Eadlyn Selects

Fix It

Later, I lie in bed and I feel drunk on the excitement and drama of my evening. Have I ever had such a momentous day?

I can barely recall someone handing Ean a ring and him sliding it on my finger: my engagement ring, the same one my mother wore, and my grandmother before her. The cheering, the brief interviews, the shocked expressions.

The look on Kile's face—I wish I could forget that. He looked lost. Beaten. Torn in half. Like me when Ahren left. Like nothing would be right again. But he was swamped with interviews about his new job. People seemed equally excited for him to make change as for me to wed. He seemed to handle the questions well, with respect and reserve.

My phone pings. Another call from Dad. That makes seven. I've never ignored him before. I also have ignored calls from Ahren, Eikko, Mom, Kadan, Aunt May, Lucy, and Camille.

Kile has not called. It's a good thing--but it cuts deeply into my fresh despair. I had to let him go. Didn't I?

I'll rest a tad longer. I'm still in my red get up, shoes kicked off, my hair springing loose by the second and my make-up surely smeared. Who cares? I'm done with the Selection. Ean and I have an understanding. I could probably let myself go and he'd never say a word. Thoughts of Ean seeing my body makes me feel...funny. Not bad but not excited. More like guilty mixed with nervous. So, anxious is the best way to describe it.

Oh my goodness. Ean and I will have to have kids. Raise them together. Smile and hold hands for decades in front of the cameras.

I roll to my side and hang my head over the edge of the bed. I might throw up. Saliva pools in my mouth and my stomach flips over and over, hitching on my thoughts and feelings. Hours, days, an eternity seems to pass as I dwell in an awful limbo.

Physically, I'm fine. I don't throw up. Eventually, I flop to my back and stare at the ceiling.

What have I done?

The phone pings again. Then a knock sounds at my bedroom door. A heavy one-two-three knock. Dad's knock.

I wish I had a secret exit from my room to anywhere but here. Anywhere but where Dad can find me. I heard there were safe rooms in the castle but I've never been given a map or a key or anything. I wonder why not.

My phone pings. I hear Heath's voice. Uh oh. Arguing.

I make a split decision and shout, "He can come in!" I don't want Heath getting fired for keeping the King from lecturing his daughter.

I stay put as the door opens, but I shut my eyes.

"Eady, please sit up at least. I can't speak to you while you're in bed! It's disgraceful and disrespectful. Good grief!"

I open one eye. It's all I need to confirm it: Dad is furious.

His face is tomato red and his hair looks like he was electrocuted. I've never seen his neck look so...bulgy.

He splutters, "You should have told me you were going to announce that!" I've never seen him so upset. I open both eyes now.

I take a moment before answering him. I need to decide carefully how to handle this. I have never done something so rash and off script before. I guess I am more like my mom than I realized.

"Where's Mom?" I ask suddenly.

"Oh no, we're talking about what you just did young lady, and how you're going to fix it."

"What do you mean, fix it?" I say, almost spitting out the last two words.

"I mean, take it back," Dad splutters, turning a purplish hue now.

"I am not backing down. It was my decision. You said that before I started the Selection."

He needs to understand that. He needs to see I am not wavering. I am not under his thumb any longer.

"I am your father! You will listen to me. I want you to retract that ridiculous announcement and admit you are a reckless young woman who needs more time to think things through. The Selection process was not complete. You didn't finish and you need to."

"Why?" I am suddenly curious if he will admit what I suspect is his true motive. I am feeling calmer as he becomes more irate. I never want to be like him.

He paces at the foot of my bed. "I would have asked you to draw it out! We need more time! The attacks were so recent! The rioting! Your mom is gone! She went to stay with Ahren. I was going to tell you after the show."

"What?" I sit up. I thought she was still keeping out of the spotlight because of her heart. Actually, I thought she'd be the first to knock on my door. That explains the call from her. I guess I can't rely on her to calm Dad down.

"We thought if we said anything before the taping you'd feel unnerved. Plus, we had to keep the whole thing spontaneous because we're worried about moles. I was concerned for her safety."

"Her safety? Not her heart?" I'm confused.

"Both. The doctor ran extra tests..."

"And..." I prompt. Suddenly nothing is more important than this.

"They think her attack could have been brought on by a slow acting poison, administered over a course of time."

"What?"

"Three to four weeks."

"So why the...but maybe...oh...the Selection?"

"It's not conclusive. I wanted her away while we deal with things. It's the safest way. But now the country will expect to see her hugging you, shaking his hand, congratulating you."

"I'm glad she's with Ahren. She'll be safe there. Do you have suspects? Why didn't you tell me? Has anyone else been poisoned? This is crazy, Dad!"

"It is being handled. You have other things to worry about."

"I wish I knew! I have a right to know if you suspect one of my suitors was poisoning Mom!"

"Like I said," he puts his hand on the back of his neck and stares at my ceiling. "We are handling it."

"Why not send them all away? Why let me dawdle through this? What if I had picked the one you suspected! Did I? You don't think Ean..." I gulp. No.

Dad cuts his hand through the air. "We think it could be one of the staff or part of the entourage that came with the group. We are not sure. It's hard to trace but we do have safety precautions for all food served to the royals. We are keeping it confidential: your mother, myself, the doctor, and Leger know. It's getting to where we can't trust anyone. And now you! I trusted you to carry this Selection through while we sorted things out."

"Oh no, don't turn that around on me," I say, actually putting my finger in the air, almost pointing at him. "You should have trusted me with the truth! You hid important facts from me, so don't expect me to thank you for the big fat lies!"

"Eadlyn!" he scolds.

"Dad," I deadpan.

"The insolence of dumping all of that with an audience!" my dad fumes. He is pacing again. "Creating positions in my cabinet!" he's shouting now. Heath edges in the door, shutting it quietly after him. I flash him a grateful nod.

To my dad I say, "I should have been making legislation a long time ago. I was too interested in sketching and designing. Kadan has written more proposals than I have. But I'm not going to be your puppet any longer."

"Watch how you talk to me!" He puts his hands on his narrow hips. His shirt is half untucked. That's something I've never seen before.

"No," I point a finger back. "You watch how you talk to me! I have done everything you asked! And here I am. A donkey on parade and it's still not enough for you! How about you congratulate me right now! My own father! I am engaged to Ean! Hello?"

Wow. That felt really good.

Author's Note: This fast post is a thank you for those readers who took the time to vote and comment. You guys rock! It inspired me to post early :)  ~Megan