The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 15

"You girls ready?" Adelaide asked, walking into their room, wearing a light blue day dress. 

She stopped in her tracks as she saw what Aurora was wearing. 

She whistled. "Damn girl. Where were you hiding these curves?".

Aurora blushed. 

"Oh stop it," she said, pulling her pink dress self consciously.

The dress stopped just below her knees, and had short butterfly sleeves. This was the first time she had worn a dress in the palace.

Her bruises did show at places, but she didn't see a point in hiding them any longer.

"I look weird," she mumbled.

"You look spectacular," Andrea corrected, taking a pearl chain and placing it near her neck, before taking it away, deeming it no suitable.

"Wait," Adelaide said. "I have the perfect jewelry".

She hurried out of the room, just as Kate walked in, wearing a blue checked dress and high heels.

"You look amazing!" she gushed.

Aurora now tugged her straightened hair self consciously.

"Oh stop it!" Andrea chided, swatting her hand from her hair. "If only you truly, actively competed, I'm sure the Prince would have fallen in love with you if ever you dressed like this before".

Adelaide hurried back in, a small wooden box in her hand. She opened it to reveal a simple gold chain with a large pink diamond pendant on it.

"Adelaide. I can't accept this," she said.

"Yes you can," Adelaide insisted.

"It looks too expensive, Addy," Aurora said.

"Consider it as my formal apology for being an ass," Adelaide said, carefully clasping it around Aurora's neck.

"Apology accepted," Kate said, grinning widely.

"It was for Aurora, you dork," Adelaide said, though she was smiling.

Julia walked into the room and stopped. "You look like a princess".

Aurora was getting uncomfortable with all the sudden praise.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go".

This was the first time Aurora was attending breakfast with the royal family since the fiasco with Elora. She was nervous - would she still have her place next to one of the twins, or would she be made to sit insultingly far away?

"Have a nice time, girls. Be polite. Don't chew with your mouths open. Don't spit your food," Andrea called out.

Adelaide choked. "Is she normally like this?".

"Always," Kate and Aurora chorused.

The three of them linked their hands together as they walked to the next wing and descended the stairs to reach the dining hall.

The royal families of Illea and Italy were already seated - though the arrangements were quite different. No longer was there only one single, long table, but now there were a few circular ones distributed evenly around the hall.

They sat around one such table, and glanced at them as they approached.

The girls sunk into curtsies, and went to sit in one of the empty tables when they heard Elanor call out, "Aurora! Come here!".

Aurora turned awkwardly and said, "It's alright, Princess. We'll sit here".

"Nonsense," Queen Elena now spoke. "We have empty seats. Come, join us".