Selected: Part 2 - Flowers with Thorns

6. THE AFFAIR

BACK IN MY ROOM, I was greeted by Grace and Piper, both seeming relieved to see me. "My lady, we're so glad you're okay." Piper held me in her arms. "We heard what happened. I can't imagine how you must be feeling. Let's get you cleaned up." Grace led me to the lavender filled bath she had drew for me, and I willingly got in, anxious to rub the blood off my skin. I felt like it would never come off. "Where's Maya?" I looked around, concerned. "Please, Lady Luna, she requested to take the rest of the day off, if it's not an issue. She's... a little indisposed after this terrible attack." My eyes widened. "Is she hurt? Oh, please tell me she isn't hurt!" Grace continued. "I assure you, she was in a safe-room with all the staff; she is fine. I'm afraid I don't feel comfortable speaking in Maya's place about this particular issue, though, forgive me." I sunk down into the bath. "Of course." I dropped the subject, my mind already too full.

Even though I hadn't even had dinner yet, I changed into my nightgown. I felt comforted by this, and more relaxed after my bath. They delivered dinner to my room, as promised, and I spent the rest of the night alone with my maids, trying to distract myself from everything. I didn't sleep so well that night, as I had the cold sensation of metal on the skin of my neck. I tossed and turned, thinking that a man was killed to save me today, and wondering why that bothered me at all.

After breakfast, we were all convoked to the parlor. All of us selected girls sat quietly, as Prince Ethan prepared himself to speak to us. I sat next to Gwen, but we didn't speak, instead quietly supported each other. "Good morning ladies, I hope you are all well. This has been the third rebel attack we've had to endure during the Selection, one having been the week following the announcement of it." The girls all looked around the room, no doubt wondering if anyone had known about that one. "We've lost two of you precious ladies because of this, and I... I worry for your safety." Prince Ethan ducked his head, seeming ashamed, but was quickly corrected by his father. "I suppose I have made it clear that you may leave at any time if you feel unsafe in the palace. Please know that I would never want to put any of you in danger." He cleared his throat. "Because of this, I plan on narrowing this competition down to the Elite in no more than two months." The girls gasped, surprised by this news. I clutched my hands together, suppressing my nerves. For awhile now, there hadn't been any eliminations, and I'm pretty sure all of us had a pretty good chance with Prince Ethan. No one knew how long the Selection would last, but having it narrowed to Elite meant it was getting more and more serious.

Ethan seemed to fidget with his hands too, as he took a breath. "Now that all of that is settled, I have a more sensitive matter to discuss with you all." He was interrupted by the King. "I know all of you were made aware that you belong to this palace and your only relationship for the duration of the Selection is with the crowned prince of Illéa." The Kings voice boomed menacingly. I froze, like many of the other girls, not knowing or daring to answer. Only Evelyn, in a mouse-like voice, agreed with the King, though the answer was obvious. "Well, apparently on of you did not care to follow this rule." The King continued, seeming infuriated. "Let this be a warning to all of you, the traitor got the punishment that would have been awaiting her, had she been discovered before." The prince, seeming sad, tried to explain. "As I suppose you all know, Paisley Briar was shot by a rebel yesterday, and did not survive. Through her unfortunate death, it was made public that she had been having an affair with one of our guard. He is... awaiting trial. I know this is a stressful time, please know we are doing everything we can." Prince Ethan finished, as I tried to process everything.

"Due to this unexpected revelation, a thorough background check will be done on each of you. Safety is now our priority and I hope none of you have anything to hide." The King concluded. A few girls shifted in their seats, perhaps almost as mortified as I was. They would not find anything under the name Luna Atwood, and I would be sent home for lying to get here, after coming so far. I would never get to see Ethan again. Now that I was getting to know him, now that I was getting so attached, I just had so much more to lose. I cried it off in my room, and attempted to wipe away yet another awful day from my mind. Not being able to stand the solitude anymore, I joined Gwen in her room. She was with Agatha, and we sat all together.

"How did they find out, about Paisley, I mean?" I asked them, hoping one of them would know the answer. "It's actually a really sad story. Being a Five, I've seen my share of hardship, but this? This was too cruel..." Agatha started. "One of my maids is friendly with a guard who was there when it all happened." She explained. "And... I had been friends with Paisley. We had bonded over our shared caste. Being so close to her... I knew she didn't love the prince, but I had never asked her about it. Maybe I should've, but that's beside the point." I didn't know Agatha, but I felt a tinge of sadness as she seemed on the verge of tears, Gwen rubbing her back gently. "Paisley had just been... sitting near a window on the first floor, reading a book. A few guards were posted nearby, and I suspected she was sitting there to be close to the one she liked. Though, a rebel passed by, disguised as just another guard, and shot her, just like that." Agatha choked back a sob.

Gwen stopped her. "Hey...Agatha, hey, it's okay, you can stop." Agatha shook her head. "No, you should hear the full story." She took a breath. "Paisley fell to the ground, and with her followed a nearby guard, a real one. Officer Ivan had indeed been standing guard next to her, and when she was shot, he immediately fell to his knees to hold her in his arms. Ivan screamed and screamed, positively beside himself, or so I've heard. He shot the rebel so many times, it was clearly something more personal. He told Paisley he loved her, and she said it back, and they kissed. She passed shortly after." I held back my own tears, moved by her story. "Three other officers witnessed the scene, and one of them notified the King of their relationship. When confronted, Officer Ivan didn't deny anything, so he was put in jail. Personally, I think it's cruel. Ivan just lost the love of his life and now he's to be punished for loving her, even though she's gone? I don't get it." Agatha dropped her arms, seeming exasperated, her green eyes wide and tearful.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I told Agatha, finding that those were the only words I was able to say. I agreed with her, in a way, but I felt conflicted about the situation as a whole. I wondered if Paisley had a family, back in Yukon, and if they knew yet what had happened to their beloved daughter. Her passing was not commemorated publicly, as Alice's had, but privately, in the palace, no doubt because of the scandal that had accompanied her tragic fate. At the ceremony, all that was left of her was a small picture of the brown-haired, blue-eyed girl who had been in love with the with the wrong person, in the most inconvenient of times. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the love story she never got to live, and for the broken-hearted boy she left behind.