A/N Hello everyone! Sorry that it took me so long to update! My trip was fantastic and then when I came home, it took me a little bit to get back in the groove. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I am now at 162 reviews with only 6 chapters! You really spoil a girl! I love hearing all of your enthusiasm and thoughts; it really encourages me to write! Here's chapter 7!
It has been 3 weeks since Delilah's death. I have slowly come to terms with it and have been moving on. Lissa has been by my side the entire time and she distracts me with her wedding plans.
Dimitri has been very patient with me as well. He always comes up to my room for lunch and has a private meal with me. I have spent most of my time either in my room or in the gym.
Kirova hasn't been a bitch and demand that I come to the lessons. She usually just sends them to me via Mia.
I woke up this morning and decided that I was ready to enter back to the real world. The Selection is still going on and I still need to fight for Dimitri, no matter how much affection he has been showing me. There are still 5 other girls fighting for him.
"Mia, can you grab me the blue lace dress please?" I asked her as I sat down at my vanity. "Jill can you just lightly curl my hair?" Jill smiled at me, she is probably happy that I have come out of my coma.
Once Jill finished with my hair and light makeup, I went to get into my dress. It had blue lace at the top and then just a light silk fabric for the rest. The dress wasn't a tight fit but it wasn't super loose, just perfect. It went to my knees and with a pair of nude pumps; I was ready.
I smiled at both Mia and Jill before leaving my room. Mason has been standing watch at my door since we returned from Scotland and he was surprised to see me out and about.
"Rose," He said as the shock wore off and gave me his arm to escort me. "It is nice to see you outside of your room."
I just gave him a warm smile as we walked into the dining room. It surprised me that I was one of the first girls there. Dimitri was sitting at the head of the table reading a newspaper while sipping coffee. Olena was to his right reading the same paper while spreading jam on her black bread.
The scene made me happy; it felt real, normal. They both looked up when I took my normal seat and exchanged shocked looks.
"Rose," Olena said setting her paper to the side. "It is good to see you, I hope you are recovering well."
"I am," I said truthfully. "Thank you Your Majesty for your concern." She just smiled at me before returning to her paper.
A waiter set my normal breakfast in front of me and I went to town, causing Dimitri to chuckle. I was on my second helping of bacon when the rest of the Selected trickled in.
They all stopped in their tracks when they saw me, but tried to cover it up by sitting down hastily. Viktoria came in and sat down in her normal seat next to me and just pretended like everything was normal.
She said hello to me and started asking me her normal questions; how I am today, how I slept, and complimented me on my dress. We talked a little bit about the schools in Russia since we both had a passion for them.
Even though I still grieved for Delilah, it was nice to return back to normal. Natalie and Sonya were surprised to see me and tried to make small talk, but I could tell that they were being careful around me.
After I finished three plates of food, much to Dimitri and Viktoria's humor, I decided that I would excuse myself and head to the lessons early.
Dimitri followed me out of the dining room and caught me in the hallway.
"Rose," He said stopping me and pulling me aside so we weren't in the way of maids. "Are you sure you are ready?" I could see in his eyes true concern for me.
I just put a brave smile and kissed him on the cheek. "I can't wallow forever Dimitri. She would want me to move on with my life." He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Besides, I still have to fight 5 girls for you." I gave his hand a squeeze and left him in the hallway.
Kirova was already in the room where we had our lessons and boy, was she shocked when she saw me. "Oh, Rose," She said standing up from her desk. "I was about to just send up your work to your room."
"That won't be necessary Mrs. Kirova," I said in a nice tone. "I have realized that I needed to return to my duties." I sat down in my seat as the rest of the girls came in.
"Now ladies," Kirova said passing out folders for us. "Now that there is only six of you," My heart thudded for Delilah. "You might have done this back in your home country, each one of you will come up with a philanthropy project. Each of you will have two weeks to come up with an idea and then present it during a live broadcast. However, since some of you have done these back home, you will not be able to use the one back home here. If you will become the next Queen of Russia, you will have to come up with a project for your new people."
Great, now I will have to come up with a brand new project other then education.
"You can spend your time here or anywhere in the palace to work on it. There will not be any formal lessons. I, however, will be going around and making sure that everything is going well."
She gave us a few last directions before sending us on our merry way. I decided that I did not want to spend my time being stared at by the other Selected so I just left.
It would take me a little bit to come up with a topic, so I decided that I would go pay Lissa a visit. She would come and see me the past few weeks, but I never really talked to her. I was locked up in my own mind.
"Excuse me," I asked one of the maids walking by. "Do you know where Lady Lissa is at?" The maid just nodded and told me that she was up in her suite. I thanked her before walking briskly up the stairs to where here room was located.
I knocked quietly on the door and it only took her a second to open the door. She was wearing tan dress pants and a pink blouse, but yet, she was still strikingly beautiful.
"Rose!" She exclaimed as she pulled me into a hug. "Come in." She grabbed onto my hand and dragged me into her suite. At a table was her wedding planner and several binders were open. "We were working on last minute wedding details. Come help!"
I laughed and spent the next several hours with her as she put her last few touches on the wedding. Her and Christian's wedding was in just a week and she was getting nervous.
"Rose," She said after she closed the door behind the wedding planner. "Do you think tomorrow that you could come with me to go to your last minute dress fitting?" Lissa never really showed me what my dress looked like; instead she just had me wear stand-ins. This would be the first time that I would actually see my dress.
"Of course," It was my dress after all.
"So," She said pouring herself another glass of water. "How have you been? I didn't want to push you so I thought it would be best if I just gave you time." I could tell she was nervous because she would ramble when she was nervous.
I gave her a small smile. "I've been doing better." I said truthfully. "I think space away from everyone and everything was what I needed to be honest. But now I have to come up with a philanthropy project that I will have to do a live broadcast of."
"Any ideas?"
"Why don't you do education?" Lissa suggested. "Isn't that what you do back in Turkey?'
I sighed, "Yes, but we aren't allowed to use old projects. If we were, I would nail this."
"Rose, I have a question." When I gave her the look to continue she did. "Why do you care so much about education? I know none of the other Princesses do."
So I spent the time to tell her that growing up, the old man wanted me and my siblings to have a "normal" life. We all went to public school and even took the bus sometimes. Both of my parents wanted to make sure that the royalty didn't go to our heads.
"I was always believed that it was important for an entire country to be educated, it makes the country stronger." Lissa seemed to be a bit impressed by that. Most higher up nobles tend to be homeschooled or tutored by the best.
"I know Russia, since it is so big," Lissa said while brainstorming. "There are a lot of homeless people, maybe you can focus your project on that." I took a moment of thinking before I realized that was probably my best option.
I sat there with Lissa for a little bit before she told me that she had to meet up with Christian. They were going to have lunch with Tasha.
After leaving Lissa's room, I was heading back to mine when a runner intercepted me. "Your highness," He called out for me. "I have come to deliver a message to you from her Majesty." Once I nodded he continued, "Her Majesty would like to see Princess Rose in her study immediately."
My stomach dropped. For some reason, all I could think about was that this was bad news. It had to be right? What other reason would the Queen want to see me?
I followed the runner as he directed me towards the Queen's study. When I got there, guards bowed and opened the door for me and I was announced.
Olena was sitting at her desk and Dimitri was standing right behind her. Also present in the room was Russia's ambassador to Turkey, the same one who escorted me here for the Selection.
"Your majesty, your highness." I said curtsying to them.
"Rose, please take a seat." Olena said and that just made me more nervous. This could not be good at all. "After Delilah's death, your family never made their official visit to Russia."
The Ambassador stepped forward. "The Russian Family has extended an invitation to The Turkish Royal Family. They have accepted and is expected to arrive by Friday."
"I know that this is all short notice Rose," Olena continued. "However, Karolina and Viktoria will plan the entire time since you have to worry about your project."
I sat there in silence. So this won't be bad news, simply good news. It also makes me happy that I will be able to see my family, I really did miss them.
"I cannot wait to see them." I said in an excited voice. "With everything that has happened, it will be good to be around them."
Olena talked to me for a few minutes about details before I was dismissed. "Rose," Dimitri, said making me stop from the doorway. "I'll escort you." With his mother in the room, I couldn't really say no, so I just nodded my head and took his arm.
We walked in silence till we got up to my room. "I know it is quiet cold out," Dimitri said taking my hands in his. "But I was wondering if you would like to talk a walk out in the gardens with me in 15 minutes? I have a little time before I need to go back to me meetings."
"Of course." I said and he left my room after telling me where to meet him. I went into my room and quickly changed into my heavy coat, scarf, gloves, and hat.
"Is the Prince really taking you outside?" Mia asked as she went and fetched me my stuff. When I nodded she continued. "He is going to get you sick before your family even arrives here." She had a disapproving tone but when I shot her a look, she quickly shut up.
Once I fully dressed, I went downstairs to where Dimitri told me to be. He was already waiting for me dressed in his coat. I took his arm as we walked outside into the cold. It was getting close to winter here and the temperatures were a lot colder then I was used to in Turkey.
"You excited for Friday?" Dimitri asked me.
"Very," I said and I really was. "I can't wait to see Abe, my mom, Caleb, and Kennedy. I have missed them way too much." Then I came across a realization that made me suddenly very sad.
"What is it Roza?" Dimitri asked noticing my change.
"It's nothing, just cold." I tried to lie tugging my coat tighter to prove to him.
"Rose. You're a terrible liar."
"No, I'm not. I've told a lot of good lies in my life. People have believed them." I gave him a smirk but he just gave me this look that made me tell him the truth. "I'm scared."
I had tears falling from my eyes and he stopped walking and was wiping the tears away. "What ever for?"
"I'm scared that I won't be able to let them go. They have been there for me through everything. What if you pick me Dimitri?" I knew that I wanted more then anything for him to pick me and marry me, but I was still hesitant. "That means I would have to live here, away from them for the rest of my life. I always thought that I would marry some noble in Turkey and live with my family for the rest of my life. Now, that might not be a possibility."
Dimitri didn't say anything; I don't think he knew what to say. He just pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. Tears were coming faster out of my eyes, but it felt nice to be in Dimitri's arms once more.
Hey everyone! This is a really short chapter. It is more of a filler. The next chapter has already been started and hopefully I will post it soon. Again, sorry for taking so long to update, as you might be able to tell from my not so fine work, it was hard to get back into the groove of writing. However, now I am feeling this story again so updates should be more frequent. REVIEW!
