The Non British Princess

Part 2

I made my way past the room where Isla lay on the carpet, eyes intently fixed on the game in front of her, not realizing I walked past. I climb the carpeted stairs and get to my room, which I use my hand scan to unlock the door. The lock system was well designed, and benefited me so my sisters couldn't get in easily.

I pulled up my phone screen and did a quick Google search on Prince Thomas. I had seen the Prince before, but never really looked closely at his appearance. Short brown, chocolate colored hair. Mesmerizing green eyes and broad shoulders. I wondered if he was born to be handsome? Because I don't think I've seen an ugly royal before.
I always thought Prince Thomas would marry a princess from some French island or a famous duchess who was perfectly regal. It was an interesting choice to pick a lottery's worth of girls at random.

I remembered that most of my friends would be entering too, flicking a video chat up onto the tv that was hooked up to the wall in my room. Abbey, one of my school friends, came up on the screen almost immediately, answering within two seconds.
Michaela came up next, picking up in the first minute. Ruby's face popped up not a second later.

"Are you guys signing up?" I asked eagerly, giving my friends a curious look.

A chorus of, "Yes." "Of course." And "Yep." Followed my question. Michaela seemed giddy, like she was already falling for the guy, chatting him up like she'd me him before. Ruby and Abbey seemed more relaxed, like they wanted to visit England and enjoy the opportunity. I didn't know how to feel about it all, but it certainly would be a fun experience.

"My parents insist on entering my name only a few thousand times." Abbey says with an eye roll, and I see by her face she wasn't too keen about it. Ruby laughed and Mim giggled along too.

"Anyway," Abbey says with an eye roll, changing topic as she reached down to pick something up, "I got a new iMove today, my parents way of thanking me for letting them enter me."
Abbey brought into view her shiny new device, the latest one of its kind. She unclasped the hook and pulled the poles apart to expand the screen. It reflected off a blue glow as it displayed a clear image of the search engine.

"Woah! That's cool." Ruby said, admiring the new gadget.

"Yeah, I'm totally coming over to try it soon." I say and Abbey gives me a smile and a knowing nod.

"Well, why don't you all come over now and we can watch the game?" Abbey suggests and gives a hopeful smile.

"Sounds like a plan." I say and the others agree with excitement.

✿✿✿

After a week there was a live announcement from the royals, Queen Kate opening the talk with a greeting.

"Good Morning Citizens of the Commonwealth. We'd like to thank the many girls who have applied to be in the draw to come to England to meet my son. Know that entries are still open for the next 7 days so you still have a chance." I admired the queen, she looked regal and beautiful, a stunning, deep blue gown flowed down and kissed the floor. She had an arrangement of jewels in her hair, dotting the spaces between her braid crown.

I was watching my iMove screen intently and listening through my airpods as I walked slow as not to trip over. The chill of the early morning air didn't seem to bother me.

"And now my son would like to say a few words." Queen Kate stepped aside and Prince Thomas stepped into the frame. He was dressed in a freshly starched cream colored suit and his hair was neatly slicked back.

He cleared his throat and stared down the lens of the camera as he began to speak. I suddenly felt my throat go dry as I felt like he was looking directly at me. His eyes were intense and bright as he talked, "I am looking forward to getting to know the young ladies who will be coming to the palace very soon. It will be an honor to meet you all. I am astounded by the great number of you who have entered and I am very thankful to know you want to better the future of our country. Good luck, and tune in next week to find out who the lucky 20 will be. Thank you."

The announcement finished and the screen cut off to some other news. But what still lingered in my mind was Prince Thomas, his voice and his suit. Everything about him was etched in my memory now.

I rounded the corner as I pulled up the news, the top few articles all catching my eye.

Prince Thomas caught with girl days before the choosing of the girls!
The Prince's scandalous love affair with French Princess!
Is the Royal family hiding something from us about there connection with the French?

Suddenly something hard crashed into me and I looked up to see I had ran into a lady carrying several bags of groceries. I was totally distracted, "I'm so sorry." I apologize quickly and bend down to help pick up the few items that have slipped out of her bags. She looks at me, but doesn't say anything, like she feels sorry for me but also annoyed at the same time.

Once the lady gathered her things she quickly scurried away, seeming eager to distance herself from me. I close the panels of my iMove until it clicks into place as a long tube, then press a button so it tucks away to fit into my pocket.

I suddenly felt antsy, wanting the girls names to be read today. I impatiently wanted the week to disappear so that those 20 names could be read right this moment. I felt a buzz on my wrist from a notification.

I double tapped to receive the incoming call and Elizabeth's figure came projected in a tiny hologram above my watch.

"Issy, Isla's sick again. Could you go by the store and pick up some medication? Dads caught up at work." She asked, and I could see her sad expression and panicked hand gestures.

"Of course. Give me ten minutes."

✿✿✿

Isla lay still in her bed, the only noise I had heard from her in the past half an hour being groans of discomfort. Her forehead looked red and hot, but what I couldn't figure out was how she got sick between this morning and now. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow, her sniffles coming every few seconds.

This has happened before, Isla's sudden sickness and dizzying spells, but it was timed randomly. The doctor when we had visited in the past assured that she would grow out of this sickness faze as she get older, but he didn't know how long that would take.

I had got the medical kit and placed it down careful on Isla's bedside table. I removed the small device that I had seen mum use before and moved beside my sister. I opened her mouth slightly and sat the cool, metal device on her tongue. The small stick added 3 orange lights until it turned green with a small ping.
I took the meter from her mouth and looked as it loaded a few numbers onto the screen. Elizabeth, who had just entered and stood beside me snatched the stick from my hands.

"You don't know what you're doing with that." El said, seeming quite annoyed and giving me a pointed look, "Leave Isla to rest."

She didn't say anything else so I simply obeyed and left the room quietly.
I flicked the hover board from the ground with the edge of my shoe that was sitting in the hall and stepped on it quickly to get to my room. I balanced myself with my arms out as I whipped around the corner and up to the third floor.

Getting to my room I jumped off the board and sat in my cushioned desk chair. I switched my laptop on and started scrolling through my Instagram feed. But it was hard to focus on anything when all I could think about was the thought of the Prince.
I drifted off into a sleep, thoughts of the royal family still clouding my mind.