Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 13

The next morning I dress in a simple light blue gown and curled my hair. Girls always seemed to dress less formal for breakfast and lunch than dinner or balls.

When I walk into the Great Hall all the girls eyes turn to me. I forgot that head all realized we'd been on a date after neither of us had been to dinner.

I even saw Queen Charlie and the rest of the royal family turn their head after the sudden change in volume.

I put my head down and make my way to a seat.

"How was it?" Josie, the girl I had met the day before asks.

"Huh?" I say, oblivious.

"Your date with the prince. How was it? Was it super romantic?" Her eyes lit up like a chandelier and her excitement was obvious.

"It was great." I answer nonchalantly. Why would be be so interested in what I had done with the prince? "We walked in the gardens." I said it simply but it was so much more than that.

"Oh." She answered, clearly unhappy with the answer and the lack of excitement. She turns around and starts a conversation with the girl next to her.

•••

The same day after lunch I walk back to my room. I didn't like meals an awful lot because there wasn't much to do and never a lot of people to talk to.

When I open the door to my room I notice a small note on my bed with a book beside of it. I pick up the note first and read the words on it.

Challenged completed.

It said simply. I laugh a little to myself and pick up the book. The title read, One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure. I look at the blue book with golden accents and gold lined pages.

The only thing I wish had gone differently was him bringing it to me.

Amelia rushed out of the bathroom and looked at the object in my hands. "What is that?" She asks.

"Its a book. The prince brought it for me." I say with a hint of a smile. Amelia claps and smiles excitedly and goes back to her cleaning. After a few minutes of doing nothing, I decide to head to the Women's Room with the book.

I head into the room and notice there were few girls in the room. Two girls, including Josie, sat at a table drawing and a few girls sat together gossiping over tea.

I make my way to a soft chair and sit down quietly. I open the book and flip to page one. Around the time I do it, I hear a slight cough above me. I look up and Princess Paige hovered above me.

"Hi sorry, I was wondering if we could go on a short walk?" She asks me. I was overall confused about why she would be wanting me to go on a walk with her. "Don't worry nothing bad." She says with a smile.

"Sure." I agree and stand. I carry my book with me as she leads me into the hallways and takes a few turns so I was already completely lost.

"I just really wanted to apologize after the other day. I really shouldn't have judged you after seeing the clips of you." The princess says unsure.

"Oh, that? That's no problem. I promise. I honestly didn't even think about it too much." I shake my head and try and reassure her.

"I'm glad. But it was still rude of me and I thought I should come to apologize." She says with a smile.

"No worries your highness." I shake my head.

"You can call me Paige. I know it's weird and all but it's worse for me if you call me by a title of royalty. In all honesty I'm just the same as you." She says with a small smile. "Though I thought maybe we could be friends. You're the youngest of all the Selected, which means we are the same age."

"Your brother didn't put you up to this did he?" I ask curiously. Paige laughs and shakes her head.

"No. He did say he didn't think you were making friends out of the Selected but I didn't see it as a demand but an opportunity. I don't have any friends around to castle either." She shrugs. I smile, glad that she was as kind as she was.

"I guess a lot of people don't come through here often." I look over at her and she shakes her head.

"No not really." She looks up at me with a slight smirk on her face. "Though Will does talk a lot about you. It's like he tries not to, but he can't help himself."

I can feel the heat rush up to my cheeks and turn them red. I try to act nonchalant again but I didn't believe it would work at all.

"I mean I know he hasn't really met all of the girls yet, but he has got a very good impression of you so far." Paige said with a smile. I didn't exactly think my impressions would be considered good though. I'd looked like an idiot quite often to be fair.

We turn a corner and a new passage opens up. There were arched windows to my left which I found myself admiring. I take a look outside in the gardens and see two silhouettes. I notice one of them was obviously Will with his light brown hair and another familiar. Josie. They say intimately close and leaned closer together slowly.

Paige didn't look anymore impressed then I did with a look of horror on her face. I turn to her with a blank face and try and keep it emotionless.

"Looks like he's meeting them now."