The Contest

Chapter 7

As I went back into my room, I slammed the door shut, hearing a small squeak from behind me. I turned to see Amy, her blue eyes wide in confusion.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Everything!" I shouted at her. She retreated from me slightly.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. Can I take this corset off please?" I begged. She nodded, and came to undo my dress.
"Everything, huh?" She asked.
"Not everything. I'm being dramatic." I said.
"You're still here, so the meeting with the Prince went well." She said.
"You knew that some girls would be leaving?" I asked as the dress fell off my body. She began to work on the corset.
"We were briefed on the situation, yes. I was certain you would still be here." She said, as I felt the pressure of the corset being relieved a little bit.
"How were you so sure?" I asked.
"Cause someone like you was chosen for a reason. Someone so vibrant and cheerful. Someone whith a sense of humor, like his highness. You're here for some reason." She said. I smiled, as the corset fell off.
"Let's get you into something a bit more comfortable." Amy said, and handed me a light weight maxi dress. I put it on gratefully.
"Thank you for saying that." I said. Amy smiled, her freckled face shining.
"It's completely true. So why did you come in here slamming doors?" She asked, letting my hair out of its pins.
"Harmonia." I said.
"Your friend from Performance?" She asked. "Hold this." I took a pin from her.
"Yes. If I tell you something, you have to promise to never tell anyone." I said. She chuckled.
"I've lived in the castle for a few years now, I have my fair share of secrets." She said. I stood up and went to my carpet bag, taking Evander's ring and letter out. I also grabbed my mother's journal and put it on my bedside table. I held out the envelope to Amy. She took out the letter, and began to read. Her jaw fell open when she reached into the envelope a second time, and pulled out the ring with the string attached.
"My best friend, besides Harmonia, Evander, proposed to me the night before the pictures for the Contest. I told him no, but the truth is, I do love him. I just don't think I love him in the way he loves me. I promised I would marry him if or when I got eliminated." I said. Amy bit her lip.
"That's a huge secret to keep for the Prince."
"Hopefully it's something I never have to tell anyone."
"And where does Harmonia fit into all this?"
"She said the only reason I was here was to get away from Evander. That's not true. I'm here for my family." I said.
"And if you got eliminated? You would go and marry Evander?" Amy asked, handing me the ring. Three years he saved up for me. He was serious the whole time. He loved me, and I told him no. I began to cry.
"Oh no no no..." Amy said, pulling me into a hug. Tink burst into my room.
"He eliminated them! That little-oh good lord." She said, seeing me in tears on my bed.
"H-hey Tink." I said, sniffing.
"Did he eliminate you too?" She asked.
"No." I said, and held out the ring.
"This is getting in your head. Can I see this?" She asked, pointing to the ring. I handed it to her. She sprinted out of my room.
"Tink!" I cried, and got up to follow her. I chased her out to the garden, but lost her when I made it there. I walked around, and looked for her. I didn't find her, but I found the ring. It was glistening on the ground, wet after a light rainfall from earlier. I picked it up and sat on a bench, not worrying about my dress getting wet. I looked down at this ring. If I got eliminated right now, I would have to go back to someone I did not love, but someone who loved me, and of the Prince asked me to marry him right now, I would have the same problem.
"I don't want to be forced into something that makes me unhappy!" I yelled. I buried my face in my hands and cried to myself. Silently shaking with tears. There was no way for me to get out of this. I was trapped, and that's how I felt. Trapped.
"Oh!" A voice said. I looked up and through my tears I saw the Prince.
"Your highness!" I said, and wiped my tears.
"I heard yelling. I thought I would make sure everything was okay." He said.
"I want to get out of here." I said.
"You...you want to leave?"
"No, I just want to be free. I feel trapped." I told him.
"Why is that?" He asked, sitting down.
"I don't really think I can explain." I said.
"I won't judge you for anything."
"I'm sorry. I can't." I said, tearing up again.
"Please don't cry. I never know what to do when people cry. Except my sister, but that's a different story." He said. I giggled. "What's so funny?" He asked, smiling himself.
"Why are you so nervous?" I asked.
"Well...wouldn't you be nervous if you were talking to someone who could be your future husband?" He asked.
"I guess so." I said.
"Guess?" He asked.
"Well, I would want to be comfortable with my future husband. I would want him to be comfortable with me too. I would want us to be able to tell each other everything, no matter what." I said.
"I'll have to remember that. I wanted to talk to you. I've been thinking about the portrait on the wall you found. I was wondering if you could ask your mother about it?"
"I don't know if that's the best idea. What if it's a touchy subject? I have something that might give me answers, but it will take me a while to figure them out." I told him.
"Hm. Okay." He said.
"What if you ask your father?" I asked.
"No way." He said.
"Why not?" I asked.
"I just...can't okay? Don't push it." He said. I frowned.
"Fine. I'll go do some research and get back to you." I said.
"And maybe, when you find something, we could...go on a little date to talk about it?" He asked. I looked up at him, fighting a blush. He looked really nervous, and if I was honest with myself I was too.
'Why are you nervous Amberlyn, stop that.' I thought to myself.
"Uh y-yeah! S-sure." I said, stuttering. 'Why are you stuttering?' I thought.
"Uh, great. And if you ever..um need anything, please tell me. I don't want you to feel trapped."
"How about I change our deal." I offered. He tilted his head.
"Go on." He said.
"As soon as we find out what that picture means, you send me home."
"You really don't want to be here?" He asked, his face falling.
"I-I didn't say that." I said quietly. "You have to keep me until then, unless you want me to stay." I said. He made a thinking face.
"Sounds fair. Go do some research, and I will as well. I'll look in the record books and some other stuff. I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7 to talk about it?" He asked.
"Y-yeah! Sounds good."
"Okay!" He said, and began to walk out. He turned around and waved, looking rather sheepish, a silly grin on his face. I giggled, and wiggled my fingers back at him. Time to go do some research