Labeled (A The Selection Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirty

After our energetic and fun day yesterday, no one wanted to go to sleep.

So, we had a group sleepover in the transformed women's room. Makeovers, story telling, reading, movie watching, anything you name, we had it.

And now I'm incredibly tired and heading to breakfast.

I mean, we had a sleepover and they're making us go to breakfast! They might have said something about "important news," but still...

Who wants to go to a 9:00 breakfast, dressed up for the early bird royals?

"Dawn," I call out sleepily, "Are you sure we can't call in sick?" I give her a hopeful look.

She pitifully glances my way for a second before turning back around to finish my dress for this morning. "Clarissa, if you want to call in sick I can of course just throw away this dress, no big deal at all for a maid. I can also alert the royals that you aren't feeling well at all, I'm sure Alexander would b-" I interrupt her flow of words, an attempt to guilt me.

And, it works. Sadly.

I sniff sarcastically, "Fine, I will go down!"

She chuckles and starts getting me ready for breakfast. I wish I could just go down in my pajamas. "Could I maybe-"

This time, she interrupts me, and I look at her with annoyance, "No pajamas for you, missy." She shakes a finger at me and finishes tying the back of my sea foam colored dress.

The dress has an overlay of a leaf pattern, and flows out slightly past the waist. As I walk, the dress moves elegantly, making me feel like I'm floating on air.

My shoes are white heels, hidden behind the layers of my dress that meet the floor.

Now approaching the Dining Room, I gather up my skirts, making fists with my hands, so that I can curtsey to the Royals and apologize for being late.

The clattering of utensils and joyful chatter reaches my ears as the doors are opened. I curtsey and apologize for being late, but the Royals dismiss it before I can speak. Now that there are only fifteen of us, we all sit closer to the Royals.

My seat happens to be three away from Alexander, diagonal from the Queen who sits next to her husband and daughter.

"Hey!" I say breathlessly, already tired from walking in my heels. "How's breakfast going?" I ask the girls around me.

Cece replies first, "Well, aside from Blake almost falling asleep on her plate," she nods her head in Blake's direction, where she is leaning over her plate and looking at us all with a dazed expression. I chuckle, and Cece continues, "and everyone being nervous about the 'important news,' and the Royals all acting off, I can't think of anything!" She finishes cheerfully.

I nod at her while laughing to myself.  No one in this room will be able to forget her personality.

That is, if she's not chosen.  Which she probably will be, as she has turned to grinning like crazy at Alexander in a matter of seconds.  She looks back at me and winks, and I'm confused.  She continues to nod her head not so subtly in his direction, and I knit my eyebrows.

Wasn't she just practically drawing hearts around his head?

I look three seats down to Alexander, seeing what the fuss is about.  He sits their not smiling nor looking at Cece; instead, his attention is solely focused on me.

Me.

I look back at him and give a tentative smile, shrugging my shoulders while raising my hands and eyebrows as if to say, "What?"

He responds by winking, and standing up.  He clears his throat and taps his spoon on his glass to get everyone's attention.

"Ah, thank you, Ladies."  A couple girls giggle, still so energetic and hyper after yesterday.  "I heard your maids had a rather hard time getting you all up and ready for breakfast this morning, is that so?"  Most of the Selected twiddle our fingers and look down at the tablecloth sheepishly, but I respond, as he asked a question.

"Well, Your Highness,"  I begin, adding in formalities for good measure.  He raises and eyebrow at me humorously and his parents watch attentively.  "We had such a wonderful day yesterday that we found ourselves quite tired this morning when shoved forcefully out of bed."  Everyone, including the Royals, bursts into laughter.  The Queen looks at me and says through her laughter, "Oh, darling, I know exactly what that feels like!  Everyday, everyday..." she says tragically.

Alexander continues as the room quiets, "And so, we had your maids tell you that we have some 'important news' to give to you.  Unfortunately, that news isn't as happy as you might have wished.  "Lady Cecelia, I hope you don't mind me saying this in front of everyone, but I thought it would be important for everyone to hear."  No.  What happened?  Cece's frightened face seems to startle Alexander, and he says, "No, nothing like that, you aren't in trouble or anything."  She seems to relax slightly.  "But we are sad to inform you that your mother and father have been kidnapped by the rebels. We have sent out many teams searching all over the country for them.  Meanwhile, your older brother has informed us that he wishes to have you visit him at his home until your parents are back.  Which, we promise, they will be."  Cece is kind, funny, and loving, but I can see her positive walls breaking down as the first tears slide down her face. 

She quickly wipes them and puts a face of steel on.  "O-okay,"  she nearly sobs, as if she has tripped, but stands up tall and speaks again.  "Thank you, Your Highness, I w-would very much app-preciate getting to spend time with m-my bro-brother."  She stands up, shaking, and curtseys.  "T-thank you a-agai-again." Cece finishes, and bolts out of the room.  I can hear her sobs and stand up.

"If you would excuse me."  I say quickly and run after her, kicking off my heels.  I find tears in my eyes too.  Even if my Mom is horrible, knowing that she and my Dad are in danger, most likely to be killed, it's almost worse than knowing they are dead.  Who knows that Cece's parents could be going through.

I find her curled up in a nook, with her heels thrown on the floor hastily.  I sigh, coming up to her.  "Oh, it's okay, Cece, it'll be fine."  I try to soothe her, rubbing my hand on her back as she sobs her heart out.

The thing is, it's not fine, and it won't be fine.  No matter the outcome, this will haunt everybody forever.

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