His Choice (The Selection)

Chapter Twenty Seven

Wrote by firerose11

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"EMBER!" Abigail burst through the door, causing Connor to nearly trip over herself.

I reached over to steady her before looking towards my distressed friend.

"What happened to you?" I asked, my eyes feeling like they were going to pop out of my head.  "Don't tell me you made your maids or something."

"I didn't make my maids mad, but someone else is obviously out to get me," Abigail said sarcastically.  "Even my dress for the Report looks this way."

I cringed, knowing that the thrown-up carrots and peas color was not an in color.  "How did they manage to do that without someone noticing?"

She shrugged, a long sigh escaping.  "No idea, but now it's either show up for the Report wearing this or show up wearing my undergarments."

Connor giggled slightly, trying to hide it behind her good hand.  "Best not do that even though it would probably attract some attention.  That might get you kicked out."

Maybra bustled in with a dress only to stop short and stare at Abigail in shock.  "Goodness, what happened to you?"

"A vengeful Selected," she answered simply.  "Got any good ideas besides wearing the hideous dress or going in my underwear?"

She hung up the dress before turning back around to face her.  My maid tapped her foot on the ground, studying the monstrosity that was before her.

"We may be able to remake something in Ember's closet.  You two are about the same size.  What do you think, Ember?"

"That should work," I said, nodding.  "Do you think you can do it in time for the Report?"

"Yes," Maybra replied, "I should be able to.  Now, we have to figure out what color would go the best with your features."

She rifled through the closet, rejecting dress after dress that I thought was fine for Abigail to wear.  Finally, she pulled out a light violet knee-length one.

"Oh," Abigail whispered, "are you sure that's going to fit me?  I'd hate to ruin it only to find out it doesn't work."

Maybra inspected the dress, noting the rippling beading across the bodice and ribbon in the back.  "It'll be fine unless your chest size suddenly increases, or you grow four inches in the next two hours."

I swallowed a laugh at the speed that Abigail snatched it up, following Maybra to see what adjustments needed to be made to the dress.

"She's quite that cheerful one, isn't she?" Connor said, plopping down on one of the chairs and staring at her cast dejected.  "What'd you think of the dress?"

"It'll look good on her, but I almost imagine her in a sunset dress," I replied, laying back on the bed and rolling on my side.  "Splashes of reds, oranges, and yellows.  That's the kind of person she is."

She nodded in agreement.  "Who is she?"

"Abigail?" I asked, waiting until she confirmed the question.  "She's the daughter of a seamstress.  Apparently that's why she was going around looking at everyone's dresses at the beginning of the Selection.  She told me that it made her feel more comfortable."

"Ember," Abigail said, "can I talk to you for a moment?"

I got up and joined her by the door.  She was wrapped in a robe with a strange look on her face.

"Maybra said that my dress was caked in paint, a massive amount of paint.  You think our wonderful other member is the cause behind this?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," I agreed.  "Probably had something to do with the three girls that left too.  Not that anyone would believe us."

She groaned.  "How are we going to survive two weeks  with her in the wilderness?  They won't find our bodies until everyone we know is dead, and we'll be naked and torn apart."

I stifled a laugh.  "Oh, well.  At least, I won't have to deal with Celia again.  That queen's out to get me, no matter what."

"Here's the deal," Abigail told me.  "Since you don't want to deal with Celia, and I would like to go home alive to my family, if Bexley tries to kill us, you can distract her, and I'll run.  That way, you don't have to worry about the queen, and I'll be able to tell everyone how heroic you were."

"That's not cool!" I said, slugging her lightly in the arm.

She stuck her tongue out at me before dancing out of the room.  "See you later, Ember!"

I fell back on my bed and shook my head.  "How much longer do I have before the Report?"

"An hour and a half," Connor replied.  "Why?"

"I'm going to take a nap.  Wake me up before I have to go."

"I hate this dress that my maids stuffed me into," one of the Selected whined to the person ahead of her.  "It itches."

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and wishing that Abigail was standing near me instead at the front of the line.

There was a slight tug on my dress, and I looked down to find Princess Ash standing next to me.

"I saw you kissing Uncle Charie," she said.  "It was supposed to be my princess movie time, but you were kissing him.  It was gross."

My mouth was hanging open.  "How old are you?" I managed at last.

"Almost three," she said proudly.  "Mommy doesn't like you very much.  She wouldn't like you any more if she found out you were kissing Uncle Charie."

"I won't tell if you won't tell," I said.

Ash hummed, rocking on her heels.  "I don't know.  If you and Charie let me choose a movie that both of you have to watch entirely, I won't tell Mommy or Daddy.  For now."

"Ash, there you are!" Celia scooped up the toddler.  "Go find Daddy and tell him that I'll be there in a moment."

She kissed her cheek before setting her back down.  Then the queen's sharp gaze turned to me.

"I hope you realize that making friends with my daughter isn't going to help you," she hissed quietly.  "Especially considering that I found another letter."

"They're not mine," I whispered back.  "I don't know what game you're playing, but you won't win.  Not even with your little minion can help you win.

"Unless you are willing to form a truce, we have nothing left to say to you.  I wish you all the luck in the world, Queen Celia."

I turned with a swish of my skirt and left Celia standing there, mouth open.

"Hello, Illea.  These Selected have been through quite the Selection so far.  However, the competition is going to get even more heated," Miller said, smiling towards the cameras as the rest of us sat stiffly in our seats.

"The remaining young women will be heading for the mountains for the next two weeks.  It will make for some great drama.  Let's hear some of the Selected's opinions about the next two weeks."

I leaned back in my seat and ignored the girls gushing over the competition.

They weren't my fiercest competition though.  The two I had to watch for were sitting with the royal family and in the row in front of me.

And they were both going to eat their words.