Love Shimmers

Chapter 19

Author's note: Sob... Sob... Another chapter and this book will end. though it is short, thank you for you all who had been with this book since the beginning. This book will end in chapter 20... I am planning to make a sequel. I'll most probably tell you about it as soon as chp 20 is out. Thank you so much and happy reading...

This was the time that everyone had been waiting for. Although the next Queen was chosen already but everyone was curious about what the Queens challenges meant. I stood near Undine and my brother. Undine kept on stealing glances at Damien, a fact that only I knew. Maybe that is just how love works, you do not care whether you are happy or not as long as your loved one is, I thought. My attention was brought back when the Queen clapped her hands.

This is it, I thought…

The Queen’s voice rang throughout the massive hall. “Dear honorable guests, I am aware that most of you think that my challenges were peculiar. I will now tell you what it meant. The first test was to test if the princesses would do anything it takes to be the queen. As all of you have known, no matter how fair a princess is walking barefooted will not cause bleedings. The aim of this test was to know which princess will ‘cheat’ in order to pass. No one is born to be a queen! That title must be earned.”

That was strange, I thought. I fervently remembered that I did not bleed or cheat in any way. I should had been disqualified right there and then if the Queen’s words were true. As if reading my mind, the Queen answered my question, “Some of you may wonder why Princess Leticia passed the challenge even though she did not pull out any stunts. The answer to it is that she is unique. She did not approach my son, Damien for answers. Actually, my son had already known all the hidden meaning of the challenges. I did mention that I expect everyone to give all they got to pass the test but I did not mean that flirting with my son is allowed! It was a low blow.”

As the Queen declared her speech, the 8 princesses who failed the test looked down in shame. The Queen did not waste any time and continued with her speech, “Princess Undine, Princess Serafina, Princess Aprilynne and the other 8 princesses passed this test because they succeed in cheating. While Princess Leticia, not only did she refused to hear the answer from my son himself, she also succeded in crushing the red berries in the garden, making her feet looks like they were bleeding.”

Now that the Queen mentioned it, I did remember that Damien had searched for me and offered to give me the answer to the test which I refused. Moreover, I DID step on the red berries when I observed that they were grown in very unique way, like they were creating a path.

“For the second test,” the Queen continued, “I told all of you that I was judging all of your dressing style because as a Queen, you will have a lot of power and riches. However, you must always remember that the money you have are from the taxes that your people pay by working hard. This test was to judge if the princesses knew all this. A Queen must not indulge herself to pleasure and desires. She must always remember that she is the mother of her people! Only 5 princesses passed this test as they did not wear extravagant clothes and those clothes did not shame their royal title.”

Mentally, I had to thank Ashley for bringing me up as I am. I did not like luxurious clothes because they were a hindrance for when I helped Ashley with her tasks. My dressing room was not big because I did not think that I needed that many clothes for I rarely go out from my quarter.

Suddenly, it was Damien’s voice which reached through the crowd. “The third test was actually fashioned by me. I wanted to know if my future bride would be able to carry herself with confidence. It is hard to talk in front of nobles and royals. I will not have my future bride lower her head in front of others. That was why I asked my mother to announce that the last test would be about voice. I don’t want either Princess Undine or Princess Leticia to have the time to prepare. What I needed is a princess who will be able to hold up her head and express herself when the time calls for it.”

I was speechless by the time Damien stepped out of the podium. Before, I had known that all these tests were strange but I had never really thought of the caliber a future queen should have. The Queen was very clever to be able to think of all these tests. The audience was quiet as well as if trying to make out whatever the Queen and Damien had said.

As soon as they got over their shock, all of them applauded and approached Damien and me. Without my notice, Damien had stood beside me. Most of the princesses congratulated me though some of them teased me as well. All in all, everyone was happy.

A party was thrown in three days and the whole castle was busy with preparation. In those three days, Damien and Delvin spent a lot of time with me in the library, teaching me the history and culture of Ecrutia including the number of population and everything I need to know to be their future queen.

Delvin said that he did not want to be the only prince left with no bride and so he wooed Princess Undine and both of them have a relationship. It seemed like Delvin had already aware of Undine’s attraction to his brother and he had successfully mend her broken heart. Now both of them were planning to get married a year after Damien and my wedding.

My heart would still hurt whenever I thought of Damien and my wedding. Sometimes, I would still think of Eric. After all, he was my first love and I did not think that it was so easy to forget it. I would never NOT love Eric just that I would try to devote myself to Damien.

Finally, the preparation of the party had finished and it was a very glamorous party. Since it was an engagement party of Ecrutia’s crown prince. My brother was there as an honored guest and he was also a witness that I was engaged to Damien which mean the peace treaty had been sealed successfully.

In the centre of the ballroom, a white table stood and above it, rested two identical rings which would seal my fate. However, before the engagement ceremony began, the king dictates that everyone must have fun first and have a share of the happiness that would come.

A waltz was played and everyone found their partner and danced elegantly on the dance floor. Tonight, there would be no wallflowers. Everyone would be in the arm of another. The moon was shining brightly tonight. I had lost count of people who congratulated Damien and me. I also did not know how many times I had been dancing be it with Damien, the king or nobles.

Finally, my feet gave up and I took a glass of lemonade and hid myself in the balcony. Fortunately, there were flowers and plants which help in concealing myself. The wind was not so cold tonight. It was just the right temperature for taking a stroll in the garden. However, I could not leave the ballroom for too long time since everyone was curious of their new soon to be crown princess.

Softly, I ran my fingers through the delicately made rail in the balcony. Roses wound themselves around the rail but none of their torn picked me. The wind felt so nice and I felt as if I was blown by the wind, encouraging me to go out and dance in the garden. I shook my head when I replayed my imagination.

Suddenly, I heard a sound from below and I peeked from where that sound came from. My heart skipped a beat when I saw what –or should I say who- made that sound. This scene would be my biggest ‘if only’. If only I had not gone to the balcony, if only I had not peeked and see below then maybe what was going to happen would never happen as the person I saw was…

Eric…

Author's Note: Sorry for i had not uploaded since past weeks. So what do you think will happen? Why was Eric there? What will Leticia do?