Written and edited by AmityWrites

Chapter 1

Her brother had the most comfortable bed in the palace. She didn't know why Kian's bed was more comfortable than hers, but there was an inexplicable difference. And here she was for the fifth "meeting" this week with Kian. Regina watched with worried brown eyes as her younger sibling paced the room, arms resting on the top of his head. His steps were even and deliberate. Regina sighed, and pushed back a lock of brown hair as she bent down to pick up a paper she was reading. Her eyes followed the words, not making a sound, as she studied the document. Rules, regulations, and reminders were all it was about, but she knew what it meant.

"What?" Regina blurted out, bemused.

"Yes, I'm serious!"

"He's not even in line for the throne! Why the hell would he want to do that? Does he know what that means for you?" She lowered her voice to a whisper and her brother sat down, pulling her close. She breathed in the warm, sugary, almost vanilla scent. He smelled like Dad.

"Cass really wants to do a Selection?" She wondered again. Kian threw up his hands.

"Ginny! I've answered "yes" multiple times! Now give me advice like I asked you to…" He threw himself onto the bed and groaned. "Cassian just doesn't get it. He thinks he'll actually find love through this…game." His blue eyes darted to her's, locked for a moment, and it was as if they shared a silent, telepathic conversation. Pushing the document away, Regina ran a hand across her neck, massaging the slightly sore muscles. Kian felt the same way.

"I don't Kian. Every prince of Illéa has done it since…Well it's been a while since a traditional marriage. Maybe you could give Erendiria a try? Go on a date or something? She said she'd visit this summer…" Regina offered a solution hopefully, knowing her brother's opposition to the Selection. Kian only laughed wryly.

"The Italian Princess? Please Regina, let's take this seriously." Regina frowned. Kian was frequently enigmatic, and although he was realistic, it often got in the way of taking chances. "How about you do a Selection! We can-"

Regina held up a hand. If Kian thought she was going on with his plan to matchmake her in order to evade a Selection, he was horridly mistaken. "I thought we were being serious, Ki. I can't do that, not throw away my life!" She told him firmly, lips pressing into a straight line. Kian let out a cry of anguish.

"Gina, that's what I'll have to do if Cassian goes along with this! Mom and Dad will never-" Regina cut him off there.

"Kian, just talk to them! Please…" She begged.

"Gina," He started slowly, clenching his hands, then releasing. "You know how hard that is for me!"

"How are you going to address a country when you're king, if you can't even talk to your parents? I can't be your messenger forever, Kian." She argued. The cloud of the heavy truth was still hanging over the conversation like a leech, sucking the energy and patience out of the two siblings.

Surprisingly, Kian was the first to say it out loud. "The attacks. They're getting worse. I don't know what to do. Perhaps, if I went along with this love game, they would buy Dad some time. He's running out of time."

"But, Kian, think about yourself for once!"

"I am thinking about myself, Regina. I am thinking about how guilty I'd feel if I had the chance to help keep my country happy and safe and totally ignored it. You know me, Regina Shreave. You know I can't do that to them."

Kian rubbed his forehead, as if he had a painful headache. "Thankfully, you're the Heir. I'm going outside." He left without another word, shutting the door roughly. Regina was surprised. Kian hardly ever got frustrated, not at her especially. For him to walk out on her was odd. And his words. His words. What did he mean? "Thankfully, you're the Heir."

I'm the Heir. This is my responsibility. But it was just a distraction. When the Selection was over and she had tied the knot, would the new rebels continue their attacks, or would they subside.

Smoothing out her orchid colored dress as she walked out, she thought about telling her mother about what Kian had said. Mom is very wise when it comes to sibling-related things.

The tapping sound of her shoes hitting marble floor echoed through the long hallway that connected the royal family's bed rooms to the more recreational ones. Regina's was at the very end, but two doors before was her parent's. Quietly, she rapped her hand on the door, and her mother's song-like voice called for her to come in. Regina couldn't help but smile as she saw her parents sitting on the bed, holding each other affectionately. Maxon had his arm around America protectively, like she was his crown jewels. America was resting her head contentedly on his shoulder. Never, had the thought crossed her mind that they had ever been anything except in love. It made Kian's anger and Cassian's decision even more painful to think about. America was one in a million. Would fate be so kind to her brother's?

Inside, Maxon and America were reading the news together. A warm smile lit up America's face as Regina walked tensely toward them. Obviously, she had something to say, but before she opened her mouth, Regina thought over her words carefully.

"I don't think Cass should do the Selection," She started, going straight to the point. "Not if Kian has to do it with him. It's not fair! If Cassian is ready to take that step in his life, then that is fine for him. Kian doesn't want to get married, not yet at least. Besides, we should wait until the unrest in New Russia dies down. I don't think more chaos would be wise." Letting out a breath, she waited for her parent's to say something, anything. They gave each other a knowing nod, and then Maxon spoke. Regina noticed his eyes, although they were as healthy as ever, had a spike of worry as soon as she had mentioned Russia. Had things gotten worse?

For two years, New Russia and Illéa had been in a quarrel. They had tried to take over a small area of Whites, and in return, Illéa had shot down every last soldier that had stepped on the province's land. It was a rash decision on both sides, but neither wanted to give up until they made it clear to stay away from each other. Not only that, but the few Southern Rebels that still opposed the Shreave ruled country were escaping to New Russia to join their forces.

"That's a thought-out point, Regina, but if only Cassian did a Selection, it would confirm that he is in line for the throne, which he's not. You are, my dear." Her father's words always made sense, but sometimes she wished he wasn't right all the time. She understood his point. Putting Kian and Cassian in at the same time, seeing as they were twins, would tell Illea that they were doing it for love only, not a race for the crown.

"I just don't understand," Regina said softly, "It's like you don't care what Kian thinks about this. This is his life we're talking about! What if he doesn't find his own fairytale-love like you and Mom? Is he going to have to marry some girl he doesn't even like?" The king and queen were silent for a moment. They looked at each other worriedly, like they had a secret. Of course they had a secret, they always had secrets, being rulers of a country, but this wasn't Illea, this was her family's future.

"Regina," America said carefully, "This is a hard decision, but you know that sometimes, those decisions are necessary for the good of the people." She watched as her daughter ran a hand through her hair. The purple lace dress complimented Regina's personality impeccably. Regal, precise, and conciliatory. She had always acted like a queen, growing up knowing that was her destiny, but through the years of shaping the perfect qualities of an Illean queen, Regina had also developed a stone like hardness. It was a shell confining her to only the acceptable emotions, feelings, and duties of a royal.

"I understand," Regina answered firmly, standing up and leaving. Her face held a serene, placid look, but inside, she was fuming. Maxon reached out a hand to stop her. It was a gentle gesture, but all the same, it made Regina come back. "Is there something else."

"There is another alternative. I-"

There was an ear-splitting shriek, and Maxon's words were cut off.

"Amber!" He called, and Regina sighed. That conversation would have to wait.

The girl jumped as Regina slammed the door close and flung herself on the bed. Regina let out a frustrated, irritated, scream, muffled by the pillow in her face. "Regina, whatever is the matter with you? Are you in pain?" She caught eye contact with Etta, the maid-in training, and waved her off. Etta was sweet, but to pokey.

"Lukah, I don't know what to do! I'd do anything for Kian, but not this."

"Miss, I don't understand." Regina exhaled, trying to calm down. An asthma attack was not what she needed right now. Lukah pulled her up and embraced her compassionately. Regina let herself be sad for a moment, because Lukah would understand, Lukah would not ever tell.

"Cassian wants to do a Selection to subside the attacks in St. George and Waverly. He wants to distract the rebels and is taking Kian down with him. I don't want either of them to do that because-" Why? She hadn't answered that question herself. What was so bad about this? It wasn't her problem was it? "I don't know I guess. It just seems wrong. These girls will come in and try to seduce Kian, but all they want is the crown, I know it! Dad was lucky, but remember some of those girls Lucy told us about?" She shivered at the thought of Maxon Shreave being married to anyone but America. Some of them sounded awful.

"Darling, you don't know that!" Lukah responded, but not in any way that could be rude. Lukah was like that. She could insult the King and it would sound like a compliment; not that she would insult anyone. "Now, I'll send Etta to get some tea for you while I prepare you for the Report tonight. We can't have the heir to the throne be in tears on national television!" She tenderly kissed Regina's forehead, making her smile. Regina wiped away her tears and let out a giggle.

"You certainly keep me on my toes, Lukah. What would I do without you?" Lukah laughed, making her wavy brown hair bounce, as she lathered hair product in Regina's dark hair and ran a comb through it.

"Undoubtedly, wailing in front of Gavril Fadaye!" She giggled at her own joke and Regina playfully rolled her eyes.

"I was not wailing!" The girl laughed together like sisters and to Regina's relief, no one mentioned the Selection, Kian, or the Rebels for the rest of the day.

Note de l'autuer

This is the heavily revised version of the story that was previously on EliseMoreya's profile. Because that story is part of our journey as writers, we are keeping it up, but the plot of that story is entirely different than what will be posted here. Thank you for reading! -AmityWrites