His Choice (The Selection)

Chapter Twenty Two

Wrote by firerose11 

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 Dinner with Charles. Days ago, I would have been thrilled, but now with the Bexley incident and Queen Celia's threat hanging over my head, I could only feel dread.

Maybra sensed the tension in the room as she applied my makeup for the date. Wisely, she said nothing, though I felt her thoughts vibrating through the room as she applied my light blue eyeshadow.

"I found it!" Connor's voice called, her voice muffled by the wardrobe.

She emerged with a triumphant grin on her face. Clutched in her hands was a flowing dress that started with a dark indigo at the neckline before fading to a sky blue at the hem.

Maybra finished with the eyeshadow before hurrying over to take the dress from the other's grasp. "Connor, can you see if you can find the necklace we talked about?"

After she had left the room, my maid's gaze returned to me. Laying the dress on the bed, she planted her fists firmly on her hips.

"Lady Ember," she scolded, "you must make up your mind about what you want. If you want the prince, you have to fight for him and stop letting Bexley get to you."

I sighed and rose from the chair, ignoring her as I yanked on the dress. It fell to mid-calf, and the tulle layers swirled like ocean waves.

"I appreciate the advice," I said at last, "but as long as the royal family sees me as a liar and a troublemaker, I have no desire to marry into the family."

Connor returned with a beautiful sapphire necklace, and my silent maids had just finished putting the last touches on my outfit including silvery heels when the knock came.

Connor rushed to open the door, tripping over what seemed like nothing, and hitting the wall with a sickening crunch. She cried out in pain, and Maybra hurried to her side.

Feeling horrible even though it wasn't my fault, I joined them on the floor. Connor winced as the other felt the already-swelling left arm and bit back another cry, tears forming on her lashes.

The door opened, and Charles's frame filled the entrance. He took in the scene quickly.

"I guess dinner's delayed," he simply stated before vanishing.

Angry at his inconsideration, I found myself adding one more fault to the growing list of problems I had with the prince.

I kicked off my heels and helped Maybra lift Connor from the floor, careful not to jostle her arm too much.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Ember," she whimpered as our entourage started down the hallway. "I can't do anything right. I blotched being your maid, and now I have ruined your dinner with the prince."

We reached the medical wing where the doctor was already waiting for us, and when I saw Charles behind him, I realized where he had disappeared to.

Begrudgingly, I removed inconsiderate from the list of horrible traits.

Connor was helped into a bed, and my schooling began to take over as I assisted the doctor in setting what was confirmed to be a broken radius.

My dress was dirty by the end, the sun had long since vanished, and my stomach growled in protest of missing dinner, but Connor had fallen asleep, aided by medication given to her.

"Thank you, Lady Ember," Maybra said. "I realize that Connor has not been the best maid, but you didn't have to help."

I met her eyes, seeing the unspoken apology. "She's just as important as anyone else. I could not leave her any more to suffer than I could leave Lily to do the same."

She smiled. "You have healing hands. Even if you don't become a princess, you will do a lot of good in others' lives."

As she left the infirmary, I stared at my hands, wondering if she was indeed right. I hadn't wanted to become a doctor and knew for sure that if my dad had his way, I would never actually practice.

However, maybe that's what I'd do if I didn't win the Selection. My family wouldn't approve, but when had I truly cared about approval?

Lily was right. I did need to raise hell. Maybe not here in the palace, though I was on my way to doing exactly that, but at home where I had only rebelled in little ways over the years.

It was time to change from what others wanted me to be to what I wanted to be. If it got me kicked out of the Selection, oh well, I had basically been told that Queen Celia was going to make sure that happened anyway.

If my dad threw me out of the house, I would make sure that I would never look back. The way to do that was to make sure the few people I cared about deeply were the only ones to benefit from my Selection.

Smile forming on my face, I glanced around to make sure that Charles was still occupied before silently slipping out.

After all, if a girl was going to raise hell, she needed to write some letters to do. Cause rebellions don't grow with only one person in their ranks.  

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Isn't this chapter great? I love it! I want to thank you all for sticking with me and firerose11 as we transition from writers. The story is going to change a little in direction but I think the new direction is much better than before!

-Finnchellove 

Disclaimer: Neither of us own The Selection. That would belong to Miss Kiera Cass!