The Contest

Chapter 18

There was a pounding knock on the door. Emma opened it.
"It's Miss Harmonia." She said. I went to the door.
"Why aren't you downstairs? Why isn't anyone downstairs!?" She asked, sounding concerned.
"There's still an hour until the party Harmonia, what's wrong?" I countered.
"Are you kidding me Amberlyn? Don't act like you don't know!" She shouted at me.
"Don't know what?" I insisted.
"Didn't Taylor tell you?" She was cracking.
"Tell me what!?" I asked. I had no idea what she was talking about. Taylor was with Evangeline, she didn't like us.
"Amberlyn, please tell me you're joking? Taylor told everyone to meet me in the lounge and hour before the party...right?" She asked. Tears rose in her eyes.
"Moni...I don't think she did." I was nervous. "She didn't tell me."
"What!?" She exclaimed.
"Breathe, Harmonia. I've never seen you this uptight." I commented nervously.
"Well I can't just screw this up Amberlyn!" She yelled at me. I recoiled. The hall fell silent for a moment.
"I-I gotta go." She said and ran away. I sighed and closed my door.
"Evangeline and her friends are so much trouble." Emma sighed.
"And just think you could someday be under her rule." I said.
"That is the day I leave the castle." She said. I laughed. "Come. I have to tighten the dress." She said, gesturing for me to come to the mirror. I went to her and let her pull the strings around my waist and chest.
"This is awful. Will I have to do this every night?" I asked, me question strained.
"Until the parties are over, and then you do get a break until other events." She told me. I sighed.
"The life of a queen." I said. She nodded. My dress was a deep red, strapless, with silver accents circling m waist, climbing up my left side, and also set at the top of the bodice on the right side. The bottom was loose and flowing as to hide the bandages still hugging my calf. I didn't walk with a limp anymore but the cut and some pain on occasions were still there.
"Emma this dress is beautiful!" I said, twirling.
"Why thank you miss!" She said. "If you sit, I will do your hair." She said. I sat, and she pulled my hair out of it simple bun it had been in for the afternoon. I looked at her face.
"Emma? Are you okay?" I asked. I studied her face closely through the mirror. Her left eye was swollen slightly. I took some water on a cloth and stood up.
"I'm fine miss." She said, backing away hesitantly.
"Emma." I said, my voice a warning.
"I'm fine. I promise!" She said again. I took her face by her chin and quickly wiped her eye. A faint purple bruise appeared.
"Emma!" I exclaimed, dropping the cloth.
"You frightened me!" She said.
"And you scared me! What happened?" I asked.
"Oh nothing. I'm so clumsy." She said.
"No you're not. Out of the three of you Amy is the clumsy one. Unless I get a real answer, I'm reporting this to Archer." I said.
"N-no please don't!" She exclaimed, folding her hands together, begging me.
"Then what happened Emma?!" I yelled at her. She jumped back beginning to cry. "I'm not going to hurt you." I said. "Has someone else hurt you?" I asked. She nodded, sobbing. My blood began to boil, but I kept my face calm for Emma's sake. "Oh honey." I said, as she ran to hug me. "Shh, it's okay. No one's going to hurt you. Not while I'm around. Who hurt you Emma?" I asked. Her sobs shook her entire body. She was so sad. I let her cry. She needed to let it out, but she also needed to tell me.
"A guard. " She said, through sobs.
"A guard, huh?" I asked. "Which one?" I asked.
"His name was...um...Kelly." She said. I knew exactly who she was talking about.
"Why did he do this?" I asked.
"He said I was...going the wrong way. I was just coming here. When I kept walking, he pulled me by the arm." She said, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a hand shaped bruise. I gasped. She sniffed, a few tears falling. "I tried to speak up for myself, Amberlyn. Just like you do. I told him that I was most certainly going the right way and that not even a guard could stop me from my duties, and he...he..." She broke down again, sobbing into me. I sat her on the bed handing her a pillow.
"Give me a moment." I said, going into the bathroom. I pulled out some concealer, and got her a cold washcloth to put on her eye. I came out and placed the concealer on the table, and put the washcloth on her eye. "This isn't going to help too well, it's not ice, but it should work well for what it is." I said. She nodded, holding it to her eye. I smiled at her.
"You always know what to do." Emma said. I giggled.
"Not always. I'm just glad I could help." I said. She smiled at me. A few minutes later she took the washcloth off her eye. The swelling had decreased slightly. I took the tube of concealer and covered up her bruise.
"Back to normal." I said. "Make sure to ice it, okay?" I said. Emma nodded, and stood.
"Hair?" She asked.
"Yes." I answered simply, and sat down. She began to do my hair, pinning some of it up, and leaving half of it down and curled. She had two curls framing my face, and the rest behind my shoulders. Someone knocked on the door. I stood and answered it. I opened it to reveal Harmonia again.
"Amberlyn..." She said, handing me a mask, deep red like my dress with silver accents, and a big red feather. "Here's your mask. Courtesy of Mr. Pietro." She said. The castle woodworker.
"Thank you. It's beautiful." I said calmly. I could tell she was worked up. No need to alarm her in any way.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. You look lovely. I'll see you soon." She said quietly, and quickly walked away. I closed my door as she left, just for it to be knocked on again. I opened it with a sigh. It was Evander.
"Hello..." I greeted quietly. We hadn't talked since he had kissed me. I had kissed him back I guess.
"I am here to escort you to the party." He said. Every girl had to be escorted by a guard after the attack. Just a precaution, but it was awful having to wonder who my guard was going to be each time. I guess I had this coming, but there were hundreds of guards in the castle, why did he have to be the one I got.
"There are so many guards, and I get you." I said.
"It's just how the way the world works. Birds belong with birds, fish belong with fish, and I belong with you. No matter how much you want to deny it." He said. I felt my face grow warm, and I fought the blush. I lost. He was a sweetheart, but nothing he could say or do could change my mind, or some of the things he had said that night.
"Let's go. I want to get there early." I said. He nodded, and offered his arm to me. I couldn't decline, so I laced my arm in his. It felt so natural. We walked to the ballroom, and Harmonia stood alone.
"Moni." I called. She turned, and smiled when she saw me. "How are things going?" I asked as she came up to me. Her face dropped, but as quickly as it did, it went back up into another smile.
"Things will be better when this party is complete." She said.
"You've done a wonderful job with the decorations, I don't think mine will look nearly as amazing. The food and the cake look amazing as well. You sure you planned this all yourself?" I asked, joking with her.
"Oh no, I let a royal party planner plan it all. Of course this was all me!" She said. We laughed. Girls started to come in.
"I'm sure it will be great." I said. She smiled, and walked off to greet girls coming in. I watched as girl after girl entered, eventually followed by the Royal Family. Princess Isabel came in with a beautiful blue dress on, and ran right to Harmonia. They had a short conversation, and then the Princess spotted me. She came to me.
"I meant to give this back to you, but I just couldn't seem to find the time. When I heard you were coming tonight, I knew this was my chance. This little bear has been guarding my bed like a true warrior every night since you gave him to me." I said, handing her the bear. She squeezed it tightly.
"Thank you!" She said. I saw Archer coming in out of the corner of my eye. I hastily put my mask on.
"You're welcome. Now, don't tell Archer which girl I am, okay?" I asked. She nodded, and ran off giggling. I walked around the ballroom as the music started up. A guard came to me.
"May I?" He asked, holding out a hand. I looked up into the dark eyes of the man who had helped save me the night of the raid.
"Anything for the man who saved my life." I said. He cocked his head, confused. We started to dance. "The night of the raid. I'm the girl who was shot in the leg." I told him.
"That's right! How is that doing, by the way?" He asked. I smiled.
"Much better. Still bandaged, but I don't have a limp anymore, and it hurts much less." I said.
"Good, good." He said. I thought of something.
"While I have you here, may I ask you a question?" I asked.
"I mean you've got me until the end of the dance." He said. I laughed.
"What can you tell me about the guard...Kelly I think it was?" I asked. He thought for a moment.
"Good kid. Too big for his briefs, but I think he'll grow out of that. He has a bit of an anger issue, but it's nothing too bad." He said. I nodded.
"Thank you." I said. The song ended. I dropped my hands, and curtsied. I went to the food table where I saw Evander.
"I need to talk to you." I said. He nodded, and we went to a corner of the room.
"What's up?" He asked.
"Kelly, do you know him?" I asked. He nodded. "Keep an eye on him will you?" I asked.
"Why's that?" He asked.
"He slapped my maid for talking back. I know he's got anger issues but-"
"But that's no reason to hurt the girl. Have you talked to Archer about this?" He asked.
"I haven't. I don't want him kicked out, and I don't want to betray Emma's trust. She asked me not to say anything to Archer." I said.
"But she got hurt, Amberlyn. That's abuse, and isn't okay. She could be scarred for the rest of her life because of this. It could cause anxiety attacks, and other various things-"
"I know. It happens to me." I said. Evander's jaw dropped.
"What?" He gasped.
"Just small things, certain words, they trigger an anxiety attack. Its fear, and I know what you mean." I told him.
"What causes it for you?" He asked, but just then Archer came up and held a hand out for me.
"May I have this dance?" He asked.
"You may." I said, taking his hand. We began the dance, spinning in circles.
"So who might the lovely young lady I am dancing with be?" He asked.
"It's Amberlyn, Archer, and I need to tell you something." I said trying to make my tone urgent.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Emma, my maid, she was hit today." I said.
"By who?" He asked, stopping dead in his tracks. People had to swerve to avoid us. I took his hand as pulled him out of the room.
"Listen, I know you're going to want to kick them out, but I told Emma I wouldn't tell anyone. I can't keep something like this a secret, but I also don't want this to be made into a big deal." I said.
"It's already a big deal. Keep going." He said, crossing his arms. I sighed, knowing he would get angry no matter what. He had a soft spot for anyone who was getting hurt under unreasonable circumstances. I sighed.
"Kelly, the guard, he slapped her when she refused to stop walking to my room." I said.
"WHAT?" He yelled. I flinched
"Archer not a big deal, please?" I asked. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.
"Guards like that have no right to be here Amberlyn, you know that." He said.
"I know. I wouldn't want any guards to get kicked out." I said. Archer looked at me, and pulled me into a hug.
"I know you wouldn't." He said, his hand cradling my head. I sighed into him.
"What are you going to do?" I asked into his shoulder.
"I don't know Lyn...I don't know." He said, resting his head on my shoulder. We stood there like that, my head buried into him, and him cradling my head with his hand, his head on my chin. After a while of silence, he pulled me back, taking hold of both of my hands. He placed his finger under my chin and lifted my head to his slightly, gently kissing me. I heard a camera click, and broke out of the kiss in laughter. Archer laughed too.
"Why don't we go back, huh? It's my brother's birthday, I want to enjoy myself." He said. I nodded.
"Guess your first kiss will be plastered all over tomorrow's paper." I said. Archer shrugged.
"I guess you're right, but it won't be your face so you have nothing to worry about." He said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I didn't want you to take the spotlight after already having it. This is a competition, so I kissed Kelsey Denver this afternoon." He explained.
"Oh." I muttered. I shouldn't feel sad, he's right it is a competition.
"Lyn?" He asked.
"Nothing. Don't call me that." I muttered, and went off to the other side of the ballroom.
"Amberlyn, are you okay?" Tink asked. She was with Shaeleigh and Kelsey. I looked at Kelsey. Her eyes were prideful, but I knew she would never say anything. I took in a deep breath.
"Of course. What could possibly be wrong? Harmonia has thrown a fantastic party." I said. Tink nodded.
"You're right! I just really hope I don't get eliminated thanks to you guys, birthday parties are hard." Tink said.
"Try throwing a baby shower for someone you don't even know." Shaeleigh complained.
"At least none of ours ended up like Jessica's. The poor girl almost asked to go home." Kelsey said.
"Have you guys noticed how much the security has doubled since then? It's like I can't go anywhere without someone on my tail." Tink complained.
"I don't know, the guards are cute." Shaeleigh giggled.
"Shae!" Kelsey exclaimed. "I don't know about you, but I'm here for the Prince, thank you very much." Kelsey said.
"Yeah Archer is who I'm looking at." I said.
"You need to stop calling him that. He's royalty and needs to be treated like it." Kelsey said.
"He asked me to call him that." I said.
"Whatever. I'm going to continue to call him by his title instead of his name like a dog." Kelsey said.
"I didn't realize Archer was an object." I said.
"I never said he was." Kelsey answered defiantly.
"Sure, but by saying you're calling him by his title makes him seems like he is." I said.
"Guys stop." Tink said.
"Whatever." I muttered and walked away. I hated it here.