A/N: ugh, I meant to write this forever ago, but I got caught up making plans for the next Selection ;) but I finished this finally! Hope you like it!
I start packing as soon as I get back to my room. Or, well, it’s not really my room anymore, is it? I don’t have very many things, but I pack up the few clothes I brought with me from Clermont. I’m a little upset Haiden didn’t really give me any warning that I was going home, but like I’ve told everyone else, he never really gave any sort of impression of my standing in the competition, so I don’t know why I would’ve thought he’d come to me to talk about it now.
Suddenly I hear footsteps running down the hallway, but they slow to a stop in front of my door. I frown at the door, wondering who would’ve run all the way over to my door and not just come in. The footsteps pick up again, and they sound like they’re pacing back and forth in front of the door.
Finally, a hesitant knock sounds on the door. I walk over and open it, only mildly surprised to see Liam standing before me.
“Hey,” he says.
My heart leaps in my chest at the hesitation in his voice. He’s… nervous to be here. “Hey,” I reply, waving him into the room.
He takes a slow step into the bedroom, and I close the door behind him. He turns to face me once more and opens his mouth to speak.
“I’m sorry,” we both shout out in unison.
Liam shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Lizzy. I shouldn’t have accused you of being in love with the Prince. I was just… I thought I was losing you.”
I close the distance between us and grab onto the front of his shirt. His arms wrap around my waist as I look up at him.
“You’re not losing me,” I whispered. “You’ll never lose me.” I lean my head forward to rest on his chest and sigh. “I’m sorry I didn’t want to tell Haiden. I was just worried that if he saw that one of his Selected was in love with someone else that he would fall into a depression. I was just worried about him.”
Liam’s arms tighten around me and he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “I’m glad you didn’t want to hurt him. I love that you cared enough to put someone else’s needs before your own. I’m sorry I got jealous. It was stupid.” Liam clears his throat. “I, um, talked to Prince Haiden just now.”
My head jerks away from him so I can look into his eyes. “You did what?”
Liam smiles at me. “I didn’t say anything about you. I just told him I had a girl back in Clermont waiting for me, and asked permission to finish my guard duties before the usual three years.” I wait patiently for him to say what he’s trying to explain. “I can’t leave immediately, but he agreed to shorten it to just four months.”
Four months. That’s still a long time. “That’s great,” I try to say with as much enthusiasm as I can.
Liam sighs. “I know it’s still a long time, but it’s shorter than it would’ve been. We have to take what we can get.”
I nod. “I know. It’s just hard to imagine having to go back to Clermont now. And be there without you for four months. I haven’t spent much time thinking about it before now, but now…”
Liam lifts his hands to cup my face. “It’ll be fine. These four months will fly by. And then we can be together for real, without having to hide around.”
A single tear escapes my eye and Liam quickly brushes it away. “I love you, Liam,” I whisper.
Liam leans his head down to me and brushes his lips against mine. He pulls me closer to him and deepens the kiss. We’re breathing each other’s air and it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I hold on tightly to Liam’s shirt, as though it will keep us together, instead of us being separated for months ahead. Slowly, Liam pulls away enough to rest his forehead against mine. “I love you so much, Lizzy.” He takes a deep breath and looks me straight in the eye. “I’m going to write to you.”
“What?” I ask, still a little dizzy from his kiss.
“I’ll write a letter to you. Every week. To let you know what’s happening in the palace, and to remind you how much I love you. These four months will fly by so fast, and then we’ll be reunited.”
I laugh. I’m not sure I believe he’ll write a letter every single week, but it’s a fun thought. I reluctantly push away from him. “I need to finish packing, Liam. I’m leaving in half an hour.”
Liam’s face falls as reality kicks back in. “Right. Of course. Just—” He quickly leans over and presses his lips to mine before immediately pulling away again. He smiles. “Okay, I’m leaving now.” He walks over to the door and lifts his hand to the doorknob. He turns around and gives me one last longing look. “Bye, Lizzy.” He opens the door and leaves the room.
I stare at the door much longer than I should. Four months. Four months my life will be on hold. Four months until I can breathe again. Four months until I can feel again. I can last four months. I’ll have to.
A/N: So originally I had planned to actually write Liam’s letters to Lizzy, but I’m not sure I’m going to find the motivation to. We’ll see, though.
A/N: Today has royally sucked, but I finished this thing. Hope you like it.
After the announcement of the Elite, I don’t really know how to describe how I felt. I was a little surprised, only because Haiden hasn’t really treated me like I’m wife-material. But I’m not sure how much he’s honestly considered any of the Selected to how well they could be his wife. He seems too nervous to make any decisions based on emotions; rather, he’s been choosing to keep people in the Selection who would make good Queens. Regardless, I’m glad to still be in the Selection and I’m glad I get to attend an actual ball in the palace.
I make my way into the ballroom and so many people are already in attendance. There are people twirling and dancing in the center of the room, people eating delicious foods off of the tables outlining the room, and people chatting to each other, either for pleasure or business interactions. In this palace it could easily be either.
I spot Haiden in one corner talking to Sophie. I feel myself smiling a little at the sight of him, which only slightly surprises me. After Liam fully healed from his bullet wound, he was busy all the time training and then putting extra hours of guarding in to make up for missed time. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with him, which in turn has made me reevaluate my thoughts about Haiden. Haiden’s actually been opening up to me a bit more, which is kind of nice. But it’s also been not that great because I’ve started to see the cracks in his surface; I’ve seen the darkness in him, and I’ve seen how nervous and depressed he gets. I’m honestly worried about him, and I’m worried that if I tell him I’m with Liam, it’ll send him down a spiral of self-hate, believing that no one loves him.
Since Haiden is currently preoccupied, I decide to talk to one of the past Selected. The first I see is Gracebella Sinclair, who I’ve been wanting to talk to for a while. I make my way over to her.
“Hi, Ms. Sinclair!” I say. “I just wanted to say that I’m so glad I got this chance to meet you, since we’re both from Clermont and made it to the Elite in our Selections. It’s just… so great to meet you!”
“Yes! It’s a pleasure to meet you, too!” She replies. “Congrats on making it into the Elite, you look like a lovely girl!”
I blush a little. Such praise coming from someone so famous and renowned is amazing. “Thank you so much! Honestly I’m kind of surprised I’ve made it all the way to the Elite. It’s just… Haiden’s not very good at expressing his emotions. Was Ashton ever like that?”
“No, Ashton was very much a verbal and expressive person. Alizé, on the other hand, could be a stone-hearted bitch. We did not get along at all due to that. That might be something Haiden inherited.”
I’m a little shocked by her harsh words about the Queen. “Oh… that’s too bad I guess…”
“I suppose. Anyways sweetie, what do you think of Prince Haiden? Since his feelings do matter, but not as much as yours.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, confused. “Of course his feelings matter, he’s the one choosing who he marries, who becomes the next queen.”
“Yes, but you need to value your feelings above his. Even if he chooses you, if you do not love him you cannot accept his proposal.”
I lower my gaze and tuck a stray hair behind my ear. I sigh. “I don’t love him,” I admit. “But I do care about him. I want him to be happy. And I’ve been really worried about him lately… he’s seemed more stressed and high-strung. He needs someone to be there for him; to support him. And if he wants me to be that person, I will gladly fill that role for him.” I pause, trying to find the right way to say my next words. “I just… I thought I knew what I wanted in this Selection, but now… I guess I don’t really know what I want anymore.” I thought it would be easy to just keep myself in the Selection as long as possible so I could spend more time with Liam, then leave and be with Liam back in Clermont when he finishes guard duty. But the longer I remain in the Selection the more unsure I become.
Someone comes and whisks Gracebella away before she can respond. I’m not sure what she would’ve said though. Is there really anything else to say?
Next I seek out Princess Winter, because I know she probably went through the same feelings that are plaguing me now, since she had to have at least developed feelings for Prince Cody during her Selection. Maybe she’ll have some answers for me.
“Hi, Princess Winter! It’s so great to meet you. I’m so glad we have this opportunity to meet all the former Selected,” I say.
“And I’m so glad to meet all of the new Selected! You’re Elizabeth, correct?”
“Lizzy, yes.
“I’m sorry, Lizzy. My mistake,” she gives me a warm smile. “So you’ve made it to the Elite, how does it feel?”
I give a little chuckle. “Honestly, it’s kind of been a bit of a blur. I can’t believe I’ve actually made it this far.”
“I know what you mean. My head was spinning when I made it to the Elite.”
“Yeah. Hey, can I ask you… a question? Kind of a weird question?”
“Go ahead. I love weird questions. They make for better conversation.”
The back of my neck tenses in anxiety. “Well maybe it’s not that weird… I mean… um… You and Cody… did that happen after the Selection ended? Or… during?”
She laughs, and I can’t tell if it’s at my expense or not. “During, I’m afraid. I can’t even say it happened near the end. I fell for that boy right before my first date with his brother.”
“So… what happened? I mean… did Ashton find out?”
“Well, it’s a long story but I love telling it. I actually had kissed Cody and my friends saw us. Obviously this wasn’t supposed to happen, so Cody and I decided to stay away from each other I guess. One day I was on a date with Ashton and we were playing a game where you describe each other with one word. He called me secretive. I asked why, thinking it was a joke, but Ashton flat out called me out on my affair. He said it was a feeling I guess.” She laughs. “It was mortifying. He asked me if I was ‘here for the wrong prince.’”
“Oh… wow. Was he… upset about it?”
“He seems strangely laid back about the whole situation.”
“That’s… good I guess.” I’m not so sure how any of this is helping me, though. Everything just turned out great for her because Ashton found out on his own. Haiden’s completely oblivious to everything, so I doubt that’ll happen for me.
“Well I wasn’t executed, so… yeah, it was good,” she answers. “It was quite an unconventional Selection to say the least. Has yours been crazy at all?”
“Well, Cressida almost pushed Haiden off the roof. And Alexandra was pretty antagonistic in the beginning. She’s not so bad now. I guess the only weird thing about this Selection is the fact that Haiden hasn’t really seemed to be making so much of an effort with us. He seems really… in his own head. Like I know he’s been really stressed, but he hasn’t asked any of us for help. I want to help him, but he won’t let anyone in…”
“Yes, I know what you mean. My nephew is truly a mixture of his parents. Ashton, his father, definitely talked to the girls, but he was always so closed off. He hardly opened up. Alizé never made a true effort to be with the other girls.”
“So it kind of sounds like Haiden inherited the worst traits from both of them… at least socially,” I comment.
“It seems Haiden has taken after them,” Winter agrees. “The advice I have for you is to never act like something you’re not. Spewing poetry at him won’t make him open up to you. Acting more crazy and extroverted than you are won’t make him act the same. Be yourself and let him decide if you’re the one he’ll open up to.”
“That’s good advice… thanks.”
“Tell me honestly, are you feeling insecure about all of this?”
“What? I don’t…. I mean… I don’t know.” I sigh. “I thought I had everything figured out, but I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Does it seem like other girls are closer to him?”
“Honestly I don’t really think so, but it’s so hard to tell.”
Winter sighs. “I’m sure everything will turn out the way it is supposed to be. Maybe tell him about how you’re feeling?”
“Yeah, I will.”
“Good. It’s never best to avoid conflict.”
“Wait, what do you mean conflict?” I ask. She doesn’t mean conflict as in Liam, right? She can’t know.
“I just mean tough situations. It may feel awkward when you speak to Haiden about everything.”
“Right. Yeah. Obviously what you meant.”
“It is indeed. Well, I wish you the best of luck, my dear.”
“Thank you so much.”
She didn’t really help answer my unasked question of what to do about Liam and Haiden, but I’m feeling a little more confident as I turn and walk away from her.
I see that Haiden is standing by himself at the edge of the room, so I make my way over to him, finally. He seems lost in his thoughts, a frown gracing his features.
“Hey… are you okay?” I ask him. “You’ve just seemed stressed—more stressed than usual. Is everything okay? I’ve… been worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” he answers curtly.
“Are you? Because if you’re not… I just want to help…”
“Lizzy, really. I’m fine. Just stressed. Um, how are you?”
“I’m good, I guess. This ball is amazing. Happy birthday!” I almost slap myself for not starting with this. I should’ve started by saying happy birthday. “I forgot to say that earlier…”
He laughs. “Thank you. It’s… weird.”
“What’s weird about it?”
“I’m not a teenager anymore.”
“Wow. Yeah. I bet that is really weird…”
“I’m practically ancient.”
I laugh. “I don’t know if I’d say ancient. I’d say… refined, mature.” Like a good cheese, I don’t say aloud.
“Trust me, none of that has happened yet.”
“Well, then it’s bound to happen soon.”
“Hopefully before I become King.”
I shrug. “Yeah, but I’m sure you’ve got a long time before that happens anyway.”
“That’s debatable.”
“What do you mean?” I ask. “I’m sure your father will be able to rule for many more years. You shouldn’t need to take over any time soon.”
He shrugs. “It scares me, that’s all.”
“Yeah, I can imagine. But I’m sure you’ll be ready for it when the time comes.”
“With who is the question.”
“Well yeah… that is THE question, isn’t it? I’m not sure how much I can exactly help with that, but I will do my best if you do want my help… with anything.”
“You can help, actually,” he says.
“Really?” I’m a little surprised. “What do you need?”
“Well, I’d like to know… are you in love with me?”
What? How can he just ask that? You don’t just come right out and ask someone that!
“Are you in love with me?” I counter.
“You didn’t answer me.” There’s no humor in his expression, even though I meant it as a joke.
I sigh. “I care about you a lot. I just don’t know if it’s quite love yet.” Great. So there’s my shot in this Selection. But… I didn’t want to stay in the Selection anyway, right? “So… now it’s your turn to answer.”
“I don’t know. I feel like you’re… detached from me for some reason,” he comments. Then he adds, “emotionally, I mean.”
“So I guess that’s a no…” I murmur with a humorless laugh. “I just… I’ve felt like this entire Selection you’ve just been going through the motions… doing what you need to do to appear to be interested, without actually being interested in anyone. I feel like you’ve been detached from almost all of us here.” If I’m going to eliminated this round, I at least want to get that truth out in the open. “Sorry if that sounds harsh…”
He sighs. “No, you’re right in a way. Mostly I’m scared. I mean, it’s a weird way to fall in love. I like all of you so, so much, but it’s hard to come to terms with it, you know?”
“I guess so. I mean, I don’t really know what you’re going through… I think you just have to make the most of the situation… figure it all out as you go along, though you don’t have much time left.”
“I know. I just hope I’m not making a mistake.”
“I don’t think there is a wrong answer in this. Your instincts will lead you in the right direction, and I think every girl here cares about you, so you shouldn’t worry about that either.” I’m suddenly curious about something. “Where are your instincts leading you now?”
“I always confuse instincts with anxiety.”
“Well what’s your anxiety telling you right now?”
“Terrible things.”
“Like what? If you break it all down piece by piece, maybe we can ease some of your fears.”
“The thing is, the things I’m afraid of are simple.”
His reluctance to share his feelings is growing aggravating. “Like what?” I ask again.
“Getting this whole thing wrong, or even getting it right. The outcomes of both just seem terrifying and filled with what ifs.”
“I mean, like I said before, there is no wrong choice. Any girl will love you. Just follow your gut.”
“What if my gut is wrong, what if it chooses someone who it thinks it likes then after a week of being married it turns out I can’t stand her. Or what if I marry someone then she turns out to really have never liked me and be an entirely different person than who I thought she was? Or what if I get married and I think I’m happy but then I fall in love with someone else, or what if I really will love none of you and I’m meant to be alone forever?”
Oh wow, Haiden is a mess. I pinch the bridge of my nose to keep from rolling my eyes or laughing. I finally come up with something to say.
“Alright. So here’s an idea. Why don’t you take the time, spend a week or however long for each girl and pretend you’re marrying or choosing her. Whether you tell them or not is up to you. And then if one doesn’t work out, you eliminate her. If she seems like a possibility, keep her in the Selection a bit longer. That’ll help narrow it down, and then you can choose from there.”
“That sounds like a good idea in theory but what if some girls get confused about why I’m spending more time with one girl than another?”
I can’t stop my eyes from rolling this time. “If they get confused, then you can explain it to them. And if they criticize you for it, then you know they’re not the one for you.”
“I suppose that could work. God, I shouldn’t be so afraid of this.”
“I mean, it’s understandable to be nervous, but maybe not this scared…”
“It is scary, though. Finding a person to spend the rest of your life with? To share your deepest, darkest secrets and insecurities. Someone who’s not supposed to judge, but give you loving criticism. It seems impossible, but I know it’s not. It’s just finding the courage to do it.”
“Right. It’s not impossible. And now that you’re so much older and more mature,” I smile, teasing him, “ you should be able to do it. You got this.”
“You’re right. I’m ancient now,” he gives me a conspiratorial grin. “I’m wise. I got this.”
“You got this!” I repeat.
“You’re a good friend, Lizzy.”
“Thanks.”
I excuse myself to go enjoy the rest of the ball. I walk over to the food tables and pick up a chocolate truffle. Oh wow, it tastes so good. I’m surprised Mila hasn’t eaten all the chocolate yet. Well, her loss is my gain, I suppose.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” I hear a deep voice say behind me.
I turn to see Liam standing behind me, a wide grin on his face. I smile. “Liam.”
Liam holds out his hand and dips forward in an over the top bow. When he straightens up once more, he says, “may I have this dance, Lady Elizabeth?”
I shuffle nervously on my feet and shift my gaze around the room. “Are you sure?” I don’t want anyone to see us together and make any unwanted assumptions.
Liam takes a daring step closer to me. “Relax, Lizzy. All the guards have been told to dance with the Selected, since the Prince isn’t exactly able to dance with all of you at once.”
I nod, and allow Liam to lead me into the center of the dance room. He puts a hand on my waist and grabs my hand with the other. He begins leading us in a dance, and all my thoughts flee from my head as I stare into his eyes.
Liam clears his throat, breaking me from my daze. “Lizzy, there’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“What would you say to telling the Prince about… us? You’ve gotten just about as far in this Selection as anyone with no plans to win could get. Surely, you’ll be eliminated soon, anyway, but this would just make it certain that you’re eliminated before the Prince actually begins to think you love him.”
My eyes widen in surprise. I can’t believe Liam is bringing this up. I thought we were on the same page; that we’d just wait until I’m eliminated naturally. “Liam, we can’t tell him.”
Liam jerks to a stop in the middle of the dance, and then he pulls my arm to drag me off to a corner of the room. “What do you mean we can’t tell him?” I’ve never seen Liam so angry. “Are you actually in love with him?”
I shake my head to reassure him. “No! I’m not. I just… I know it’ll hurt him so much if he finds out. He’s already so insecure that no one loves him… if he finds out I’ve been cheating on him… I’m worried it will break him.”
Liam clenches his jaw. “So what happens if he keeps you here? What happens if he chooses you?”
I pause. I told everyone else that if Haiden picks me I’d be okay with it and be happy to support Haiden, but I’m not sure I can say that to Liam. “I don’t know… but I’m probably eliminated this round anyway! It won’t matter!”
Liam looks away from me and stuffs his hands into his pockets. His voice is lowered as he speaks next. “I just don’t know how to process this. What am I supposed to do? Just wait and see what happens?”
I look down at my shoes. “I guess we just take things day by day. That’s all we can do.”
Liam shakes his head and lets out a humorless laugh. “Right. Of course.” He turns and starts walking away from me, through the crowds of people still enjoying the ball as though nothing just happened.
Which for them, nothing did happen. Just for me. I want to call out after Liam, but I know that’s not what he wants or needs. I know he needs time to himself, but it’s just so hard to see him so upset.
I take another look around at the ball before I leave. It really is beautiful. I’m glad I got to attend a royal ball before being eliminated. Because even though I know nothing for sure, I have a good feeling I’ll be seeing Clermont again really soon.
A/N again: I made that edit like a super long time ago and begged Bertha to keep me in long enough to use it, so now that’s done, so yeah...
Oh yeah, I’m stupendous. And of course I’ll answer your questions. I’ve answered all the questions for every other news site there’s been, haven’t I?
1. I just assumed I’d make it to the Elite. It wasn’t that much of a surprise.
2. I liked posing in front of the wings like this, but I also really liked this dress:
3. My greatest strength is my ability to motivate others. I’m always able to help others when they are unable to help themselves. I don’t have any weaknesses.
4. I would implement a new education program so that school is mandatory for children of all castes until a certain age. The government will compensate all families who need financial aid in allowing their child to attend school instead of working.
5. I suppose a small change is that I would do some redecorating around the palace to make it feel more like a home and less like an elegant yet pretentious business place.
6. One of my favorite novels is Shift by Alex Decker. Honestly anything that author writes is amazing, though.
(First of all, get better soon! And not to rush you or something, but I wondered if you're going to post some Lizziam again soon? Just asking for my little shipper heart ;P )
(Thank you! And yeah, they’re going to have a little moment in the next challenge (when I feel better enough to write it later) , but in terms of shipping you might be a little disappointed because they’re kind of in the middle of a disagreement... It’ll all resolve itself though, don’t worry)
So this is a little extra that was rp’d by @alessiamabo and @haidenschreave. I’m calling it challenge 3 part 2, but it’s not entirely connected and I’m not going to reblog it to the heiroc chat.
With only one more foreign diplomat to talk to, I make my way over to Princess Alessia Mabo, Haiden’s cousin.
I hold out my hand to greet her. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you! Haiden has told me so much about you.”
I give a nervous laugh. “Really? Good things, I hope?”
“Of course they were!”
“That’s good to hear. Though, I can’t imagine Haiden saying anything too rude about any of us. But maybe with family he’s a little more outspoken.”
“Oh no, he’s quiet and still as can be. It’s a wonder he’s related to his sisters in any way.”
“Yes, I have noticed that Elaine and Eloise are a bit more outgoing.”
“I’m not sure where they get it from, as all my experience with Tante Alize and Oncle Ashton has been rather demure, as well.”
“Well, King Ashton seems like he used to be a bit more outgoing, though I supposed he’s matured a bit since his Selection. But the signs are still there. He jokes around with Haiden a lot.”
“That’s always good to hear. Their relationship was rather rocky the last time we chatted.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. They seem pretty close now, though. I can feel Haiden trying to open up more to people, so that’s great for him. He just hasn’t entirely opened up to me yet. But perhaps he’s opened up to some of the other girls, for which I would commend him regardless. I just hope he can find someone with whom he can be himself, and share his whole self, even if that person isn’t me.”
“That’s incredibly… beautiful and kind of you to say. If you say these words to him, I’m sure he’d appreciate it greatly.”
“Thank you. And yes, I should talk to him again soon. Probably before he makes a decision on the results of this challenge.”
“Oh yes! Something like this could very much determine your future.”
“Alright. I’ll talk to him soon. Thank you for the advice.”
I decide that there’s no time like the present, and I excuse myself from Alessia’s company to go search for Haiden. I quickly find him in one of the halls of the palace.
“I just had a fascinating talk with your cousin, Your Highness,” I tell him.
“Um, should I be worried?”
I shrug and smirk at him. “Probably not, though we were talking about you.”
“Well, care to enlighten me?”
“Eh, mostly just about how quiet you are. I asked if you’re like that around family, too, and she said you are.”
“Ah, I see.”
“I told her that I just hope you’re able to open up to someone eventually—and maybe you already have—and find someone in this Selection who helps you do that, whether or not that’s me.”
“That’s, uh, very gracious of you.”
I’m not sure what else to say. That’s kind of all I had planned, and he doesn’t seem to be continuing the conversation. “Um, yeah. Alessia just thought I should tell you that…”
We stand in a somewhat awkward silence for a few moments before Haiden speaks. “Alessia doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She likes to tease me because I’m ‘a child’.”
“Oh is that so? And why would she call you a child?”
“Because she’s older than me and that apparently makes me a child. I mean, it’s true, but she doesn’t need to say that.”
“My brother likes to make fun of me for being younger than him, but he doesn’t really call me ‘a child’.”
“Aw, but you’re small enough to be.”
“Hey, I’m not that much smaller than you!” I exclaim indignantly.
“Eight inches is a lot.”
Oh boy. Does he realize he just totally set himself up for a dirty joke? I smirk at him. “I can handle eight inches.”
“Yep, just wear really tall heels.”
I raise my eyebrows. Is he really that innocent? Did he not understand what I was saying? I start laughing. “Yes, of course. Definitely high heels.”
“Did I say something wrong?” He asks.
“No! Of course not!”
“Um, I don’t believe you, but okay.”
“No, it’s just an… inside joke, I guess.” I work to control my features to stop laughing.
“Right.”
“Yep…”
“I think I made it awkward,” Haiden comments.
“Only because you wouldn’t let me make it awkward.”
“I don’t know what that means, but okay.”
I sigh. “Do I really have to spell it out for you? EIGHT INCHES???? What else is around that size? Typically?”
“Lady Elizabeth, please stop.”
So maybe he did understand it. “Oh come on, it was funny!”
“No, no. I got it the first time.”
“Alright, I apologize if I’m making you uncomfortable.”
“No, you’re not. I suppose I walked right into that one, huh?” He asks.
“Yes, you definitely did.”
Haiden gives a little shake of his head. “Didn’t know you were the type of person to make those jokes, Lady Elizabeth. Or should I even call you that?”
“You shouldn’t call me Lady Elizabeth; it’s Lizzy. Or Lady Lizzy if you so prefer. And I will make jokes if I want to make jokes. Like you said, you walked right into it.” That sounded really harsh, didn’t it? I regret the words the moment they leave my mouth.
“Ouch, deserving.”
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry. I’ve been talking to a lot of the diplomats lately and acting all formal and professional and I just need to let it all out and be weird for a while.”
He nods his head like it all makes sense now. “Ah, I get it. How did that go, anyway? Any of them make you cry like me?”
I laugh. “No, there were no tears. A lot of them were really nice, and even the ones who were a little more… abrasive… I think I won them over. It’s just been stressful making sure I say everything right and don’t make a fool of myself. Do they really make you cry?”
“A few have in the past. They can be scary, which is why I tend to avoid them as much as possible.”
“Yeah, I definitely agree that they’re a little scary. Especially Mika, though I think I managed to win her over. And you can’t avoid them forever, you’re the future King of Illea for crying out loud!”
“I know, I know. I’m just sticking to avoiding as much as possible.” He sighs. “For the time being.”
I shrug. “Well, I guess I can’t blame you, especially after spending so much time talking to them all. It gets a little exhausting.”
“Being formal gets old after a while. Eventually you just want to get into your pajamas, call someone by a nickname, put your feet on the coffee table. You know, relax.”
“Exactly. That’s what I feel like I need to do now. I don’t know how you can handle being formal so often.”
“That’s the thing, I don’t handle it. I just forget I’m doing it, and eventually it’s just second nature.”
“I suppose that’s what you’d have to do in order to get used to it. Otherwise it’d probably drive you insane.”
“And that’s probably why I never relax,” he says.
“Well, that’s a bit of a problem. You do need to relax sometimes,” I tell him.
“It’s not for lack of trying, let me assure you.”
“Well maybe you just need someone to help you relax more.” I didn’t mean for that to be an innuendo or dirty joke, but I suppose it could be construed as such.
Haiden leans down to scrutinize my eyes, and not in any sort of loving way. “Forgive me for asking this, Lady Elizabeth, but are you drunk?”
I almost gasp at the accusation. “No! Of course not! I’ve only ever been drunk once in my life, and let me assure you it is not something I’d like to experience again.” Many of the other girls in the Selection enjoy getting drunk, but after a bad experience back in Clermont with my brother’s friends, I have resolved myself to only have small tastes of wine or alcohol, so I will not become drunk ever again. Or at least, hopefully not.
“Okay,” he begins warily. “I’m just asking because you’ve made two dirty jokes in a span of ten minutes.” I sigh. So he did see that as a dirty joke. I didn’t mean for it to be. I just meant that perhaps being around someone he cares about could be relaxing enough to shake off all the tension of being a royal. And I meant relax as in being calm, not relax as anything else.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” I apologize. “I’m trying to be more… outgoing.” And perhaps I’m not so good at talking to other people if they think I’m making dirty jokes when I’m not.
He laughs. “No, it’s fine. It’s just… different.”
“What? None of the other girls have been throwing themselves at you and making lots of innuendos?” I smirk, thinking of certain other girls.
“A few, but it’s unexpected.”
“Unexpected as in you didn’t expect me to do it or unexpected as in you didn’t expect anyone to do it?”
“Both.”
“Well, as for the rest of the Selected, you should’ve expected SOME to be like that. I understand not expecting me to make a dirty joke, I’m not even sure I would’ve expected myself to be making dirty jokes like this. But it is what it is…”
“I guess I didn’t realize people would be interested in me like that? I don’t know… it’s weird.”
I shake my head a little at him. How could he think that? “Well obviously people are interested in you like that! What did you think, that everyone here signed up for the Selection just for the crown?”
“Would it be bad if I said yes?”
I sigh. “That’s not necessarily bad.” Suddenly, I’m curious about his motives in this Selection. All the girls have been asked by countless interviewers whether we’re here for the prince or the crown, but no one has asked Haiden. “Were you or are you just looking for someone to fil the role of Queen, or also someone who you could fall in love with?”
“I wish it could be both, but I’ve always doubted that was the case.”
“Based on those of us still in the Selection, do you think there could be someone who fills both positions?”
“I don’t really know yet. I know I love some of you in some way, but that particular kind? No.”
“Hmm. I hope you do manage to fall in love with someone though… Everyone deserves to find love.” I know I’ve found love with Liam, and I do feel a little bad about using Haiden like this, but it’s for love! That makes it a little better, right? I just hope Haiden can find someone.
“And have you, Lizzy?”
I freeze. Surely he doesn’t know about Liam. I mean, he may know that Liam and I are friends, but we’ve been careful not to let anyone think that there’s more than friendship, right? I just have to play this cool, and everything will be fine. I feel the heat rush to my cheeks, though. I hope Haiden sees it as embarrassment about talking about love instead of nervousness.
“Oh, umm…” I hesitate. “I don’t know. I was just talking from the experience of my writing. Everything I write has some sort of romance in it because of my beliefs about love, so…”
“Okay. But if you do, I’d like to know,” he says. He shifts his gaze away from me and lowers his voice. “Even… even if it’s not me.”
My heart is racing in my chest. I can’t tell him about Liam. I just can’t. Now I’m sure he wouldn’t punish us for our treasonous act, but I can’t hurt his feelings like this. I know it may be just as bad to string him along, but I have to at least try to keep up this façade… for Haiden’s sake now. “Right. Yeah, definitely. I will… let you know…” I finally manage to say.
Haiden’s gaze meets mine again. “I’m serious, you know.”
“Yeah I know. But you have to tell me if you fall in love, too.”
“I will. Thank you, Lizzy.”
“For what?”
“Nothing. Just… thanks.”
I just realized Haiden called me Lizzy, not Elizabeth. I don’t know what to think about that.
“Umm… you’re welcome,” I tell him with a shy smile. What does he mean by all of this?
“I… should probably go.”
I shake my head a little to clear my thoughts. “Um… yeah, sure. I’ll see you again soon?”
“Definitely.”
“Great.”
He walks away, leaving me more confused than ever. I’m making the right decision choosing Liam right? I mean, I’m going to be honest with myself, one of the main reasons I was so okay with declaring my love for Liam was because I knew there was no chance for me with Haiden. But what if Haiden does have feelings for me? Does that change anything? Should it? I don’t know, but I think I’d better figure it out soon.
This is the section with my conversations with all the diplomats. It’s long. Sorry not sorry. Enjoy. Includes rp’s with @katjanikula, @joeblakestein, @e--jun, @juliacranston, @eilidhcrain, @genevamartinelli, and @mikavladmska
This challenge seems like a total waste of my time. We’re supposed to explain to the foreign diplomats why we’d make a good queen. I already know that I won’t become queen because I’ve decided to be with Liam, so any answers I give will mainly be made up. But I made a promise to Liam and to myself that I wouldn’t just forfeit this competition. So I plan to dress positively professionally and charm the socks off all these foreign diplomats and prove to them that I could’ve been a great Queen if the situation was different--not that they need to know that I have no plans to become queen.
Prime Minister Katja Nikula of Swendway
I hold out my hand to greet the Prime Minister. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country,” I introduced.
Prime Minister Nikula raises both eyebrows in surprise. She shakes my hand in greeting. “Confident, Lady Matthews?”
I give a small shrug. “I did say ‘possible future queen’. But yes, I am confident in myself. That’s one way this Selection has helped me.”
She nods with interest. “Very well, confidence is always a good thing after all. Thanks for the Welcome.”
“I like to think confidence is one of the best qualities to have, especially for the ruler of a country,” I explain. “How could someone lead others if they do not believe in themselves?”
“Yes, that is indeed an important quality,” she agrees slowly. “You seem awfully prepared for this, Lady Matthews.” She eyes me up and down, as though analyzing me. “Any particular reason for that?”
I take a deep breath before I explain my story. “A few weeks ago, I was a shy, timid girl afraid to step out of her comfort zone and meet new people. I realized that if I want to have any chance of being queen, or being successful in any future career, I have to grow out of my shell and be more confident with myself. I want to show everyone that I am capable of ruling this country and won’t back down from any challenge.”
She nods approvingly and I inwardly sigh with relief. Talking to these foreign diplomats may be more difficult than I thought. “Okay then. That is very good, Lady Matthews. I am glad you learned to push yourself out of your comfort zone. That is important now only for a possible future Queen, but for every girl out there.”
The fact that she emphasized the word ‘girl’, I figure she may be more of a feminist, in which case it would be good to lead the conversation more in that direction. “I definitely agree. I’m proud that Illea has reached a point where men and women have equal rights and opportunities, and that women are not shamed for chasing their passions, though the whole concept of the Selection doesn’t necessarily align with that ideal. But the rest of Illea is great about gender equality.”
“Well… if I may not be too impertinent I would say it is still a problem with the castes.”
“Yes, definitely the castes are a problem. But I believe there are few to no issues regarding men having an easier time getting jobs or such,” I answer.
“Women are, however, entitled to bear their partner’s caste number, if I am not mistaken?”
I freeze. Yes, that is a problem. One that I hadn’t thought of. I need to make sure to get the idea across that I know what I’m talking about, and that the issue of caste movement due to marriage isn’t a problem. “That is often the cast, though there is very little movement amongst castes to begin with. And there is always the chance to move castes by oneself, so it’s not solely a thing of marriage. But yes, it is true that the women are more likely to take the caste of their husbands.”
“Oh, I know. I meant in cases where going up a caste cannot be afforded… but I understand that you believe gender equality has become less problematic over the years.”
“Yes. While our country still has many faults, I don’t believe gender equality—of a lack thereof—is an issue we have to deal with so much anymore.”
“Respectable. So have you been liking the palace?” She asks. “See yourself living here in a near future?”
“I love the palace. It’s absolutely beautiful. I would love to live here, but I have no idea if that will be an opportunity provided to me. I guess we’ll see.”
“I guess you’ll see then,” she agrees. “If you don’t mind, may I ask how things between you and Haiden are?”
“Haiden is naturally very shy. He’s been trying to open up more to people, but it’s been a slow process. At the moment, I will admit that I do not believe myself in love with him, but who knows what could happen in the near future. Obviously Haiden believes there’s a chance for us or I wouldn’t still be here.”
“Of that I am sure. He is very close to the Elite now. Soon we’ll know how far his sentiments for you go.”
Was that a threat?
“Well technically he hasn’t chosen the Elite,” I comment. “There are still fifteen of us here, and the Elite is a maximum of ten. He has said that he will narrow it down to the Elite after this challenge, though. I guess we’ll see then if I’m a part of it.”
“Yes, that is what I meant. I am aware of his decision to narrow it down to the Elite soon.”
“Personally, I think even if we haven’t made as much of a connection romantically, I’ve proven that I’d make a good Queen, so perhaps that will keep me in this Selection.”
“Do you consider love not to be an important part of the decision?”
“I definitely believe it is an important part of Haiden's decision. But I don't think it should be the sole aspect of his decision. He also needs to look at Selected who would be responsible enough to be Illea's next queen. I think--and my opinion doesn't necessarily mean anything--that Haiden's Elite should be made up of girls who he feels attracted to and girls who would be good queens. Obviously I hope there is some overlap for him, and maybe I'll fit into that overlap, but I also believe that my strong stance as a confident potential future leader make me a good candidate for the Elite.”
“Interesting position, Lady Matthews. I won’t deny the grounded thoughts behind it. I hope you may become a prosperous Queen—if that is what you wish for and what this Selection has in store for you.”
“Yes, I suppose we’ll see what this Selection has in store for me.”
“That we will.”
“It was nice meeting you,” I say.
“You too, Lady Matthews.”
I sigh as I turn and walk away. She seemed interested in my ideas, but perhaps not a huge fan of my personality. Well, I already plan to talk to many other diplomats, so we’ll see what happens. One down, many more to go.
Queen Eilidh Crain of Britain
I hold out my hand to the queen. Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
She shakes my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, future Queen Lizzy. I’m Eilidh.”
I smile. “I would like to point out that I said ‘possible future queen’. I may be confident, but I am neither cocky nor vain enough to assume I will be queen. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, though.” I also don’t ever expect to be queen, since I’m with Liam now, but no one here needs to know that.
“Ah, my mistake. You’re quite the fire cracker. Care for tea?”
I smile at being called a fire cracker. Never would I have been described as such back in Clermont; I was much too shy and reserved for that. “Absolutely. Tea sounds lovely.”
“So, how are you enjoying the Selection so far?”
“The Selection has been great! I’ve been able to make a lot of new friends, as well as gain more confidence in myself.”
“That’s always a wonderful thing to hear.”
“It is. Even if I don’t win, I’ll at least have that.”
“Personal growth will always outdo material.”
“I agree. I think sometimes people believe that material possessions are more important than physiological needs, and so will forfeit their health—mentally or physically—in order to achieve some goal or win some prize. A person’s health or self-worth should always come first.”
“Absolutely! I’m so glad you agree. It’s terribly hard to find someone like that in the current atmosphere.”
“Yes. I’ve found that many people in this palace are so concerned about material goods. I feel like the palace itself is an example of that. Opulence is just showcased everywhere. Everything in this palace costs enough to feed a Six family for at least a month.”
“You’re incredibly aware, Lady Lizzy, and I must say I admire that greatly. If you don’t win this, there’s absolutely a job for you in my court.”
I feel my heart jerk in my chest. Did she just offer me a job? In the British Empire? In her court? That’s crazy!
“Really? Well that’s certainly a generous offer, and one that I will sincerely think about, if I am eliminated from this Selection.”
“Please do, you would be a wonderful asset. Although I’m sure being the possible future queen is a more appealing job.”
“Yes, that’s true. But I don’t know if I will become queen.” And I don’t expect to. “I suppose that remains to be seen.”
“It does indeed. Now, are there any other political things you need to discuss?”
I nod and ask her for some advice on possible changes that could be implemented to Illea’s policies. I describe my idea about providing monetary compensation to families in lower castes who have children in school, so that the children may attend school without the families losing money due to fewer working bodies. I think it is a fantastic idea in theory, but I wanted to hear from the leader of another country about whether or not it is even a possibility.
“Absolutely! The government pays for many things, I hope you realize, so why can’t education be added to the list?”
“Well, I was just a little hesitant about it because the government would essentially be paying kids to go to school, and that’s a lot of money for an indirect benefit to the country. Obviously having educated youths is beneficial, but not every student will grow up to immensely impact the country. Some government officials may be opposed to it.”
“Hm, yes. But at least you are aware of this, so you won’t go in with a blitz head.”
“That’s very true. Thank you for your advice.”
“Any time. It’s been a pleasure, Lady Lizzy.”
We part cordially, and I smile to myself. That was certainly a success. She even invited me to join her court!
Grand Duchess Mika Vladmska of Russia
I hold out my hand to the Grand Duchess. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
She looks at my hand coldly. “Do they not teach proper etiquette in this country? You should show some respect.”
Yikes. I guess they don’t call her the ice queen just because of the location of her home country. But I made a promise to win over all these diplomats, so I guess I’m going to have to really step up the charm.
“I apologize, Grand Duchess. Although we have teachers for the Selection who are supposed to teach us the etiquette of foreign countries, I’m afraid their classes have been rather lacking. For future reference, how should I have addressed you?”
Nailed it.
“Grand Duchess will be fine, thank you.”
“Alright, Grand Duchess. I must say I’m fascinated by your country. I would love to travel the world, if I could, and I hope to become Queen to get that chance. Tell me, what is Russia like?”
“Well, it’s certainly cold. The history dates back far, although there isn’t much else to appeal to people.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. There must be a lot of beautiful historical buildings and stories. And I would love to see snow falling. There’s never been snowfall in Clermont, but I imagine snow to be absolutely stunning. Perhaps a bit of work, but a sight to behold nonetheless.”
We begin talking a lot about snow, and Mika grows reminiscent about childhood fun in the snow. I believe getting her to talk about things she likes was definitely the best way to soften her disposition.
“That sounds amazing,” I tell her regarding her stories about snow. “I truly hope I get the chance to visit your country some day.”
“Whenever you choose to come, please let me know. I’d want to make it a wonderful experience for you.”
I smile. I’ve definitely gotten on her good side.
“That would be great!” I exclaim. “Unfortunately, unless I do become queen, I’m not sure I’ll ever have the opportunity to travel, though.”
“Ah, that’s quite unfortunate.”
“I know. It’s a sad fact of our world, or at least this country, that so few people have the opportunities to travel.”
“It quite is. How do you propose you could change it?”
“I suppose increasing safety regulations between countries could allow for foreigners to feel safer in travel, as well as increasing the amount of ways that a person could travel. For example, right now only a few private planes exist for royalty and high ranking government officials. If more commercial planes were put into commission, more people would have the chance to travel, and could experience other cultures. I think it would be a great step toward maintaining peace throughout the world. It would make everyone see how connected we all truly are.”
“I must say, Lady Lizzy, you are proving yourself to be quite a promising Queen.”
I feel heat rise in my cheeks. Even if I have no plans to truly become queen, it’s nice to hear that I would be good at the job. “Well, thank you. That means a lot to me.”
“It’s been an interesting conversation, Lady Lizzy, and I wish you the best in the Selection. Farewell.”
“It’s been a pleasure talking with you. Thank you.” Mika walks away without another word.
Well, if I managed to freeze the ice queen, I think I can handle all of the other diplomats.
Ambassador E-Jun of New Asia
I hold out my hand to greet the ambassador. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
She shakes my hand. “Hi Lady Lizzy. I’m really glad to meet you. I really appreciate your welcome, but as New Asia’s ambassador, I live here in Illea.” She gives me a pitying smile and I feel like I could slap myself. I’ve spoken to so many diplomats from other countries, I forgot that there are some who live in Illea.
“Oh! I’m so sorry,” I apologize quickly. I need to rectify this situation. “I suppose I just haven’t seen you around the palace much, and with so many new faces here this week, it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish the new and the old.” Perfect.
“Don’t worry, I don’t live here in the palace, but the embassy is pretty close to here. I was dying to meet you girls! How are you feeling now that you’ve gotten this far in the competition?”
“I’m actually kind of surprised I’ve made it this far. Haiden’s not the most expressive person with his emotions, so I’ve thought many times that he would eliminate me. I’m grateful for the chance to remain in this Selection though and prove that I could be a good queen.”
“Yes, I guess he can be a little reserved sometimes but maybe with time that changes. Between you and me, what are your plans to prove you could be a good queen?” She winks.
“I’m not really sure yet. I suppose by talking to all the foreign diplomats, I can show how eager I am to learn about foreign policies. And I also hope to talk to Haiden and the other diplomats more about my ideas for education reform, as well as some other ideas.”
“Feel free to share with me your ideas, I’m really interested to know about your propositions to make a change in your country and the benefits that will bring to the rest of the world.” She smiles.
“Well, first of all, I think I would be amazing at foreign policy. I have already loved talking to all the foreign diplomats in the palace this week. I love learning about other countries and other places, and would love to visit them all. I know in terms of domestic affairs here in Illea, there are a lot of issues that should be worked out. The caste system is certainly an interesting issue. While there are certain benefits to it, it ultimately limits the freedoms of many of the population. Also, education is a problem due to the fact that lower castes are not required to attend classes since their families need them at home to work. It would benefit the overall intelligence and education levels of the country if the Illean government could provide compensation to the families who have children in school, so that those children could complete a minimum amount of schooling. Finally, the issue of safety and guards is a big issue considering there have been so many Rebel attacks recently. I'm not sure we should increase the draft, because there are already so many families whose lives are uprooted by the draft, but perhaps having a larger paid army made up of volunteer guards, or those who are being paid, could increase the level of security in this country.”
“You would love to travel to New Asia. Yes, you are right, there are many things that can be changed in this country. I’m sure that with a lot of patience and strategy this country will grow strong. New Asia has the best intention to work shoulder by shoulder with Illea. I hope in the future our alliances get stronger.”
“I would love to travel to New Asia! I love the idea of seeing new places, though I’m not sure I’ll have the opportunity unless I become queen. I think it’s very important for the world nations to form alliances and work together as a whole to make peace around the world.”
“Yes, peace is the most valuable thing,” she agrees with me. “When you have it, it can be underrated, but just think about the times when there were terrible wars around the world.”
“Yes, I definitely remember the wars in history. I am not one to take peacetime lightly. I understand its importance and the necessity of maintaining it. It’s one thing I hope for the world in the coming future.”
“I’m happy that you appreciate really important things, like peace and freedom.”
I smile. She is really easy to talk to, and really seems to agree with my points of view. I have definitely charmed the pants off this diplomat.
“Absolutely,” I say. “I can only hope Haiden shares these views, as well.”
“Sure he does. As the future King, I’m sure all these topics have crossed his mind lots of times,” she notes. “How are you handling the idea that you can get the second-most important job in the country? I mean, as a queen, supporting the prince and helping him to rule.”
I take a deep breath before continuing. “I understand that it’s a huge undertaking, but I believe that I am capable of handling it. I would be proud to represent my country as its queen, as well as standing up for the people’s beliefs and needs. And I would be proud to stand next to Haiden, and I can only hope that I could be enough of a support for him to be the best king and best man he can be.” I smile to myself. As long as I don’t have to describe any emotions or feelings regarding a relationship with Haiden, I seem to be doing just fine. No, I’m not in love with Haiden and I honestly don’t think I ever will be, not when I’m in love with Liam. But I do care for Haiden, and hope he is able to find a queen he can trust and love. As long as I only have to talk about being queen as a job title, I can perfectly describe why I would be good at it.
E-Jun puts a hand over her heart. “That’s really sweet, Lady Lizzy. I guess you are learning a lot of things here to get prepared for the job, aren’t you?”
“I like to think I’ve grown a lot as a person through this experience. Even if I don’t win, I have that.”
“You are such a positive lady, willing to learn, and that will take you far in this life.” She smiles graciously at me.
“Thank you so much. That means a lot to me.”
“Good luck in this competition, Lady Lizzy. Stick to your dreams and don’t forget to have fun as well,” she finishes with a wink.
“Thank you!”
We leave with a companionable greeting. I’m glad that we ended on good terms, especially after an awkward introduction. Great, now I can move on to the next diplomat.
Chancellor Joe Blakestein of the German Federation
I hold out my hand. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
“Hello, Lady Lizzy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too. How have you been enjoying the palace so far? And how was your flight? It must have been a long flight.”
“Oh, Prime Minister Cranston made it eventful enough. The palace is quite spectacular, I must say. How are you enjoying the palace, yourself?”
“The palace is absolutely beautiful. Everything in it is exquisite and luxurious, though I do believe it lacks a sense of personality that should be found in a person’s home. This is, after all, a home to the royal family.”
“It should be. It seemed rather cold walking in,” he agrees.
“Yes, I do feel that the palace is somewhat vapid; lacking in personality. But it is true that it’s not only the home to the royal family, it is also the center of Illea. It needs to be seen as a central element of Illean society and show that Illea is a strong nation. If the royal family were to make it feel more lived-in by decoration with less-than-perfect items, it gives off an air that the royal family, and Illea itself, is less than perfect. Not that perfection is absolutely necessary.”
“I must be quite honest, I’ve never seen the royals as something of an honest family. The entire country is quite primitive.”
Wow. I wasn’t expecting that from one of the diplomats. He just blatantly insulted Illea. I may not wish to be its queen, but I feel the responsibility to defend my home country—without offending outright the Chancellor of the German Federation.
“Well, I’m sorry you think that. Personally, I see the faults of our country for sure, but every country has some issue. There is no perfect place in existence. But while I do see the faults, I also see the strengths and advantages. There are many great things about Illea, and I am proud to call it my home country. Even if I do find the palace to be a little impersonal.”
“Interesting standpoints, Lady Lizzy. What do you think of changing laws and policies?”
“I think that there are certain laws and policies in place in Illea that I would not be opposed to changing, or at least modifying. The caste system, for example, is something that could definitely use some work… or just eliminated altogether.”
“It truly is. In fact, the caste system is one of the main reasons other nations are so hesitant on creating ties with Illea.”
I’m shocked that he’s sharing this much with a member of the Selection. Does he speak this frankly with Haiden or King Ashton?
“Yes, I’ve always believed that may be the case, though it is strange to here you say it so… bluntly to someone who could be the future Queen of Illea. But I do believe that even with the caste system in place, Illea has many redeeming qualities to offer other countries in alliances. We’ve had many groundbreaking scientific discoveries recently, for example.”
“That is true, Lady Lizzy, there are many redeeming qualities about Illea. However, there would be no need to call them “redeeming” if the castes were not in place. It’s an international opinion, I suppose.”
Well I guess I won’t be able to manage to convince him of the greatness of Illea. “I suppose we will have to agree to disagree,” I tell him. I guess I can’t win over them all, but I can say that I at least made an honest effort.
Prime Minister Juliana Cranston of the British Empire
I hold my hand out. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
“Straightforward. I like it. Hello, Lizzy. How are you?” The Prime Minister asks.
“I’m great, how are you?”
“I’m doing very well. Jet lag is rough, but I’m glad to be in Illea, especially to meet all of you.”
“I can imagine. The jet lag when I first arrived in Angeles was rough, and that was only five hours. How long was your flight?”
“Around eleven hours.”
“Oh wow. Yeah, the time difference must be difficult to get used to. Do you travel a lot?”
“Not so much anymore, but I did when I was younger.”
“That must be nice. I always wanted to travel, and this Selection has given me the opportunity to see another part of the country that I might never have gotten to see otherwise.”
“Hopefully you’ll come to England sometime. We’d love to have you.”
I smile. “I would absolutely love to visit. If I become queen, I will absolutely do that, but I’m not sure I’ll get the chance otherwise.”
“Please, if you don’t become queen, let me know and I’ll get you to England. A girl like you shouldn’t be stuck in one country her whole life.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Wow, that would be great! Thank you so much!”
“Of course, it’s the least I could do. Anyway, I’m assuming you’re here to ask me something.”
I clear my throat, ready to get down to the business aspect of this meeting. “Yes, well. I’m assuming you’ve heard of Haiden’s next challenge for those of us in the Selection. We’re supposed to talk to one of the foreign diplomats in the palace this week and say why we will make a good Queen. Personally, I’d rather just learn about the different cultures from where all of you are from, but I suppose we can talk about leadership roles as well.”
“I’m open to anything. Talk away.”
“Well maybe I can just sell to you why I think I would make a good queen.” I continue to discuss the policies and ideas I shared with E-Jun.
“That’s an interesting thought. What are you studying in school?” The Prime Minister asks.
I go on to explain to her that I finished schooling, and don’t necessarily plan on attending a university. She explains that everyone should have the chance to have as much education as possible, and I say that I will definitely try to attend a university after the Selection if that seems like a logical path for me.
“Remember kid,” Juliana says, “You are the future of Illea, and it seems to me you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Change this country, Lizzy.”
I smile at her compliments. “I hope to do just that. Thank you.”
“No problem. Do you have any more questions for me?”
“I can’t think of anything, but it’s been lovely talking to you.”
“You as well. Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
And with that, another meeting with a foreign diplomat is done. I honestly don’t think it’s necessary to talk with them all, but I made a choice so I plan on sticking by it.
Princess Geneva Martinelli of Italy
I hold out my hand to greet the Princess. “Hi. I’m Lizzy Matthews, possible future Queen of Illea. I’d like to welcome you to our country.”
She pulls me in for a hug, surprising me. “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you! Please, call me Geneva.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, too, Geneva. How have you been enjoying your time in Illea so far?”
“It’s been wonderful. How has the Selection been treating you?”
“The Selection has certainly been an adventure. I’ve learned a lot about myself and Illea.”
“I’m sure! Do you think you’d enjoy the politics of being queen?”
“I think I would. I know I would love the foreign relations aspect of it. I’ve always wanted to travel, so getting to see other countries and learning their cultures would be a dream come true. And I know I have a lot of ideas for Illean affairs as well.”
“Oh, you must come to Italy one day! I’m sure you’d love it immensely. We’re also just a drive away from the political center of Europe.”
“Oh, I would love to! But unfortunately only politicians and very few others have the opportunity to travel. If I don’t become queen, there aren’t many options for me. However, I have been made many offers by some of the other foreign diplomats to visit their countries.”
“I can fund the trip for you! Entirely my treat. Coming during the summer will be great fun.”
“Oh, that would be amazing! Thank you so much for the offer!”
“It’s my pleasure. Now, I understand there are some questions you need to ask me?”
“Well, it’s not really questions. It’s more like I’m supposed to try to prove to you why I would be a good Queen.”
“Well, then go right ahead! Why do you think you’d be a good queen, Lizzy?”
I describe to her all the ideas that I’d outlined to the other diplomats regarding education, foreign travel, the caste system and security.
“I like the way you think! I would support you in any ways I can to get this program running.”
“Thank you! I mean, I think the first step in implementing any of my ideas would be to get Illean government officials to listen to the ideas. And then convince them of why they are so important. If I become Queen, I’ll have more influence, but if not…”
“It can be quite troublesome, but I’m sure you can do it.”
“Thank you for your belief in me.”
We part ways and I sigh in relief. All I have left to do is talk to Alessia Mabo, Haiden’s cousin, and then I will be done!
(ok so I’m pretty sure Illea is a limited monarchy as opposed to an absolute monarchy, so I’m basing my answer on that)
I personally do not believe that a democracy is the best form of government for an entire country. I believe that there does need to be some form of ruling body, whether it is in the form of a monarchy, like Illea has at the moment, or a republic, like some other world nations are governed by. I do see the benefits of having an elected leader who is replaced after a certain number of years, as a republic would dictate, but I also see the benefits of having a constant ruler for a longer period of time. If there is one prince who knows he will one day become King, he can spend his childhood and early adulthood preparing for the role and learning how best to rule his country. Conversely, in a republic, a person can only rule for a certain number of years, so they may not have the time to implement all the reform they hope to work for the country, and their successor may revoke all their changes. I believe that a limited monarch, such as Illea has now, is the best solution; where we have a King who is born into the role of leader, but also has a governing body that is elected by the citizens of Illea and rotates leaders every few years.
A true democracy, where there is no single leader nor is there a body of leaders, would likely fall to anarchy, simply because there needs to be someone to eventually make a final decision.
Balancing the large tray in my hands, I try my best not to let anything tip or fall as I make my way through the halls of the palace. Why do the guards’ quarters have to be so far away from everything else?
When I reach Liam’s door, I manage to shift the tray into one hand so I can open his door. I quickly slip in and shut the door behind me, even though I have a perfectly valid excuse for being here. This time. I’ve been visiting Liam a lot recently under the pretense of bringing him food and checking up on his arm to make sure he’s healing, but I’ve come down here a lot more than is probably reasonable. I just can’t help myself. I can’t stay away from him.
As I turn back around to the main area of the room after shutting the door, my breath catches in my throat and I freeze, almost dropping my tray of food.
Oh. Holy. Six-pack.
Liam is shirtless.
And he’s doing pull ups on a bar attached to his ceiling.
Even though Liam and I have confessed our feelings for each other, and even though we’ve kissed, and even though we’ve slept in the same bed—though not for a whole night—I still have never seen Liam without a shirt. We have always remained fully clothed around each other.
Liam drops down from his pull up bar and smiles at me, still frozen in my tracks. I’m pretty sure my mouth hangs open, too.
“See something you like?” He asks mockingly.
I shake my head in a reprimanding manner. “You’re so full of yourself,” I answer, even though I had been staring at him. I didn’t need to admit it though. “You shouldn’t be straining your arm, anyway.”
Liam rolls his eyes at me. “I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need to be on bedrest anymore. I’m just still suspended from guard duties for another week.”
I sigh. It’s an old argument. I’ve been trying to get him to stay calm and not push himself too hard, but he’s just itching to get back to guard work. I walk over and set down the tray of food on his small table before lifting the lid, revealing our small feast.
I’ve taken to eating most of my meals with Liam since his accident. At first it was out of necessity, since he wasn’t supposed to leave his room. I suppose a servant could have brought him food, but I liked doing it, and no one questioned my motives. I was just helping out a friend. Now that Liam can leave his room, we really don’t need to eat here together anymore, but we’ve still been eating at least one meal a day together.
Liam takes a seat opposite me at the table, still not wearing a shirt.
“Aren’t you going to put a shirt on?” I ask him, grabbing one of the sandwiches from the tray.
Liam smirks at me. “No, I think I’ll leave it off. That flush on your face is cute.”
I feel my face flush even more at his statement. I shake my head. “So, what have you been up to, cooped up in your room like this?” I ask.
Liam shrugs and grabs some of the chips. I glare at him. Whenever we eat sandwiches and chips, he always eats the chips first. I like eating my sandwich first—which he knows—and then by the time I finish my sandwich all the chips are gone.
“I’ve mostly just been working out. Trying to get my body back in shape,” he comments.
“I think you’re already in shape,” I say before I even realize what I’m saying. I stop chewing and feel heat rise to my cheeks.
Liam just smirks. “Glad to know you think so. But I’ve still got a bit of strength conditioning left before I’m back to where I was before the accident.” He sighs, and I know he’s disappointed that he can’t do any of his guard duties because of what happens. But I know that he’s glad he was there to protect me. And Mila. I think he’s upset that he can’t go out and protect me now. I’ve told him that I’m perfectly safe, and I haven’t even gone into the palace gardens again, but he’s still worried. “How’s the Selection been going?” Liam asks, switching the topic of conversation back to me. “I hear the prince just announced the next challenge.”
I shrug. “There are a bunch of foreign dignitaries visiting the palace. We’re supposed to talk to them about why we’d make a good queen. I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do.”
“Why not? Don’t you just talk to them?”
“Yeah, I mean, that’s not the difficult part,” I admit. “I mean, how am I supposed to talk to someone like that about being queen when I have no interest in actually being queen?”
Liam nods and stares off as though thinking about what to say. “Well, you still want to be in the Selection, right? At least a little longer, so you can stay in the palace with me, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, I mean I want to stay with you as long as possible.” I’ve thought a lot about what will happen when I’m eliminated. Liam still has two and a half years of guard duty before he’s released. That’s two and a half years that we won’t be together. He’ll still be in the palace, and I’ll be back in Clermont. People can change in two years. What if we grow apart? And don’t fit together anymore when we’re reunited? I don’t want to think about any of that, so I plan to make the most of all the time we have together in the palace, and then just hope for the best after that.
Liam shrugs and gives an easy smile, as though the solution is the easiest thing in the world. “Well, if you want to stay in the Selection, you’ll just have to convince all the foreign diplomats that you want to be queen. And that you’ll be a great queen. I already think you’d be a great queen, but you can’t be queen without Haiden, and…”
“Yeah,” I agree, cutting him off. We don’t usually like talking about Haiden. He’s kind of a rough topic between us. Haiden’s a really nice guy, and I don’t want to hurt his feelings. I don’t want to string him along if there’s no hope for the two of us, but I also don’t want to forfeit and drop out of the Selection, because I’d be leaving Liam behind. And I can’t tell Haiden the situation, since my relationship with Liam is treasonous, and I don’t know if I trust Haiden enough to protect us.
I sigh, resolved. “Alright. I’ve made up my mind.”
Liam laughs at me. “And what have you made up your mind about?”
“I’m going to charm the pants off these foreign diplomats. I’m going to be the best fake queen they’ll never meet.”
Liam shakes his head. “You don’t make any sense,” he tells me, but lovingly.
I grin back at him. “But you love me anyway.” It’s kind of become our catch phrase.
The fic about the fight with Tracie, and Mila and her wine, a lovestory. With mentions of the lovely @words-dance-more, @anastilinskii, @mila-regan, @tracie-beauchamp, @lizzy-matthews and @aileen-hollingsworth. It could contain some typo’s and I hope I did a good job converting the amazing convo into a fic haha.
Noami’s birthday. The evening started out fun, people brought food and wine and I stuffed chocolates in my mouth. It didn’t take long before Mila and Lizzy told us, the girls there at the moment, about their day, their awful day.
Apparently the guy who send Mila those flowers, the ones we burned, was a crazy stalker. He came to the palace and found Mila in the gardens. Long story short, the guard Liam was shot and that Ethan guy escaped. We tried to get back to a party mood, giving Mila some wine to drink the problems away, but we came back to the subject soon.
turnnoffyourmind
andulkaphoto
tangentwithtanner
blakekathryn
baratheonpilled
kianamaiart
germansingergirl
theartofmadeline
