Break My Heart a Thousand Times (The Selection Series Story)

Chapter VIII: "One More Happy Ending?"

Chapter Eight

The Palace wasn't the same without the late Queen Kriss. As I passed the staircase leading to the Royal Chambers with Valleree, Lady Veronikka, and Lady Keahnna, the black curtain was draped over the picture of Queen Kriss and King Maxon. Valleree buried her head in her hands mourning silently since she wasn't one that cried openly, but Ladies Veronikka and Keahnna started to cry. Lady Veronikka cried softly and quietly, trying to be silent, immediately wiping her tears when they fell. Lady Keahnna started to sob, openly and desperately.

It wasn't until later when Valleree offered me a tissue when I realized I was crying. I didn't care about my maid's duties, where I had to clean, or how proper I had to be, I would've rather spent my time consoling my friends. Valleree stopped and sulked for a while before helping Lady Keahnna up when she started to cry a river and Lady Veronikka apologized at least sixty times before returning back to normal.

Kriss' family had left the morning of and requested that she be buried in her family gravesite, and hold their own memorial service.

The Palace was gloomy as King Maxon returned. He looked broken, his stare unfocused. His eyes were glazed over and he wouldn't respond to anyone except a few of his advisors, including Lady Veronikka. She was the only one who could get a response out of him, with her soft tone and soothing words. Valleree also talked with him later, along with Lady Keahna. I felt something stirring in my stomach as I watched Lady Keahna and King Maxon talk. I frowned and clenched my fists when I saw King Maxon smile for the first time because of her, and then caught myself. I shook my head, turning away from the pair, and tried to convince myself that I didn't care about King Maxon's life.

And as I rocked his baby son back and forth in my arms (no one had come to take him yet, and I didn't want them to), I wished with all my heart that that was true.

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[] FIVE MONTHS LATER []

I felt honored when Lady Keahna had pleaded with me to stop calling her 'Lady' all the time, saying it made her feel old. Lady Veronikka hadn't mentioned anything like that, but she was still so busy nowadays that I assumed she didn't really acknowledge me calling her a lady.

Valleree returned to her normal state, her usual sarcastic (yet humorous) personality, as well as Lady Veronikka, who was still busy as ever.

King Maxon had returned to his normal occupied self, but a piece of him seemed to be missing. He was now a bachelor, and he was quite young for a widowed king. And because of this, Princesses from all over the world visited the Palace and requested an audience with King Maxon.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, he turned them all down politely.

Queen Amberly, although she was still very sick, hated to see her son like this and often asked close friends to come over to see if it would suit his preferences more. It was the same as the Princess situation.

Instead, the 30-year-old spent all the time in the world with his son, the young Prince Chase. King Maxon took his son all over the Palace. At the breakfast table on his lap, in the Royal Gardens, down in the kitchens to steal some sweets, and even in the music room to play un-toned tunes with him.

I missed my own daughter greatly, and seeing Chase and Maxon together made me want her with me again even more.

I had absent of Adelynne for over six months now, and I longed even more to see her. Yet, I still needed permission for her to be with me in the Palace, even if it was just for two days.