The Prince (A KOTLC Selection Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

"Keefe."

Who dares awaken me from my slumber? Jensi and Errol's voices don't sound like this. 

I grumble, turning away from the voice.

"Keeeeefe," someone shakes me, "Keefie, get up!"

No one in the palace calls me Keefie. 

I mumble something between a "fwah" and a "mmhgh." I can hear the mysterious person opening my windows.

"Keefe, if you don't wake up right now, I'll freeze your hair off!"

I bolt upwards, staring at the figure. I only knew one Freezer. I blink a few times, and the blurry image finally resolves into the dark-skinned face of my best friend, aside from Fitzy.

"Lena!" I shout, wrapping her in a hug. She makes a small "eep" noise, her hands growing cold as she wriggles away. 

"How'd you even get here, anyways?" I frown at her, and she grins.

"One of your Selected brought me here. Kinda short, blonde hair with a small braid, ice blue eyes?" Lena shrugs, "She's nice, looks hella similar to you. Similar personalities too. Are you sure she's not your sister?"

"Oh, that's Marella, and she is not." I smile at Lena, pulling myself to my feet. 

It's been around a month since the Selection started, and my relationships with the girls are pretty good so far. I've dismissed a few, but that's only because there are other girls who pique my interest.

After getting changed, I walk with Lena. I sling an arm around her shoulders, and Lena tries to whack me with a mini-pie that she stole from the kitchens, but her hand is suddenly stopped.

Fitz is ahead of us, using his telekinesis to stop Lena's hand. He walks up to Lena, grabbing the pie and eating it. 

If a thief steals from another thief, does that cancel out the thievery? Ah well, the evidence has been eaten, so it doesn't matter.

I lead us to the Women's Room, where all the Selected are gathered. I tousle my hair, stepping to the front of the room.

"Ladiiiies!" I call, getting everyone's attention, "This annoying person right here is Lady Helena Foxfire, but you can call her Lena."

Lena jokingly punches me on the shoulder, using the other hand to wave to the assembled girls with a smile. I frown, looking over them and quickly doing a head count. 

I had dismissed around 10 girls so far, so why were there only 24 people here? Someone must be in their room or the library or something. Who would willingly miss lunch?

I talk with some of the girls, asking them if they knew if anyone had left. Finally, after so many jokes and winks, somebody tells me that a girl went to the library. 

I stroll to the library, opening the doors with a loud "WHOOSH." My gaze travels around to see a black-haired girl look up from her book, fixing me with a dark-blue-eyed stare. 

I quickly rack my memory, and figure that this is Cilan Valren. She honestly seemed a little more intimidating, less open than the other girls.

But she still seems oh-so-interesting, so I won't dismiss her just yet. I want to learn more about her before I let her go. She's the type of girl where it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet her.

I hesitantly approach, sitting in the chair opposite her.

"What book is that?" I ask, lowering my voice. Because we're in a library.

Cilan closes it showing me the cover. It looks like it's some sort of poetry book.

"Cool." 

Obviously I've had to study literature when I had school, but I haven't voluntarily read recently. And poetry was a no-go for me, so I can't converse about it.

I stare at her as she reads for a few minutes, before Cilan speaks. Her voice is smooth and low and slightly melodic. She'd be good at singing, I think.

"So, why are you here?" She brushes some hair behind her ear.

"Well, I need to get to know all of my Selected." I shrug, "Also, you're different than the others."

"In what way?" Cilan sets down her book, crosses her arms over her chest.

"Well," I clear my throat, "You honestly don't seem too interested in the Selection. You're not as open as the other girls."

"But I still intrigue you." She voices it as a statement, and I nod.

"So tell me, why did you enter? And what's stopping you from just asking me to dismiss you?" I feel so mature with all these long questions.

Cilan pauses in thought, then answers. "Well, you seem pretty okay."

"Pretty okay-" I choke on my own indignation, and Cilan continues.

"I mean, you're moderately smart, you look relatively attractive, and you're the prince. Even if I don't win, my social and economic status will undoubtedly rise, since I was a Selected. I'll get good job opportunities." Cilan shrugs.

"Huh." I barely understood that. "So you're telling me you did this, not out of love or anything, but through a levelheaded decision?"

Quite pragmatic of her. The mystery continues. 

"Yes, Keefe, while you may not be able to make a competent decision, I certainly can."

It takes a second to register, and then I'm snickering from the subtle roasting. I turn so I can lay on my stomach more comfortably, then point at Cilan. "I like you. You're a smartass, but in a good way."

Cilan rolls her eyes good-naturedly, then replies dryly, "That's what I aspire to be."

We stay like that for a while longer, just talking to each other. Cilan's smart, she's got good advice, and I could easily see her as my friend someday. Or maybe my therapist.

Before I leave, Cilan grabs my arm. "Keefe," she murmurs, "I'm going to be honest."

I sit back down, deciding to listen. Cilan sighs.

"Even through our conversation, you've shown me facets of your personality—bright gems that manage to make me smile." Her lips curve up, "But I know that's not all of you. There's deeper parts of yourself that I don't think I'm willing to look for."

Ah, not willing to put in the effort of exploring my deep and clearly complex personality.

"So what are you saying?" I ask quietly, but I already know the answer.

"I don't think we would be good in a relationship." She shrugs, "Sorry."

I put a hand on her shoulder, ignoring the rush of confusion that I get from her. "Don't ever be sorry for being yourself, Cilan. And I feel the same way. I think we would be better off as friends." I pull her into a hug which she, surprisingly, obliges to.

Then I pull back, standing a little way away from her. "You can leave whenever you want. No hard feelings."

"I think I'll leave sometime in the early morning. But can I come to your wedding?" She gives me a smirk, and I laugh, nodding.

I leave the library feeling pretty satisfied, but I still feel like I still need to do something. Even though I don't. Weird.

I'm about to turn the corner and leave, but someone bumps into me, grabbing my hand.

"Oh, Keefie," Stina smiles menacingly, "I was looking for you!"

~~~~~~~~~ AUTHOR'S NOTE ~~~~~~~~~

So Lena finally came, Cilan was pretty nice, she and Keefe parted on good terms. But what do you think Stina's doing? 

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!