down without a fight.
Still, I questioned whether I was capable of such lengths.
I was no Isabella Marchetti when it came to grace and fearlessness.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Officer Hayato escorted Anna to her room.
I told her she could come to my room at any time of the day when she needed to talk with someone. Anna silently nodded, forcefully smiled, and went with her guard.
Officer Oliver and I reached my door. I was about to open it, hoping my maids would be at the other side of it when my personal guard held a hand up. It didn't take enough for me to know that it was a sign to not move and to keep quiet.
"Let me check your room first, my lady." He spoke in a hushed tone.
I nodded as he slowly opened the door to my room, sheltering my figure behind his back, not letting the door creak as we anticipated for anything.
But instead of a shabby rebel, we were met with the sight of my maids huddled together across the floor, enclosing each other in a hug. I could make out Gilda's shivering state as Gillian tried to calm her down with a hushed voice.
"I'll leave you to your maids, my lady. It looks like they need you." Officer Oliver tapped me on the shoulder, something that I appreciated, before bowing down to station himself outside of my room. Seeing that the room was occupied by my quivering maids meant that no rebel was sitting idly by its four corners.
Whatever was going on here, he knew he had no business to meddle with it.
It was Gilda who caught my presence and immediately stood up, still cowering in fear. Gillian followed along as they gave out the most uncomfortable curtsy I've ever seen.
If I was shaken, their state was much worse.
"Are you both alright?" I closed the door behind me, not wanting anyone barging in during this private moment.
"Y-yes, L-Lady Em-ma. T-this is nothing n-new to us." Gilda, who I always saw as a bit reserved and unnerving, was stuttering in place. Her eyes immediately went to the bandages on my arm and my cheek. "My Lady! Were you hurt? Do you feel any pain?"
Almost all of us were on the brink of death and they still had time to worry about my condition? "I'm okay, I'm okay." I looked at them both and sighed, frustrated with their front. "Please, stop doing that. Both of you look like you're on the verge of crying. If you must cry, please cry. What happened was no laughing matter and it's not something to take lightly, considering that we could've all died."
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Gilda collapsed on her foot, hugging herself with the little sobs that came with it. "F-forgive us, my lady. I-I can never get used to these a-attacks. They were much closer this time. T-they managed to get in the Women's Room! We were worried about your safety!"
"No, you had nothing to worry about. I was okay. I was with the Royal Class. Most importantly, I was worried about the two of you." Holding each of their hands felt real. We were safe for now.
But how long?
Gillian seemed more composed compared to Gilda. She wasn't crying, she wasn't even bothered by the attack that just transpired. Though it didn't show much, I was scared. What a tough personality Gillian had.
I motioned for her to sit with me as we consoled Gilda. I sat across from her, patting her head just like how I always did with Sherry and Carol whenever they were scared of sounds they heard at night. Ghosts!, they would screech before tackling me to the ground.
The difference with this scenario was that ghosts weren't real. Rebels were.
They were out to take down the monarchy, no matter how many lives the cost would be.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Our meals for the entire day were sent to our rooms.
I guessed it was unappetizing to eat in the Dining Hall with such a morbid atmosphere. Plus, I was sure it would take more than a day to scrub off the remnants from the attack, replace those that were shattered into pieces, and fortify the palace's defenses.
Gilda seemed calm already as she was already scouring the walk-in closet for my wardrobes tomorrow.
Gillian, on the other hand, looked normal, though the scowl on her face was hard to miss as she pondered on something that I knew nothing of. Though we were already catching on to each other's vibes, I didn't deem it appropriate to ask her things that might be too personal this early on.
It was a little over ten o'clock when I was startled by the knock on my door. My maids were long gone by this time and I had been wearing this light material that I couldn't even consider a nightgown. I thought of the possibilities as to who it could be. I debated over any of my maids or Office Oliver.
Propping myself out of bed, I covered my body with the heavy comforter that hugged my bed.
It was a good thing that I did because I wasn't expecting Norman to be the one on the other side of this door. He was still wearing his clothes from earlier. Didn't he at least take some time off to at least rest?
"Ah, pardon for my indecency, Emma. I must've woken you up. I was hesitating to knock but I unconsciously did and now — oh, maybe I should go back tomorrow, instead."
"No, no, no. It's fine. I was awake." I hugged the comforter tightly around me as I peeped outside, wondering why Office Oliver hadn't given me a heads up that Norman was by the door.
Norman must've noticed the question in my action and answered it directly. "I dismissed your guard for a while since I wanted to talk alone if that is okay with you."
"Please, come in." I stepped aside, making way for him to enter.
The room suddenly felt small when he strode his way inside. He carefully scanned the frames on the bedside table. I noticed that it was a photo of me with my siblings two years ago.
My eighteenth birthday.
"You look like your younger sisters," Norman remarked, his thumb brushing the surface of the glass frame.
I followed him to where he was currently lingering his presence in, letting the ends of the comforter lug behind me. I took the photo from his hand as I laid it where it originally stood on the bedside table. "I think that's the purpose of siblings, you know."
He snorted. "My brother and I do not look alike."
"A fraternal twin thing?"
"Indeed."
They truly were different, with the way they talked, dressed, and joked.
Prince Ray was a bit more on the devil-may-care side. He couldn't care less with anyone around him, seeing how he responded to the King without an ounce of wariness in his surroundings. No one would be spared from death if anyone had pulled a stunt as he did earlier.
He had clearly hated his father and that made me want to befriend him even more.
I was suddenly reminded of his situation from earlier.
"Hey, Norman," I tugged at the sleeve of his polo, trying to win his attention from another one of my photo frames — this time, from when I was up on Dad's shoulders, "how's your brother? Is he okay?"
He settled the photo frame back to where he took it before finally looking at me. "I would not want to be rude, dear friend, but why are you wrapped like a cocoon?"
I laughed at the way his eyebrows creased with curiosity. "It's just a little chilly, Norman. And you haven't answered my question yet!"
Norman stared for a second before shaking his head, a sly smile erupting from his lips. "You're so full of energy, Emma. I can never get used to it."
"You still haven't answered me." I rolled my eyes at him as he continued to stare amusingly at me. "He could've died today. It was a good thing he was safe."
The amused grin on his face gradually faltered. "He's fine. Stable already. Thanks to Lady Anna. The Kingdom owes her that."
Sighing deeply, he sat on the edge of the bed, tapping the side of it — which meant for me to sit beside him. I did so but took quite some time with me being all cocooned in my comforter.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"Today's events got me thinking, Emma. All at once, the fears came crashing in. What if I had lost my brother to a fatal gunshot wound? What if some of the Chosen were harmed? What if—" he paused, intertwining his fingers together, as he laid both elbows on his lap. He turned to look at me and there was no mistaking the face of someone full of unquestionable agony.
"What if you had been hurt, Emma?"
Oh. He was genuinely concerned for all of us.
"I'm fine, Norman. These are all just mild cuts, I told you!" I stretched out my arm so he could see that there was no lingering sting or pain from earlier. I even pointed at my cheek, though that wasn't actually a clever move, since it still kind of stung.
"You don't get it, Emma. Seeing you with those cuts in my very own home was like a nightmare to me. I'd never get over it if you got hurt or worse."
Watching him anguish over something that never happened warmed my heart. It felt really nice to know that he cared enough about me to had that sorrowful look on his face. But I never wanted him to show that kind of expression again.
"Norman, really! I'm fine," I placed my hand on his jaw, directing his vision so our eyes were on the same level, "And you were right! The people of the palace knew what to do during an attack. So, you don't have to worry anymore. We're fine. I'm fine."
He looked hopeful as he closed his eyes for a while. When he opened it, he smiled. "For some reason, talking to you managed to give tranquility to my storms. I give you my utmost gratitude."
I tried but suppressing my laughter was a hard endeavor to hold. "Do you always talk like you're some thesaurus expert?"
He finally let out a small laugh. "A product of my education. Forgive me if it's a bit bothersome to your hearing."
"Not at all! In fact, I find it extremely funny! And adorable!" It was true enough. Whenever he spoke like a book, it always reminded me of how much of a smart man he was.
Was this the only reason he came here? To check up on me?
"Oh! What brings you here tonight? You looked tense earlier so I was expecting some kind of news," I asked, curiosity peeking within me.
"Oh, yes, I have another agenda for my sudden visitation," he hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I was advised to visit all the ladies individually to check on their conditions, but I found myself knocking on your door immediately, though, yours is a little far away from the stairwell. I just wanted to know if you were safe first."
I found my stomach fluttering with his concern, but I didn't stop to analyze it. "Okay, we've cleared that part as the first agenda. What's the other one?"
"Because of the sudden attack, my father deemed it necessary to uplift the mood of the whole Kingdom. You might as well know by now that the palace prioritizes its image, always keen on doing a clean slate. And these attacks happened so often before that there was only one thing to appease the public from their terrors."
My ears shot up. I had an idea from Mom's stories, but I had to hear it from him to be sure. "And that would be?"
"A live broadcast of the ladies of the Choice for the Tifari Report next week."
I vividly remembered how Mom used to say that she wasn't the least bit enthused whenever they were suddenly put on the spot for a live broadcast after each rebel attack. Once they were on stage, they were expected to present themselves in the best way they can, trying to entertain the entire kingdom from the horrendous attacks that had taken place a few days prior to the live broadcast.
"Norman, I don't know if you have any idea of this, but my mother was one of the Chosen for King Peter's Choice back in their days."
His eyes widened at my revelation but didn't hedge for a follow-up, so I continued. "So, I'm somehow aware of the mechanics of this whole thing: whenever there's a rebel attack, what would ensue would be the Chosen candidates' subtle mandatory roles to entertain the kingdom for a while through the Choice process or you know, presenting ourselves in every Tifari Report ."
"I haven't heard of this news from my mother. Do you mean to say your mother and my mother are probably lost friends?"
That wasn't my point, but I entertained his question. "I don't think they're friends, though. King Peter chose your mother after all."
He snorted at my comment, seeming to see that the idea was too oddly simplistic. "But I'm glad he did. I cannot imagine you not being birthed into this world. And your mother did an exemplary role in raising you. I give my utmost gratitude to them. Emma Marchetti, my first official friend."
Norman really had a way with his words. I rolled my eyes jokingly to stop myself from grinning but I played along. "Yeah, yeah! The Kingdom of Tifari is quite blessed to have such a lovely girl like me in its existence!"
"Too bad you don't want to be a princess," his face plastered a smug, "you could rule the kingdom you have blessed with such existence."
I narrowed my eyes at him, seeming to understand where he was getting at. "Are you insisting that I rule this kingdom just to bless them with my existence? Isn't that the role of your soon-to-be wife?"
Ah, his ears were red again, but he pursed his lips at my question. He mumbled a breathy reply of, "Couldn't help but try."
What?
"You're worrying too much. You'll find your wife soon! And I already told you, I'm your friend here. I'll help you!"
"Yes, right," he abruptly stood up, his eyes fixated on the carpeted floor, "we are friends after all. And as your friend, I expect that you bring your best foot forward for next week's report. I know our arrangement is a bit peculiar, but the public and the palace doesn't need to know that."
His eyes looked blank for a second. He tilted his head with his lips forming into a malicious curve.
I held back laughter with his empty threat. "So, you're implying that I keep my appearances like those of the other ladies who want you for themselves?"
This time, Norman's face reddened, and I could see he was trying his best to cover it by turning his head away. What an easily flustered guy this friend of mine was. "W-well, you don't have to n-necessarily act like you're enamored with me but —"
My laughter filled the room. An easily flustered Norman was cute, but a stuttering Norman would just be the death of me. "I was just joking! Don't worry, Norman! Your dearest friend knows exactly what to do!"
He continued to stare at my sudden burst of laughter, flabbergasted. He exhaled in repose, giving out his signature soft smile. "I'd hate to leave after we've just started talking but I still have fourteen more girls to converse with."
Oh, right. He still had to announce the stunt that we had to pull through for the Tifari Report next week. It saddened me a bit that he had to leave early but being a prince meant that he had to hold on dearly for time.
Norman spending time with just a friend would be taking too much of his time when he could've spent it with his supposed darling.
I pulled myself out of bed to escort him out of the room. "It's fine. I had fun talking to you, regardless if it was short!"
"Well, then," he gave out his most earnest bow before taking my hand to plant a swift kiss on it, "I shall be on my way."
"You don't have to do that, you know?" I said, gesturing to the way he always kisses my hand when he was about to depart. "There's nobody here but us so you can drop the lovey-dovey act on me."
"I don't think I want to," Norman answered plainly, his face not giving even an ounce of innuendo as to what he could've possibly meant by that, "Seeing a reaction out of you really brings me a different kind of delight. And as your friend, I hope you get it sooner or later."
My forehead crinkled at his ambiguity. Why did he always want to play mind games with me?
I tried to fight off a sigh, coming loosely with my breath as my lips settled for a pout. "These mind games of yours are starting to drive me into a corner."
But it was those mind games that made me closer to him than anyone in this palace.
"I'd take that as a compliment," he said before rolling his sleeve to look at the time, "I must be going. I have to head over to the next one."
We stood silently at my doorway as we tried to end our time. Without much ado, he took a step backward, gesturing his head over to Michelle's door.
He looked at me one last time before completely facing the other way and offered me a well-rested night, "Good night, Emma. I hope you have a splendid evening."
I shook my head, amazed at how much he could make such a simple greeting feel so full of emotions.
It must be his eyes. Anyone would be lost in those vast ocean eyes of his if anyone wandered too far.
I already told myself not to over analyze everything about Norman, but there wasn't anything to deem as a flaw in that man.
He was already over at Michelle's room, getting ready to knock. A few seconds after, he did. The only difference was that he didn't dismiss Michelle's personal guard. She opened her door, blushing profusely at the sight of the Kingdom of Tifari's heir outside her bedroom door. He walked into her room as proudly as he walked over to mine, leaving Michelle in shock but closing the door behind them.
Still a lot more doors to go, Norman.
I smiled at myself. Just how much would I be of help to him when he was already good at wooing girls so effortlessly?
Realizing now, I didn't get to greet him back.
Before closing my door, it was exactly what I did.
With Michelle's door closed, I whispered back to the hallway, letting the ghost of my words waft through the chilly night.
"Good night, Norman."
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter 13:
Your Highness! Your Highness! I was looking for you!" My voice might have come off a little too strong for my liking, but it was enough for Prince Ray to turn his direction towards me. I gave him a lowered curtsy to make up for my rashness.He was now right in front of me, his expression flummoxed at my brazen affront. "Lady Emma, was it? What can I —?"
"Your Highness, I've been looking for you! Lady Anna wanted to see how your injury was doing. If you'd like, I can escort you to her whereabouts. Let's go quickly."
"But I just spo—," he held back, probably from the way my eyes widened at him. His mien changed from confusion to amusement. "Ah, yes. I've been looking for her, you see. I could use the assistance."
Prince Ray wasn't a hard book to crack: he knew I was lying yet he was going along with it.
Chapter 13: The Abundance of Surprises
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The next day, Mujika came to our room one by one to check up on our well-being.
We were instructed to write letters to our families to let them know that we were still alive and kicking inside the palace.
Knowing my mom, she'd just be delighted that I hadn't asked to be immediately taken home because of some rebel attack, insinuating that she didn't carry me nine months into pregnancy just to grow up as a quitter. Mom probably meant well but it made me wonder how an ice queen like her managed to be with a spirited fire like Dad.
Knowing Dad, he'd be the one asking me to go home. He'd push me for anything that I wanted to pursue, but never at the expense of my safety. But he was the sole reason why I was here. It was too soon to go home when there hadn't been any elimination yet.
Knowing Sherry and Carol, they'd want me to go home so that I could play with them again. Well, scratch that. Carol might, but Sherry would want me to take home the crown just because she wanted me to be with the heir. How funny would it be if I told her every mishap I caused in just a week and a few days?
I wasted no time getting a paper and a pen to write to my family.
Dear Family,
I can only give out one letter per week or unless another attack would come breaking in within my stay here in the palace. Please know that I am alright, and you don't have to worry about me. I wanted to ask if the compensation for this week was delivered to you guys? I made it a week in here and I sort of behaved? I can't really tell but I guess it's a good indication since the Prince hasn't kicked me out yet. I hope you're happy with at least that, Mom!
How is everyone? Are you all eating alright? If it's not too much to ask, I hope you all write back separately to me. I terribly miss you all.
I'll see you real soon.
Love,
Emma
Once I had sealed my letter in an envelope, I handed it over to Mujika, who asked if I was doing well. I nodded and told her I was alright, and this was yet to rattle me thoroughly. She must've liked my response because she assured me that the palace would do everything in its power to take care of us. And that I should hold my head high if I was to become the heir's bride.
The only response I was able to conjure up was a smile and a nod. This wasn't a topic I was willing to delve into just a day after the attack.
I did hope that I could at least talk to Norman more about the things that bothered me about the upcoming days.
But it had been six days since Norman and I last talked.
Like, really talked.
I wanted to ask him more about what was to be expected for the Tifari Report, but I couldn't get a grasp of him lately. Even at dinner, I tried to get his attention but all he gave out was that soft smile of his. There were times that I thought he'd at least drop by my room so we could chat a little or so I could give him some added pointers on who to date next.
But his very existence never knocked on my door for the remainder of the days before the Tifari Report.
At first, I thought he was just extremely busy with his palace works, but when I went out to my balcony for some fresh air three days ago, I saw him escorting Barbara to the Rose Garden.
So, he was busy since he was out on dates, huh?
Barbara might've said something funny because Norman was covering his mouth, probably leveling his laughter. I didn't have bionic eyes from the height where I was strangely gawking at them, but she must've been flaunting her seductive smile at him: her signature move.
I didn't want to witness more of that, so I went back to my bed and let my maids do away with me for the rest of that day.
And before I knew it, the fateful day was twenty-four hours away.
The Tifari Report was tomorrow and every single maid in the palace was busy doing last-minute details for the perfect dress for their respective Chosen. Gillian and Gilda were exceptionally busy this week since aside from weaving the gown I was to wear for the report, they had to help out with the preparations for the event.
I wish they'd have some time to rest after all these commotions.
A little over five o'clock, I heard laughter from outside of my door, gradually fainting while in passing. I wouldn't have minded it until I heard Norman's voice in the background.
"Thank you for indulging my invitation for today, Lady Anna. I apologize for the short notice."
Norman? Anna? Was it their date?
Now, I had to see where this was going!
From my last conversation with Norman, he told me he would take her horseback riding!
Now, where on earth could be those stables?
I slid on my mandatory three-inch heels and checked myself in the mirror if I was presentable enough for anyone who would see me along the way, with a mission in mind: ensure that Norman and Anna's date would be the best out of anyone's!
I made sure their footsteps were no longer roaming the hallways before I opened my door to take a peek. Officer Oliver immediately straightened himself out upon seeing my head poked out of the door.
"My lady, what can I do for you?"
This was going to be a problem. I couldn't have Officer Oliver tailing me while I snooped around. It was his job to keep me safe wherever I went but I just needed some time alone for now. What could be a possible distraction for him to let me off the hook?
"Ah, you see, —" I scoured every inch of my mind as to what could be the most plausible alibi so he would let me off the hook when an opportunity presented itself.
And when I said opportunity, it was already screaming trouble for me.
Prince Ray was in a sling as he trekked the hallway of the second floor. He was wearing a royal-blue coat with gold linings on the sleeves, paired up with white trousers. Golden buttons secured his coat in place while golden tassels on both shoulders accented his overall attire. It was like he was preparing for battle. His attire was too different compared to Norman's.
My eyes darted to the sling that was supporting his arm. He looked relatively fine compared to the last time I saw him whimpering in pain.
That girly shriek would forever be etched in my mind.
Forgetting my manners and sticking to my recklessness, I gave out the most worrisome lie that I hoped wouldn't nip me on the butt later on.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! I was looking for you!" My voice came off a little too strong for my liking, but it was enough for Prince Ray to turn his direction towards me. I gave him a lowered curtsy to make up for my rashness.
He was now right in front of me, his expression flummoxed at my brazen affront. "Lady Emma, was it? What can I —?"
"Your Highness, I've been looking for you! Lady Anna wanted to see how your injury was doing. If you'd like, I can escort you to her whereabouts. Let's go quickly."
"But I just spo—," he held back, probably from the way my eyes widened at him. His mien changed from confusion to amusement. "Ah, yes. I've been looking for her, you see. I could use the assistance."
Prince Ray wasn't a hard book to crack: he knew I was lying yet he was going along with it.
"I'll be with Prince Ray, then, Officer Oliver."
"But, Lady Emma, I should be the one to escort you wherever —"
With just a single hand raised from Prince Ray, Officer Oliver stopped in his tracks. There was no way he was butting against a prince, even if he wasn't the heir.
"Don't worry, officer. I'll take Lady Emma to my brother's location afterward. As you were."
Officer Oliver looked hesitant but nodded in agreement.
"Come, Lady Emma." Prince Ray asserted, motioning for me to get a move on if I wanted to get away from my personal guard's grasps.
I lightly nodded my head at Officer Oliver before situating myself beside Prince Ray as we walked down the endless hallway before bothering to speak up.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
"I spoke with Lady Anna an hour ago regarding my condition, and that conversation, from my memory, didn't go quite well, so I'm wondering why on earth are you using her name right now as an excuse?"
We were nearing the Great Hall when my infamous alibi started accusing me of using Anna as a way to get to him.
"Your Highness," I addressed him cordially, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, I would have liked to stroll the palace without my guard following me." Yet, another lie.
"That said guard would keep you safe in your entire stay here," he snorted at my excuse, "have you forgotten what had just transpired over a week ago? Or would you like a gunshot wound to the shoulder as a remembrance?"
How witty. "Uhm, no, Your Highness. I think you've already got that covered."
What he did next was the most unexpected thing I could think of: he guffawed. His chest heaved as he tried to contain his laughter through his jagged breaths.
"My, my, Norman was right. You are a walking comedian."
Was that a compliment? I know he called me humorous, but I didn't think I was stand-up comedian material.
"Ah, which reminds me, aren't you that troublemaker from the first night? The one who went out of her room?"
Guiltily, I nodded. "Yup. That was me, alright. And I hadn't thanked you for that, Your Highness. I was told that you were the one who told my whereabouts that night."
He stopped midway before roaring another series of laughter. Did he enjoy my kind of misery?
"Seriously, if I hadn't seen you that night, that would have been the end for you," he composed himself, adjusting his sling, before continuing, "but you're welcome. It was a two-team effort from me and my brother. And I certainly know that he wouldn't have let anything happen to you. I sort of made a bet with him."
I somehow found myself wondering at his last statement. "What do you mean?"
Prince Ray's gaze narrowed at my question. There was a hint of mirth behind the face he hid in that bangs of his. "An oblivious comedian? What a combination you have there, Lady Emma."
"I'm not getting any clarity in this conversation, Your Highness."
He shrugged at my ignorance. "If my brother hasn't said anything yet, then I have no right to put words in his mouth. By the way, since we are well acquainted at this point, can I call you Emma solely? I think the whole 'Lady' name-calling thing is so pretentious, no offense. With that, you can just call me Ray, but of course, discreetly. We don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea."
Finally! Someone had finally said it. Aside from being called 'darling', that 'Lady' thing sometimes gave me goosebumps.
"No problem, Ray," I gave his name an emphasis, obtaining a jested eye roll from him. I appreciated the declaration of acquaintance since I thought I was the only one bold enough to negotiate friendship in this palace. "But I might have to push more on that topic you so obviously shoved to the side."
He laughed but this time there was a lingering meaning to it. "If everything goes according to my assumptions, then, you won't be wondering for long, Emma ."
I deadpanned at his words but at least I was being called Emma now. These brothers were so keen on mind games!
"You still haven't told me why you instigated a rather reckless rendezvous with me. Don't tell me that you actually prefer me over my brother because that just won't do." He insinuated but it was full of ridicule.
"Please," I scoffed, "Norman is good enough for me."
Wait, what?
A devilish smile appeared before Ray's lips and I found myself absentmindedly doomed. First, I called him Norman, not Prince Norman! Second, did I just say Norman was enough for me? Where did that come from? He would surely laugh at me if he ever heard this!
"Woah, you are not only a troublemaker but you are a feisty one at that! Tell me, Emma," he leered over with that spiteful smug on his face, "Just how good enough is Norman for you?"
I felt my cheeks heat up with Ray's conjecture. "What? I—I mean, no — that's not what I meant!"
He straightened up, probably satisfied with my reaction. "Oh, don't worry, I think I know what you really meant."
I was about to demand what he was implying with the teasing, but I found myself surrounded by a world full of endless organization. As soon as we stepped into the Great Hall, we were met with a horde of maids and servants, preparing for tomorrow's event. Some of them were fixated on polishing the seats for the Royal Class. Others were more engrossed with mopping the already spotless floors before covering them with the trademarked red carpet on the aisle.
And of course, there was a brand-new chandelier hanging on the center of it.
"Oh, Uhm, shouldn't we separate ways now?" I asked, remembering Norman's reminder from my first night here.
"Pardon?" He gaped at me. "I thought you needed me for something? Which is quite gutsy of you seeing that I am royalty. Not that I care for it."
I facepalmed. Just what did I get myself into? I had to stop dragging people to every one of my escapades!
"Ahahaha, you, see, Pr— Ray," even casually calling Norman's twin brother was unsettling to the ears. I had to get used to it. "I was told that any of the ladies of the Choice must not be seen with anyone aside for N—Prince Norman because it would be inappropriate and second, I sort of have a mission today."
He sighed at my reason. "Okay, first, it would only be deemed inappropriate if we were to be alone in a secluded room, which was the reason why I did not voluntarily rescue you. When we are out in the open, fret not, we can be casual friends."
Oh! So that was what Norman meant.
"And second, what is this mission of yours?"
I exhaled all my pent-up musings for today. Maybe I could show him a bit of my honesty card. "I—I kind of need to get to the stables."
"What?"
How do I explain this? "Uh — you know, the one where horses are kept?"
He continued to stare at my mind-boggling request, drawling slowly at each phrase. "So, you called me off earlier without even knowing much about me—"
I nodded.
"— to get away from your guard,"
This was beginning to sound all stupid.
"—just to see the palace's horses?"
Ugh! I didn't want to see the horses! I wanted to see how their date was going! But if it was the only way for him to take me there, then seeing horses it was!
"Yes, I want to see the horses! Just take me there! You did say that we could be casual friends until your brother chooses his bride." I pleaded. I had to see where their progress was going.
I could almost hear him saying, what is the deal with this one? "What makes you think he would not choose you? He has not even made an elimination yet."
Uh. Close call. I couldn't let him know my arrangement with Norman.
"I'm not self-centered. Of course, I know there's a possibility that he won't choose me!" Because I was certain he wouldn't but Ray didn't have to know that.
"Why am I surrounded by idiots?" He murmured under his breath as he scratched the back of his head, with his only useful hand, in exasperation. "Fine. Let us take you to the horses. Who knows what you are up to without my supervision?"
"Are you even supposed to be saying 'idiot'? Don't you have a fancy word for that? Like 'imbecile'? And I am not an idiot!"
He clicked his tongue. "Well, then. If you do not fancy being called an idiot, then let us use imbecile, shall we? Only the imbecile ones say they are not imbeciles."
Needless to say, we argued all the way to the stables.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
"Why are you hiding here in the shrubs? And why am I hiding here with you?"
Ray was a meddlesome prince. We had been bickering back and forth ever since we got out of the Great Hall up until we reached the Tulip Garden. From what I figured out a while ago, the horses were kept in the southern area of the garden, where the green meadows were vast enough for anyone to enjoy horseback riding. Norman and Ray usually hung out here when they were young, the latter said.
A young Norman? Hmmm, what could he have looked like back then without the pressures of being wed at the age of twenty-four?
"Ssshh," I hissed at his ramblings.
He looked appalled at my indecency to shush him. "Are you seriously shushing me? May I remind you that my shoulder is still aching in a sling since I was shot last week, and now I have to crouch for whatever stupidity you have going on here?"
"You've been calling me stupid and idiot or imbecile for half an hour now," I rolled my eyes at him before continuing to combed the leaves in front of me for a clearer view, "And I didn't invite you to hide in these bushes! You could've left if you wanted to!"
"Saints know what you'd do if I wasn't here to keep an eye on you! You always have the tendency to attract trouble! Plus, you are the one who said you wanted to see the horses, but here we are! Just what on earth are w—"
We both turned to the sounds of fast-paced galloping from the distance, followed by a series of neighs closely approaching our location.
"That was fun! I've never ridden a horse before." Anna's sweet voice broke the silence as the galloping came to a halt.
As if on cue, I peered within the spaces of the leaves, careful not to make any rustling sound that may startle them or ruin their moment.
"I'm glad you enjoyed this little excursion, Lady Anna." Norman's voice filled the air as he supported Anna down from the horse.
"What in tarnation," he trailed, "Did you drag our asses here just to spy on my brother's date? I never pegged you to be the jealous type, Emma," Ray mocked through a whisper.
"I was — ah! I'm not explaining myself to you!" I whispered back with more force.
It was like a fairy tale scene straight out of a book.
Anna held on to Norman's arms as he assisted her off from the saddle. In the process of doing so, Anna's foot had lightly shoved the back of the horse, making it yelp with the sudden twinge and sending my best bet right into the arms of an all too jarred Norman.
They both fell flat on the grass, with Anna lying on top of him.
"Your Highness!" Anna shrieked, her voice not as timid as what it used to, as she realized what had just happened. "I'm so sorry! Gosh, you have a blister!"
I struggled to contain my gasp. This was not what I had imagined would happen! Would it be okay if I suddenly appeared out of nowhere to help Norman out? Anna didn't look like she was prepared to injure her date!
Before I had the chance to raise myself from our hideout, Ray had bolstered himself upright, revealing his presence with an amused look on his face as he walked towards them.
"What a show we have here," Ray was sporting his usual condescending grin. He stopped in his tracks, leveling just a good distance from the pair.
"Ray? What are you doing here?" Anna asked, her eyes widening at the very presence of another royalty.
"I should be asking you that," he reckoned, scanning their position like a hawk, "quite bold of you there, Lady Anna, pinning my brother to the ground just before dinner."
Just what was Ray spouting? Anna blushed scarlet at Ray's assumption. We both saw what happened! Why was he making her uncomfortable than she already was with the complication?
I continued to watch them from the spaces in between the leaves of the shrub, catching a glimpse of Norman staggering to stand up from the impact.
"It is not what it looks like, Ray. It would behoove you to pay the lady an apology for your unwanted ribaldry," Norman prodded as he lifted himself up, offering his hand as support for Anna to stand.
Ray derided the comment of his brother but opted to apologize for his indecency. "Fine, fine. I apologize, Lady Anna," but she only ducked her head down in shame, "and of course, I know that there was not a bit of immorality happening here. In fact, Lady Emma and I had just happened to stumble upon this scene. No need to worry, brother."
Ray, you traitor! How on earth was I going to explain why I was here?!
"Emma is here?" Norman glanced around, looking for a whip of my existence.
Ah! Norman forgot to be formal! I pinched the bridge of my nose to stop myself from spiraling.
And it seemed that Ray caught on Norman's mistake as well. "Apparently, Emma wanted to see some things and I was more than happy to accompany her." He emphasized my name that made Norman's ears red from my point of view.
"That is Officer Oliver's job, Ray. Not yours," Norman promptly spat with his gaze locked on his brother. It felt like they were conversing through their eyes because no one bothered to speak for a while.
Out of the blue, Ray called me out, jolting me from my hidden spot. "Hey, Lady Emma. No need to bother hiding. We did not mean to interrupt my brother's date, so I think he'd be more than willing to pardon us!"
I appreciated that he lied for the sake of my snooping, but this was not the time to make jokes out of the situation. At least, he didn't forget to put the Lady formality in front of my name, first.
Begrudgingly, I stood up from where I was crouched, whisked away a few strands of grass on the hem of my day dress, and faced them with the look of innocence as to what had arisen from the earlier fiasco.
"Em—Lady Emma, what are you doing here?" Norman finally remembered to save face from calling my name informally early on.
"Oh! Uhm, I felt a bit bored in my room, so I decided to stroll around!"
What a lame excuse, Emma!
The way Norman scrutinized my reason and my expression made me question if I was good enough as a liar. I just wanted to know how smoothly their date was going! I didn't know that their date would be far from smooth!
"Then, you could have asked for your personal guard," he reasoned before darting his eyes questioningly at Ray, "since my brother is rarely the type to escort someone."
I was smacked dead at that realization. My alibi won't obviously work on him because he was just that sharp of a person, and if he managed to sense even the slightest uncertainty in my voice, he'd know how much I was trying hard to play cupid when I said I'll just help with finding his wife!
"Prince Norman, you see —"
"Brother, you are too skeptical," Ray cut me off, settling for a snicker, "I asked Lady Emma to accompany me to Lady Anna's whereabouts since I had to get this injury of mine checked out and in turn, she wanted to see the Tulip Garden. The palace infirmary had requested Lady Anna's narrative again on how she was able to sedate the shot with only a first aid kit."
"Still," Norman added, "you could have just asked for Lady Anna's personal guard or an attendee to fetch her. Why did you take the initiative to drag Lady Emma here, brother?"
Ray clicked his tongue at his brother's advancements. "Just showing sincere gratitude to the woman who saved my life by being thoroughly available at her disposal, and Lady Emma was more than willing to help out. In fact, the infirmary needs Lady Anna this very second, so I hope you will not mind if I cut this date short."
What was Ray planning? I made the lie that Anna was looking for him, but he made a lie that the palace infirmary was looking for Anna. I was honestly confused at how many lies were being thrown around just because I wanted to snoop around on a silly date!
Norman pondered on with the supposed request of the infirmary. If there was a better liar than anyone in this entire kingdom, it was Ray. They shared the same womb, so it was best to assume they both had superior qualities when it came to lying.
"If that's the case, then I leave you in my brother's hands, Lady Anna," he took her hand and tipped his head to give her hand a swift kiss.
It was the sweetest gesture that he had done for me before, but I found myself turning to look away, eyes locking with Ray, who slanted his head to look at me. His lips were tightened but were instantly replaced by a priggish front.
"Thank you for today, Your Highness," Anna smiled sweetly through a curtsy before turning to Ray, her smile gradually faltering at his smugness. "Prince Ray, thank you for fetching me. If you could escort me to the palace infirmary as you said you would, that would be a pleasure."
Ray offered his free arm for her to take. "The pleasure is all mine."
Anna gave me a small smile, though the way her nose crinkled gave me an inkling that she wasn't thrilled with the idea of being in the arms of the other prince. Ray did say earlier that they had a row. But where was he taking Anna if the infirmary's call was a lie?
Ray turned to us, "Well then, I shall escort Lady Anna now. Lady Emma," he turned to me, "I had fun. Maybe next time you can tell me all about your fascination with horses ."
My mouth hung dry with his statement. Ray, you little -!
At the very least, he didn't outright expose my stunt from earlier.
I still had one last thing to face for today.
"Emma."
And there it went.
"Hm, Norman?" My voice was a little higher than I wanted it to come out.
"Did —," he stalled as he looked distraught for a second, "did Ray say anything to you?"
Aside from calling me stupid and idiot, there was nothing much to our conversation at all. But Ray's offer of friendship in a jiffy just from our first encounter was questionable. What did he have in mind?
"Nothing much," I reasoned, "just the usual getting-to-know stuff. I just wanted to help look for Anna. Can't say no to royalty after all!"
Still unconvinced, he pressed on. "Then, what was that he mentioned about horses?"
"Oh, that! I told him – Uhm, that I wanted to see horses here in the palace since I haven't seen one yet! So, he accompanied me here and all too well, Anna was right here! I didn't know that you guys were planning on having a date today! It's almost been a week since I suggested you date her! Oh, yeah, how did it go? And were you able to date the other girls? Tell your dearest friend all about it!"
I was barely catching my breath by the end of the sentence and he still looked unconvinced. And here I thought this guy was easy to please! He stared blankly at my face after that rather speedy explanation of mine before releasing an exhale.
"The date with Lady Anna was rather lovely. I haven't had the chance to ask her earlier since she was quite busy in the infirmary for the last couple of days as being the only one who managed to tranquilize my brother from his gunshot wound."
"Okay, and then? What did you think of her?!"
A look of shock from my excitement crossed his face but immediately recovered. "You were right. She's quite an amazing lady."
Yes, Norman! Definitely! I wanted to compliment her more to get him more interested in her, but the back of my tongue was itching.
How odd.
I shrugged off the discomfort and continued with my prying, "How about the other girls?"
"I had managed to date all fifteen of you this week."
"What? Since when? And really? All of us? Amazing speed you got there, Your Highness," I teased which earned him a tinge of pink on the face and a chuckle.
"You're full of wisecracks, Emma. I do want to share more but it's nearly supper and tomorrow's a big day. Can you take a rain check after the event tomorrow? I'll come by your room."
I was a little disheartened that I wasn't going to hear more but tomorrow was another day. Beaming at him, I nodded at his request. "I'll be waiting then, Norman."
He gestured for me to put my arm around his arm as we made our way back inside the palace.
Today was full of surprises: Norman and Anna's date, Ray and I became acquaintances slash friends, and the four of us caught in the most confounding situation.
As I encircled my arm around his arm, there was one thing that left me hanging from earlier.
When we first found them, Anna didn't address Ray with formality.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Fourteen:
Violet leaned in, resolving for a whisper, “Who in their damn mind would yell at Prince Norman?”
I sighed with my whole body. At least, he didn’t give away as to when the incident happened. For all I know, guards would swoop in the moment the King knew of my treacherousness.
Lucas let out a whistle, amplifying the thumping of my heart even further. “Do we get to know who this mischievous young lady is?”
He then pegged a stare past the girls, all the way to me, with that ever-endearing soft smile.
“I’d rather not say. She’s a secret I’m willing to keep.”//
A/N:
1) Writing FTA has been my resort from the pressures of work and law school. So, now that school is finally resuming, I might not be able to update this on a weekly basis. But rest assured, I'll be working on this (along with my other fics) when I have time to spare (because writing about Noremma is what simply keeps me alive lol)
2) I'm happy to share with you an amazing artwork that'll be included in Chapter 15! (I know, I know it's two chapters away and it's currently a WIP). I got the idea from a comment a few chapters ago that they had to search for the description of Emma's gowns on the internet. That's why I'm working with an incredible artist to recreate a scene from the Tifari Report in Chapter 15 so we could all squeal at Emma's gown! (Plus, I always wanted to know what Emma looked like with the gown descriptions haha!)
Cheers! ♥
Chapter 14: The Tifari Report
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The day of the Tifari Report arrived, and with that came our debut as the fifteen ladies of the Choice.
Mujika informed us beforehand that all we had to do was sit back on our assigned seats, relax with the right pose, and smile at the cameras that would probably blind me in no time.
Gillian and Gilda took extra care in making me stand out, much to my displeasure. If there was anything, I didn't want to stand out. It’d just be added hatred on my end, and I swear, I've had enough fair share of it.
But with the gown they had prepared me for today? It was hard not to stand out.
The gown that Gilda made for tonight was everything in the shade of blue: the layers were white drenched in a mix of cornflower hue, the satin in front was a blush of azure, and the circular designs that cascaded all over the gown were drenched in sapphire. It was fitted perfectly on my hips, and although it was quite poofy to look at, it didn't feel heavy to wear and walk around in. Gillian had curled my hair and tied both sides into pigtails, flowing freely against my back. Royal blue flowers bedecked with pearls embellished the hair tie that tucked the stray hairs all the way to the back of my head.
I wasn’t particularly concerned with my level of vanity if I ever had one. But when I examined myself in the mirror, I saw the prettiest version of myself that I never thought was possible.
So far, I was still Emma. Just a lot more pampered, and of course, in one of the fanciest gowns that I had ever worn.
So, this was the level of beautified presentation that was required for the Tifari Report, huh?
Gillian and Gilda gave me their thumbs up, something that we’ve managed to get used to as a sign that I was presentable enough to be associated with the Royal Class. As soon as I opened the door, Officer Oliver was already in a bow, which was very typical of him.
“My Lady, the other Chosen are already at the Great Hall. Allow me to escort you to where they are now.”
We made our way down the stairwell, and still, maids and servants were scurrying around just like yesterday. Officer Oliver made sure that I would not be trampled on, considering the gown I was wearing was too bouffant and the hem that reached the carpeted floors was too long.
As soon as I reached the Great Hall, I was immediately blown away by the set. Five seats per row were positioned at the side of the stage, where I assumed the Choice candidates would be sitting, seeing that some of them had already taken their seats in front. Not missing on that chance was Barbara and the other Upper Classes.
In the middle of the stage, the Royal Class was seated accordingly as they always were when they were to be broadcasted on live television. Ray was no longer in his cast, but the sudden adjustment he did with his arm made him twitch. I could only imagine King Peter commanding him to take the cast-off since it would look ridiculous on set, who sat all bored on his throne. Queen Legravalima whispered something in his ear, and he was suddenly in a good mood.
And there was my mighty little friend, looking all debonair in his tailored light gray-green suit. He was helping Ray position himself comfortably on the armrest, maybe so his injured shoulder wouldn’t cause a scene later on. It was a delicate scene between brothers, and I would have watched a little longer but Mujika was already escorting me to where the other girls were.
“You can sit anywhere you’d like for this event, Lady Emma,” she insisted, “Just so you know, some of the girls have already claimed the front and second-row seats.” Her face was apologetic like she expected that I would be troubled for not getting the ticket to a front-row extravaganza.
“Thank you. Anywhere is fine with me,” I smiled, before heading over to take a location at the last row, where the only unoccupied seats left was by Violet's side. I took the one next to Violet, and just like her name, her gown was a deep shade of it. Seeing that Anna still wasn’t here, I opted to save her a vacant seat on my left.
“I love your gown. Your maids did a terrific job, Violet!”
“Oh, this little thing,” she jokingly swayed the hem of her gown, “yeah, I think my maids went overboard trying to make me all princess-y.”
“They sure did,” I agreed wholeheartedly. The way it glistened in the dim lights of the stage was mesmerizing.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Emma,” Violet eyed me from head to toe, “your gown is a work of art itself. All your gowns, actually! Your maids are amazing.”
I proudly beamed at the compliment. Gillian and Gilda were utterly amazing. “They truly are. I couldn’t have asked for better companions throughout this whole thing.”
We laughed a little more until Mujika kindly hushed us. Apparently, it wasn’t ladylike to laugh when you were already set on stage.
It was that moment when Anna made an appearance from the back of the Great Hall, with Officer Hayato following through. Her dress was a striking pastel yellow, the bottom half consisted of ruffled tiers of patterned lace sheath that flared the hem of her gown just above the knee but floored all the way from the back. While her hair was consistently gathered and cinched with a beautiful pearl barrette, her long blonde hair for tonight was teased into intricate locks that complimented the gown she was wearing.
She was radiating light into the dimly lit room of the Great Hall. And if the lights were to be turned on the moment the cameras were rolling, she’d stand out the most.
From where I was seated, I could already see the scowl on Barbara’s face, her eyebrows wriggling in envy, though Paula and Sonya’s reaction were a lot more contained. I haven’t had the chance to converse with Ayshe, yet the sly smile on her face exhibited that she was impressed with her entrance.
Anna automatically made out my figure from the rest of us seated here and made her way to the vacant seat that I saved, and the only one left. She was the last to arrive this time.
I whispered. “Anna, I love your look for tonight. You look fantastic!”
“Oh, thank you, Emma,” she blushed at the compliment, her hands stilled on her lap, “I thought my maids overdid it a little bit.”
“They obviously did it for a reason,” one of my eyebrows arched at my suggestiveness.
I subtly turned my head to the direction of Norman, who was looking over at our direction, plastering a curious smile that might’ve meant ‘what are you looking at?’. I narrowed my eyes at him, mouthing a ‘good luck’ for whatever show he was about to give the whole Kingdom of Tifari a few minutes from now.
A sudden tap on my shoulder reverted my attention to the front, coming face to face with the person seated in front of me. It was Conny, one of the Poachers that I had rarely interacted with. Her shimmering blonde hair was in its usual pigtails, but the band that pulled it up was covered in snowflake décor. “Emma, Emma! I feel like my pigtails are falling off. Can you check them?”
I carefully scrutinized the band that enclosed one of the pigtails, tightening the topsy tail by pulling up on the remaining hair. “How’s that, Conny? Do you feel better now?”
She lightly touched the band with two fingers, examining the outcome of how I fixed it. She released a grin. “Better! Thanks, Emma!”
I returned a grin. Conny was more on the cute side, compared to the usual beauty of the other Chosen ladies. Still, there was something just too adorable about the way she grinned. I hoped I would get to spend more time with her in the Women’s Room.
“Jemima, is there lipstick on my teeth?” Olivia, from the second row, had bared out her pearly whites to Jemima, who was seated behind her.
“All good, Olivia!” Jemima said, just after scanning for any sign of red smudge on her teeth.
Next to her, Susan was awfully quiet. Like Conny, there was never an opportunity for any worthwhile conversation with her. Her posture was slumped to the back of the chair, inhaling through nostrils, and exhaling through pursed lips. She was positioned right in front of Naila, who had the same worried expression on her face.
It must’ve been the pre-broadcast jitters.
Casting my vision away from Susan and into the front, I finally had the grasp of what we’d be trying to entertain for the next two hours; the crowd was in full swing, leaving no seat unoccupied. The film crew was doing their last-minute setups, adjusting the right positions to their cameras to get the best angles out of the Royal Class and the ladies of the Choice.
“Everyone,” Mujika announced as she stepped a foot on the stage, “Lucas Brodeur is already here! We’re going live in ten seconds!”
Anna took my hand and squeezed it, feeling the faint tremor she was trying hard to shut out.
At that very second, I could make out myself quivering, as well. I exhaled the tension away, looking over at Norman who was calmly waiting for Lucas to greet the audience. I tried to copy every bit of placidity in his face, hoping that my uneasiness wouldn’t show off in the lenses of the cameras, and to my family who was probably waiting for the Tifari Report to go live this very second.
And finally, the cameras rolled in.
Showtime.
“Good evening, everyone! Welcome to another live broadcast of the Tifari Report! My name is Lucas Brodeur, and for tonight, we have a special announcement. The Choice has been going on for a week now, and I’ve heard from palace murmurs that our Prince Norman had taken it upon himself to date every single one of our fifteen lovely ladies. That is why we’ll be asking the man of the hour to tell us his firsthand experience of getting to know these lovely candidates aiming for his heart!”
I wanted to laugh at how bedazzled Norman looked, whose visible expression meant that he wasn’t expecting the sudden turnabout of the spotlight unto him. He was clearly ambushed, maybe anticipating whatever Lucas was going to interrogate him with as he walked across the stage to where Norman was proudly seated.
Gripping the microphone with his witty remarks intact, Lucas spoke. “How are you tonight, Prince Norman?”
Before he could even answer, I caught his eyes and gave him a beam. Somehow, relief washed over his face with that little action. He proceeded to look charmingly at the camera. “I’m very well, Lucas. Thank you.”
Lucas whirled over at the lot of us, and my lips were swiftly poised from a grin to a timid smile. “Are you enjoying the company of these beautiful young ladies?”
“Yes. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them over a week.”
“Are they all the sweet, gentle ladies that they appear to be? No one out there being a little troublemaker?” Lucas asked.
The question was enough to remove the forceful smile I plastered on my face earlier and was replaced by a genuine one. I knew I made a bit of an impression on my first night here but surely, he wouldn’t rat me out… right?
“Hmm,” Norman paused to think, sneaking a glance at our direction. Most of the girls giggled but I knew that glance was meant for me. “Almost.”
“Almost!” Lucas said in an exaggerated tone, his interest in Norman’s answer showing all over his face. “What could these girls have possibly done?”
“Oh, let me tell you about this one lady,” Norman relaxed underneath the spotlight he was snared into earlier. If he wasn’t trying to poke fun at me because of that catastrophic evening when we first met, I would’ve loved to see him loosen his formalities for tonight. “In our initial conversation, she had the nerve to confidently accuse me of punishing her the second she left my sight. She has a bit of temper, which I actually adored.”
I earned the courage to look at his parents’ reaction: it seemed they were hearing this story for the first time, too. King Peter stared questioningly at his son, while the Queen glanced rather intrigued to where the story was heading off to.
“Oh, now this is a scoop! What else happened, Your Highness?”
Norman chuckled, finding the question hilarious. “She apologized soon enough during the time we spent together. I had the luxury of taking her out on a date, after all. Ever since then, our relationship has taken a turn for the better, but nothing beats that night. That I assure you.”
On his side, Ray was stifling his laughter. He knew all too well who Norman was referring to, given he was one of the persons involved in my little disobedience. Our eyes met; with me discreetly leering my eyes at him, and with him shaking his head in mockery.
Violet leaned in, resolving for a whisper, “Who in their damn mind would yell at Prince Norman?”
I sighed with my whole body. At least, he didn’t give away as to when the incident happened. For all I know, guards would swoop at the moment the King knew of my treacherousness.
Lucas let out a whistle, amplifying the thumping of my heart even further. “Do we get to know who this mischievous young lady is?”
He then pegged a stare past the girls, all the way to me, with that ever-endearing soft smile.
“I’d rather not say. She’s a secret I’m willing to keep.”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The three-minute commercial break was all I needed to gather my thoughts together.
Mujika has assigned our maids to check-up on our appearances, though they hardly had anything to do since we only sat for the better part of the first hour and a half. The collection of maids was quite overwhelming, considering that fifteen of us were here.
“Lady Emma, are you alright? Would you like something to drink first?” Gillian queried as she inspected my hair and gown for any sign of unruliness.
“I’m fine. I hardly did anything in my seat!” I blended my complaint with laughter. “And my hair is fine! You did a great job of keeping it in place, Gillian. Thank you!”
“You’re too kind, my lady,” she moved her lips over to my ear, “tell us everything that will happen later after the report!”
Laughing at her perkiness would result in me getting reprimanded by Mujika. “Okay, fine! Where’s Gilda by the way?”
“Only one maid is allowed to attend to their Chosen, my lady.”
“So, where is she now?”
Gillian’s eyes were sparkling, her head holding up higher than it was earlier, “She’s busy doing something else, my lady. We’ve been given orders not a moment ago.”
I was intrigued. What could Gilda possibly be doing? “What is it?”
Before Gillian could answer my question, Mujika, in all her perfect timings, patted Gillian on the shoulder. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important, but we’re going live in sixty seconds.”
“Ah, of course, Miss Mujika!” Gillian exclaimed before taking all beautifying paraphernalia. “I’ll see you later, Lady Emma.” She winked before making her way to the back of the stage.
“Your maids are awfully friendly to you, Emma,” Anna remarked as she peeked at the fading silhouette of Gillian from the curtains.
“I noticed that as well,” my eyes turned to Mujika, her purple hair falling gracefully down her waist as she threaded the locks of it, “you’ve been treating them well, Lady Emma.”
“Oh, it’s the other way around actually. They’ve been doing their best for me even if it’s only a week.” All compliments should go to Gilda and Gillian. They were simply amazing.
“That says something about who they’re caring for. Not a lot have the same compassion as you have, Lady Emma. Give yourself some credit.” Mujika added as she looked at that timekeeper, pointing at his old chronograph. She gently placed her hand on my back before moving to the front of the stage.
“We will be live in ten seconds, give your best smiles, ladies!”
And that was what we all did. I found myself genuinely smiling at the camera directed at us because of Mujika’s flattery.
“We’re back, everyone!” Lucas announced over the microphone as the crowd clapped their hands in excitement. “For our next segment, we’ll be hearing from the Commander of the Tifarian Shield, Your Highness, Prince Ray Ratri!”
The Tifarian Shield was the combined force of the royal military guards for the palace and the soldiers that strengthened the borders of the Kingdom of Tifari. I almost forgot that Ray was the Commander of the Tifarian Shield! And I had the audacity to tug him on a silly escapade yesterday?!
Ray impressively stood up from his seat, not minding the fact that his gunshot wound was still in its early days of healing. His expression was unreadable as he paced his way to the middle of the stage. Lucas gave him the microphone as he settled himself aside.
“Good evening, people of Tifari. As the Commander of the Tifarian Shield, I have come to give you news about the recent attack on the palace last week.”
Silent murmurs enveloped the entire hall as they awaited more from his announcement.
“The sudden attack caught everyone by surprise. Even the Elite Force under my close supervision was caught in disarray. Nevertheless, we managed to subdue them in no time. As you can see, all the Chosen were unharmed. But we will not hide the fact that we were not left unscathed,” he paused, and I could make out the faint tremble of Ray’s lips before he delivered the blow, “some of my men died honorably for the sake of the peace we try to instill in this kingdom, and some attendants were caught in the fight to maintain this peace. I’d like to take a few seconds to honor their memory.”
We all silently bowed our heads, praying for the lost souls of those who perished during the attack last week.
I hope I’d never have to witness dead bodies being dragged anymore.
I slightly tilted my head to peek at Norman. He had his head down, his hands scrunched up in remorse. There was no easy way to deal with deaths happening in your home.
Ray cleared his throat, continuing where he left off. “For the purpose of continuing to maintain the peace that our ancestors have kept close to their hearts, I, Prince Ray Ratri, Commander of the Tifarian Shield, will take it upon myself to ensure that the rigorous training will be mandated for every guard in this palace. The Elite Force, which is currently dispersed as personal guards for the Chosen, shall also undergo this training as one of the ladies they have been in-charge of shall become the princess and future queen of this Kingdom. This was one of the things that our future king, my brother Norman, had meticulously sought out to be our priority. All credit goes to him.”
I watched as King Peter leered at Ray. Shouldn't he be proud that Norman and Ray were working to continuously bring peace and security to the kingdom?
And what? Officer Oliver was part of the Elite Force? That was why he was part of the fight against the rebels last week! He must’ve been a really skilled guard to be part of the Elite Force.
“That is all. Good evening once again.” He finished, giving the microphone back to Lucas.
Applauses were heard all over the Great Hall. My gaze absentmindedly followed Ray as he walked back to his seat. His face was calm, but his fists were clenched.
Like he was struggling for control.
The moment he took his seat, he began conversing with Norman. By the looks of it, both of them weren’t the least bit effervesced with the topic conversation they had at hand.
“And there we have it! Glad to hear that the Royal Class will do everything in their power to keep these girls and everyone safe! Now, this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for! An announcement from the one and only who has continuously led this kingdom to even greater heights! Without further ado, let me give the stage to the beloved ruler of the Kingdom of Tifari, His Majesty, King Peter Ratri!”
King Peter rose from his seat. He maintained eye contact with the crowd with those half-lidded eyes. His jaw was propelled forward as he strode the stage towards its center, the usual look of contempt on his face. He was grinning, and it must’ve been the distrust in me talking, but the way his lips arched upwards made it look like he was scheming something under his sleeves.
Lucas bowed reverently at his feet as he handed the microphone and stepped aside.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I cannot express how saddened I am by the sudden attack we experienced here in the palace last week. My family and the Chosen had been spared from any horrendous accidents, but the deaths of the others who risked their lives for us cannot go unnoticed.”
I couldn’t stomach how ridiculous his statements were. He didn’t care for any of them! He only wanted them to be disposed of immediately since they were unsightly to look at in his presence. It was just too impossible that Norman and Ray came from this kind of man! There was just no connection!
“We care for the safety of these ladies and as much as possible we’d like to do it for as long as time permits but that is simply not the case,” he continued before looking over to Norman.
I suddenly felt all queasy, and it wasn’t just me. Some of the girls were looking at each other, confused with what was about to happen. I looked over at Norman to see some clarity if he had any idea of what was happening, but his face imitated every single one of our looks: dumbfounded.
“That is why aside from getting to know a little bit of them tonight, it was in my best interest to see who among these girls have managed to grasp hold in my son’s heart during the first week and the first time they had spent time together.”
No. I might be wrong. It was too early. Norman never said anything.
There was no way —
I scanned over at the girls who I could see the expressions of, but from the look of innocence on their faces, none of them had any idea.
Only I did.
Norman looked mortified. We probably had the same idea in mind. And from the way his eyes excessively blinked at his father’s statement meant that he played no role in this.
I faced the stage once again, prepared to face his announcement.
“Tonight, we will be narrowing the fifteen ladies of the Choice… to twelve.”
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Fifteen:
His face softened at my assurance. “Do you really think so?”
“Positive! You’ll be the best king in the entire history of the Kingdom of Tifari! I just know it!”
He finally chuckled and it was music to my ears compared to the self-deprecating voice he had on earlier. “You believe too much in me, Emma.”
“Of course, I do! When you become the king in the next few years, I’ll cheer for you. I’ll always be your friend and your supporter. Until you find the queen you are looking for, I’ll be your most trusted confidante. So for now, let me walk alongside you.” I crossed my fingers at him and beamed.
Chapter 15: The Start of Something New
Notes:
Really, Lyn? Two updates in a row? Yes, I'm on a roll this week. Just this week.
The lovely artwork you will find was made by a close friend of mine, specifically for this chapter. Her name's Arianne.
It is heavily referenced from Athanasia and Ijekiel's scene in Who Made Me A Princess by Plutus and Spoon! The scene just fitted perfectly so she went ahead and recreated it! (And because we're also a fan of WMMAP. Take it as a crossover of some sorts lol)
Expect more from her as this little fic goes on!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Tonight, we’ll be narrowing the fifteen ladies of the Choice… to twelve.”
An elimination just after the first week.
Scattered gasps enveloped the room with the announcement. Each person in the audience looked at one another, probably muttering their guesses as to who would be spared, and who would be packing.
From our side of the stage, every single one of the girls was turning to the ones beside them, their faces echoed worry and uncertainty. Even if Mom had already given me an idea as to how the Choice worked back in her days, it was simply too different this time.
This whole thing was like a puppet show, and King Peter was like the puppeteer of his own son’s Choice.
“I wasn’t told that there’d be an elimination! Or was it just me?!” Jemima said in a hushed tone, desperately.
“I didn’t know either!” Naila pointed out. It might have been a little too loud for the current situation we were in, as some of the Royal Class jerked their heads in our direction.
Norman’s eyebrows were squeezed together like a frown. He immediately averted his gaze from us, directing it towards his father, who was still basking in from the anticipation of the crowd.
Everyone had their best bets, and every single one of them was screaming the name of their favorites to stay.
“My, my. We have such a supportive crowd for tonight,” King Peter said, raising a hand to the audience to silence them down. “Of course, the decision of who gets to stay lies solely on the heir, who has to choose twelve among these fifteen gorgeous ladies that had managed to make a loving impression on him for their first week, and… who has to bid farewell to the other three.”
Almost instantaneously, all of us Chosen looked at Norman, where most eyes blatantly gave out if they were either of the two: optimistic or frantic. With fifteen, well – fourteen pairs of eyes staring openly at him, I could only imagine the pressure that came with it.
“Now, I give the stage back to my son, Prince Norman, as he makes the decision of choosing this very second,” King Peter almost threw the microphone back at Lucas, who amazingly caught it with one hand.
Ray leaned in to say something to Norman, his back against us. They both nodded at each other before walking back to the center of the stage, one hand clutching on the Windsor knot of his midnight blue necktie. He met his father halfway, but his stares were inscrutable, which gave no way for any of us to know what he was feeling or what he was planning to do.
Or who among us was he going to choose to stay.
Lucas had a sympathetic look on his face as Norman approached, his hand laid out to reach for the microphone. I guess he wasn’t also given the heads up that this segment was to be added for tonight’s Tifari Report.
“Good evening, everyone,” Norman gave a formal entry to the crowd. “Truth be told, I hadn’t expected to be called out to make an elimination just after a week of knowing these ladies in front of you, but His Majesty is far from wrong. In order to find a suitable wife, I can only choose one among my Chosen. And a step closer to that… would be to narrow them down to twelve.”
Most of the girls held their hands together, something that I found odd since I thought everyone was only out for themselves. The idea of them holding on to each other because of the bond formed over the week was heartwarming. From our row, I held a hand over to Anna and Violet, as Violet did with Jemima and Jemima to Naila. I could see the Upper Classes’ profile from where I was seated; they were unnerved, but they held their hands together like the most sophisticated ladies they were.
But was Norman really going to go through with this? Mom never mentioned a live elimination. From what I recalled from her stories, whenever girls were eliminated, King Peter would simply visit them in their rooms at night and tell them the devastating news that they weren’t in the running anymore. It would be an embarrassment to be eliminated just after a week of being in the palace, some more than others. We were expected to make him fall in love with one of us and become this kingdom’s next princess.
Being sent home would be an indication of failure for most of the girls here.
Would Norman eliminate me because I only saw him as a friend? He knew what was riding on my stay here. But I’d understand if he changed his mind about me being his confidante in all this. If this was a way for him to slim down the competition, I’d accept it wholeheartedly. At least my family would appreciate the first and last compensation from my stay here.
Norman took a deep breath, sending every single of the Chosen at the edge of our seats. “Which is why I’ll be announcing the elimination to the girls directly involved to give them time to take it all in, privately. I’ll be visiting their rooms tonight to deliver the message. The announcement of the remaining ladies will be broadcasted in their next appearance in the Tifari Report. I’m sure my father would be pleased with this setup instead, as I would get to depart with them on a more personal note.” He turned to look at the King with his eyes closed in contentment and his lips curled in an upward stroke.
Did Norman have a death wish? I knew he hated his father but I wasn't expecting him to deliberately go against his ways.
I could hug him right now!
The King had a smile on his face which was odd seeing that his jaw was clenched from the sudden turn of events. His hands were settled comfortably on each armrest, but from the way I saw it, he was gripping the end of the armrest too… firmly.
A question whirled in my mind.
Did King Peter set him up in a live elimination to see if he was willing to put any of the girls in a demeaning situation just after a week of our stay here?
It was plausible. He was ruthless after all, and I was sure he was willing to make his heir just like him.
The handclaps from the audience ensued as Norman made his way back to his seat. His icy stare was directed intentionally to his father, whose expression was stoic.
Queen Legravalima nodded to his son for a job well done, though this didn’t get unnoticed by the King, who mildly shook his head. At least the cameras were focused on Norman that it didn’t get that angle of him.
Ray stood up from his seat and joined the audience for a round of applause. There was a proud acknowledgment of how he did it.
If there was one thing I unmistakably had proven today, it was that these brothers were far too different from their father.
Lucas must’ve sensed the hostility present on the stage. He adjusted the knot on his suit and released a swoosh of air for the departing announcement. “There you have it, people of Tifari! Something to look forward to in the next Tifari Report! Thank you for this wonderful night and see you all next week!”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The moment I got into my room, my maids had immediately bolted to my side, their faces filled with worry. I guessed the sudden elimination took them off-course just like all of us did.
“Lady Emma, are you okay? I’m sorry I wasn’t there to attend to you earlier! I was tasked to do something for your next appearance in the Tifari Report! All of the other maids did, as well.”
Ah! This was something Gillian mentioned earlier. “What is this about?”
Gilda looked over to Gillian, who made her way to my hair, unclasping it from the French bun that pulled my hair up. “We shouldn’t be telling you this, but you’ve been awfully nice to us for your past week here that it felt like you were one of us.”
“I’m just a Middle Class Two in a very fancy dress, guys. Don’t think all high and mighty of me. I’m not the princess,” I sported a frown. I wished they’d just drop the ‘Lady’ calling and just stick with Emma when we were alone. But it would make them uncomfortable to do so, seeing that they were practically serving a princess in the making.
If only I could tell them I wasn't really here as a potential princess, but one that would help the prince find one.
“Oh, but you’d make a great princess, Lady Emma!” Gilda interrupted as she laid out the silky pink nightgown for tonight and I was internally thanking her that it was at least half-sleeved compared to those usual black ones with the thin spaghetti straps.
“There are a lot more girls who are deserving of the princess title more than me, Gilda. It’s fine with me whoever N–Prince Norman would want by his side. I think that’s what… I would want for him. Because he deserves it. He’s a great guy.”
Gillian and Gilda shared a meaningful look, their thin lips curving for a smile. “Why are you guys suddenly smiling? And what was that thing Gilda was doing earlier?”
“Heh! Nothing, my lady! You'll find out soon enough!” Gillian, with that mischievous cat-like smile on her face, answered – her hands interlocking with the tips of her fingers tapping its opposites. “Things are starting to get quite interesting.”
I raised an eyebrow at her last statement, confused. “I don’t get it.”
Gilda giggled at my reaction and slowly pushed me to the walk-in closet, the nightgown draped over her arm. “What Gillian’s trying to say is that you should change into your nightgown now to get a good night’s rest.”
“I don’t think that was what Gillian meant,” I continued to frown. It looked like they were conversing through their eyes and I had no idea what it was about. “Plus, I can’t get out of my gown yet. Prince Norman said he’ll come by tonight.”
“WHAT?!” Gilda and Gillian’s shrieks filled the room and I found myself flinching at the sound of it since Gilda was exceptionally close to my ear.
“What? Why? I thought you guys were doing great!” Gilda’s composure crumbled and for the second time this week. What were they freaking out about?
“My lady, why didn’t you tell us sooner? We could’ve done something to make you stand out more! A lot of people are rooting out for you in this palace! And we thought that he favored you among all the Chosen here!” Gillian added, displaying the same puzzlement that Gilda had.
“What are you both talking about?” I prompted, overwhelmed by their outbursts. Why did they look so freaked out?
Gilda was close to tears. “I-Is His Highness sending you home, Lady Emma?”
What? I mean, yes, he might send me home for only being his friend, but why are they all of a sudden reacting like I was packing my suitcases already?
“I don’t understand where this is all coming from,” I admitted, and it didn't help that they were still confused and almost on the brink of a meltdown.
“You said His Highness is visiting you tonight, my lady!” Gillian opened up for both of them, her arms crossed against her chest, “does that mean you’re one of the three being sent home? If that’s the case, then the prince isn’t doing a good job at choosing!”
“Gillian, shhh! Someone might hear you! You could be thrown to the dungeons just for saying that!”
“I don’t care, Gilda! This isn’t fair! Lady Emma’s the perfect lady to become the next princess of this kingdom and he’s just sending her home out of the blue?!”
“Guys, guys, guys! Calm down!” I interjected before their assumptions could escalate any further, “no one’s sending me home yet. Prince Norman said yesterday that he’ll come to visit me tonight. Coincidentally, this whole elimination announcement happened.”
Their labored breathing became loose, and the panic in their eyes subsided.
“You guys favor me too much. I might disappoint you in the long run if he doesn’t pick me as his wife.” Confessing a few of my feelings would be the best. Norman was going to choose someone else, and I would play a vital role in it since I preferred if it would be Anna among the fourteen of them. I hope my maids would like Anna as the princess if he chose her.
Gilda took a hand from my side. “The way you are treating us like a friend is already a gift to us, my lady. There’s nothing you could do that’d disappoint us.”
Gillian took my other hand, gripping it. “Plus, if the prince doesn’t choose you, he’s an idiot!”
“Gillian!” Gilda and I chorused before we settled into a burst of laughter.
Gillian followed through with us, and we found ourselves chatting about palace rumors through the hours. A servant had delivered my mouth-watering dinner past eight o’clock. I knew Gilda and Gillian weren’t given access to taste such scrumptious delicacies, so I happily shared my dinner with them. They were reluctant at first, but after a few minutes of intense persuasion, I managed to make them eat at least the roast beef.
“My lady, you really are quite different,” Gillian remarked in-between chewing.
“You said that the first night I was here.”
“And it’s never going to change!” She took my glass of water and handed it to my hand. This time, she clasped an imaginary goblet on her hand and gestured for Gilda to do the same. Gilda must’ve been in an awfully good mood with the roast beef that she was willing to go through Gillian’s little play. She raised her hand in the air and said, “To Lady Emma, the future princess of the Kingdom of Tifari!”
Gilda and I laughed at her little declaration and I wanted oh so badly to refute it.
But pretending to be the future princess of the Kingdom of Tifari for the night wouldn’t be so bad.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It was half an hour past eleven o’clock and I was still willing to give Norman another ten minutes before I decided to change into the pink half-sleeved nightgown. Aside from it being extremely buoyant, I could hardly walk around inside the room without bumping into a chair or the edge of the bed.
He did say he was going to visit me, and so far, he hadn’t gone back on any of his words.
But today was extremely tiresome and I just wanted to sleep it all out. If he ever decided to give me the boot, at least I had a good night’s sleep.
The sudden knock on my door woke me up from my sleepy trance. I stretched my eyelids with two fingers to keep myself awake and went to open the door.
“Good evening, Emma,” Norman greeted, still in his suit from earlier. “Why aren’t you in your sleepwear?”
I motioned for him to come in before I crossed my arms. “Do you prefer to see me in my nightgown, Norman?”
“What?!” He gaped, eyes widening in disbelief, “N-no, that’s not what I meant. I thought you were resting and —”
“Norman, I was teasing!” I tugged on his arm, and I guessed he wasn’t expecting the sudden physical contact because his lips parted in confusion. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing,” he turned to the wingback sofa that faced my metal-frame vanity mirror with his shoulders slightly stooped. He sat on it, and I suddenly found it adorable that he was sitting on something so… girly, “Forgive me. Talking to them took some quite a while.”
“You mean the ones you were forced to eliminate?”
“Ah. Yes.That.”
I propped myself on the edge of the bed and examined his expression. He was deadbeat to a fault. It must’ve been mentally demanding to eliminate girls with who you were yet to bond fully. With that, I wanted to ask him why.
“Norman?”
“Yes, Emma?”
“Why am I still here?”
His eyebrows creased at my question and his eyes were full of questions, mirroring mine. “What are you talking about?”
“I mean, I’m assuming you’re not here to eliminate me, right?”
“W-Where is this all coming from? Of course, I am not here to eliminate you, Emma. I was done with that half an hour ago, and it was not the most pleasant feeling in the world.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I said, sympathetically. Knowing Norman, he’d never try to hurt any single one of us, if he had a say in it. But being part of the Royal Class meant that he had to find a spouse. And it wasn’t getting easier when rebel attacks threatened all of our existence here. “It’s just that your decision for finding a bride would be much easier if you could narrow it down to those ladies that you really wanted to choose from!”
Norman looked taken aback. It was like he was trying to comprehend the apprehension in my voice. If he didn’t need me here anymore, it was fine with me. Sure, I was going to be sad. But that was what friends were for, right?
Right?
“Emma, I’m not sending you home,” he said as he faced me, taking both of my hands in his, “I know how much your family is depending on you to be here. So, I am keeping you here until the last moment that I must choose, or until you choose to go home on your own accord.”
I felt my eyes stinging. Norman was considerate of my situation. I was already aware that he wasn’t the judgmental type but still. And not even putting the weekly compensation into the equation, if he was going to send me home, it would somehow break me. Maybe because we were really good friends.
He was just too…
… amazing.
“A-are you going to cry?” Norman inquired, probably perplexed with how I was constantly blinking to push away the tears.
“No, I never cry,” False. I rarely cried.
But it was easy for Norman to smile softly at my slumped mood as I blinked a few more times to straighten out my tear gland. He proceeded to stand up, pulling me up with him. I only noticed now that he was still holding my hands.
“I know it is late, but would you like to go on a stroll?”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
When Norman said we both needed some air, I thought he was bringing me to the Sunflower Garden. But he was guiding me towards another garden that I had no idea of. I knew they had five luxurious gardens that encompassed the palace’s circumference.
But this garden was a bit different.
This particular garden was more soothing to the eyes; walls surrounding us were decorated with vines that climbed to its very peak, a large white ceramic water fountain stood magnificently at the center and the tantalizing colors of the flowers cascaded all over.
The only thing that ruined it was the golden shrine of King Peter that oversaw the entirety of the garden.
“Norman, what’s this garden?” I asked.
“Alstroemeria Garden,” he answered, hands tucked formally behind his back as we continued to walk in the marbled stone path.
The what? “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with flower species.”
“Oh, the flowers here are simply called the Peruvian Lily. Mother has an indescribable fascination for it. My father had this garden built only to her liking.”
“I didn’t know His Majesty was considerate.” I didn’t mean for my voice to sound so derisive, but Norman caught on to it quickly.
“I cannot counter the satire on your tone but above all things, he only had a soft spot for my mother. When it had nothing to do with her, he was vile as he can be.”
“You talk in the past tense as if he isn’t vile right now.” It was evident by how he cornered Norman earlier for an elimination. He was manipulative even with his own sons.
“Couldn’t have said it better, Emma,” he took a full intake of air before continuing. “Will you allow me to be honest with you?”
Oh, Norman being absolutely honest. I had to hear this. “I’m the only one you can confide to in this entire kingdom so spill it out.”
“I tell Ray a couple of things, too,” he admitted defensively, “but you are right. I feel like I can only disclose these troubling thoughts to you. I hope you do not mind.”
“Tell me all about it.” I pursed my lips in contained excitement.
“I wish to someday rule this kingdom with a better mindset than my father. You see how he treats the people around the palace and how he manipulates everything at every turn. I am afraid that I —”
“Don’t!” I pulled a hand up in front to stop him.
“What?”
“Don’t say what you’re about to say, Norman! It’s only been a week and a half since I met you, but I know you’re not like your father. You and your brother.”
His face softened at my assurance. “Do you really think so?”
“Positive! You’ll be the best king in the entire history of the Kingdom of Tifari! I just know it!”
He finally chuckled and it was music to my ears compared to the self-deprecating voice he had on earlier. “You believe too much in me, Emma.”
“Of course, I do! When you become the king in the next few years, I’ll cheer for you. I’ll always be your friend and your supporter. Until you find the queen you are looking for, I’ll be your most trusted confidante. So for now, let me walk alongside you.” I crossed my fingers at him and beamed.
Out of the corner of my eye, there was a Peruvian Lily that laid defenselessly on the ground, slightly withered but not in the sense that being stepped on was the cause of it. I bent down to get a clear look at it, and I had to hand it to Queen Legravalima — her garden full of this was exquisitely stunning. The one I was holding was a red funnel-shaped little thing with warm brown freckles.
Strangely, my nose couldn’t detect any fragrance.
“Hey Norman, why doesn’t this flower have a —” My question was suspended in the air when I came face to face with Norman’s fingers barely inches from my eyesight. “Is there something on my face?”
He looked startled from the way his hand was stretched out and immediately tucked it behind his back, his ears showing evidence of faint crimson. “Ah, no. Must’ve been my reflexes,” he cleared his throat, covering a knuckle over his lips, “what was that you wanted to ask?”
“Uhm, it’s not important now.” It suddenly felt awkward and I could feel my heart trying to break out from its rib cage.
What was happening to me?
“So, Uhm, how will I know those you have eliminated?” Aside from trying to die down the sound of my stammering heart, which I hoped was inaudible from the teensy gap between us, I wanted to ask who the girls he thought had to go.
“As much as I’d like to reminisce on how I gently told them that I saw no probable future between us,” his sarcasm to lighten up the topic made me smile, “it is best not to ruin this wonderful night. You will get to say your farewells to them tomorrow when they depart.”
“Oh, we get to say goodbye to them?” Mom told me that when King Peter eliminated a Chosen, they’d be sent packing straight away. The only time they knew one of them was eliminated was when a seat became vacant the very next morning at the Dining Hall.
“Yes. I know some of you ladies have formed quite a bond over the week and a half of your stay in the palace. I’d hate for the three of them to leave without having to say goodbye.”
“You know, the more that you narrow us down, the more you’ll get the sting of separating yourself from us.” I wondered how Norman would handle it when it all comes down to the Prime.
“I hope I would not be forced to do another elimination until I get a better grasp of all your personalities. Mind you, there are still twelve more of you,” he retorted.
“Eleven,” I pushed to correct, “you keep forgetting I’m not a part of your pool of ladies anymore.”
He laughed, and I was on a roll since this was the second time tonight that I made him do it. “Ah, this again. Think of it this way, we are friends. But friends still need to know more about each other, do they not?”
“Well, when you put it that way.” It did make sense.
Silence enveloped us again, but it was short-lived.
“Emma.”
“Hm?”
“Do,” a low sigh from him echoed through the quiet night that surrounded us, “do you think it is possible for you to —”
He stopped midway like he was carefully analyzing the succession of his sentence.
“Possible for me to what?”
Another sigh, but a bit more deflated than the first one. With lips closely flattened, his head shook to a slow and rhythmic movement. “Forgive me, I forgot what I was about to say.”
“I noticed that.” My lips formed a pout at the memory. “You keep calling me out, then you pause, then you forget it.” For someone named to be the most intelligent person in all of the kingdom’s realm, he was particularly forgetful these past few days.
He assisted me towards the wicker rattan cushioned sofa that accessorized the ottoman in front of it. If there was one thing that I didn’t despise with royalty was that they had uncontested regard for exquisite tastes.
Norman took a seat next to me and threw his head back in relaxation.
“You’ve had quite a day, Your Highness.”
He pursed his lips in a suppressed smile with the name. It was odd calling him that now when I was so accustomed to calling him Norman.
“Both of us, actually. The elimination was simply out of the forecast and I hated that it made you question your standing in this competition. Aside from dealing with my first forced decision, I simply want to thank you dearly for your presence right now, Emma.”
“Well,” I faced his direction, leering my eyes over at him, “I wouldn’t be your walking comedian for nothing.”
Norman’s eyes widened with the mention of his little nickname for me, raising his head at the shock of it. It was a good thing Ray let that slip off.
“I see you’ve had quite the talk with my brother,” he mused, and it might just have been my imagination, but was he skeptical?
“Apparently, yes. Your brother offered to be my friend. I even get to call him Ray now!”
He arched an eyebrow at me. “I have no qualms regarding this friendship you formed with my brother, but please, do it with discretion. Avoid closed-door encounters with him.”
“Yes, yes. He told me that already. And what would I be doing with Ray within closed doors?” Ray and I might be a bit chummy now, but I wouldn’t want to be trapped in a room with him. We’d probably bicker to death.
“Just a precaution,” his mouth forming a grim line, “your mother was one of my father’s Chosen, correct? Then your mother might have mentioned what Father did when one of her co-Chosen was caught in the arms of an officer. I’d like to avoid any of that during the course of this Choice.”
“I’m sure Ray wouldn’t want to be at the receiving end of your father’s punishment. But I’ll keep that in my mind. For now, I’m glad I’m friends with both of you!”
Norman was brandishing a taunting smile. “I have to warn you, Ray has a way with charm. I hope you’d still prefer my company, though.”
I let myself release hoots of laughter at his face. “Silly, Norman. Of course! Aside from being one of your Chosen, I’m your most trusted friend after all! So, I’ll always be by your side and I’ll never get tired of saying it. If there’s anything more I can do for you, the way you do things for me, by all means, ask away. Okay?”
Before he could respond, I found myself yawning, my eyes beginning to droop at the exhaustion.
I heard clothes rustling in the background.
My shoulders suddenly felt warm. The warmth gradually crawled all over my arms to the tip of my fingers.
The dissipating shiver my body was feeling earlier was carefully being slanted to my left, and I felt my head comfortably positioned to something soft.
Something made its way to my shoulders. It extended its edge to my arm as I felt a tender press against it, tucking my position in place so I wouldn’t fall off.
Whatever I was leaning on, smelled really good. Like citrus in a farmer’s market.
A cozy yawn escaped once again from me, followed by a lowly chuckle that soothed my ears, making me fall deeper and deeper into my subconscious slumber.
“Good night, Emma.”
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Sixteen:
“Wait!” I grabbed her hand before she could even take another step forward. “Why me? Any of the girls could come up to Norman or Ray with this idea.”
Shock made its way to her face, but recovered quickly, her lips already forming a timid smile. “The fact that you get to call them so casually now just means that you’ve formed a bond with them that none of the other girls have managed. If there’s another thing I’m right besides this war, it’s that you’d be a great princess. You’re overflowing with so much tenacity that you outshine others without even trying.”
With all honesty, I answered. “I don’t think I want to become a princess.”
“You’re here for a reason, Emma. I don’t know what that reason may be, but it’s not a bad thing to try. Sometimes, the thing that you’re so desperately trying to run from is exactly what you need without you even knowing it.”
//
A/N: The art here is a commissioned work. Please do not repost.
Chapter 16: The Turning Point
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Rise and shine, Lady Emma!”
My body promptly jolted at the voice before my eyes could even adjust to the surroundings.
The last thing I remembered was talking to Norman in their garden then everything went blurry from there.
Did I fall asleep in the middle of our conversation? I must’ve been so exhausted to suddenly lose my footing and fall asleep on him.
My hair was still tangled into the ponytail that Gillian pulled up for last night’s appearance. Looking at my clothes, I was still wearing the blue gown I wore for the Tifari Report.
I didn’t even change into my sleepwear!
And what was more alarming was that Gilda and Gillian were giving me funny looks as I rubbed my eyes from my half-asleep state.
Wait for a second…
“Gilda?”
“Yes, my lady?” Gilda was humming, which was highly unusual since she was more on the serious side.
“Uhm, I — I was with His Highness last night and I don’t know how I ended up here in bed,” I twiddled my hands underneath my duvet.
“Oh, an easy question. You see, Lady Emma, His Highness was the one who tucked you into your bed.” Gilda answered without pause.
“Norman did what?!”
Another slip-up! Come on, Emma!
If my maids were giving me funny looks earlier, the looks they carried now were mixed with accusations — like I made a big mistake of keeping a secret from them.
“So, first name basis, huh? Just what happened last night for it to escalate this quickly!? Oh! I wanna hear the details!” Gillian was already doing her happy dance all the way to the edge of my bed, positioning herself comfortably on it.
“That'll have to wait, Gillian,” Gilda chastised, her face giving off the impatience. She wouldn’t be my head maid if she wasn’t strict. “We have to get Lady Emma to the Women’s Room a little earlier than usual today. The eliminated ones are departing before breakfast.”
Gillian rolled her eyes at the reminder. “Yeah, I know! I know! But come on, Gilda! Aren’t you a little bit curious? His Highness asked her out in the middle of the night! Who knows what they could have done?!”
Gilda was contemplating what to do as she placed herself on the bed adjacent to Gillian. “Well, I suppose we can spare a few minutes…”
And she crumbled.
“I assure you, Gillian. Prince Norman and I just strolled and talked.”
“Huh. We’re back to Prince Norman now?” Her eyebrows were wiggling with excitement. I just really wanted to shove myself with a pillow!
Might as well appease their little curiosity.
“Alright, to set the record straight this is what happened.” Both of my maids scooted a little closer to hear me out. “His Highness — I mean, Norman and I agreed to call each other by our names. I know it’s a bit informal, but we only call each other that when we’re out together.” We did have major slip-ups but at least it was in front of Ray and Anna. They wouldn’t blab about it. “We’ve also gotten really close… and we consider each other as,” friends, “each other’s comfort.”
“Ah! So romantic! Gosh, Lady Emma! You’re slowly winning him over and you’re practically not even doing anything! I told you! You are fated to become the princess!” Gillian was already standing up and proclaiming her theory to be absolute. Even Gilda was in high spirits compared to her earlier reprimanding.
“Aren’t you excited, Gilda?! The Chosen in our care will surely be the princess of this kingdom!”
“She surely will. We just have to keep making her standout!” Gilda was up on her feet now, and her resolve to pamper me to death was glowing like never before.
I was about to interject their little hurrah when Gilda pulled me gently by the hand, raising me from the bed and into the bathroom. I guessed the chit chat was over for now. But it didn’t mean I was safe from their constant prying later on.
As I was being bathed to perfection, the thought of Norman carrying me to bed lingered on my mind.
I had never been carried before, let alone by a prince that I thought I hated but now I considered a friend.
There was a weird feeling in my stomach, and for some reason, it climbed all the way to the corners of my chest. My mind just couldn’t make sense of it.
“My lady, are you alright? Is the water too warm?” Gilda asked while she spread rose petals on the surface of the water.
“Huh? What?”
She went ahead and placed a hand on my forehead. “Your face suddenly went red. I thought the water might’ve been too warm for you.”
“Ah, no. The water is fine.” I assured her.
But whatever was making my insides all weird just wouldn’t go away.
No matter how hard I tried to dismiss it.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“You look like you aren’t sick after all, my lady. I was worried about you last night.”
Officer Oliver and I were walking our way downstairs when he opened the conversation. I was still in a rather topsy-turvy mood from the revelations from earlier.
“Who said I was sick?”
“Well, His Highness was trying to carry you as… dignified as he could last night. And from the way your untucked hand was dangling as he carried you, I thought you were sick and fell on the spot. I offered to help but he said he could handle it.”
“What?!” It was one thing to know that Norman tucked me to bed. It was another to know that he had such a hard time carrying me to bed.
I knew he was a bit frail, but I didn’t know that carrying me was a bit too much.
It was a good thing he didn’t collapse.
Officer Oliver might’ve noticed how mortified I was that he went to retract what he said. “It doesn’t mean that you’re heavy, my lady! His Highness is just a bit… unathletic but he means well!”
Great. Nice salvage, Officer.
“I didn’t think I was heavy, but thank you for the clarification, Officer Oliver.” I was biting my lips to repress my laughter as I turned the knob of the Women’s Room.
Turning to get another good look at him, Officer Oliver looked like he was about to have a stroke.
“My lady, that wasn’t what I meant!”
“Yeah, yeah. I won’t tell His Highness that you called him weak and that you called me rather heavy for him to carry. See you later, Officer!” I waved him off playfully before he could counter me out. That’d be something for him to think about for the next few minutes before we come out for breakfast.
Just like how my mood was lifted from my little chat with Officer Oliver, it briefly went downhill with how gloomy the Women’s Room was. It was no surprise; three of us were leaving today. And I was about to find out who they were.
“So, where’s your luggage, Emma?” Barbara asked, arms crossed against her chest with her chin elevated proudly. With that attitude, this early in the morning meant she wasn’t one of the ladies going home.
“What do you mean?” I asked back.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” she exhaled with a pfft sound before she leveled herself alongside Paula and Sonya. “I saw the Prince knocking on your door last night before I slept. Tell me, how did he break it to you? Told you, silly girl! You’re simply not princess material.”
If Gilda and Gillian were here, she’d get a mouthful of how wrong her assumption of me was.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, Barbara, but His Highness actually went to my room last night to ask me for a stroll. Would you like to hear more about it? I’ve got all day,” I said, taking a seat next to Anna.
Not even an ounce of Barbara’s mocking stare would ruin this day.
Her lips pinched with displeasure, but she was better at hiding her temper now. Maybe she learned a thing or two from Paula. “I can’t wait for the day Prince Norman sends you packing.”
“I’d like to see when that day will be, Barbara.”
She started it, but I’d be the one ending it.
Barbara settled for an eye roll before conversing back with the other Upper Classes.
“Is everyone here?” I turned and asked the girls.
Violet, who was seated next to Anna, only shook her head. “You’re the last one to complete the twelve. So, whoever opens the door next is probably one of the eliminated ones.”
I mentally counted every Chosen in the Women’s Room, and Violet was right; only three weren’t here. I guessed some of them had already noticed the ones who weren't present here with us and one of them was Michelle, who had two hands covering her face as she let out muted sobs.
Just then, the doors to the Women’s Room opened, revealing Mujika and Officer Sonju alongside the ladies I thought I’d get the chance to bond with more.
Olivia. Susan. Conny.
And beside each of them were their personal guards.
It was odd seeing them back in jeans and a plain white shirt when I got accustomed to everyone wearing dresses and gowns, but that must’ve been the attire assigned for when you had to exit.
“Ladies,” Mujika began, her hands clasped together tightly at the hem of her pleated polo shirt, “it has been the decision of His Highness for all of you to bid farewell to these three lovely ladies as they travel back to their respective hometowns. Their journey in the Choice has ended.”
“Olivia!” Michelle’s voice pierced through the silence as she wobbled her way through, engaging Olivia in a heartfelt embrace. Their tears became louder, and it made the scene much more heartbreaking than it already was earlier.
Michelle and Olivia were both Middle Class One, and they were close friends throughout the days that passed. There was no doubt that it would be painful to learn that one of them was going home.
I found myself approaching the girls who were hugging Conny, but unlike Olivia, she was all smiles as she faced me.
“Emma, thank you!”
Why was she thanking me? “I don’t understand, Conny.”
“You’ve been awfully nice to me, even though we’ve never bonded! And, you tied my hair up yesterday when it was starting to fall off. You’ve always been smiling so much and you’re always in high spirits!” I was a little bit taller than Conny, but she tiptoed her mouth to my ear for a whisper. “I’ll be rooting for you when I see you on the next Tifari Report! I know you can do it!”
“Ah, haha, Conny, there are still eleven girls here that you can cheer for,” I reasoned out. “I doubt I’m deserving of the crown.”
“Prince Norman is amazing. He never judges you based on your appearance, and he was fun to be with even though we only had one official date! And I can see the way he looks at you! Whenever we’re in the Dining Hall, during the Tifari Report yesterday, and even when we just happen to cross paths with him! I think he really likes you!”
“I — I don’t think the way he’s looking at me is enough evidence for you to say he favors me.”
“Maybe you’re in denial! It’s so obvious that he favors you, so I have to ask if you feel the same way! Don’t you like Prince Norman?” Her eyes were sparkling with curiosity.
“I—, uh, you see, Conny —”
“Let us say our farewells, too, Emma! You’re hogging Conny!” Naila’s voice was behind my back and I couldn’t voice out how thankful I was for her interruption.
Conny tackled me for an abrupt embrace and went on to accommodate the next set of ladies who were bidding her goodbye. I went over to Olivia, who was wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. We weren’t technically close but there was something we had in common at the moment: pure glumness.
I went in for a brief hug. “You’ll do great out there. I can see it in you.”
Olivia finally cracked a smile as she whisked away a few more of the impending tears in her eyes. “I heard that a Chosen who gets to be eliminated early on the competition manages to be swept immediately by wealthy men. So, I’m looking forward to that, at least!”
Even in her departure, she managed to spill a joke. I laughed alongside her before we settled with another hug and mouthed farewells. I’d surely miss Olivia’s energy.
The last one was Susan. Frankly, I didn’t understand why she was only getting pats on the shoulder when we should all be engaged in hugs.
Even with Anna. She tried to envelop Susan in a hug, but Susan had two hands motioned in front of her that prohibited anyone from going all sentimental with her. We didn’t really engage much but I at least wanted a hug out from her.
“Susan,” I initiated, “I know we didn’t talk much but I —”
I stopped midway when her eyes suddenly began pulsating. Now getting a good look at her, she looked immensely stressed out. Was she having a panic attack because she was eliminated?
“Are you alright, Su—”
“Come with me for a sec!”
We were attaining looks from everyone in the room. Susan was practically dragging me all the way to the back of the Women’s Room, towards the library. From the way I saw it, she didn’t want any ears on this conversation.
But it was just a goodbye. Why was she so rattled?
“Susan, why did you take me here?”
“Listen to me, Emma.” It was the first time we were talking to each other, yet her voice was strained and shaken that it didn’t feel like this conversation was merely a farewell.
“I—I’m listening, Susan. Calm down. What’s happening to you?”
She was frantically looking around, her nails digging through the sleeves of my day dress. “I’ve been observing. You’re close with both the princes, am I correct?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m close with the two of them. Prince Ray is a bit —”
“They’re in danger, Emma! All of you who’ll remain here will be in danger!”
What?
“Where is this coming from, Susan? Why are you so spooked?”
She swirled her head left and right. “The rebels! They’re a lot closer than you think! Even if the prince chooses a bride, this will never appease the rebels. They’re going to kill every single one here in the palace! I know I sound crazy but—”
What was Susan talking about? A lot closer? The rebels?
“Susan, where did you get this idea?”
“Emma, there’s no time. I’ll be departing soon. Prepare yourselves. This will be a bloodbath. No one will be left unharmed if the rebels will have their way. You’ve seen the news! You’ve seen the killings of innocent civilians! You've seen how starved most of them are! The palace is turning a blind eye to the commotion. And I bet His Majesty deliberately does this! Maybe His Highnesses have no idea as to what is really happening outside of the palace! You’re the only one who can tell them, Emma! They’re keeping the heir and his brother in the shadows!”
My mind was swirling with the loaded information. Just how much did Susan know?
“Susan, I need to know more. And you know, Prince Ray is the commander of the Tifarian Shield. If there’s anyone who knows what’s actually happening outside the palace, it’s him. But in the rare chance that he doesn’t—if I tell this to both His Highnesses, what can I bring forward as proof?”
“I just found out recently. Section B06-32. A black hardback. You’ll find relevant information there."
She pointed at the section where I could find the book she was talking about and scanned the room for any person who could be eavesdropping in our conversation. “Just know that the book itself isn't really what you need. You’re going to have to do some digging on your own because what I found inside of it was somehow... disturbing. That’s the only thing I could be of help. I’m sorry.”
She released a pent-up, long sigh. Squaring her shoulders in place, she was ready to leave this all behind. “I have to go.”
“Wait!” I grabbed her hand before she could even take another step forward. “Why me? Any of the girls could come up to Norman or Ray with this idea.”
Shock made its way to her face, but recovered quickly, her lips already forming a timid smile. “The fact that you get to call them so casually now just means that you’ve formed a bond with them that none of the other girls have managed. If there’s another thing I’m right beside this war, it’s that you’d be a great princess. You’re overflowing with so much tenacity that you outshine others without even trying.”
With all honesty, I answered. “I don’t think I want to become a princess.”
“You’re here for a reason, Emma. I don’t know what that reason maybe, but it’s not a bad thing to try. Sometimes, the thing that you’re so desperately trying to run from is exactly what you need without you even knowing it.”
Susan was twenty-two, and she was acting like an older sister instead of a shunned competitor. “I wish we’ve had the chance to talk more.”
“There are some things even I can’t comprehend yet. But let me put your mind at ease; I’m not a rebel. But my brother’s a part of a group going against the rebels… and the current king.”
“A group?” I never heard of a group that was going against the rebels.
“Yes. He called it the NL Resistance. He told me that they have a really dependable leader! An opportunity to help my brother presented itself when I became a Chosen.” Her voice faltered with the mention of her brother. I was suddenly reminded of the reason why I was also here in the first place: Dad. “And since I can't do anything now, I’m entrusting this task to you, Emma.”
“I still have so many questions, Susan!”
“And you’ll get those answers in time, Emma. I don’t know a lot. I really don’t. Everything I shared with you is everything inside my head. As I’ve said, I only knew a quarter from what I saw in that book the other day and from the stories I heard from my brother. It’s all up to you now. Save everyone. Most importantly, save yourself.”
“Lady Susan! Your chauffeur is here!”
Susan enclosed me in a brief hug, patting my shoulder in the most comforting way possible. “You’re going to be great. I already knew the first time I saw you stand up to Barbara. I’ll be cheering for you.”
I could only nod in submission as Susan went ahead to the crowd we left just minutes ago. Last-minute farewells were bounced back and forth until Mujika reminded everyone that it was time for them to set off.
Olivia gave Michelle one last heartfelt hug.
Conny waved unrelentingly at every single one of us.
Susan only smiled at me, and I returned it just the same — although, our eyes did the talking.
The moment they all left the Women’s Room, the crippling realization dawned on me.
With a blink of an eye, we were officially down to twelve.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Susan’s words persistently breached my mind as Officer Oliver escorted me back to my room after breakfast. I would have liked to enjoy the grandiose meal served, but between the sullen mood of the Chosen and the lack of Norman and Ray’s presence, there just wasn’t much to do after.
King Peter and Queen Legravalima never joined us for breakfast after our first night here, and I was at least thankful for that.
Questions continued to swirl around my head, and I haven’t had an answer to each of them.
First, what was in Section B06-32 in the library of the Women’s Room? When will be the best time to check it out?
Second, what was the NL Resistance? And why were they after the rebels and the monarchy?
Third, why was Susan’s life in danger? Who was after her? Did it have anything to do with her brother’s affiliation with the NL Resistance?
And lastly, how on earth was I supposed to explain this to Norman and Ray without sounding all crazy?
“Why do you look preoccupied, my lady?” Officer Oliver asked.
First things first; I had to find intel from the people that had already interacted with the rebels. Though, using the word interacted was far from it.
“Hmm. Say, Officer Oliver, how long have you been working in the palace?”
“I’ve been in the palace for five years, my lady. Two years, if you’ll consider my tenure as one of the Elite Force under Prince Ray’s leadership.”
“Ah! If that’s the case, how many times have you defended the palace from the rebel attacks?”
“Twenty-seven for the last five years, my lady. It only heightened until now since Prince Norman is conducting his own Choice, and the rebels are seeing it fit to overthrow the entire Royal Class. Are you perhaps scared for another attack?”
“You can say that,” I shrugged, but not really shoving off the fear. “B—but have you heard of a group that’s going after the rebels?”
He laughed half-suppressed at the question. “I believe that’s the role of the Tifarian Shield, Lady Emma. Our sole purpose is to protect everyone within the palace, especially the Royal Class.”
“No, I mean, like an external group that’s fighting against the rebels and —” my hands started sweating against the uncertainty, settling for a whisper to the next words, “— trying to oust the current king?”
At the mention of it, Officer Oliver stopped in his tracks, his face echoing the same look that Susan had earlier: astonishment and apprehension. Did he happen to know what the NL Resistance was?
He cleared his throat weakly. “There happens to be a lot of individuals out there who are fighting for their rights against the rebels and are against His Majesty’s way of ruling. But I haven’t heard of a particular group with that kind of goal. Do you happen to have a specific group in mind?”
This was where I was drawing the line. If I pressed on any further, Officer Oliver might suspect me of cahooting with the rebels with the way I was questioning him. And thank goodness that we were nearing my door! “Oh, not really. I was just thinking if such a group even existed. We can’t have too many protectors, right?”
Officer Oliver half-smiled. “I suppose we can’t.”
“Well then,” I clinched as I turned the knob to my door. “I’ll lock myself in this room until lunch is ready. Today was emotionally taxing and I just want to rest. Seems like the other girls are also in a dim mood to bond in the Women’s Room.”
“Three of the Chosen just left. I completely understand, my lady.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you later.”
‘Wait, my lady!” His hand went swiftly to the lock stile of the door. “May I add something to our earlier conversation?”
I was left confused by the sudden follow-up, but I let him continue. “Sure, Officer.”
“You asked if there was ever such a group that was fighting against the rebels and planning to oust the king,” his tone resigned and hushed solely for my hearing. “If there ever was such, I believe it would be a game-changer to everything that’s happening right now. In a good way, of course.”
“Officer, I—”
“I shall let you rest now, my lady,” he finalized, closing the door carefully in front of me.
Officer Oliver’s reaction to my question was enough of an indication that maybe NL Resistance did exist! But asking him directly was not an option so it was my turn to do some digging on my own.
Time to hit the library in the Women’s Room tomorrow.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Seventeen:
“We’re brothers. We tell each other everything. Though, he didn’t mention that you were the one that offered him friendship. But seeing as how much of a reaction I got from you, there’s no more doubt in my mind that it was you.”
I was pushing myself to be composed. “See! You already know my setup with Norman. We’re very good friends, so I want the best for him. I’m going to help him find the perfect wife among the remaining girls.”
“Hmm,” his lips turned down, leaning against the wall with arms crossed. “But are you really okay with that? Are you really okay with pinning him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?”
“What are you trying to s—"
“Ray? E—Lady Emma?”
We both whirled our heads in the direction of the voice, and I almost gasped when it was Norman.
Chapter 17: The Book in the Shallows
Notes:
Hi! Arianne's gone on an indefinite break, so I present to you Cozet! She's the exceptional artist that made the art included here! Show her some love!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I found myself stiffly sitting in my assigned seat when Anna bolted through the doors, all flustered and out of breath.
“Lady Anna, I was told you weren’t feeling well. You could have opted to miss today’s class.”
All heads turned to Anna, who was thirty minutes late to our first mandated class as ladies of the Choice. I had no idea she was feeling unwell. Maybe I could ask how she’d been holding up after class.
“I—I was feeling a little light-headed, but I feel better now, Miss Mujika,” Anna timidly replied as she crossed the room towards a vacant seat.
“Who was the king that led the Kingdom of Tifari to victory during the war against the rebel forces of Leuvis Core?” Mujika quizzed us.
I raised a hand to answer the question, but Ayshe had beaten me to it.
“Former King Julius Ratri.”
“Correct, Lady Ayshe. King Julius, during his reign, led our kingdom to victory when Leuvis Core’s assembly of rebels attacked the palace to bring down the monarchy. This rebellion was short-lived when—?”
None of the Chosen had their arms up, and since I knew the answer to this one, I lifted my hand up.
“Yes, Lady Emma. What is your answer?”
“The rebellion was short-lived due to the joint forces of the late His Highness Julius Ratri and the current king His Majesty Peter Ratri. Leuvis Core, along with his forces were apprehended and publicly executed for their crimes against the monarchy and the disruptions they caused to the entire kingdom,” I answered without so much as a stutter. Thank the heavens for Mom’s strictness during oral recitations.
“Excellent, Lady Emma,” Mujika nodded, smiling proudly at my answer as I took my seat.
We were in the Study Hall, starting the week with a history lesson just after breakfast. It felt like a refresher course for us Chosen. Apparently, being a princess candidate meant that you had to be knowledgeable about the kingdom’s origins, as well as the figures behind who made the Kingdom of Tifari what it was today. Mom told me that this was one of the things that made a Chosen stand out — with how informed they were.
Mujika’s expression grew wary. “Ladies, the history of this kingdom is no simple matter to be openly discussed in public. We all know the basic information that His Majesty and his brother fought for the peace of this kingdom, but they weren’t left unscathed by the rebels. Lives were lost on both sides. And the outcome still leaves our king reeling. It’s common knowledge that His Majesty's older brother and father lost their lives during the aftermath of the war. But it’s best if we do not outwardly speak of the sensitive topic unless His Majesty is the one to bring it up.”
Another thing that I was thankful for was that my parents were teachers by profession. Dad might’ve inclined his daughters more on the musical side, but Mom was a regular teacher in a community college back in Grace Field District. It was safe to say that learning different varieties of subjects was the norm in our household.
And that included the illustrious history of the Kingdom of Tifari.
I didn’t know why Mujika started out our first history class with the mention of the previous war if we weren’t going to delve deeper into it.
Whenever the subject was History at home, Mom would start off with how the entire kingdom was once a vast, barren wasteland in the early 1200s and how it became a powerful kingdom after the Ratri ancestors built it from scratch.
The previous war was a delicate subject to broach into a discussion, mainly because, aside from the destruction of the rebel forces of Leuvis Core, it also resulted in the demise of King Peter’s older brother, James Ratri, the supposed heir to the throne. Not long after that, the late king, King Julius Ratri, died of a sudden heart attack, which left the kingdom to his second son and current king, King Peter Ratri.
Mom had a book exploring the history that made up this kingdom’s past, but the contents of the latest war were too overly-simplified that there wasn’t anything in-depth about it. There was extraordinarily little that the public knew about the war besides the demise and heroism of James Ratri and the sudden heart complications of Julius Ratri.
It always struck me as odd that but there was always a chance that history could be muddled with, and my discussion with Susan yesterday only heightened the anxiety I was feeling.
Which reminded me that I had to spend my afternoon in the library of the Women’s Room to find the book Susan was talking about.
Yvette raised a hand, whipping me away from my thoughts. “I know that the Chosen are required to know these things, but what about those who have no means to go to school or be tutored? We are only learning of all these now, and we’re still being left behind.”
There was a faint edge on Yvette’s tone. Of course, she was born and raised as a Poacher. They never experienced any formal or decent education.
“Ah, Lady Yvette. It is within my jurisdiction to only give you a background to the kingdom’s history. Hence, why everyone is here right now, despite your social statuses. For now, I suggest that you do advance readings in the library of the Women’s Room since I’ll be giving you an assignment. This can very well address the issue about being left behind, won’t it, Lady Yvette?” Mujika addressed with a smile.
Yvette’s face turned scarlet, deciding to bow her head and situated herself comfortably back to her seat.
“As you know ladies, all the other in-depth lessons such as international relations are solely for the hearing of the Prime, which will happen once His Highness finally narrows down his choices to the remaining five. For now, we’ll only be sticking to the basics such as history,” Mujika picked up a pile of papers and proceeded to hand it out one by one.
The moment she gave me mine, I instantly read the contents of it.
So, this was our assignment.
“So, for your assignment, each of you will be researching for a notable event in the history of the Kingdom of Tifari. You will be graded based on your handwriting, verbosity, and attention to detail. The deadline will be—” she tapped her ruler on the board where the deadline was written, “—same time after two weeks. That is all, ladies. You may proceed to your rooms or to the gardens. Your personal guards are outside of this Study Hall.”
With that, each one of us began to stand up, collected our belongings, and made our way. Our personal guards were like statues that stood tall outside of the Study Hall. Didn’t it bore them to just stand every day outside of our rooms and guard us nonstop?
“Redhead, are you doing your homework already? Jemima and I are hitting the library in the Women’s Room. Maybe you and Anna would all like to go together,” Violet asked, peering from my back.
I was glad that Jemima formed a close friendship with Violet. They were certainly two peas in a pod with how they always spent everything together.
“I was on my way to the library. Let me get Anna. She hasn’t come out of the Study Hall yet.”
I made my way back to the Study Hall to ask Anna to come with us to the library, but she was weirdly surrounded by the Upper Classes. What did they want this time?
“Ah, look who’s here, it’s your dearest friend Emma,” Barbara’s voice was dipped in disdain as she addressed my presence. “Just in time, actually.”
Why was I always tangled up with Upper Classes?
“What do you want, Barbara?”
“We were just asking Anna nicely if she wanted to spend some time with us. She’s one of us after all.,” Paula spoke for her, something that she had done so often because whenever Barbara and I were face to face, it was always a matter of time before one of us would be sent home.
Her tone didn’t mean to sound offensive, and I know Anna was always stuck to us like glue, but I didn’t get why they were pushing her to bond with them when Anna wasn’t clearly interested in being chummy with them.
I faced Anna. She was squirming in discomfort. Who wouldn’t when a group of Upper Classes is ganging up on you to bond with them?
“I don’t think Anna appreciates being cornered like this. I think she’d come running to you guys if she was comfortable enough,” I supplied.
“And once again, you’re here to disrupt another Upper Class gathering! Really Emma, admit it. Do you want to join us?” Barbara was seething in annoyance. I was barely even saying anything, but she was ready to pull my hair out.
If she ever did, I’d be thankful for it. It meant she would be escorted home for hurting another Chosen, and I’d never had to face her wrath on a daily basis.
Sonya placed a hand over Barbara’s shoulder. “I told you already. If Anna was willing, she’d be the one coming to us.”
Among their group, Ayshe was the only one staring out the window, hands lazily crossed over her chest, not really minding how her group of Upper Classes were up to no good again — technically, Barbara — since Paula and Sonya were fairly nice. Ayshe simply was the most intriguing one.
Barbara flipped her hair aggressively at our faces. “This will be the last time we try to accommodate you in our group, Anna. Your chances to become the princess might be higher if you preferred our company. But it seems like you’d rather spend your time with these lowly bunch. Let’s go, ladies.”
She strutted past me, intentionally bumping my shoulder in the process. Paula and Sonya timidly smiled in passing before going over to Barbara’s side. I wasn’t expecting anything from Ayshe since we never conversed or made direct eye contact in our entire stay here, but she stood up from her seat and approached me and Anna.
“You’re quite smart,” she plainly said, tucking a bit of strand from the long, blonde hair that covered almost half of her face.
Smart? Where did that come from? “I don’t understand where this is coming from.”
“You were the only one who managed to answer Mujika’s question eloquently earlier. I also saw you raising your hand almost to every question she quizzed us on.”
Oh, that. “Both my parents are teachers. It’s nothing really,” I concluded.
“Is that so? Maybe you could give me a couple of pointers. I’ll look forward to any of your free time.”
Where was her sudden interest coming from? Although it was a bit surprising, I nodded to the invitation. It wasn’t every day that an Upper Class would want to bond over the kingdom’s history.
Either that, or she was just simply competitive.
“Sure, I’ll see when I can make time for it.”
“Good to hear,” she bid before turning her heels to her group of elite ladies. The ladies in the Upper Class category were so diverse that I simply couldn’t get my head around it.
Anna was still visibly shaken. “Are you okay, Anna?”
My voice was enough to shake her dazed state. “Y-yes. Thank you for your help. I already told them that I wasn’t comfortable being in that sort of… group.”
“Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, they can’t intimidate you!” I gladly said amid the earlier tension we found ourselves early on. “Just imagine, once you become the princess, Barbara or any other lady won’t be able to touch you.”
“E—Emma,” she clutched onto the ribbon of my day dress. With trembling hands, she looked at me panicky, her blue eyes piercing through me.
She looked terrified.
“Anna, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Do you want me to call N—His Highness ?”
“No! I’m okay!” Anna’s demeanor immediately changed.
Was it because I mentioned Norman? Did she not want him to worry about her?
“Are you sure? His Highness can take a good look at you, Anna.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Anna looked like she was electrocuted in place — her hands were suddenly flinging in disapproval.
“I—I’m fine! Ah, we should probably head over to the library! Better start on that assignment, Emma,” she giggled nervously before taking her notebook and scurrying off outside the Study Hall.
Anna was acting weird today. I only asked if she wanted Norman to check up on her, but she was ready to bolt out the door just to get away from the mere mention of it.
I might’ve been seeing things, but why did she look like her cheeks were on fire?
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The Women’s Room was packed.
Everyone was doing their own thing, and it was obvious that everyone wanted to get a head start on their homework. Some of the girls were busy looking through sections of books at the library, while others opted to sit on vacant desks to do some rough drafts.
Though, Ayshe was nowhere to be seen.
Violet, Jemima, Anna, and I shared a large table. We decided to exchange ideas on our assignment so that our historical events wouldn’t clash with each other. Still, there was a possibility that the other girls would have the same idea as ours. It would all just boil down to who could construct a better delivery in the assignment.
“So, I’m thinking of Christmas as my historical event,” Jemima brought up, her eyes sparkling with the idea.
Violet snorted, shooing the idea away with her hand. “More than half of the girls here are probably thinking of Christmas as their topic.”
“But I just love Christmas!” Jemima whined. “Let’s hear yours then if it’s any better than mine!”
“Ha! My historical event would be King Peter’s Choice! I think I’d get added points just by reliving their steamy romance in my essay!” Violet showed the outline she had for her essay. Her idea was quite brilliant. King Peter and Queen Legravalima would definitely feel entitled that at least one of the Chosen had thought of their steamy romance as a topic for our assignment.
I turned my head to face Anna, whose expression was still shuttered and barely gave any reaction to her surroundings. “Anna, do you already have a topic in mind?”
She blinked a couple of times before she answered. “I haven’t really thought about it. But I guess I’ll be looking into Zack Orion’s accidental discovery of the vaccine that helped save the lives of thousands of people in the Kingdom of Tifari.”
For someone visibly troubled, Anna sure had a clear mind. Her topic was clearly historical and one for the books. As expected of a medic by profession.
“What’s yours, Emma? You seem to be the studious type,” Violet probed.
There were three things circling my mind at the moment.
One, I still didn’t have any idea what historical event to use as a topic. I knew that using a yearly holiday was playing safe. But all eyes would be on me with this assignment since being raised in a household that did teaching for a living meant that I was knowledgeable with most subjects. To simply put it, it felt like I was a walking “jack of all trades, master of none” figure of speech.
Two, I needed to find that book Susan was pertaining to yesterday. But it was hard to walk out of the Women’s Room with a black book in hand. They might think it would be my source reference for this assignment, and Susan strictly said that if I didn’t want any trouble, it should only be seen and read by my eyes.
And three, I hadn’t seen Norman since that night we went to the Alstroemeria Garden. It had only been two days, but I hadn’t seen a whip of him. Officer Oliver and my maids clearly relayed how Norman carried me back to my room and it hadn’t left my mind since!
“I haven’t thought of any yet. I should probably hit the books first to get some ideas.” I proceeded to stand up, trying hard not to let my chair give out any screech as a sound. It wasn’t technically a lie. There wasn’t really any topic swimming on my mind right now, and it was the best time to look for that book.
Violet stood up after me, covering her mouth for a yawn. “Well, I think I’m sticking to my draft for now. I’m going upstairs and getting some sleep. Are you coming, Jem?”
Jemima nodded, picking up her pad and glitter pens. “Yeah, sure. Some of the girls are already making their way back to their rooms. They might have already gotten a good topic for themselves. This whole competition is tough! It’s like everyone’s a genius in their own way!”
“With only twelve of us remaining, everyone will want to start standing out. Who knows when the next elimination will happen?” Violet sighed impassively.
“Let’s work on this assignment first. I don’t think he’ll do another elimination just yet,” I offered. As much as I wanted to tell them that it wasn’t Norman’s idea to do an elimination on the get-go, it would always be inevitable. He was going to choose a wife among the remaining girls, and an elimination would always ensue.
Violet and Jemima nodded in unison. They waved at us before going over to their personal guards outside the Women’s Room. True enough, most of the girls were already heading out, with the exception of Naila and Yvette, who I guessed needed to do extensive reading to catch up to the other girls.
“I should help them out. It looks like they need some assistance on some of the matters. Maybe I could even give them ideas.” Anna said all at once. It only clicked now that she must’ve caught me staring at the two.
At least, she was being talkative now. She was always quiet, but there was something different with how silent and reserved she was today.
“I’ll just look for a book — er, the topic for my essay. You can go on ahead if I take too long.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you,” Anna finally stood up from her seat and pointed at the girls.
I nodded once before my feet led me to the B06-32 section of the library.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
When Susan said to look for a black hardback in Section B06-32, I expected to find it instantly. She never mentioned that everything in this section was filled with black hardbacks.
Where was I even going to start?
Section B06-32 was mainly comprised of encyclopedias and really old ones at that. On my initial assessment, these were all old versions — the earliest versions were dated as far as the 2000s. These books were already more than fifty years in existence.
I had to make use of my brain here.
If I was Susan, and there was something that I hid that I didn’t want anyone to see, where would I put it?
I walked deeper into the aisle of books, briefly looking into the titles of the spine of the encyclopedias. There had to be a prominent distinction between that particular book and these endless black hardbacks.
Where could it —
When I reached the end of the second shelf, there was a black hardback that was turned upside down, its title inverted in comparison to the line of books preceding it. The book was a lot thinner, something that could easily be grabbed on and sifted by one hand, and clearly didn’t attune to the whole ensemble of books.
Plus, it wasn’t even an encyclopedia.
I pulled it out from where it was neatly tucked in, reading the title from its spine.
“Histoire de Tifari.”
It was the title. And for some reason, the name of the author wasn’t printed on the cover.
This must’ve been the book Susan was talking about!
Reading this here might take too much time, so I decided to slide it in between my notebook and the piece of paper that Mujika gave earlier.
Aside from that, it would be much safer if I read it in my room.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“Have you found a topic while looking through the library earlier, Emma?”
Anna and I were on our way back to our rooms on the second floor, with our personal guards following closely behind us. Apparently, I’d taken quite a long time looking for the book that Yvette and Naila decided to go on ahead to rest, leaving Anna to wait for me all alone.
She was such a loyal friend. I hoped she could freely open up to me whatever was troubling her earlier.
“Oh, Uhm, not yet. But I got some ideas. Maybe I could start working on it tonight after dinner.” Clutching on to the book had never been so hard. I didn’t even know if this book was supposed to be out in broad daylight, but I had to take my chances if I was to give any details of it to Norman and Ray.
I was actually thankful that my day dress was exceptionally buoyant, or else I wouldn’t know where to hide this thin book. It was being covered by the layers of frills alongside my pad paper in my left hand.
How extremely uncomfortable to walk with one hand stapled to the side of my dress.
Upon turning to the corner of the corridor, we came face to face with Ray, who was in his usual attire. He was with an officer who was… weeping? He cleansed the tears in his eyes with the back of his hands and straightened himself out.
“Lady Anna and Lady Emma, a pleasure to see you both,” Ray greeted, hands casually buried in the pocket of his slacks.
“Ah, Emma. I think I’ll be heading to my room first. I forgot that my maids have prepared a dress in advance and that I was supposed to try it out after the library session. I’ll see you later!” She placed a hand on my shoulder before settling herself in a lowered curtsy towards Ray — eyes focused on the carpeted floor.
“Your Highness,” Anna simply said, immediately moving past Ray and the guard he was with. Officer Hayato seemed startled at Anna’s sudden initiative to run off to her room, merely giving off a bow to Ray, then heading after her.
Ray didn’t bother twisting his head, though his eyes moved sideways to where Anna passed by him.
Were they still in a fight? I couldn’t imagine anyone getting on Ray’s bad side.
But Anna did save his life, so he might’ve been going easy on her for some reason.
My thoughts were halted in space when the officer standing next to Ray was suppressing his cries. It looked like he was in deep pain.
Ray sighed, exhaustion emanating out of him. “Officer Don, why are you still crying? You’ve got rounds to do and here you are still shedding tears.”
“I miss Lady Conny, Your Highness! She has been such a real sweetheart and I can’t imagine what she could’ve lacked in order for her to be sent home!” Officer Don miraculously pulled out a handkerchief in his pocket and blew his nose in, sending Ray’s expression in pure, utter disgust.
“Please don’t blow your nose ever again in near proximity to me, or I’ll strip you of your Elite Force status. And if you have problems with my brother’s choices, direct it to him.” Ray massaged his temple forcefully, and I couldn’t stop myself from grinning at how he was handling the ordeal he was being slipped into.
Ray noticed this. His left hand shot up. “Officer Don, Officer Oliver. Will you excuse Lady Emma and me for a moment? I’d like to discuss something with her. I’ll escort her back to her room.”
The two of them turned cluelessly at each other before bowing down devoutly to their commander. Officer Don must have been Conny’s personal guard. And for him to react like that must have meant that they shared a really close friendship during her stay here.
“It seems our royal planner has given all of you your first assignments,” Ray said with a teasing smile. His eyes hovered over to the side of my hand where I was clutching deeply to the frills of my dress.
“Uhm, yeah. Anna and I did some research back at the library, but everything was kind of limited.” I reasoned out.
“If that’s the case, I could give you access to the Main Library of the palace. It has more sources than you could ever imagine. Maybe it could be of help to you.”
There was a Main Library? I was elated with the offer. Maybe I could find a topic after researching there. “Really? Then I’ll take you up on your offer then!”
“Just tell me when you’ll need to visit it. I’ll set up an arrangement.”
I was finally seeing the silver lining of being friends with Ray. I’d just have to set aside the fact that he was always up to no good with his senseless mockeries. “It would surely be a big help. You can’t imagine how left behind I am. All of the girls have done their research for today, actually.”
“Huh? All of the girls, you say. But I happened to see Lady Ayshe in Norman’s hands earlier. Must’ve been their date,” he nonchalantly voiced out.
Oh.
So that was where Ayshe was.
And that was where Norman was.
From the looks of it, Ray was gauging my expression. “Cat got your tongue, Emma?”
My expression twitched into a warmer one. “I don’t understand where you’re getting at, Ray.”
“Hmm, how odd,” Ray trailed on, eyes stilled on both of my hands, “you’re saying that, but your right hand is already clenched like you’re ready to thwack someone.”
I dropped my eyes to my right hand. I didn’t notice that I had unconsciously done it.
There was a slyness to how the end of his lips curled upwards. “See? Even you didn’t notice. It’s not even that hard to notice if you take the time to think it through.”
“Think what through?” Here I was again with another episode of the Ratri brothers’ mind games.
“You told me the other day that he was good enough for you.”
“Wh—What?! It was on impulse! You jokingly accused me of luring you in because I was interested in you!” I retorted, feeling my face heat up with memory.
“And your preference for Norman just suddenly came out of the blue? I certainly didn’t put words in your mouth.”
I found myself looking around the corridor, hoping that Norman wasn’t within earshot of this conversation. I didn’t know what Ray’s point in this conversation was.
Ray narrowed his eyes at me, rubbing his chin in disbelief. “My, my. I didn’t expect you’ll be too much work. Should I give you a little push?”
A little push? “What do you mean?”
“All right, if you insist.” Ray took a step forward, bending to get closer to my ear. “I’ll give you a hint since we’re friends and all that. Deep down, do you only really think of my brother as a friend?”
My mouth hung agape at the question. Ray knew my setup with Norman?!
“W-what? How!?”
He finally took a step back, and I was thankful for that since my heart was doing that endless stammering again.
Why was this always happening?
“We’re brothers. We tell each other everything. Though, he didn’t mention that you were the one that offered him friendship. But seeing as how much of a reaction I got from you, there’s no more doubt in my mind that it was you.”
I was pushing myself to be composed. “See! You already know my setup with Norman. We’re very good friends, so I want the best for him. I’m going to help him find the perfect wife among the remaining girls.”
“Hmm,” his lips turned down, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, “but are you really okay with that? Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?”
“What are you trying to s—"
“Ray? E—Lady Emma?”
We both whirled our heads in the direction of the voice, and I almost gasped when it was Norman.
Ray whistled out; his chin jutted. “Ah, brother, we were just talking about you. Emma here is actually quite hilarious. And please stop trying to call her with formalities. Your slip-ups are getting old.”
I widened my eyes at Ray, motioning for him to shut up. He lowered his head down, trying to stifle his laughter.
Norman raised an eyebrow. “What did I happen to miss?”
“Ah, nothing really! I just happened to stumble upon Ray here when I came back from the Women’s Room!” I waived off the tension I was feeling. “Ah, I think I should be heading to my room now! I’ll see you, uhh, when I see you both.”
“Emma —”
I didn’t bother twisting my head around for Norman’s call. It was hard enough to run with a busy hand that was grasping onto the book that was hidden under all the layers of my dress. The only thing on my mind was getting out of there.
Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?
Everything started becoming uncomfortable. Different.
Why was I so self-conscious now?
Why couldn’t I look him in the eyes?
And just why was I letting Ray’s words fickle with my mind?!
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Eighteen:
“Just like you, I want my brother to find an exemplary wife to have and to hold. That’s why I’m going to help you out on your little mission, Emma.”
What? He was going to help me find Norman’s wife?
“Really? You’re willing to help me? But I already have my best bet.”
His expression turned curious. “Best bet? Who?”
“The pretty blonde that saved your life! Anna!” I pointed at Anna’s position, where she was laughing comfortably with Violet and Jemima.
I might’ve been imagining it, but the side of his lips twitched, and his eyebrows were knitted downwards. “Lady Anna, huh?”
Chapter 18: The Unforeseen Subtraction
Notes:
I've been exceptionally busy.
With the upcoming Noremma zine, other ongoing fics, and a horrendous personal timetable on my plate, I've purposely given up on being a stickler for my fic updates. But I do plan on trying to uphold my pledge to update this fic on a triweekly basis. So far, I've managed to pave my way through.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been a week and a half since our debut in the Tifari Report.
Nothing much had happened, aside from my ridiculous attempts at trying to hide from Norman as much as possible.
It wasn’t as if I wanted to! But whenever he came near, my body tensed in place. I couldn’t even keep a straight face without averting my eyes every five seconds. He had asked me on numerous occasions if I was feeling well or all right, but all I could do was nod shamelessly. I still hadn't even managed to thank him for carrying me back to my room when I fell asleep on him during our stroll in the Alstroemeria Garden.
For some reason, my maids kept giving me desserts in the afternoon.
It did lighten up my sour mood.
I tried assessing these feelings on my own, and I almost came close to asking Gilda and Gillian as to why I was acting this way but decided to figure this out on my own.
This was all Ray’s fault! That question that he threw the last time we talked kept circling in my head!
Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?
What was that supposed to mean?
I was Norman’s friend. Of course, I would want the best for him.
But I’d admit, something was extremely off with me these past few days.
I just couldn’t put my finger around it.
And because of that, I still hadn’t been able to finish reading the book I got from the library. It was hard to read it when my maids were always with me. I was going to have to ask them for some quiet time one of these days.
But so far, all I read was information that was already knowledge to the public — which meant it was the basics of what Mujika already told us.
What did Susan want to show me?
Three knocks and I was instantly thrown back into reality.
“Lady Emma, someone is at the door for you,” Officer Oliver announced from outside the bedroom door.
I was already wearing my day dress for the day, so I supposed I was decent enough to welcome visitors. Gillian finished tucking the last pin on my French bun before I went over to the door.
The last person I expected to be my visitor was Krone.
“Lady Emma, it’s been a while,” she greeted through the malicious grin that sent shivers down my spine during the first time we met. “I congratulate you on passing the first elimination. Your mother was certainly elated to hear that you’re following her footsteps.”
How on earth did Mom know that? Our next appearance for the Tifari Report hadn’t been scheduled yet so she shouldn’t have been informed of it.
“Ah, I can see the question on your face. I met your mother the other day. Though I wasn’t planning on telling her anything, she was quite… persuasive that I ended up telling her that you were safe from elimination. Oh! Aside from that, I went to pick up these.”
She shoved her hand to the insides of her duffel bag and brought out a stack of envelopes neatly bundled up by a burlap string.
“These are letters from your family.”
My mood immediately lightened up as I untied the burlap string from its knot.
In total, there were three envelopes; one was from Mom, one was from Dad, and the last one was from Sherry and Carol, which I thought might be a combined letter from my siblings.
When I said in my letter for all of them to write me back, they really did!
“Wow, thank you for making sure I received them.” This was the first time I was actually glad for Krone’s presence.
She looked pleased with my reaction, proceeding to zip her duffel bag shut. “Well, then. I shall take my leave. I hope you make it far, Lady Emma. You have quite a fanbase out there.”
Krone was already headed out to Michelle’s door before I could even ask what that was about.
Still, the fact that I received letters from my family brought me closer to home. I settled down on my bed and began to open the one that had Mom’s name on it while Gilda and Gillian tidied up. It was a sincere way of giving me privacy.
My Lovely Daughter,
I’m pleased to hear that you’re trying your best to behave yourself. Though, your father and I were betting whether you’d be sent home after the first day or not. Your father won, just so you know.
Your father doesn’t know the content of this message, so I’ll be direct with you, Em. He’s in and out of the house, often coming home late due to work he says. Your father’s condition is somehow getting better. Not that much progress, but he’s getting there. You’ve been there for over three weeks, and the compensation we got from the palace has made everything easier for us, financially speaking.
But this isn’t a message telling you to voluntarily exit yourself as a candidate! Have fun while you’re still there. You just might find what you’re looking for.
And when you come back, let’s exchange Choice experiences.
That is if you’ll really go home.
I’m still expecting wonderful things from you, Em.
Love,
Mom
I wasn’t expecting Mom to be all touchy-feely, but Dad’s improving condition was already good news! Her letter might’ve meant to be sweet, but it wasn’t the reassurance that I wanted to read. But I guessed she would never stop wanting more for me. Maybe that was what mothers did in general.
I moved forward to Dad’s letter, already looking forward to the waves of emotions that his letter contained.
Sweetie,
I’m happy to hear that the palace has been treating you well. If another day had passed by and we still haven’t heard from you, I would’ve gone to the palace myself and requested that you be sent home with me that instant. Your safety is still my priority, after all.
Nothing much has changed since you left for the palace. Your sisters miss playing tag with you, though. But seeing your face on the latest Tifari Report did make Carol cry. You were absolutely lovely there, Emma. It was surprising seeing my eldest daughter in a gown with her hair tied up.
Beautiful. Just so you know, whatever path you take, I’ll always be proud of you.
I know you’ve been doing your best there, but if everything is too overwhelming or too much to bear, you can always come home. We’ll welcome you with open arms.
We miss you, sweetie.
Win or lose, you’ll always be a princess to us.
Sincerely,
Dad
“Oh, Dad.” That was all it took to unleash the worry, the fear, the sadness, and the uncertainty. Dad always knew what to say.
I saved Sherry and Carol’s letter for last. I was sure they had more to say than Mom and Dad combined.
Emma!
We were so happy to receive a letter from you! When we learned about the rebel attack in the palace, Mom and Dad couldn’t sleep a wink! Well, mostly Dad. Mom was more composed, I think. Maybe because she already experienced it first hand back then!
It’ll be nice to hear your voice again. I miss playing with you! It’s been so quiet since you left. How’s the competition going? Have you made lots of friends there? Do you have a best friend? How was your date with Prince Norman?
You were so pretty during the Tifari Report, Emma! You have to tell me who made your gown! My sense of fashion must thank them for making you all pretty on stage!
And gooooooooosh, Prince Norman was so handsome! I have to know if you’ve kissed him yet! I bet he’s the best kisser in the whole wide world! If he becomes my brother-in-law, I’m sure you guys will have beautiful kids!
Carol doesn’t want to say much. She’s always crying because you aren’t around and I’m starting to get jealous since I’m still here!
Anyway, write to us soon, okay? We love you, Emma!
Sherry & Carol
Why did I expect Sherry would be any saner than Mom? Kissed him? I’d only known Norman for a little over three weeks, and although he was my friend, I didn’t think he’d like to kiss me. The mere thought of it was sending me all sorts of strange feelings.
Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?
Ugh! Stupid Ray with his stupid words!
This was all his fault!
• •━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“A little closer to His Highness, Lady Yvette.”
The flashbulbs went off again, capturing another side of Norman and Yvette in a pose. The photographer kept snapping photos of them from different angles, filling the room with so much light it was almost blinding.
The photographer took a good look at his shot. “I think this will do. Who’s next?”
Yvette giggled as Norman gave her a smile before she came down the platform. Barbara came striding in, her hair with streaks of white curling to the front of her face as she scooted closer to Norman.
We’d been told the day before that we were required to be part of this photoshoot in the Tulip Garden, mainly for the amusement of the public. So this afternoon, that was what kept us all busy.
There had been an editorial in a newspaper that explicitly stated what the majority of the public expected out of the new princess. According to that editorial, Norman needed to be seen with a lady who looked astounding and photographed well with him — someone who appeared as royal as he was.
So that was why all twelve of us were lined up in the same dresses: cream-colored, lap over short sleeves, ball gown with a heavy red sash that went across our shoulders, taking pictures with Norman one by one. These photos would be printed in the same newspaper that housed that editorial, and from there, the public was going to choose who was the lady that they deemed would complete the picturesque frame next to Norman.
I was going to be next after Barbara, and I wouldn’t have minded it. The moment she reached him on the platform, she already had her hands entangled on his arms and whispered something to his ear. Whatever it was, Norman started laughing quietly and the photographer had gotten a good reaction out of him. It was strange to see them like that. I wasn’t a tattletale, but it was hard seeing Norman get along with someone who had such a horrible personality.
These feelings… were just too weird.
“You are looking rather pouty,” Ray spouted from the back, sending me jumping up.
“Don’t you have a palace or a kingdom to protect?” I frowned. I was still in a bit of irregularity from our last conversation. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you want to pose with your brother as well?”
“We’ve had a ton of that since birth,” he stood firmly beside my seat, scanning the garden like a hawk, his vision finally fixating on the photographer doing his best to get the best angles out of Norman and Barbara. “You, on the other hand, will be having your first official photograph with him. You do not look the least bit excited for it.”
Here he was again with his chafing tone. “Everyone’s getting their photos with Norman. What difference will it make with mine?”
“Because among all these ladies, you are his trusted friend. And apparently, he told me that you have been quite aloof whenever he approaches. I wonder why.”
I gave him a pointed look. It was almost revolting how sharp Ray was. “No thanks to you. Your little riddle had me thinking about it all week!”
His face lightened up, delight crossing every facet of his face. “So, you were not that dense as I thought. Did you finally realize it?”
I hadn’t realized anything yet! All I got was confusion!
“Realize what? Because of that little question, it made me self-conscious around Norman when I shouldn’t even be! This is all your fault, Ray! I don’t even understand what’s wrong with me.”
“Oh, such accusations,” he feigned the shock and pressed a hand to his chest. “I only asked you a question. I have not even done anything… yet.”
There was a roguish smile on his face that I couldn’t quite decipher. “And what are you even planning on doing?”
“Just like you, I want my brother to find an exemplary wife to have and to hold. That is why I am going to help you out on your little mission, Emma.”
What? He was going to help me find Norman’s wife?
“Really? You’re willing to help me? But I already have my best bet.”
His expression turned curious. “Best bet? Who?”
“The pretty blonde that saved your life! Anna!” I pointed at Anna’s position, where she was laughing comfortably with Violet and Jemima.
I might’ve been imagining it, but the side of his lips twitched, and his eyebrows were knitted downwards. “Lady Anna, huh?”
“Yes! I feel like they’ll be a perfect pair. Don’t you think so, Ray?”
His lips finally curved into a challenging smirk, scouring my face for any reaction. “Is that what you really think, Emma?”
Ray’s question threw me off guard. Again. For a moment, I was at a loss for words. And almost instantly, his question from last week began bouncing back again in my head.
Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?
Ah! That question again!
“Just what is this all about now?”
“Keep observing. You are almost there, friend,” he simply said as he played with the tips of his fringe. “Since we are all taking pictures here, want to see something amazing? But you will probably see the comparison once it is out in the newspaper.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
Ray left me hanging as he strode his way to the photographer, making the poor guy flinch in surprise with the sudden tapping of a Royal Class on his shoulder.
“Lady Emma, you’re up next!” One of the organizers shouted, and I found myself looking over to the platform. Norman’s eyes bore into mine, and instantaneously, the whirling in my stomach commenced, followed by Ray’s question that had incessantly been circulating my mind since that day in the corridor.
I willed myself to focus, gathering up the layers of my gown in both hands as I walked towards the platform.
“Emma,” he said endearingly, a hand reaching out to me. “I feel like it has been a while since we bonded.”
“Oh, it doesn’t seem so!” My voice was shrilly. I closed my eyes to steady myself. I was acting way too weird and I didn’t want Norman to be worried anymore. “I know that you’re busy with your palace stuff, so it’s fine.”
“Yes, but every time that I do have the time of the day to visit you, you always seem distant. I thought you were not feeling well. So, I sent a couple of desserts to your room every afternoon, although I purposely told the attendants not to tell your maids that I was the one who ordered for it. I know sweets happen to cheer you up based on your preferences in the Dining Hall.”
So that was why I had so many desserts sent to my room!
Was he really keeping track of the things that I preferred to eat? Was I really such a glutton?
“Look at the camera, please,” the photographer called out.
But that wasn’t the photographer’s voice.
I whipped my head to the front and saw that Ray was holding in his hands the photographer’s flashy camera.
“Ray, what are you doing?” Norman asked as confusion smeared all over his face.
Ray tilted his head, probably wondering what on earth his brother was asking him. “You know very well that I take pleasure in photography as a hobby. So, I thought, why should I not give my hobby a try out today? Now, would you mind posing with Lady Emma, dear brother?”
“Brother, why do you keep doing things that are not your job?” Norman pried inquisitively, shaking his head like he had no idea why his brother was acting this way.
Ray gave out a deadpanned shrug, angling the camera back to us. “Trust me, there’s no one in this kingdom who’s a better shot than me. Cameras or guns, take your pick; I am simply the man for that trade.” He muttered a ‘no offense’ to the photographer from earlier, but the latter was more than convinced that Ray was definitely the best shot in the entire kingdom.
It wasn’t surprising that Ray was good with guns. He was the Commander of the Tifarian Shield for a reason aside from being the second prince, but it didn’t look like he was into photography. But if he was volunteering to take our photo that badly, then how bad could it be?
I felt wobbly on stage because of sheer nervousness. I wasn’t going to be the princess! Why was I so nervous to get my picture taken next to Norman?
As if on instinct, Norman pulled me closer to him, his hand snaking around my waist. I wanted to step back because I feared he would be close enough to hear that unusual thumping my heart made, but Norman’s hand secured me in place.
“That is more like it!” Ray cheered from his position. It was hard to give him a glare when Norman was tucking me in his arms.
Also, it wasn’t much help that some of the girls were looking at us all warily. Was it because they weren’t held the same way? I felt my nerves suddenly shooting through the roof.
Norman raised my chin up, making all the entirety of my vision solely on him. “If you’re feeling nervous, just look at me. Nothing else should matter, Emma.”
I guessed it was meant to calm me down, and it somehow did.
Norman was right on that note.
When I focused everything on him with a smile for the camera that very moment, nothing else mattered.
I just hoped Ray was an immaculate photographer like he said he was. Otherwise, my awkward struggle on stage was for naught.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“Prince Norman’s so dreamy!”
“That was the first time I ever got so close to him outside of the official dates!”
“Even his brother is so handsome up close!”
The swarms of praises and adoration circulated the Women’s Room after the photography session we had at the Tulip Garden. Most of them were still gushing at Norman and Ray’s presence earlier.
With them together in one place, it was a lethal combination.
My eyes had continuously strayed to the entrance of the Women’s Room. The mismatched pair of Barbara and Naila brewed trouble for me. It looked like they were having a serious discussion by the closed-door based on the wrinkles that formed on Naila’s forehead.
Were they fighting?
From the little group formed around me, the topic wasn’t as far away as the rest of the girls were concerned.
“So, you all have to admit that Prince Norman and Prince Ray come neck and neck when it comes to their level of handsomeness,” Violet daydreamed, her hands clasped together like she was thankful for their very existence.
Jemima squealed next to her. “I never thought I’d get to see Prince Ray holding another thing aside from a gun. Seeing him hold that camera made me imagine him as a regular guy.”
Ray was anything but a normal guy.
She waved a hand at Anna, who was seemingly out of it today. “What do you think, Anna? Don’t you think Prince Ray is such a catch?”
“He’s okay,” Anna timidly answered, her eyes moving slightly towards the window where she was seated next to, a cup of tea in hand. She had been awfully distant these past few days.
“Are you okay in the head, Anna? How can you look at Prince Ray and plainly say he’s just okay? I’d snag that snack if Prince Norman wouldn’t choose me.”
I fairly remembered having this same discussion with all of them just before the rebel attack, and Violet still hadn’t changed her mind to pin herself to Ray if ever Norman decided to eliminate her.
I wasn’t expecting any reaction out of Anna, but her lips were pressed in a line and her eyebrows were furrowed as she fully turned her position to face the outside of the glass window.
It had been like this for a while. Whenever I asked, she would say she was fine and it was nothing. Maybe she was having a bad day? A week? I mean, we could all have it, after all.
“I think Anna’s tired,” Jemima laid on, examining Anna’s current state.
Suddenly, in just a blink of an eye that I would have missed if my line of vision wasn’t directed at Jemima, Naila had reached up and slapped Barbara across the face.
Audible gasps infiltrated the Women’s Room, including mine. Some of the girls hadn’t witnessed it, but the sound that came with it was enough for most of the girls to jerk their heads on impulse.
Yvette had a hand over her mouth. “Naila…”
Naila often bickered with Barbara just like me, but this was the first time things escalated physically. Naila, with her hands still quivering from the impact, slowly comprehended what she had done and slumped to the floor, stunned. We were always reminded never to physically assault a fellow Chosen, no matter how grave the discussions were. She would probably be sent home.
Naila wasn’t the type to be aggressive. Unquestionably, she had been provoked from whatever her discussion with Barbara was. But no one was within earshot from their position at the door to stand as witness to their exchange. It would be her word against Barbara’s, but Barbara would have a roomful of people who could back up that she had been slapped on the face. There was just no way to salvage this incident.
Even though Naila was a Poacher, she had been extremely sweet and always exerted effort to better herself in this competition. And now it would all be for nothing.
Naila began crying in silence as Yvette scampered to the floor to comfort her.
Barbara knelt gracefully to where Naila and Yvette were glued to the floor, whispered something to her ear, stood up as soon as she knelt, and conclusively settled everything by swiftly leaving the room, probably to tell Naila's wrongdoing against her.
Naila was gone before dinner.
And just like that, we were down to eleven.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Nineteen:
“She should be here somewhere…”
“What could she be doing in the Archives Section?”
“Maybe she wanted more reference.”
Echoes of faint mixed voices filled my ears as I carefully tried to take the microform from its placement, quietly unplugged the microfilm reader, and crudely threw the white sheet over the machine. I had enough information today thanks to this library!
I quickly hid the microform back to its box but hearing the simultaneous clicking of heels, I decided to just let the box drop dead on the floor.
“Emma! There you are!” Anna came into view, followed by two figures at her back.
Chapter 19: The Discovery Within
Notes:
This took quite a while. Thank you for still giving it a read!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Today was particularly out of the ordinary.
Our personal guards, who I knew were all part of the Elite Force of the Tifarian Shield, were sent to the training grounds. This was a mandatory requirement once a week as per Ray’s announcement during our debut in the Tifari Report, a way to enhance and strengthen the security of the palace.
So, all of the Chosen were stuck with regular palace guards that had a different schedule for their mandatory training.
Aside from that, it felt like nothing happened when I came to the Women’s Room the next morning straight after breakfast. Aside from Yvette’s tear-stained eyes from Naila’s departure last night, nothing else was considered different. And since Naila wasn’t here anymore, Yvette found comfort in Alicia and Michelle since the latter also lost Olivia a few weeks ago.
The Upper Classes, composed of Barbara, Ayshe, Paula, and Sonya, were busy chattering in the corner of the room. They were really the definition of what people in high school would label as untouchable. If you’d ever dare, you’d get the same mistreatment as Naila did.
As for my group, we were particularly quiet.
Well, Anna and I were.
Violet was busy ranting as to how her maids had been incessant on clipping her hair every morning. “I swear my maids are trying to turn me bald! I like my hair all wet and shaggy!”
“Do you think Prince Norman will like your hair in that way? Your maids are trying to make you stand out, of course,” Jemima reasoned out, knuckles resting on her chin.
Palace maids that I rarely saw a glimpse of came in, carrying a tea set over a tray. They made their way to every group of girls and placed everything delicately on our tables.
I muttered a small thanks before indulging myself in one. Tea wasn’t something I’d drink in the height of the day, but my nerves had been all over the place and I guessed it would somehow calm down my nerves. Mom did say that tea always helped her calm down.
Just one sip and I abandoned the thought that it was ever going to be of help.
Susan’s parting words haunted me every day like a shadow of a nightmare, and Ray’s exhaustive questions kept burning at the back of my head like an old record player.
A lot of things were bothering me, and this tea wasn’t helping at all!
Before the maid who gave us our tea left, she went for the remote and turned the television on. She probably thought that the Women’s Room was eerily quiet for a group of eleven ladies.
“Three rebel attacks from different locations in District Goodwill Ridge! All in one day!”
All of our attention was now directed to the screen, the murmurs and whispering subsiding as we listened intently to the news.
“Sadly, a total of fourteen deaths were recorded in all three attacks.”
Fourteen deaths in a day?! The rebels were certainly persistent to aim at three locations in just one go.
It was sickening, and it was probably the only thing that I shared with Barbara. Her hands were glued to the table as she gritted her teeth menacingly at the screen. This was her hometown after all. There was no one who would be more devastated than her.
My thoughts traversed to my family. I knew the palace had stationed guards to every cornerstone of my house, but the gnawing pain that any day rebels would attack District Grace Field sent shivers down my spine.
“Estimation from our experts say that the death toll would’ve been higher if not for the group of masked vigilantes that have presented themselves in the nick of time to fight off these rebels! Before we could even conduct an interview, they were quick to leave the scene!”
A group of vigilantes that were rescuing people?
Was it possible —
“We managed to catch up to one of them and tried to get an interview, but he was reluctant to give one. Nevertheless, we got the name of their group! Here’s a clip from that encounter!”
The scene changed. An unedited clip was shown after.
“Sir, would you like to discuss what made you rise to the occasion and fight off the rebels?”
“......”
“What is your goal here? You could’ve left the deed to the Tifarian Shield, but you took it within yourselves to save the day!”
“......”
“Can we at least get the name of your group, sir? You’ve made an impact on the community of District Grand Valley and this cannot be simply overlooked!”
“N....”
“N?”
“NL Resistance.”
The high-pitched screeching noise of the chair I was seated on seconds ago was heard as soon as I stood up, my hands smacking the top of the table with such force, resulting in heads turning my away.
“Ah, sorry,” I mumbled shyly and sat comfortably back in my seat.
This group! These vigilantes!
They really did exist!
Anna placed a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Emma? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Could this be the group that Susan was talking about? Was this the same NL Resistance she mentioned?
“Y—yeah, I just felt kind of woozy. I think I’m heading off first to rest,” I said as an excuse as I began to stand up much more quietly compared to the first time.
“Oh, all right,” she looked at me with a hint of skepticism, “we’ll see you later, then.”
I had to finish the remainder of that book right away and get some answers.
And maybe work on my historical event essay that I guiltily left untouched.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Even though I had asked Gilda and Gillian to give me time for myself, the solitude was of no use.
First, I still had no event-worthy topic to make an essay out of. It had to be something inspiring or insightful to read.
And second, I was almost at the end of the book — three pages more and I was done, but there wasn’t anything that could be deemed new information.
The book discussed how the ancestral family of the Ratri came to be known; how the former King Julius Ratri was a tyrant but loved his family wholeheartedly; how former Prince James died during the last war; how the rebels were apprehended and beheaded for treason; and, how King Peter, who was the second son, arose to the throne when his older brother and father died.
Just like from our last history class.
What was I missing out on?
I went ahead to the last page and was surprised to see a newspaper clipping tucked in its center. Its mild surface had scratches and faded marks that would give anyone a hard time to clearly indicate what it was about at first.
One thing was clear as day. There were people who were forcefully kneeled to the ground on the photo of this news clipping.
What made my stomach turn was the large apparatus that stood tall in front of the number of people secured with stocks at the bottom of its frame, their necks positioned directly below its blade.
So this was what Susan was talking about when she said it would be somehow disturbing.
No doubt it was an execution through guillotine, one of the abolished forms of the death penalty in 1981 until King Julius Ratri brought it back during the last war in 2029. He wanted every single rebel gone to the point he resorted to bringing back a controversial way of conducting punishable death.
On the uppermost part of the newspaper clipping laid the date of the photo.
June 12, 2029.
I remembered that this was the historical date when the war between the kingdom and the rebels ended.
Were the people in this faded photo actually Leuvis Core and his forces?
Was this what Susan wanted me to see? What was so special about this news section?
But this was a torn newspaper clipping! Just how will I be able to get a whole newspaper issue that was dated two decades ago?
“Emma?” A muffled voice outside my doorway called out, followed by soft knocks on my door.
I tucked the newspaper clipping back to its original placement and hid the thin book under the bed. After taking a sneak peek in the mirror, I found myself presentable enough to welcome any guest. My maids would definitely be proud of me.
Turning the knob and pulling it slightly, I instantly locked vision with Anna’s bright blue eyes.
“Anna! Did something happen?” I asked, burning with curiosity.
“Oh, no! Nothing much. I’m sorry it came that way,” she had both hands waving dismissively at my inquiry. “I — uh, I still don’t have enough resources for my historical event essay, and I was wondering if you wanted to go to the library with me.”
Ah. I thought she was in trouble or something. “Oh, sure! We can go to the Women’s Room together! Just let me get my notes first and —”
“Oh, I was actually inviting you to the Main Library. Y-you see, uhh, I came across R—Prince Ray along the corridor. We started… talking and I might’ve mentioned I was having a hard time looking for Zack’s bibliography for the historical event essay. Then he said that you mentioned you were having trouble with yours, too. And seeing that the library in the Women’s Room had limited resources, he offered to accompany us to the palace’s Main Library.”
Why on earth was Ray bugging Anna again? The last time I knew, they were in some sort of row, but now they looked like they were well acquainted.
Or even friends.
When I didn’t answer back as quickly as she may have hoped for, she continued on. “I would go alone but—Uhm, you know that it isn’t proper to be alone with another guy that would look too intimate in the eyes of others.
Then, it finally hit me.
Maybe I could make some progress with my essay in a new environment. I hadn’t seen the Main Library, and Ray did say that the Main Library housed more sources than anyone could ever imagine.
In addition to that, there was a possibility I could get more intel on that news clipping! The archives section would surely have copies of outdated newspaper releases.
It was like hitting two birds with one stone!
Anna was gauging my reaction based on how she bit her lip and excessively blinked her eyes in anticipation of my answer. We hardly did anything outside our ‘princess-in-the-making’ duties so this was another reason to catch up, and there was a chance she could open up what had been troubling her for the past few days.
“Sure! Let me just get my pad and pens.”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Apparently, it was called the Main Library for a reason.
It was like an endless maze. Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward, color-coded with dots, fiction sections arranged in alphabetical order as far as the eyes could see. The melted white coating of the Corinthian Greek columns accented the rose gold-colored walls. Paintings of past generations hung proudly in order on the wall facing the spacious aisle. Black Roma lounge chairs with arm caps that encircled each area in fours were situated in every five sections where readers could comfortably sit for hours.
Definitely a state of the art. No other libraries in this kingdom could compare.
“You can scour the entire library for your topics if you have to,” Ray said in a pleasing tone, his hands stretched downwards on both sides as he examined our reaction with mirth on his face.
I had to be careful with calling Ray out loud without honorifics. Anna might think I would be being rude on purpose. It was a good thing that she went ahead to one of the History sections as soon as we got here.
“Don’t you have commander duties?” I asked without taking my eyes off a particular painting from the Ratri’s forefathers.
Ray scoffed from the back and it was so audible that the exasperation radiated in the air. “The Elite Forces are still undergoing their mandatory training so I’m free all afternoon. And wait a minute! Why do I detect annoyance in your voice when I am the one giving you free access to this library?”
I plastered a fake smile, turning my head in his direction. “You have been giving me too much to think about! How on earth could I not be annoyed, Your Highness ?”
It might have taken him a while to comprehend what I just said, but when he did, the corner of his lips twitched into a sly smile.
“So, have you given it some thought?” he asked as he came closer, finally seeing his figure from my left side as we stared onto the painting.
“No.”
“You’re not a good liar, Emma.”
“And you are?” I hedged.
“The best liar in this kingdom.”
His comment sent me smiling since Ray indeed was the best liar I had ever crossed paths with. He managed to evade Norman’s consistent probing when we caught them in the Tulip Garden a few weeks ago.
“I have to be honest. What you asked kept bothering me,” I admitted, eyes still focused on the features of the person in the painting. His face was familiar, maybe from the books I’ve read in History back then, but I couldn’t quite make out a name.
Ray merely raised and leveled down his shoulders from my rear sight. “Then, that means you’re getting there. If it hadn’t bothered you, then it simply means there was nothing to it anyway.”
He paused for a while before continuing. “And why are you staring into my uncle’s portrait?”
“Uncle? This is your uncle?” I prodded, pointing a finger at the painting’s face.
“Yeah. James Ratri, my father’s older brother and the person who was originally the heir to this kingdom’s throne. Someone’s not reading their history book thoroughly, huh?”
I nodded my head in understanding, not minding the taunt in his last sentence. “I wasn’t sure what he looked like. And our history classes didn’t really provide visuals. No offense to the King but —”
“Whatever you’re going to say, none taken. You must know by now how much Norman and I loathe our father,” he said with pure nonchalance. Ray really had no fears.
“— hmmm. Right. But whenever I come across this historical event, I keep thinking about how much of a hero your uncle was. He fought side by side with your father against the rebels even though he wasn’t really required to do so since he was the heir. He died protecting this kingdom. I’m sure that if he were the one to have ascended the throne, the Kingdom of Tifari would surely be different than what it is now.”
Ray snickered, slowly progressing to a fit of laughter. “My father is a really shitty ruler, isn’t he?”
“No wonder this palace is always under attack,” I supplied without adding anything further as I glanced at him.
Ray exhaled a long, slow sigh; his eyes closing for a brief moment before talking once again.
“History is a funny thing, actually.” His face contorted into a grim expression; eyebrows furrowed, nose wrinkled, and lips protruded. “Sometimes, not everything in the book is how things exactly escalated. Remember, Emma. History can be changed with just a whisper, a pen, a paper, and a person with power.”
I nodded at Ray, completely baffled. History had always been vague for the likes of me.
“Oh, there you are, Emma! I was beginning to wonder if I’ve lost you in this massive library!” Anna’s voice called out to me as she walked out gracefully from the M section of the library, a book in hand.
“Ah, I guess I should begin looking into mine as well.” I looked at Ray for assistance. “Say, Your Highness, I —”
He held a hand up before I could finish my sentence. “You can plainly address me as Ray, whenever you’re with Anna, as well. I gave her permission to drop the honorifics on me since we’re already friends.”
My head immediately shifted to Anna. Her eyes were widened at Ray. “I—I, Uhm, yes. We’re friends now.”
“Who am I not to befriend a lady who had saved my life?” Ray’s head was slightly leaned to the right, with a smile carved on his face as he continued to stare at Anna.
Oh. So, they were friends now, too! It was good that they stopped discreetly quarreling like last time. And, I no longer had to play it safe with addressing him formally.
“This is great! We’re all casual friends now!” I said, completely enthused. But why did the atmosphere feel so thick? “Anyway, Ray. Where is the Archives Section of this library?”
His brow curled upward with my question. “Archive Section? It is next to the Media Section. After the Z section, take a left turn.”
“Gotcha. Next to the Media Section then after the Z section, take a left turn. Easy-peasy! Thanks, Ray! Keep Anna entertained while I do some… research.”
“Wait, Emma —”
“Sure, Emma. Take all the time in the world if you need to,” Ray commented through a sneer, his eyes displaying that all too familiar taunt. He'd better not start anything that would begin another row with Anna!
It wasn’t a hard task finding the Archives Section if I followed through Ray’s navigation instructions. But it sure was eerie when the whole area I was walking in through was silent, with only my heels doing the clicking against the faux wood tiles.
Newspapers with dates going back decades ago would probably be stored someplace it couldn’t be easily accessed with bare hands.
Naturally, it would tear apart.
I heard that there was once a device used for reading documents stored as microform, and it had become increasingly important in the development of films as well as storage of archived newspapers. Though it was known to be obsolete in this generation, there could be a similar one lying around here if the Main Library did store most of the relevant and extensive information all over the kingdom.
After a few more walking, I came across the Media Section, where all movies, documentaries, and clips were kept. The dangling signage that said ‘Archives’ came into view and I narrowly made my way in.
I had to hand it to the palace personnel. Even though this place was literally a ghost town, they still managed to make the area spotless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a bulky thing covered in a white sheet. Ray technically gave me the freedom to do research through any means possible so there wouldn’t be any harm in me putting my hands where they didn’t belong.
The only thing I left out was that I was doing two kinds of research at the same time.
As soon as my hands were on the edge of the white sheet, I pulled it swiftly with much force and flung it to the ground, automatically coming face to face with what I assumed was the microfilm reader based on how it looked like in one of Mom’s history books. Laminated cardboard that embossed written instructions were laid out across its surface, most likely for anyone who didn’t have any idea as to how to get it running.
It was perfect! Now, all I needed to do was to make it work.
But first, I had to find the microform dated back to June 12, 2029.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It took a while but was finally able to locate the June 12, 2029 microform after rummaging through four boxes of it that dated back to the year 2029.
Apparently, microforms per year were divided into nine boxes, stacking forty microforms in each box. It wasn’t much help either that I had to forage one of the 2029 boxes on one of the top shelves. I had to use that wheeled ladder that made me all wobbly as I made my way to the top.
After plugging in the machine and making sure that it wouldn’t accidentally explode on my face, I gently pulled the carriage assembly until the little glass plates popped open and placed the microfilm reel on the left-hand spindle. I adjusted it a few more times through the rollers and between the glass plates before I pushed the carriage assembly back until it locked into place.
I had my fingers crossed the whole time as I waited for the newspaper image to cast itself on the screen.
Either that or I unconsciously broke the whole thing.
Relief washed over me as the image appeared onscreen, plastering the headlines on the old newspaper dated back on June 12, 2029. Good thing instructions were there or else I would’ve had to drag Ray back here.
Sure, this wasn’t remotely interrelated with my historical event essay, but I’d just have to deal with that later.
Dragging a chair to the microfilm reader, I plopped myself comfortably as I could and began doing my research. I continued to drag the lever down the screen, looking for the same news clipping I saw tucked earlier inside the book.
Ah! Page fourteen. Bingo!
I used the lever to adjust the position of the image and turned the ring around the lens to focus on the segment.
“The End of An Era: Rebels Gone for Good!”
It was the headline above the photo; only this time, it wasn’t all faded and wrinkly. Thank the heavens for this machine! I carried on with reading the passages underneath the photo.
“Leuvis Core and his forces, who all managed to infiltrate the palace earlier today, succumbed to the overwhelming drive by the Tifarian Shield led by Prince Peter Ratri and the next heir to the throne, Prince James Ratri.”
I kept forgetting that the Royal Class was only allowed two offspring: the eldest who was, without a doubt, the heir to the throne; and the youngest, who was required to learn the ropes of becoming a commander to the Tifarian Shield. No wonder King Peter was a sucky ruler just like Ray said. He wasn’t really meant for the throne in the first place!
“ Days before the war, Prince James recommended sentencing the rebels to life imprisonment as their punishment once apprehended. But King Julius had another thing in mind on the day of the punishment itself; the resurrection of the death penalty through guillotine!”
It was hard to swallow the lump in my throat. It would’ve been wise if they went along with Prince James’s idea of life imprisonment. At least, the families of those rebels could visit them and make them learn the error of their ways. It was no use thinking about it now. Prince James was long dead when the punishment for the rebels transpired.
There was a reason why the past king abolished the process in the first place. Why bother resurrecting it? Was the palace keen on removing every single opposition during that time?
“Wails from their families can be heard in the background as they were beheaded one by one, Leuvis Core being the last one to face his fate as he watched how his comrades dealt with the repercussion of their rebellion.”
Right below that paragraph, another photo was taken; a kid, probably six or seven, with tears trickling down from his eyes. I read the caption that came with the photo —
— and instantly froze.
“In this photo: Leuvis Core’s son battling and crying through the barriers to set his father free.”
How cruel for a young child to see his father go through something so horrendous. This had nothing to do with his father, but for the eyes of a young child that didn’t understand the entirety of a rebellion could surely be scarring!
Where could his son be now?
Huh.
Seeing all of these, I might just have a topic for my historical event assignment now.
“She should be here somewhere…”
“What could she be doing in the Archives Section? Shouldn’t she be in the History Section?”
“Maybe she wanted more details?”
Echoes of faint mixed voices filled my ears as I carefully tried to take the microform from its placement, quietly unplugged the microfilm reader, and crudely threw the white sheet over the machine. I had enough information today thanks to this library!
I quickly hid the microform back to its box, but hearing the simultaneous clicking of heels and soles, I decided to just let the box drop dead on the floor.
“Emma! There you are!” Anna came into view, followed by two figures at her back.
I was already expecting Ray, but I wasn’t prepared for Norman’s entrance. What was he doing here?
“Oh, why? Did something happen? I was just busy looking for… resources,” I alibied, focusing my vision solely on Anna since I could feel Norman’s stares piercing through my soul.
I wasn’t comfortable with this overly sensitive self-conscious state of mine anymore.
“Nothing really. But uhh, Ray and I were almost finished talking about my historical event essay so we were wondering if I could help out with yours.”
I gulped nervously. I hadn’t even done anything yet! I just figured out a topic! “Uh, yeah, I think I found the right topic, but I haven’t done any outline about it. But I’ll get to it. Just need more searching!” I reasoned out, my thumbs wrestling against each other.
“Were you planning on using the microfilm reader?” Ray asked from the back, his whole body slanted at the corner shelf for support.
The nervousness came crawling like red ants on my skin. Calm down, Emma!
“Planning to. Yeah. But I changed my mind halfway through. I guess I’ll search within the History Section now! Oh, N—Prince Norman, you’re here!” My reaction was so fake I could very much well drown in embarrassment!
Ray chuckled without as much as a warning. “I called my brother over because he’s the smartest person in this kingdom. He’ll know a thing or two about historical events. I hope I didn’t bother your date with Lady Barbara, brother.”
That made sense. He was with Barbara for an official date today, probably her second one. I already had my second one with him in the Alstroemeria Garden and I was the first one at that. There was still a sharp twinge that emerged within the depths of my stomach despite knowing that.
For the first time today, I finally had the guts to lock eyes with Norman, whose expression was unreadable. He didn’t even acknowledge his brother’s teasing! He was just there… staring at me.
He started opening his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the loud deafening sound of gunshots that could be heard from the Main Library’s thick walls and from our distance.
Norman immediately went to my side just as Ray did with Anna like it was something they had been used to, assisting as down in a crouched position, hands covering each ear.
What was happening?
Ray, in a calm demeanor, answered all of the questions that were coursing through my head.
“As you guys can hear, we are currently under attack.”
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty:
Norman continued to stare on, and I tried my hardest not to be conscious of his gaze. Yet again, he sighed; his eyes briefly closed for a moment before I was met again with the intensity of his blue hues.
“As much as I’d like to say I’m relieved that you do not despise me nor do you have an aversion to my touch, your reason for being so distant has had me sleepless for quite a few nights.”
Was I really that much trouble that it bothered him even when he had so many tasks at hand?
He tightened his hold around my hands. With pleading eyes, he asked me once again.
“Enlighten me, Emma.”
Chapter 20: The Greatest Divulge
Notes:
Hey, everyone!
We're finally approaching the climax of this fic, and I want to thank every single one of you who continues to read this little work of mine. Just a reminder that you have to keep a close eye on every detail starting with this chapter. It'll all be pivotal to the plot itself.
Merry Christmas to you and your families!
- Lyn
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“What do you mean we are under attack? Where are the palace guards, Ray? Where are the ladies’ substitute personal guards?”
Norman asked the question that failed to come out of my mouth. Both Anna and I were still processing the idea that rebels had managed to seep through the palace’s tight security once again, showcasing the fear in both of our eyes.
Ray had an arm over Anna; much like in a protective stance. We were under attack just as Ray said, but my mind wandered off to a rather ridiculous realization.
For some reason, Anna and Ray looked… really good together when they were that close.
I shook my head. Just what was I thinking?
I might’ve been staring too much because Anna caught me gawking at them maliciously, eyes squinting to their closeness, and it probably bothered her. She suddenly scooted away from him, with Ray shooting her a look of confusion.
I turned to look at Norman, who wasn’t the least bit bothered with what just transpired between the two. She was just being protected by Ray after all.
Maybe Anna felt guilty about being held by Ray when she was technically one of Norman’s girls?
Ray cleared his throat before answering his brother’s inquiry. “Their personal guards are still in training. But given the scenario, both their substitute guards and personal ones are probably subduing the rebels now as we speak. I brought my gun with me, so we will manage. For now, help me barricade the Main Library’s entrance.”
Through wobbly legs and shaking hands, we stood up from our crouched position and walked over to the Main Library’s entrance in between the bookshelves. Ray reminded us that it was better to be hidden in between tall shelves than just to walk mindlessly along the aisle. We didn’t know what the current scenario outside of the library was. It was better to listen to the Commander of the Tifarian Shield if we had any chance of survival without our personal guards.
“Norman, help me push this empty shelf over the door quietly.”
Ray collectively instructed his brother to make his way to the other side of the empty shelf in proximity to the entrance to block it off.
Norman’s eyes crossed paths with mine before I looked away automatically. A deep, audible exhale exuded him before he proceeded to help his brother in blocking the entrance.
Maybe I should try being of help, too.
I made my way towards Anna’s spot, where she was curled to the corner of the C section shelf, all shaken. Her head was bowed down, and her hands clasped together in prayer. Just looking at her, it was so easy to see that she was the most ideal princess candidate among all of us.
And though I didn’t want to be a princess, the thought of her becoming Norman’s wife wasn’t giving me the same excitement as it did before.
“Ah, Emma. Why are you standing there all by yourself?” Anna called out to me, sending my overly dazed state back to the current situation. “Come sit next to me. I’m sure you’re scared, too.”
I went over to her position and seated myself comfortably next to her.
For a moment, I forgot we were under attack due to the deafening silence that came after the loud couple of gunshots moments ago. Either the rebels had gone over to another place and left the Main Library unaccounted for, or they were busy tackling innocent servants and guards along the way.
Rebels never left the palace unscathed after an attempt of invasion; that was always the expectation. And the agonizing realization that I’d get to witness another set of dead bodies was enough to rattle my whole system.
Anna rested her head on my shoulder, releasing a long, pent-up exhale. “This past couple of weeks had been so quiet that I somehow forgot that rebels still existed. It’s scary, Emma. It’s scary that there will always be death every attack.”
“It’s okay to be scared, Anna,” I told her in response, while I tried to convince myself with the same words. “It’s okay to be scared for your life. For your family. For your friends. For every person you care for.”
Anna pressed herself closer to me, and I found my head slanting on top of hers. She crossed her arm with mine as we held on to each other dearly. In this peaceful space we shared, I thought of my family, my maids, my personal guard, the other Chosen, and everyone who wasn’t with me in this spacious library. I wondered if they were alright that very second.
We allowed silence to prevail over us for what seemed like endless minutes of staring into space. And while I was still trying to keep myself awake from the revelations I got from the microfilm reader earlier and from the sudden rebel attack, Anna had drifted off to sleep on my shoulder. She looked really comfortable sleeping, so I tried my best not to move too much.
With exhaustion finally taking over me, the last thing that my mind could register was the faint voices of people arguing and the sound of pointed-toe leather shoes clicking in the background.
“Hey, Norman. You have to see this…”
• •━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Vanilla.
Something smelt of vanilla. And I was fairly certain that Anna’s perfume wasn’t vanilla-scented. I had a habit of trying to understand my surroundings by smelling the environment before I opened my eyes after a deep slumber.
From what I remembered before dozing off, my head was comfortably nestled on top of Anna’s, and I was sure our arms were linked together.
But as soon as I opened my eyes, I was gravely mistaken on a lot of things that I thought was sure of; my head was definitely not leaning onto Anna’s anymore, and my arms were definitely not crossed with hers anymore — it was intertwined with someone else’s.
I didn’t know what happened while I was knocked out, yet I was sure I was with Anna and not with Norman — whose heavy breathing implied that his head was laid on top of mine.
My body instinctively moved on its own, freeing my hand from his hold and jerking away from him as fast as I could. I was gradually feeling the heat crawl to my face as to how close I was to him.
And how I was once again put in a situation where I was cuddled up next to him!
How did this happen?!
The rashness of my action jolted him from his sleeping state, and confusion echoed on his face. His eyes immediately affixed with mine, and this was one of the rare occasions I didn’t allow myself to look away.
“Apologies, this must have startled you,” he quickly uttered as he continued to scan my face for a reaction. He dipped his head down before continuing. “Anna fell off your shoulder after you both fell asleep, and Ray took it upon himself to lay her down on one of the couches. He advised that I lean your head onto my shoulder for your easement, and so I did. But you somehow gripped my hand during the course of your slumber and would not let go so I let it be.”
Seriously? Not only did he feel the need to serve as my sleeping post, but also allowed my sleeping self to hold his hand intimately like that! Could I be any more of an embarrassment?
I was sure my face plastered every bit of stupefaction one could decipher. After a few seconds of not getting any response from me, he pressed on.
“Your expression right now clearly disliked the scenario you were in earlier,” he let out a low sigh and avoided my gaze even more.
What?
When he raised his head to meet my eyes, there was nothing else there but dejection.
“I’m sorry, Emma. I didn’t think that you unconsciously holding my hand while asleep would severely repulse you.”
Wait! That wasn’t the reason why I moved away from him! How could I explain to him how confusing and flustering it was to find myself in that kind of intimate position with him?
“For some reason unbeknownst to me, I may have done something to offend you. Since that night in the Alstroemeria Garden, you have frequently avoided my gaze and my company, preferring to either be with Lady Anna or in your room. You hardly ever try to make any conversation that I opted to give you space for yourself. But after quite some time, I missed your company. I missed spending time with you, Emma.”
Words continued to evade my tongue. Why was Norman apologizing for something that was clearly a lapse on my end?
“Emma, please, if I had done anything to make you feel the need to always turn the other way, explain it to me. I’d like to understand why my mere presence causes you discomfort.”
His expression was agonizing to look at that I couldn’t take it any longer. Without much of a warning, I scooted back to where I was positioned before and held both of his hands in mine. Even though I’ve held him a couple of times before, the feeling this time was a lot more different.
I was suddenly conscious of my hands being sweaty because of nervousness.
“Norman, you haven’t done anything.” My voice laid out a tone that implied for him to look at me. “I—It’s me. I’m acting weird. I—I’m not completely sure but something’s wrong with me. Don’t blame yourself. You’ve been an exceptionally good friend to me, while all I did was… be weird.”
Norman continued to stare on, and I tried my hardest not to be conscious of his gaze. Yet again, he sighed; his eyes briefly closed for a moment before I was met again with the intensity of his blue hues.
“As much as I’d like to say I am relieved that you do not despise me nor do you have an aversion to my touch, your reason for being so distant has had me sleepless for quite a few nights.”
Was I really that much of a trouble that it bothered him even when he had so many tasks at hand?
He tightened his hold around my hands. With pleading eyes, he asked me once again.
“Enlighten me, Emma.”
There it was again.
That uncontrollable pummeling of my heart whenever I let myself stare at him even for a second longer.
When words still failed to come out of my mouth, he pressed a hand to my cheek. Its warmth was enough to stop my anxiousness altogether.
And when every bit of apprehension left my system, suddenly, everything made sense.
Are you really okay with matching him against other girls when deep down that’s not even the case for you?
Wait.
It couldn't possibly be —
Was I really —
I bit the inside of my cheeks and forced my eyes shut to control the surge of realizations dawning on me, along with the tremendous beating of my heart.
That was it.
So that was why I began feeling uncomfortable with his official dates; why I was no longer pushing excessively for Anna; and, why the thought of being only his friend gave me a gnawing pain in my stomach.
Internal chastisement wouldn’t be enough to smack some sense into me.
How could I be so stupid?
Why did it take me this long to get the answer?
And I just had to realize everything when rebels were scurrying to and from the palace!
Why was this happening now of all times?!
Now that I somehow knew of these treacherous feelings, looking at Norman was a lot… easier.
A lot less confusing, but a lot more troubling.
I guessed admitting it to myself that it was anywhere near possible was what made it hard.
I held his hand that was still planted warmly on my cheek and laid it down. “Really, Norman. You haven’t done anything at all to upset me. I’m just... in a really weird place right now.”
He frowned at my vagueness. “You are not being completely honest with me. I thought we were… friends.”
Friends.
I never thought that hearing that word now would be the most inauspicious thing to my ears.
“Of course, we are. And since we’re friends, I’ll tell you when I’ve completely figured it out, okay?” I assured him, though I wasn’t quite sure if I still had to figure it out.
In my head, all the pieces of the puzzle were together.
All that was left was how to act on it.
Norman’s expression was guarded; like he wanted to probe more out of me. But all that aside, I knew he would never force anyone against their will or if they weren’t ready.
And I definitely wasn’t ready to tell him these newfound... feelings.
Even just thinking about it was indescribable.
He squeezed my hand, just like he always did, and smiled softly. “I will hold on to your words. Until you are ready, I will wait. It brings me joy that you do not hate me after all, Emma.”
It was hard suppressing the elation from my lips.
Who would’ve thought that I’d find myself in this situation?
He released my hand and eased up. I rested my head against the shelf, with our shoulders barely touching.
After a couple more seconds of looking into his eyes, I realized I had to say something. I crossed my arms over my chest and laid my head down a little.
“I don’t think I can ever find it in myself to hate someone like you, Norman. You are everything good I never thought was possible in the Royal Class,” I answered.
I mean, Ray was good, too. But he was just absolutely cunning.
And while I did find an answer to that mind-boggling question from Ray, it only made things more complicated. For now, I’ll just have to keep it to myself and learn how to act on it.
If Dad were here right now, that was something I was sure he’d tell me. Not that we ever talked about boys before.
My thoughts were cut off when Norman’s index finger went to my chin, guiding it to meet his gaze. Because of our proximity, his face was only inches from mine. And with that single movement, I momentarily forgot how to breathe.
“Emma, what are you —”
“Oi, is the sleeping beauty awake yet?” Ray’s voice crossed through and for once, I was thankful for his interruption. A couple of footsteps later, he was in front of us, showcasing that usual condescending grin he had on his face.
“Oh, did I happen to interrupt something?”
Norman’s hand fell flat to the ground, releasing a dry exhale. “No, you were not.”
“Your expression, dear brother, is not convincing at all,” Ray mused, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously at me.
Now that I knew what his incessant questioning was all about, I could leer at him without any confusion. He really was cunning, but because of it, I learned something about myself that I thought I wasn’t capable of feeling.
Norman promptly stood up as he offered his hand to support me. “How’s the condition outside this library? Have you managed to contact Officer Hayato and Officer Oliver?”
“Yes. They have managed to subdue the rebels. I believe it is safe to come out now,” Ray said directly.
I had to hand it to him; he was a lot calmer this time around compared to the preceding rebel attack.
“Is Anna all right? Is she awake?” I asked, noticing that she wasn’t with Ray when he came here.
Ray nodded. “She is awake. That is another reason why I came here. She is looking for you.”
“Expected of Lady Anna, Ray. Who would not wonder when the last thing she remembered before slumbering was that she was tucked to Emma?” Norman’s lips quirked up, and Ray shifted uncomfortably from where he stood. “I presume she knows you carried her to the couch?”
Ray snorted, finally gaining composure. There was something in his voice that resonated with glee. “She knows. A nice reaction, actually.”
Norman shook his head, rather displeased. “Emma, I’d like to speak to my brother alone. Would it be all right if you check on Lady Anna’s condition? We will continue where we left off once everything’s settled.”
“Ah, sure. I should probably head over there now.” I nodded before I tore my sights off him.
Ray gave me the side-eye, his mouth curling in amusement as I passed him. “From the looks of it, I think you just figured something out.”
Heat crept all over my face and simply mouthed, “Shut up.”
He grinned in response and I went off to look for Anna, but not before hearing a little of their conversation.
“The palace is under attack but you are awfully calm, Ray. Do not tell me because she is —”
“I am always calm, Norman. And once again, your big brain is thinking too much. Perhaps, my favorite tea would calm you down.”
Were they arguing?
It wasn’t my place to eavesdrop, so I proceeded to walk towards where Anna was. I hoped she was feeling better. We both fell asleep because of fear and exhaustion. Luckily, we were with Ray and Norman, but I wonder how the others were fairing against the attack.
I shouldn’t worry. Ray had managed to contact our personal guards. It must’ve meant everything was well taken care of.
As soon as Anna caught a glimpse of my presence, she immediately stood up from where she was seated and approached me midway.
“Oh, Emma! I was so scared when I woke up and you weren’t next to me! Ray said that you wanted me to sleep somewhere comfortable, so he carried me here. You didn’t have to do that,” she reasoned out in her frantic state.
Eyes squinting in shock and confusion, I could only stare at her in my puzzled state. Although Anna sleeping on the library’s couch was better for her posture and comfort, why would Ray lie and say that I was the one who told him to carry her when the majority of that time I was busy dozing off myself?
I’d just have to ask Ray myself.
“I’m only glad that you got some rest. You immediately fell asleep on my shoulder earlier.”
Anna gave out a small laugh. “Thank you for worrying about me. But why didn’t you join me here on the couch? We could’ve shared it.”
I didn’t know how to answer that. Apparently, Ray only thought that Anna was the only deserving one to sleep on the couch.
I guessed I had another question to pry out of him later on.
“Ah, I was fine. Prince Norman was —”
Anna rolled her eyes jokingly before I could continue. “You have got to drop your honorifics with His Highness when I’m around, Emma. Don’t worry, I won’t tell the others.”
Oh, no.
Anna finally noticed it.
“Since when?”
She smiled enthusiastically at the affirmation on my end. “I heard him call you out in the Tulip Garden weeks ago with only your name, and there were a few slip-ups on your end, too. It seems that you’ve somehow managed to form a friendship with him. Ray and I are keeping scores until when the two of you would be the first to crack in public!”
Anna and Ray were keeping scores? They said they were friends, but I didn’t know they were that close! I just hoped they wouldn’t hang out between closed doors. Norman warned me about that the first time he knew of my newfound friendship with Ray.
“You and Ray… you’ve gotten quite close.” I was happy she found another friend in this competition, but something about it was bothering me.
I couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
Anna paused for a second, seemingly thinking. After a while, her genuine smile erupted from her lips. “He’s a bit sly and he’s certainly lacking gravitas when it comes to being a prince, but he’s fun to be with. We sort of formed a friendship while I tended to his wounds weeks ago, and we kind of hang out once in a while ever since. He’s a great company.”
I snorted with the praise she gave for him. “I guess he’s fun to be with. But he’s always full of sarcasm. Plus, that smug look! How can you stare at that without feeling annoyed?”
We shared a laugh and it was a sign that she agreed with my sentiments. But still, I had to ask. “Aren’t you afraid that Norman might get jealous when one of his Chosen is close to his brother?”
“You and Ray are close, too. Aren’t you worried?” she asked back.
“Ray and I are always bickering, whereas you guys are actually on a friendlier setup.”
Anna placed both hands on my shoulder, slightly shocking me with the action. “I might be the quietest Chosen around here, but I have my own observations, too. If there’s anyone he’d be jealous of being close to his brother, it’d be you, Emma. He favors you among all of us.”
“No, he doesn’t. We’re just really good friends.”
Friends.
Because that was what I offered him the day after I accused him of being a rebel the night before.
How funny that it was the same word I’d somehow detest now.
Anna continued to stare, her eyes widening with disbelief. “Ray was right. He didn’t go into the specifics, but you are a bit dense, aren’t you, Emma?”
What?
“Wait, what do you me—”
Suddenly, a call from outside of the Main Library disrupted our conversation.
“Your Highnesses! It is Officer Oliver and Officer Hayato! The rebels have been pushed back. All of you are now free to come out!”
Ray and Norman came out of the aisle where I left them. Just like earlier, Norman’s expression was still unimpressed with Ray, while the latter continued walking to the barricaded entrance with a self-satisfied grin, as always.
They both pushed the empty shelf to where it was originally situated and welcomed both our personal guards that looked like heaven and earth crashed upon them. They immediately bowed in the presence of two royals. Anna and I immediately walked over to the entrance to welcome them.
“Officers, are you alright? How is the situation? Was everything taken care of?” Ray asked coolly, not a single speckle of worry on his face.
Officer Hayato nodded earnestly and answered for both of them. “Everything is all taken care of, Commander. They only managed to breach the ground floor. We also received orders from His Majesty. He immediately requests the presence of his sons in his chamber.”
Ray scoffed at the demand and nudged his brother at the side. “Guess we will be attaining another round of sermon, huh?”
They both shared a look of understanding, which was weird considering that they were practically being sent to the King. And King Peter was a terrible father.
Anna came forward, eyes filled with worry. “W—will you be alright? I heard that the king —”
“We will be fine. Do not worry, A—Lady Anna.” Ray’s voice softened through the interjection, but I wanted so badly to roll my eyes that he almost made a slip-up.
Maybe Norman and I could also keep scores as to who’d be the first to crack between him and Anna in public. It was all our common denominators.
We were all just friends wanting to be casual in private and trying to be formal in public.
“Ladies.” Norman faced us as he spoke with a tone of decree laced within it. “I am afraid my brother and I must head on first. Your personal guards will assist you in your rooms once they assure you that each parameter is safe from any rebel. Dinner will be sent to your rooms for tonight. Any announcement will be directed through Mujika or your maids.”
Anna and I could only nod at them in affirmation. Norman and I shared a small smile before he went on ahead with Ray, who only patted Anna’s head and gave me a mocking smile. I leered at him as I continued to compare my friendship with him and with Anna.
That younger prince had his favorites when it came to friendships!
Norman and I always parted with a smile, yet this was the first time I felt saddened about it.
What on earth had become of me?
“Shall we, Lady Emma?” Officer Hayato questioned.
I cleared my throat, preparing myself physically and mentally for another gruesome image from the attack’s aftermath.
“Whenever you’re ready, Officer.”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
There was something a lot different from the aftermath of the attack.
The first attack that happened weeks ago was horrendous; blood spilled on the walls, glasses shattered all over the carpeted floors, and ammunition and bullets sprawled everywhere.
But right now, the palace seemed like it was solely ransacked; other than that, it was particularly… tamed, to say the least.
We were almost to my room when I had the decency to ask Officer Oliver what had transpired earlier.
“Officer, were you hurt during the attack? I heard you were training when it happened.”
“Yes, we were, my lady. But when the alarm came off, we immediately went for the defense.”
“How many were killed? I—Is it a lot more than the number of deaths than the first one?” I was sure Gilda and Gillian managed to hide. They were unbelievably quick and smart. They would know what to do.
But what about the others?
Officer Oliver looked visibly shaken but continued to answer my query. “None, my lady. I believe we managed to counter the attack of the rebels before they could have managed to do so.”
That stopped me in my tracks. “There weren’t any deaths? Not a single one? Is this true?”
“Yes, my lady.” He continued to look weirded out at my reaction.
This was really odd.
Rebels never left the palace unscathed. There would always be death, even if it were just one. And they attacked during the afternoon! Guards, servants, and maids would have probably been around but there wasn’t a single victim?
I rashly shook my head with the horrid thoughts. I should be thankful there were no deaths this time. There was no reason to worry. After all, Ray wasn’t the least bit troubled with the assault done in the palace today. He was confident with the tightened security he upheld ever since the first attack.
Officer Hayato once again stationed himself in front of me before opening the door just in case a rebel had managed to hide in my room. But upon seeing Gilda and Gillian crouched on the floor, he widened out the door for me to enter.
“I’ll be right outside if you need anything, my lady.” He bowed cordially before closing the door.
Gilda and Gillian came swarming as soon as Officer Oliver was out of sight and checked my arms and face for any sign of bruises.
“My lady! I was so scared! We heard that your personal guard was out in training and then there was an attack! We were worried about you!” Gilda shrieked, gripping my shoulders in the process.
“I was safe. I was with Norman, his brother, and Anna. They took care of us as we barricaded ourselves in the library,” I answered efficiently against her anxious retort. “How about you? Where did you two hide?”
“I hid on the fourth floor along with the other maids. Gillian and I got separated beforehand, but after the attack, we managed to find each other back here in your room, my lady.”
I turned to Gillian and it was easy to see how distraught she was. The ribbon on her uniform was undone and the pins on her hair were falling off.
From where did she come from?
Gillian took my questioning look as a sign to answer. “Don’t worry about me, Lady Emma. I managed to hide in the maintenance room on the third floor.”
There were a lot of things that happened today, and suddenly being confined to my room made me realize how tiresome was today.
I somehow learned about the mysterious news clipping from June 12, 2029, found a topic for my assignment, gained knowledge on Ray and Anna’s friendship, survived a deathless rebel attack, and figured out my feelings for Norman.
A lot has happened in a single day.
Just what more could this day bring?
“Lady Emma, we received a command from Miss Mujika earlier before you came here,” Gilda announced.
I took a seat at the edge of my bed, ready to hear what she had in store. “What is it?”
“Since an attack from the rebels had once again shaken the palace, another Tifari Report presenting the ladies of the Choice is being prepared.”
Ah. That was at least expected. We were entertainment for the kingdom after all.
“Okay. When will it be? A week from now?”
“No, my lady. You’ll be asked to be part of the scheduled Tifari Report on Friday. This Friday,” Gilda corrected it so as to not make any more confusion on my end.
My face probably registered every bit of shock this day had to offer. “That’s two days from now!”
Gillian whistled, but her face didn’t show off any worry. “Which is why we were tasked to prepare you for it, my lady. The Tifari Report on Friday will constitute a Q&A portion for the ladies. Aside from looking extremely pretty, the kingdom gets to see a glimpse of your ability to speak in public!”
I internally groaned.
It was just one after another.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-One:
“I like him.”
“As a friend?” she continued to comb my hair as she waited for my response.
I let out a steady breath as I eyed both of them simultaneously from the mirror's reflection. “I just realized it recently. It’s not a friendly kind of way anymore, I guess.”
“So, what you’re saying is —”
“I like him, Gilda.” I breathed out the words with full conviction this time. “I really like Norman.”
Chapter 21: The Lady in Grand Vermillion
Notes:
I had an on-and-off fever since the start of January and had only managed to finish this chapter today. I apologize for the wait.
Watch me edit this the morning after since this has been a very bad week and had no time to proofread. I was just really eager to finish this hahaha.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Lady Emma! Lady Emma! Today’s the day! The Tifari Report is today!"
My eyes had a hard time adjusting to the rays of light that shone from my bedroom window. I wasn’t particularly tired the day before, but the rushed pacing of our every movement in the last two days that passed proved to be more than the palace’s maids, guards, and servants could handle.
Because two days ago, the palace was once again attacked. And although the palace did not suffer any loss of life, it was another opportunity to divert the public’s attention
Although the Tifari Report was a usual show every Friday, we were once again required to present ourselves in one of its segments. It was our way of uplifting the kingdom through entertainment — a way to appease the public from doing any form of riot or public gathering. The King hated any form of opposition after all.
Only this time, we weren’t just going to sit down and stay quiet; we were going to be interviewed one-on-one by Lucas Brodeur on stage.
For once, I didn't mind getting dragged out of bed by my maids. Since today was the second time the Chosen candidates were to be seen on live television and we were going to be interviewed one-on-one by Lucas, all the ladies were expected to bring their A-game.
If I was by myself, I didn't even know if I had any game to bring to the table. If this happened a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve scoffed everything off and told myself that this was something I didn’t even want to do.
Now, it felt like I was carrying a different kind of pressure on my back.
Somehow, I wanted to look and do my best for today.
But I trusted my maids. And ever since last week's event that held all of us at death's door, I felt a lot closer to them now. They were like sisters to me, and for some reason, the palace didn't feel much like a prison anymore.
I popped myself out of bed and let them do away with me the everyday routine I was expected to go through. But only this time, everything was more thorough.
The usual hour bath I had turned into two hours. Rose petals were scattered on the surface of the water and essential oils were poured all over the bathtub. Instead of the usual cinnamon scent, everything in the bathroom smelled like vanilla. And after those two hours of being thoroughly scrubbed and endlessly lathered, I also came out smelling like vanilla. I couldn't get enough of it.
"We can't wait for you to see the dress we prepared for today's Tifari Report!" Gilda's smile was too wicked while they covered a towel over me.
"What do you mean?" I asked if there was a meaning behind it.
They shared a satisfied smug, their eyes mixed with proud and playful mischief. Gilda tied the end of the towel into a knot and fastened it at the back before bolting to the walk-in closet. She came out with a garment bag and based on how stout it looked; I was sure that whatever dress was inside would be outright puffy with layers.
"What is this about?" I asked as Gilda stopped in her tracks, her grin never leaving her face.
"Well, Lady Emma, if you must insist, inside this bag is the new dress that you'll be wearing tonight!"
I looked at them, confused. "Didn't you just finish doing one a week ago? You already showed me that one. Why did you change it?" Gilda had gotten used to my fascination with any day dress or evening gown that had a shade inkling to beige. And the gown that I was supposed to wear tonight was definitely beige.
So, what could this gown possibly be?
She must've seen the question on my face. Gilda giggled as she answered. "Well, I'm not much of a tattletale, my lady, so I'll let Gillian walk you through that route."
I turned my head to Gillian, asking for some clarity. Her cat-like smile was seeping through her lips as she tried to explain. "This is actually what we’ve been trying to hide from you, my lady. Well, I've been gossiping with the other maids and —" she eyed me sheepishly before proceeding, "— based on their assumptions, some of the Chosen candidates are trying to copy the way you present yourself, Lady Emma! When Gilda and I went down to do the final touches on your dress, we were shocked to see that most of the gowns for the Tifari Report were in varying shades of beige! So, we decided to change it up a notch!"
"What?" I gasped at the newfound information. Why did most of them decide to choose that color? Hardly anyone chose it since it was oddly plain and boring.
"To simply put it," Gilda reckoned as she zipped down the garment bag, "most of the ladies are trying to earn His Highness's favor by changing their usual preferences to that of yours, my lady. Which is something that we saw coming miles away!"
Gillian assisted Gilda as the zipper reached the end of its hold, revealing a gown that just happened to be the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on.
Saying it was beautiful would be an understatement. The gown was a shade of stunning, deep red; its silhouette accentuated the lines and glitters that stemmed from its hemline, climbing all the way to the waist, meeting the tutu-shaped frill that encircled its fringe. Its corset bodice was filled with more white glitters, making its way to the puffed balloon sleeves; something that I completely adored since long-sleeved gowns made me stuffy.
“T—this! Gilda! Gillian! You’ve outdone yourselves! I could’ve just worn the beige one!”
“And risk having you look exactly like the other Chosen tonight? Not a chance! You’re going to stand out tonight, my lady!” Gilda said in a deadset tone.
I pressed on, not thoroughly convinced with everything that was happening. “But, don’t you think this is a little over the top? And are you even sure that everyone is really going with a beige color?”
“Maybe not everyone,” Gillian supplied, “but I believe that most of them will opt for that color. They are trying to copy your fashion sense!”
“I don’t even have a fashion sense, Gillian. I’m presentable just because of you and Gilda.” It was just too much; the gown was ridiculously too mesmerizing for me to wear!
Gilda accosted me to the seat in front of the mirror, blow-drying my hair in the process of another explanation. “You often choose your gowns, my lady, and you'd always choose the plain ones. You'll only allow us to choose for you when it's the Tifari Report or when we have to push for it ourselves. And you hardly want us to put any makeup on you. I think the Prince prefers ladies that don’t really need to try hard.”
It suddenly dawned on me how my newfound feelings managed to cripple its way to my system. It was weird admitting it to myself and I surely never would’ve known it myself if not for Ray’s constant pushing! “Norman never judges people. He’s… sweet.”
“Ah, music to my ears,” Gillian exaggeratedly hummed from the back as she laid the gown on my bed from the mirror’s reflection. “I still can’t wrap my head around how close you are with His Highness. You even get to call him on a first-name basis! I can’t wait for your marriage!”
My face suddenly felt hot.
Me?
Marrying Norman?
“I—I think it’s a little too soon to think about that, Gillian.”
Gillian whirled her head around to face my reflection in the mirror. Her mouth opened up, probably for another snappy retort. But instead of that expectation, no comeback came out; only the widening of her eyes and gaping of her mouth in what I assumed was constricting shock.
“Are you blushing, Lady Emma?!” Gillian shrieked, a finger pointing heavily at my reflection.
“What? No, I’m not!” I disproved, though it was futile; even I could see myself in the mirror.
I was red as a tomato!
Gilda turned off the blow dryer and began adjusting her glasses. Through squinted eyes, she observed my reaction and I only held my head down.
“Well, we’ve never seen this kind of reaction before,” Gilda started, suppressing a grin through bitten lips while continuing where she left off with my hair.
Gillian jumped over to where we were. “Right? Right! When we teased you before, you’d just dismiss it without as much as a thought! But now, ah! Lady Emma! Are you finally in love with Prince Norman?!”
Was it possible to feel extreme heat to both sides of your cheeks? When I didn’t find the words to respond, the room was filled again with Gillian’s squeal.
“You are in love with him, Lady Emma! Oh, this is going so well!”
My eyes caught her from the mirror’s reflection, hands swinging dismissively. “Love… is too big of a word.”
Gilda sighed, finally joining in without hesitation, taking a comb from the top of the dresser. “You can choose not to answer this, my lady. You’ve told us that you and His Highness are awfully close. We can see that he somehow favors your company among the rest —”
“But —”
“Let me finish, my lady.” She had a hand up, so I opted to shut my mouth. “We can see that you enjoy his company, too. I remembered one of those days that you were restlessly waiting for him to visit you here in your room.”
I pursed my lips at the memory. How silly of me! Did I start having these feelings even before then?
“And your reaction when Gillian accused you of being in love with him was totally different from how you reacted a couple of weeks ago. As I’ve said, you can choose not to answer this. But it’s a better feeling when you voice it out loud instead of overanalyzing everything inside, my lady. As you’ve said, love is a big word.”
I stared at Gilda through the mirror. “What’s your question?”
She stopped combing my hair and uttered the question I never thought I’d see the day knowing. “Do you happen to know what you feel for His Highness?”
If they happened to ask me this a month ago, I would’ve immediately said that I liked him as a confidante. A friend.
Right now, it was highly different.
“I like him.”
“As a friend?” she continued to comb my hair as she waited for my response.
I let out a steady breath as I eyed both of them simultaneously from the reflection. “I just realized it recently. It’s not a friendly kind of way anymore, I guess.”
“So, what you’re saying is —”
“I like him, Gilda.” I breathed out the words with full conviction this time. “I really like Norman.”
Gillian began jumping up and down, her hands covering her mouth as she muffled a shrilly ‘I knew it! I knew it!’ . Gilda shushed her, but the excitement she was trying to hide was evident by the way she finished drying my hair more delicately compared to earlier.
“All the more reason for you to stand out, Lady Emma.”
Standing out was easy if I had Gillian and Gilda by my side. Even some of the Chosen noticed they were excellent with their jobs of making me presentable every time I needed to be my best.
But that was the least of my concerns.
I finally figured out what these feelings of oversensitivity meant, but that just left me more reasons to hate the position I was in.
I liked him, but I wasn’t sure I was best suited to rule the kingdom with him.
“Why don’t you slip this gown before we do your hair, Lady Emma?” Gillian suggested, the triumphant expression still hadn’t left her face.
I nodded as I stood up, letting the bathrobe fall to the floor. I squirmed my way into the shimmering, red gown that just happened to instantly be my most favorite creation from Gilda so far. Gillian’s skilled hands held my hair up in different ways to see which would best suit my look for tonight.
Within an hour and a half, I was all set. But seeing that I still had another hour before we were required to go down the Great Hall, Gilda and Gillian decided to do another rundown of the possible questions Lucas would interrogate me with for tonight.
How was I enjoying my stay in the palace? How many dates have I gone with Norman? What did Norman and I usually talk about? What was the most romantic thing Norman had done for me?
I’d been throwing out answers to their every query just like how we practiced last night.
“Okay, last question, Lady Emma! Have you kissed His Highness yet?”
I eyed Gillian when she made it a point to pinch that last question in. “Seriously, guys! I just realized I like the guy.”
Gillian snickered, followed by a giggle from Gilda. “So, are we going to expect some kissing soon?”
“You guys!” I tried to sound irked, but their faces filled with anticipation made me laugh in the end. “Why don’t you all just… do some cleaning or whatever instead of teasing me!”
A knock on the startled our little conversation. Gilda pulled herself up and opened the door, revealing Officer Oliver with his head bowed.
“I’m here to escort Lady Emma to the Great Hall. Is she ready?”
Gillian had her hands to her waist, grinning proudly as she presented me like a piece of artwork in an exhibit. “Feast your eyes on our Lady Emma, Officer Oliver! Isn’t she the most divine thing you’ve seen today?”
I shifted uncomfortably under the imaginary spotlight. This was what I was worried about; that maybe my look for tonight would be too… different compared to the rest of the Chosen if most of them did opt to go for beige as their shade.
Officer Oliver took a good number of seconds to scrutinize my look. “I believe His Highness is in it for a rather lovely view tonight.”
Gillian clapped her hands, pleased with his reaction. Gilda only smiled. I knew that underneath all the seriousness she tried to uphold herself in, she was satisfied with the outcome of their hard work — which was me in a bouncy red dress and in a fancy ponytail with loose curls flowing on both sides of my face.
“Let’s take you down to the Great Hall, Lady Emma. His Highness awaits,” Office Oliver continued, the smile on his face reflecting a sense of pride.
“I doubt His Highness is waiting for my arrival,” I said as I walked straight to the door to meet him.
“Trust me, my lady. I’ve been to the Great Hall and saw most of the Chosen. No one can compare to your look for tonight.”
Officer Oliver rarely made commentaries, so I was sure to record this conversation the next time I doubted my appearance for publicity’s sake.
“We’ll be watching from the back, Lady Emma!” Gilda and Gillian cheered.
I smiled nervously at them as I let Officer Oliver accompany me to the Great Hall.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The set for tonight was arranged a little differently for the Tifari Report .
Peeking through the entrance of the Great Hall, I saw how everything would play out from the audiences’ perspective. The thrones for the Royal Class were situated in front of the stage, and our seats as Chosen were on the opposite side, in contrast to when we were all on stage during our first appearance. The stage was decorated with two heavy golden curtains at the back, leaving the stage centered on two hard-wedge arm sofas. Something told me that this one-on-one interview was going to be a nail-biting pressure.
Office Oliver gave me a nod. He was probably confused as to why I still wouldn’t go in.
It wasn’t just because of the setup that I was reluctant to go in.
Just as Gillian had predicted, the room was full of gowns in every shade of beige! Some were a bit lighter; others were hovering near darker. But one look, you’d get the gist that there was a theme among them, and I clearly stood out like a sore thumb in this red gown! I gulped nervously upon seeing Michelle, Yvette, and Alicia make their way to their seats like a pack of triplets with almost the same kind of gown.
“Lady Emma, there you are!” Mujika appeared at my side, a hand clutching her trusty notebook. Her eyes gave me a once-over from head to toe. “Well, aren’t you a sight to see? Let me guess. Your maids’ doing?”
“Very much so,” I fiddled with my hands, uneasiness taking place at the tips of it. “They said it was okay to stand out… a little.”
“A little is a bit of a stretch.” She covered a laugh with her free hand as her eyes motioned to the set of girls inside the Great Hall. “But never mind that! Your maids did an excellent job. Being different has its merits. Go in, we’re starting in twenty minutes. The Royal Class will be inside momentarily.”
With a gentle push from Mujika, I found myself inside the Great Hall with different sets of eyes immediately locking their gazes at my entrance. Despite the overwhelming tension I was feeling, I walked the aisle as graceful as I allowed myself to be. Violet and Jemima went over to meet me halfway.
“Woah, Emma! When Mujika said to bring our A-game, I didn’t expect you to raise the bar this high!” Violet spoke with so much fascination. Her gown was like the shade of sands on the beach with how the frills played magnificently from the waist down.
“Yes, it’s so gorgeous! You’re definitely going to shine on stage! Compared to yours, my gown is a bit plain.” Jemima patted the ribbon at the back of her caramel-colored gown.
Even though the colors of their gowns were almost identical in a sense, they stood out perfectly — design-wise. “Please, you both look fantastic. My maids just wanted to try a different route compared to my usual day dresses and gowns.”
“Come! We saved you and Anna seats.” Violet linked her arm with mine. “Though it’s odd. Usually, Anna is one of the earliest to arrive, even in the Women’s Room. Lately, she’s been awfully late.”
“Anna’s not here yet?” I asked while my eyes searched for her.
“Barbara and Paula as well,” Jemima added.
I was about to take my seat next to Violet on the second row when Ayshe and Sonya passed by. Sonya’s gown was a darker shade of beige, going for more of an almond shade. Ayshe, on the other hand, looked somewhat different like I did, but not to the extent of my difference. Her gown was a light beige from the bodice and up, melting into tarnished gold from the waist down to its hemline. When they caught wind of my not-so-subtle red gown, Ayshe looked indifferent, whereas Sonya only raised an eyebrow.
“You never disappoint don’t you, Emma?” Ayshe prompted as she did a double-take on my appearance.
“You have to blame my maids for my overall presentation,” I said with a shrug.
Sonya’s face relaxed, going for a friendly tone that I’d never heard Barbara make. “If I get to marry Prince Norman, I’m going to take your maids. They really know how to make you stand out.”
It was weird hearing their intentions now that I knew how I felt about him.
They both nodded rather roughly before making their way to the back of the Great Hall, where the restroom was situated. Just as I was about to take my seat, Barbara and Paula had graced the doors of the Great Hall.
Barbara was another different kind of beige that stood out from the rest; her gown was a darker beige from the top, drifting to white as it weaved like icicles on the floor. As soon as I locked eyes with her, there was no way she was going to leave me in one piece; her stare alone was enough of an indication that she didn’t like what she was seeing.
“I see your maids are trying their hardest to give your poor soul a chance in this competition,” she began, her face echoing annoyance and pity altogether.
Violet butted in as I was about to utter a response. “Leave her alone, Barbara. It’s not her fault she stands out better than you in the eyes of His Highness.”
Barbara bit her lip, tension pulling on every muscle on her face. Her eyes narrowed at us, and I heard Jemima let out a faint squeak.
She ignored Violet’s statement. Instead, she continued where she left off. “How pitiful. You let others fight your battles for you?”
“I fare well with my battles, Barbara. I just happen to have friends who’ll back me up from the likes of you.” I was so accustomed to Barbara’s glare that it didn’t faze me anymore.
She fanned herself as Paula tried her best to appease her. “Your endless enthusiasm for everything sickens me.”
Making it a point to roll her eyes as a finale, she sashayed away to the front row with Paula smiling apologetically at us.
“Ladies! Ladies! Places! The Royal Class is on its way here! Is everyone here?” Mujika scanned our lot. “Where is Lady Anna?”
“I’m here! I’m here!” Anna bolted through the doors of the Great Hall as dignified as she could through ragged breathing while clutching onto the ruffles of her gown that reminded me of the color of a latte. “I apologize. Time got the better of me.”
Mujika was unimpressed with the questioning look on her face. “All right. Take a seat.”
Anna took a long, deep breath. She adjusted her gown and seated herself to the vacant one next to me. Despite the light makeup on her face, she looked visibly pale. Aside from that, the ribbon over her neckline was loose and undone.
“Are you all right, Anna? Your ribbon is a bit off,” I asked while I pointed out her ribbon.
Her eyes widened in startlement, hands fixing it as quickly as possible. “Ah, y—yes. Thank you, Emma. I’m quite alright. Very, in fact!”
She didn’t look alright to me, though. Anna had been acting quite odd for a few weeks now. What could be her problem? It was driving my curiosity in different places.
There wasn’t enough time to dwell on those thoughts because Mujika advised every single one of us to hush. It only meant that the Royal Class was entering the Great Hall.
King Peter walked alongside Queen Legravalima, all radiant and glistening as they strode the red carpet towards their thrones with a couple of ‘Your Majesty’ in the background. Behind them was Norman, who appeared absolutely sharp in what looked like a red military uniform.
“Oh, Emma. Looks like you’re matchy-matchy with His Highness!” Violet whispered in my ear, and it only occurred to me what it actually meant.
He was wearing… red.
Just like me!
I didn’t mean to match him!
When his gaze met mine, his eyes blew wide just as I did. Our attire somehow came to light rather coordinated. I felt myself blushing furiously, mentally advising myself to rant this out to my maids later on.
Not only did I stand out, but I also managed to unconsciously match myself with the Prince! Being buried alive would be the best action to do right now.
Instead of taking a seat with his parents, Norman went on to greet us.
“Good evening, ladies.”
A chorus of greetings mixed with giggles came his way.
“My brother will be giving out a few announcements about the recent attack on the palace. Afterwards, all the focus will be on you. Being questioned on stage must be a little nerve-wracking for you, but rest assured, all you have to do is be yourselves. The kingdom wants to know you, in your most comfortable zone.”
We made a few eye contacts as he spoke, yet I always found myself averting my vision if it went on for too long. These new feelings were hard to come around to, and it was hard to look at him knowing that we were in a matching attire in all sense.
He mouthed a ‘good luck’ as he walked over to the other side.
Ray came in a little while later. Upon entering, he meekly smiled in our direction and went away to where the other Royal Class were. Norman had that displeased look on his face — the exact one that he had on when he wanted to be left alone with Ray in the library two days ago. As soon as Ray sat beside him, Norman motioned to the unfastened button on his blue military uniform, to which Ray just chuckled in response.
These brothers were dashing in their uniforms, yet I couldn’t appreciate it with the hostility that Norman sent his brother’s way. His eyes were almost... glaring. Maybe it was a typical brotherly sibling thing, I guessed.
After a couple of last-minute preparations and the arrival of invited guests as audiences, the cameras were on and Lucas Brodeur was on the stage as he greeted the kingdom with a heartwarming smile and cheerful voice.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the Kingdom of Tifari! Tonight will be an exceptionally stirring night since we’ll be getting to know the eleven remaining ladies of Prince Norman’s Choice! Mind all of you, one of these gorgeous young ladies will be the one to reign alongside His Highness one day! Are you excited as I am for tonight?!”
A mixture of handclaps and ‘yes’ filled the Great Hall.
“Well then, let’s start this night off with some announcement from the Commander of the Tifarian Shield. His Highness Prince Ray Ratri, everybody!”
Ray made his way to the stage. A microphone was handed out to him as he began to address the kingdom. “Good evening, everyone. Everyone is well aware of the recent attack on the palace. Although there weren’t any casualties, we will take this as a sign to further fortify the palace’s defense as well as heighten the responsiveness to the cries of the people being attacked within the districts.”
Silence followed as he continued. “In line with this, we have received reports of a vigilante group named NL Resistance that has continuously aided the public with the series of attacks on each district. Though we do not know their intentions behind these acts, we kindly ask the public to still put their faith in the Tifarian Shield as we make it our mission to protect everyone in this kingdom. Thank you.”
My brows were forced together in a pronounced frown. Why was I the only one weirded out that there weren’t any deaths during the recent attack? Their intent was always to wreak havoc and produce dead bodies.
What made this recent attack different? And why was the NL Resistance suddenly rising?
I hadn’t even wrapped my head around the news and photo related to that newspaper clipping. There were so much information and so little time to process them all together.
“And there you have it, folks! Good to hear that our kingdom’s Commander is doing everything in his stead to make sure that all is in control,” Lucas briefly scanned the card he was holding onto and paused. “Since there are no further announcements, shall we proceed to the main event of our evening?”
Cameras adjusted to our side to record our individual expressions. I’d never smiled so forcefully. This was a live segment and every single person who had their television on was getting a glimpse of us.
“We know you’ve been dying to meet them and hear from them directly how things are progressing with our man of the hour. Not only that, but we’ll also get to see each of their official photos with His Highness tonight that will be published in the newspaper tomorrow!”
I had almost forgotten about that official photography session in the Tulip Garden! Who knew they’d be giving a preview of it tonight?
“Let’s get started with —,” Lucas swept a view through his note cards once again, “— Lady Barbara Legrande of District Goodwill Ridge!”
Barbara made her way to the stage like she owned the Great Hall. She even made it a point to kiss Lucas on both cheeks before she sat down on the unoccupied couch. Her interview was expected: flawless and articulate. It was the same with Paula and Sonya. The only difference between their answers would be how and where Norman took them on their official dates. Among the four of them that were grouped together as ‘Upper Classes’, Ayshe made the most impression; she eloquently described how Norman was a gentleman throughout their two official dates, and how she enjoyed everything the palace provided for her.
Others were a lot calmer and more collected when they set foot on the stage. Naila’s and Yvette’s voices were perky as they tried to retell how their dates with Norman transpired. Michelle and Jemima were a lot quieter; it felt like they were whispering the words out of their mouth, though the eagerness to share it with the crowd was there. Violet’s energetic storytelling pierced through the speakers when her turn came up. And while Anna answered every question Lucas threw her way, she seemed distracted. I watched how she deliberately avoided looking at the Royal Class’s way.
In each of their turns, their official photos next to Norman were displayed on the screen. Everybody looked amazingly good next to Norman. I was anxious about how my photo would pop out on the screen; Ray was the one who took our photo after all. Aside from that, all of the questions were harmless enough. The only thing that made every single one of them blush either from the embarrassment or the question itself was when Lucas asked if Norman had managed to steal a kiss from any of them or if they were the troublesome lady that caused a scene on their very first night.
It was funny considering that out of those two questions, I was one of the answers.
Anna gave a retiring wave to the camera as her interview ended, and then Lucas called on my name. Applauses waved through my ears as I held onto my gown and made my way to the steepness of the goings and risers to reach the stage.
I shook Lucas’s hand and sat comfortably on the couch.
When my eyes landed on the number of people staring back at me, all the restlessness came pouncing like I just ran a marathon. I never liked being stared at, it didn't help that since I was the last to be called on stage, it meant that my answers would be the last ones heard and evaluated.
Reminding myself to breathe easy was hard. My vision searched for a familiar face from down the stage just to hamper my ill at ease self.
At that moment, I didn't know what it was, yet my sight gravitated heavily towards the Royal Class.
Towards Norman.
Suddenly, nothing else mattered.
Not the difference from the recent rebel attack.
Not the news clipping information from June 12, 2029.
Not Barbara’s snide remarks.
Not my conflicting emotions when it came to my feelings for him.
With those piercing blue eyes and radiant soft smile, I was ready to take on Lucas’s interrogation with ease for the first time tonight.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-two:
“You must be tired.” Norman abruptly stood up and offered a hand to serve as my support to stand. “I should probably leave so you could rest.”
“Oh, of course.” I accepted his hand and soothed out the imaginary wrinkles of my red gown with the other hand to dull the disappointment I was feeling. He was busy — it was understandable.
I went ahead of him and walked him to the door out of courtesy. It was the least I could do since he went out of his way to visit me tonight and I appreciated it.
Just as I was about to turn the knob open, he pushed it shut as he took an assured step closer, sliding a hand around my waist, and forcing my back against the door. The restraint on his face was immeasurable, all wrinkled and in clear distraught — like he was suffering an unimaginable pain.
And his eyes.
It told a number of emotions I couldn't explain.
“Forgive me, Emma," he said with such control that it made me shrink in his touch, "but I am beyond my limit.”
Chapter 22: The Long and Winding Pursuance
Notes:
The lovely art included in this chapter was something I commissioned from ArtKrinkles! She is an amazing artist. Expect more from her and Arianne!
Also, I have decided to start on the Rayanna side of The Choice. You can read Once Upon A Medic if you're curious to know everything from Anna's perspective (and well—you know—if you're dying to know how her relationship with Ray will progress).
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Lady Emma, how are you doing tonight?”
I shook Lucas’s hand and made my way to the couch adjacent to him where all the other Chosen sat and did their interviews. Managing to calm my nervous self down, I gripped the microphone provided for me without noticeably shaking.
“Good evening, Lucas. So far, so good.”
Lucas gave me an intrigued look. “Tell me something about your look for tonight. It certainly is eye-catching from a distance, but up close,” he whistled, “It’s breathtaking!”
“Oh, this?” I smoothed out the ruffles that came with my gown. “You’ll have to thank Gilda and Gillian for my appearance for tonight.”
“I’m assuming they are your personal maids?”
“Yes! They’re the best! I don’t know what I’d do without them,” I simply said. I was sure they were watching somewhere at the back of the audience. They did me exceptionally for tonight so all the praises should go to them.
Lucas beamed, and even at the early stages of thirty, he still looked sharp. “Ah! Well, your maids did a fantastic job because red suits you! I’m sure His Highness can attest to that since he’s wearing red as well! Doesn’t red suit her, Your Highness?”
Since Norman was being questioned on the spot, I had the courage to glance at him.
I somehow wished I didn’t because I saw how his eyes were fixated on me.
Or on my dress.
An organizer went over to Norman with a microphone in hand. He firmly shook his head, a smile emerging from his lips seconds after it.
“Any color would suit her, Lucas.”
Lucas laughed and the crowd went wild. Some of the Chosen were laughing, while others had mixed reactions. I, on the other hand, wanted the ground to swallow me whole as I awkwardly smiled at the commotion his words caused.
If this had happened weeks ago, I would have thrown him an accusatory look or laughed along with the crowd. But now that I knew I like him, it was hard not to feel embarrassed even if he was casually complimenting my look or was plainly just being nice!
I playfully squinted my eyes at him, to which he returned a questioning expression with how his eyebrows were elevated.
“How about that! His Highness has spoken! But before we let the crowd know more about you and your closeness with His Highness, how about we show everyone your first official photograph with him in the Tulip Garden?”
My eyes darted sharply at Ray, who was grinning like a madman, a thumb brushing harshly back and forth over his lips, as the organizers prepared to display my photo with him on the screen.
If my photo with Norman wasn’t as good as the others, it would all be Ray’s fault for taking the camera from the photographer!
As soon as our official photograph flashed on the screen, it was hard not to feel embarrassment for the second time after Norman’s compliment from a moment ago.
The preceding photographs were formal—each lady with their cream-colored dress and red sash had their arms linked to Norman’s arm, both smiling proudly at the camera like they just attended a convention.
But my photograph with Norman was anything but formal. He had one arm snaked around my waist for support while his other arm was raised—a finger pointed to my chin to raise it from its level. I remembered that this was the exact moment I felt sluggish next to him.
And instead of looking at the camera, we were looking at each other. The photo made us look like two people lost at that moment.
Of all the positions Ray could’ve snapped at, it was this one! I guessed I had a reason today to smack the wits out of him.
Lucas had this mocking smile as he continued to observe my reaction. “Isn’t that such a dreamy photograph? Do you like your first official photo with His Highness?”
“I-I guess so,” was all I could utter as I terribly bit the insides of my cheek.
“You seem to be bringing a lot of different things to the table, Lady Emma.” His tone was suggestive and teasing.
As if this red gown wasn’t enough of a scene, this photo just had to add to it!
And I hadn’t even warmed the couch for a good ten minutes! If I had the confidence to stare back at Norman earlier, that wasn’t happening this time around.
“So, Lady Emma,” he proceeded with the first real interrogation of the night, “We heard from a reliable source that being in the Choice isn’t the first time in your household. Your mother Isabella was a Chosen back in her days, apparently! How did she take it when you were selected?”
I snuck a peek at King Peter and Queen Legravalima, who both looked interested in the question. I was sure they did thorough background checks on us before being allowed inside the palace, which meant that they knew I was Isabella’s daughter. But why did Norman seem shocked with the knowledge when I told him?
“My mother is a very determined woman,” I started. “She was extremely happy when she found out I was selected. I guess she’s happy that I get to experience the same thing she did.”
“And how is former Lady Isabella?”
“Still the feisty woman she is!” No lies there. I was sure Mom was still as determined now as she was back then.
“Feisty you say?”
“Yes! I think she might’ve shared a bit of it when she was carrying me during her pregnancy.”
“Hmm, if you happen to share that same kind of feistiness with your mother, then did you happen to be the lady that accused His Highness of punishing you the second you left his sight on your first night in the palace?” he asked inquisitively through a crooked grin.
From the front row, I saw how Ray was trying hard to level down his snickering. Norman was nudging him to shut up, though that wasn’t much help since he was trying to tone down his own laughter as well.
Seriously, these guys!
With a heavy sigh, I answered the question. “Yes. I was the one who yelled at His Highness on my first night. And right now, I’m sure my father is trying his best to calm my mother down.”
A triumphant expression made its way to Lucas’s face, probably from finding out who was the mischievous little lady that had the guts to fight with Norman on their first night in the palace. “Can you share with us the whole story behind it?”
It was slightly uneasy sharing that recklessness of mine that night in live television, but the cat was out of the bag. “Well, we were advised not to leave our rooms in the middle of the night unless His Highness called for us. But after dinner, I noticed my necklace was missing. And it was a parting gift from my father so I did what any insane Chosen would do: I ran out of my assigned room as fast as I could and looked for it. Then, His Highness found me, and instead of being thankful, I accused him of ratting me out and having me killed.”
“Ha! What an interesting turn of events! Is that all?” Lucas, in an enlivened state, asked.
“Oh, I might have elbowed him rather… roughly when he caught me,” I added, subtly fiddling with my fingers.
At this point, every single person in the Great Hall was shaking in laughter. Ray didn’t even bother to check his etiquette and proceeded to cackle alongside Norman. Even the king and queen were laughing alongside them. The girls who didn’t look amused at first were now giggling away.
Maybe I was really a comedian as Norman had generously dubbed me.
Lucas was still chuckling when he slid a follow-up. “Aside from picking a fight with His Highness, you even elbowed him? I find it hard to believe he pardoned you!”
“Neither do I, Lucas. I thought I was going to be sent home.” I still didn’t want to focus my vision on Norman, but I was immensely impressed that he didn’t call on the guards to have me imprisoned for going against him that night. Talk about impressive.
Who could ever know what was going on in that guy’s mind?
“Well, since you’re still here with the other ten ladies of the Choice, it must mean that you’ve bonded with His Highness over the course of your stay in the palace. Can you share with us the activities that you’ve done together?”
This was an easy question to give answer to.
“On our first date, he took me to the Sunflower Garden, where I humbly apologized for the scene I caused the night before. On our second one, he took me to the Alstroemeria Garden. We would just usually talk and stroll around.” I wanted to feel bad because our dates were a lot… tamer compared to the experiences of the other girls. Some of them went horseback riding, enjoyed a picnic, watched a movie—while all I did with Norman was talk as we walked and sat for hours’ end.
Because that was what my setup with him was.
Because we were simply friends.
And maybe that was why we never really did anything exciting as an official date .
“It appears your time with His Highness was always centered on peace and quiet. Do you enjoy just talking and walking alongside him?”
I smiled because that was the easiest question to answer out of the ones he had thrown at me tonight. “Yes. There was never a time I didn’t enjoy his company.”
“If that isn’t the sweetest thing,” he hummed the words as if he couldn’t get enough of its juiciness. Lucas was definitely out to get every single reaction from us. “Say, Lady Emma. We’ve seen four girls leave the competition. And with the waggish history you have with His Highness, do you think it would hurt your chances of becoming the next princess of this kingdom?”
“No! Of course not!” The words were out of my mouth without much comprehension. My eyes widened in shock and my mouth thinned shut, only accompanied by words suspended deep within my cords.
Mom was right. I really needed to keep my mouth in check.
“My, you’re not only hilarious, but you’re also full of energy!” Lucas was beaming like he just won the lottery from every response he got out of me. “So, do you think that you can win this whole thing out?”
“Uhm, no. It’s not like that, don’t get me wrong. I mean, every single Chosen in this Choice has their own unique quality and what makes them stand out. We all have our downsides as well. But knowing Norman... I don’t think he’ll discredit someone simply because of their downsides. He cherishes them for who they are.”
Audible gasps and indistinct murmurs filled the Great Hall. What were those reactions for? I mentally ran everything I just said, and it took me a solid minute to figure out what caused those reactions.
I called Norman by his name out in the open casually — casually, as in without the honorifics.
First, the gown. Second, the photo. And third, the name-calling.
Another thing to add to my collection of embarrassing moments!
I braced myself to look at Norman just to see if he found everything embarrassing as I did. He was biting his lower lips with a thumb brushing over it like he was stopping himself from grinning. It didn’t look like he was angry that I called him informally on stage.
Lucas gave out a cough, probably to ease the tension, but there was a ghost of a smile still lingering on his lips. “Since it seems like you know so much about Norman, ” I ducked my head down in shame, “tell us what you think of him.”
This was bad. Some of the girls were given the exact same question and I was praying that my turn would be skipped. Since I was the last one to be interviewed, it only made sense that they wanted to hear what the walking comedian of a candidate — meaning: me — would think of him.
I thought about talking about how funny he was when he talked like a dictionary, or how adorable it was when his ears went dangerously red whenever I teased him. But when I was about to open my mouth and say all of those comments, my sights landed on Norman’s face.
With the way he was looking, something told me that he really wanted to know what I thought of him.
This was exceptionally hard to do when I just realized what I really thought of him myself. But for the person who pardoned me on my first night, who accepted my offer of friendship, who allowed me to stay in the running for the weekly compensation, and who allowed me to feel things that I never thought I was capable of feeling, it was only deserving that he heard what a huge impact he had done. At least, in my life.
“It’s hard to describe His Highness in words because he’s a lot of things for me. But to sum it all up, I see no flaw that could ruin what I think of him. He’s kind and honest, and I always look forward to the days he’ll come knocking on my room just for a quick chat or to see how I’m doing.”
I tried to drown the rapid beating of my heart to make way for the words that needed to be heard. “He’s an amazing prince, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he will become a remarkable king. Whoever he chooses to become his bride will be a lucky girl, and if that lady wouldn’t be me, I’d still be thankful and honored that I had the chance to meet and know someone like him. He changed my life… in a lot of ways he doesn’t know of.”
I gathered the courage to look at him, and a faint mask of astonishment echoed on Norman’s face, which was evidently ruined when Ray decided to pipe a whistle in response to my vivid description of what I thought of his brother.
“Lady Emma Marchetti, thank you so much for that insightful interview,” Lucas shook my hand as the interview came to a close. I made my way down the stage, hands supporting the sides of my gown, and sat gently next to Anna, who was whispering words of praise for handling the live interview well.
As Lucas gave his finals words for the ending of the Tifari Report, I mustered everything that I could to stop myself from staring back at the pair of blue orbs that were piercingly discernible from the other side of the front row.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
No matter how lovely my red gown was, I wanted to be out of it as soon as I reached the threshold of my room. Not only did it put me in a spot where I felt completely different from the rest, but it was also a reminder that my maids unintentionally matched my attire with Norman’s.
Speaking of which, I had to know from the perpetrators themselves if it was really ‘unintentional’.
“Lady Emma, you were so gorgeous on stage! You even complimented us! Could you get any nicer?! And that gown! I knew it was a good move to go red tonight!” Gillian was preparing my bath and was having no trouble voicing her sentiments full of praises from the bathroom.
“Why do I feel like this red gown was purposely chosen for tonight because it was red?” I asked Gilda while she was busy taking out my sleepwear for the night from the built-in closet.
“Whatever do you mean, my lady?” Gilda questioned back, her attention still focused on my gown for tonight.
At that very second, Gillian made her way out of the bathroom, a sly smile reflecting on her feline-like features. “Did matching His Highness’s attire lift your night, Lady Emma?”
I vocalized a groan that made them giggle in unison. “You both could’ve told me that he was going to wear red, too!”
“Surprises are surprises!” Gillian said as she dried her hands in a clean towel. “It was worth it considering that His Highness was fairly surprised as well!”
Sighing everything out, I knew I’d never get out of my maids’ grasp when it came to giving me the best treatment possible. Still, I wanted in on whatever they were planning with me in the future.
With a pout, I practically begged to be in on their future plans or escapades. “Give me a heads-up next time, at least.”
Gilda mildly swatted Gillian by the shoulder, sending the latter into a small yelp. “Stop teasing our lady!” She turned to face me with an apologetic smile. “Sure, Lady Emma. But for tonight’s sake, it was enjoyable to watch you all-flustered on stage. I had to pinch Gillian to stop herself from making any racket!.”
A knock on the door instantly hushed the three of us from our ramblings.
“Must be Office Oliver,” Gillian concluded as she skipped her way to the door. As soon as she flung it open, we saw how wrong her conclusion was.
And it just happened to be Norman in his red uniform.
“Y—Your Highness!” Gillian announced, stuttering in the process as she and Gilda lowered themselves in a curtsy. I didn’t even bother doing one since I was glued to the edge of my bed.
Norman smiled at them. “Gillian and Gilda. Lady Emma talks highly about the two of you.”
Both of them stared back at me, then at each other, awe filling in as Gilda answered. “We’ve heard, Your Highness.”
“I hope you will not mind if I take a moment alone with Lady Emma. I’d like to clarify a few things with her if I am not interrupting anything.”
“Oh! Yes, Your Highness. Take all the time if you want to! We were just on our way out so nobody can interrupt you two!” Gillian’s voice was perky, and from the way she said it, it felt like Norman came here to my room to do other things besides talking.
It seemed like Norman was about to refute Gillian’s wild assumptions but before he could do so, they were already on their way out with Gillian sneaking a wink and closing the door behind them.
I wasn’t expecting an evening alone with Norman, let alone tonight of all nights.
“Hey,” I started, looking for words to ease the awkward tension that came with the silence. It had been two days since we made up in one of the sections of the Main Library, yet it felt extremely different being alone with him now. My hands were shaking, and it wasn’t in a bad way.
Norman took a seat next to me. “A spectacular show you’ve given the kingdom tonight, I might say.”
“Shut up.” I slapped him gently on the arm, and it made him chuckle. I was surprised that it was a lot easier to talk to him now. The jittery feelings were gone away in an instant. "I was an embarrassment! I really didn’t mean to call you so casually on stage! Everybody thinks I’m an idiot now!”
“Nothing to apologize for, Emma. We call each other so casually that our slip-ups were bound to materialize sooner or later. We can be at ease when we are with Lady Anna and Ray, but being a tad more cautious when outside of our imaginary circle would be the best.” Norman’s amusement was visible with how much he was smiling at my ordeal.
I covered my hands to my face. I was sure Mom was never going to live this down. “Not only that! Our official photograph was completely different from the rest! We shouldn’t have let Ray mess with the camera and —”
I wasn’t half-finished with my long-winded distresses when Norman started laughing. He had a hand over his chest, and his laugh was so contagious that it made me chuckle with him as well.
“Why are you laughing?” I inquired, narrowing my eyes at him accusingly.
A lazy half-smile made its way to his face before he asked back, “why are you laughing?”
“Your laugh is contagious, that’s why,” I shrugged. I vaguely remembered during my first night in the palace, when he rescued me from being seen by the palace guards, I heard him laugh for the first time, and it was so infectious that I laughed afterward.
“You have yourself to blame,” he tilted his head a little. “You are my walking comedian, are you not?”
“What are friends for, right?” I took the liberty of asking because I had to remind myself that I was the one who offered him friendship and I wasn’t one to back out on my own words.
His smile faltered, leveled his head low to meet his shoes, and let out a sigh. “Right. That is why you are an excellent friend, Emma.”
Not a second after, he raised his head and it looked like he was about to say something. Then, he lightly shook his head and proceeded to lift himself up. I’d been with Norman on numerous occasions to know that this was a sign he was departing.
I grabbed hold of his arm to keep him seated next to me. “Don’t do that.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re doing it again. You were about to say something, and then you stopped. Why do you always do that?” I prodded, somehow noticing how hard I gripped his sleeves.
My question didn’t give him any relaxation, but he wasn’t leaving either so I settled for that. He closed his eyes briefly and went away to relieve me of my quizzing. “That… That last question Lucas gave you. I appreciate you trying to make everything believable given our peculiar setup, but you did not have to go that far to compliment me.”
What? Did he really think I said all those things just because it was the right thing to say?
“Norman, let’s set this straight! I didn’t say all those things just for the sake of the show. I said it because they were the truth. Sure, maybe I wasn’t really fond of you when I was just watching you from my living room. But now I’m here and I know you, and not just from my living room anymore!” I was a bit reluctant, and yet I held his shoulder and squeezed it. “You were everything I said you were, and I’m thankful you allowed me to be your friend.”
He stared for a moment, catching my full attention until a small smile erupted from him. “It was intriguing and endearing. I was never offered a friendship as a bargain before. It was hard not to accept.”
I grinned. “And by accepting my offer of friendship, you basically gave me front-row tickets in getting to know Norman Ratri, the next ruler of the Kingdom of Tifari. Not only am I honored, but I also have an amazing story to tell my people back at home!”
Norman was quiet again, and it was hard to read him when he was awfully quiet. “Thank you, Emma. I am extremely grateful you think highly of me, but please do not think of going home just yet.”
I forced a peal of laughter just to roll the waves of tremors at the back of my throat. “You’re going to choose a wife, Norman. I’m going to be sent home whether I like it or not. Don’t worry! You can always call me if your wife is a nagger,” I joked. If he wasn’t going to choose Anna, at least he shouldn’t choose Barbara. Images of her being pregnant with his child were souring my mood just thinking about it.
“But if it were up to you,” his voice strained, “would you like to go home as soon as possible? Not because your family needs the compensation but because you like it here?”
I cleared my throat. “If you’re still not kicking me out, I’m staying. Not because of the weekly compensation, which the palace so generously gives out, but because I do enjoy it here.”
“You really do?”
“I really do.”
Norman placed a hand against my hand that was still holding onto his arm, gently resting it on top of his leg. “Will you indulge my hypothetical question?”
“Depends on your hypothetical question,” I conditioned through a sheepish smile.
He took it as a sign to get the query in the spotlight. “Do you believe that friends could be something more?”
“Of course! It always starts somewhere. But I think starting off as really good friends is a good foundation for a lasting relationship,” I answered with conviction, though I didn’t know if it was because of the probability itself or because of my own conflicting scenario.
Norman nodded, but it was unconvincing. He tried to open his mouth to speak, then closed it.
“You’re doing it again, Norman,” I reminded him.
He gripped the back of his neck, and his head fell back like he was processing the confusion echoing on his face without the words themselves.
And when he opened his mouth to speak, everything around me shifted.
“Do you think it is possible for our case given that we are friends? Just a hypothetical question, still.”
The abnormal beating in my chest commenced as words continued to evade my tongue.
Was he really asking me this?
Out of all nights, it just had to be tonight!
He couldn’t have possibly found out that I had started liking him. I just had to answer his question as professionally and eloquently as I could.
“We’re friends. Would it really be worth losing something we have now to something that we have no assurance of? Friendship is a good start for any relationship, but if it ends badly, you not only lose the relationship, you lose the friendship as well. There are complications. So, hypothetically speaking, it’s only worth taking the next step forward if the risk equals the reward.”
Norman sighed in resignation. I was expecting to see him relieved that I wasn’t into the whole friends-turned-lovers scenario, yet from the way his jaw hardened and how he pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, he wasn’t even a bit elated.
Did I happen to mention anything to displease him?
“You must be tired.” Norman abruptly stood up and offered a hand to serve as support. “I should probably leave so you could rest.”
“Oh, of course.” I accepted his hand and soothed out the imaginary wrinkles of my red gown to dull the disappointment I was feeling. He was busy — it was understandable.
I went ahead of him and walked him to the door out of courtesy. It was the least I could do since he went out of his way to visit me tonight and I appreciated it.
Just as I was about to turn the knob open, he pushed it shut as he took an assured step closer, sliding a hand around my waist, and forcing my back against the door. The restraint on his face was immeasurable, all wrinkled and in clear distraught—like he was suffering an unimaginable pain.
And his eyes.
It told a number of emotions I couldn't explain.
“Forgive me, Emma," he said with such control that it made me shrink in his touch, "but I am beyond my limit.”
His face was close.
Too close.
It didn’t help when he leaned in and pressed his forehead to mine, causing every joint on my body to wobble with our proximity.
“I’m beyond grateful that you’re enjoying your stay in the palace, and I’m more than thankful that you’ve given me the same front-row privilege of getting to know you. But for my sake, this —,” his eyes motioned to my red gown. To my face. To my entirety. “— has to stop.”
“What? I don’t… understand,” I whispered, and it was all I could utter when his face was inches from mine.
He continued to gaze at me like that this discussion was the only thing that mattered at the moment. “If you’re going to stay in the palace, then you have to tell your maids to cease any more attempts of making you stand out. Because you do, Emma. You always stand out. And not just because of this lovely red gown you’re wearing or any other dress you’ve worn for that matter.”
His eyes were searching mine for any indication of what I was feeling with the sudden ambush. I had no complaints. I wanted to hear every word that was coming out of his mouth.
When I made no effort to talk, he continued. “It is you. Your laugh. Your grin. Your enthusiasm. Your heart that never stops caring. Everything about you draws me in. And it is driving me to the brink of insanity that you could only see me as a friend when I can absolutely see you as someone I could be happy with.”
It felt like the air was being sucked out of me as he continued to drag his blue eyes to every facet of my face. “What —”
“With complications or not, I am asking you for something more than friendship that you have explicitly rubbed in my face countless times,” he inhaled a slow breath with a thumb softly stroking my chin and eyes pleading over mine.
Wide-eyed, I continued to absorb everything he just said, yet it only made sense when the assurance came in the middle of all my thinking.
“If you can picture me as someone you can spend the rest of your life with, then allow us to take this risk. Let us defy the odds.”
He slowly pulled away and it allowed me to breathe even just for a little bit. His hand that was on the base of my chin had gravitated towards my right hand, gently placing it over to his lips, and planting a kiss soft as a feather to my knuckles.
All I could do was look into his eyes and internally tell myself that I wasn't dreaming.
“A chance is all I ask, Emma.”
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-three:
“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you? Have you told Norman about this?” There were a handful of things that came to mind as if she was being threatened by one of the Upper Classes or if the recent rebel attack still shook her very core.
“No, it’s not something I can share with His Highness.”
“Then, what is it?”
“That’s the thing, Emma.” Her voice was anxious every second that she was explaining. “It’s because it is about him. He’s very handsome, I think everyone knows that. He’s never arrogant even with the status he holds. He’s also extremely delicate whenever we are out on official dates. But I…”
She was praising him, but why did she look so remorseful? “You what?”
“I don’t think I'll ever fall in love with Prince Norman, Emma.”
Chapter 23: The Admission
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I had yawned more than my ten fingers could count. In my rough estimation, it might have possibly been my fifteenth or sixteenth yawn, and it didn’t do me any good either when my eyes were nearly seconds away from totally shutting down.
“Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Violet sing-songed the tease hushedly from the back of my seat.
I shrugged complacently, followed by a groggy response. “You could say that.”
We were once again in the Study Hall for our biweekly history class; it was also the day when we were expected to hand in our historical event essay—something I had meticulously rushed last night because the past few days had been rather ‘eventful’ to fixate my focus solely on an essay.
Besides rushing the essay, I simply couldn’t sleep a wink last night.
My conversation with Norman last night made a complete one-eighty; one minute we were talking about how embarrassing I was on stage, the next he was pinning me to the wall with a sweeping declaration to take the risk with him.
It was already confusing enough to know that I had unknowingly regarded him as more than a friend! It was another matter to know that he saw me as someone that he could be happy with!
Someone who could be his equal.
Someone who was worthy enough to be his wife.
“I-I-I… uhm… well… you see —!”
“Your Highness? Am I interrupting anything? Your presence is requested in His Majesty’s chamber.”
I gently slapped myself awake on both sides of my cheek, earning strange looks from everyone in the room. If it wasn’t for his personal advisor’s incessant knocking on the door for another one of those urgent matters, I would’ve been a blubbering idiot in front of him!
“Alright, ladies,” Mujika called out to us, briefly snapping me out of my dazed state. “That is all for today. Make sure to approach me first to hand in your essays before leaving the Study Hall. And oh! You all should be in the Women’s Room by three o’clock this afternoon. Prince Norman will check up on all of you, as well as deliver an exciting announcement.”
Some of the girls were quick on their feet as they immediately handed out their essays to Mujika. I didn’t know what topic Ayshe decided to delve into, but seeing what seemed like ten pages worth of research made Mujika’s eyes swell with either bewilderment or amazement — it was hard to read her expressions sometimes. Barbara looked sort of displeased, probably due to the fact that someone had managed to beat the number of pages on her essay, which was eight, based on how Mujika counted hers, too. It was either that or her brows were knitted downwards at Ayshe for no reason. I was surprised she wasn’t lashing out at her; Upper Classes did stick to each other no matter what. And if she wanted so badly to win, she had to play along.
“You’re awfully quiet today.” Violet had her essay in hand when she closed in on my desk. “Don’t tell me it’s because you really woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!”
I offered a small smile through my sleepy eyes. “Hardly had any sleep last night.”
“Tell me about it!” She took Alicia’s vacant seat that was next to mine and roughly dragged it closer before settling down. “The Tifari Report last night was bonkers, I tell you! I never thought I would ever get the chance to talk about myself on stage! I couldn’t sleep after everything so I know the feeling.”
For a brief moment, I was suddenly jealous of Violet’s sole reason for her deprivation of sleep. She couldn’t sleep because of the Tifari Report, while I had completely forgotten about the Tifari Report when Norman started waltzing his way into my room.
“What are you guys talking about?” I looked to my left and was surprised to see Anna and Jemima standing beside my desk.
Jemima did a follow-up on her question when she caught me oddly staring at them. “Are you okay, Emma? You look like you’re lost.”
Definitely lost.
Anna placed a hand over my forehead. “She’s not burning up, either.”
“She just couldn’t sleep last night because of the Tifari Report,” Violet supplied in, and I was thankful for it although it wasn’t entirely the truth. “It was our first time speaking on stage! I can’t believe you guys are all chill about it,” she added, pointing her fingers at them accusingly.
“I enjoyed it,” Anna passed over a look at Jemima, and answered for both of their sakes.
“What are you talking about? You were blushing madly throughout the interview and you rarely glanced over at Prince Norman’s side. It’s hard to believe he wasn’t making you nervous up there!”
At the mention of it, Anna’s face went visibly scarlet. I noticed her trying her best to avoid looking over at Norman’s front row side. Was she that conscious of him to avoid giving him a glance even on stage?
“Stop teasing her, Violet,” Jemimah hushed her, sending Violet chuckling. “Maybe she just likes Prince Norman so much that looking at him from where she was on stage made her queasy. I know I did. Those brothers are too good-looking, and when they’re seated next to each other, it’s like nobody could touch them!”
Even in my semi-dormant state, I managed to let out a laugh along with them.
Whenever I watched the Tifari Report back at home, I was always sickened seeing Norman and Ray sitting all high and mighty on their thrones. But now that I was seeing them in the flesh on a daily basis, they not only looked all high and mighty on their thrones, but they also emanated an air of honor and dignity — which came hand-in-hand to how good-looking they were.
And because of these newfound feelings for Norman, it was hard not to pry on the other girls’ signs of progress when it came to winning him over. I was his friend, so the initial assumption is that I was the closest to him.
But for how long?
His words last night left me stunned in silence that I momentarily forgot how to breathe. So when he told me to think it through and kissed my hand as he departed, I ended up wheezing my lungs out.
I never thought I needed air that much until the moment he was out of my sight.
And until I had an answer ready for him, it was in my best interest today to steer clear of any paths or hallways where I might accidentally run into him.
“Shouldn’t you guys hand in your essays over?” Anna asked with concerned curiosity.
Jemimah seconded, hands clapping in glee. “Yeah! We can go over to the Sunflower Garden with our personal guards and spend our time there until three o’clock comes!”
“Come on, Emma! I know you’re sleepy, but let’s give our essay to Mujika so we can get out of here. I’m dying to get some fresh air. We’ve been cooped up in the palace for too long.”
Violet was so ecstatic to get out of the palace walls and roam into the Sunflower Garden that she had practically dragged me over to Mujika’s desk. She made no hesitation in placing her essay on Mujika’s table. Before Mujika could open her mouth, Violet was out of the Study Hall alongside Anna and Jemima.
I smiled at Mujika and handed her my seven-page essay. It was three pages short of what Ayshe had done, but I knew I poured every relevant information I could find on my historical event. I had to thank the Histoire de Tifari book and the Archives Section of the Main Library for this well-thought-out and last-minute output, though it only piqued my curiosity more on the details I got from the news clipping.
“Let’s see what you’ve chosen as your historical event topic for this essay, Emma,” Mujika flashed a grin as she examined my paper. “I would’ve asked Violet all about hers but she dashed the second she handed me her essay. I wish that lady would be a bit more gentle with her movements.”
“I think she’s fine the way she is. It’s what makes her Violet, after all,” I retorted back. Mujika was in-charge of our palace etiquettes and overall performance. I knew she was only looking out for Violet, but Violet was quirky and always up for shenanigans. I wouldn’t have her any other way.
Mujika made no response to my comment. Instead, her eyebrows were turned in a frown and the bridge of her nose wrinkled as she went on to read my essay. I started questioning myself if I had included anything remotely controversial in it, only to realize that Mujika’s reaction to it was understandable: the whole essay itself was controversial.
She cleared her throat, her expression evidently concerned. “Lady Emma, I thought I made myself clear two weeks ago that you should refrain from openly discussing this kind of topic, let alone discussing what you perceive about it.”
I already expected Mujika to question my essay so I came prepared. “Yes, I’m well aware of that. But you explicitly told us not to openly discuss it in public. I simply put it in writing, which I believe would only be read and assessed by you.”
Mujika was gently biting her lip, fully suppressing a grin that I could faintly make out of. When she spoke, I detected a hint of marvel. “You should know that those kinds of scapegoats won’t easily fool the Royal Class. What made you choose the last war as your historical event topic, Lady Emma?”
“I think it’s something to be thoroughly read and understood,” I explained, careful not to sound treasonous. “History is something that everyone should know, but I’m rather confused as to why His Majesty chose not to let anyone openly discuss it. It was a glorious event in the kingdom’s history when His Majesty and his brother James Ratri fought side by side during the war and won. His older brother may have died but his legacy lives on. I just don’t understand why he would cease anyone from talking about how they restored peace in the kingdom.”
With my explanation, Mujika’s eyes softened. She pursed her lips, and when I thought she was about to say something in relation to what I had just said, she kept her mouth in a thin line.
She stood up, placed my essay underneath the stack of the other ladies’ essays, and said, “I’ll... assess everyone’s essay, and I’ll hand out your scores in the next history class. For now, I want you to be discreet with what you have written here, Lady Emma,” she said with a smile and a light pat to my head. “You’re witty and enchanting, but for your sake, I hope you refrain from doing something reckless as this essay. I know where you’re coming from, and believe me, I understand.”
“History, for me, has been confusing,” I vaguely admitted.
Mujika sighed, head leveling down as she collected our works on both hands. “It actually is. And there must be a reason why His Majesty ought for it to be left in the past. The Royal Class mostly keeps everything to themselves. If you become the princess, you might get the chance to indulge that endless curiosity of yours.”
A frown made its way to my face. “I think it’s unfair that only those who are privileged like the Royal Class are the ones who get to know the full details about the war, yet the masses are only given scraps and bits of it. Not to mention the number of things that… don’t make sense to me.”
“You made that pretty clear on your essay, Lady Emma,” she chuckled yet her expression was heavily guarded. “Tell you what, if you happen to become the princess at the end of this Choice, you have the power in your hands to turn your ideas into reality. For now, we must simply live by the rules.”
She looked over to the entrance of the Study Hall and spotted my friends with questioning looks on their faces that oddly meant why was I taking so long. “Go. The other ladies are waiting. Be sure to be in the Women’s Room before three o’clock.”
I nodded submissively before making my way outside the Study Hall. Mujika was right on that note; if I wanted to feed my curiosity, I had to do things differently from now on. Susan assigned me this task because she knew I could do it.
I had to look for the answers to my questions, and I had to do it fast.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“I swear this guy next door from us was making the moves on me. Too bad though, I was selected for the Choice.” Violet summarized the story of the possible relationship she could’ve had with her neighbor back in District Grand Valley.
We were exchanging stories from our hometowns on one of the benches in the Sunflower Garden while our personal guards stood tall underneath a tall tree’s shade. This was an exceptionally memorable place for me, now that I thought about it. This was where Norman took me on our first official date and where I bargained to be friends with him in exchange for letting me stay in the palace and help out in finding a suitable wife for him.
It was wildly ironic considering the current situation we were in now.
“Come on,” Jemima whined, “this guy couldn’t be more handsome than His Highnesses!”
Violet gave out a triumphant grin. “Of course not. I’ll never trade the experience of becoming a Chosen for anything. I like adventures, you see.” She glanced ahead and saw that some of the gardeners were plucking out withered sunflowers from their fences, completely forgetting to finish the end of her story. “Hey, let’s go get some of those sunflowers! I’m dying to have one even if it’s a little withered!”
She promptly stood up with Jemima and pegged us both a stare to do the same. “Aren’t you guys coming?”
“I think I want to sit down for a while,” Anna answered, threading the ends of her blonde locks.
I didn’t want to leave Anna on her own so I opted to stay behind as well. “We’ll catch up with you two.”
Violet shrugged, and it was enough of a response for her. “Suit yourselves. Come, Jemima! Before the gardeners throw it all out!”
For a while, Anna and I were shrouded by sounds of leaves rustling, winds whooshing and Violet and Jemima’s distant giggling from the background. When Anna opened her mouth to speak, I pushed everything that was clouding my mind to rest.
For a while, at least.
“I thought you’d go with them,” Anna began, still caressing the ends of her hair in a repeated motion. “I was wondering when I could speak with you alone, but given the events that happened this week alone, it was hard to do so.”
Was she finally going to tell me what was bothering her these past few weeks? “You honestly had me worried about you, Anna. We’re all alone now. You can tell me anything.”
“Emma, if I tell you this, you have to promise that this conversation will remain between us,” she began while turning her head left and right.
Whatever she wanted to say felt serious. Violet and Jemima were out of earshot and our guards were still standing below the shade of the tree about a hundred feet from us. It was the perfect opportunity to lay it all out in the open.
“I’m listening,” I squeezed her hand to let her know I was all ears.
She released a low, heavy sigh, yet it didn’t ease the tension that was drawing tight on her face. “I’m... scared. I’m really, really scared, Emma.”
“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you? Have you told Norman about this?” There were a handful of things that came to mind as if she was being threatened by one of the Upper Classes or if the recent rebel attack still shook her very core.
“No, it’s not something I can share with His Highness.”
“Then, what is it?”
“That’s the thing, Emma,” her voice was anxious every second that she was explaining, “it’s because it is about him. He’s very handsome, I think everyone knows that. He’s never arrogant even with the status he holds. He’s also extremely delicate whenever we are out on official dates. But I…”
She was praising him, but why did she look so remorseful? “You what?”
“I don’t think I like him, Emma.”
My eyebrows furrowed.
Anna… didn’t like Norman?
“Are you sure? Maybe you just —”
“No, Emma. I’m sure. I don’t like him like how everyone is fawning over him. And I don’t think I’ll ever like him enough to marry him. And besides,” she trailed, “I believe he’s already set his eyes on someone else.”
It took me a while to respond, just staring blankly at her light blue eyes that held no emotion as she admitted what had been bothering her for the past few weeks. And what was this about Norman already favoring someone? He mentioned once that he already had the best bet.
Was it possible that —
No. The idea was too absurd. Clearly, Norman’s… bewildering offer last night meant that he had taken a liking to me. But it was highly impossible that he had considered me his best bet that early on.
“I mean, have you tried everything?” I asked, still a bit dazed. “He’s a little bit awkward, and sometimes too forward —” the way he cornered me on the wall came swooshing at the worst moment in my head and I felt a fluttery feeling settling in my stomach, “— but he’s amazing. Whenever we talk, I always find myself laughing at him, teasing him, or at rare times, crying because he knows the right things to say.”
A sad smile appeared on Anna’s face. “That,” she pointed at me like she just hit a jackpot. “That’s what I’m talking about. It’s not just that I don't have feelings for him. Our dates, no matter how grand, were simply too… forced. We talk, but not like how he talks to you. I-It doesn’t feel right. I just know that it simply won’t work between us even if I win this whole thing and become the princess.”
“D-do you still have feelings for that guy you left behind?”
She bit her lip. I noticed how lightly it trembled.
“It’s not that, but,” she paused, and for a second, Anna’s face registered nothing but happiness, “you could say that my heart is elsewhere.”
At the end of her sentence, tears began streaming down her eyes, and all I could do was pull her in a hug as a sign of comfort. It was a matter of her real feelings for Norman and if she wanted to go back home to District Grace Field because she saw and felt no future between them, it was the only right call.
I wanted Anna to stay, and I’d terribly miss her if she left.
“If you want to leave Anna, you should calmly explain it to him. He’s very understanding. I’m sure he’ll —”
She immediately jerked herself away from our hug. “I-I can’t leave, Emma. Not right now.”
I was confused about her reaction. She didn’t have any feelings for him, yet she was still willing to go through being a candidate for his Choice?
“I don’t understand, Anna. I thought you didn’t want to be with him.”
“I don’t,” she justified, and it seemed like she wanted to say more. “It’s hard to explain.”
“You don’t have to be worried. Whatever it is, it’s safe with me.” I tried to assure her through the gaps of her filtration of words. It felt like she was starting to build a wall between us again.
Anna took in the air like her lungs were deprived of it, and let out an audible exhale. She straightened herself out and dabbed a handkerchief over her eyes. When it looked like she had finally composed herself, she held a hand to my shoulder.
“I suddenly feel tired. I think I’ll head off to my room for now. I’ll see you in the Women’s Room at three o’clock,” she smiled, and for the first time since I met Anna, this was the only smile she gave me that felt like it was forced, just like how she thought her official dates with Norman were.
I gave her my warmest smile as she headed off to where Officer Hayato was busy exchanging stories with the other personal guards.
Within seconds, they were heading back to the palace, and I was completely left alone to my thoughts once again. Jemima and Violet’s laughter drowned in the background.
Only this time, Anna’s mysterious reason for staying here despite her lack of feelings for Norman added to the list of things that I wanted to know.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
When three o’clock came, every Chosen was present and seated perfectly inside the Women’s Room. The Upper Classes, as usual, had taken the seats closest to the door, which I assumed where Norman would be positioned when he made the announcement.
Everyone seemed extremely excited about the announcement, apart from Anna and I, who sat next to each other in complete silence. It didn’t feel like she wanted to talk, and I wasn’t going to pry anything out of her. It was enough that she confided in me regarding the worries she was having, but if she wasn’t comfortable telling me the other side to it, then I’d wait until she was ready to tell me.
I slapped a smile on my face when we made brief eye contact, and while she did present her usual meek smiles at me as a response, it was as if the effort would wound her.
She’d come around. It was all I could hope for.
All of my worries and endless thinking came to a halt when Norman graced the doors of the Women’s Room, alongside a tall, bald man that had the same kind of clipboard that Mujika was always carrying around.
Norman succinctly scanned the room. When his eyes landed on mine, everything we talked about and shared last night pierced like a bullet in my skull. My vision slumped to the floor, and harrowing numbness in my stomach presented itself once again.
I was the one who didn’t provide an answer, yet why was I the one who was wary of him?!
“Good afternoon, ladies,” Norman greeted, and the room was filled with sounds of ruffled gowns and unsynchronized salutations. “I see you’re all doing well today. I’d like to offer my deepest gratitude for a job well done in last night’s Tifari Report. His Majesty is extremely jubilant with how it went all down. The ratings for the live television skyrocketed because of all of you,” he paused for a while to catch a breath, then continued.
“As you all know, the newspaper just came in today and our official photographs have been plastered in the inner pages of it. You must know that an ongoing poll based on your presentation last night, along with the official photographs, is currently being handled by Mujika and my advisor, Vincent”— he motioned a hand to the tall man, who only tore his eyes off his clipboard for a second and nodded, before reverting back his sight into it — “and they’ll be giving the results of the poll during the event three days from now.”
A chorus of giggles and mouthed ‘oh’s encircled the room. All of us were waiting in anticipation for the event.
Norman must’ve seen the satisfied expressions on our faces. “That is why three days from now, every lady of the Choice is expected to participate in a parade. Mujika will provide you with how the mechanics will undergo, but this is where the results of the poll would come in. Whoever tops the popularity poll would be given the opportunity to stand by my side and share the space inside the parade float. The other ten ladies will share the two parade floats behind ours.”
In a heartbeat, everyone began having hushed discussions.
“I don’t care if I don’t top the popularity poll. I just really want to ride a parade float!” Jemima cheered for herself, and Violet came seconding her on the idea of being able to participate in a parade.
Anna was somehow elated herself. I was extremely puzzled when she began talking like our conversation earlier never happened. She was back to her semi-bubbly self.
“I’ve never ridden a parade float before,” she asked. “Have you?”
“No. It didn’t seem like our district had any reason to conduct a parade,” I answered, dying down the worry I had for her. “This will be an exciting experience for us. And this time, the public will see us with their own two eyes.”
“Oh! You’re right!” Violet butted in from Anna’s shoulder. “They’ll be able to see us in the flesh!”
“Do you have any bets on who’ll top the popularity poll?” Jemima broke through.
It began the ball rolling in my head as to who could have the majority of the public’s favor when it came down to the official photography and performance during the Tifari Report. Based on the photos alone, Ayshe, and Barbara were in the running, and if people were interested in my rather peculiar pose with Norman there, I could consider myself part of it. As for the interview, Ayshe really stood out with how fluent and eloquent her answers were. And while Anna’s demeanor seemed distracted throughout the interview, I wouldn’t count her out based on how she answered the questions with ease.
No matter how conflicting my feelings were for Norman, I had no right to deprive him of finding a suitable wife among the ten of them here. It was a promise I made to him, and yet it was still up to me if I was willing to take the risk of being his friend and being one of his choices.
I only wanted to pay for Dad’s medical expenses. How did it get so complicated?
“I have other matters to attend to, but rest assured that you all will be given full details of the preparations and instructions for the parade. I entrust all of these to Mujika and Vincent.” Norman had both of his hands in the pockets of his slacks when he finally addressed us again after our minutes of chatterings.
“I’ll be preoccupied with meetings and engagements between this time until the parade. Hence, I took it upon myself to see you all before all that. I’ll be looking forward to the parade, ladies. Good afternoon,” he announced with much clarity. He eyed every single one of us with a smile, ending his train of gaze and upturned lips with mine.
As soon as he was here, he was gone. Vincent said something inaudible to Mujika, bowed slightly in front of us and proceeded to follow Norman out of the Women’s Room.
Mujika came in front of where Norman was standing earlier. “Well, that settles it, ladies. I’ll be giving you the full details of the parade by tomorrow. All I know for now is that the motif is flowers. And by tomorrow, you’ll all be assigned a specific flower that’ll go hand-in-hand with your corresponding gown. Be here by seven o’clock tomorrow morning for added announcements. You’re all free to leave the Women’s Room if you so wish.”
With another event to look forward to, everyone was in high spirits when we left the Women’s Room that afternoon.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
An hour after dinner, Gilda and Gillian resigned themselves to their quarters. I told them that I wanted to tuck myself in bed a little earlier than usual tonight and they made no effort to question it. They were getting the hang of me and I loved it.
As I was about to call it a night, three knocks on the door made my heart rattle. I knew of only one person who would dare visit me spectacularly at this hour.
I braced myself since this would be our first conversation after last night.
Swinging the door open, I had to really look up because the tall man at my door wasn’t Norman, but his personal advisor, Sir Vincent.
Officer Oliver made no movement, which meant that whatever this was, it had something to do with Norman. What else could it be?
“Lady Emma, I apologize for disturbing you,” Sir Vincent intoned through a voice I only heard from motivational speakers. “Were you already taking a rest?”
I shook my head. I was about to. “No, it’s all right. What can I do for you, Sir Vincent?”
He pulled out something fastened on his clipboard and handed it to me. It was a small envelope. “As you’ve heard earlier, His Highness has a lot to attend to before the parade, but he tasked me a moment ago to deliver this handwritten letter to you.”
A letter? Why couldn’t he have just told his advisor what it was?
“What is it about?”
Sir Vincent boldly shook his head. “His Highness was a bit discreet when he tasked me to do this so I have no information as to what the envelope contains.”
If he didn’t announce earlier that he was going to be busy, I would’ve mistaken this as his way of avoiding me. “Oh, I see. I’ll get to it then. Thank you, Sir Vincent.”
He nodded his head and said, “Rest well, my lady.”
I was amazed at how fast I locked the door behind and practically jumped over to the bed. Receiving a letter from Norman felt exactly like how I first got the letters from my family. A sense of familiarity and the eagerness to open it was there.
After prying the seal open, I wasted no time reading it.
Dearest Emma,
You must be utterly confused by my actions last night. I never meant to bring you discomfort, based on how you tried avoiding my eyes earlier in the Women’s Room, it appears I made things fiddly between us, once again. For this, I would like to apologize.
But I will not apologize for everything I said last night.
What I said was the irrevocable truth. I really want you to give us a chance. I might be imagining it. I might even be delusional at this point, but know that I am not toying with you.
Catching you in the hallway all frantic was one of the first nights I felt alive in a long time. Something about you was engraved in my mind and it never left, only prospered. And while I appreciate the friendship you so generously offered me every single step of the way, there is without a doubt in my mind that this friendship could turn into something more.
When I told you that I can absolutely see you as someone I could be happy with, I meant it.
And if that is not clear enough to you, let me rephrase it better.
I see a future between us. I can envision it, and I want to share it with you.
This is not a command, and it is solely up to you.
If you cannot find it in your heart to give this a chance, I will respect your wishes, remain your friend, and proceed with letting you stay until it is down to the last girls or when you feel you are ready to go, whichever comes first.
But if you can see it, even just an inkling of a possible future with me as I do with you, then I will do everything I can to make you see my way.
I will come by your room after the parade to hear your answer.
Your friend,
Norman
There was a ridiculous smile on my face from start to finish.
Really, Norman.
I was one of the Chosen in his pool of girls, yet he was the one proposing to do the wooing?
Just by reading his letter, I knew I was doomed.
It only came to prove that I really liked him and that I was willing to take the risk with him.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-four:
I pulled myself out of bed and sat upright on the edge of it, getting Gilda and Gillian’s full attention. “So, in short — yes, I miss Norman’s presence. No, I don’t mind him dating other girls at the moment. And no, I don’t like the Choice overall but I like the people I met because of it. Are we all clear?”
Gillian was biting her lips, probably to stop herself from laughing and Gilda was shaking her head, amusement reflecting through pursed lips. “Loud and clear, my lady!”
I knew there were still a lot of things I needed to figure out, and maybe I’d get my answers to those once I talked with Norman after the parade tomorrow night. But for now, I’d like to entertain myself with just about anything.
“Okay! So does that mean I get to help out with the flower piece for my hair, at least? I really need to do something besides… not doing anything!”
Chapter 24: The Preparatory Stage
Notes:
It's been a month and a week since this was last updated.
I've been grappling with law school entrance examinations alongside my never-ending workloads (being an analyst is wearisome; it makes me want to cry).
Announcements:
(1) Fairest of Them All Chapter 25 will be uploaded on May 15 (a week from now) to compensate for the lack of updates.
(2) Fairest of Them All Chapter 26 will include a lovely artwork and will be posted around the third week of June.
(3) Once Upon A Medic Chapter 2 will be updated within the week (it was supposed to be uploaded yesterday, but the file went missing in my Google Drive. I had to rewrite some of the scenes with my backup file, which I'm thankful I didn't delete beforehand hahaha)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The palace had never been so busy — much busier compared to the two Tifari Reports I had been on. Since the parade was on Tuesday, everyone was dead set on making sure it would be a success.
As soon as the sun’s first rays wafted through the window, Gilda and Gillian were already accosting me to the bathroom to get changed. Although it was a Sunday, which was considered a free pass for any princess-in-the-making duties, we were required to be present in the Women’s Room for Mujika’s additional instructions for Tuesday.
Ayshe was the first one in the Women’s Room when I came down. She was the least talkative among her group of Upper Classes so I never knew how to approach her. I could never read what she was thinking, and out of everyone, her motive for being in the competition was heavily unknown.
“Good morning, Ayshe,” I greeted, making my way to one of the open seats at the far side of the room.
She lifted her eyes from the newspaper she was reading, crystal blue eyes that glistened with the right amount of sunlight, and offered a small smile. “Good morning, Emma. You’re quite early today.”
“I blame my maids. They’re quite efficient like that.”
She nodded, setting her eyes back on what she was reading. “So I’ve heard. I remember Sonya saying she wants them for herself when she becomes the princess.”
Sonya did say that the night of the second Tifari Report. “Do you want my maids as well? When—you know, you get the chance to become the princess?”
Ayshe brought the newspaper down on the coffee table and stood up from her seat. I wasn’t expecting she’d come and sit beside me, but that was exactly what she did. We’ve never had any moment like this one.
When she sat down next to me, she had her eyes directed forward. “I don’t really care, honestly. There’s no guarantee who’ll win this whole thing so why would I bother picking out maids this early on? Plus, Norman seems like he has prior interests.”
“Wha—” My tongue was caught mid-word.
Did she simply say Norman ?
She might have noticed me dumbfounded, so she corrected herself like it was nothing. “Oh, sorry. Prince Norman. Slip of the tongue—like—you know, what you did on stage during the Tifari Report.”
Something about that bothered me.
The way she addressed Norman was too… casual... for my taste.
I whipped away how bothered I was with that. Now that I was a lot more invested in this competition, I had to know what some of them thought about Norman.
“Aren’t you looking forward to becoming the princess?”
“Are you?” she asked back, face still fixated on the door. “You only ask questions you aren’t sure of yourself.”
The door opened before I could supply an answer; it was Anna, and as soon as she spotted my presence, Ayshe stood up, acting as the last couple of seconds didn’t exist and it wasn’t her place in the first place.
“I’m still looking forward to those history lessons you promised me,” she said with a timid smile and went back to where she originally sat.
I didn't have the chance to answer her question, let alone give a compelling response to it. My reservations for becoming the princess were still there, and if I was going to give Norman my answer by Tuesday night, then I needed an answer to Ayshe's question as well.
Anna made her way to the vacant seat where Ayshe had sat on earlier. "That was odd."
"Oh, Ayshe was only asking when I'll have the time to help her out with history lessons." It wasn't the entirety of it, but it still counted.
Ten minutes more, and the room was filled with the other ladies, excitement echoing in all of their faces. It was the first time the palace was conducting a parade for the purpose of the Choice. Even I was exhilarated.
Mujika came in not a moment longer. With her was the palace guard that I remembered her calling as Sonju, who was holding a large, black box that had a hole on top of it. Measuring it from this distance, it looked like only a single hand could fit inside of it.
"Ladies," Mujika started off. "I know you're all excited about the preparations for the parade. But before that, I'll have to tell you how the whole thing will go down and the mechanics that will directly affect you.
All ears were intently listening to her next words. "There'll be three parade floats that will be driven once outside the circumference of the palace. Your positioning depends on your ranking in the popularity poll. Those who ranked seventh to eleventh will be riding on the third parade float. Those who ranked second to sixth place will be sitting on the second parade float. And for the one who tops the popularity poll, she'll be standing next to His Highness in the first parade float. Any questions so far?"
It sounded simple enough. All we had to do was make our way up the parade float, stand with a smile on our faces, and wait until the drive ended.
No one came forward with a question, inclining Mujika to continue where she left off. "There will be attendants to assist you throughout the process, but this is what you'll mainly be concerned with."
Barbara raised her hand. "Will the Chosen who tops the popularity poll be given a different attire compared to the rest?"
Her question made it sound like she was sure she was going to stand next to Norman, and that she demanded to look entirely different than us.
"Not entirely," Mujika supplied, looking over to Officer Sonju. "In line with Lady Barbara's question, you'll all be sharing the same motif: flowers. And inside this box are the flowers you'll all be choosing from. All you have to do is place your hand inside the box, and whatever flower you raise from the inside will automatically be your flower piece and gown inspiration for the parade."
Officer Sonju held the box in place as Mujika scanned her clipboard. "Lady Paula, let's start with you."
Paula looked over at Sonya, squeezed the latter's hand, and moved along to choose a random flower provided inside the box. Once her hand was inserted inside the box, it didn't take her more than five seconds to raise her hand and present the first flower out of the running.
"For Tuesday, Lady Paula's flower piece and gown inspiration will be a daisy," Mujika announced as she jotted down what I assumed was the result of Paula's choice and began calling the other ladies for their turns.
It was only after Alicia picking an orchid was called to choose mine. There were only four flowers remaining inside. I wondered if I'd get to choose what I wanted, or if it was even part of the roster in the first place.
I pushed my hand deeper inside the box, and briefly felt all the remaining ones. As soon as I touched the texture of this one particular flower, I immediately raised it up, delighted.
Mujika nodded, writing it down. "For Lady Emma, her flower piece and gown inspiration for the parade is the sunflower."
I gleefully took my flower piece to my seat as we waited for Michelle, Jemima, and Sonya to choose their flower pieces.
With Gilda and Gillian's magical touch, I was sure they would be able to come up with something stellar for Tuesday's parade.
And if it was possible for me to help, my hands were all on deck.
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“Lady Emma, we already told you that we can handle this. Go and have fun in the gardens or hang out in the Women’s Room like some of the ladies are doing!”
It was an early, sunny Monday morning, and I was already pestering Gilda and Gillian if I could help out with the idea for my sunflower-inspired appearance tomorrow. When they saw how excited I was to announce that I’d gotten the flower piece I wanted for the parade, they went straight ahead to planning everything out, even when I begged if I could participate in their planning, even just a little bit.
“Please! I’m not exactly bored, but I don’t want to waste my time in the Women’s Room all afternoon. That’s what I did yesterday after Mujika’s announcement!” I slumped on my bed and sported the most convincing frown possible.
“You’re too stubborn, my lady,” Gilda said as she prepared the day dress for today. “It’s our job to prepare everything from start to finish. We started on the designs of your gown last night, and we’re finishing the final touches today.”
“Can’t I come down to where you’re doing all the work? I just want to help out!” It sounded too whiny even for my own good — someone who was in their twenties.
While Gilda let out an enervated sigh, Gillian only laughed, supported by a malicious grin.
“Cut her some slack, Gilda. Can’t you see our lady’s bored? Must be because His Highness has been extremely busy with his duties. She must be missing him!”
“Hey! I didn’t say that!” I protested, propping both elbows down on the bed as support.
“But it’s written all over your face! It’s worse than that time His Highness didn’t visit you over a week after the first attack!”
“That was because he was busy attending to the other ladies, too!”
“And let me guess, you find the whole thing very endearing because he has to date not only you but ten other girls, too!”
“That’s the purpose of the Choice!”
“Since when were you rooting on the side of the Choice, Lady Emma?”
Gah! There was no winning anything when Gillian was the one on the other end of the conversation!
I jokingly massaged the sides of my head like I was getting a migraine. “Okay, okay. It’s not like I’m a fan of the Choice! You remember how much I despised being all frilly on my first night here. It’s just that the people here weren’t who I expected. You guys, most of the Chosen, even those princes themselves are exceptionally nice.”
I pulled myself out of bed and sat upright on the edge of it, getting Gilda and Gillian’s full attention. “So, in short — yes, I miss Norman’s presence. No, I don’t mind him dating other girls at the moment. And no, I don’t like the Choice overall but I like the people I met because of it. Are we all clear?”
Gillian was biting her lips, probably to stop herself from laughing and Gilda was shaking her head, amusement reflecting through pursed lips. “Loud and clear, my lady!”
I knew there were still a lot of things I needed to figure out, and maybe I’d get my answers to those once I talked with Norman after the parade tomorrow night. But for now, I’d like to entertain myself with just about anything.
“Okay! So does that mean I get to help out with the flower piece for my hair, at least? I really need to do something besides… not doing anything!”
Gilda knew there was no way I was living this down, and when the look of defeat was there on her face, I was elated. “Fine. If you have any ideas for the flower piece on your head, you can give us the sketch and we’ll work on it. But we can’t take you to where we do all the heavy work. It’s inappropriate for a lady to be down there.”
It was still a win for me! “Yes! Okay, I’ll work on it in the Women’s Room!”
I grabbed a pad and a pencil on my dresser and swiftly went out of the door, which I shouldn’t have done, seeing how startled Officer Oliver was.
“Lady Emma, where are we off to?”
Clutching the pad closer to my chest, I cheekily grinned. “To the Women’s Room. Guess who’s designing my flower piece for tomorrow?”
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The Women’s Room was only composed of four ladies when I entered: Yvette, Sonya, Paula, and Michelle.
Paula was busy reading a book, Sonya was immersed with her cup of tea, and Yvette and Michelle were in their own little world with the whispered chatterings. The only solace I could find was the coffee table by the wall, where the television was showcasing the news for this morning.
“Rebels continue to cause bloodbath on the streets of District Glory Bell, but due to the interception of the NL Resistance, casualties were kept at bay.”
“The civilians are crying out to the palace for their assistance and sense of urgency. The Tifarian Shield has consistently been one step behind the NL Resistance when it comes to dealing with rebel attacks!”
“The King continues to settle act deaf in the face of this kingdom’s adversities!”
“Is the Tifarian Shield only useful for the protection of the palace and the Royal Class?”
“Or is everyone in the palace too fixated on Prince Norman Ratri’s Choice to be involved with the public’s safety?”
Being here for more than a month, I had no idea what was going on outside of the palace. The public’s outcry was getting worse every time I heard the news. The NL Resistance was taking up most of the spotlight for defending the public against the rebel attacks, but it further questioned the capability of the palace’s Tifarian Shield when it came to defending the very same people they ought to protect.
What was Ray going to do with all of these criticisms? Would the parade tomorrow help ease out the public’s discontent and rage?
Just like Norman, I hadn’t seen Ray since the Tifari Report. I had to subtly ask him about what he thought the rebels’ motives were, who was the figure behind it if Leuvis Core was long gone, and what he thought of the NL Resistance.
He sure had a lot on his plate.
Commercials came flashing on the screen not a moment later, the worry in my head tentatively left. I found myself engrossed with drawing my hairpiece for tomorrow. I wasn’t much of an artist, and simply doing the basic designs for my flower piece took me two hours; it was barely squiggly lines with few circles here and there. I couldn’t even say it was enticing to look at!
“Whatchu got there, Emma?”
I raised my head up and saw Yvette looking at my disaster of a design. As if it was too horrendous to look at, I immediately covered it with both hands.
“Oh, uhm. It’s nothing, really! I’m just trying out… something,” I said unconvincingly, trying to hide what I was doing so desperately.
Yvette peered her head over, scrutinizing what I couldn’t even call a work of art. “Are you trying to draw something?”
Thinking of another alibi wasn’t an option, so I nodded, accepting the embarrassment. “Yes. I actually begged my maids to let me do a sketch of what I wanted my flower piece to look like for tomorrow. So far, it’s not going great.”
“Hmm, maybe I can help,” Yvette offered, pulling a seat next to mine. She slid my pad over to hers and took over the pencil in my hand. “Could you describe how you want your hairpiece to look like?”
I wasn't expecting Yvette to voluntarily offer a helping hand seeing that she was busy chatting with Michelle earlier. Was she good at drawing?
"I was planning on designing a sunflower crown. But the wires and greeneries got entangled in my drawing and now it doesn't make any sense!"
"It doesn't look like one at all," Yvette giggled and I found myself a lot more embarrassed than earlier. "A sunflower crown, huh? Let me do a basic sketch on it, then tell me if you like it enough before I proceed with the lineart."
All I did was stare for the entirety of Yvette's sketching. I was still surprised she offered to do the sketching and the lineart, which I knew now what the difference was. She was amazingly good at it. I wondered if she made one for herself, considering that the flower assigned to her was a lily; it'd exceptionally complement her wild, black hair.
When she finished doing what she called lineart , she held it up for me to thoroughly see.
I gawked at it, completely stunned. "Yvette, this is incredible! Where did you learn how to do all this?"
She smiled proudly at her output as she answered. "Being a Poacher, I didn't exactly have the means to have formal education like most of you. Then, one time, while I was scavenging for things that can be salvaged among the rubbish, I found a thrown-out sketchpad. I began exploring the world of drawing soon after until I was selected for the Choice."
I lived a rather comfortable life, not as lavish as that of an Upper Class, but not so much as those in the Lower Class or Poachers. Being in the Middle Class was like the equilibrium of all social classes.
To say that I knew how it feels would be insensitive of me.
"Well, Yvette. I'm glad that you're with all of us in the Choice. And I just know that this —" I pointed to her art "— hairpiece will accessorize my look for tomorrow, and you're the one I have to thank for it."
Her cheeks faintly reddened with the compliment. "I'm glad you liked it. The sunflower suits you, after all. And your hair's a vibrant orange, so it'll appear like the sunflower in a sunset, don't you think?"
"Hmm, it does." I imagined myself wearing the sunflower hairpiece to the gown Gilda and Gillian designed, which I was expecting to be in the shade of yellow or, yet again, beige.
"Don't stress about it," Yvette remarked, standing afterward. "You look good in anything you wear. Your maids have exquisite tastes."
I smiled, all too proud of them myself. "They are, which is why if I'm going to wear this hairpiece for tomorrow, I have to show it to them and leave it in their hands to turn it into a reality. Thank you! I owe you one, Yvette!"
"Sure thing, Emma! Rock that look tomorrow!"
I stood and we both waved at each other before roughly opening the door of the Women's Room.
I was so excited to show Gilda and Gillian the masterpiece Yvette created that I startled Officer Oliver with how I rashly opened the door once again.
When I came back waltzing in my bedroom, my maids were busy tidying up the loose ends of my bedsheets.
Gillian noted the triumphant look on my face, coming forward to look at the pad on my hand. “Looks like her hairpiece idea for tomorrow is done.”
“Let me see,” Gilda piped in, squeezing herself in the middle of Gillian and me. “Hmm, this is gorgeous, my lady. I didn’t know you could draw!”
“Oh, I had some help from one of the girls. Couldn’t have done it without Yvette.”
“Well, then.” Gillian peeled off the page of my hairpiece design for tomorrow. “You’ll have to thank Lady Yvette for your exquisite look for tomorrow because this goes well with the gown we have for you!”
As soon as Gilda zipped down the garment bag where my gown tomorrow was protected within it, another gown was added to my favorites.
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The day of the parade came, and at exactly ten o’clock, we were advised to be down the Great Hall with our personal guards in an orderly fashion. Aside from the complete attendance that needed to be monitored, the announcement of the popularity poll would also indicate our line formation accordingly.
As much as I was excited to participate in the parade, I was much more thrilled that I was getting to see Norman tonight.
That, and the discussion I was sure we were going to have after.
“Gillian! Lady Emma needs to be down the Great Hall right this instant!” Gilda had scolded Gillian for what appeared like the seventh time already.
“Okay! Okay! I’m just doing last-minute touches on her hair!” Gillian screeched as she fastened the last pin on my hair, aligning and steadying the sunflower hairpiece on my head. “There! You’re off to stand side by side His Highness today!”
I briefly looked at myself in the mirror, undeniably fascinated with how my appearance turned out.
I was wearing a strapless ball gown that trained freely on the floor. Its bodice was embroidered with little rhinestones that glistened perfectly with the gown's kind of yellow, hovering in between the shades of butter and canary. What made its elegant finish was the opaque tulle overlay that was glittery underneath the shades of the sun. A one-sided braid that had little sunflowers in its midst complemented the entire ensemble.
It made me look like a flower out of its soil.
My maids almost rammed me out of the room to where Officer Oliver was waiting.
“My lady, the others are waiting for you,” he started. I wasn’t even listening anymore as I took bigger steps in my heels, which were still considered to be lady-like, and made my way down the Great Hall.
When I saw the other ladies, my instant thought was that everybody did a great job of embodying their assigned flowers. Ayshe was representing a gardenia, and the way her white gown blossomed all the way down would leave anyone breathless at the sight. Yvette was striking as well; the violet-pink flower crown on her head accentuated her salmon-colored gown. And there was no missing out on Barbara; her flower was a rose, and just how plump and red the rose was entangled to her ponytail, her gown was the most buoyant one out of all of us, swimming in deep red, nevertheless.
Mujika saw me hurriedly making my way down the stairs with Officer Oliver trailing not far behind. “Ah, Lady Emma is here. We can begin the announcement of the results of the popularity poll!”
I stood next to Anna, who was a stunner with the orange begonia vines around both her two-sided braids. It heavily suited the puffy, bronze-colored layered ball gown she was wearing. Same with my style, our sleeves were off-the-shoulder, lengthening all the way to our wrists.
“This is the first time I’m seeing you flaunt a braid,” she whispered while Mujika was busy conversing with Sir Vincent. “I like it!”
“Don’t get me started on yours, Anna,” I gushed back, a little louder than I had anticipated, sending Mujika’s attention towards us with a ‘shh’. “Okay, I’ll be quiet now.”
Sir Vincent cleared his throat, whipped out the clipboard I saw him clasped on three days ago, and took a glance at it where I assumed the results were written. “Ladies, the float is about to start. His Highness is already in the first parade float, awaiting for his muse of the entirety of the ride.”
It was hard to imagine who would top the popularity poll. It could be any of us, but the top-of-mind ladies would be Anna, Ayshe, and of course, the always-scheming Barbara. Even with these lovely ladies, I was somehow wondering if there was a possibility that I could top the poll.
A month ago, I wouldn’t have cared. And when I told Norman that I wanted to walk alongside him that night in the Alstroemeria Garden, I didn’t think I’d want it literally.
It was different now. I wanted to try — to really try working this out with him; to see if there was a future between us just like how he saw a possible future in me.
If Mom knew how much I had changed from the month I was apart from them, she’d be jumping for joy.
It was Sir Vincent’s voice that sent me back to reality from my thoughts.
“Ladies, I’ll hand out the results of the popularity poll from eleventh to first. Are you ready?”
I didn’t think I was ready.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-five:
All of us shared a look of understanding. When Norman saw that no one would continue to share their sentiments on the matter, he proceeded.
“Second, what happened earlier only shows how perilous it is for everyone, because not only are we facing constant attacks from the rebels, we’re also receiving fierce repulsion from those who are against my father’s reign.” Norman’s expression grew uncomfortable the more he spoke. “I’ve said this with some of you, but I will not push anyone against their will to stay here. Furthermore, I wouldn’t want anyone to face the constant danger of staying here for the purpose of becoming my wife when deep down, I am confident I see no probable future together.”
Silence.
My breathing temporarily stopped and it felt like everyone in the hall experienced the same.
Was he going to —
Chapter 25: The Admissible Verdict
Notes:
Apparently, Lyn has no sense of time and completely forgot that she needed to upload this chapter two days ago.
Sorry about that!
My schedule has been quite hectic, so allow me to edit this one out when I have the chance.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Just know that these results will be released to every newspaper outlet, alongside the photos of the parade."
Sir Vincent handed us one by one a single piece of paper that showcased our rankings in the popularity poll.
Michelle was the first one to get a copy of the results, and her audible gasp wasn’t giving any of us, who hadn’t seen it yet, a good disposition. The gasps continued in a row, and when Sir Vincent handed me mine, my eyes immediately darted to who was at the eleventh place, all the way to the first.
Oh.
I guessed that settled that.
Ayshe was first, racking eighteen percent of the votes.
And there I was, a close second to hers at seventeen percent.
"Wow, Ayshe topped the popularity poll," Anna commented, and relief was transparent all over her face.
She told me upfront that she wasn't interested in Norman and felt that everything they tried to do together felt forced. But if she was going to stay here, she had to try acting a little bit disappointed that she wasn't the one standing next to him on the first parade float.
It was funny because no matter how hard I tried to deny it, no matter how much I said it was all right for me to be part of a dating circle I clearly never wanted to be in the first place, I wanted to stand right next to him.
And because I wanted to take this risk with him, I had to get used to this; to get used to not being always the one by his side.
As a little bit of consolation for myself, at least I'd get to see and talk to him tonight.
"Well, everyone that ranked seventh to eleventh, you'll be the first ones to climb up the third float, but you'll have to pause for five seconds on the risers so the cameras will be able to take a good shot of you. The rest goes for those who ranked second to sixth on the second float," Mujika sternly reminded. "And as for Lady Ayshe, she'll be the last one to come up on the leading float, and not only will you be photographed on the risers, but alongside His Highness as well."
Even if there was an unsettling, grueling feeling in the pits of my stomach, the show must still go on.
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
As soon as the gates were opened, the cheers of the crowd could be heard from left and right. Signages, posters, and banners were raised by both hands, and a mixture of our names was plastered all over it. Palace guards were lining the routes, preventing any civilian from crossing the threshold between a spectator and a participant.
It was the first parade conducted by the palace; of course, everyone would want to see it with their own eyes and not just from their television sets at home.
Just as Mujika instructed, the third parade float was occupied by Michelle, Yvette, Alicia, Paula, and Jemima, who all beamed at the flash of the camera one by one as they took their steps up the risers, clutching the sides of their gowns to avoid brushing the dirt from the ground. Though I wasn’t expecting Paula, one of the nicest Upper Class I knew, to be part of the lower ranks in the popularity poll, it didn’t seem like she minded. Everyone in their batch seemed to enjoy the experience as a whole.
When all the ladies of the third parade float were settled, it was our turn to climb up on the second one.
One thing I didn’t like with the batch of girls I was with was Barbara; her eyebrows were contorted downwards, her red lips showcasing an all too obvious sullen pout, and her hands were clenched to the side of her gown like she was ready to rip it into shreds.
Anna and I shared a look and stifled our little laughter at seeing how miserable Barbara was at only being in fourth place, and not getting her chance to stand next to Norman. She had to wipe that dissatisfaction on her face or she would never hear the end of it from Mujika.
When it was my turn to climb up the risers, my eyes flew to the parade float in front of ours and caught Norman’s eyes. His expression was blank, and it only occurred to me that he was waiting for me to look at him since it would be the first time in three days. There was still a discussion awaiting tonight, and it left an unbearable silence between us since the night of the Tifari Report and the letter he sent the next night through Sir Vincent.
I smiled broadly at the camera, and when it was done, I offered a humbled smile at Norman’s way, just to let him know that everything was alright. I even raised a small thumb at him, no matter how awkward that must’ve been for the photographers. As soon as he returned a smile filled with fascination, I was at peace, and it didn’t matter that I wasn’t standing right next to him.
It was all washed away.
Being ranked second in the popularity poll, I was the last one to go up the float. The risers were steeps, and one false move would send me tumbling down backward. I managed to still smile at each flash even when I was unsure of my steps. When I made it up safe and sound, I managed to discreetly let out a sigh of relief.
After taking a couple more photos of all of us inside our float, the photographer moved on to Ayshe as she climbed up the risers of the float in front of us. Norman had a hand extended towards her as support, and when the crowd squealed in excitement because of his gesture, the photographer got a clear shot out of it.
Reflecting on it now, everything made sense as to why there was a seeping discomfort every time Norman made any sweet interaction towards the other ladies. It could simply mean I liked him even back then without me even knowing.
Once again, something I had to thank Ray for, due to his endless probing.
Where was that royal doofus anyway?
“Hey, Anna.” I leaned my lips close into her ear and asked while everybody was busy gawking at Norman and Ayshe at the float in front of us. She was friends with Ray as well. Maybe she knew where that thunderhead would be. “Do you happen to know where Ray is?”
Anna raised her head and thought for a while before answering. “I think he’s going over reports over the latest attack here in District Glory Bell. But he said he’ll present at the gates during the parade.”
“Wow,” I merely gasped, still taken aback at how informed she was. “You and Ray have gotten all chummy. You even know what he's doing at the moment.”
Anna’s eyes shot up and her excitement just earlier faded with her answer. “O—Of course!” With the slight trembling of her hands, she smoothed out her gown waist down. “We, uh, actually bumped into each other earlier!”
“And he suddenly told you what he was up to for today in passing?”
“Ah, yes!” She offered no more explanation.
That was so unlike Ray.
Ray would often pop out of nowhere, but he never took it upon himself to share any of his doings.
Who knew he’d be this close to Anna for him to update her of his well-being in mere passing?
“Seriously!” Barbara suddenly shrieked, huffing exasperatedly next to Anna. “I think the public didn’t get a good look at my official photograph with the Prince or didn’t hear the answers during the Tifari Report! I could’ve sworn that first-place rank was in my bag!”
“Ease up, Barbs,” Violet casually vocalized, nudging her a bit. “Ayshe’s photo and answers during the Tifari Report were splendid.”
Barbara hissed. “First of all, don’t call me Barbs. It’s sickening! And second —” she mildly swatted Violet’s hand away, which—thankfully—wasn’t noticeable from the crowd, “— do not touch me with your Lower-Class-status hands! I cannot believe I am stuck in this float with you all! The only consolation I get is that Sonya is here!”
I knew Sonya wasn’t as vile as Barbara, and when my eyes turned to hers, she just meekly shook her head, embarrassed to be placed in a situation where her name would be implicated.
Violet was an easy-going lady, and knowing her, she wouldn’t stoop down Barbara’s level. At least, physically. But her tongue was a double-edged sword, no doubt. “Too bad for you! Because not only are you stuck with a Lower Class you despise so much, but you’re also a bitch. No wonder you’re only in fourth place.”
Anna and I were laughing at the end of her sentence. I had never seen Barbara look so flustered before, and it was obvious that she didn’t appreciate Sonya resisting the urge to laugh, too.
“How dare y—”
“What? Are you going to rat me out to Mujika the way you did with Naila? I grew up close to the slums, you can’t send me home just by a few little snarky remarks,” Violet finalized, a victorious smirk plastered on her face.
This was the first time anyone had ever put Barbara in her place. Violet was winning this face-off, and just like the red chrysanthemum on her hair, she was figuratively on fire.
Mujika was hurriedly strutting to our float, so we all straightened out. “Ladies, I just got off the third float with last-minute instructions. Just a reminder to stand tall, smile to the public, and wave your hands to them. That’s all you have to do for the entire loop, and it’ll only last for fifteen to twenty minutes." She suddenly shifted her sight to her back. "Officer Sonju! Where are you going?"
Officer Sonju had a smile on his face. "As I thought. No one can get past you. My nephew came to watch the float. I'll be speaking with him briefly."
He must've noticed the sternness in Mujika's expression. "I'll be quick, I promise! Nothing to worry about!"
Mujika waved him off, sighing in resignation. She turned to us, already plastering a smile. "Do well, ladies!"
We nodded earnestly before she went over to Norman and Ayshe’s float. I assumed that she was telling Ayshe exactly what she told us. As Mujika talked, Norman loosened up his arm, and Ayshe encircled hers around it. They began whispering into each other’s ears. Ayshe said something and Norman broke into his signature soft smile.
This was a lot of getting used to.
Not a moment longer, the first parade float started moving, followed by ours, and then the one behind us. We each grabbed onto the bar that supported our balance. The girls I was with were steady on their feet, smiling and waving their free hands to the public. From where I was standing, I could see how Yvette and Naila from the third float were doing their best not to fall over. And while all I could see was their backs, it seemed that Norman and Ayshe were calm and collected as they waved and nodded towards the cheering crowd.
We passed by a few of the banners. Anna and Ayshe's name was the one you'd see plastered more than the others, but I managed to spot my name more often as the float moved along. One poster read, "Redheads with antennas rule!" and it warmed my heart that there were people who were really rooting for me.
I made sure that the child, who was raising that poster as high as she could, saw the wave of my hand and the exhilarated smile on my face.
“All hail the next king!"
"Blessings upon the next princess!"
For the first time, I didn't really mind the number of eyes staring back at me as I put my appearance to good use, and I knew the other ladies felt the same way as I did.
All was well as the parade went on, not even minding the time that had passed as we continued to enjoy the gestures and appreciation of the kingdom's people.
We were reaching the final stretch of our route when things turned upside down.
Everything was so fast, and if I wasn't next to Anna, I wouldn't have noticed it. Something was thrown her way and it left a gaping red stain on her gown, with the thing thrown making a mess on the board of the float.
It was... a rotten tomato.
And it didn't end there.
What happened next was a series of mayhem.
“King Peter should step down!”
“The palace only cares for the people inside of it!”
“Why is this NL Resistance doing the work of protecting us for you?!”
If I was lucky earlier, I wasn't much fortunate for the next one. An egg was thrown my way, cracking at the side of my head. It smelled terribly bad as it oozed all the way down to my face.
I looked over at the float in front of us and saw how Norman shielded Ayshe from the same rotten things thrown our way.
But despite that, he was looking over at our side. Our eyes met; it was evident how worry emanated all over his face.
"We don't care about the Choice! We need protection!"
"The rebels are all going to wipe us out and all you care about is this!"
“We need food!”
“Everybody get down!” I ordered them. I stayed still and moved my gaze over at the float behind us; all of them were frightened, beginning to hunch down to their knees in mixed fright and disbelief.
Since the guards were stationed down the route of the parade, no one was up here with us, which was understandable since who would've thought we'd be ambushed this way.
"Lady Emma, get down!" Norman commanded from where he was, seeing that I was still standing up on our side of the float.
The rest of the girls in the float we shared were shaking in fear, especially Anna, who was already crying an endless stream of tears.
Even with the raw food continuously thrown at all of us, I remained standing, not bothering to follow Norman's command, just to see the look of the angered crowd that was mixed in with the ones that were showering us with adoration earlier.
Most of the civilians in this part of the route were… furious.
But someone in this sea of angry people caught my eye.
Blended in with the crowd was a man with long black hair, good enough to look like a girl, but the way his eyes glared at me—at us—gave me the chills.
He looked oddly familiar for some reason.
"For heaven's sake, Emma! Keep your head down!" Norman called out again, clearly forgetting once again to be formal. His voice was hoarse but even then, I didn't bother to look his way.
That man.
I swear I'd seen him somewhere.
Before I could analyze it, the man had turned around, and I was suddenly pulled down to the floor of the float.
"Are you crazy?!" Violet screeched. "His Highness has been calling for you to get down, and all you did was just stare into the mob. Look at your face and your gown! You look worse than us!"
"I—I'm sorry. I thought I saw someone —"
"Stay down. His Highness looked like he was about to kill someone if another food was thrown your way," she answered back as she tucked away a few of the tomato scraps on my gown, prompt shaking it off her hands. "We're almost back at the palace. We just have to keep low. The guards down there are trying to handle those who are causing the ruckus."
Then, we heard a loud thud from the sides of the float.
It didn’t sound like food was the only thing being thrown at us anymore.
My assumptions were proven to be correct when rocks almost the size of a toddler’s fist came flying over. I couldn’t see what was happening, but the sounds only meant that everything was turning into unimaginable chaos.
We placed our arms over our heads, just enough to protect our heads. Still, some of the pointed ends managed to scrape my arm and pound on my shoulder, and I felt the sting and ache that came with it.
I turned an eye over to the other girls. Barbara was seething in anger, Sonya was in quiet prayer, and Anna remained at my side, slowly leaning over as she continued to cry.
What we thought would be a memorable day turned exceptionally sour.
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Ray was within eyesight as soon as our parade floats entered the gates of the palace.
"Ladies, I cannot begin to describe how horrible that was an experience for all of you. I will come by dinner tonight to speak with all of you about the matter. For now, please freshen yourselves. It has been quite a day." Norman said from where he was. He looked awfully worried with our demeanors as he scanned us from head to toe. “Make sure you are all attended to. Dear heavens, I sincerely apologize.”
I felt bad for him.
Our personal guards immediately escorted us down the floats, and I could see in their eyes how bothered they were, given our state.
Norman escorted Ayshe down, guiding her until her personal guard, who I came to know as Officer Cislo, went and took her back inside of the palace, probably to get cleaned.
That was what most of the guards did.
"What happened down there?" Ray asked Norman when he was done giving orders to Officer Cislo and the rest of the personal guards.
"It was a mess, brother," Norman started, taking a quick glance at our states, and it might've been because I was within earshot, but his next words were carried like a whisper. "It has gotten out of hand. The people are distraught, and clearly, not everyone is pleased with the Choice, with the Tifarian Shield, and with our father's way of reigning."
Ray gave us a scan. When his eyes landed on mine, he nodded apologetically while I shook my head in return: it wasn't either of their faults that this happened.
Even though his face was relaxed, his eyebrows began contorting and his nonchalance changed to grimace when his eyes fixated on Anna, who was still quivering in fright from our earlier ordeal. Office Hayato was doing his best to calm her down, but what happened earlier was hard to shake off.
Ray went over to our side, brushing past Norman. He stood in front of us, still appearing angered, but his expression was mixed with worry. He turned to Officer Hayato and asked, "Is she hurt? Take her to the clinic immediately!"
"N-no, I'm fine, R—Your Highness," Anna shook her head and flailed her hand weakly as a retort. She was obviously in denial. The number of cuts on her arms and the scrape on her cheek said otherwise. "I was just shocked. That's all. I'll be going to my room now. I’ll be attending to myself."
Ray was about to say something, but Anna had beat him to it; she simply curtsied towards Norman, then to Ray, eyed me with a look full of sadness, and went on her way with Officer Hayato, as most of the girls did with their personal guards.
Officer Oliver offered me a clean towel. "Your maids are waiting for you, my lady. I heard they were tremendously worried. Look at what they have done to you."
I shook my head and proceeded to walk my way inside the palace. I gave Ray and Norman a rather rough curtsy, eyes plastered on the floor to avoid them seeing the entirety of the mess that befell me from earlier.
I could see Norman walking towards me from the corner of my eyes, but was halted by the thunderous voice coming out of the palace entrance.
"What the hell happened to the parade?!" King Peter's voice boomed through the palace doors as he walked towards his sons. "I thought that this shenanigan would enlighten the people, but all I heard were curses about me and how I reign this kingdom! And you—!" he pointed his staff at Ray, "You are the Commander of the Tifarian Shield, yet you allow some preposterous vigilante group to outpace you in terms of your responsibility?! What did I raise you two for? Both of you are utterly useless!"
I kept on walking alongside Officer Oliver, and I knew he noticed me flinched because he steadied himself more to my side as the voice of King Peter was swallowed up by the distance we made.
Today was a dreadful one, and I knew that these brothers still had a lot of matters to discuss.
I was beginning to wonder if it was still a good idea to see Norman tonight.
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
As soon as my feet passed through the door of my bedroom, Gilda and Gillian were already in position. They took one good look at my appearance and it was obvious that they wanted to know how on earth things escalated the way they did, but they proceeded to tidy me up without any questions. Gilda pulled me out of my gown while Gillian loosened the tie on my hair.
They hadn't asked me anything while they cleaned me up, rubbing away the smell of rotten eggs and tomatoes on my skin. Gillian had taken a couple of ointments and gauzes from the infirmary to patch me up. I hissed a little when she cleaned up the cuts on my arms and shoulders. It was only until I was out of the bathroom and into my nightdress that they had shared their sentiments on what happened.
"We heard what happened with the parade, my lady," Gillian began as she blow-dried my hair. "We can't imagine how frightening that must've been for all of you. Oh, dear. These marks aren’t going to fade away quickly. We should have a soothing cream here somewhere. Oh! A lightening cream will do wonders to these scars, too!"
I watched as she rummaged through the drawers. "It was… scary," I admitted. "But the people wouldn't be acting out simply because they wanted to. They were angry over a lot of things, but mostly because of how the King is handling his reign. Also, the Tifarian Shield, too. There's this group that's been protecting the civilians from the rebel attacks and the people are questioning why the Tifarian Shield is always a second slower to respond to the attacks compared to the vigilante group."
Gilda went over. "It's best if we do not talk about this. Always remember that the walls have ears, Lady Emma. It will only be a few more years, and Prince Norman will ascend the throne. I'm sure he'll be a great king."
"But what the people want is for change to come now. And it's not happening when everything outside of the palace is a constant daily bloodbath," I reasoned out. I was suddenly reminded of what Susan was talking about. We weren't only facing rebel attacks, we were also facing backlash from some of the people.
And though the NL Resistance was doing their best to protect the people in their own way, I hadn't seen any action from them implicating their desire to oust the current king just like what Susan said.
I really needed to talk to Ray about this if this was concerning the Tifarian Shield more than ever.
How was this all going to turn out?
Norman announced that he was going to be with us during dinner, so when three thuds came knocking on the door, I immediately knew it was Officer Oliver who was letting me know that it was supper time.
"You should head out now, my lady. His Highness has rarely come to join dinner with all of you," Gilda said while she soothed the body of my mocha-colored nightgown, giving me a look of assurance that I was all set to go.
I nodded at both of them and opened up the door where Officer Oliver was patiently waiting for me.
"All ready, my lady?" He asked as if he was gauging my temperament with the earlier fiasco.
I smiled at him, yet I was far from being okay with everything.
"Ready to have dinner, Officer."
• • ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Despite the horrible experience we had with food being thrown at us earlier, dinner was exceptionally grand, not to mention delicious.
It was exceptionally ironic since these were the very thing thrown at our faces earlier.
Still, food is food!
Suddenly, it felt like everybody’s spirits were lifted for a while.
Well… except for Norman.
He was usually all-smiles when he partook dinner alongside us, but tonight, he was exceptionally quiet, only staring at his plate full of food and casually gazing up and down to stare at us.
He looked oddly distressed.
“Emma, you have to try the strawberry shortcake!” Yvette suggested, offering me a plate of the cake as she was seated opposite of mine.
“Yes, you must try it, Emma,” Anna carried on with a spoonful of icing. “It surely lifted my feelings from earlier.”
“Especially the icing!” Jemima added, pointing her fork to the luscious icing on top of her cake.
“Okay, okay! I give up! Give me a piece of that!” I jokingly grabbed the plate from Yvette, and it garnered laughs from some of the girls, even Paula who always sat next to me in the Dining Hall.
Barbara was laughing alongside Sonya, while Ayshe smiled occasionally within their conversation. Violet happened to swallow a whole spoon of wasabi, thinking it was something sweet, and ended up drinking three glasses of water in a row, sending all of us in hysterical but hushed laughter.
For a while, we were only enjoying each others’ company. It made me forget for a while that we were in some sort of competition.
We were still in the middle of laughing at Violet’s tear-stained eyes from the wasabi incident when Norman abruptly stood up from his seat. It was so sudden that it took all of our attention at once. His face was drained of any color, and it looked like he wanted to simply be anywhere but here. Seeing that all our eyes were on him, he took a deep breath and spoke.
When I said that today was a dreadful one, I didn’t think it’d be any worse than it was earlier.
“I—I have something to announce,” Norman introduced, a crack at the end of his sentence and a pained expression on his face. “Let me say first that I am terribly sorry for the horrible experience you’ve had to go through. The parade was envisioned to be something enjoyable for all of us, yet it only left you distraught. You must know that you do not fault with how everything transpired. The public is angered with the palace, and not with any of you.”
All of us shared a look of understanding. When Norman saw that no one would continue to share their sentiments on the matter, he proceeded.
“Second, what happened earlier only shows how perilous it is for everyone, because not only are we facing constant attacks from the rebels, we’re also receiving fierce repulsion from those who are against my father’s reign.” Norman’s expression grew uncomfortable the more he spoke. “I’ve said this with some of you, but I will not push anyone against their will to stay here. Furthermore, I wouldn’t want anyone to face the constant danger of staying here for the purpose of becoming my wife when deep down, I am confident I see no probable future together.”
Silence.
My breathing temporarily stopped and it felt like everyone in the hall experienced the same.
Was he going to —
Norman squared his shoulder from its slumped position, taking another deep breath as he began to turn this day into another unimaginable one.
“This decision was never in my intention to happen all at once, but after a thorough discussion with my family and a few, good advisers, I have come to a conclusion.” The strain in his voice was so apparent that it felt like I shared the burden with him. “It is with a heavy heart that I have to do this, but for the sake of your safety and for the process of choosing a wife in these dire times, it is in my best interest to narrow the Choice down to the Prime.”
Gasps filled the room with the realization. Norman was narrowing down his Choice to Prime — meaning he was going only going to choose five among us, and he was sending six of us home.
Complaints were thrown around the room. Barbara was tense, and it was visible in her eyes that she wouldn’t take it lightly if she wasn’t selected. While Yvette and Alicia shared worried glances at each other, Sonya and Ayshe looked relaxed, and I didn’t know whether they were acting complacent or they simply didn’t care. Michelle, Violet, and Jemima were seated next to each other, and the shock was still glooming on their faces. Paula was calm, yet I noticed how her hands were shaking underneath the table.
And Anna — she was biting her lips and digging her nails at her palms. She already told me beforehand that she saw no future with Norman, and she felt that he saw no future in her as well. Yet, why did she look extremely troubled with the probability of being sent home?
“I’ll refrain from dragging this out any longer than it should, so only the name of the ladies that are called will be the ones staying. Lady Anna and Lady Ayshe.”
Ayshe didn’t show any inkling of happiness, only nodding at the mention of her name. On the other hand, Anna looked oddly relieved as if she was a needle finally out of the haystack.
Two positions were out. With only three spots remaining, everybody was on edge.
And with the number of times I spat that I only saw Norman as a friend, was it possible that he’d send me home because of it? We were supposed to talk about it tonight, yet he dropped this in the middle of dinner!
All this time, he gave me the power of whether I would go home on my own accord or stay until it was down to the last two ladies.
The situation changed, and I didn’t know if my answer was too late.
I wanted to at least let him know.
“Lady Barbara,” he said, turning his head towards Barbara, who was about to burst into leaps of joy with the mention of her name. Her chin was jutted, and the air of uncertainty was nowhere to be seen surrounding her.
I found myself gritting my teeth. Barbara was a horribly blunt lady who already lacked the awareness of those who ranked lower than her. If Barbara was good enough for him to stay despite her attitude, then what did that say about me?
“Lady Violet.”
Violet looked like she was going to choke back the water she excessively drank. Her eyes widened in shock, looking from left to right, asking for clarification if she heard him right. When Norman nodded his head as an affirmation, she only sat there, face blanked.
Everyone was awaiting the final name, and I was mentally prepared to go home. My eyes were closed shut, and I seriously wished he’d just get it over with.
“Lady Emma,” Norman uttered my name, and I felt every joint in my body relax. These past few minutes took a few years off my life!
When I caught his eyes, I detected a faint smile from him.
It was good to know that despite not having given him my answer yet, I had a safe spot in his heart.
The sigh of relief that escaped me was so audible that it felt like it encircled the stillness in the Dining Hall. It was incredibly awkward to sit next to Paula, yet what I didn’t expect was for her to pat my hands and mouth ‘congratulations’.
Some of the girls were already teary-eyed, and maybe realizing that he could no longer stand to see the faint sobs and clear rejection on their faces, Norman let out a long sigh, face dejected with pain as well.
“I am deeply sorry for this sudden announcement. It has been a month of getting to know all of you, and I would like you to trust me when I say that I would not want to prolong your stay here, keeping your hopes up while risking your safety in the process. The door to my office is open, and anyone who wishes to speak with me before departing is free to visit me as soon as they have finished eating. Good evening.”
Norman turned his back on us as quickly as his feet carried him out of the Dining Hall. Michelle, Alicia, and Jemima left their seats to follow where Norman is, probably looking for an explanation for his decision. I wasn’t close with Michelle and Alicia as much as I was with Jemima, so I was pained to see her go.
Paula squeezed my hand one last time before standing up and joining Sonya to congratulate Barbara and Ayshe, the last remaining ladies of their little clique.
Yvette was smiling, though it was obvious that she was on the verge of crying herself. She hugged Anna and Violet, and after she was done with that, she went over to hug me.
“I knew you’d make it to the final five,” she chanted through my ear. It was only yesterday that we bonded over hair decorum, and now, Yvette was going home.
“I’m going to miss you,” I said, hugging her back. “Please, always stay safe.”
Yvette laughed. “You’re silly, Emma. I should be the one telling you that. You’ll be stuck in the palace with all the rebel attacks and the angry mob!”
We laughed a little more to hide the pain of everyone departing. Moments later, Paula, Sonya, and Yvette bid us all a good night and went to where Norman was along with the rest of those who went ahead earlier.
It only left the five of us at the Dining Hall. Barbara’s expression of delight couldn’t be missed, while Ayshe remained silent on her seat.
Anna and I hugged each other, followed by Violet’s rather forceful tug of an embrace.
Everything was still bearable as long as they were with me.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-six:
I cracked into a small laugh. “That’s a funny way of asking if I have it in me to become the next princess.”
There was an apologetic smile masked in his sheepish reaction. “I am afraid it comes with the package.”
Was he referring to himself as one? I wanted to see more of this confidence if it was the case.
“And the package is you?”
“No.” He cooly placed a palm under his chin, resting perfectly along with the soft expression on his face. “The package is a grand life together.”
Chapter 26: The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Notes:
Hahaha. At this point, I can't even apologize for the lack of updates. Life has been quite a... struggle on my end.
Law school will commence around September so I'm going to work on this fic while time permits.
We're in Chapter 26 now; 19 more to go!
Chapter 27 will still be uploaded on July 17!
I usually post updates about my fics on Twitter so feel free to slide over there and give me a message if you have any questions!Oh, another thing! The art included here is once again made by Krinkles! I love how different she depicts Anna and Emma through her art. I love her!
Thank you so much for sticking around.
You're amazing!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Gillian encircled me into a hug the moment I stepped foot onto the door. She was already bawling in tears of joy, and I could only laugh at her reaction.
"My lady! We heard! His Highness has decided on the Prime! We are so happy!"
"Gillian! What you're doing is inappropriate!" Gilda mildly chastised at the back, but it was evident she was itching in for a hug as well.
"Don't be a stranger, Gilda. It's thanks to you both that I'm still here so get over here!" I freed an arm to welcome her into a hug, and although a bit reluctant, she made her way into my arm.
"This is still inappropriate," she murmured, "but I'm so glad you're one of the Prime, my lady!"
"Even Officer Oliver was happy for me," I added. Officer Oliver looked so triumphant that he was congratulating me all the way back to my room.
"Who wouldn't? Only a few more steps until you become the princess! I can't wait!" Gillian fantasized, squealing in little twirls.
I shook my head. I was happy, but tomorrow morning, I'd have to say goodbye to six of them.
It was a bittersweet feeling.
"Should we ready your sleepwear for tonight, my lady?" Gilda asked.
I thought for a while. Norman and I agreed to talk tonight, and there was a chance he wouldn't fulfill that agreement based on how hectic this day had been.
Still, I was looking at the faint ray of silver lining that he'd show up. After all, he always did.
"I'm going to stay in my dress for a while. His Highness and I sort of… had an agreement to meet tonight," I admitted. "You can rest in your quarters. I can handle myself tonight."
Gilda merely adjusted her glasses while looking away. Gillian simply cackled like she had won a game.
These two were just too… unbelievable!
"I hope you have a splendid evening, Lady Emma," Gillian said and did a rough curtsy as a joke. Gilda swatted her head softly. They both bid me a good night, locking the door behind them.
Minutes turned into hours and only a couple more for it to strike midnight. I guessed Norman was busy today. Although it was saddening, I didn't think I could hold it against him.
At least I wasn't going home! I never thought the day would come when I would come to freely say those words!
I changed into my blue sleepwear for the night and was ready to rest everything behind. I had to wake up early since six of the girls would be departing.
I stared blankly towards the ceiling.
Just as when my body was ready to shut down, three knocks came.
And from the way it sounded, it could only come from the one person I wanted badly to see.
I was practically running to the door before I managed to take a quick glance at myself in the mirror. My sleepwear wasn't exactly provocative and it was worthy enough to be seen by my visitor. I fluffed my hair twice, checked my face for any dirt, and took a few more steps until I reached the door.
No matter how much I tried to calm myself down, my heart was a treacherous thing, doing incredulous somersaults like there was no tomorrow as I opened the door.
Norman was still in his suit from dinner. One look and anyone would see how sleep-deprived and exhausted he was, yet even with that bearing, he was serving up his signature soft smile.
It felt like we were soaking each other's gaze and presence. When half a minute passed and none of us spoke, he did it for the both of us.
"I tried several times to simply knock on your door. This was my seventh attempt before succeeding."
An unexpected introductory greeting. It made me smile, nevertheless. "Why did it take you seven attempts to knock?"
He released a sigh of relief as he welcomed himself in, a few good steps away from where I was standing, which only accelerated the rapid thumping of this treacherous thing.
“As of the moment, I do not know where I am standing in your life. So, I hope you forgive my indecisiveness. I have waited for this night since I wrote that letter to you, and here I am confessing how much of a foolish man I am for not knocking the first time around,” he disclosed with a light scratch at the back of his head.
It was adorable.
“You must’ve been tired today,” I changed the topic as I escorted him to a seat at the edge of my bed, the one where he usually sat. “I would’ve understood if you couldn’t make it tonight, given the elimination you dropped like a bomb at dinner.”
He placed both hands over his lap before speaking. “I had to do it, now that rebels have been persistent more than ever. You have also seen how the public reacted towards the Royal Class. The announcement of the Prime had to be done.”
I gave him an apologetic stare. “Sounds like you should be heading off to bed instead of staying here, Norman.”
He sighed. “I already told you that I was looking forward to this conversation ever since I wrote you that letter. There was nothing in this world that could have prevented me from coming.”
I had to bite the insides of my cheek to stop myself from smiling like an idiot. Norman always knew what to say; probably one of the reasons I gradually liked him without me even knowing.
“Alright, smooth-talker!” I playfully narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t think you can just waltz your way into this bedroom and scoop me in with flowery words. You don’t even know my answer to your little request in the letter.”
His ears began flaring and a faint color of champagne made its way to his face. “Right. I didn’t mean to be presumptuous.”
“And yet, you still don’t know when I’m kidding,” I countered with a raised eyebrow at him.
Norman laughed at the little shade I threw him. “Pardon my inability to detect when your comedic side comes out. When you grow up in an environment heavy on political affairs and being raised as the next ruler of this kingdom, humor and comedy do not necessarily come into play.”
“Understandable,” I agreed wholeheartedly. “Just today, I got to see a glimpse of how you and Ray handle your own affairs. I haven’t seen King Peter as mad as he was during the first rebel attack.”
He audibly snorted at the last sentence. “Father is always aggravated over anything and everything. Even though I get reprimanded myself, Ray often gets the largest pie of the scolding. You have seen how the people reacted towards the parade earlier.”
“Is that Ray’s fault?”
“He has jurisdiction over the Tifarian Shield. The Tifarian Shield in turn should do its role as the protector of every civilian in the four districts that make up this kingdom. The fact that a vigilante group is doing a far better job than the Tifarian Shield isn’t doing well with the people, which does not sit well with Father since he is not fond of opposition. We do not even know the motive of this group. And do not even get me started on the kind of tyranny my father has done in over two decades of governing. He has less supporters, but a lot more detractors.”
I gulped hard. The people had every right to be mad at how King Peter ruled this kingdom, but Ray was another topic at hand. I knew him on a personal level and I knew he was doing his best as the Commander of the Tifarian Shield.
And the NL Resistance. Susan told me that they were pro-civilian and against the ruling of King Peter, not that the latter was public knowledge. This group was acting on their own to protect their people, and King Peter deemed it questionable in his sight.
With hesitation, I asked him what he thought of this group. “But, Norman. I think this group only wants to help out the people. Is it considered bad if they moved on their own to protect the people ahead of the Tifarian Shield? Shouldn’t the palace be commending them for their initiative?”
“If I was the one on the throne, they’d each be given a badge of honor,” Norman smiled timidly. “But given that my father is still the one on the throne, it’s nothing but intimidation on his part. He thinks that the power to rule, protect, and control should solely rest within the Royal Class. If any of these three falls in the hands of outside the one’s ruling, chaos would ensue. And he’d lose all of it one by one.”
That pretty much summed up how self-centered King Peter was. No wonder people were mad. Even when I was still a normal Middle Class Two back then, I’d heard stories of how despicable he was. How much more for those who were unfortunate to see and spend time with him on a daily basis in this palace?
“But it’s already starting. I saw the reaction of some of those people from the sidelines.”
Norman’s cool mien instantly transfixed into a perturbed expression. “Standing there while putrid food was being thrown at you was exceptionally dangerous, Emma. You weren’t lying when you said you were one reckless lady! You have certainly frightened me with that stunt.”
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I think I saw someone familiar with the crowd. I didn’t get a good look at him but I think I saw him somewhere before so I just stood there,” I answered with every bit of honesty. The look of hatred from that man’s eyes was so striking that it scared me stiff in my position.
“Regardless, I refrain you from doing reckless acts that could endanger your life in any way whatsoever,” Norman enunciated through a thick, stern voice that I only noticed he used whenever he was commanding things in its place.
I pressed my lips together, smothering the rebuttal at the back of my tongue.
This should be fun.
“Huh, are you giving me a command, Your Highness ?”
He took a second to respond, probably taking into account how he phrased his comment. “Think of it as a precaution more than a command. Since there are only five of you remaining, you must be prepared at all costs. You probably heard from former Lady Isabella beforehand how the Prime is the most delicate of the Choice process. Rebels will be keener in trying to dismantle the Royal Class as we get closer to the finale.”
When Norman brought up the rebels that had consistently terrorized the kingdom, a question that had been bottled up inside my mind was begging to be brought up. This was the perfect opportunity to ask discreetly about what I read from the microfilm reader in the Main Library more than a week ago.
“Norman, will it be rude if I ask something related to the rebels?”
Norman looked at me inquisitively. “Of course not. I’m assuming this was going to be brought up sooner or later given that this was the topic of your essay. You have such a curious mind, Emma. I doubt I will ever get enough of it.”
What? Did he really read my essay? I thought Mujika was the only one authorized to read it?!
“How come —”
“I requested Mujika to plainly address that she will be assessing your papers, when in fact, I was the one to actually do it, alongside a few of my advisors. It was part of the deliberation process, you see. I hope you do not mind knowing that I immediately looked for your essay. Aside from how magnificently you wrote it, I cannot, in good conscience, allow it to be read by my advisors, knowing full well that how you wrote it could be perceived as borderline treason.”
My mouth was hung dry as Norman explained. “Was it really that bad? Mujika warned me beforehand.”
“Yes. You know how my father doesn’t like talking about the previous war where my uncle and my grandfather died. And you, explicitly stating in your essay that Reclusion Perpetua should have been a sufficient verdict instead of beheading the rebels, was something that could be equated to questioning how the Royal Class handled the execution of punishments.”
Suddenly, my recklessness had somehow caught up to me. Norman must’ve noticed how mortified I was that he held both of my hands, something that he had done on numerous occasions, but only made my breathing constrict further now.
“Your expression is picture-perfect at the moment,” Norman jested to lift up the tension radiating all over me. “Too bad I do not have Ray’s camera to capture your face. Rest easy, I will not let anything happen to you. We were lucky enough that I was the one who found your essay.”
“We?”
“Of course, I would never allow anyone, even my father, to lay a hand on you just for questioning how the Royal Class ran things around here. And everything you said in your essay made perfect sense. I do not know why my father prohibits everyone from openly talking about the previous war, but I agree that the public must be knowledgeable about every facet of it. Not just that we simply won against the rebels.”
I could breathe easy knowing that Norman was in favor of what I had written in that essay. It was sweet knowing that he’d protect me in every single way he could.
Somehow, I managed to unlock one of the questions in my mind. I only now had to question Ray about it as well to get added insights and pieced two and two together.
“You’re the sweetest, Norman.”
Even though his hands were on top of mine, I managed to loosen one of my hands out of his grip and placed it on top of his. I hoped that with that single gesture I could let him know an ounce of what I felt.
I offered him a smile full of gratitude because it was all I could ever feel at that moment. Immense gratitude. “Thank you for always looking out for me even when you don’t have to.”
His ears were burning again, and I was about to comment on it when I noticed how the moon’s glow was radiating widely from the view of the balcony. Without much of a prompt, I instantly stood up, casually pulling Norman to his feet, with my hand leading him on.
It was particularly cloudless. The sky was like an ocean filled with darkness, only accented by the full moon pouring its light and freckled by the stars glistening in the blanket of the night.
While I was enamored with how mesmerizing the night sky was, I noticed how unusually quiet Norman was. When I turned my head to face him, his stare was already fixated on my face.
The stammering of my heart commenced, yet again.
“What are you looking at?” I asked, trying to drown the emotions swirling within me.
“So… about what I said a few nights before… and what I said in the letter…,” he hesitantly brought up.
“Hmm,” I tried to act coy. “I must’ve forgotten. Could you remind me what that was about?”
Norman burst into laughter. “What am I to do with you, Emma?”
I gave him a look of genuine cluelessness. “What could you be referring to?”
He bit his lower lip to refrain another laugh from coming out. “Alright, if you insist. Have you considered the possibility of us… being more than friends?”
I cracked into a small laugh. “That’s a funny way of asking if I have it in me to become the next princess.”
There was an apologetic smile masked in his sheepish reaction. “I am afraid it comes with the package.”
Was he referring to himself as one? I wanted to see more of this confidence if it was the case.
“And the package is you?”
“No.” He coolly placed a palm under his chin, resting perfectly along with the soft expression on his face. “The package is a grand life together.”
Smooth.
I tongued the side of my cheek and shrugged. “Well, this is certainly no ordinary life.”
“So, I’ve been told. You have told me on our first official date your reluctance to the life of luxury, yet you are still here. Is it still because of your father’s condition? I am sure you have heard from them.”
Oh, I hadn’t told him about the letters I received from my family. “Dad is doing fairly well based on Mom’s letter. I just hope he won't overdo it. It’s all because of the weekly compensation from the palace. I owe you one for not kicking me out!”
There was a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he spoke. “I would not have my most trusted friend by my side if I had opted to throw you out just as you often assumed.”
“I wasn’t much use as a matchmaker! And I even boldly said that I’ll help you find a wife!” I pointed out. “I thought you would deem me useless any day now.”
“Your company is anything but useless, Emma. Need I remind you of what I said in my letter of what I had thought of you at first?”
His words from that heartfelt letter lingered in my mind for days to no end. How could I possibly be reminded of it any further?
“It’s hard not to be reminded of it.” I almost breathed the words out.
Norman exhaled roughly, his voice partially quivering, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the chilly night breeze or because of where this conversation of ours was going.
“That’s wonderful to hear because I might have said it twice now, but I really am… fond of you, and it’s been going on for a while now.”
I gathered the will to look at Norman once again. His eyes were searching for mine, and overall, it radiated that he was hopeful for a reciprocation.
I’d thought about this ever since the night that he wanted me to take the risk; of seeing how things would fall into place between us. Any girl would bounce at the chance to be with any prince, yet I was so bold to announce that I’d never feel anything for him and offered friendship as a consolation instead.
I wanted to laugh at that version of myself.
I liked him.
I really liked him, and not because of what he had, but because of what he was.
But Norman had to know where my hesitations lay.
With my mind all over the place, I stepped up to him, prepared to lay all my cards down.
“Let’s... see where this goes, Norman.”
Norman squinted his eyes at me, gauging my response, but I could see it in his suppressed expression that he was ecstatic. “Are you saying —”
“— that I like you? Yes, I do,” I confessed with a grin at the end. I was getting embarrassed that I averted my gaze towards the balcony where I could see the overview of the gardens like a maze, with my hands resting on the railings. “I don’t know when I started… feeling it. But it’s here now. And I was planning on burying it until the end of the competition. We’re friends. That's all that’s important.”
I continued despite how strange that I was looking at somewhere else instead of him. “But you cornered me that night. It was the strangest thing!” I laughed midway. “You asked if I could see a future with you. Guess what, Norman? I’m willing to… take the risk, although I’m still not quite sure about the becoming-the-princess part.”
Norman raised a finger to my chin, turning my view from the landscape below the balcony onto his face.
“Emma, I told you I would never force you into something you are not comfortable with. Yet, hearing you say that you are willing to try taking this competition for real because of your feelings is beyond what I can bear. I thought the possibility of it happening was next to non-existent. I have always second-guessed if declaring my ambiguous feelings that night was the right call, but hearing that you were planning to bury your feelings away makes me think it was the right decision after all.”
This was all because of my bold declaration during our first official date!
“Were you always hoping I’d change my mind?”
“Heavens, yes!” There was an exaggeration in how he said it that it made me laugh. “It was excruciatingly painful to hear you label our relationship as nothing more than friendship. You were a sight for sore eyes when I first saw your photo on live television, and you were more than what I bargained for after meeting you on your first night in the palace.”
“What happens if we try… and somehow it succeeds, but even then I’m still not ready to be a princess. To be a ruler. What happens then?”
“This is the purpose of the Choice after all. Emma, if the time comes that you do fall in love with me, I would wait for the time you are ready for everything that comes with this kind of life. I know how I feel about you and I am certain that I would be the happiest man all my life if you would choose to be my wife. But I know you still have reservations and I completely understand that. I will only stop pursuing you if you tell me to stop.”
"I think you're forgetting that you have to choose from the other four, too."
"That is correct." He rested both arms on the railings as support. "They're all lovely ladies."
"Yet you're still planning on pursuing me. Don't tell me you favor me that much?!" I hedged as a joke, nudging him on the arm.
I wanted to retract it the moment it left my tongue because I had never seen him so serious yet so assured.
"Frankly speaking, I think I… may have always favored you. Even Ray says so himself."
Damn it, Ray! I didn't think he'd be pulling a rug under his own twin brother!
Still, I wondered. “How were you even able to choose only five of us out of eleven?”
Norman seemed to be hesitant to answer. He drew in the air like the question begged for an answer. “The process was abrupt, almost taking the entire afternoon of our work. Everything was considered: first impressions, physical beauty, the official photograph, eloquence with speaking based on the one-on-one interview with Lucas, popularity poll results, and lastly, the essay.”
I ducked my head, remembering everything treasonous I had written there. A low laugh escaped Norman before he continued. “You should know that Anna is the favorite among my advisors. She is the one who saved a Royal Class, which alone gives her tremendous amounts of recognition.”
I nodded. Anna was wonderful and there was no doubt she could be the next queen.
It didn’t bother me that she was the favorite among Norman’s advisors. What bothered me was that she didn’t fancy the idea of being married to Norman anymore.
“Barbara is a fighter, and she knows how to hold herself in the best way possible. Mother fancies her and I think it is because she is an Upper Class like her. She is also a model, and you know how much publicity can go with the amount of hatred the Royal Class is getting under Father’s ruling.”
It took everything in me not to sulk. Queen Legravalima favoring Barbara was ten times worse!
“Violet, on the other hand, is a decision my advisors made, yet again, for the purpose of publicity.”
I was confused. “Violet is a Lower Class One. What publicity could she give the public as one of your Prime if that’s the case?”
“Precisely that,” he frowned. “Having a Lower Class One in the Prime could ease up the tension in any way. Masses would be enlivened knowing that a Lower Class One has the potential to be the next queen. I still would have chosen her because she was one of the ladies I had interacted with the most. Still, the idea that she was only considered because of that did not sit right with me.”
“That’s… horrible,” I said in disgust and it lingered on my voice. “Violet is one of the most amazing ladies I’ve ever met! Your advisors are horrible.”
Norman spared me an apologetic look. “Politics, I am afraid.”
“It always is.” I sucked in the chilly breeze of the night. “What about Ayshe?”
Norman briefly looked away, and once again, reluctance made its way to his face. “Ayshe is one of the overall favorites. If we are talking about the way of upbringing and formal etiquette, not to mention her performances and popularity poll standing as of late, she is stellar. Father… sees that Ayshe has the most potential among the ladies.”
I wouldn’t even dream of having King Peter’s favor, but the idea that both the king and queen had their favorites made me sulk for a moment. I didn’t even bother questioning what made Norman choose me.
His sudden confession and letter of clarification were enough to let me know I was important enough to be part of his Prime.
"Then, doesn't it relax you a bit that even if, for some reason, this whole risky business of ours won’t work out, there would still be four gorgeous girls waiting for you?”
Norman heaved a deep sigh. "The probability of that happening is... saddening, but as the heir, I have to find someone to marry among them, even if I know I would not be nearly as happy as I'd be if I were to be married to you. Hence, why I am doing my best to pursue you. I am willing to prolong the Choice until you give me a definite answer, whether it would make me or break me."
Everything Norman was saying was hard to swallow. I was this close to asking since when did he start seeing me in a different way, but I was terrified that my heart couldn't handle anymore of this.
This conversation was enough proof that he adored me for being me.
For simply being Emma.
“I think it’s the other way around. Shouldn’t I be the one pursuing you?”
He cocked an eyebrow upward and a lazy grin to match. “I do not think you can pursue the willing, Emma.”
It was hard to fight off a blush when he was talking like that. He was just too good with words!
“Alright, Your Highness ,” I teased and cleared my throat, which earned a mocking smile on the cushion of his lips. “I think you’ve said enough swooning words for tonight!”
“Why? Perhaps”—he inched his face closer to mine— “you have decided already?”
I pressed the bridge of his nose and mildly pushed to back his face away. “Hey! Not just yet, you little sneak! We're still trying this official dating for real!”
Norman laughed once before taking my hand from his face and pressing a kiss against it. His kiss lingered a lot longer than usual. For a moment, I felt a different feeling behind it.
When he raised his head, there was nothing but determination in the softness of his features.
I didn’t know whether to be challenged or to be overwhelmed.
The answer to my question was immediately answered when he pulled me towards him in an embrace, encapsulating me with his arms. I stiffened at the gesture, but Norman was so warm, the kind of warm that was inviting enough for hot cocoa-like Mom used to make. It felt good being in his arms.
My small frame fitted him perfectly—especially when his arms secured me in his touch.
I couldn’t help but smile as I buried myself in his chest and wrapped my arms all over him in return. I felt him stiffen with my touch, but it made the moment better.
If I was worried before he’d hear the rapid beating of my heart, then I was absolutely sure now there was no way he wasn’t hearing it now!
This was going to get a lot of getting used to.
“I have been meaning to do that for a while now,” he confessed and it made me all the more flustered. “Thank you for giving this a chance, Emma. As luck would have it, I had to take a second of rationalizing. Having you in my arms right now has been nothing but a dream so far.”
I thanked this position we were in, or else he had already seen me blushing madly.
His left hand went to my face and raised it, caressing it delicately.
“I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.” His tone implied that this would be the end of our conversation tonight, yet somehow, his eyes said otherwise. “Good night, Emma.”
I rested a hand on top of his.
“This is your palace. There’s no doubt in my mind you’ll be seeing me tomorrow. Good night, Norman.”
He let out a small laugh before releasing me. It looked like he wasn’t finished yet, based on how his forehead was scrunching up like he was solving an equation. Norman was just looking at me with those hopeful eyes of his.
Finally, he sighed, a rather exhaustive one at that, and the restraint on his face faded away.
We shared one last glance as he made his way out, closing my bedroom door shut. My feet were still stapled to the carpeted floor, feeling how the last hour felt so surreal.
I wanted to tell him that if things were a lot simpler—no kingdom to rule, no public to appease, no other girls to compete with—I’d probably have no reservations.
It would’ve been the easiest decision in the world.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-Seven:
“And now that there’s only five of you”— he continued through a smug face— “it’s expected that we’ll get to know the next princess soon enough. Isn’t that right, my queen? It’s about high time you get to know these ladies yourself.”
King Peter looked over to Queen Legravalima. Like he did earlier, she examined us from head to toe. When her eyes made their way to me, her lips parted briefly and swiftly puckered up.
“It’ll be interesting to know these young ladies one by one,” she simply said. “I’m sure we’ll get to know more of them when each of their family comes over for the celebration.”
We all turned our heads to each other in utter confusion; our eyes did the talking.
Celebration? Our families? Coming over?
Chapter 27: The Prime
Notes:
Almost three months of no update or whatsoever, but here I am now. I'll religiously update this fic once again. :)
Thank you so much for your avid support of this fic. Do not worry since I have no plans of abandoning it because Noremma and Rayanna own my heart.
Minor Update/s:
- FTA 28 will be posted on September 29 (next week)
- FTA 29 will be posted on October 29 (with 1-2 art/s included!!!)
- OUAM 3 will be delayed for a few days (the first half of the document fails to show me the contents so I have to let someone check it out)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“It’s so unfair! I want to wear these fancy dresses, too!”
Jemima was practically wailing in tears as soon as she and the other girls entered the Women’s Room with their luggage, accompanied by their personal guards for their scheduled departure this morning.
Paula and Sonya were over with Ayshe and Barbara, while Michelle, Jemima, Yvette, and Alicia were over with us.
“Hmm, I don’t know,” Violet supplied uncomfortably. “It’s kinda stuffy, don’t you think so, Emma?”
I nodded affirmatively. The five of us were wearing the exact same designs to our attire, only differing in hairstyles. This was a mandatory thing since we would be presented in front of King Peter and Queen Legravalima as the ladies selected to be part of the Prime in these official gowns.
“Isn’t it a bit too grand? I mean, I feel like I’m wearing something so regal,” I added. “Is it really okay for us to wear this?”
“It’s precisely the reason why we’re wearing it,” Barbara commented disparagingly from where she was, probably overhearing our conversation. “We’re meeting the king and queen as the Prime and you want to be seen in normal gowns? Might as well go along with the rest of your friends who are going home.”
I always had to control my temper when Barbara was doing the talking.
Paula and Sonya shook their heads like they were used to this. Yvette only rolled her eyes and leaned over to my side.
“Don’t mind her too much, Emma. Now that there’s only five of you left, maybe Prince Norman will come to see her for what she truly is.”
I sighed in resignation. “I doubt she’ll show that side of hers when she’s with him.”
“Yeah, she’s horrible! I can’t believe Naila went home because of her!” Alicia butted in, though her portrayal of dismay was more hushed to avoid the other party hearing. “I’m sure the three of you” — she pointed at Anna, Violet, and me — “would be much a much better princess candidate than those two.”
“Ayshe’s kind of cool,” Violet said as she looked over to the lot of the Upper Classes. “I’ve had enough small talks with her to know she’s nowhere near horrible as Barbie over there.”
I had to agree on that one. “Yeah. She’s pretty nice.”
Michelle displayed a frown. “Upper Class ladies don’t sit well with me. They don’t know the kind of lives we’ve led because all they know is to be rich!”
“Settle down there, Mich,” Jemima giggled. “Anna is an Upper Class, and she’s one of the nicest girls I’ve met in this competition!”
Anna held her head down, maybe feeling embarrassed with the compliment.
Just then, Mujika made her entrance inside the Women’s Room, and we all knew what that meant at this point.
“Ladies, your chauffeurs are here to escort you back to your hometowns.”
We had bonded for more than a month inside the palace; sharing stories from back home, exchanging compliments of each other’s looks on a daily basis, laughing endlessly in the Women’s Room, and surviving rebel attacks with a smile on our faces the next day.
This departure was a lot harder to face, and it was taking a toll on all of us as to how to say our farewells.
“Well,” Jemima started, squeezing Anna, Violet, and me in a hug. “I know you guys are going to be amazing! I’ll be watching you on television every Tifari Report!”
It didn’t take long for all of us to start crying in each other’s arms. Out of the corner of my eye, Paula and Sonya embraced Ayshe and Barbara in turns. Ayshe was timidly smiling, something expected out of her because she rarely showed emotions. Barbara, on the other hand, had tear-stained eyes and it was almost unbelievable that she could feel remorse when she was just spouting snide remarks early on.
“One of you better become the princess or I’m throwing hands!” Yvette threatened. She cornered all of us into a hug, followed by Alicia and Michelle whose eyes were also moist with tears.
Paula came to give me a brief hug. We sat next to each other in the Dining Hall and though we never had the chance to bond beyond three courses of the daily meals, I would surely miss her presence. While Sonya and I weren’t particularly acquainted, we shared a small smile before they went on their way.
With one last wave, they left the palace with smiles on their faces.
It might’ve been the end of their journey in the Choice, but I knew it would be the start of a new life for each of them since being part of this competition had its bearings.
Mujika proceeded to scan our faces. “I understand that you just went through an emotional farewell with the ladies that just left, but this won’t do. Let’s all get your faces retouched.”
In a blink of an eye, I saw Gillian and Gilda enter the Women’s Room, along with the other personal maids from the rest of the girls.
“My lady, we’re here to fix your look for the presentation to His and Her Majesty.” Gilda introduced as she curtsied, followed by Gillian, and I wanted to burst into laughter at how formal they were.
Since we were out in the open, I had to follow through with the same formality.
But not before winking playfully at them, which earned a stifled laugh from Gillian.
“As always, I’ll be in your hands.”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
The Great Hall was an exceptional sight to see for today.
The walls were draped in black and gold satin sheets, alternating in colors all the way to the entrance of the palace. The red carpet was there once again, as the platform that carried the four thrones of the Royal Class. There were no media outlets invited for today since this was more of a private gathering.
Announcements were made the night before that a special segment was going to be aired for today and that everyone must be hooked on to their seats for it. The public would get to know that an elimination ensued last night, narrowing down the competition to the Prime.
And since this was going to be recorded on live television, my family would be receiving the shocking news that I was still here despite my unpredictable personality.
All five of us were already positioned in our places, with Ayshe on the outer left side facing the platform and Barbara on the outer right side. Anna was situated in the middle; on her right was Violet, while I was placed on her left.
The only thing left was for the Royal Class to make their appearance so that this whole presentation could already end. Because just as Violet said, this gown was a bit stuffy and hard to breathe into, so seeing King Peter would probably only make me a bit more nauseous.
As soon as we heard the entrance to the Great Hall open, we all lowered ourselves down in a curtsy.
King Peter and Queen Legravalima were escorted to their thrones as their personal guards remained stationary at either side of the platform. Norman and Ray followed behind them. As soon as our eyes met, there was an imaginary line of affection.
For whatever reason, our conversation last night sparked something between us, and it was evident on our suppressed smiles that it was only the beginning of it.
When they were all settled into their seats, King Peter gave everyone a nod and we began to raise ourselves slowly in the presence of royalty.
“What fine ladies we have here,” he started, scanning every single one of us with utmost scrutiny. “It must have taken you all by surprise last night, but this was the best solution. Not only are we facing backlash from the public, but we are also facing constant rebel attacks. I do not want useless deaths of ladies in my palace that prove to be of no worth to royalty. It was best to narrow you down and send those that had no chances home.”
I pursed my lips in a subtle way to hide my displeasure. He only saw all of us as a pawn to his little plan — that we were only mere entertainment to appease the public for a little while. As long as we were of use, he’d have us around. I took a quick sideways glance at the brothers and saw how hardened their expressions were.
They must’ve also disliked how their father was spouting crap this early on.
What made this entirely convenient to King Peter was because there’d always be something new to offer to the public to avert their attention from his tyranny and blunders: the Choice, choosing the next princess, the royal wedding, coronation, an official heir from Norman, another royal offspring — there was no end to it!
“And now that there are only five of you”— he continued through a smug face— “it is expected that we will get to know the next princess soon enough. Is that not right, my queen? It is about high time you get to know these ladies yourself.”
King Peter looked over to Queen Legravalima. Like he did earlier, she examined us from head to toe. When her eyes made their way to me, her lips parted briefly and swiftly puckered up.
“It will be interesting to know these young ladies one by one,” she simply said. “I am sure we will get to know more of them when each of their family comes over for the celebration.”
We all turned our heads to each other in utter confusion.
Celebration? Our families? Coming over?
The confusion was instantly answered when King Peter laughed. “Darling, you have bewildered them. Why do we not allow Norman to further explain what is to be expected in the days to come?”
Norman took this as a sign to finally talk. I wanted to hear his voice instead of the king’s ramblings.
“Good day, ladies. Since we are down to the Prime, everyone deems that this calls for a celebration. Although this was never practiced beforehand, we plan to uplift everyone’s mood with the recent ordeals that all of you had to face. With that in mind, we decided to hold an event for the announcement of the Prime. This will be a whole-day event and what is more exciting is that all five of you will be the ones to manage the event. It can be whatever motif you desire as long it is within appropriate and regal measures,” he explained.
That still didn’t answer the ‘family’ part.
He continued, yet this time, with a lighter tone. “And because we are nearing the end of the Choice and I know that you have all worked hard to get where you are now, I have decided, along with my trusted advisors, to invite your families to the event.”
My eyes widened in shock and excitement. I was going to see my family! After a month of being separated from them, I was finally going to see them! I scanned the expressions of the other girls and we all shared the same hopeful expressions.
King Peter butted in before Norman could continue. “Truth be told, I was against inviting your families since I would not merit much out of it. But it will be good publicity, especially since we have three Upper Classes in the running, and two others mixed in.”
I wanted so badly to glare at the prejudice. From my peripheral vision, I could see the smug look on Barbara’s face. I didn’t even want to attempt to look at Violet. I was sure we were feeling the same at the moment: unbelievably offended.
“Now, Father,” Norman started, his eyes piercing through in such a serious stare. “They are more than just their class categories.”
“Brother is right,” Ray added, uprooting an eyebrow at my way. “They are all exceptional ladies. It will be interesting to see where they take things from here on out.”
King Peter bared a mocking grin. “This is quite a spectacular surprise. And here I thought Norman added a Middle Class and a Lower Class just for the sake of authenticity. It seems I was mistaken, my apologies.”
I’d never wanted to rip someone’s hair out as much as I did now.
“Gravely mistaken, I am afraid,” Norman finalized, showcasing a smile that I knew too well at this point as him being extremely pissed off.
It wasn’t helping that Ray was stifling his laughter and barely managing to brush it off with a small cough.
“Very well,” King Peter said, looking awfully displeased with Norman’s comeback. “It is best we end this here so that the ladies may send the invitations to their families in advance. They also need to start preparing for the event.”
The presentation was deemed finished when King Peter abruptly stood up from his throne and proceeded to walk down the risers with his guards closely following behind. We all lowered ourselves, and even though I didn’t want to pay him any respect, a curtsy was still a mandatory thing.
My head turned towards Mujika, who was about to walk over to where we were still rooted, but her eyes suddenly widened in a different direction.
So did mine.
Because standing right in front of all of us was Queen Legravalima.
“Lady Emma,” she spoke, partnered by an eerie smile. “You look as radiant as Isabella. What are the odds of you finding yourself in a similar situation as her.”
I gulped nervously as the other girls were ushered back first to the Women’s Room. I quickly glanced over at Anna and Violet, who both shared a worried look. No one had ever gotten a one-on-one conversation with the queen. I smiled at them to let them know it was something I could handle.
“It truly is perplexing, Your Majesty. But my mother is elated to have me here,” I said.
Her smile widened. “That is something I would expect out of her. After all, she nearly beat me to this very spot.”
I didn’t have an answer to that so I only supplied an awkward laugh.
“It would be pleasant to see her. Send my regards to your mother. I cannot wait to see her again,” she offered, patting my shoulder once, and went her way.
It was going to be a real show if they’d meet again. Mom was never the type to back down.
“Since when were you chummy with our mother?” Ray asked as he went down the risers with Norman. They saw the entire conversation and shared the exact same look of stupefaction.
“She just asked me to send her regards to my mother. They were part of your father’s Choice, remember?”
Ray went for a laugh. “My, my. What a spectacular event this will be. I cannot wait for it.”
Norman and I looked at each other, and it would’ve been considered an odd staring contest if it wasn’t for Ray’s fake coughing.
“I guess this is my cue to leave,” he shrugged. “Do not take too long though, Norman. We have to go over the security measures for this event.”
Norman simply nodded. Ray threw me a smirk and turned in the other direction. I was suddenly reminded that I had to ask him about the rebel attacks and the NL Resistance, but there wasn’t any free time for any of us to talk.
There was always something grand happening one after another!
Norman and I were suddenly left to ourselves in the middle of the Great Hall. I took a quick glimpse around and saw that some guards were still stationed in some of the corners. Officer Oliver was also standing idly by the humongous flower vase at the far left corner of the hall, probably waiting for me to be finished so he could escort me to where the girls were.
“So,” Norman started talking and every single one of my senses was directed at him. “I have urgent matters to attend to, but I could not let this day pass without asking something of yours.”
My face was plastered with confusion. What was it?
“I know these past few days will be extremely hectic so I’m asking while there’s still enough time to spare.”
There was a flicker of charm from the way he said that I couldn’t help but smile as I asked. “Alright. But what could I possibly give you?”
“Your time,” he declared. “I would like to ask you for an hour or two of your time tomorrow.”
It was hard not to giggle at his weird way of asking for it. “Are you asking me out on a date? We’ve had a number of it before but you never asked me in this way.”
Norman let out a sheepish smile. “This particular one is a lot different than the previous ones. But yes, it’d be an honor if you can indulge me in this one.”
He was right. This particular date was going to be different since this time, we were actually going to try dating for real — just to see how compatible we were and to see how I’d fare with the possibility of being a princess.
He was considerate of my indecisiveness at the moment, and I appreciated it.
“If you put it that way, how could I say no?” I challenged him with a stare, but my lips were forming into a smile.
Norman was satisfied with my reaction. With a shake of the head, he answered, “You have the most incredible responses. I will have Officer Oliver fetch you tomorrow.”
I squinted my eyes at him, confused. “Where are you taking me, Norman?”
“Somewhere different,” he summarized with a glint of excitement in his eyes that I couldn’t quite decipher. “You will see it for yourself tomorrow.”
“Is this how you take the other girls out on a date?” I inquired just because curiosity was sweeping in.
“In a way, yes. But as I said, this will be a lot more different because I am taking my dearest friend out on our first legitimate date.”
It was hard to stop myself from smiling when he put it that way.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow, Your Highness ,” I mocked.
“So do I,” he acknowledged.
“Your Highness, pardon for my interruption, but you are immediately needed in the meeting,” a guard called out to him from his back.
He drew a sigh before offering a smile of resignation. “Duty calls.”
“I wouldn’t want to get in the way of it,” I chaffed as I did a curtsy since there were a lot of eyes inside the Great Hall.
He gently took my hand that was clutched to the side of the gown and kissed it tenderly.
My eyes followed him as he was escorted by the palace guard to who knows where that meeting was. I would have continued looking on if it wasn’t for Office Oliver sneaking up on me from behind.
“My lady, we should proceed to where the other ladies are,” he reminded me as we walked slowly towards the Women’s Room.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t think I’d be cornered by the Royal Class,” I honestly reasoned out. First was Queen Legravalima. Then, those brothers.
Officer Oliver had a triumphant look on his face before he spoke again. “I’ve gotten to know His Highness for the better part of my five-year stay here in this palace, and I’ve never seen such an expression on his face whenever he’s talking to you, my lady.”
I almost choked on myself. “You flatter me, Officer. But there are still four other ladies here that he can choose from.”
“This is odd,” he confessed, a little surprised.
“What is?”
“Most girls would want him for themselves. But, my lady, you talk as if you want him to have all the options that he could get.”
I wasn’t expecting Officer Oliver to vocalize the biggest fear I was yet to face.
Even when I entered the Women’s Room, it kept bouncing up and down my head, endlessly.
Even if I wanted to become the princess, I was far from it. There were still a lot of questions inside my head; a lot of things that needed to be figured out. It was better if Norman had options considering that I might not live up to his expectations.
Because liking him and ruling with him were two very different things.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Just as Mujika instructed, the five of us spent two hours constructing letters to our family. Aside from the formal invitations for the whole-day event, we were also allowed to attach one personal letter alongside it.
All I wrote was a concise message telling them the palace had been treating me well. So far, at least. I also included that I was fine despite the incident at the float. I was sure Dad would have seen what happened and would be fuming to know his eldest daughter was attacked by flying food. Knowing Mom, she would read the invitation first before my personal letter, and because of that, she’d immediately know that I was selected as part of the final five — which would be the purpose of the event.
I could already imagine her sinister smile as soon as she stepped foot inside the palace once again. Just as Ray said, it’d be interesting to see how she’ll interact with Queen Legravalima.
Aside from a few changes of clothes, their presence was all that was needed; everything from the gourmet foods to the attires for the event itself would be provided by the palace.
The idea of seeing Sherry and Carol in gowns gave me the excitement to last until the event itself. I knew Sherry would be exhilarated with the idea of wearing custom-made gowns. I hoped Mom wouldn’t spoil that surprise yet.
I didn’t keep the personal letter lengthy since we’d probably spend the entire day talking about everything we all missed out on when they got here. I folded the letter and made my way to Mujika so she could insert it alongside the invitation.
As soon as Violet finished writing hers, the preparation for the event commenced.
Before exiting the Women’s Room, Mujika gave us one last reminder.
“Alright, ladies. I’ll give you five hours to plan the theme down to the flow of the event. Now, I know that all of you aren’t the best of friends, but I need you to know that being part of the Prime opens up a lot of avenues. And that includes unexpected friendships. I do trust that you’ll get along well.”
I didn’t think I could stomach being friends with Barbara unless she sorted out that attitude of hers.
“So, does anyone have a theme in mind?” Violet awkwardly started, seeing that the silence that enveloped us was as good as dead.
“What could be something that the crowd would enjoy on national television?” Ayshe asked.
Barbara pitched in instantly. “Does it even matter at this point? They all hate us. Might as well do what we want! I vote for anything as long as I get to wear gold.”
“We could go for anything that symbolizes royalty,” Anna suggested.
Violet frowned. “But that’s what we have to do every day. Let’s try something a little different.”
“Something that has to do less with gowns and more on costumes?” I inquired, given her disapproval with anything royally-inclined.
We all fell silent for a while until Anna raised her hand for a suggestion.
“Maybe we could come up with a theme that would allow us to wear wings! It’ll be a spectacle to see!”
“Huh,” Ayshe spoke next. “That does sound interesting. It gives off a different vibe than the public would want to see. It kind of showcases freedom. How about butterflies?”
“I do not want to look like a moth at the event!” Barbara chastised, and Ayshe held up both of her hands as if to surrender to the idea.
Wings were interesting. We just had to think of a better way to represent it.
An idea came bursting at the right moment. It was a long shot but it was better than hearing Barbara complain about moths.
“How about a fairy-themed event?” I put forward. “It’s just a suggestion but fairies are known for different representations. We can rock the wings depending on what we’re representing. And it’ll be aesthetically appealing to the public.”
“Emma’s got a point.” Ayshe looked over at me and gave me a nod of approval. “I think we can work with a fairy-themed event. How about you guys?”
“It’s brilliant!” Violet gave me a thumbs up. “I’m laying it out here right now that I’m going for a battle fairy!”
“What the hell is a battle fairy?” Barbara asked, seeming appalled with the idea.
Violet crossed her hands against her chest. “I guess you’ll all have to see it for yourself next week!”
Barbara rolled her eyes and pegged me a stare. “I suppose your idea is good enough. I’m making myself clear now that I’m going for the Angel Fairy. She’s the one I know wearing everything gold there is.”
I had to stop for a moment. “Did you just acknowledge my idea without giving me an insult?”
“Get over it,” Barbara immediately spat. “If it gives me an opportunity to flaunt myself, why wouldn’t I take advantage of it?”
I pursed my lips in annoyance. I guessed Barbara coming close to being nice was too good to be true.
“Well, it looks like we’ve agreed on a theme,” Anna said. “How about we start dividing the tasks between us five? I’ll volunteer myself as the one in charge of the main venue and designs.”
“I’ll handle the publicity,” Ayshe volunteered with a hand raised. “My family has good press and media connections, among other things. Leave this to me.”
The rest of us could only nod.
These were the perks of being born and raised as an Upper Class.
“I think I’ll handle the catering.” I offered since I’d been watching Mom cook since I was a child. This would be the task I would be comfortable overseeing. “I know the palace has the best chefs, but Mujika said we should be wary of what we’re going to serve the guests. And since we’re going for a fairy-themed event, eye-catching desserts are also expected.”
“Great! We’ll leave that to Emma! How about you, Barbie? What task would you like to take?” Violet pressed on, eyes challenging Barbara.
“Please,” Barbara gritted her teeth as she answered. “I’ll be managing the attires that our families will be wearing for the event. As for your attires, that’ll be up to you and your maids. What’s a Lower Class like you going to do?”
“I’ll handle the flow of the event! Most of the good ones are gone, anyway. And again, Barbie. The name’s Violet,” she exaggeratedly sighed. “You better be remembering it when I kick you out of this competition.”
Barbara settled for a menacing laugh. “Yeah, yeah. When this is all over, you’ll see me on a throne next to His Highness. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to speak with the seamstresses assigned for my task.”
“B-but we’re not done talking yet…” Anna murmured, seeming uncomfortable with the brewing trouble.
“It’s fine,” Ayshe assured. “So far, we know what our priority tasks are. If we come across any problems, we know where to find each other.”
“Let’s hold another meeting three days from now to check on everybody’s progress,” I followed up.
“Same time, same place.”
The four of us agreed. I was sure Ayshe would let Barbara know that another meeting would take place three days from now. As much as possible, I was going to steer clear of her wrath.
Now that it was down to the Prime, there was no telling what she could be plotting under her sleeves.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-Eight:
“Isn’t this a bit overboard?” I asked, leering at him despite how amazed I was with how he managed to pull this off in just a day.
“Is it?” he asked back, a smirk subtly playing on his lips. “This is the only way I know to date a lady.”
“This isn’t how you date the other ladies.”
He placed the back of his hand to his chin. “Then, I surmise you are the exception. You have always been the exception, Emma.”
Chapter 28: The Cloud With A Silver Lining
Notes:
This chapter is dedicated to my good friend Ise. I hope she had an amazing birthday!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was half an hour after six o’clock in the morning and I was well prepared to start my task for the event. Preparations were to be done meticulously as Mujika reiterated endlessly yesterday. If we wanted this fairy-themed event with our loved ones to be a spectacle, then we had to give it everything we got.
I was in the middle of running over the scenarios of the event in my head when I noticed Gilda and Gillian looking at me like I was the most bizarre thing they’d seen in a long time.
“What?” I asked when I couldn’t take it any longer.
Gilda answered as she fastened the ribbon of my gown at the back. “My lady?”
“You guys have been staring at me since I got out of bed,” I pouted. “What’s going on?”
Gillian butted in as Gilda opened her mouth to speak. “Well, it’s because you woke up exceptionally early today, my lady. You were even humming the entire time we bathed you. We were just wondering if something happened!”
I laughed at Gillian’s persistency. “I wanted to speak with the chefs down at the kitchen before things get busier for the day. I had to get their insights on what would be the appropriate cuisine for the event, as well as when the taste-testing would be done.”
“Sounds like a busy day for you, Lady Emma,” Gilda said. “We don’t know much about gourmet food preparation so forgive us if we can’t be of help.”
“Oh, no problem at all!” I turned to both of them. “You two have been keeping me on my toes ever since. It’s enough for me.”
They both shared a look of uneasiness. How could I assure them that everything was all right?
“Are you there’s nothing else we could do for you?” Gilda pressed further, worry wrinkling her forehead.
I stood up from my seat, ready to head out when an idea popped into my head. They really looked like they wanted to help me in any way they could, so I offered something I know they’d be ecstatic about.
“Well, there is something you could help me with.” I tried to tone it down despite the look of curiosity and excitement on their faces. It was beginning to be troublesome towards Officer Oliver since he could assume something terrible was going on inside of this bedroom just because of Gillian’s constant squealing.
“What is it, my lady?” Gida asked.
“You see, I’ll be having another official date with Norman later today,” I confessed, biting my lower lip upon seeing Gillian’s eyes starting to glisten with pride and joy. “As per his words, this will be a different kind of… date. A different one from the usual walks we’ve had.”
Gillian was already clapping her hands enthusiastically. “Oh! Oh! Maybe he’s taking you somewhere intimate. Somewhere private! Maybe in his ro—”
“What Gillian is trying to say is that maybe His Highness has something spectacularly prepared for today. And since he said that it’d be a different one from the usual, we’ll prepare something for you to wear today to meet the demands of this date.” Gilda was fast to cover Gillian’s mouth with one hand, preventing the latter from saying anything further.
“You guys are the best!” I both enveloped them in a brief hug. “Office Oliver will have me escorted later. Usually, he fetches me himself so this will definitely be something different.”
Gillian sported a mischievous smile that suited her cat-like features. “His Highness is finally going all out, huh?” She nearly bit her tongue when Gilda nudged her on the side.
Gilda cleared her throat and planted both of her hands on my shoulders. “Go on, Lady Emma. I know you have pressing tasks to attend to. Be sure to be back before lunchtime so we have ample time to prepare for your date with His Highness.”
“Right. Got it!” I heaved a deep sigh, trying to control the excitement I had for later. No doubt that I was looking forward to it, and surely, my maids weren’t trying to mask it either.
I waved goodbye to both of them before closing the door. As expected, Office Oliver stood tall outside of my bedrooms and threw his head back upon seeing.
“You look like you’re in high spirits, my lady.”
“Oh, shush,” I said as I leered at him. “Won’t you tell me where His Highness is taking me later?”
Officer Oliver laughed cheerfully at my inquiry. “His Highness had already anticipated that you would try to pry the information out of me, my lady. My apologies, but I am currently under an oath not to give away any details for later.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and pursed my lips in feigned defeat. “Can’t I just at least know what we’re going to do?”
“His Highness prepared something exceptional for your lunch with him. I wouldn’t want to spoil the entire experience for you, my lady.” Office Oliver almost hummed at the words without reluctance.
What could Norman have possibly prepared for this date?
I huffed at his response, yet it only made me more curious. “Fine. I concede.”
“You’re beginning to speak like that of a princess.”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be learning?” I chuckled lightly at his comment. “I think you’re forgetting that the five remaining ladies here are being trained to become the next princess, Officer.”
Officer Oliver shook his head like he was finding my response absurd. “Yes, my lady. But seeing you as of late, it seems you feel much more comfortable… and happier with what you’re doing.”
My eyes turned to Officer Oliver as we continued to walk down the palace kitchen. “Is that so? What did I look like before?”
“Apologies, my lady. It seemed I overstepped my boundaries. Forgive me for —”
“No, it’s okay! I really want to know,” I begged through my stare.
Officer Oliver emanated someone that had just gone through a landmine. His reluctance was showing off, yet he squared his shoulders as we continued to walk.
“Seeing you before, it looked like everything you were doing was forced. Your maids and I were always worried that you disliked living here and sooner or later, it would be too much for you to bear. But now, you look like you’re content and clearly enjoying yourself.”
Officer Oliver’s words echoed in my mind as I made my way inside the palace kitchen.
Since when did I start enjoying my life here in the palace?
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It took about three hours of rigorous discussions with the chefs and cooks before we had all come to a conclusion for the servings in the event.
“Spring canapes would be the most optimal choice for the appetizer, considering that a fairy-themed event is what you’re eyeing for. Let’s allot a few bottles of wine to be served to the adults,” said Head Chef Dina.
We agreed that the appetizer shouldn’t be made up of relishes or cocktails. Most of our visiting family members were not of age yet, so sticking with canapes was a good way to go.
I nodded before continuing with the summary of the discussion. “For the main course, seven dishes will be served: Garides Me Feta, Salmon Psari Fournou, Moussaka, Mahi-Mahi, Fillet Mignon, Acropolis, and Mavros Yiouvetsi as the paella. Perfect for all ages, I must say.”
“And there’s a lot of selection for beef. His and Her Majesty enjoy meat,” Head Chef Dina added. “They’d be famished with these selections. Prince Norman prefers meat stew but that wouldn’t fit the occasion.”
Huh.
Who knew Norman liked meat stew?
“Is there any way we can add that to the main course?” I asked.
Head Chef Dina’s lips rose into a smile. “We’ll see what we can do, my lady. On that note, maybe we could add asparagus with feta as one of the appetizers, too. Prince Ray has always been sneaking his way into the kitchen just to request it once a week.”
Asparagus?
These brothers had such a weird preference for food.
“If it wouldn’t be too much of a bother…”
“No, of course not, my lady.” Head Chef Dina shook her head fervently. “It’s our job to make sure that everything that’s planned for today will be served at the event. You have nothing to worry about.”
She rose from her seat and gave me a genuine smile, which only heightened how absolutely stunning she was in her white uniform and white hat that stood tall on her head.
She kind of reminded me of Anna.
“Is there anything else you’d want to add? We’ve already discussed that for the dessert we’d go with chocolate truffles, cheesecakes, and gelato. But is there something you’d like to request for yourself?”
I mildly shook my head in response. “Oh, no thanks. I think these are enough. I don’t even have it in me to add something to your daily stresses.”
“Nonsense, my lady,” she answered with a light giggle. “You can request anything. There’s also a chance that you’d get to be the next princess. I’d be honored to make something that you like.”
I was craving a particular dessert…
“Come on, my lady. What would you like for us to make?”
I felt shy answering, but she was persistent to know. “Carrot cake…”
“Carrot cake?” she repeated with a slight tilt of the head to the side.
I nodded and instantly heard her soft giggle.
“That’s easy enough to make, my lady. I’ll be sure to add it to the list of desserts for the event.”
I couldn’t stop beaming. She was exceptionally nice. “Really? Thank you! I’m honored you’re open to making it!”
She jokingly scoffed. “The palace doesn’t usually get intimate events such as this one. It’d be nice to make something that a princess candidate would want. I’ll call for your personal guard two days from now for the taste-testing, my lady,” she said as she escorted me out of the palace kitchen.
When I spotted Officer Oliver as the doors opened, Head Chef Dina already had a few words out before I could call out to him.
“Officer, my discussion with Lady Emma is done. It’s almost lunchtime and I remember what you’ve said earlier that she has an official date with His Highness. I hope I didn’t take too much of her time,” she said, winking at me.
I widened my eyes at Officer Oliver. Did he really have to mention my date with Norman to the Head Chef?
Officer Oliver didn’t even try to hide the triumphant smirk on his face. “Not at all, Head Chef. Lady Emma is just right on time. In fact, her personal maids are already awaiting her arrival.”
“I wouldn’t want to keep her maids waiting. I’ll see you during the taste-testing, my lady. You may bring His Highness to seek his approval over the courses,” she added with a wave of a hand as a farewell.
I remained unresponsive in shock, even when Officer Oliver was practically begging me to fasten my walk back to my assigned bedroom. With this intangible pressure surrounding me, it only heightened the nerves I was pushing at the back of my throat.
When I had recovered enough, I shot Officer Oliver a soft glare and felt him stiffen at my gaze. “I wasn’t going to forget my date with His Highness, you know.”
“Are you feeling embarrassed that I had to remind the Head Chef of the time? I apologize if it came that way, my lady, but you are always so engrossed with your tasks that I figured it would slip your mind.”
He got me good on that note.
I inhaled sharply to calm down the nerves attempting to escape the confines of my chest. “You didn’t have to worry, Officer. I wouldn’t have missed this date for anything.”
It came more like a whisper and immediately felt the burn on the sides of my face with the confession I said out loud.
Officer Oliver whistled smoothly but had his sights affixed straight ahead. “It’s good to hear your priorities, my lady.”
I knew it was a joke, yet it didn’t stop me from feeling embarrassed.
Why did I always have to dig up my own grave?
It didn’t take long before I was facing the door to the bedroom.
“I’ll be waiting out here, my lady,” Officer Oliver announced with a single bow of his head and situated himself at the side of the door.
With a single knock, my maids welcomed me with open arms and eagerness across their faces.
While all of the preparation for my date was happening, my mind began to wonder as to how relaxed Officer Oliver had been with me. I didn’t expect he’d be friendly considering his position as one of the Elite Force of the Tifarian Shield.
Right now, I had no idea if he was a normal palace guard or if he was a trickster in disguise.
No wonder he and Ray seemed to always be in agreement.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Gillian practically shooed me away the second Gilda was done fastening the ribbon around my waist. And when Officer Hayato saw me come out of the door, there was nothing but a taunting smirk on his face.
It only doubled up the excitement and the anxiety that came with this date.
Why did Norman have to make it all too mysterious?
Officer Oliver led the way and throughout every step we took, I kept asking him where he was taking me.
“We’re already on the way!” I shallowly whined. “Can’t you tell me just a little bit of what I’m supposed to be expecting?”
“But that would ruin the surprise.”
“But where are we going? I’m not familiar with this part of the palace,” I reasoned while scanning my eyes around the area. We had just passed the Rose Garden, simply meaning we were already nearing the western boundary of the palace.
“We’re almost there, my lady,” Officer Oliver simply responded.
We continued to walk some more until I noticed the two palace guards situated on both sides of a gate. From the state of things, this gate looked heavily guarded against the outside, yet it could easily be pointed out that this gate was leading to a garden.
The only thing that I wondered about was the inflated roof-like structure I spotted from where I was standing. And I had seen four out of the five gardens that this palace housed, so it only meant that this garden was —
“This is the Dahlia Garden, Lady Emma. Once you enter this gate, just keep straight and you’ll be at your destination.” Officer Oliver had one index finger pointed in the direction of that inflated thing that I sincerely had no idea about.
“But what is it?”
“What is what?” he asked back inquisitively.
“That!” I motioned to the thing.
“Oh, it’s an inflatable tent, my lady.”
A tent? That large thing was a tent? “Isn’t it a bit… big?”
“Yes, His Highness actually had one of his attendants make it. It’s a multi-room inflatable tent,” he proudly answered.
As much as I wanted to ask more of it, the exhilaration got the better of me. If I wanted to know more, I just had to find out for myself.
Officer Oliver must have seen the delight on my face. He nodded at the palace guards stationed on the sides of the gate, with one of them opening the handle for my entrance.
“Go on, my lady. His Highness is waiting.”
When Norman said that this date would be different, I didn’t expect that he’d prepare something as grand as this.
Something told me that there was more in store for me inside that large, inflatable tent.
When I passed through the gate and stepped foot on the grassy patch of Dahlia Garden, I was met by the door that led inside the inflatable tent. It was easy enough to pull open and I wondered what could possibly be waiting for me at the other side of this door.
Upon opening the door, I merrily snickered at the sight of the inflatable tent’s interior.
Norman never ceased to amaze me.
The inflatable tent was already enough indication that this was something out of the usuals dates he’d done in the past.
Being inside this inflatable tent was on a whole other level.
Rose petals were scattered all over the makeshift path walk that covered the polyester fabric of the tent. Bright light fixtures on both sides of the pathway illuminated the stretch I was walking through, and it added more to the mysterious ambiance it inhibited.
There weren’t any see-through windows to see the outside landscape, so I solely relied on the pathway lights to guide me through the darkness. I mentally counted the steps I took, careful not to step on too many rose petals before I noticed the pathway led to a heavily curtained entrance to somewhere.
I stopped in my tracks and slowly raised my head to part it with two hands.
My mouth hung open with the view it contained.
Compared to the insides of the inflatable tent, this side of it was instead netted, enabling the view of the Dahlia Garden in all of its beauty. Since it was particularly cloudy today, it was a little bit chilly, making it all better. In the middle was a glass-top round table with two rose gold faux leatherette chairs.
And what made my insides flutter was seeing Norman slowly approaching where I was standing.
Even when he was only a few feet away, I was afraid he’d hear how thunderous the beating of my heart was.
“I was beginning to assume you stood me up,” he quipped through a gentle smile.
I swallowed the lump in my throat that prevented me from breathing properly. “What made you think that?”
“To tell you frankly, waiting for you to show up had to be the longest minute of my life.”
Norman motioned for me to link my arm with his and I happily obliged. We silently walked our way over to the table, where he assisted me in my seat before settling himself on the other.
“Isn’t this a bit overboard?” I asked, leering at him despite how amazed I was with how he managed to pull this off in just a day.
“Is it?” he asked back, a smirk subtly playing on his lips. “This is the only way I know to date a lady.”
“This isn’t how you date the other ladies.”
He placed the back of his hand to his chin. “Then, I surmise you are the exception. You have always been the exception, Emma.”
I dug a nail on the palm of my left hand to stop myself from voluntarily blushing fiercely.
“Was that smooth enough, as you would phrase it?” he asked, pegging me a stare in a state of wonder in his eyes.
I shrugged off the tensing of my shoulders. “I’ll give it a B plus.”
Norman started laughing, and his laughter alone made me laugh with him.
“It seems I have to try harder if I am planning to win you over.”
“And this is only the beginning of it?” I raised a brow at him.
“If everything goes well, it will be a lifetime of doing so. I do not plan on having you get tired of my presence.”
I sucked in the chilly air to supply my lungs with air.
He really didn’t have to try harder.
If everything didn’t come with a title and a crown, liking him and trying to make this work with him would be the easiest thing in the world.
I cleared my throat to wash down the nerves building their way up my chest. “I’m assuming we’re here for a lunch date?”
His face brightened up at my mention of the word ‘date’. “Why, yes. In fact —”
Within seconds, three palace servants emerged from the entrance where I came from, hands full of mouth-watering gourmet meals. Everything was laid down in front of us from appetizers to desserts.
I was starved but I doubted we’d be able to finish all of these!
“Why do I feel like I’m the man in this scenario?”
He didn’t seem to understand what I meant. “What do you mean?”
“Do you know the phrase that ‘a way to man’s heart is through his stomach’? I think this situation sums it up! The only difference is that I’m a woman.”
His stare was challenging. “And is it working for you?”
I grinned as I vocalized what I thought was another lie. “Not just yet, Your Highness. ”
Everything he did was just too endearing.
He shook his head as he smiled. “Shall we eat? I will gladly have this intimate dining first before any more of your wisecracks at me.”
I laughed at how hard he was fighting off his own laughter. I wasn’t even trying to throw wisecracks at him… yet!
I took a slice out of the steak that was served and carefully bit into it, trying to be as graceful as I possibly could. Norman must’ve noticed how rigid I was as I slowly chewed the steak in my mouth and swallowed it when he started mildly choking from laughter.
“Forgive me, but why do you look like you are munching on a rock?” he asked before trying to conceal another laughter.
I felt my face heat up. “W-what do you mean? I wasn’t! I’m eating like I normally would!”
Norman narrowed his eyes at me, but it was more of a taunting look than disapproval. “Do not go shy on me now, Emma. I’ve adored every facet of you, so this is nothing short of amusing to me. And you look absolutely adorable.”
One of the attendants handed me a glass of water, who I gladly thanked, and took a sip. “Adorable how?”
“Like that of a squirrel with stuffed cheeks.”
I almost sputtered my drink as I quickly dabbed the napkin on my mouth. It was taking everything in me not to burst into laughter.
Clearly, Norman wasn’t the expert when it came to dating.
I had no prior dating experiences myself, but I knew calling your date a squirrel with stuffed cheeks isn’t the least bit romantic.
Regardless of the dating standards set by today’s society, if Norman thinking of me as a squirrel was adorable, then I’d take the compliment.
After all, I liked Norman the way he was.
“Who’s throwing wisecracks now? Are we throwing a contest now who gets to tease the other better?” I mocked, yet my grin was betraying my front.
Norman's face lightened up. “Wisecracks between equals? I fancy the sound of it.”
“You’re the heir to the throne and I’m just one of your Prime.” I gave emphasis to the unequivocal truth. “How are we even equals?”
Norman laid both of his utensils on either side of his plate. “Being the future king is just a title if I must say. If the deities would side with me in this lifetime and allowed me to be married to you, it’d be nothing but a title. Behind the duties we’d hold, we’d just be husband and wife. And that is what would make us equals.”
I challenged him with a look. “But we aren’t married yet. I might never like the idea of being the future queen.”
“Precisely why I am doing my best to make you my equal in this lifetime. But seeing that I have to make a decision soon, I solemnly request every night in my prayers that you can find it in your heart to choose this life. To choose me. Within the timeframe of the Choice, I suppose.”
I could only stare at him while he gazed at me with hopeful eyes.
There were four other ladies that he could choose from if I’d never find it in me to become a princess of this kingdom, and that was considering the indisputable thought that I’d have to be the queen someday.
How long did I have left before I had to make a decision? Before the Choice would be over?
I was in an impasse between Norman’s soulful gaze and my thoughts in deep haywire when ragged and rushed sounds of boots gradually became louder to my hearing. The curtain that divided this area from the dark path of the inflatable tent was parted, revealing Sir Vincent, Office Oliver, and some of the palace guards that were stationed outside.
When I turned to look at Norman, he displayed the same confusion etched on my face.
“You would not be barging in here unannounced if what you are all here for is not dire. Proceed.” Norman’s voice was stern and calm as he commanded any one of them to speak up.
Vincent was the one to do so. “Your Highness, your presence is immediately required at the Great Hall. It —” he paused and regarded Norman with an expression of hesitancy.
Norman swayed his head once. “Whatever you have to say, I’m giving you permission to say it in the presence of Lady Emma.”
Vincent swallowed hard, jaw tensing as he responded. “It appears that a rebel was found lurking within the outside walls of the palace. Officer Sonju arrested him and brought him to the Great Hall for questioning. His and Her Majesty, as well as the Commander, are already there. The interrogation cannot fully commence without your attendance.”
What?
Did I hear that right?
A rebel was caught lurking outside the palace walls?!
Norman must’ve sensed the fear reflecting on my face. “Officer Oliver, please escort Lady Emma to her room. It seems like this date will have to be continued some other time.”
I abruptly stood up. “No! I-I want to see what happens!”
“Lady Emma, this isn’t something you’d like to see,” Officer Oliver voiced out, carefully moving his sights back at Norman since he had the final say in all of this.
Norman sighed. It appeared he was internally debating whether allowing me to see the interrogation would be a good idea or a recipe for disaster.
I couldn’t blame him on that note. I was really such a reckless thing, to begin with.
“I will allow it on one condition.”
I raised my head to level the concern in his eyes. “And that is?”
“Whatever you will be hearing in that interrogation, I implore you to be discreet about it. This information is not something that would instill peace in the palace and I’m afraid that the other ladies would react out of proportion once they know of this. I trust you because this is something you would have wanted to know,” he clarified before standing up from his seat, offering a hand for me to support on.
Something that I wanted to know…
Of course! He read the historical essay I wrote a few weeks back about how I wanted to know what the rebels were really after! He wanted to satisfy my curiosity even just for a little bit!
I was finally getting some answers after the few details I got from the newspaper clipping, although it was a bit disheartening to know that our first legitimate date was to be cut short.
I reached out to accept Norman’s hand as I stood. He nodded once at Officer Oliver before briefly squeezing my hand, releasing it shortly afterward.
A couple of guards were leading the path to the Great Hall, followed by Norman and Sir Vincent, who were both busy conversing back and forth about the situation. Officer Oliver was on my side, escorting me step by step, as we trailed from the back.
I felt the presence of growing hostility as we approached the Great Hall.
It only further heightened as soon as my heels clicked on the marble tile of the Great Hall. My eyes were fixed on the back of the supposed rebel being surrounded by a multitude of the palace guards.
I couldn’t make out his face since he was facing the other side, but his hands were tied behind his back and his head laid downward. Several guns were pointed at him if he ever so much as squirmed. Officer Sonju had a gun aimed perfectly at his head. Based on the smug look on King Peter’s face, there was no way this rebel was going to live after this interrogation.
“Ah, Norman. You have finally arrived,” King Peter announced loudly upon seeing Norman from the entrance of the Great Hall. His eyes then landed on me. “It seems you were out with one of the ladies. She may be escorted back to her room now.”
“There is no need for that, father,” Norman intercepted, looking back at me then back to King Peter. “She could be the future princess of this kingdom. Let her observe how we run situations such as this.”
King Peter’s stare lingered on me. “Very well. Proceed with the interrogation.”
Ray had a scowl on his face when King Peter asked him to continue. “I am going to ask once again. Who do you work for? What are you all planning to do?”
The rebel laughed menacingly. “No matter how many times you ask me, I’ll never waver! This rebellion will be a success and we’ll see to it that the Royal Class, as well as all the Ratris, will come crashing to the ground!”
King Peter burst into laughter, one that was filled with ridicule. “You dare assume that we Ratris will ever be brought to the ground. At the end of this war, blood will surely be shed but I guarantee that it is not on our end. I will put an end to all of your crimes.”
The rebel slowly turned his head to spare everyone a glance, baring his stained teeth and chuckling darkly in the process as he reverted his sights back to King Peter. “You sit on your throne as if you didn’t commit a crime yourself. Tell me, King Peter, does it feel great getting everything you want?”
King Peter visibly stiffened in his seat. Queen Legravalima held a hand over her mouth. Norman had curiosity plastered all over his face.
Ray’s placid expression, on the other hand, made it physically impossible to determine a reaction out of.
How eerily calm.
“I have had enough of this! Such impiety!” King Peter seethed, pounding one of his knuckles against the armrest. His anger was swelling all over his face that it made me flinch on my feet. “We have been interrogating this rebel for a solid hour, and still no relevant information out of him and now he dares to accuse me of such? Bring him to the hanger! Let us see how long he will hold out and call for mercy.”
I stiffened in place.
They were going to hang him?
Using the guillotine?
I was about to speak up and protest that life imprisonment would’ve been the better option, no matter how gutsy and idiotic that would have been, but Norman and I locked eyes for a brief second before he beat me into speaking.
“That will not be necessary for the meantime, Father,” Norman butted in. “I am sure that the Commander of the Tifarian Shield will get this rebel to talk. It would be a huge waste if we end his life since this is the first time in a long while that the palace has managed to capture a rebel.”
“Norman is right. We will get him to talk,” Ray assured, finally speaking. “Let us keep him in confinement.”
I released an unsteady exhale. I was glad Norman and Ray contradicted King Peter’s ruling.
Although it did put me at ease, King Peter didn’t look enthused with the idea. “Make him talk. Starve him, beat him, cane him. Do what you have to do! Stop being useless at your role, Ray!”
He stood up from his throne and heavily walked down the platform; his personal guards following close by in his departure. Ray’s face was hardened, probably from the continuous verbal assaults and insults from King Peter. I wanted to feel bad since the growing popularity of the NL Resistance wasn’t entirely his fault! But being reprimanded because he couldn’t make a rebel speak up was maddening as well!
“Take him to the underground prison,” Ray commanded three of the guards that encircled the rebel in place.
One of the guards tightened his hold against the chain that encompassed the waist of the rebel, all the way to the unyielding security on both of his wrists, clearing him from any form of freedom. They pulled him up and proceeded to drag him to where the underground prison was.
Just before they were able to do so, he was able to spout one last threat that frightened the wits out of me.
“You’ll see! All of you will see! The Royal Class will meet its end and pay for its sins!”
All we heard was the echo of his sinister laughter as he was accosted roughly to his solitary confinement.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Twenty-nine:
“And why not? It would be easier to do it now than later,” he answered without so much as a twinge in his words.
“And ruin their nights?” I lowered myself in a curtsy as he did so with a bow, “I think tomorrow could wait.”
I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling like an idiot, and it seemed like Norman was satisfied enough with my answer. When we both raised ourselves, there was nothing more that I could’ve wanted for us.
I was his and he was mine.
“Tomorrow could not come fast enough,” Norman said, his whisper feeling like feathers tickling the side of my ears as he escorted me back to my seat.
Chapter 29: The Faint Touch of Affection
Notes:
Hi there! Lyn here!
It's almost been three months since this fic was last updated. You have to blame my laptop and my corrupted files for the late update. I'm working on making sure that the fic is completed by next year.
Thank you so much for your patience and support.
Thanks again to the lovely Krinkles for doing the art for this chapter! :')
P.S. I was in a rush, so this chapter might need some proofreading next week.
Happy holiday season! xx
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I didn’t tell any of the girls about what had transpired that day in the Great Hall.
Although I knew that the whispers would eventually reach them, there was simply no point in telling them that I was present when the rebel was briefly interrogated and what that rebel said while he was being dragged away.
Aside from that, all our hands were full of our assigned tasks, wanting everything to be perfect for when our families would arrive. Mujika even gave us a free pass to miss our weekly educational sessions.
But truth be told, that rebel’s laughter kept lingering in my ears, even after a few days had passed.
And because of his proclamation, it only heightened the fear I never knew I had ever since Susan told me about them.
She was right; they were getting closer and they were really out for blood.
I promised myself that I would try to pry out more information about these rebels after this highly anticipated event. I managed to acquire information from Norman a week ago when he visited my room to sort things out.
Now, I had to try getting one out of Ray this time.
For now, I had to concentrate on this event.
“Emma, are you with us?”
I whipped my head in the direction of the voice, momentarily forgetting where I was that very second. It was Violet’s voice who called out, followed by a timid tap on the back from Anna.
“Seriously,” Barbara lazily voiced out, drumming her fingertips to the base of her chin. “Tomorrow’s the event and you have the audacity to zone out?”
I wanted to take offense, yet there was no point in bickering with her.
“Sorry. I must’ve spaced out without me knowing.”
“You didn’t really miss much,” Ayshe assured. “But since everything’s all set up for tomorrow, I believe it’s time for all of us to rest. It’s getting pretty late and I’m sure His Highness would like us to be in our best dispositions for tomorrow. And remember that there’ll be a grand dance during dinner. We’re allowed to dance with His Highnesses, our family members, as well as the Elite guards.”
“Agreed! I can’t wait for all of you to see my Battle Fairy costume for tomorrow!” Violet cheered from her seat.
I remembered Gillian and Gilda reminding me earlier to wake up on time for tomorrow so that they could properly fit the costume on me. Ballgowns would be worn during the day since the proper introductions of our families to the Royal Class will be done at this time. And since the dinner party for the event was going to be held early in the evening, this was the only time we were going to wear our customized fairy costumes. It would be delightful for the guests since we’d be dancing around in our shiny and glittery costumes.
“I can’t believe we’re finally seeing our family after being away from them for quite some time,” Anna dreamily enunciated, her statement fixated more on me.
I nodded, beaming at her enthusiastic approach. “I can’t wait to see mine, too! You’re going to love my younger sisters, Anna!”
She giggled as a response. “If they’re the same as you, I adore them already.”
Knowing that I’d see my family was definitely something to look forward to first thing tomorrow.
I briefly saw at the corner of my eye Barbara’s eye roll before conversing back with Ayshe.
Violet butted in on my conversation with Anna. “If we’re talking about siblings, then you’re both going to be annoyed with my brothers when you see them.”
“Brothers?” I asked. This was the first time she mentioned her siblings, so I was a little surprised to know that she only had brothers.
“Yep!” she confirmed through a burst of hearty laughter. “Two very annoying, older brothers if I may add. Well, one is. My eldest brother Nigel is quite decent.”
Two?! Now, that was something.
“I have two younger sisters, so I can’t imagine having brothers.” I wondered what her brothers looked like. Violet was a bit loud and a little rough around the edges with her actions, but there was a certain air around her that screamed she was one tough lady.
Her brothers should be interesting!
I turned to Anna. “How about you, Anna? What’s your family like?”
“Oh! I have two younger brothers.” She smiled at the mention of her brothers, concluding it with a heavy sigh. “You should both know now that they aren’t the most decent siblings in the world.”
My curiosity was piqued. “How so?”
“You’ll see for yourself tomorrow,” she answered while shaking her head in what I assumed was masked dismay.
Who on earth could her brothers be to have Anna react in this way?
The night ended with all of the three of us chit-chatting for a bit before all of us thoroughly finalized the flow, tasks, and positions for tomorrow. I bade them all a pleasant night, even Barbara, even though she simply ignored me.
When Officer Oliver and I turned to the corner where my room was, I was surprised to see Norman and Sir Vincent standing in front of my door, with a couple of maids scurrying around room-to-room, bedsheets, and pillowcases on hand. It was odd seeing how Sir Vincent had a handful of small boxes on both hands.
There was a pristine smile on Norman’s lips upon spotting me that it had me immediately on edge.
How could he look so perfect just doing nothing but stand?
When I was merely a few steps away from him, I lowered myself down in a curtsy since I didn’t know if Sir Vincent had any idea of my setup with Norman.
And because, well, it was the right thing to do in the presence of others.
“Your Highness,” I greeted with a low voice.
Norman silently chuckled. He might’ve been thinking how rare a sight my curtsying was. “Lady Emma, a pleasant evening to you. I know it is late, but may I have a word with you? It will not take long. I adhere to my words.”
I would’ve appreciated it if he would stay longer than what he was implying at that moment, but I took my chances.
Norman turned to Sir Vincent. “Which is the one for Lady Emma?”
Sir Vincent took the small black box on top of the stack he had and offered it to Norman.
“I’ll wait out here, Your Highness,” Sir Vincent straightforwardly said.
Officer Oliver turned the knob for Norman and me to enter, and once we were inside and the door was closed behind us, we automatically started laughing.
“It has been a while since you have been courteous in a curtsy,” he jested, one hand in his pocket and the other holding the mysterious black box, in his squared stance.
“You tell me. You’ve been quite busy this week since the failed infiltration of the rebel.” I fired back, aggressively settling myself on the edge of my bed.
A crooked grin came out of his elated expression. “Yes, Ray and I have been quite busy handling palace matters. But this is a surprise! I might actually conclude that you have missed me. My apologies, rest assured that I will not allow anyone to disrupt our next date.”
“I already loved that date even if it was cut short,” I said to appease him. It wasn’t his fault that our date was disturbed. “What brings you here, by the way? Oh! What’s with the box?”
Norman snickered as he sat next to me. “One question at a time, I am afraid. But your questions are interrelated so allow me to go ahead and elaborate.”
He gently opened the box, revealing a shimmering necklace fastened in its velvet case. It was a pear-blue sapphire teardrop pendant that was attached to a white gold chain.
“I have no knowledge of what your costume is for the dinner party tomorrow, but I hope it would accentuate this gift of mine,” he cooly said, handing it over to my open palms delicately.
“T-this is,” I failed to utter the words that would show how grateful yet under-deserving I was of such a gift. “This is too much. I don’t know what to say.”
I’d never held any possession that would amount to the cost of this one.
“You do not have to say anything.” Norman laid out a reassuring smile. “It is a custom of ours that the Prince would gift the five ladies of his Prime before any elimination is to be held. I just happened to think that giving you these gifts for all of you to wear in the event tomorrow was the best way to go.”
Hm. So, the other boxes outside were for the others?
I hated this emotion so much.
Now that I knew how much I liked him, I guessed feeling jealousy was second nature to it.
But since I still hadn't decided on being the princess, I had to bear with it.
After all, any of the four ladies was one he was bound to choose from if I decided that this life and being with him wasn’t for me.
“I love it! Thank you, Norman.” I raised it from its box and carefully placed it on my palm, admiring his gift.
It was really beautiful.
Norman heaved a deep sigh. “I am delighted that you liked it. It took me a lot longer to choose your gift compared to the rest.”
I paused and stared at him. “Wait. Why? Don’t we all have the same gift? Just a different color?”
“Oh, no. The others have their own jewelry and own pendant that I thought would match their personality. But yours is a lot different,” he explained vaguely, and I could see he was having a hard time explaining what differed mine from the others.
“What kind of difference?”
“You could say that it took me only an hour or two to choose a gift for the other ladies. I was mostly preoccupied with choosing a gift for you since it took half a day. My advisers, including Vincent, gave me a severe scolding for it. But seeing your reaction, I deem the time allotted for choosing this gift worth it.”
“Is that so?” I bluffed with how my heart was… satisfied knowing that he took extra measures to choose this for me. “Your favoritism is showing, Your Highness!”
I noticed how his ears turned bright red at my last statement. “You certainly know how to assert your power over me, I see. If only you’d be willing to be my wife, then we can call all of this over.”
“I’m still not sure if I want to be the next princess,” I jokingly chastised. “But I must admit, the fancy dresses are growing on me thanks to Gilda and Gillian. And I think you’re a psychic! This sapphire necklace will surely compliment my costume for tomorrow’s main event.”
Norman lightly chuckled, his eyes seeping through mine with a glint of amusement and wonder. “I can’t wait to see what you’ll have in store for tomorrow.”
A knock on the door came, and Sir Vincent’s voice pierced through. “Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness and Lady Emma, but you have a last-minute meeting with the advisers at twenty-one hundred hours. There are still four ladies that have yet to be given their boxes.”
“I guess that’s your cue to scoot off my bed, Norman.” I pulled both of his arms with mine until he was on his feet, rigidly guiding him to my door. “We can’t let Sir Vincent be mad, can we?”
“We certainly cannot,” he agreed nonchalantly, though his face bared a little bit of gloom. “If your maids keep you on your toes, then I have Vincent for that job.”
I laughed. “That, he does.”
We were in front of the door, yet I still didn’t want him to leave. When it looked like he was ready to go, I jumped on the first idea that came to my mind at the moment.
I couldn’t think of enough words to show him how grateful I was for everything he had done.
I would just have to show him for now.
Just one would do no harm.
I tiptoed to somehow shorten our height difference and tried to lay a faint kiss on his cheek.
But with a slight tip of the head, he said, “Good night, Em—”
My lips didn’t land on his cheek as I had planned.
I had to hold onto his left arm for support, but it proved no help since the moment my lips met his, he instantly wobbled and we both slammed to the door, with Norman’s back landing on it with a pound.
The impact was enough for Officer Oliver and Sir Vincent to pry the door open, startled beyond their wits based on the expressions they held, helping both of us to steady ourselves.
“What happened, Your Highness?” Sir Vincent worriedly inquired, a flash of overt concern plastered on his expression.
Norman’s face was reddened all over. He looked like a tomato!
It wasn’t like I was having a better reaction!
I shared this sight with him because I was visibly embarrassed with myself!
What was I thinking?!
Would a ‘Thank you, Norman!’ not have sufficed?!
Officer Oliver must’ve understood a fraction of what happened and started coughing to clear out the tension. “It appears His Highness needs some refreshments. I’ll ask one of the maids to bring one to the next lady’s room for a while.”
And off he went.
“Are you quenched, Your Highness?” Sir Vincent further questioned.
It only made Norman choke on his own spit, it seemed.
“It seems His Highness needs to sit down for a while. We can do so in Lady Ayshe’s room. Thank you for assisting His Highness, Lady Emma.”
Sir Vincent didn’t have to thank me. I think he should be blaming me instead.
“N-no worries, Sir,” I said and glanced at Norman, who was holding the side of his face where I had kissed him. I lowered myself in an awful curtsy and softly said, “Good night, Your Highness.”
“W-wai—” Norman let out, but he was already being accosted to the next room by Sir Vincent.
I gently closed the door behind me and dropped to my knees.
I could still feel myself blushing at the memory, brushing the tips of my fingers over my lips.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Needless to say, my maids were not impressed that I didn’t get a decent sleep last night.
If they only knew what I had done, they’d be jumping on their toes with enthusiasm.
Upon opening the doors to the Women’s Room, all pairs of eyes bore on me.
“Emma, come here! You’re five minutes late,” Anna began. “Mujika will be here any minute.”
“My, my, Emma. I’m beginning to think your maids are fairies! I can’t even imagine what they have in store for your costume later. I won’t let myself get behind though!” Violet remarked as soon as I entered the Women’s Room.
I was wearing an ombre ball gown that was white from the bodice up and blue from the waist down; golden beads embedded the circumference of my waist that had thin, golden vines; and a tulle skirt that overlaid the depth of the gown’s tiered fabric.
Gillian and Gilda agreed that it would match the costume I was to wear for tonight.
“You’re one to talk! Look at your gown! It’s like you’re wearing crystals!” I commented back. It was mesmerizing to see how regal her gown appeared to be.
“Oh, shush!” She fanned the compliment which made me giggle. “Our families will be bursting through the entrance of the palace in less than an hour. I can’t possibly be the only one nervous right?”
“I think all of us are.”
We turned our heads to Ayshe, who was slowly approaching us, with Barbara close behind. “Should we go over the flow of the event for the last time?”
“As we should. We can’t screw this up,” Barbara hissed with the declaration.
Barbara was sure fired up and determined. Fortunately for us, we were working splendidly despite our mutual distaste for each other.
Officer Sonju made his way to Mujika and whispered something inaudible in her ear. Mujika nodded and smiled and went to face us.
“Your families are right outside, ladies! Now, remember, keep your heads high and shoulders squared, just like we practiced. Act like a princess. Do you understand?”
In my mind, I really thought we did. But the moment the doors to the Grand Hall opened, I knew that it wouldn’t turn out exactly how Mujika wanted it to.
A family of five members was escorted by guards inside and Violet began sprinting towards them, almost yelling in excitement.
A family of four came next and with the prominent blonde locks and skin as white as snow, I knew they were Anna’s. She didn’t sprint like Violet, but her twin brothers did and it almost knocked her out of her pointed heels.
Ayshe’s family was only composed of her mother and father, and although her movement to greeting them didn’t warrant the need to sprint, it was clear in their expressions that they missed each other.
Barbara’s parents came striding in, screaming in attires that shone gold. Just like Ayshe’s parents, their expressions were soft, probably from the excitement of finally seeing their daughter after a hefty two months, and even though I had always seen Barbara pull out a frown and a condescending smirk, this time, she was beaming and in tears.
Mine was last and I was practically craning my neck just to see them make their way in, but Sherry and Carol didn’t wait for the palace guard to assist them and came running towards the entrance looking for my face.
I wasn’t able to contain my tears and my voice cracked as I called out to them. “Sherry! Carol!”
They both turned their heads to search for my voice, and when my eyes landed on me, they immediately started running my way. Sherry might’ve forgotten she was dragging Carol by the arm, but she somehow lost her footing from all the running and they both fell flat on the carpeted floors.
I immediately held my gown on both sides so that I wouldn’t step on it as I ran to where they fell.
“Seriously,” I started, voice shivering and tears spilling, “What are you two doing?”
They raised their heads and began crying.
“Emma!”
It didn’t matter that they fell in front of everyone, or that we were on our knees in the middle of the Grand Hall. I pulled them both in a hug and they started sobbing over my shoulder. I could feel that we were eventually going to fall on my back, but a familiar presence loomed over my back, and before I could look back, two arms had already enveloped us three in an embrace.
The tears wouldn’t stop. I knew the comfort of this hug like the back of my mind.
“Dad!” I turned my head to the side to meet his face. “Dad! You’re here! You’re all here!”
“We missed you, sweetie,” Dad whispered and kissed the side of my head. “It’s good to see you.”
I knew I looked like a mess from all the tears, which wouldn’t go unnoticed by the presence of Mom that stood tall in front of us. Dad stood up and took Sherry and Carol in my arms. While he was busy fixing their faces with his handkerchief, I pulled myself up and faced her.
“Mom.”
For the woman that only wanted the best for me and for Dad, I hoped I did well.
I was prepared for a round of hushed reprimanding; why I kneeled to greet my sisters, why I cried like a mess in the middle of the Grand Hall, or why I didn’t reflect any aura of royalty despite being pampered in the palace for the last two months.
I was ready for it all.
Instead, I was greeted by the way her arms were stretched out, settling over my nape, and pulling me towards her in an embrace.
“I am so proud of you, Emma. I missed you so much, my darling.”
I felt myself crumbling with her words. Mom was strict — she always was, but it was the only way for her to let me know that I deserved the best. And despite always finding myself at odds with her, she was still my mother.
And I really loved her.
I crossed my arms over her back and cried. “I missed you, too, Mom.”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Suffice to say, five families in a single area called for attention.
King Peter and Queen Legravalima came to show themselves as if it was a spectacle for everyone to lay their eyes on them. One of the families present here were their soon-to-me in-laws—they had to instill their dominance as the Royal Class, of course.
We all lowered ourselves into bows and curtsies.
I had to bite my lower lip upon seeing Norman and Ray.
They were dashing as ever. When Norman managed to catch my eyes in the sea of visitors, he gently nodded his head and so did I.
Embarrassment crept all over me. I should explain to him what had happened!
“Oh my! It’s Prince Norman!” Sherry squealed in place. I had to move my finger towards my lips to quiet her down. “Oops, sorry! I just can’t help it!”
I shook my head, finding her giddiness contagious as well.
I moved my sights towards Mom. Surprisingly, she didn’t have that stoic expression on her face when dealing with interacting with other people.
Her lips were formed into a grim line, her eyes as blank as paper.
And when I trailed her line of vision, it was focused towards Queen Legravalima, who surprisingly reflected the same expression.
Was it still their past experience?
It was as if Queen Legravalima knew where to attend first. With her arm encircled into King Peter’s, they elegantly made their way to where we were.
For a second, I felt Mom stiffen, but recovered instantaneously.
“Your Majesty,” she turned to Queen Legravalima. She paused for a while before turning to King Peter, “Your Majesty.”
“Oh, please, Isabella,” Queen Legravalima started, “Enough with the honorifics. We go way back for all these rigid pleasantries.”
Mom was plastering that smile she only used when she was being threatened. “Still, I do know my place.”
“It seems you always do.”
Was it just me or was there a brooding tension in the air?
“Ah, my sons,” King Peter interjected, probably sensing whatever it was that was making the atmosphere as uncomfortable as it did mine. “Ray, why must you wear black on such a wondrous day?” King Peter admonished.
Ray gave his attire a brief look and said, “And why not, father? I am only matching it to the bleak and monotonous atmosphere this palace has gone through for the last couple of weeks. It certainly accentuates my attire, do you not agree?”
Norman slightly bowed his head down, and it seemed to me that he was stifling a smile. Mom and Dad, on the other hand, exchanged looks, with Mom ending their eye contact with a smug smile in Ray’s direction.
I looked like she was proud of him for being such a black sheep.
And while all of us were satisfied with that little comeback from Ray, King Peter was not.
His glare was impenetrable, and it made me think about what could be waiting for Ray after this event was done.
Instead, King Peter replaced the dissatisfaction on his face with forced laughter. “Ray is the youngest out of these two, so forgive him for his lack of decency at times. He may be the Commander of the Tifarian Shield, yet he still takes it upon himself to act like a half-wit.
Ray let out a snort, and it felt like an argument was going to transpire any second now.
Queen Legravalima spoke. “I think this is enough of your little squabbles.” She looked over to Mom and continued, “Excuse us for a moment, Marchetti family. The King and I would have to speak to their other families. Please enjoy your evening. Norman, come along.”
King Peter didn’t even give a second glance before darting his attention to Anna’s family. It was only Queen Legravalima who gave the final word.
“It was a pleasure seeing you once again, Isabella. If fortune falls upon your daughter, we may be seeing each other often in this palace when the time comes.”
Norman and I briefly shared a look, and when our eyes bore into each other, we smiled.
We both hoped for it beneath the depth of our gaze.
And for a while, the incident last night was out of the picture.
“Please enjoy yourselves,” Norman uttered. “The main event and the dinner were organized by the Prime, and will commence after the hours of introduction are done.”
I nodded at both Ray and Norman as they went off to greet Anna’s family.
And just as Anna had said, her brothers were definitely a handful. They were running around in circles and the stress on Anna's face was priceless.
“Thoma! Lannion! Behave yourselves,” their mother reprimanded in subtlety when Anna’s attempts to hush them were futile, “The Royal Class is headed this way. We’ve talked about this.”
I watched as Ray presented himself first and the genuine look of gratitude on his face lit up as he spoke to her parents was something I rarely saw him make. It looked like he was telling them the story of how she saved his life during the first Tifari Report.
My hunch proved to be true when he pointed at his shoulder and Anna’s parents shared an expression of awe and wonder for their daughter, to which Anna just blushed scarlet.
And that moment was entirely ruined when her twin brothers decided to run around Ray, tugging the material of his attire as they tried to tag each other in a little game.
Soon after, King Peter and Queen Legravalima spoke with Anna’s parents alongside Norman, while Anna apologized nonstop to Ray for her brothers’ behaviors. Ray laughed it off and it seemed like they began to immerse themselves in a different conversation.
I was glad Anna found a peculiar friendship with Ray, just as I did with Norman. If she… if she ever changed her mind about Norman, it was good to know she was well-received by the Royal Class.
“Emma! Emma!” Sherry tugged on the frills of my gown in excitement. “What’s going to happen later? Oh! I wish they’d allow me to get to wear something as fancy as this!”
“Don’t worry, Sherry,” I snickered before winking. “Tonight is going to be one we’ll never forget!”
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
“Aren’t the wings a bit too much?” I said, peering over at the large set of crystal, blue wings attached to my costume from the back. “Will I be able to dance properly with these wings?”
We were back inside the bedroom to prepare for the event tonight. Our fathers were having a quiet time speaking about politics with King Peter, while our mothers were invited for tea time with Queen Legravalima. After that, they would be assisted to their temporary rooms to prepare themselves for the event.
It was hard to imagine Dad and King Peter in one room. Their personalities would clash, not to mention their stance when it came to current events.
I didn't even have to think about Mom and Queen Legravalima. I was sure that whatever tension they had earlier today was more than what met my eyes.
Gillian giggled as she finalized the placement of marquise-shaped gems on the left side of my face. “You look absolutely splendid, Lady Emma. And these wings will surely give everyone the impression as to what fairy you are.”
After careful but entertaining deliberation between the three of us, we settled for my costume to be that of the Moon Fairy.
I absolutely loved it, and it coincidentally matched Norman’s ocean blue eyes.
“You look stunning, Emma! Oh! Oh! Prince Norman is going to fall in love with you in this costume while you two dance!”
Sherry was jumping up and down in the gown that was made for her, courtesy of Barbara’s task with providing the designs for all of our family members’ attires. Mom and Dad were being attended to by a different set of palace maids for their attires, just as the other adults were, too.
“You should look at yourself in the mirror, Lady Sherry.” Gillian placed both of her hands on Sherry’s shoulder and guided her to look in the mirror. “You look just as lovely as Lady Emma is! And of course, Lady Carol wouldn’t allow herself to be left behind.”
Sherry’s mouth widened in awe. “Lady Sherry? I like the sound of it! If Emma becomes the princess, does that mean I get to be a princess too?”
“Emma? Princess?” Carol tilted her head in wonder.
“Why, yes! You and Lady Sherry will also be part of the Royal Class. In the future, Lady Emma even becomes the queen!”
“Gillian! I’m not even the princess yet,” I said through her reflection in the mirror. “Plus, I’m sure the other ladies will put up quite a show themselves.”
Sherry didn’t seem to mind the conversation anymore when she brought up a different topic instead. “Oh, Emma! After you dance with Prince Norman, can you ask him to dance with me, too? I really, really, really want to dance with him!”
“Dance, too!” Carol seconded with both her arms raised.
Gilda gave me a thumbs up after fastening the wings on my back. I went over to where Gillian, Sherry, and Carol were. I was only going to mentally thank Barbara for her splendid taste with the design of their attires for tonight. It was almost too hard to believe that my sisters were here, and they got to experience being treated like royalty for a night.
I placed one hand on each of their shoulders and said, “I’ll make sure he’ll spare a dance with you two.”
The grin on their faces wouldn’t leave until we reached the Great Hall.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
What the five of us had planned for tonight was everything I had imagined.
And more.
As soon as my sisters spotted our parents, they immediately walked towards them. They were careful not to step on the frills of their costume.
I, on the other hand, felt like my costume was glistening as I walked down the stairwell.
Chef Dinah instantly spotted me to where the foods were, giving me a small smile and a wink. They were humbly serving every guest; some with appetizers, others — like Anna’s twin brothers, the main course this early on.
Barbara’s parents were already hand-in-hand, dancing to the music conducted by the string quartet positioned on the right side next to the large glass window, overlooking the entrance to the Sunflower Garden.
“My daughters,” Mom began, eyes sparkling with admiration, “you all look lovely tonight.”
“Pretty!” Carol pointed at them both, with Dad carrying her in one arm as she giggled.
“Mom! Mom! Emma promised that I was going to dance with Prince Norman!” Sherry cheered for herself.
“Just make sure His Highness dances with your sister first,” Mom laughed and buried herself in Dad’s one-armed embrace.
I was too busy knitting the image of my family at this moment when Anna emerged from my back.
“Emma! You look wonderful!”
She was an exceptional sight tonight; with the way her indigo fairy dress went above her knees in bouncy layers of frills. Her hair was laid out fancily at the back, with two large ornaments attached to the band full of pearls in her hair. Two large ribbons were tied to her arm that flowed all the way to the floor, matching the ribbons tucked into her knee-length white stockings.
She embodied the Water Fairy.
“Good evening, I am Anna Rousseau,” she greeted. “Your daughter has been a very good friend to me, and she’s told me a lot of good things about her family back in District Grace Field. It’s an honor to finally meet all of you.”
I could hear Sherry and Carol’s breathy ‘wow’ of astonishment.
“One of the youngest medical professionals in the kingdom. Anyone would be an imbecile not to know an Upper Class of your caliber,” Mom reckoned, and I wasn’t sure if she was getting to know my competition or was just plain dry. “It is nice to meet you, too. Thank you for keeping our daughter in check. She could be a handful sometimes.”
“Mom!” I made a face at her, to which she just shrugged off.
“Believe me, she’s more of some help to me than I am to her.” Anna smiled at me. “I would like her to meet my family. Would it be all right if I ask for her for a while?”
“Please do,” Dad answered. “I heard the Prime orchestrated this entire event for their families. You all deserve to have fun tonight.”
I was about to protest, but Dad beat me to it. “We’ll keep an eye on your sisters. Enjoy your night, Emma. We’ll be right here.”
I waved at them before I followed Anna to where her family was. I spotted her brothers being reprimanded by their mother, and when her eyes laid on us, her face vibrated nothing but a smile.
“Mom! This is Emma, the friend I was telling you about earlier.”
I extended my hand to her mother, then to her father. “It’s great to finally meet you. Your daughter is amazing. Your family must be proud.”
“We are,” she responded with glee and pride in her tone. “We’ve seen your performances, too. Your parents must be proud of you.”
I was about to answer, but two figures on my left side sprouted, catching me by surprise.
“Oh, you’re the Emma! The one with the bright orange-y hair!” Anna’s black-haired sibling, who I remembered was Thoma, brought up.
“Yeah, you’re the one with the lovey-dovey photo with the Prince!” His twin said in a teasing tone.
“That’s right! Marry the Prince! Anna is ours!”
“Yes, she’s ours!”
“Thoma! Lani! Stop that!” Anna scolded them in exasperation. “I’m so sorry, Emma. They’re just… too much.”
I laughed. “No, no. It’s fine. Sherry and Carol act the same way.”
We proceeded to share sentiments about being the eldest sibling in the family until we heard the footsteps of the palace guards, indicating the arrival of the Royal Class. The string quartet lowered down the music until King Peter and Queen Legravalima situated themselves on their seats, followed by Ray and Norman on each side.
“Everyone, please pay your respects to the arrival of the Royal Class. His Majesty King Peter, Her Majesty Queen Legravalima, His Highness Prince Norman, and His Highness Prince Ray!”
We all lowered ourselves in a bow and curtsy.
King Peter immediately positioned himself on his seat, his expression far from entertained. His eyebrows were scrunched up in annoyance, and it was evident that Queen Legravalima appeared disoriented herself.
What could’ve happened earlier?
Ray and Norman’s expressions displayed the opposite. The King didn’t even bother to stand up to greet the guests, and it seemed like Norman was waiting for him to do so. When King Peter still hadn’t budged, Norman stood and walked over to the middle of the Great Hall.
His walk was as graceful as ever. Compared to his usual attire, this time, he was wearing a dark blue suit from head to toe, double-breasted that boasted his formality, snug around his hips, and showcased his broad shoulders. The white pocket square accented his overall look.
Handsome and formal as always.
When he spoke, everyone’s attention was solely his.
“Good evening, everyone. I have no words to describe my delight to have the families of these ladies here tonight. All we wish is for everyone to enjoy the night as we look forward to the success of this Choice.”
Everyone held their hands up for applause. Barbara had taken the initiative of approaching Norman in the middle. She whispered something in his ear that made him smile. He bowed. She curtsied. Then he placed one hand on her back, the other on her hand, and they began to sway to the music that was gradually increasing just in time to the changing song played by the quartet.
“Lady Anna.”
I looked over to my left and saw Ray. He had an arm extended towards Anna. “Would you give me the honor of having your first dance?”
Anna curtsied and answered, “It would be my honor, Your Highness.”
I almost choked with laughter as to how formal they were when I clearly remembered that we were practically on the same page with how I was with Norman.
All four of us were friends without any form of honorifics in between.
Before they went on to the dance floor, Ray spoke. “Save a dance for me, Lady Emma.”
I raised a skeptical brow at him. “It would be my pleasure, Your Highness.”
He pulled off a smirk and delicately dragged Anna with him for a dance. I was about to excuse myself from Anna’s family when Officer Oliver presented himself in a bow.
“We were allowed to have a dance with the lady in our watch,” he started. “May I be given the opportunity to dance with the future princess of the Kingdom of Tifari?”
It was hard to brush off a smile with the way he asked. “I owe my constant security to you, Officer Oliver. I should be the one thankful for the opportunity to dance with you.”
I took his hand and allowed myself to be swept to the dance floor. I watched as Norman spun Barbara around twice, while Ray and Anna laughed when she stepped on his foot. Ayshe was escorted to the dance floor by her personal guard Officer Jin, while Violet was escorted by her eldest brother, Nigel.
When the music ended, we were escorted back to our seats and I was beginning to hope if Norman would ask me to dance with him next. But after having one with Barbara, he went straight ahead to where Ayshe was and asked her for the next one. Officer Jin bowed and handed over Ayshe to Norman, and they gracefully walked back to the dance floor to a different tune.
Oh. I guess that was okay.
“Keep your chin up.”
I hadn’t noticed that Ray was next to me. He laid his hand out with the signature smug look on his face and said, “While you are waiting for your turn, how about I spin you around a few times?”
I wanted to deliberately roll my eyes with the way he asked, but it gave me the chance to shake my thoughts elsewhere.
I took his hand. “I’ll try not to step on you with my heels.”
Ray covered a hand over his snicker and lowered the tone of his response. “That would be delightful. Believe me when I say I’ve had my fair share of heel-stepping from Anna earlier.”
I let out a low laugh and swayed to the music where Ray guided me. Some of the parents and some of the ladies paired up with their personal guards made their way to the dance floor.
“So, I noticed you’ve been awfully busy these past few weeks,” I said. “King Peter looks like he’ll shed a few more hairs with all the stress he’s having, and you making him look like a fool every step of the way will just make him hate you more like his son.”
“Pish posh,” he scoffed and spun me once before continuing. “He will never be at ease knowing that there is a growing opposition outside of the palace. And with the constant threat of the rebels and the rise of this so-called vigilante group, it will be a miracle if he can keep his cool for a year more of his reign.”
It only occurred to me that this was the only time I could speak with Ray on a closing note. I took the opportunity to ask him the same thing I asked Norman about the rebels, and since he was the Commander of the Tifarian Shield, it was safe to assume he held more information that could supply the questions I had bottled up for myself.
“What do you think the rebels want, Ray? Were you able to get any information out of the rebel? He even mentioned something about King Peter getting his hands dirty or something,”
Ray’s expression was stoic as he replied. “The rebel kept his mouth shut even in confinement. Norman and I were present during the interrogation, and when we asked what he meant about his statement regarding father, he threw the question back. ‘Why don’t you ask him?’ Pathetic.”
I didn’t bother sugarcoating my follow-up but minded my tone in case anyone was within earshot of this conversation. “Why do they want to kill for such a cause?”
“You heard that rebel we caught the week before. You heard they mentioned the name of Leuvis Core, the head of the rebellion during my grandfather’s reign. It is safe to assume that they are planning to seek vengeance. Their attacks were recurring at first, but it only heightened once the announcement of the Choice was made. The number of attacks became frequent and the number of death tolls rose. They waited for the opportunity when the palace would be open to the public.”
I nodded, getting a sense of what he was telling. “But why the need to be apprehensive of this vigilante group? Of this NL Resistance? Aren’t they a bunch of good-willed people who are protecting the public from these rebels? It’s not like they’re taking the role of the Tifarian Shield.”
There was a ghost of a smile on Ray’s lips that formed and just as I noticed, it vanished. “I never said that the NL Resistance was an enemy. Father is the one who thinks so, which is why he wants me to know what their motive for this initiative of helping the public is. If there are civilians out there who want to be of help and can protect others ahead of us, who am I to apprehend them? It will make the Tifarian Shield useless in the eyes of Father, but that is not what this is all about, is it not? The goal is to serve and protect. Nothing more, nothing less.”
I was amazed at Ray’s stance on the matter. His ideals were level-headed and even though he was pushed against the wall with the position he was in, he never thought of straying from what he thought was right.
“Do you have any idea who’s behind this second rebellion against the Royal Class?”
He spun me twice, then his answer came. “I have an idea, but it is a baseless assumption. I will find out soon enough.” The strain on his face was gradually fading away. “Are you not a little too invested in royal politics, Lady Emma? I have no concerns about satisfying your curiosities with the current event, but I propose you concentrate on enjoying your time wooing my brother.”
“Does it look that way to you?” I curiously asked.
His lips pressed into a thin smile. “It seems your reservations for the future are much higher compared to what you feel for him, is what I think. But based on your recent interactions with him, there is no doubt in my mind that everything will fall perfectly in place soon enough.”
With the music setting on its finale, Ray gave me one last twirl before he and I settled into a bow and curtsy, respectively. We left the dance floor and parted ways as he attended to Ayshe for a dance, who had just finished hers with Norman. I tried to act indifferent, expecting that he might come to my side next, but I was easily dejected when he went to ask for Anna’s hand.
Did I do anything wrong? Was kissing him supposedly on the cheek the wrong move?
It wasn't even part of my plan! It was only supposed to be the cheek!
Before washing the ill emotions away, I kept a mental note to myself that I would never attempt to do something as stupid as trying to kiss him again!
Part of me expected that I’d at least be the first one he would ask, considering the kind of arrangement we were on. I sighed and went over to my family instead. This was a rare moment that I’d get the chance to see them, so instead of indulging myself in pity, I exchanged more stories with Sherry, who was drowning herself with dessert, with Carol sitting on my lap. Mom and Dad had gone off somewhere, probably looking for the bathroom specified for guests.
“Why aren’t you dancing with Prince Norman?” Sherry asked, cheeks fully stuffed.
I forced a smile. “He’s… busy dancing with the other ladies. I don’t mind!”
Sherry’s eyes twinkled and a taunting smile made its way to her lips. “Is this jealousy I hear, Emma?”
“I am not jealous,” I said in defense.
“You say that, but your face is awfully red! You must like His Highness too much for you to deny it. You can’t lie to your own sister, Emma!”
I wanted to click my tongue so badly. Sherry knew my weaknesses better than anyone!
I looked over and his dance with Violet had just begun. “It doesn’t matter if he'll dance with the others first.”
“But it bothers you that he didn’t ask you first!”
My lips pursed voluntarily. That was a home run assumption.
“Why don’t you just eat your cake, young lady?!”
She giggled triumphantly, catching me at the palm of her hands. “You’re beginning to sound like Mom.”
“I am not!”
“Are, too!”
“I am not!”
“Yes, you do!”
“Pardon, but am I interrupting anything important?”
A familiar voice momentarily suspended our bickering. We both turned around and just as my heart started racing, Norman had his hand already stretched out towards me
His smile was enigmatic as he asked, “I was hoping if Lady Emma would give me the honor of being her next dance.”
Sherry was practically squealing. “Oh! No! Not at all, Your Highness! Please take my sister away! She’s been waiting for you to ask her!”
I wanted to glare at her for being so obvious! Norman only chuckled and took my hand that was stiffened to the side of my seat. “I guess I have no choice but to take your sister away now.”
“And don’t bring her back!” Sherry said through a condition, cheeky as ever.
“I’d be glad if that were the case,” Norman replied with a serene look on his face that left me profusely blushing.
I ruffled Carol’s hair before placing her on Sherry’s lap, and the conniving expression on my second sister’s face only meant that she was satisfied with what she had said and done. I took a deep breath, careful and inaudible, and allowed him to sweep me off to the dance floor.
At the same time, the music changed, much slower than the previous ones, a bit more intimate than its preceding tunes. Norman snaked his right hand around my waist, delicately settling a hand below my wings, on the thin material over my back. I placed my left hand on his shoulder, feeling the small tremors at the tips of my fingers on the texture of his suit. His other hand held my free one and raised it gently, securing his touch over me.
I was still so nervous! The last time we spoke was when I had kissed him, and now that he was inches from me, I couldn’t act naturally without thinking of apologizing for my rashness!
He leaned his lips into my left ear. “Breathe, Emma. How are you nervous when this is probably your third or fourth dance of the night?”
It was enough to heighten the shivers coursing through my spine. “I didn’t think I was getting any dance at all.”
Taking a step back, he guided our dance to a graceful sway as he spoke. “I have prioritized my time with the other ladies earlier. Just like you wanted, I was giving them the chance in case you turn the other cheek, but you cannot really blame me if I wanted to spend the rest of my evening solely on you.”
My lips were twitching to smile, so I bit my bottom lip instead. “Really? Even when I made a complete fool of myself last night?”
His lips were quirking to that of a smirk. “It seems I do not follow.”
I snorted. “You should know that acting dumb doesn’t suit a genius.”
“Ah, I cannot fathom if I am being mocked or complimented. Dearest Emma, please elaborate.” He paused. “Especially that stunt you pulled last night.”
I felt my face heat up. My eyes widened and my hold on him loosened, ready to run away in the opposite direction, not caring anymore what the guests would say, but he was quick to steady his hold on me.
“Not so fast, Emma,” he said in a taunting tone, “You do not get to run away from me after committing such an act.”
I wasn’t sure what my face reflected as we danced to the music.
Fear that he might not have liked it?
Embarrassment for my brazenness?
A mixture of both?
“I-I’m sorry, okay?” I held my head down, completely flushed. “I didn’t know what came over me! It was supposed to be on the cheek! I just —”
I gathered the courage to raise my head a little and look at his reaction, but he was only staring at me, utterly amused.
“Do you regret it?” he asked.
“I —”
“Because I do not,” he trailed on, “Even if what you did had led to an insurmountable cause of my deprivation of slumber.”
“So… you didn’t hate it?”
“It was my first time, and it came from you. How could I dislike it?” The side of his lips rose, and it was enough of a sign to me that he did, in fact, not hate it. “I only wished that I did not feel what I felt after you have done it.”
My heart sank. “So, you did hate it?”
He shook his head to counter my questioning. “No, no. It is not what you think of it. I felt… frightened.”
This wasn’t a better explanation. “Are you saying that my kiss frightened you?”
He released a sigh of resignation, swaying me to the right until we were back in our original position. His face advanced closer, and I could feel the beating of my heart accelerate every second his eyes wandered for mine.
“I was frightened that it would leave me wanting more.”
Norman’s eyes spoke on a different wavelength, something that lied between hope and hesitation.
“That night you affirmed that you felt the same way as I did felt like a dream. I have tried to convince myself countless times that I would understand if you liked me but not enough to rule beside me. That I would embrace whatever your decision is with open arms. But last night, with just that faint of a kiss, I understood I was irretrievably doomed for you.”
I realized I wasn’t breathing anymore and nearly shivered as I finally exhaled.
“I’m just your regular Middle Class, Norman. I’m too reckless. I’m too much sometimes. And you’re… well, you.”
He pulled me closer to him. “And you are simply Emma to me and every facet of you is endearing. I have nothing more to ask.”
Here, in this exact moment, was when I knew it.
I knew that being with Norman would be everything I needed. And more.
Nothing beyond this moment could take that away.
“Maybe being the princess wouldn’t be so bad if I had you walking alongside me,” I murmured against his chest, and for a moment, I felt him stiffen. He backed away to look at me and all I could offer was a smile full of certainty and gratitude. “I don’t know when you’re planning to end the Choice, but I’d be more than happy to… get a headstart on this whole… princess thing.”
He stared, completely taken aback. “Do you mean it?”
I smiled at his disbelief. “If the offer still stands by then.”
I wondered where I had the courage to be cheeky these past few days.
The song was coming to an end, and with that, Norman gave me one last twirl as he set both of my palms to his chest. His face was dangerously close over mine, and I swore I could hear the faint squeak coming out of Sherry from where she was seated.
“You have made me the happiest man two nights in a row,” he remarked in a suggestive tone, “From the start, you already had me. I could end this whole thing tonight if you’d wish for it. Just know that I’d have to let one of the ladies stay for the coronation.”
“Is it possible to eliminate three at once?” I probed further.
“And why not? It would be easier to do it now than later,” he answered without so much as a twinge in his words.
“And ruin their nights?” I lowered myself in a curtsy ad he did so with a bow, “I think tomorrow could wait.”
I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling like an idiot, and it seemed like Norman was satisfied enough with my answer. When we both raised ourselves, there was nothing more that I could’ve wanted for us.
I was his and he was mine.
“Tomorrow could not come fast enough,” Norman said, his whisper feeling like feathers tickling the side of my ears as he escorted me back to my seat.
The night continued on and everything was perfect. Mom and Dad shared a dance twice in a row, looking very much in love in each other’s arms. Sherry had the guts to drag Norman to the dance floor, and being the gentleman that he was, he made sure that my sister would get enough twirls to daydream in her toes. I even caught wind of Violet’s older brother Nigel asking Gillian for one dance, to which she respectfully declined.
Violet, Anna, and I even shared the dancefloor for a good ten minutes before Ayshe and Barbara were compelled by their parents to join us, probably thinking we shared some kind of sisterhood as the last remaining ladies for Norman’s affection.
A few more drinks and we found ourselves a little bit off our heels. It seemed that Norman thought it might be the best time to take all five of us to the Sunflower Garden, with our personal guards not too far behind us. Anna was particularly elated tonight, she was smiling more and nothing from her previous weeks’ distraught state resonated today. It made me wonder if she changed her mind about her feelings for Norman.
It left a bitter taste in my mouth, but there was nothing I could do at this point.
I loved him.
Woah.
I’d come a long way.
And tomorrow, I’d get to say those words to him without any more reservations.
“A toast!” Norman announced, and I was suddenly pulling my eyes to open up from my overall desire to just bury myself in the comforts of my bed. He took an assured step forward, raising his champagne glass in the air, which also persuaded us to raise ours. Barbara was already leaning onto Ayshe, and Violet and Anna were nudging each other about who was tipsier than them.
I, on the other hand, was all eyes on Norman, despite how much I struggled to keep myself grounded on my feet.
Too much wine never did anyone well, which I had to agree on.
“To the remaining beautiful ladies of this Choice. And to my future wife!”
All five of us clicked our champagne glasses over to Norman’s and gleefully took a sip of everything wondrous that had happened tonight.
I couldn’t wait for tomorrow.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Thirty:
When I entered the bath, Gillian was patiently waiting for me by the tub, now harboring the same blank expression that Gilda had earlier.
I tried to brush off the tension I was feeling with a little light quip. “Did you and Gilda wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? What’s with those faces?”
Gillian without her feline smile was enough to worry me. She was always in high spirits, always the one with a burst of energy that could brighten anyone’s mood, no matter what time of the day.
She proceeded to lift me from my nightgown and I slid into the tub. I watched as she delicately scrubbed my back from behind, but no matter how hard she tried to remain calm, the shaking of her hand against my skin felt rough.
“Please,” I pleaded as I stared into the wall, “just tell me what’s going on. You guys are scaring me.”
Chapter 30: The Chain and The Whip
Notes:
This chapter was painstakingly hard to write (you'll know in a few minutes ofc).
Thanks for coming down here again and sharing your insights for this fic. Forgive the mistakes you might see.
-Lyn
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I missed how much Sherry and Carol snored when they were deep in their sleep.
Sherry made sure to tuck herself to my right all night, while Carol wanted to be curled up on my left. Mom and Dad were offered a room on the farther side of the second floor, and guessing Mom, she’d known right away how to make herself comfortable in the place she used to call her “second home”. My maids didn’t seem to mind having my sisters over in this room, given that my bed was large enough to fit at least five people. I told them that I’d handle my sisters for the night and that they could help with dressing them up the morning after for their departure back to District Grace Field.
One more thing that brightened up my day was the thought that Norman and I were finally… happy. It’d be sad to see three of us from the Prime leave, but I hoped either Anna or Violet would be the other one staying. It’d be easier to talk things through if it was Anna, given that she already told me she didn’t feel a thing for Norman.
I shifted my weight a bit to turn to the clock on the drawer at the side of the bed. My eyes shot open when I realized it was nearly seven o’clock in the morning, yet Gillian and Gilda were nowhere to be seen.
It was odd.
There was never an instance where I had not woken up to the sound of them moving around or to the deliberate attempts from them to drag me out of bed.
Sherry squirmed and I had to stop myself from giggling because of how her nose crinkled. She must have been dreaming.
Not a moment later, the doorknob to my room rattled, with Gillian and Gilda coming through. I expected Gillian to immediately walk her way towards my sisters, given that they had bonded the day before, but she was only looking straight ahead to the bath, hands balled into a fist, and a disgruntled expression on her face to match.
Gilda was the one who headed over to us.
Her face was hollow, expressionless even, but her eyes were bloodshot with something I couldn’t explain. It was as if she lost a few hours of sleep.
For some reason, there was a nagging feeling in my stomach that something was just not right.
“Lady Emma,” she said in a tone so serious it immediately had my nerves up. “I must ask your sisters to be sent to your parents’ room immediately.”
“Why? Is something wrong?” I asked, holding a hand around her wrist gently.
I instantly regretted inquiring when I saw how her face strained entirely.
“I-it’s something that just came up earlier today, my lady. This is an order… from the King himself.”
“It can’t be that bad, right? Come on, lighten up!” I cheered, but it only scrunched up her face even more.
“We have to hurry, Lady Emma. Allow me to wake up your sisters and have them dressed up in your parents’ assigned room. In the meantime, please follow Gillian in the bath.”
I didn’t have the heart to press more out of her as to why we needed to hurry, seeing that she was already busy waking my sisters up from their deep sleep. When they woke up, I immediately planted a kiss on their cheeks and told them that I had to prepare for the day. They were still a bit zoned out so I entrusted Gilda to make sure they knew what was happening when they got to my parents’ assigned room.
When I entered the bath, Gillian was patiently waiting for me by the tub, now harboring the same blank expression that Gilda had earlier.
I tried to brush off the tension I was feeling with a little light quip. “Did you and Gilda wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? What’s with those faces?”
Gillian without her feline smile was enough to worry me. She was always in high spirits, always the one with a burst of energy that could brighten anyone’s mood, no matter what time of the day.
She proceeded to lift me from my nightgown and I slid into the tub. I watched as she delicately scrubbed my back from behind, but no matter how hard she tried to remain calm, the shaking of her hand against my skin felt rough.
“Please,” I pleaded as I stared into the wall, “just tell me what’s going on. You guys are scaring me.”
“I—We can’t, my lady. The King… wanted every lady of the Prime to witness this themselves in actuality.”
I slightly turned my head. “We just had an event last night! What could’ve happened in so little time for King Peter to schedule something this early and not tell us about it? Shouldn’t it be easier to prepare if we knew what it was?”
Gillian held her head down. “It was what Prince Norman also wanted, but the King still rules over decisions such as… this. His words are law, and this is why we cannot speak of it. It’ll be worth the wait….,” there was a pause as she took in air and quivered with the release, “... the King said.”
I said nothing more, seeing that both Gilda and Gillian were keen on keeping mum about what they knew. I got up from the bath and slipped on my robe while Gillian went ahead to the bedroom to get started on blowdrying my hair. Gilda came in a second later, carrying over a garment bag with what I assumed would be the dress I’d be wearing for whatever King Peter had going on for today.
The moment she pulled the dress out of the garment bag, I got up from my seat and placed a hand over my mouth in shock.
It was a simple, frilly, well-fitting black gown, but it was enough of a message to me that it meant something awful had happened.
“W—Who died? Did the rebels come in? H—how is everyone? Mom? Dad? Norman? W-what happe—” I was near to tears, and I felt the boiling rage of anger for the possibility that something might’ve happened to them.
“Gillian, get Lady Emma a glass of water,” Gilda commanded as she placed the dress over the edge of the bed, and went to where I was stiffly standing, holding me by the shoulders. “Nothing of the sort happened, my lady. No rebels. No deaths. I want you to pull yourself together.” Her fingers were mildly digging into my skin. “When this day is over and done, be thankful that no such sufferable event took place.”
Gillian came back with a cold glass of water. I let out a steady breath of air before drinking it all in. Neither of us said a word while they finished pulling the sides of my hair up in a french twist and slipping me into the black dress that I was required to wear for today.
Walking into something blind with the unknown was something I was good at—submitting my application for The Choice, offering Norman friendship in exchange for a few weeks in the palace—there was no way I couldn’t handle whatever King Peter was throwing our way.
Yet, I didn’t understand why a part of me was scared.
Gilda smoothed out the wrinkles of the dress from the back and Gillian fastened the last pearl needed to complete the ensemble on my hair. When they felt like they had done what they could, they walked me towards the door, still in complete silence.
I turned to look back, and I could see it in their eyes. They were near tears for reasons they couldn’t share with me. “I-I don’t know why, but my feet won’t let me take another step. Please tell me everything’s going to be okay.”
Gilda took a step forward and cupped my face with both of her hands. “You are one of the kindest ladies I have met in my entire life. Your heart extends to those who are in need and to those you treasure deeply in your heart. Listen to me when I say that you have to get through this. Whatever happens, do not be rash. You are no longer a simple Middle Class Two from District Grace Field. You are a lady now.”
I closed my eyes and briefly nodded before she forced a smile and released me from her grasp. As soon as I left the room, I scoured Officer Oliver’s face for any hint as to what this might all be, but his expression was guarded.
What bothered me even more about it was that he wasn’t even smiling.
We walked in a deafening silence until we reached the foyer leading to the Great Hall. I almost tripped on the steps of the stairs if it weren’t for Officer Oliver’s assistance. I muttered a small ‘thank you’ and he simply nodded in return.
When we reached the Great Hall, I was expecting everyone to be there, the Royal Class included. The only ones there were Ayshe, Barbara, and Violet, along with their personal guards. Something told me that this wasn’t just a simple event that King Peter thought out of the blue.
“Lady Emma is here,” Officer Oliver announced the moment we got closer to them, “Let us be on our way now that they are complete.”
What? Anna wasn’t here yet!
“Wait!” I tugged on Officer Oliver’s right sleeve. “Where are we going?”
“To the gates of the palace, Lady Emma.”
“But Anna isn’t here yet. Shouldn’t we wait for her first?”
Officer Oliver’s jaw tightened, and I saw that most of the guards averted their gazes. I scanned the girls’ faces and we all shared the same cluelessness about everything that was happening.
“Lady Anna… will be with us shortly,” was what he simply provided as an answer before accosting us to the entrance gate of the palace.
Were we doing another special segment for the Tifari Report?
All of us ladies followed in a single line, past the Sunflower Garden, onto the entrance gate of the palace that was tightly sealed. A large platform was positioned in the center, which was only separated by the gates leading to where the ear-splitting shouts of the public were. I was feeling a bit jittery, given what had happened the last time we were outside for the purpose of the parade.
What surprised me the most out of all of this was seeing all of our families seated on the second row facing the platform. My family was positioned to the right side facing it. Sherry and Carol were laughing next to each other, while Dad, even when he was laughing with whatever conversation my sisters were having, was trying to shush them to the best of his abilities. I tried to get their attention with a wave, but what stopped me in my tracks was the expression Mom held on her face.
Her eyes were protruding, something she did when she was utterly nervous, and her teeth were gritting against her bottom lip. She was stretching her neck looking over to the entrance of the palace. When she spotted me with my hand raised for a wave, her whole demeanor relaxed, far from the mortified mien she had on earlier.
Could Mom have any idea what was going on?
Mujika met us halfway. “I can take it from here, officers.”
Our guards dispersed, probably to where they were assigned to be positioned for this event.
“Take your seats to where your names are written,” she said with every bit of sternness. “I would have to remind you that whatever you would be witnessing firsthand is something… that must be done. I advise you, all of you,” she took a second to spare me a pleading look of obedience, “to be on your best behavior. Trust me when I say that this will all soon be over.”
We all nodded through the vagueness of her reminder. Mujika sounded awfully like Gilda earlier, which only heightened the anxiety I was feeling.
Every single one of them—Mom, Officer Oliver, Mujika, Gilda, and Gillian—was acting strange. And since King Peter was the one who proposed all of this, it could only end in something so terrible.
I wanted to share my thoughts with someone, but Anna was still nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Anna?” Violet subtly whispered over my ear. “Is it possible she was sent home last night?”
“No, I don’t think she’d be sent home. Not after such a successful event,” I reasoned out. Plus, if ever Anna was sent home, there would’ve been a send-off for her in the Women’s Room. It was a standard procedure.
Besides that fact, three ladies should’ve been sent home if Norman was going to push through with our discussion last night. Seeing there weren’t any announcements of anyone leaving meant that whatever King Peter had in store for us today would simply delay it.
I looked at the back of the seats and saw Anna’s family. Just as we all had, confusion was smeared all over their faces.
Why were they seated way over at the back when they should’ve been seated in the second row?
“Emma.” Violet gently held my wrist before I could take my seat. “Something’s wrong here.”
“I know,” I whispered back. “Anna not being here is scaring me.”
There were large gaps in between the front seats facing the platform, and my seat was placed in front of my family. Violet’s family was next to mine, so it was no wonder that Violet’s seat was situated next to mine. Although there was a gap that prevented us from holding each other’s hand in anticipation of what was to come, we both shared a smile to lift each other’s spirits in a way.
If I just knew where Anna was, it would let me know that everything would be all right.
It seemed my wish came in an instant.
The sounds of the large padlock being opened rattled everyone from their musings, including mine. Metals clanking against each other screeched in our ears as the gates were pulled open, revealing the group of anticipators, with each of them screaming their lungs out either for their hatred of the king, their lack of security from rebels, or their inquiry as to what kind of stunt was this about now.
It was mayhem.
Palace guards formed themselves like human barricades, acting as shields and placing guns located in clear sight, with only an arm’s length of reach, so that no civilian would dare enter the threshold of the palace.
The Royal Class stepped in not a moment later. King Peter’s face was grimaced and I was internally happy that he could hear how the people under his ruling despised him. Queen Legravalima was poised as ever; it was hard to know what she was thinking but you could see in the way her eyebrows were creased and the way she clutched the armrest she was sitting on with her pointed nails that something was bothering her.
Norman came last and I was trying so hard to catch his eyes. Just a smile from him would let me know that there was nothing to be afraid of. Despite the silent pleading on my end, he looked straight ahead to where his seat on the platform was and held his head down. King Peter whispered something in his ears—something that made his face distort in discomfort. It was enough to raise his head and look towards the rioting public at back, the confused families of ours in the second row, and the four bewildered Prime in front of him.
When our eyes met, the instant regret on his face registered something within me that made me want to leave my seat. The distress—his face told me that whatever was going to happen here was something I’d never forget.
I felt Mom’s hand land on my shoulders. “You’re trembling, dear.”
I moved my face to the right, enough to see a view of my siblings’ confused expressions, Dad’s look of wonder, and Mom’s bothered front.
“I don’t know what’s happening, Mom.”
She bit her lip, almost enough for me to assume that she was careful with what she was about to say next. “I’ve seen this kind of scenario before. I just hope that I’m wrong. You’re missing one lady—that blonde from last night. Are you good friends with her?”
This made me completely turn my head the other way, but not before having Mom’s hands shift my head back to face the platform. “Stay still, Emma. You are acting rash once again.”
I didn’t care about my etiquette now, of all times. “What about Anna? What is this about you seeing this kind of scenario before? What is about to happen, Mom?”
The rowdy noises coming from outside the palace gates lowered down and the sound of metal clanking on the ground became prominent to my hearing.
I was still facing Mom, yet when I heard Violet gasp, my eyes immediately followed where her sights were set.
Everything in me failed to comprehend the horrifying view that was slowly being presented to us.
Anna.
My mouth hung wide open, watching her angelic face with tears held down in shame, her messy blonde hair in shambles, and her costume from last night tattered to ruins.
Oh, no.
Anna.
Since when did she —
Mom held me by the shoulder, refraining me from standing up to get a good look. “Sit down, Emma. There’s nothing more you can do.”
“What do you mean?! Mom!”
She kept mum. Her hold over my shoulders trembled.
I looked over to Norman, asking with my eyes just what was going on.
Why was Anna bound to those chains?
Why was she being treated like a criminal about to face a dire sentence?
I kept on trying to get his attention, willing him to look at me, but he didn’t.
In a swift second, Anna lost her balance and she fell flat on the ground. The palace guard that was pushing her to move didn’t even bother to help her out. She struggled to stand up, trying to hold onto anything to support her weight.
When she spotted me from the front row, her eyes immediately welled.
“Anna! Anna!” I screamed, but Mom kept a hand over my mouth.
“Be quiet, Emma!” she simply reprimanded like this was as simple as that.
King Peter leered over me, but I didn’t care.
I was about to swerve my head, just to get the chance to call out to her again, but a palace guard came into view, and with a loud voice, he hushed everyone into silence.
“People of the Kingdom of Tifari,” he started, “Anna Rousseau, one of the Prime, was found last night in an intimate moment inside the chambers of another man. And not just any man! With the future heir’s brother, Prince Ray Ratri, second son to King Peter Ratri and Queen Legravalima Ratri!”
No, no, no.
No.
Just… no!
This couldn’t be true!
Ray and Anna were only friends!
Ray and Anna were.... friends.
Ray… and Anna.
How?
Since when?
Had they always been —
Is that why there were so close?
Had I been misreading their closeness as to how I viewed my friendship with Norman?
How… could I be so… stupid?
I spared Norman another glance.
Did he already know way before?
I was always with Anna.
She was an angel.
She always wanted to help other people to the best of her abilities.
She was such a sweetheart.
“It is evident that she had seduced Prince Ray and pushed him into a scenario he could not refrain from engaging! Prince Ray has been pardoned by the King. But as this woman is one of Prince Norman’s Prime, this is unacceptable! An act of treason!”
The crowd began to roar and this displeased sound of hate resonated in unison.
Were they mad with the king’s decision or were they mad because of Anna’s dishonesty?
Seduced Ray?
Anna would never do such a thing!
Her mother was crying and her father was speaking to one of the attendants of the palace. Not a moment later, her brothers were accosted outside of the premises of the palace visibly confused.
I balled my fists in hatred. My heart wanted to leap out from my chest.
This was a complete injustice for Anna!
“For this act, it is a crime punishable by death, just as His Majesty wanted, but Prince Norman pleaded that she be spared from death. All hail Prince Norman!”
The crowd began cheering. King Peter rolled his eyes.
Did that mean they were okay with Anna being spared?
I trembled in my seat. I feared for what was going to happen next.
“Instead, she will be publicly caned ten times on her hands!”
There were mixed reactions from the public, yet I couldn’t be so sure.
I couldn’t think straight.
“I can’t watch this,” Ayshe uttered in a hushed tone, yet enough to make me sink in my seat.
And her hands!
They couldn’t do that! Her hands were a gift! It was what she used to help people! If she was to be caned, it would be the end of it all!
I was ready to sprint over to the platform, not even caring if everyone would see. I knew I had to protect her in some way! They could allow me to attest to Anna’s personality—that she would never blatantly seduce Ray!
A thunderous voice pierced through and it glued me to where I sat.
“DO NOT DARE TOUCH A SINGLE HAIR OUT OF HER!”
We all looked over to where the voice emanated from.
Ray emerged from the back, coming from the Great Hall; his steps heavy and his body severely bruised. Gasps from everyone filled the silence that came. His white polo was dirtied and his pants were all wrinkled like he slept in them all night. He wasn’t wearing any shoes either, only barefooted.
And his face—it screamed for unimaginable hatred.
I had never seen him that resentful.
A number of palace guards were running after him, and even when he was obviously pained from whatever had been done to him, he was fighting back the palace guards that wanted to restrain him.
King Peter seemed satisfied when they managed to do so, restricting his every movement from his fingers to his toes.
“You had already been pardoned, yet you defy to go against me for the sake of this woman?”
“Norman was the one who pardoned me. Anna and I—both of us were pardoned. This is his Choice, and this was his decision. Yet, you could not stand by watching the heir to the throne be completely different than you. So, you defied Norman’s wishes, and allowed Anna to bear the consequences on her own!”
“And why not?! She has committed treason!”
“We both committed treason! Why was Anna the only one obsoleted from the pardon? You are prejudiced with biased judgment, and you wonder why your people abhor you.”
“You dare test me now? In front of all these people? You are lucky you even retained your pardon. She went behind your brother’s back as his Chosen, and played along with you! I did not change the pardon settled on you because you are a prince! She, on the other hand, is simply no one to this kingdom and to me!”
“She is someone to me,” Ray gritted his teeth as he nudged the palace guards surrounding him. It looked like they understood whatever he was going to do next. Despite being hurt, he unbuttoned his polo one by one.
The moment h was freeing himself from the tattered polo, he continuously winced.
His top was gone, but it only unleashed the countless gashes and bruises on his skin.
Despite all that, Ray stood tall. “Take her off the stand. I’d gladly pay for this treason on my own.”
“My son,” Queen Legravalima spoke in a stressed tone. I could clearly see how restrained she was. “This is for the best.”
“No, Mother,” Ray rebutted, throwing his polo to the ground. “This is best for Father’s ego, and I will not allow him to have it. From this forward, I am no longer part of the Royal Class. I am no longer the Commander of the Tifarian Shield. I bequeath the responsibilities to Oliver.”
I couldn’t describe the expression King Peter held.
Anger? Dissatisfaction? Embarrassment?
It might’ve been all.
“Better! I never had any hopes for you from the start!” King Peter seethed, eyes moving towards Anna. “And because you are no longer my son, I will gladly have you take this punishment in whole, and I will have this wench of yours watch. Seize him!”
Reluctance played on the palace guards’ faces, yet they moved despite it. They restrained Ray’s movements once again and pushed him to slowly move up the platform.
“No, no, no, no. Please! Don’t!” Anna cried out in distress, trying to crawl on her knees, yet the chains that were bound to her ankles wouldn’t allow her to. “I-I’ll t-take half of it. Please, please, don’t hurt him!”
“Silence, you wench!” King Peter bellowed, sending even Queen Legravalima and Norman facing the other way. “Do you see your position as of the moment?! An Upper Class Two! What a shame for a status you have been born with! Have you not done enough to disgrace my family and yours?! You thank whoever your deities are that this insolent brat begged to be whipped in your stead. I would have asked you to be dragged on the end of a carriage if it were not—”
In a blink of an eye, everything happened so fast.
Ray had managed to escape the grasps of the palace guards that held him in check and ran as fast as he could to where King Peter was, grabbing him by the collar of his surcoat, his back to the gasps of the audience.
Norman stood up to stop him, and even Queen Legravalima raised herself to get in between them, but Ray was long gone with his rage.
No one had the power to stop him.
“You say another word out of that godforsaken mouth of yours and I will be doing the whipping myself! You will not touch her. You will not speak ill of her. Anything you want to unleash your wrath on, give it to me. I’d take it all.” Ray hissed every word out of his mouth, and it was evident in King Peter’s eyes that he wasn’t expecting any of this—it almost looked like he was scared.
“This is all you have ever wanted after all. Be done with me and leave her be.”
But this was King Peter—he would never back down, not for anyone.
“You ungrateful fool!” King Peter spat. “Bind him and whip him to shreds! Whip him until he can no longer stand!”
“My love, we shouldn’t —”
One stern look from King Peter was all it did to shut Queen Legravalima.
“Father! This was not what was agreed on!” Norman practically shouted, his poise forgotten. “Anna was only to be given ten. Ray is only to be given ten, then! He will die!”
“Then, let him die! Besides being an insolent commander, I never had use for a second son like him! He is no longer a Ratri! Proceed!”
“Norman,” Ray called as he was being forced down on his knees, hands being shackled in front, “It is fine.”
“Ray, please,” Anna cried as she tried to be with him, but the palace guard holding the end of the chain tucked her in place. “It was my fault, too. Please don’t do this. Y-you’ve already suffered enough! I-I can take it! I promise! They can do it with my hands! I-I’ll live! Please…!”
Ray smiled. It was the softest reaction I had ever seen from him.
“As if I’d let anything happen to you. You need your hands to help other people.”
“You told me you’ll try to live! You promised, Ray! You promised, m—mmph!” Anna was going hysterical. This was the only time I saw her act out of her usual demeanor.
This was how much she loved him.
The palace guard covered her mouth with a single signal from King Peter.
“As long as you are safe, it is enough for me,” Ray said with finality as his head was forced to face us.
This was how much he loved her.
They were really… in love.
I was so, so, so, so stupid!
Murmurs flourished as a man emerged from the back of the platform, wielding a leather-like whip from the back of his hand, swiping it a few times for a test run. The whistling sound it produced snapped in the air, and every single hair on my arm shuddered for what pain it would bring to his back.
I gathered every inch of my nerves and shoved them at the back of my head. I carried the frills of my dress and walked over to the greenery near the platform.
"Emma!"
I couldn't contain how mad I was.
The call of my parents was left in the air.
But even before I could truly place myself in a position not many would do, Office Oliver held me in place.
“What are you —”
“Lady Emma, I request you to refrain from committing anything that may put you in His Majesty’s distaste.”
I turned my head away from him, fuming. “No! Ray! Norman, please! Help them!” I shouted once again, kicking my way out of Officer Oliver’s hold.
Norman couldn’t look at me—couldn’t even spare a single glance. He slowly closed his eyes, both hands clenched on the armrests, and swallowed thickly as he’d never before.
Why wasn’t he doing anything?
This was Ray!
This was his brother!
“Get that girl out of here!” King Peter’s stare of daggers fixed solely on me. “I will handle her later.”
“Wait! No! Anna!” I screamed her name, but she was already trying to drag herself to where Ray was being knelt, crying for them to stop, until I heard the first whoosh of the whip land on his back—a crisp, solid whack in the silence of the crowd.
Anna’s wails pierced through my ears like glass shards—it was unbearable to hear.
I struggled to keep my feet on land, but Officer Oliver had taken me over his shoulder.
“Mom! Dad! Help!” I called out to them as I was being dragged away, but they were being held tightly by the palace guards, and they could only stare at me with worry while they slowly began to get murky in my view. Sherry and Anna hugged each other while in tears.
Neither the tears stopped, nor did Officer Oliver.
Another snap of the whip and Anna’s cries bled through the air even with the distance we were making.
“Let go of me!” I screeched. “Anna needs me! Ray needs help. What are you doing?!”
Another one.
This time, Ray’s ear-shattering groan was mixed in.
I swung my head, propelling myself away from the whimper Anna made next, that even from this distance, I knew pained both of them—physically and emotionally. No matter how hard I tried to block her sound of agony, it was futile.
It would forever haunt me, even in my dreams.
“Put me down!” I cried more, pounding my clenched fists over his back. “Put me down, please!”
He sighed, a bit more agitated this time. “Stay still, Lady Emma!”
“No… You don’t understand… They’re hurt… They need help…”
“I-I’m…” Officer Oliver tried to speak.
“Please! Please, let me down! I need to help them!”
“Lady —”
“Please… Please, let me help them!”
Lowering his head, he said, “Forgive me, Lady Emma.”
All I did was scream and cry their names until my voice could reach them no longer.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Thirty One:
King Peter laughed. “What a foolish lady you have here, son! Do you dare say that my ways of punishing treason are absurd?”
I willed myself to strengthen the sharp look on my face. “Yes. Because not everything has to go down the road of death.”
“And you assume I take pleasure in seeing anyone caned until they run out of consciousness?”
My blood boiled and I wanted to dart every anger I had toward him. Ray lost consciousness to take the full punishment for him and Anna!
My face held every resentment I had for him. “Based on what I saw earlier, you won’t hesitate to commit such, even if it’s family, Your Majesty.”
Chapter 31: The Taste of A Ruptured Future
Notes:
Hey there. Lyn here.
Five months? I can't imagine it's been that long since I last updated.
I can probably list everything that kept me preoccupied in the last couple of months, but that would probably bore you all to death. But to summarize, work has been quite complex since my immediate superior resigned. I've had to take on a few more roles to sustain our department. Suffice to say, there was hardly any time to let my brain's creative juices flow (not to mention the ample time the tips of my fingertips needed for rest).
I'm still here and I don't have it in me to abandon OUAM and FTA.
It's going to take some time for me to finish all my ongoing fics, but I'm going to finish them.
Work-wise, I just need a new manager so I can stop being overworked lol.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Lady Emma, please behave yourself," Officer Oliver reprimanded for the last time. "We are almost to your room."
"No! Put me down! I want to go back!"
I didn't give a single care for all of the strange looks I'd garnered on the way back to the palace. Maids, servants, and palace guards alike were alarmed with the way I had been recklessly trying to get out of Officer Oliver's hold but to no avail.
While Anna and Ray were being punished for what the palace deemed as a crime, I was being carried back to my room for misbehaving in front of the Royal Class.
I hated being this powerless.
Office Oliver tucked my legs in with one arm, while his free hand held the doorknob to my assigned room. I couldn’t see Gilda and Gillian yet, but I heard their collective gasps and immediate questioning of Officer Oliver.
Nevertheless, he remained mum.
He gently laid me on the bed to sit.
When our faces were finally leveled, I could only glare at him.
“Bring me back.”
“Stay here until we receive orders for you to come out, my lady.”
“No!” I gripped his arm with two of my hands. “You have to take me back!”
Officer Oliver spared Gillian a look. I couldn’t understand what was going through their eyes as they silently communicated. Gillian heavily sighed and took hold of both of my hands from Officer Oliver.
Officer Oliver took this as his chance to free himself out of my hold and out of this room.
“Anna… she...”
Tears were brimming my eyes once again.
I felt weak.
Completely and utterly useless.
“You all knew…”
I crumbled to my knees and hit the carpet.
Everything was hurting and all I could do was wallow in the four corners of this room.
“Oh, Lady Emma.” Gilda rushed over to my side. She cooed me to her chest and I found myself slanting my whole weight towards her. “We’re terribly sorry. We knew how close you were with her and with Prince Ray.”
“Oh, Gilda! You should’ve seen how painful it was for him! You should’ve heard them!” I sobbed even harder, gripping her shoulder for any amount of support.
“We heard.” She swirled her head away, her face strained. “It was hard to block it out when it was mixed with Lady Anna’s mournful cries.”
“It’s not fair…” I felt Gillian from behind. Her arms enclosed us three in an embrace.
“It’s not fair! I tried… I tried to stop it!”
“We know, my lady. We know.” Gillian caressed my head from top to bottom. “Don’t blame yourself. It was never your fault.”
I raised my head, only to be met with the look of awe on Gilda’s face and a glimpse of hatred on Gillian’s expression. “Was it really that bad that they had to endure something so… terrible? Norman had already pardoned them! Then why… why?”
“This is all King Peter’s fault,” Gillian hissed at his name.
“Gillian!” Gilda reprimanded. “You could be caned the same way if somebody had heard you!”
There wasn’t a glint of Gillian’s humor that I came to know anymore. “But it’s true. This is all his fault. Lady Anna is going to be sent who knows where. And now, Prince Ray is no longer a part of the Royal Class. Who knows what’s going to happen next?”
“W-where are they going to take Anna?” I turned to Gillian, all frantic. “H-how about Ray?”
Gillian and Gilda eyed each other. Worry enveloped their faces.
“There’s nothing we can do at this point, my lady,” Gilda answered, vague as ever.
I didn’t budge from my position. No matter how fragile I was feeling at the moment, I wanted to know.
I needed to know.
“Tell me.”
Reluctant, Gilda held my hands and squeezed them. “They’ll be sent off to fend for themselves. A different district. A place where they can never make a name for themselves as Poachers. It’s anywhere but Grace Field for Lady Anna and anywhere but Glory Bell for Prince Ray.”
I never thought of that.
Anna had always been raised in an Upper Class status. Her priorities were always straight; she had always wanted to help people through her knowledge of medicine.
Now that she was sentenced to be a Poacher, where would she be taken?
Ray was a prince. He had royalty embedded in him since the rise of the Ratris. He was the Commander of the Tifarian Shield!
He was badly bruised and I doubt he’d be given the proper medication for his wounds now that he was next to nothing for King Peter.
How was he going to survive in another district in that state?
How would they be able to survive… without each other?
I struggled to stand up, releasing myself from Gillian’s and Gilda’s hold. I willed myself to do at least that. I had to do something. There had to be some way for me to help them!
It couldn’t end this way!
My feet did what my mind wanted. It wanted to run out of this room and seek help.
“Lady Emma!”
I held the doorknob firmly, and the moment I opened it, I knew Officer Oliver would be waiting.
He looked sympathetic. “Lady Emma.”
“Take me back to the palace entrance. I want to speak with King Peter.”
His face fell flat, almost deeming my demand ridiculous. “I cannot do that, my lady.”
“Why not?! I promise I won’t cause a scene!”
Anger welled inside of me.
Why didn’t he understand?
Office Oliver held his ground, although I could see it in his eyes that he was ready to crumble. “I hardly doubt that, my lady. But if you are truly insistent on letting His Majesty have a piece of your mind, you will have the time to do so later.” He held the doorknob, ready to close it shut on me. “Just as he said earlier, His Majesty will probably ask for your presence later.”
“Why can’t we do it now? Can’t I just see what’s going on now, at least?” I was growing impatient. I needed to see what was happening! I had to see it with my own eyes!
He shook his head. His eyes displayed the severity of my actions. “You are not allowed to leave your quarters. This is a direct order just now.”
I almost shrieked, completely forgetting to stay calm. “What?! Am I one of the prisoners now?!”
“I apologize, Lady Emma,” he slowly pulled the knob to meet its hinge, “Believe me, I am terribly sorry.”
The door was shut in my face, and just like that, I realized how small I was in this world.
I wasn’t allowed to leave the confines of this room, to protest whatever I thought was wrong, and to move without the signal from the Royal Class.
Suddenly, it all felt like the first day I came to the palace.
It felt like a prison.
• •━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Silence followed through in the next hours.
I couldn’t hear a single thing anymore. Even if I wanted to know what was going on, my balcony was facing the other direction—there was no way for me to see if anything was still happening.
Gilda brought my breakfast since I wasn’t permitted to be out of this room. I stared at the plate full of food and other pastries stacked together on the tray. Shaking my head, Gilda quietly placed the food far from my sight, but close enough for me to consider either way.
I just had no appetite to eat.
With the events that happened this early in the morning, I doubt anyone had the will to eat.
“Lady Emma, would you like to change into something more comfortable?” Gillian asked.
I slowly shook my head and continued to stare at the carpet. I was grieving and King Peter should see me as I was.
I didn’t know how many hours had passed as I stared mindlessly at the carpet.
• •━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It felt like hours when King Peter decided to call on me.
This just meant that whatever happened to Ray and Anna would be answered momentarily.
I wanted to know what they were. I didn’t even care what King Peter would say or do to me for causing such a scene earlier.
There just wasn’t room in my heart to care anymore.
Not my place in the palace.
Not what Mom expected of me.
Not even how fantastic last night was.
I felt numb and there was nothing I could assure my maids that I would be all right as I made my way out of my room, Office Oliver in tow.
“I must apologize for carrying you all the way to your room without your consent.”
I spare him a glance and I felt a sense of dread.
He was just doing his job.
An order.
To throw another tantrum could cause another one’s life.
“You were following orders,” I seethed. “It’s either that or you get punished, and I’ve witnessed enough of that for today.”
Officer Oliver kept quiet as we walked to King Peter’s office. I didn’t know what was waiting for me there.
Was I going to be punished for shouting his heir’s name so casually in front of the public? Or for causing a scene during his so-called ceremonial punishment?
Would Norman be there?
As we slowly reached the large doors leading to his place of work, Officer Oliver placed a hand on my shoulder, faintly gripping it, and said, “I apologize if I couldn’t do anything, Lady Emma. For Prince Ray and for Lady Anna.”
“I’m sorry… for causing such a mess.” I forced a smile to let him know that there wasn’t anything he could’ve done at that point. I was stubborn to a fault, and because of my constant disregard for palace protocols, it might’ve cost him his position in the palace if he had decided to let me go on a rampage earlier.
Because if he did allow me to run off to that platform and soothe Anna of her pain, who knew what punishment waited for him?
I swallowed the uncomfortable lump in my throat. I wasn’t going to put a tear-stained face in front of King Peter.
He’d never get that satisfaction out of me.
Officer Oliver pulled open the lever handles to the door. I presented the most stoic face I could muster.
It almost failed spectacularly when I was met with Norman’s eyes instantaneously. He was sitting on one of the sofas facing King Peter’s desk. The moment I entered the room, he abruptly stood up.
King Peter sported a look that judged me from head to toe.
Queen Legravalima was silently sipping on her tea on one of the couches on the far side of the room.
My hands felt sweaty against each other. This whole room alone could swallow me whole.
I heard the doors close behind me as I made my way to the middle of the room, without even so much as a peek at Norman. I lowered myself in a curtsy and didn’t raise myself until he spoke.
Because I’d rather stay in my room than initiate a conversation with this so-called ‘King’.
“Raise yourself,” he spat with such disgust that it made the hairs on my arm stand up. “I find it hard to believe you even have manners to begin with, given that you had the balls to casually address the future heir during the Tifari Report as though he is of the same league as you!”
“Father,” Norman said, a tone that was suggestive of a warning.
Mom would certainly be ruffling her hair if she heard this.
“I am Emma Marchetti, Middle Class Two from District Grace Field. I was asked to be presented to... His Majesty.”
“And you should know quite well why you were called here, Lady Emma.” He spared Norman a glance. “I ask that you keep quiet while I have a talk with one of your Prime. I cannot have another failure of a son!”
Norman’s hands clenched into a fist and I was trying hard not to let my mouth do the talking. I had to control myself even just a little bit.
Ray was never a failure. He did everything for this kingdom.
He did everything!
King Peter moved his sights towards me, like daggers ready to pierce the moment I spoke. “Lady Emma, do you have any idea of the gravity of the acts you exhibited earlier today? That girl vowed to be loyal to the heir for the entirety of her duration here in the palace, and she went away to seduce my other son. Look at what happened to them! Do you still think your actions to refute their punishments are valid?”
I tried hard to compose myself after he spouted such ridicule towards Anna.
I knew Anna better than any lady here. She would have never seduced him just to spite Norman.
“Yes! I think what happened was an injustice on their part,” I said, head held high. “There are more… appropriate punishments that could’ve been set for this. Something that didn’t require blood to be shed. They were happy! Is it so wrong to be happy?”
King Peter laughed. “What a foolish lady you have here, son! Do you dare say that my ways of punishing treason are absurd?”
I willed myself to strengthen the sharp look on my face. “Yes, I do believe it was too much. Because not everything has to go down the road of death.”
“And you assume I take pleasure in seeing anyone caned until they run out of consciousness?”
My blood boiled and I wanted to dart every anger I had toward him. Ray lost consciousness to take the full punishment for him and Anna!
My face held every hatred I had for him. “Based on what I saw earlier, you won’t hesitate to commit such, even if it’s family, Your Majesty.”
Something within King Peter switched. He suddenly pulled himself from his seat and pounded on his desk, causing Queen Legravalima to spill her tea. Norman shifted over to my side and held out his arm, extending it in a protective stance in front of me. The violent anger in King Peter’s eyes was something that I could never miss. His breathing became rougher, nostrils even flaring.
It only heightened what I thought of him—cold of heart, bitter, and entitled.
“How dare you speak of such thoughts?! There is only one way we can set an example for the others! I will have you removed from The Prime.”
“You cannot do that, Father!” Norman raised his voice. “During the start of this Choice, you told me I have complete jurisdiction over these ladies.”
“You ought to have this kind of lady by your side?!” I almost winced at the way he said it. “She does not have what it takes to lead, more so, she is a walking disaster in a gown that cannot control her mouth when needed!”
“Regardless of what you think of her, she stays.” Norman didn’t avert his gaze from his father. “Lady Emma is a favorite among the public and having her out of the competition will only add to the hatred the masses have for you. We already have our hands full with what happened with Ray! The public loathes you even more for it. Do you certainly want to fuel the fire even more?”
King Peter was holding everything in. He set his sights on me like I was the most degrading thing he laid his eyes on. “This is exactly why I did not want your mother. You are exactly like her, even worse!”
He didn’t have the right to call Mom anything!
“With all due respect, my Mo—”
“My love, that is enough,” Queen Legravalima spoke, cutting me off. For a while, I had forgotten she was in the room. She appeared rather… frightened. “Allow our son to preside over the ladies and who is suitable to become the new princess. I do not think he will fail us. Besides, Norman is right. The amount of opposition we are facing is growing at a rapid rate, not to mention the continuous rebel attacks in the palace and the districts. Eliminating one of the people’s favorites would only aggravate the public more.”
Then, she addressed me, still a bit of tremor in her voice. “Lady Emma. You are one of the Prime now. It is best you exhibit what a future princess is deemed to be. Isabella made it to the finale. You must know by now how stellar your mother has been throughout her Choice journey. What you did earlier was unacceptable.”
I was far from ever being princess-material in the first place.
It was what she wanted to say.
“You better watch this woman of yours, Norman,” King Peter said, “This will be the only time I will abide given the current situation. But if she so much causes trouble again, I will have her removed with or without your permission.”
And that alone was enough reason for me to know what to do next.
• •━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
I went ahead of Norman when King Peter dismissed my presence in his office.
I angrily stomped my feet and muttered all the wrong things all the way to my room, not even bothering to spare Norman a second to catch up to me. He kept on calling my name, but I was too mad even to respond.
After all of that ridiculousness, I doubted Officer Oliver followed us back.
How was he able to keep calm when his father was anything but decent?
The question swirling inside my head was how did they even manage to grow up in the palace with a passive queen and a ruthless king?
There was no surprise that people hated him. He was a terrible leader who never listened to the cries of his people, who poured all the heavy labor of protecting the kingdom to his other son that he’d completely shunned, and who made sure everyone witnessed how he’d never bat an eye to punish anyone that went against his way.
I led myself straight towards the balcony, and even after hearing the door to my bedroom shut close, I couldn’t look at Norman.
I was so, so angry!
The room was met with the sound of his footsteps.
“Emma,” he called. “You have to talk to me.”
I remained stiff in my position. “Did you know? Did you know they were —”
His face screamed with pain.
He knew!
Of course, he’d know!
“I knew for a while.”
“They were… together.” My knees weakened. I held onto the rail of the balcony for support. “You knew they were… in love. And yet…”
“Everything comes with a price. Ray and Anna knew that. Do you think they would indulge themselves in something so risky if they had not thought of it all through and through? They knew what they were getting themselves into and they still chose to do it.” He washed a hand over his face. Anguish crossed his face. "There was no other way to save them."
I knew that.
Ray and Anna both knew that.
And they paid the price for such an affair.
I just couldn’t accept it.
Norman had to know.
“I-I don’t know if I can lead a life like this. A life that sentences people to their graves in a heartbeat or canes people who are merely in love.”
“What are you saying, Emma?”
I had to say it.
He had to know.
“I don’t want this kind of life, Norman. I thought I did. I thought I could.”
His steps came to a close and the strain on his face followed. He held both of my hands in his.
“Emma. Please, take it back.” His voice was pleading—begging even. It was hard to avoid his eyes when he was earnestly motioning for me to do so. “You will learn what leading this kind of life will entail. Not everything is in the shade of gray. Remember last night? You said you were finally ready.”
“I don’t think you understand, Norman. I can’t be the kind of princess the Royal Class is looking for. And by the looks of it today, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for this life. Last night, I thought I did! I didn’t think… it’d be this hard!”
“You will not be a princess forever, Emma,” he urged, and I felt just how firm his hands were clinging onto mine. He was shaking. “When they retire, we can certainly make this kingdom better. We can make things right. We can make a change!”
“Then, does that mean I have to follow up with them until they think it’s time for them to step aside? Even if what they’re doing is wrong? King Peter doesn’t give any single care to his people, only his power, and he’s abusing it! Neither one of your parents shed a tear after disinheriting Ray! The kingdom is already suffering from the rebel attacks and the failure to put food on their tables. It’ll be hard to do anything if our hands are tied behind our backs under them, Norman!”
“But…” he trailed, “where does that leave us?”
“T-there are still four—no, three more ladies ready to be the future princess. I know you’re required to have a wife as soon as possible...” Tears threatened to spill again, yet I tried to hold it all in. “I told you I wasn’t built for this kind of life, Norman! I can’t stand idly by and watch defenseless people get punished in the most gruesome way when there are better options on the side!”
His brows furrowed further. “It wounds me how you can easily relinquish your hold on me when I could never do the same to you.”
“It’s still too early, Norman.”
The mere thought of him being married to anyone pulled down a massive weight on my heart.
He needed to find a wife, but I just couldn’t.
Not with King Peter micromanaging me at every turn.
Not when I had to follow and keep a blind eye on everything he’d do until the day he stepped down.
Not when I had to figure out what was really going on in this kingdom.
“Maybe you can spare them the same attention you’ve given me—the same appreciation and adoration that, frankly, I don’t deserve. Even King Peter said I don’t have the qualities to be a princess, let alone be the queen someday. I’ll only disappoint you… and everyone!"
I always told him he had options, but I never thought I’d be the one to push him to decide.
“You promised you’d always be alongside me.”
The pain in his voice pierced through me.
“And I’ll always be,” I bit my lip as hard as I could. “I just don’t think being the princess is the answer.”
His absolute dejection came crashing as he withdrew his hold on me.
"As long as you are not voluntarily leaving yet," he was forcing a smile despite the pain on his face. It hurt me to just sit and stare, "It is good enough for me."
I didn’t know what pulled me in.
We were just staring at each other and just like that, we both knew what we wanted.
I automatically let my sights fall on his lips.
His smile had always mesmerized and the way words just fell out of his lips.
When I stared back at him again, there was only one question there.
And before tears could spill and ruin this moment, I nodded as silent consent.
I reached up and pulled him down to meet my lips, and the rest of the world was lost against our kiss.
It was nothing like the accidental one we had.
This was soft and pure and every bit filled with emotions I couldn’t understand.
It was slow and filled with yearning, and I wasn’t sure if it was from him or me.
Against the desperate movement of our lips, Norman tasted like the sweetest regret of my life.
When we came to a slow stop, he laid his forehead over mine. His gaze was solely on me.
I knew I was as flushed as he was.
“Stay. Until there are only two of you left.”
“Norman, I —”
“Stay until then. For everything we have been through, at least assure me of that. You are breaking my heart here. At the minimum, give me some time to get used to it.”
I had relinquished the idea of being the next princess.
Of marrying Norman.
This was the least I could do.
I bit my lower lip and nodded.
It was funny listening to this now.
He sighed and I knew he lost hope just as I did. “It is best if I leave you to your thoughts for now.”
I had to at least let him know.
“Norman.”
He stopped in his tracks.
“I’m really sorry.” I clenched my hands, the sides of my dress wrinkled, “I hope you can consider any of them… in my place.”
A pause, accompanied by a rather heavy sigh from him.
There was nothing but devastation.
“Emma.”
I turned around, expecting if he’d still want to stay after everything I said.
I wished I didn't.
Seeing the absolute hurt in his face was the last thing I wanted.
Being the person who put it there made it all the worst.
Norman spoke, the tightness in his voice was transparent. “You may find it hard to believe, but at this point, I do not think I can spare any of the remaining ladies a piece of my heart.”
“Norman, —”
“It was ever only yours, to begin with.”
I watched as he gently closed the door behind him.
I finally succumbed to the weight on my shoulders. I broke down on my knees and cried.
Everything was a mess.
My heart bled for Anna and Ray.
But deep down, I knew Norman took a large portion of the pain. I knew he tried his best; he even pardoned both Anna and Ray when what they did was punishable by death.
But I could never sit next to him and simply watch.
Was this how I was going to live my life in the palace?
To watch people die because of a decree written in the by-laws way before I was even born?
To have the power to rule but not have the power to change anything?
After what happened today, I knew I wasn’t going to get the King’s favor, or even the Queen’s. Ray was stripped of his title and was probably going to be sent somewhere King Peter would never see him again.
And Anna—I wondered what was going to happen to her.
The moment he left the room, I understood just how hollow everything felt inside of me.
But with the emptiness that came with it, I knew Norman had my heart the same way I had his.
Notes:
A snippet from Chapter Thirty-Two:
The palace guard that was stationed at the seat bowed slightly and paved the way for me to sit in it.
I took a deep breath as I waited for the next person to present themselves.
A man with a rugged look staggered to reach the position he was required to be positioned in. Compared to the first three earlier, this man was in a devastating state. His hair was rising in all the wrong directions as if it was pulled relentlessly that way; his eyes were practically bulging out of it as if he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep for weeks; his hands were shaking uncontrollably against the shackles that restrained him, and his face was resonating blankness as if life had completely devoid him.
Why did he look so worn out?
I raised my head as I asked him. “What is your name?”
He bit his lip as he roughly exhaled.
“Yuugo.” His stare was cold as ice. “My name is Yuugo,” —he trailed— “my lady.”