The Crowns Choice

❦ Chapter Twelve : Atlas ❦

The morning after the first round of eliminations, the palace had a different feel to it. The air was thick with a mixture of relief and tension—relief for those of us who had made it through, tension for what was to come. As I walked through the halls, I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift back to the princess.

Princess Charlotte Starling. She was nothing like I'd expected, and I'd spent more time than I cared to admit trying to figure her out. On the surface, she was all poise and control, the perfect royal. But there was something beneath that exterior—a sharpness, a spark of defiance that intrigued me.

When I first met her, I'd gone in with the usual confidence. I knew how to handle people, how to charm my way through most situations. But Charlotte... She was different. She didn't fall for the usual tricks. She met my banter with a cool gaze that made me feel like I was the one being evaluated, not the other way around.

I had expected someone who was more of a puppet, a figurehead groomed for the throne without much thought of her own. But Charlotte was anything but that. She was sharp, and her eyes held a depth that made me think there was more going on behind the scenes than she let on. She had a way of looking at you like she was peeling back layers, trying to see what was underneath.

As I made my way to the common room, I couldn't help but replay our conversations in my mind. The way she'd rolled her eyes at my cocky remarks, the slight twitch of her lips when I'd pushed a little too far. It was like she was constantly trying to keep her guard up, but there was something in her that couldn't resist the challenge I presented.

And that was the thing—I wasn't just intrigued by her because she was a princess. I was intrigued because she didn't make things easy. She didn't fall for my usual lines, and she didn't let me off the hook. It was a game, sure, but one that felt like it had real stakes. The more I got to know her, the more I realised that I wasn't just here to win The Crowns Choice—I was here to figure out who Charlotte Starling really was.

There was a moment during our last conversation that stuck with me. I'd made some throwaway comment about charm and wit, and she'd countered with that serious look of hers, reminding me that this wasn't just a game. It was easy to forget that sometimes, I was caught up in the banter and the competition. But she didn't let me forget. She reminded me that there was more at play here—more than just winning her over or outmanoeuvring the other guys.

And then there was the nickname—Princess Charming. I'd called her that half-jokingly, expecting her to brush it off or maybe even be annoyed. But she didn't. She'd met my gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly, and there had been something in her expression that told me she wasn't entirely opposed to the title. It was like she recognized the game we were playing, even if she wasn't willing to admit it outright.

I found myself wanting to peel back more of those layers, to see what else she was hiding beneath that polished exterior. What did she really think about this whole Selection process? Did she resent being paraded around like some kind of prize, or was there a part of her that understood the necessity of it all? And why did she let someone like Jasper, with his cold, calculated demeanour, stay in the competition? There were questions I wanted answers to, and I was determined to find them.

As I reached the common room, I spotted Jasper leaning against a wall, his eyes scanning the room like he was sizing up everyone around him. The guy was all strategy, no heart—exactly the kind of person Charlotte should be wary of. And yet, he was still here. That made me wonder if she was playing her own game, keeping him around for reasons only she understood.

I settled into a chair, my mind still turning over thoughts of Charlotte. I wasn't used to being so caught up in someone else's motivations, but there was something about her that wouldn't let me rest. Maybe it was the challenge, or maybe it was the fact that she wasn't like anyone I'd met before. She was a puzzle, and I'd always loved puzzles.

The other guys filtered into the room, and I forced myself to focus on the present. I had to stay sharp, keep my own strategies in play. But even as I joined in the conversations, laughed at the right moments, and made sure to keep up appearances, my thoughts kept drifting back to her.

I had a feeling this wasn't just about winning The Crowns Choice anymore. It was about figuring out who Princess Charlotte really was—and maybe, if I played my cards right, getting her to let me in.

As the morning wore on, I watched the interactions between the other guys and Charlotte with a keen eye. Oliver, with his easy-going charm, seemed to get along well with her, their conversation light and flowing. Sebastian was more composed, offering thoughtful comments that seemed to make Charlotte pause and consider him in a different light. But there was still that guardedness, that wall she kept firmly in place no matter who she was talking to.

And then there was Jasper. Watching their conversation was like watching a chess match. He was careful with his words, calculated, always seeming to weigh the potential impact of everything he said. But Charlotte, to her credit, didn't give him an inch. She kept her responses measured, her expressions neutral. It was like she knew exactly what he was doing and wasn't going to let him get away with it.

I was impressed, honestly. It was one thing to see Charlotte handle me, with all my playful banter and attempts to push her buttons. But seeing her navigate Jasper's strategy with the same level of control and precision? That was something else entirely.

It made me wonder if she saw through all of us—if she knew exactly what each of us was trying to do and was just playing along until she decided it was time to reveal her hand. It was a sobering thought, one that made me realise just how out of my depth I might be. But it also made the challenge that much more enticing.

As the day drew on, I found myself pulled into more conversations with the other guys, each one trying to suss out where the others stood. The dynamic was shifting, alliances forming and breaking as we all tried to navigate this strange competition. But no matter how many conversations I had, no matter how much I tried to focus on the game at hand, my thoughts kept circling back to Charlotte.

I knew I needed to keep my head in the game, to stay focused on what I was here to do. But the more time I spent around her, the more I realised that this wasn't just about winning anymore. It was about understanding her, seeing if there was more to this than just a title and a crown.

And maybe, just maybe, figuring out if there was a way to win not just The Crowns Choice, but her trust as well.