The Selected | ✓

Chapter 14

A/N: Cassiana's dress is above

On Thursday we get the lovely task of taking pictures with the princes. I take pictures with Mason first, and he makes me laugh almost the whole time. My stomach gets a dark, heavy feeling the whole time I wait to take pictures with Alexander.

I'm the last one to go. He wears a black guard-like uniform, with a red sash-thing across his chest, much like the one I have to wear with this weird cream-colored dress. He has these weird gold things on his shoulders, and a sword is strapped to his side. It looks a bit overdone.

"Good afternoon, Lady Cassiana." He adjusts my red sash. "It's a little crooked." He tells me.

"No surprise there." Then, as an afterthought, "...Your Majesty."

He slides an arm around my waist and presses his hand to the small of my back. He pulls me so that we're close together, so close that his hip presses against my side. My heartbeat quickens.

The photographer asks us to look at the camera. I try to focus on the lens- I really do- but I see all of the girls' faces, and all of my insecurities return full-force. Alexander turns me so that my back presses against his chest, his arms resting around my waist. "Just...try to relax." He breathes in my ear. "Act like there's no one else here."

I take a deep, steadying breath and smile for the camera. Then we move to the lounge for more pictures, and I see Mason talking to someone with large hand motions and such. I look at Alexander as if to ask what's happening.

The arm around my waist moves up so that it's positioned just under my ribs, and he slides me closer. He moves his head so that his lips are right next to my ear. "The rebels are attacking a few towns in the east. Our father has put us in charge of the military commands, and it's been working pretty well. I would assume someone else was attacked."

I turn my head slightly to face him. My back is pressed to his side. I catch a glimpse of his face over my shoulder, but my head can't turn back far enough to look him directly in the eye. "They want your opinion on it?"

He nods. "Yes. But I'm almost done, and I'm sure Mason is handling it for me. We usually think along the same lines anyway."

I rest my hand over Alexander's. The photographer takes three more photos, and Alexander says something to me about how he must've taken pictures while we were talking. I'm swept away in a flurry of compliments and colored material.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I don't speak to Alexander for the rest of the week. I hear the other girls giggling about him and ranting and raving about their dates with him, but I almost never see him except at meals. I see Mason daily, almost three times a day- and that's when it's just the two of us.

Thoughts of Alexander bug me, though. I keep thinking back to the girl that he thinks he could possibly fall in love with, the girl that he thinks loves his brother. I think it might be Aquia. I've seen them talking once or twice, and his eyes never leave hers. Usually he's always looking around.

My maids get me ready for the interviews tonight. Once again, Clara's in my room. She goes on about how pretty the dress is and how amazing I'll look, and how both of her brothers will be completely speechless. Apparently, she's seen all of the dresses and mine is her favorite.

I feel a brush run over my eyelids, but I don't argue with it. When the brushes in my hair and on my face stop, Clara squeals happily. "Oh, you must see yourself!" I open my eyes and am struck speechless.

The dress is long, and all black. The top is a tight corset, which then goes into a layered skirt. My nails are black, and there a black lace gloves on my hands, the fingertips cut off. I wear no jewelry. My hair is loose and normal, and my eyes have a smokey black powder around them. I'm so amazed I actually meet my own gaze in my reflection.