Royal 3 (Book three in my Selection Series)

Chapter 51

"Lady Rosalyn, Stop! That is my ride!"

I stand up out of the car and see Princess Tina coming toward North and I with guards carrying bags behind her. I look at North and he seemed just as confused and shocked as I was.

"What?" North says first, making his way to her.

"That is my ride to the airport. I've been foolish this whole time. I've done my best to ignore what has happened between the two of you, but I cannot continue with this engagement when it is so obvious you've never stopped caring for Lady Rosalyn. When I heard she was leaving I knew I had to fix this." Princess Tina says with a sigh.

I didn't say anything. I was shocked and I didn't know what to think of it. North hadn't said anything either.

"I know you're worried about your kingdom's debt, but don't worry about it, you don't have to pay it back. Just think of it as an early engagement present." She continues and looks at me with a smile. "Thank you."

She leans up and kisses him on the cheek, then comes over to me and hugs me unexpectedly.

"I want you both to be happy." The princess says and smiles.

"Thank you." I manage before she replaces me in the car. North approaches her at the door and hugs her once.

"If you ever need anything, write me." He says with a smile. She nods slightly and shuts the door. The car pulls out and around the driveway of the palace and is gone.

"Wait." I say quietly. "What just happened?" Everything happened so quick that I barely had time to process it.

North steps forward without saying anything and kisses me. He wraps his arms back around my waist, exactly where they belonged, and held me tightly to him. I kiss him back, tangling my hands in his hair and pulling away, leaning my forehead against his.

"I love you." He whispers quietly to me. "I never stopped and I never want to."

I smile and hold onto him, relaxing my head onto his shoulder.

"I love you too." I tell him quietly.

"I need to go speak with my parents about what is going on." He says after a moment as if he all of a sudden remembered it. "There's so many rules when it comes to the Selection and I have to figure out the easiest way to restart it. I'll take your stuff up to your room, meet me in the Women's Room. Once I figure something out I'll come and make an announcement."

I nod, still smiling, and let him go. I make my way up the the Women's Room and I see Rho sitting alone. Apparently I looked as happy and giddy as I felt, because she immediately looked funny at me.

"Rose?" She says when I get to her. "What's happened, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Rho exclaims.

"Honestly, I have no idea what just happened. I haven't a clue what I just witnessed but I think it's the best thing that's ever happened to me." I say quickly and relax into the chair.

"Well what is it?" She says excitedly and sits up, excited.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about it. Just give it a moment." I tell her. She seemed as confused as I had been.

It seemed like hours waiting for North to come to the door of the Women's Room and ask permission to come in. When he walks in every girl goes silent.

"I have an announcement to make." He says, hiding a smile. I look over at Rho who sits up with confusion. "Princess Tina has decided to cancel the engagement since the Selection had already gotten so serious. My priorities lie elsewhere. The Selection is restarting and will be ending in Friday."

Each girl seems so excited. They turn to each other, clapping and giggling. Rho looks at me wide eyed.

"Wait, you have to explain everything to me." She says quickly. "Let's go up to my study."

Rho leads me out of the Women's Room and up to her study.

"Last I heard, you were sick and leaving to go home an hour or so ago. Now, Princess Tina is gone and the Selection has restarted and somehow you know about it before anyone else does." Rho plopped down on the window seat and looked at me. "Please explain something."

"Okay so, you were right. I was in the hospital wing and there I begged your brother to let me go home. He agreed, reluctantly, and after we said our goodbyes, I was about to get in the car to leave and Princess Tina runs out and it got very confusing from there. She said that she didn't want to continue with the engagement and the debt between the countries was settled and I don't know she left!" My story jumped around and I talked as fast as a crazy woman, but I think she got the point.

"Rose, you're going to get engaged!" She exclaims and grabs both of my hands in hers. "He already said he would pick you if all of this with Tina hadn't happened, and now it doesn't matter!"

"But What if he changes his mind?" I ask quietly, suddenly feeling scared. "What if he remembers he had to pick a queen, not just a wife? I'm not made to be a queen."

"What makes you say you couldn't be queen?" She asks seriously.

"I don't know how to rule a country. The public seems to hate me, and I've been in prison almost half my life!" I exclaim.

"Rose, you have three days. If you worry about this for three days then you won't enjoy any of this. Just relax and trust North, okay?" She asks me. I begin to nod slowly. "He's probably looking for you, now go."

I leave and find him walking toward my room. Rho had been right. I was given hope that maybe there was a chance for me.