Royal 3 (Book three in my Selection Series)

Chapter 47

The next week and a half goes by slower than anything I'd ever felt. I hadn't heard anything from any of the royalty on what was going on in China, and I was too scared to ask.

I sat in the Women's Room late the night before they were supposed to be home and the queen walks in alone, shaking. Everyone sits up a little straighter and shares whispers between each other. I sit on a sectional couch with a few other selected that I'd barely talked to, including Bailee.

"I have some very important news." The queen breathed quietly. "North has spent a lot of time with the princess of China during his stay and had decided to propose to her, meaning the Selection has been canceled."

Every girl seems to freeze in place. I wonder if he'd actually fallen in love with the princess, or if it would just be bad publicity to say he did it to escape debt.

"I'm very sorry to each and every one of you." The queen says softly, her eyes falling on me and not moving. My heart seems to break. Somehow it hadn't seemed completely real until just now and it caused tears to gather under my eyes. I look away from the queen as my face begins to look flushed. "North has decided that each of the remaining selected should be allowed to stay until the wedding which will be held a week from tomorrow."

They wanted us to stay? They wanted us to watch North get married?

"You are each going to be allowed to notify your families of the situation immediately with one of our phones." The queen tells us. "There is a phone you are allowed to use in the back."

A few girls immediately go to the back. A few cry, some are solemn, but I sit alone on the couch until everyone leaves but the queen. I knew she wouldn't leave until we all called, but I didn't want her to hear our conversation.

"Your majesty, I don't know Emily's number. I don't know where she is staying." I tell her once every other girl had left.

"Here." She says and enters the number on the phone. I wasn't sure exactly how she knew the number so well , but I didn't  question it. I pick up the phone and wait for it to stop ringing.

"Hello?" It was Emily. I immediately want to cry when I hear her voice and I wasn't even sure why.

"Emily?" I ask to give myself more time to recover. "It's me, Rose."

"Rose, what's wrong?" She asks immediately. "Are you crying?" I wasn't sure if the queen could hear what Emily was saying, but I hoped not.

"No, I'm fine." I lie. "I'm just letting you know that the Selection is over and North is getting married. The final selected are allowed to stay for the wedding." My throat becomes tight and my hand shakes.

"I'm so sorry." She says softly.

"I just wanted to say that I will be on my wake back this time next week. I'll figure out a living situation for us before then so don't worry." I tell her.

"Okay." Emily says sympathetically. "I'll see you then alright?" I was sure she could tell that I was having trouble talking and didn't want to make a fool of myself.

"Alright. Bye." I say quietly.

"Bye, Rose." She responds before I hang up the phone. I sit there for another moment with my eyes closed before standing up and making my way out of the room. The queen stops me, but both of us were at a loss for words.

"Are you alright, Lady Rosalyn?" She asks me tenderly. I felt like I couldn't lie to her.

"I will be. One day." I tell her, but I wasn't for sure myself.

"I'm so sorry." She says and comes forward, hugging me. It was so unprofessional and something I never had expected, but it was so comforting. "I thought letting you stay here was helping to pay you back or something for everything I couldn't protect you from. In the end, you're just hurt."

"It's okay." I tell her and she pulls away.

"It doesn't seem like it." She says quietly and shakes her head. "Go get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day for all of us."

The queen leaves, and I leave not long after her. I make my way up to my room that night and sit on my bed alone. I didn't know where my maids were, but I figured they heard the news and weren't interested in watching me break down.

There was a soft knock at my door and I tell them to come in. It was Bailee. I hadn't talked to her much, but she seemed very nice.

"Would you like to watch something?" She asks me and nods to the TV. I was confused for a moment. "I thought maybe you wouldn't want to be alone and I sure don't. If I'm alone I'll stay up all night feeling sorry for myself."

I don't say anything for a minute, because I didn't know why she wanted to be with me. She had closer friends.

"All of the other girls are crying around like it will make a difference. I just want to forget about it." She shrugs. I could tell Bailee had loved him too, even if hadn't been the same.

"Me too." I tell her. "If you want to change first, you can. I probably will, too."

She smiles, even if she was sad. "Sounds good to me."

I change into pajamas and she comes in with similar clothes from home, not the nightgowns we'd been given here.

"I don't want to watch him with her." I say quietly as the TV plays on. We both sit surrounded in pillows on my bed.

"Me neither." She agrees. "Especially at their wedding. I was never under the illusion that I would be the one at the end of this, but I thought he'd at least end up with someone who loved him and he loved. They can't love each other, they just can't. It's only been a week and a half."

"I know. Maybe tomorrow we can stay together so we don't have to talk to anybody." I suggest. She smiles at the thought.

"I like that idea." Bailee says, almost happily. After a few minutes though, her smile fades and tears seem to want to set in.

"We're gonna be okay." I tell her and reach out, grabbing her hand. "We are going to be okay."