Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 16

We dismounted our horses and let them roam through the Apple trees. We settled down by one of the trees and started talking.

"So What type of person were you in school?" He asks.

"The one that nobody could remember their name." I say with a laugh.

"I don't believe that. You're too beautiful and outgoing and smart for people not to notice you." I would've been happy to no extent if he hadn't sounded so nonchalant as he said it.

"For starters, you've never seen me up close without makeup or without nice clothing. And it's easy to be outgoing when you are only with one person. Lastly I'm not all that smart. I like to read, but I'm not the most intelligent person ever." I correct him with a laugh.

"Nah, couldn't be too different. If not you're just more you here than when you were there." He says and looks down at me.

"I guess so." I look down and pick at the grass. "I miss my family though. I haven't written them yet, which I really need to do."

"Just let me know if you want me to send something for you." He tells me.

I smile and thank him. "Thank you."

"What do you want to do with your life? Like, what did you always want to do?" He sits up and asks. I turn so I could face him easier and waste time trying to think of something to say.

"I haven't really thought about it the last few years. There's a few colleges near my home but I'd never be able to afford them and I had Colton. I just decided I was going to get Colton through school and maybe college if I saved enough money. But when I was a kid I'd dream about getting married." I laugh at my past immaturity. "I would design my own dresses and think about color themes and then after that imagine what I would name my kids and all that. I was that kid."

Will laughs and looks down too. "I was never like that. I just imagined that my toys were alive and all that." I look up and chuckle lightly. "If it came down to it— would you be ready to get married and live here?"

The question shocks me and I pretend to look distracted by something to my right for a few moments.

"Well," I begin. "Yeah I would be. My only holdback would be my mother and Colton, but as much as I hate it Colton needs a real family and his own bed and room. I think he'd do good with my aunt and uncle and I think they would be thrilled to have him live with them. My mother's brother has always offered to look after her and he is now so I think they'd do that too. James told me I needed to think about myself, so I'm trying and that's why I'm here. There's so many things left to do in this world that I've always wanted to do and one of those things is to get married."

I look up and he seemed satisfied with the answer.

"I think you'd like it here." He says with a definite tone.

I spent the next few days wondering what he meant by that.

•••

"Miss! Miss! Autumn!" I hear and wake up in the middle of the dark room. "The palace is under attack! We need to get you to a safe room immediately." Liliana tells me and jerks the covers away from me. I pick up my glasses on instinct and push them to my face in an attempt to see better.

I didn't even have time to speak a word before I was rushed outside my door and lead to an area that used to be part of the wall and now opened into a passageway.

"Where are you going?" I ask them.

"We have somewhere else to go. Now go! We'll be safe don't worry." Amelia tells me and the wall closes back in and hides them from view. I turn around in the dark stairwell and my gaze meets Will's.