The Russian Selection

Chapter 9

That night I told Dimitri all about Adrian and my relationship with him. How we met, how he started to go crazy, and how he broke my heart.

Dimitri stayed silent the entire time but listened to everything I had to say. He wiped away my tears and hugged me and kissed me when it was over.

"Ambassador Ivashkov arrived yesterday, Rose." Dimitri said making me cringe. If Nathan Ivashkov was here that only meant that Adrian was here as well.

In the morning, Dimitri had to leave for meetings and told me that I had to stay in bed until the doctor cleared me.

Dr. Olendzki finally cleared me that afternoon but instructed that I take it easy. The first I did once she left was change into my running clothes and snuck down to the gym to get a workout in.

I haven't been able to workout in a long time so it was nice to finally get back into the groove of things. Mason ended up joining me after I finished running and we lifted weights together and just talked.

He said that he was worried about me after my fall and felt like he failed. I told him that it was ridiculous, he wasn't even on guard. I feel like whenever I get hurt, he takes it personally.

"I thought the doc told you to take it easy?" He said as I finished bench pressing. I just gave him a big smile and rolled my eyes.

"Since when do I ever listen and follow the rules?" Mason laughed and we finished up our workout. He walked me back to my room and told me that he would be back to be on guard.

Before I walked into my room I quickly called out to him. "Hey Mason, do you think you could do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it Rose?" Mason asked as he walked back towards me.

"I need some books from the library for my project," I started to ask. "Do you think that you could go and grab them for me?"

"Of course." Mason said with a little bow. "Anything you need Princess." He gave me a smirk and a wink before I walked back into my room.

Mia helped me shower and didn't say anything about my workout, which I was thankful for. It was usually Jill who would scold me for breaking the rules.

Once I slipped on a simple day dress, I thought it would be appropriate for me to go down to the Women's Room.

When I got down there, all the other Selected were there and gathered around each other.

"Oh Rose," Natalie said once I walked in. "Good, you're here! Come here," She said coming to grab my hand and pull me towards the other girls. "They released another article about us."

Once I was seated, Sonya started to read;

It has been several months since the Selection started and the race has been narrowed down. The Palace was once filled with 25 beautiful, eligible Princesses, and now only 6 remain; Princess Natalie Dashkov (20), Princess Camille Conta (18), Princess Sonya Karp (19), Princess Avery Lazar (18), Princess Natasha Ozera (20), and finally Princess Rose Hathaway (19).

There hasn't been an elimination in quiet a long time, so all of Russia asks the Prince, when will our new Princess be chosen.

In our last poll, it was Princess Rose who was in the lead. She still remains the public's favorite, especially with her appearances at local schools, but Princess Natasha in right behind her.

Other then her beautiful looks, Princess Natasha does have an edge on everyone else; Russia and Norway are very strong allies. It seemed like it wasn't that long ago when our beloved Princess Anastasia, Prince Dimitri's aunt, married Norway's Prince Andrew, Princess Natasha's uncle.