The Selection

chapter fourteen

       Today, though a normal day, we are instructed to wear only dark clothing for three days. I head down to the women's room and talk to my friends, when a lady comes in.
        "Good Morning, Vadies, I am Madame Eleanor, and I am a Vedding Dress designer, ze best een ze werld, I believe." She said with strong French accent and a smile. "Ze queen has eensrtucted mua to help Madame Caroline, Madame Aimee, Madame Madison, Madame Chaney, Madame Josie, and Madame Willow design a Vedding dress to keep for yourself. Ze ozers are eliminated, Prince's orders. You may leave now."
         Some of the other girls started crying, but I was very excited. We get to design a 'Vedding Dress' to keep forever! It is a great Idea, and I am also very happy that I made it to the Elite!! It is going a bit fast, but I assume it will go more slowly now. He probably has to Eliminate more so he can have an easier time dating.
         We get to work, and I learn that Willow is a funny girl, with fiery red hair that matches her spirit. Se wants a vintage inspired gown. Josie is a petite girl who came from Midston, and she plans to wear cowgirl boots at her wedding, and a short dress to show them off. Madison, and I both want to keep ours secret, Aimee wants something simple, and Chaney wants a wedding pantsuit, or something very glamorous, which surprises me. We will have our dresses in a week, but we also get to plan a wedding, which the Palace will pay for, regardless if we marry the prince or not. They really want to have a short selection, so the family can deal with everything else, and have a new princess. I think I might be able to win.  
           I head to my room that night, and brainstorm about my wedding dress and my wedding itself. I want an outdoor wedding, with a rustic theme, and lots of pink and white roses, white tulle, and dark wood. And for my wedding dress, well, it will be..... Oh. Somebody just knocked on my door.
         "Come in,"I say, hoping it's Mason. It is!!!!
         "Hello, my darling," he says quietly. "Would you like to go on a date?"
        " Anytime."
        "Now?"
        " Absolutely!" And we left, despite the fact that I was in my pajamas. He takes me to the astronomy center. And we lay there and talk, and drink hot cocoa, and he stops.
       " Caroline, I love you."
       "Really? Already? What did I do?"
       " The way you just let me lay near you, and cry, and be myself after the funeral, well, nobody ever thinks about me like that. Except my mother, when I was little."
       "Well, I love you too. And I always will, Mason. Whoever you choose."
       " You might not have to worry about that too much, darling."
      " Really? Does that mean..."
      "Yes. I don't want the selection to go on anymore. I want to mourn, and I want you to stay by my side through it all. See, I did a test, in the past week, where I asked all six girls who I liked at all to come with me on 5 minutes notice, but you were the only one to just come. All the others made me wait for an hour before we went, so they could make theirselves up, and you, well, you didn't care, just as long as you were with me. Will you marry me, Caroline Pearson?
       " Mason, Yes. But not for a while. I barely know you, and I want to have more of a story to tell our kids. But yes, I will when the time comes."
       "Alright darling. Just tell me when you're ready. You can stop the entire selection process if you just say the word. Now, let's get back to our date."
        And that man told me everything about himself, his family, and his life that night. And I did the same. I am engaged to the Prince of Illea.
      I head back to my room. What the heck! What did I just do? I'm engaged! To Mason! But it's too soon. I think he's rushing it so he can get it over with.This is the best thing to ever happen to me, but I don't know if it's the best choice right now. He's confused, and maybe he is acting on impulse. But I know one thing. I can't be engaged to him, yet. I'll talk to him tomorrow. Maybe this whole thing was a dream. Hopefully. Then I can wake up and work on my wedding plans, an have a real selection. Not a rushed one. I need to talk to my best listener. My mom.