The Reign

Chapter 19

Amberly walked up to Jacen's door, and pounded a smooth knock. The door opened, and Jacen stood there. He motioned for her to come in, and as she did, she marveled at the smooth wood paneling around the room and the dark wood bed. The door to the bathroom was cracked open, and Amberly saw a white marble bath and a matching white marble shower.  Amberly was busy looking around and admiring all of the items in Jacen' room when he snapped her back to reality.

"So? What do you have to say?" Jacen said in a cold voice. Amberly was startled, used to the warm and inviting tone that he usually spoke with.

Amberly held her head high and spoke in an even voice. "I do not regret anything I said or did. You broke your promise about me being the only one who mattered. So I acted accordingly. Whereas most girls would begin crying immediately and run away, I held my ground. I waited until I was out of your sight."

"Well said." Jacen said. "But will it be enough to keep you in the competition?" He was now circling Amberly keeping her attention on him. "You broke something inside me yesterday. You yelled in my face. You assaulted the Crown Prince of Illea. You may be a Selected now, but you are still a commoner. Just because I will marry a commoner doesn't mean it will be just any commoner. The very best will win. None of this assaulting the prince and expecting to stay. With any other girl, I would send them home in a second. In the blink of an eye, they would be in a car being whisked to the airport on their way home. But you are a special case. You have opened up to me, and I, in turn, to you. We have spent countless nights together, and little by little, I have whittled down the competition. With only 5 girls left, people expect me to make my decision in the next few months, weeks even. I turned away Kimberly, Nikki, and Kelly and I was buying my time because I though it would be you. But, it appears I was wrong. I can send you home and move on to the top 4. The Elite. But, with 5, I have a tough decision ahead. What do you think?"

"I think you give me a second chance!" Amberly blurted out. "I messed up, ok? But if you give me a second chance to prove myself, and I, knowing the circumstances, will work to get back on top."

"But how do you know you are even still a contender?" Jacen questioned. "I could be asking questions to get you to talk. I could then send you home. How do you know I won't do that?"

"Because A: You are a prince and that wouldn't be right, B: You would have sent me home long before now if you were, and C: Why would you ask me why you wouldn't send me home if you were?"

"Again, well said." Jacen said. "I have made my decision. Please leave. I will not be seeing you again..."