The Royal

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17

The next morning was Saturday, and the only thing Paxton could think to say was thank god. Kira, her roommate, left yesterday morning when Kian made his cuts, missing the Halloween ball by a day. The poor thing was in tears as Paxton recalled, but thankfully, as Kira confessed, she had not gotten very close to the prince.

Paxton was to go as the night sky. Her maids Phoebe and Eloise insisted on it, mentioning something about past Selections. Originally, she was to go as a wave (that was her own idea), but Finley, being from a seaside town herself, snatched that up quicker than you could say "Lucille's being naughty".

Sunlight streamed through the room as Emily bounced in, clad in her black and white maids outfit. Her hair was half-up-half-down, unlike her usual bun, so Paxton knew she was excited.

"Miss! I was about to wake you up but I see you've done that for me!" She giggle, then disappeared in to the bathroom to prepare for Paxton's dressing. Phoebe and Eloise came in a minute later chattering like the starlings outside. Their tone was in a hushed whisper, and Paxton could only catch a few words, "destroyed", "Nicole", and "Tonight's Ball".

She stretched her arms and yawned. If Kira hadn't been sent home, she would have been sitting in bed, already dressed, reading a book. Paxton felt suddenly lonely. It was so weird, not sharing a room with someone.

Eloise clapped her hands. "Let's go! Paxton, I want Emily to do your hair now. Emily! A bun!" The jumped into action, and Paxton was whisked into the bathroom where Emily promptly started to pull on her hair.

"I'm sorry miss! It just gets so...knotted!"

Paxton, bored, started to test different facial expressions in the mirror.

The next morning was Saturday, and the only thing Paxton could think to say was thank god. Kira, her roommate, left yesterday morning when Kian made his cuts, missing the Halloween ball by a day. The poor thing was in tears as Paxton recalled, but thankfully, as Kira confessed, she had not gotten very close to the prince.

Paxton was to go as the night sky. Her maids Phoebe and Eloise insisted on it, mentioning something about past Selections. Originally, she was to go as a wave (that was her own idea), but Finley, being from a seaside town herself, snatched that up quicker than you could say "Lucille's being naughty".

Sunlight streamed through the room as Emily bounced in, clad in her black and white maids outfit. Her hair was half-up-half-down, unlike her usual bun, so Paxton knew she was excited.

"Miss! I was about to wake you up but I see you've done that for me!" She giggle, then disappeared in to the bathroom to prepare for Paxton's dressing. Phoebe and Eloise came in a minute later chattering like the starlings outside. Their tone was in a hushed whisper, and Paxton could only catch a few words, "destroyed", "Nicolette", and "Tonight's Ball".

She stretched her arms and yawned. If Kira hadn't been sent home, she would have been sitting in bed, already dressed, reading a book. Paxton felt suddenly lonely. It was so weird, not sharing a room with someone.

Eloise clapped her hands. "Let's go! Paxton, I want Emily to do your hair now. Emily! A bun!" The jumped into action, and Paxton was whisked into the bathroom where Emily promptly started to pull on her hair.

"I'm sorry miss! It just gets so...knotted!"

Paxton, bored, started to test different facial expressions in the mirror. When she was finished getting ready, she headed down to the Women's Room, mostly in order to get out of her maids way. She also hoped she might accidentally run into Kian on the way there. As she turned the corner, her heart sank. Kian and Lanie were briskly walking in the other direction, up the stairs to level three. Level three. The Selected were not allowed to go up there without security checks and an invitation from a direct royal. Why was Kian letting Calanthe go? As the pair stepped past her, Lanie's shoes echoing as they hit the stone steps, Paxton caught her eye.