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A few days had passed and I figured quick enough that Ezra didn't like his mother as much as you would think. If there was any young man I thought would have everything his heart desired it would've been Ezra. Seemed I was completely wrong about that also.
I spend the most time with Theodore's parents. His mother talked to me about her own jewellery and even gave me one of her necklaces. Theodore had been right, his parents are indeed as artistic as he is. Cameron's parents mostly joined my father and Mrs Carter, although Audrey didn't like that very much. Cameron's sister was pure joy. I can't imagine her being in the village during the war, afraid for her life. It breaks my heart when I look at the young woman she is becoming. She deserves so much more than living in the south.
The journalists wanted some images to show during the next newscast and since the Selection was almost on its end we did it with joy. Levi brought us three horses, his eyes a little glassy after guarding for two days.
'Are you feeling alright?' I ask concerned when he hands me Spirit. It had been a long time since I had done horseback riding, my dear horse must have been bored.
'Guarding', he explains quickly.
'Levi, honestly are you fine?' I ask again and hold him by his arm. His eyes narrow mine, not at all the gaze I was used to see. There was nothing of joy or sarcasm, he had changed completely.
'I am, Rosalia', he says before bowing and leaves me behind. I didn't feel good about this situation but had to let go of it when the photographer yelled my name. The families were walking on the grass field nearby the castle while we were about to ride our horses.
'Princess Valentina and Theodore, please take a horse together', he demands them without looking up from his paper.
'Cameron take your sister out of the crowd otherwise we have a girl too short'. Audrey immediately runs towards us when she hears her name, not being able to believe she gets this opportunity. I smile at her shortly before I realise Ezra stands next to me, laying the saddle on my horse.
'Princess Rosalia and Ezra', the photographer mumbles. I look up at Ezra who doesn't give me any glance. In a normal situation he would mock me right now, but his mother was watching him carefully and he knew that.
'Let me help you', he insists when I try to climb my horse.
'I'm able to do that myself', I notice. He looks down at me, gesturing his hand unsure and I take it.
'Please', he begs. I smile at him, proud that he finally has to beg me and we both climb on Spirit before gathering by the others.
'Great. Now walk slowly around the field. Valentina in the middle please!' The photographer yells. My father was nowhere to be seen and the other families watched us in interest. Ezra's mother keeping a distance from the others.
'I thought you had a good relationship with your mother', I notice once we are out of hearing distance. Ezra sighs, taking the reins harsher when our hands touch for a moment. I couldn't feel more uncomfortable at this point.
'What do you care?' he mumbles.
'I do care. I mean you are being mean to me for months. I thought you were spoiled', I say sarcastically but he doesn't think it is funny.
'If someone here is spoiled it must be you'.
'Excuse me?' I say in disbelief.
'Rosa, Ezra, please!' My sister hisses under her breath while trying to smile.
'You may think your father doesn't love you but my mother is worse', he whispers in my ear.
'Then why do you follow her as a slave?' I ask confused.
'Maybe because she is the only one I have left'. I say nothing after that, his tone was cold and filled with despair.
'I'm sorry', I mumble after a while but he doesn't answer anymore. For the rest of the hour we walk around in circles, the photographer never proud of the pictures he had made. We should smile more, we should sit straight. In the end, no one bothered anymore, not even my sister. The families had taken place on a bench under an apple tree, watching us carefully.
'Done!' The photographer finally yells and overlooks the results with one of the journalists. Ezra almost jumps of the horse, gesturing his hand again.
'I'm fine', I assure him but still my legs were soar. He lowers his hand when his mother yells at him and leaves me behind. I pat Spirit for a while, feeling bad about the way I had treated him. But then Cameron and Audrey show up next to my horse.
'Allow me', Cameron gestures his hand and after a sigh I take it, stepping from the horse and I barely feel my legs. I had to lean against him more than I wanted too.
'My legs are soar also', Audrey assures me and we all laugh for a moment until my sister appears behind us.
'Rosalia', she says harsh. I release Cameron quickly, Audrey's laugh fades slowly when I turn to my sister. I take Spirit in a rush when I walk over to her. Her eyes narrowing mine.
'That took long, didn't it?' I ask to ease the tension but she crosses her arms.
'Maybe a little too long', she says annoyed.
'What do you mean?'
'I thought you wanted peace, little sister. Don't act dumb!' She says louder. The parents look in our direction concerned when I take Val by her arm, looking her right in the eyes.
'What is your problem?' I whisper.
'My problem? Honestly Rosalia?' She releases her arm and walks back to the castle, completely alone. I turn to Cameron for a moment, him standing a little awkward next to his sister who looks from me to her brother.
'Is princess Valentina always that short-tempered?' She asks out of nowhere.
'Audrey!' Her mother walks towards us, looking at her daughter in disbelief. All I can do is laugh and luckily Cameron joins me. This young girl had more capacity than anyone would think.
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When I'm in my room someone knocks on my door, not waiting for me to answer. I turn around when I take of my cape coat and watch Valentina walk in. Not sure what the expression on her face meant.
'You wanted to talk right?' She asks calm and I nod. We had agreed on talking more and it seemed that my sister was taking that very serious at this point. She sits down on the end of my bed, keeping her dress from creasing. I sit down next to her after setting a few candles on fire. My bedroom was colder than normal, Jade had forgotten to light the stove. I stare at my sister who looks around in my room, not sure how to start.
'I don't understand what happened', I whisper after a while. The silence was getting uncomfortable, and normally I used to like silence. Val looks up at me, her brown eyes lighting up in the sunlight through the window.
'I've always admired your bravery Rosalia', she says soft. I catch her gaze, not understanding what she is talking about.
'Sometimes you go too far, you may have saved Cameron's life but yours was in danger, especially because you are a princess', she explains when I don't answer.
'And princesses don't fight in wars, I get it', I murmur.
'That is not what I'm saying'. Her gaze turns harsh for a moment but she gets herself together quickly.
'I may be a little harsh sometimes. Elliott and I have characteristic from our father, but not only like all of us do you look like mom, you have her bravery. I will never understand that. Yes, I am scared and so is father'. Val takes my hands in hers, forcing me to look at her.
'You don't want me to fight?' I notice when she looks down at our hands.
'Try to understand us, we lost our mother on that field. We can't lose you too'. Her voice softens with every word, making me aware that she isn't playing a game. This was the truth, it seemed like we never had been this honest before.
'I want to fight, Val. I can't sit aside', I disagree with her.
'Maybe you should try it sometime. We know that this war isn't your fault, you don't have an obligation to fight'. She stands up, walks towards the door and before she turns around, a small grimace appears on her face.
'Why did you safe his life?' She asks curious. It takes me a moment before I realise who she is talking about. I stare at her with open mouth, afraid to tell her the truth.
'He was in danger'. Val laughs at me, heat raising up my cheeks when she sees right through me.
'I mean why his life in particular. He wasn't the only soldier fighting', she reminds me. I sit there completely stunned, asking myself how much she already knew about the situation.
'From the beginning of this I saw the way he looked at you and honestly, for some reason I believe you feel the same as Cameron', she whispers.
'Val, I didn't mean to ...'
'It is fine, Rosa. Honestly. I saw you two today, you deserve to be loved', she says before opening the door and leaving me behind my regret. She had known it even before I realised what was going on. Apparently she didn't only focus on herself.