Chosen- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 8

I dropped the teapot, and thank goodness it was almost empty because the tea drenched the tablecloth. People began to stare, and I flushed from the attention. I could hardly handle the stars of Danielle, much less the high class society of Illèa.

"Please don't say a word," I begged.

"Why would I? You're my cousin," she said, offering me a smile of reassurance.

Suddenly, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders. "It feels so good to have somebody know," I sighed as I picked up the broken china on the table from the teapot I broke.

"Who all knows?" She asked.

"Maxon, America, Marlee Woodwork, and my brother," I replied. "I have to go take care of this," I said, excusing myself.

I walked away without giving Danielle another chance to speak. I went up the palace steps and I to the kitchen, discarding the broken china into the waste bin. I washed my hands to get rid of all the sticky tea.

"Lia?"

I turned around and saw Landon standing there with his cheeky smile painted on his face. "What're you doing back 'ere?" He asked.

"Oh, I just broke a teapot. No big deal," I said, shrugging it off.

"It's kinda a deal," he contradicted.

"Landon, they have hundreds of teapots. I think they can spare one," I laughed as I scrubbed my hands.

"Hey, Lia, look," Landon called behind me. I turned around, but only to have a flour bomb thrown at my face.

"Landon!" I shrieked. Nobody was in the kitchen, thank God, because then they would see me to be coated with flour. "I have to go back outside," I complained.

"Not anymore," he smirked mischievously. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. Last time this happened, I got kidnapped.

"Put me down!" I cried. I couldn't tell if he was actually trying to take me or just joking around. "Landon, please, put me down."

He sat me down on the ground, but I wouldn't meet his eyes. "Lia, I'm sorry. I was just trying to have a bit of fun. Did I hurt you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I said p shaking my head.

"Alright then. Then we can talk about this," he laughed, throwing another fistful of flour at me.

"You're a terrible person," I rolled my eyes. I sneakily grabbed the coffee pot behind my back, and when he doubled over in laughter, I dumped the rest of the coffee contents on his head.

I giggled while the coffee ran down his face. "Aye,you want to play dirty, then?" He said with a smirk. I didn't have time to think before he grabbed a different coffee pot and dumped it on my head.

I had taken the cap off, so it darkened my blonde hair. It was now a caramel color, darker than it was before. It got the flour wet on my shirt, causing the dry powder to clump up.

He chased me around the island in the kitchen, and I grabbed a salt shaker and screwed off the top. I sprinkled the salt in his air, and he must have gotten some in his mouth because he had a look of disgust on his face.

"You owe me for that one, Lia," he said grabbing a nearby egg.

"No, no, no, no," I repeated as I backed away. I was one step closer to becoming a coffee cake! He backed me into a corner , pinning me there with one arm on each side.

"I'm going to give you a choice," he smiled slowly. "One kiss, or the egg."

I contemplated his words. I should take the egg, but I really didn't want it. I also wasn't sure how it would affect the dye in my hair, and the last thing I needed was for another person to burden my identity on. I also didn't need to kiss him. I may have wanted to, but I wasn't sure if that was just m loneliness talking.

I kissed his mouth sweetly. His plush lips were soft against mine, and I could tell he was surprised I went with the kiss. I took his distraction as an opportunity to take his hand that was holding the egg to smash it on Landon's head.

"You tricker!" He gasped. I backed away laughing as the runny yolk fell down his head.

I tried running from him, but he eventually caught up to me. He encircled his arms around my waist and hoisted me into the air. I laughed the whole time he spun me around, until someone interrupted us, that is.

"What exactly is going on here?" A masculine voice demanded from the door.

I couldn't see because Landon was still holding me in the air. "I'm sorry, your majesty," he said seriously. He put me down, and I saw Aaron standing in the doorframe with an angry expression on his face.

"Highness," he corrected acidly. "Miss Lia, I didn't expect this from you. Aren't you supposed to be in the gardens?"

"Yes, your highness," I said with a disgraceful bow of my head. "I'll clean up and go back out there."

"Don't bother. I'll tell my mother how you couldn't make it," and with that, he left the kitchen.

"Lia, I'm so sorry," Landon said apologetically.

"I'm at fault as much as you are," I smiled pitifully. "I have to go," I said softly. I kissed his cheek in a friendly way and escaped to my room, careful to avoid any unwanted attention.

I got in my little shower and wiped out the coffee from my hair, replacing the smell with lavender. I cleaned off the sticky liquid, and when I was done, I out my dress in a hamper to wash later.

I was going to the music room.

I was careful not to be looked at when I discreetly made my way to the music room. I opened the door and closed it softly behind me, turning the lock that could be opened if you really tried. Not a great place to hide during a rebel attack.

I took off my cap and took a seat at the piano. I played a c major scale two octaves, just to get my hands warmed up. Then, I cleared my throat for the real song.

I pressed down on the keys as if they were made of glass, but they produced a powerful sound. I sang like nobody could ever hear me, and tears flowed from my eyes. I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to be separated form Aaron, much less like this.

It got up to the point when I couldn't continue. I was at the very end when my crying cut off the song. "Leave your lover," I cried, while sobbing shamelessly. I couldn't even say the last part of the song, I was so intensely heartbroken.

I let my arms fall of the keys, creating a dismal noise. I sat there for what seemed like hours contemplating how this even happened. How did I go from being a polite, reserved, and polished two to being a lowly servant at the beck and call of the man I loved?

I let the dark thoughts consume my head with only an echo of silence to comfort me.