ROYAL DUTY

18.Another level!?

Natalia went through the motions after the almost kiss in ghost mode. She wasn't sure what it meant. She knew what she hoped it meant. But assuming anything felt like a mistake.

She walked into the breakfast hall in that mode. Pretended to listen to Pauline as she gushed about EVERYTHING. The only thing that woke her up was the sight of Tyren in the breakfast hall after a long time. He wore his usual dark clothes and looked more prim and formal than he had that morning. She couldn't look at him without thinking about what had almost happened, and what might happen tomorrow during their training.

 will he kiss me? will he ignore it? will he apologize for it?

Tyren had enough honor to apologize for almost compromising her. But she didn't need his apology. She wanted his kiss. She wanted Him.

Her mind was of full questions and uncertainties. it made her head hurt and her appetite non-existent.

She picked at her food, frowning discontentedly because, as usual, since Tyren had entered that room, he hadn't spared her a single glance. She knew it because she hadn't stopped looking at him.

"You are thinking about what I am thinking, right?" Pauline nudged her, making Natalia shift her gaze from Tyren to her.

"What are you talking about?" she hoped it didn't sound as harsh to Pauline as it did to her. Her patience was just on the shortest fuse at that particular moment.

 But Pauline didn't seem to notice and answered her in her ever-cheerful voice. "You know.... that Prince Tyren being here today means the dates must be over. It has been a week already. Do you think he will announce the results today?"

Thanks to her almost-kiss stupor, she had forgotten about the quests and the contest.

Could their almost kiss mean that she had already passed this test? or Could he in his integrity, eliminate her just because she hadn't ranked as high as she needed to? Was it possible that she hadn't done as well as the others on the dates?

But, He had called her beautiful. The most beautiful girl he had ever seen. That counted for something, right?

While Natalia's thoughts were going wild (trying to decipher Tyren's intentions). Hammond was inviting Tyren to the dais to announce the results. Looking as unbothered as ever, he eliminated five other girls, who were sent to the Imperial entertainment section, to serve as matrons. While She, Esmeralda, Pauline, Marilia, Franchesca, and other girls she didn't really know were all safe.

Natalia was relieved. She was happy with the fact that her little circle remained intact for yet another level in this contest. But she wasn't ecstatic either. Something about Franchesca of Hallard, made her feel unnerved and insecure. And it wasn't because Tyren favored her or anything. He didn't give any of them any sort of special attention when they were in public.

But unlike the other girls, Franchesca had something that told you she deserved and got everything she wanted in life and this situation won't be an exception

"The next quest will be a question-and-answer session, which will be held this evening. The emperor, the empress and I will be the judges, ranking the answers of each contestant. The results will be announced in the same event and the elimination will take place immediately after. Good luck preparing".

Now the last thing on her mind was a kiss that hadn't even happened. Her mind was focused on the next quest.

*****

The rest of the day went in a haze of nerves and anxiety. Every girl was anxious about what the questions could be about. Some like Esmeralda and Pauline had gone to the library. While others, who were friends huddled in groups discussing possible questions.