The Selection

Chapter Fifteen

•Jack's POV•

    All through the Report, Marcus would ask the girls about their stay here and if they've went on a date or have been kissed yet. They all shake their heads on the kiss one. "Geez, Your Majesty, you like to wait, don't you!" I throw my hands up in defeat. "Well excuse me for being a gentleman!"

    Everyone laughs at my reaction. I can feel my father lean over, his grip strong in my shoulder as he presses his fingers on my shoulder. Ouch.

"You're the prince, for God's sake. Start acting like it." I nod and his grip loosens as he settles back in his throne.

   After he interviews all the girls, Marcus notices one is missing. One very important one.

   "I thought there were 24 ladies," he counters.

    I nod. "As all of you know, the rebels recently attacked the palace. Lady Elsa was captured by one of them, and was shot. She was saving her maid Maddox. We owe her and Maddox so much." Marcus wipes away a tear.

   "We're in prayer for her. If you're watching, Lady Elsa, get well soon!"

   Applause rings out through the camera crew and even the ladies themselves. I see Kaya exchange a hasty glance with another Selected.

    I don't have time to see what she mouths to her, though, because Marcus approaches me once again with a question.

"So Prince Jack, what do you think of her? A guard tells us that he saw you two out in the gardens. Wanna tell us about it?"

     I beamed. I couldn't expose my true feelings for her when she was not here. But if she truly was watching, I wanted to show her how I truly felt about her, to tell the whole world how I truly feel about her.

   "Lady Elsa is the perfect thing any person, any man could ask for. She's sweet, when she wants to be, of course." There's a few chuckles, but I continue further once they die down. Wouldn't want her to be mad at me because of my little jokes about her.

   "And she's also highly conservative of others. She puts others before herself. But the best thing about her...the best thing about her is that she doesn't realize just how beautiful she is. She doesn't realize how much I love her presence here. All of these ladies' presences. All of them are charming and beautiful. Any of them would make a wonderful princess, a lovely bride, and a future queen."

    Marcus smiles. "Well said, Your Majesty." Marcus turns to Camera B as it pans over to him and the remaining girls.  "Well, you heard it here, folks! Tune in next week! I'm your host, Marcus Lamáater, signing off!"

   After the Report, I go to Elsa's room. The hospital staff had just moved her there since she requested to be in her room. I obliged, though I made sure that there would be nurses that came to visit her every hour.

    I smirk as she's fast asleep. She looks so peaceful. And she has the cutest little snore! I touch her hand, and she wakes up.

  "Hi." She croaks.

"Hey." Her eyes open fully. "Jack."

  "Hm?" Before I know it, her lips land on my cheek. I smirk.

   Is she hinting...?

    Her eyes flash for a moment, looking into mine before I fully embrace her, clashing my lips onto hers passionately. There, in that lost time, we forgot everything. No Selection, no Illèa, no crown. Just me and her. And God, how I wish it could be that way every day.

   But her heart won't let me in just yet.