The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 18

Aurora placed her instrument in its case and she and her friends stood in a line and held their hands. Together, they all bowed, the applause now taken to a higher level.

"Am I dreaming?" Kate whispered.

"If you are, then I'm stuck in the same dream too," Adelaide whispered back.

"Girls," Aurora said. "We did it!".

"I need a drink," Adelaide said, grabbing a flute of champagne from a waiter who passed. "What? I was so stressed that I thought I would have a heart attack!".

"You were amazing," Eric said, coming towards them with his family.

"Thank you," Aurora said, giving him a quick hug.

Etiquette be damned.

She took his full glass of champagne, amidst his protests, and downed it quickly.

Adelaide was right - she needed to soothe her nerves, and alcohol was the best way to achieve that at that moment.

"I can't help but wonder how good your next gift will be, if this itself was so good," King Edward said, laughing.

Aurora mock glared at him. "I'm still not going to tell you what it is".

"Well, I tried," the King said, sighing.

Aurora laughed slightly.

Elanor and Elodie hugged her legs, and Aurora knelt so that she was eye to eye with them.

"I want to learn the violin too," Elodie said, looking so cute in her dark pink ruffled dress, identical to that of her twin's.

"I'm sure it'll be arranged soon,"  Aurora said, bopping Elodie's nose before standing up once again.

"You played wonderfully, Aurora. For a girl from Kent," Queen Elora added.

Her hopes that had soared high up fell back to the ground, and her expression must have said so.

"No she didn't mean-" Elena began trying to defend her sister.

But Aurora had smiled sweetly and said, "I'm feeling rather tired. I wish to return to my chambers. Please excuse me".

"Aurora-".

She curtsied quickly, and walked with as much dignity as she could out of the ballroom, ignoring the people behind calling names.

Strike three.

A double attack by the twins.

She kicked her silver block heels and marched away, a tear falling out of her eye.

She could see the guards and passing servants give her weird looks, but she didn't care.

She would pack all her things and leave before the night ended. She had enough money now to pay for her higher studies. She didn't need to stay any longer.

She didn't need to keep being hurt so deeply every time she just began becoming normal.

Deep down she knew that what the Queen had said wasn't something mean or cruel - it was slight snide remark, but wasn't one to evoke such hurt in her.

She just didn't know why Queen Elora's words meant so much to her.

She walked quite a bit - the ballroom was a long distance from her chambers.

On her way, she saw the heavily pregnant woman she had once helped stand in the middle of the corridor, her eyes wide with horror.

"What happened, miss? Are you alright?" Aurora asked anxiously, brushing her tears aside.