Summer Camp

Chapter Sixty Eight

  I'm sorry if I seem uninterested
Or I'm not listenin' or I'm indifferent
Truly, I ain't got no business here
But since my friends are here
I just came to kick it but really
I would rather be at home all by myself not in this room
With people who don't even care about my well-being
I don't dance, don't ask, I don't need a boyfriend
So you can go back, please enjoy your party
I'll be here, somewhere in the corner under clouds of marijuana
With this boy who's hollering I can hardly hear
Over this music I don't listen to and I don't wanna get with you
So tell my friends that I'll be over here

~Here, Alessia Cara

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** Alex's POV **

 "We will now be taking our first break," said the King, "This is the last chance to talk to Alexandria before she makes her final decision." The King took a break and looked at me thoughtfully. "There will be appetizers waiting in the banquet room. And anyone who wants to talk to Alexandria can wait here." 

The King reached up and turned his microphone off. He turned to me, looking me up and down once again.

"I will see you soon," he said, grinning once again, "And please remember to make the correct decision, remember what I told you." He left me, leaving with the rest of the huge crowd. I thought about what he said about my sister, and started to cry. I sunk to the ground all alone. 

"Alex," said James' voice. I instantly shot up, pulling myself together. I tried to stop the tears, but some still leaked out.

"James," I said.

"Can we talk," he asked.

"Sure," I said, wipping my face. He took my arm and led me over to Jace and Cayla who were sitting by each other, whispering.

"Hello Alexandria," said Jace nodding at me. Cayla stood and gave me a hug quickly, before sitting back down. James sat, so I turned a chair around to face them. 

"Hi," I said. We were all quiet for a minute until Jace started talking. 

"We have to thank you for saying yes to the offer," he said, "It is a big sacrifice."

"What do you mean," I asked, I didn't understand anything that was happening, but I knew that it was huge.

"You didn't tell her," said Jace, looking at Jace, "You didn't explain what she was doing." He seemed to fill with rage instantly.

"I couldn't," said James.

"What didn't you tell me," I asked, looking at James.

"I couldn't," James said to Jace, "If she knew that she wouldn't have come this far!"

"W-why," I asked, tears falling down my face once again, "What's going to happen to me!?

"That doesn't make it okay," growled Jace. He stood, like he was about to tackle James. Cayla quickly grabbed Jace's arm, pulling him back down into his seat.

"Later," she told him, but she looked angry at James too.

"Tell me what is happening to me," I demanded.

Everyone was silent.

"Now," I screamed. Jace and James both flinched and looked at each other.

"The offer isn't something small," said Jace, sympathetically.

"I realized that," I told him.

"No," said Cayla, "It's huge, it's kind of like a wedding, but once you say yes you can't undo it without the King, there's no divorces."

The two men looked confused at the analogy that Cayla used, but I understood.

"So I'm marrying the King," I asked, my heart beating so hard that  thought it would break out of my chest.

"No," said Cayla, "Not exactly."

"Then what is it," I asked.

"It's a promise," said Jace, "To the King. It means that you will be loyal to him and that you will be his. It's a bond physical and emotional. Once you accept, you cannot unaccept, you will be stuck with him until one of you die, or he doesn't want you anymore."

I stared at the skirt of my dress for a long time, letting Jace's words sink in.

"What if I say no," I asked, quietly.

James and Jace shared a glance, "A lot could happen," Jace finally said, "The King could torture you or kill you. He could kill your friends and family, hurt the people you love. Saying no would cause you lots of pain, saying no it's something that you want to do if you value your friends, and want to live."

"So I'm stuck," I said, standing up angrily. I kicked over the chair that I had been sitting in and screamed. "I don't have a choice do I?"

"Of course you have a choice," said Cayla, "You always have a choice, but now you are just choosing the lesser of two evils."

"Why are you here," I asked suddenly, "I know James tried to convince me to say yes to the King's offer, but what does this offer you. What do you get out of my misery?"

Cayla put her hand on my arm, trying to sooth me. 

"We need your help," whispered Jace, "If you get close to the King, you could help us."

"How does that help me," I ask.

"We're trying to get the girls back to the overland," said Jace, "and our group."

That shut me up, I opened my mouth and shut it again. 

"Do you have anyway to make this happen?"

Jace calculated his words carefully, "We need more information, and that's why we need you."

"And how do we contact each other," I ask.

"The King knows that you and James are friends, you can get the King to let James in," said Cayla, "We'd sent Jace, but that didn't work well last time."

I ignored Cayla's last sentence, and thought about what they were saying.

"Please thing about it," said Cayla.

"I kind of have to," I told her, watching the King walk towards me, "It's happening pretty soon." Cayla grimaced, and gave me another look of sympathy.

"Good luck."