His Choice (The Selection)

Chapter Thirty

Wrote by firerose11

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I opened the door to find Charles standing there, holding the hand of Ash.  With a gasp, I crossed my arms across my chest, hoping that my nightgown wasn't as thin as it had appeared.

"Charles," I said, watching his eyes light up in amusement at my attempt to be casual, "what possessed you to come find me right before bed?  And with your niece in tow."

It was then that I realized that Princess Ash was in her own nightgown and Charles was wearing a pair of pajamas pants and a thin white shirt.

"You owe me a movie," Ash answered for her uncle, glowering at me.  "You promised, and I think that I've waited long enough."

I blinked slightly before pasting a smile on my face.  "That sounds like a wonderful idea, and you are correct in your assumption that I owe you a movie."

The two of them waited for me to grab my robe and a pair of socks.  When I rejoined them, Charles snaked an arm around my waist and tugged me close.

"I missed you," he whispered as the youngest member of our group skipped down the hallways in front of us.  "I never realized how boring the palace was until you weren't in it anymore."

"I missed you too," I admitted.

He watched his niece as she waved to the guards and slid across the floors.  "I'm surprised.  The Ember Shields just admitted that she missed me.  Someone, quick, grab a calendar.  We simply must make this a national holiday.

I shoved him.  "Are you making fun of me, Charles?"

"Not at all, my lady.  I wouldn't dream of making fun of you.  Your cruel words of doubt have stabbed me in the heart," he clutched at his chest and fell against the theater door with a moan.

I shook my head at him as Ash giggled before I brushed him aside and yanked open the door.  "What movie are we going to be subjected to this fine night?"

"The Forgotten Forest!" Ash squealed, running to the front of the room to plop down in a chair.  "I love that movie!"

The Forgotten Forest was boring.  Stereotypical princess movie where princess runs away/loses fortune/has evil stepmother/meets someone she doesn't realize is a handsome prince/pulls a damsel-in-distress.  If it hadn't been for Charles, I would have fallen asleep before we even met the prince, and that part was only five minutes into the movie.

"So," the prince muttered, running his fingers up and down my arm as we watched Ash freak out in the front row as the princess ran away, "how was the camping trip?  I mean, besides the obvious horrible ending."

I sighed and leaned my head into his shoulder.  "Bexley made the trip as horrible as she possibly could especially after Clarisse got Pandora kicked out."

He chuckled softly.  "The tabloids are still talking about that even with the sad business of Giselle's death.  How are you holding up after that?"

"I feel horrible," I whispered, feeling the knot of grief that had been my companion for the last four days tighten in my chest.  "I am training to be a doctor.  I should have realized that something was wrong earlier.  I should have recognized that Bexley was talking about hemlock the moment she said carrots."

"Ember," Charles said, his tone dead serious, "the palace physician confirmed that there was nothing else you could have done under the circumstances.  It's partly the palace's fault for sending you girls out there without any way to get help in that situation.