The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 19

Elora was looking on at the dancing couples, her mind feeling very restless.

Eric and Lucian were taking turns dancing with the remaining of the Selected girls.

She noticed Lucian dancing with Katherine Harris for the third time, his face very happy.

Interesting.

Her sister and she stood together, talking to the Queens of the other Kingdoms who had come to attend the ball, but Elora couldn't help but play the air violin.

That look of pure anguish on Aurora's face would never fade from her eyes - she didn't know why she fumbled so often whenever the young girl was near her.

"You're doing it again!" her sister hissed slightly, tugging Elora's left hand to prevent her fingers from mimicking the actions they performed when she played the violin.

Elora politely nodded to what the Queen of Hindustan was saying, her face a gracious mask. But her thoughts kept wandering away - odd memories from that night.

The main one was how Lucian and Aurora looked alike - they could pass for siblings, with their thick raven hair and delicate bone structure.

She couldn't help but smile as she recalled how doll-like Aurora looked in the morning in that pink dress.

Of how Aurora had smiled at her when she spoke, before she played the violin.

How she had played the instrument with so much passion, as though she was in a trance.

Aurora, Aurora, Aurora.

Why on earth was she so... enamored by the girl?

It was almost as though she was addicted to her smile, to the way she balled her fists when she was angry, to the way her head was slightly drooping as she brooded, and the way her eyes wrinkled as she laughed.

"My Lady," a guard said, rushing towards her.

The women snapped to face the guard.

He stared, alternating his eyes between Elora and Elena, before finally focusing at Elora and asking, "You are Queen Elora, right, Your Majesty?".

"Yes," Elora answered, raising her chin. "What is the matter?".

It had to be urgent - why else would he have rushed into the ballroom? Elora immediately scanned around for her family - they all seemed fine, then why did the guard look so panicked?

"My Queen," the guard said, bowing. "It's Millie".

***

"So you're telling me you left a woman in labor with a girl with no medical expertise?" Elora asked incredulously as she stormed through the corridors, crossing silver heels in the process.

She had seen Aurora dancing in the very same slippers a few hours back.

She must be nearby then.

"In my defense, Your Majesty, the girl looked like she knew what to do. And she did send another guard to find the OB-GYN, but apparently she's out sick," the guard answered, opening a door nearby, and beckoning for her to enter.

Elora saw the most beautiful thing she had probably ever seen in her entire life.

Millie lay on the bed, tired, her dirty blonde hair looking like a halo around her head.