The Selection: Third Generation

Ch. 26: Family

Carlisle's POV:

Mom comes in and convinces me to get dressed and join everyone for dinner. The other royal families have all arrived and I need to be a good host. So, I get dressed in my favorite gray suit in an attempt to feel better. I decide to be festive and wear a Christmas tie that is full of reindeer. Father thinks it is a silly thing, but I love it. I do it every year. 

Being clean, rested, and dressed has me feeling much better. My chest is still weighed down on the inside and I have yet to see or speak to Arabella yet, but I am at least going to look nice at dinner.

When I walk in, however, I feel less than prepared. The dining room is packed full of people, but my eyes fall on Arabella immediately. Her long hair falls in curls down her back and she has these pins along her head to resemble a crown. Her long, red dress sparkles in the light and she has done her lips red to match it. She wears a white fur shall across her shoulders for warmth, too. She shifts as she speaks animatedly to the French princess and her leg comes out of the slit up the length of her dress. She looks breathtakingly beautiful, but I do not deserve to see it right now. I gulp and look away, walking to my seat. Along the way, I stop and greet every guest, smiling and welcoming them. It makes me feel better and refocuses me on my effort to look nice and have fun.

Once I take my seat, the mood of the giant family dinner really settles on the room. My sister even sits next to me, which is not at all what I expected. I glance over at her, but she is focused on looking at anything but me. She places her napkin in her lap and fixes her utensils as if they are not already set perfectly. I look back to my own setting.

"Good to see you out of bed, brother," she says snidely.

"I am sorry, sister. For everything. She did not deserve it, and you did not deserve to have to deal with it either." This gets her to look at me, finally.

"So, do you have a plan then?" Her face shows that though she wants to be mad at me, she is having a hard time doing so.

"I think I do, but I need your help." Diana rolls her eyes at me, all ready to get out of doing so. "I will need help picking the ring."

Her green eyes meet mine and she has a huge smile on her face.

"Oh, yes! Finally, Carlisle!" She exclaims, hugging me tightly. I laugh as I hug her back, thankful she is no longer mad at me.

"Oh, stop it now. You're pulling attention to us!" I say, pushing her back into her seat.

Arabella's POV:

I finally take my seat, ready to eat after having a twenty-minute conversation with the French Princess, Daphne. She is so sweet and funny. Her accent, as well as everything else about her, is beautiful and perfect. We clicked immediately, but my hunger takes over my brain now. That is, at least, until I look up from my seat at the royal's table. Diana is hugging her brother who laughs and pushes her off. I smile weakly at the scene, although it hurts my heart a little. The room is full of people and it feels like a giant family dinner. I do not think it has ever been this loud in the dining room since I have been here. If only it weren't for a moment so that I could hear what they are talking about.

Carlisle looks up to see who all was paying attention to their little family moment, and his green eyes stop on me. His smile falls and he mouths "I'm sorry, Ar." from across the room. I shoot him a small smile and mouth "prove it." This lights his face up again and my heart begins to race. He nods and mouths back "I will."

I smile bigger and feel the blush rising to my cheeks. I focus on the food in front of me after that, eating to my heart's content.