Kaden | ✓

part seventeen ♚ overage

It turned out that my next elimination was going to be extremely difficult.

The girls had planned their parties flawlessly. Unfortunately, I had to choose. And I either had to take one from each of the groups, or two from one. I wasn't sure what to do.

Silvia and I spent hours in my study reviewing how the girls were doing so far. Silvia had been my mother's teacher while she was a Selected, and she'd taught my father when he was younger. She was one of my many tutors as well, and I'd asked her to teach my Selected after my father told me how helpful she'd been. She was a kind, patient woman, and she was willing to discuss at length what each girl had and hadn't done and what they had and hadn't succeeded in.

We listed the strengths and weaknesses of the girls. On another piece of paper, we listed what they had or hadn't done much of. It was easy to knock down several girls, but since this was the end, I had to drag it out a little. I could only eliminate two.

"Do you have an idea of who you want to marry?" She asked. She didn't look up from the lists in front of us.

I nodded. "Yes. Lady Emmaline."

Silvia smiled. "She's an excellent choice. A hard worker, and she's bright. I believe she's one of the few that had parents in a low caste."

"Yes, she was. And the lowest of the remaining girls. I believe her father was a Seven, though for the life of me I can't remember what her mother was." I ran my thumb over my lower lip. "I don't know who to eliminate."

"This is a difficult decision."

I nodded. "Miracle and Isabelle are the top two public favorites, but Laurel comes from a powerful family that does a lot of good for the people, and her uncle is on my sister's board of advisors. Delilah comes from a family low enough to inspire most people, but she's awfully bland and not a favorite. Autumn is my friend, and Marilyn and Valentina are famous." I shook my head. "This is difficult."

Silvia looked down at the list. She circled three names and pointed to one. "Talk to her and see if she's ready to be sent home. If not..." she drew little stars beside the names of the other two, "send these two. If the first girl agrees, send this one home." She drew another star beside the one I definitely need to send home.

I nodded. "That sounds good."

♚

After talking with Autumn, I decided that I wasn't ready to send my friend home yet. She'd been more than willing to go, but we discussed the situation at length and agreed that since she really wasn't much competition for the others and since we'd become such good friends, she'd be staying.

In the Great Room, I stood before the girls. They all looked at me expectantly, and their expressions were so heavy that they made my hands tremble. I was told after by Eadlyn that I didn't seem shaken at all, but at the time, I felt unsteady.

"As you all are most likely aware," I said, "from the visits of the royals from Italy and Swendway, I must make two eliminations." I exhaled slowly. "You all did an amazing job. My parents and sister found no flaw in any part of your plans. The royals were pleasantly surprised at how well you did, both speaking the fragments of their languages you'd learned and at setting up the events. I myself was impressed. However, I have no choice."

The girls shifted in their seats and sat up straighter. They exchanged nervous looks. I noticed that Emmaline played the game well--she squirmed and her eyes darted around the room, searching for reassurance in the looks passed between her and the other girls.

I looked down at my list one last time. "If I call your name, please stand." I tucked the list in my pocket. "Lady Autumn Sampsel."

Autumn stood and flashed me an encouraging smile. I gave her a small nod and looked to the others.

"Lady Isabelle Estrada." Isabelle stood nervously, playing with her hair and chewing on her lip. Her worry was over once I called the next girl. "Lady Laurel Chaney." Laurel twisted her hair around her hand but stood tall. "Lady Valentina Santelli." Valentina stood tall as well. She looked confident, but I could see the trembling of her red-painted lower lip. "Lady Miracle Holloway." Miracle, like Valentina, looked confident, but I could see through her façade with ease.

I took a moment to admire Valentina and Miracle. They were literal opposites. Valentina had darker skin and a long, thick mane of dark hair. Her dresses were usually red and tight on her curves, and her makeup was usually intense. Miracle, however, was slight and pale, with a halo of platinum blonde hair around her head. Her dresses were usually looser and white or a silvery color, since it looked nice with her skin tone, and her makeup was generally limited to mascara, foundation, and lip gloss.

After a moment, I looked at the remaining girls. Emmaline sat emotionless in her seat, her spine straight and shoulders back. Marilyn had a similar look, but Delilah looked terrified. Marilyn's dark eyes flickered over to Delilah.

"Lady Emmaline Levitt."

Emmaline stood. Her dress was a dusty rose color that made her both blend in with the others and stand out. Most of the other girls had bright, striking colors--like Valentina's crimson dress or Miracle's snow white gown, or even Laurel's lilac dress that resembled a Greek chiton--but Emmaline, as usual, chose to keep hers simple and elegant.

I looked around at the standing girls. There were six. "You girls are to go to the Women's Room. There you will be prepared for what is to come by my mother and sister, and in an hour or two you will return here for your lessons. You all are dismissed." Silently, they filed from the room.

Delilah trembled. Marilyn looked like she'd been smacked between the eyes.

I turned to them. "I'm going to explain why I chose to eliminate both of you if you so wish. Would you like to hear me out, or would you just like to collect your things and leave?"

They both just stared at me. "A-a reason would be nice." Delilah's voice was small. Marilyn nodded slowly. She still looked stunned.

I folded my arms over my chest. "Your performances with the royals were spectacular. You girls were both great, and you haven't done anything wrong. This decision of mine had nothing to do with the other girls, and it had nothing to do with what you do or don't excel at here or what you haven't learned well, and it certainly doesn't have anything to do with how well you handled our guests." I took a deep breath. "The point of me assuring you all of this is to tell you that all of these things you're learning can be taught. You can learn to walk and talk and act and think like a princess, just as I was taught to do all of that as a prince. But what you can't learn is how to be compatible with someone. In my opinion, I'm not compatible with either of you."

Surprisingly, it was Delilah who nodded in understanding and smoothed her hands over her skirt. "I can't believe I'm saying this, Your Highness, but I completely agree." She smiled shakily. "I'd been denying it since I met you, but really, I feel as though we never had anything." She shrugged. "It seemed as though the public agreed. I wasn't ever a favorite. I never took it personally. Any fool could see that you and I just aren't meant to be." She stood slowly. "I suppose I should go pack my things." She curtsied to me. "Thank you for the time I spent here, Your Highness. It truly was wonderful, and it was a pleasure to get to know you."

She was surprised when I extended my arms to her for a hug, which she willingly gave me. "Lady Delilah," I said, "I hope that we can still be friends, even after this. I truly did enjoy your company."

She smiled. "Of course we can." She looked up at me. "You have my address and phone number still, don't you? Perhaps we could talk on the phone when you're free."

I nodded. "When I'm free." I smiled back at her. "And if you're ever in Angeles, you're welcome to visit."

Her smile transformed into a full-megawatt grin. We said goodbye and she turned and left the room. I knew that a maid would be by her side, her phone number and address copied onto slips of paper so that Delilah could place them in the rooms of the staying girls should they want to keep in touch with her. There was another waiting for Marilyn.

When I turned, I saw that Marilyn had stood.

And from the look in her eyes, I knew that whatever was going to happen next wouldn't be good.