Kerttu's Selection

Amberly's Story - Chapter 18

Falling in love? How did that happen? And how could I not have noticed? "When?" was the first thing I could say aloud.

Even just thinking of her brought a smile onto Berry's face. "I was walking to get some water at night. My stomach was sort of rumbling."

Amberly's POV

The stress of my forehead began to release as I struck the melancholy keys.

It was weird with all the boys here. Johan and I thought so. You couldn't walk the halls without some obnoxious manly chuckles and useless competitions. I had my money on Shaan, Johan was still undecided, and Calix on Jakob just because he was funny. Shaan and her made sense. They were both a little crazy, a little wild, and ready for love. Well, at least Kerttu was. Hopefully Shaan was too.

I was in the old Women's Room which had turned into a music room. It had fantastic acoustics. I found myself singing an old tune that Grandma had taught me. She was a prior five and singing was her job. I hoped one day, it could be mine.

A sudden crash was heard behind me, causing me to swivel in my chair. It was one of Kerttu's suitors. Berry. Mom and I had quizzed Kerttu for weeks to get their names right, us memorizing them along the way.

I immediately helped him to reassemble the now disassembled drum kit. His blonde hair was cropped once he had gotten to the Palace. It was different than his original picture.

"Trust me," He said, his voice smooth and powerful. "I'm not usually this clumsy."

"I believe you," I replied, my voice unusually high pitched. Strangers make me nervous. Never going outside the palace walls, not being the queen or first heir, you don't talk to many people besides family and diplomats. And that was all very different than strangers. Who knew what their background was?

"Where'd you learn to play piano?" He asked, placing the last cymbal on the drum cautiously. Anymore noise and a guard would probably come with a gun in his hands.

"My Grandma. Then some tutors," I said. I didn't really feel like talking. I just wanted to play my music in peace.

"They did an amazing job. You are very good," he complimented. Everything he said sounded very genuine, like good leather.

"Thank you," I replied. I waved goodbye then sat back on the piano, melting into the music. It was a piece that made me imagine scenery, a huge allotment of grass. I was lost in the grass, trying to survive in the meadow, plummeting to the bottom of a lake. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe. Then I was flying, soaring, higher than them all. I played the last final notes, finally relaxing in the bench, back on the ground.

I heard a slow clap behind me. He was still there.

Kerttu's POV

"Then after that, just everytime I saw her, at dinner or something, she would smile and I just knew. Then yesterday, she got me a present and I kissed her on the cheek," he finished, that look still on his face.

"Are you going to ask her out?" I over eagerly asked.

His smile faded. "You're not mad?"

"Of course not! Now how are we going to do this?"

"Do what?" he replied. "I figured I would be caned by now."

"Don't be crazy," I scolded. "I'll talk to Amberly. You talk to Amberly. We all talk together. And then we convince our parents not to kill us."

"Thank you so much, Your Highness." He bowed, sinking lower than I have ever seen. "Thank you for the chance to make this work."

"Get off the floor and stop making a fool of yourself." We shared a smile and I was so happy. Berry wasn't the one for me but he was the one for my sister. Maybe. There's nothing better than that.

**Does Amberly like Berry as much he does her? Will that work out? How will their parents react?**

**Town hall meeting questions. Were they valid?**