Bram Koskinen's POV
Lottie makes herself scarce after the Report not wanting to confront any of us after her announcement. I agreed to be the future Commander of the Army as my duty to my family, but I did not agree to take part in this Selection that was for sure going to be an utter disaster. I needed to talk to Lottie and I was smart enough to know Lottie won't go to her main office, she had a second one in one of the old bunkers for when she didn't want to be disturbed. Only a few knew the exact location and path to get there.
I make my way through the winding paths of the inner walls of the palace and when I arrive at Lottie's office I don't bother to knock, I just barge in. Lottie is working on paperwork as her head maid Vera hangs pictures of nine different girls on a large board with Selected written on it.
"God, you're such a control freak sometimes Cousin," I say getting Lottie's attention as I wall over to the board
"Your dismissed Vera," Lottie says getting up from her desk and coming over to me as Vera promptly leaves
"I know your upset Brammy but I promised your father I would take care of you and your mother agreed that you being apart of the Selection would be the best for you and the family," Lottie says
"I just had a bad break up a couple of months ago with a girl you then turned around and hired to run the Selection. Do you know how unfair this is to Julia? She just spent six years being trained to be future Queen of Illéa and now she has to watch her ex date thirty-six other girls." I say
"Julia is a grown woman; she will get over it," Lottie says brushing off the topic
"And what about these girls?" I say recognizing all of them
"They will all bring legitimacy to this Selection." She says
"The daughter of your head maid will bring legitimacy to this Selection?" I say point to the picture of Vesper "Or are you just projecting because you could never publically be with her mother. I bet you're going to try and put her with Torin." I say
"Yes I am, in fact, I have all of you perfectly matched," Lottie says "Silas and Rebecca Eastcott; Lachlan and Ambrosia Romano; Gates and Seren Kensington; Adrien and Magdalena Vasquez and I think you and Leia Kingsman will make a good couple." Lottie says "and the remaining three girls are going to be set up with influential men in our new country."
"That's not how love works Lottie, and how do you know any of them will even enter," I say
"They will and even if they don't want too their parents will make them." She says
"I think you should be prepared to be sorely disappointed when your plan doesn't work," I tell her
She doesn't respond for a few seconds weighing what her next move should be. According to my mother Lottie was never this controlling but then Victoria died and everything changed.
"Pembroke has your room set up," Lottie says, she is done with this conversation and is dismissing me
"Soon you're not going to be Queen anymore, what are you going to do when no one is under your control anymore," I say before leaving
Pembroke is waiting for me when I exit through one of the secret doors. We don't say a word to each other and I just follow him. I had been moved from the usual room I stay in when I visit the palace, I was now in the east wing. I received the sixth room in the hallway, the newly placed nameplates told me that Silas's room was across from me and Adrien's next to me. I was officially the enemy in their territory.
Once Pembroke leaves I rip off my uniform and I'm left only in my boxers when there is a knock at the door. I open the door slowly unsure of who is at the door. It's Islay, surely here to yell at me for hurting her best friend again.
"So the Selection?" She says bursting into my room "I thought you were taking time off from dating."
"I really wish my cousin would stop hiring my ex's," I say
"Don't flatter yourself, we dated for three months when you were sixteen. I got the job as host because I was the most qualified and same goes for Julia." Islay says
"How is she?" I ask sitting on my bed
"Upset that you let her get blindsided like this." She says sitting next to me
"If it makes her feel any better, I was also blindsided by this," I say
"Really?" Islay says "Classic Queen Charlotte move, you probably should have seen it coming. So what are you going to do?"
I fall back onto my bed and let out a sigh.
"I have no clue. I was so relieved when it turned out I wasn't going to be King but now I'm stuck even further into this than ever before. I just want to be out of the public eye and do landscaping." I say
"Sorry, Bram but that wasn't the life you were born into." Islay says "Think of it this way maybe you'll meet your soul mate."
"I doubt it," I say
"Quit being so dramatic," She says looking at her watch "I have to go, I have to get some sleep lots of Selection prep videos to record tomorrow and I don't want to have bags under my eyes."
I walk Islay to the door and when I open it Silas and Torin are in the hall.
"Cousin," I say to Torin and Silas pulls him into his room
"Ignore them, Bram, you're going to do great things one day. Actually, try with this Selection and you might surprise yourself." Islay says
"Thanks, Islay,"
"You're Welcome."
"Night Islay."
"Night Bram," she says as I shut the door. I'm exhausted it has been a long day.
Hey guys, I want to thank you for the wonderful characters you sent me and all the lovely reviews you left on the story. I'm so excited as every girl is fitting in so perfectly into the story I want to tell. I can't wait to finally get into the story now.