Hey again readers! I am hoping you are all enjoying the story! Here is the next chapter to The Third. Enjoy!
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It was Friday, which means I had to appear on the Report just like every other Friday for the past seventeen years. My maid, Jasmine, brought up my dress, a sapphire blue gown embellished with blue stones and lace throughout the bodice. I slipped it on, and it fit like a glove as did all of the dresses Jasmine made for me. She was an excellent seamstress, for as long as I can remember she has designed every dress I have ever worn. But this dress was special. We were all required to wear blue tonight upon Mason's request. For Emma and Aria blues and purples were everyday necessities; however blue was scarce in my wardrobe. With the slight exception for a blue, green, purple, or orange gown, my closet was filled with pinks, black, silver, and the occasional gold or neutral.
I slipped on my nude heels with the same blue stones, designed especially for this dress, and sat for Laura to do my hair as Katheryn fixed my makeup from earlier today. I was thankful for my maids; without them nights like these would be so stressful. When my ladies were finished I rose, and exited my room just as my brother shut the door across the hall.
My brother and I had always grown up close to one another. Usually the two year age gap didn't feel so big, but tonight was strange. There was a sense around the palace that there usually wasn't. Tonight was a big night for us and everyone felt it. Tonight for the first time my brother would look at the first photo of his future wife. My parents would look at their new daughter. My siblings would look at their new sister, and I would look at the girl who was about to steal my brother away from me.
Mom grew up with a twin brother, King Ahren of France, but he was not always the king of France. He was my mother's best friend, her confidant, and her other half. She had told me stories of how close they were and I was thankful to have the same type of relationship with my older brother. I knew Ahren had run off to live with Queen Camille, and I knew Mason would never leave home, but just knowing that I would have to share the spotlight with another girl terrified me.
I knocked on Mason's door, to no answer. "Mason, I know you're in there!" Still no answer. "Mas, it's just me, please let me in," I spoke into the door. Still no answer. I leaned my ear to the door and heard his voice in a low whisper, and his footsteps pacing the floor. Slowly I turned the doorknob and cracked the door open, Mason paced the floor with his head down and his arms behind his back, quietly whispering to himself. I don't think he noticed my presence until I cleared my throat.
"Oh, Rosie, hi," he said shakily. I could see he was nervous, just as I suspected.
"I figured we could go to the studio together. Maybe it would take the nerves down a bit?" I suggested.
"Sure," he said, "I'm just so unsure of this whole thing. You don't understand, how am I going to find someone in such a small pool of people?"
"Mom and dad did it. Grandmother and Grandfather did it. King Clarkson and Queen Amberly did it, as did every royal before them. Trust me Mason you will find her. There are thirty-five girls coming here, one of them is bound to be the one," as I looked over to my brother his eyes looked as though he was about to cry. I walked over to Mason, wrapped him in a hug, took his arm and walked with him to the studio. After tonight, nothing would be "normal" to either one of us again.