The Addition

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I think I need to have another elimination," Eadlyn says after dinner.

Eadlyn keeps blurting out ideas, "Or we need to have an event. What do you think?"

"I think you should have a few more dates," I suggest. "Oh, and you should wear this dress!" I show her a sketch from her own sketchbook, which I've been looking through.

"I don't know..." She looks down at the drawing. "Isn't it a little showy?" We're looking down at a purple ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and lavender colored, satin flowers covering the bodice and cascading down to the floor.

"No, of course not!" I disagree, "It's perfect, especially if you're going with a special someone." I wink at her and she blushes and turns away.

"And who might that be?" she giggles.

"I don't know," I say, resting my chin in my hand, flipping through more designs. "You tell me."

She shakes her head. "I don't know, I still have time to figure it out."

"Don't be rushed. You can't hurry love."

~

The next morning after breakfast, I get a knock at my bedroom door. I open it and see Kaden standing in the hallway, a goofy smile plastered on his face, in his usual outfit but without a tie and with the top button of his shirt undone.

"Would you care to accompany me to the gardens, my lady?"

I smile and grab his hand. "I'd love to."

We walk out into the sunny day, a floral scent in the air. We walk around for a bit, but then he pulls me out onto the grass, taking off his shoes and socks and rolling up his pants.

"What are you doing?"

"Well if you're going to be living here, you're going to be doing more dancing, so I thought I might give you a real lesson."

I take off my own shoes, joining him on the grass. "Are you saying I'm a bad dancer?" I tease.

He runs his hand through his hair, knowing he's been caught. "No, you were great, love. Who says I don't just want another excuse to dance with you?"

I smile and I take his hand. He then places his hand securely on my waist and I place my arm on his shoulder, wrapping my hand around his neck. He then leads me through a dance, showing how to move my feet in time with the music, even though there isn't any outside. He twirls me around, making my dress fan out.

"Now you're ready." He says when I finally dance gracefully without stepping on his feet.

"Well I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

"You could never embarrass me, Elle."

"Is that a challenge?" I bring my face close to his so we're only inches apart.

He laughs slightly. "I can't imagine what you'd do if you were actually trying to embarrass me."

"No one wants to see that."

A moment later, we hear to clicking of cameras, and we both whip around, looking for the source. We see Eadlyn and Kile coming out of the palace, and cameras surrounding them. Thankfully, Kaden and I are a little further back into the garden, hidden by trees and shrubbery, so we escape into the side door, getting away unnoticed.