The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 11

"Come," Eric said, leading her to the third floor of the palace.

They'd got quite a few weird looks from the servants and guards thanks to their chocolate smeared faces, but they were too intent in their own conversations to notice them.

"Are you sure?" Aurora asked, tugging his hand. "It's kind of restricted for me".

Eric rolled his eyes. "I'm the Crown Prince of Illea. I think I have some power on who comes to my home and who doesn't".

"Home?".

"Yes home. Where did you think we lived?" he asked.

"Um..." Aurora said, trying to give a witty answer.

"That's why this floor is restricted," he explained.

"Oh," she said.

He pushed open one door, and said, "Welcome to my sister's room".

Aurora stared, her feet glued to the ground, unable to move. It was ten times as large as her own chambers, with a large four poster bed in the middle. There were four adjoining rooms, and there was a balcony which faced the same gazebo she had sat in a while back.

But what caught her attention were the paintings on the walls.

Not an inch of the light purple walls were empty.

There were hundreds of paintings of girls of varying ages, with a variety of features. She could see a few that looked like an exact female version of Eric, and a few that looked like older versions of Elanor and Elodie.

Whether the girl was plump or skinny, blonde or dark haired, she always had brown eyes.

"This is father's work," she heard Eric say from behind her, as she ran her fingers on the paintings. "He says this is the only way he can stay sane. He's been painting Ella for as long as I can remember".

"They're beautiful," Aurora said, the artist in her marveling at the detailing in every painting.

"He comes here and paints the walls almost every day. He paints Ella in all ways he can imagine, of all ages, having the features of every member of the family," Eric said. "That's his way of dealing with it. Mother found her own way to cope - each year on our birthday, she buys new dresses for Ella. That entire room is filled with such clothes and jewelry, of every color and material".

Aurora turned back and saw a tear fall out of his eyes.

She rested her hand on his shoulder. 

"You'll find her soon," she said, looking at his tear filled blue eyes. "She'll be in this palace, teasing you, and playing with the twins very soon. And, she's going to have a lot to say about the girl you Select in the end".

Eric gave out a watery chuckle, and was about to answer when they heard a voice call out his name.

They turned behind and saw Queen Elora standing at the door.

Aurora immediately went stiff.

"Queen Elora," she said, curtsying swiftly. She looked at Eric and said, "I'll see you later, Your Highness".

She walked out of the room, carefully avoiding any contact with the Queen.

She could hear someone call her name, but she didn't turn back.

Memories of what Elora had said to her were now fresher than ever - No manners, no etiquette, no beauty.

***

As soon as Aurora entered the chambers, she was greeted by twelve enthusiastic women - three mentors, three participants and six maids. Adelaide's team too seemed to have camped in her chambers.