Hello beautiful people! Thanks for your reviews ;)

How are you all doing? I'm like really tired after this first week of intensive school, but it was awesome! :D I made new friends, we eat everyday by the lake, facing the Alps, and we create things! That's the most awesome part of the whole things;) Anyway...

I managed to plan the next 8 chapters (and it's not even going to be finished then... oh well) of this story, so I hope you're ready for some epic things to happen ;) But I'm not gonna say more now... just stay tuned for the rest ;)

So, without further ado...

Chapter 25

At least I already had my two weekly elimination with this crazy story. But, as father said, 'You're still an entertainment to the country. Continue as if nothing happened, and date some of them, with the Press, before the next Report.' Sometimes I wondered if father had a heart at all. After all, the outcome of his Selection had been decided by his own father; maybe he wanted to do the same? I hoped not.

Anton was still recovering in the Hospital, and I went to see him again, but he told me not to come any more. He had already barely escaped death, and he didn't want to end up as a traitor to the Selection and flogged in front of the whole country. It tore my insides apart, but I understood it was necessary.

So I decided to go back to the boys. My boys. No, my boyfriends. Ugh. There were days when I really enjoyed having them around, but there were also days where they were a nuisance to my life. I was tired of being a diversion, an entertainment, or a target to shoot or just to talk about. Like Evan had said, 'Life ain't pretty, even when being a Princess.'

I wandered the second floor with the list of rooms and names in my hands. I knocked lightly on Kaden's door, and peeked inside, talking with nobody, trying to have people think he was still there. I decided to give him one more day, and then I would tell father that he was gone, that I had sent him home discreetly.

Then I heard some music and followed the sound to a small library on the second floor. The door was slightly cracked open. I could only see the grand piano from where I was standing, and pushed the door a little more to see who was playing. Harrison? I thought he was a Three. How could he play the piano? That was reserved to Fives, usually. I tiptoed in the room and sat on the first available chair, making as little noise as possible.

He had his back to me, so he didn't see me. But when his piece was finished, I clapped, and made him jumped. He jerked around. "God, you scared, Isodora," he said.

"I'm sorry," I said with a sly smirk on my face. "But you play beautifully."

"Um, thanks. How kong have you been in here?" he said, running his hand through his straight jet black hair.

"A couple minutes." I smiled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He shifted on the piano tool in a more comfortable position, and looked at me, waiting for the question.

"How come you can play this well? Aren't you a Three?" I know his was totally cliché, but I was very curious to know.

He chuckled. "My mother's side of the family are Fives. But my mother never felt comfortable in the artist world, so she was very happy to marry my father, and she became a doctor. But her sister is a virtuoso pianist, and she taught me."

"Do you sometimes wish you were a Five?"

"No. I'm very happy to be in law school. I just need something to get my mind off things from time to time, and playing the piano always seemed to be the best option."

"I can totally relate to that."

"Yeah, I've heard. You cook to get your mind off things, right?"

I chuckled. "News travel fast."

"We just talk, you know? There isn't that much else to do, here."

"What? There are a hundred things to do around here," I said.

"Like what?"

"There's the swimming pool, the gardens where you can play all kinds of sports, the piano, books, and if you want to do something else, you just have to ask, and we can find you what you want. If it's not half the kingdom, though."

He laughed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"It's about that guard. The one who took that bullet for you the other day."

I forced the heat rising on my cheeks to go back down. "What about him?"

"Did you know him well?" He cleared his throat. "I mean, you looked pretty shaken when you realized it was him who got shot in your place. And you cried on his chest." He paused, looked at me and debated to say more. "I'm sorry, I might have seen something I shouldn't have, but I saw him tell you he loved you."

I sighed. "You're right, it wasn't meant for you to see." I couldn't help the annoyance in my voice. "He is in my Personal Guard, so yes, I know him well. Like the two others on the rotating shift of my Personal Guard."

He eyed me suspiciously. "So it's nothing more than that?"

I took a few seconds to gather my answer. "Not anymore."

"So there was?" he asked.

"Yes, but not anymore. Look. It was before the Selection, and he's my friend."

He chuckled. "Ouch. Friendzoned by the Princess herself," he said sarcastically. If only he knew it was the other way around…

"Would you prefer I eliminate all of you one by one and choose him at the end, or would you rather I eliminate all but one from this Selection?" I asked him, a bit angry. He was getting just under my skin, and it was annoying me.

He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Just answer the question."

"I'd rather you eliminate all but one. At least I'd have a chance." He looked at his hands and fiddled with his wristwatch.

"You want a chance?"

He nodded. "Why do you think I didn't risk my place in the 'Kissing Marathon'?"

I hadn't thought of that. I sighed. "All right, maybe we started on the wrong foot." I promised myself I'd give them all a second chance, didn't I?

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Yeah, I shouldn't have asked you about that guard, it was stupid of me. I have this habit — as a lawyer, you know — to observe and analyze everything. I usually keep my opinion to myself, but," he trailed off, shrugging.

"It's all right. I guess that, as one of my many boyfriends, it was your right to ask. I'm careless sometimes. Can you keep that to yourself though? About Officer Creed?"

"Sure. If I hear anything among the boys, I'll let you know. But I think a few of them saw the same thing I did." He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I guess it was bound to happen at one point." I sighed. "Anyway. Um, would you like to have a late dessert date with me, tonight?"

He smiled. "I'd like that."

I stood. "Okay, well, I'll see you after dinner, then."

He took my hand and kissed the back of it. "Until later, Princess."

I walked out of the piano room and bumped into Killian as I turned around the corner.

"Oh, my goodness, Isodora, I'm so sorry," he said, gently grabbing my shoulders and looking if I was all right.

I rubbed my rose. "It's all right, Killian. I should either honk when I come around a corner, or have my nose made smaller, because this is not the first time I bump into one of you."

He chuckled. "I'd rather you honk, because you already have a very pretty nose," he said, booping my nose with his index finger. "I was just going outside for a stroll. Care to accompany me?" he asked, giving me his arm.

"Why not?" I said slyly and looped my arm in his.

We walked down the stairs to the Garden doors.

"Uh-uh-uh, Isodora," I heard father call behind us. What was he doing here?

I turned around. "Yes, father?"

"I forgot to tell you, but no one is to go outside, anymore. And especially not you."

"Oh, father, why ever for?" I asked him, annoyed.

"There was a rebel inside our walls, and there easily can be others outside, too. Imagine if he had let them in before the party?" He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but it's for security reasons."

"But father, it's the middle of the summer. You can't keep us all cooped up inside, you know?" I really didn't want to argue with him in front of Killian, but I couldn't just say

'Yes, please, and thank you'. No, not this time.

"There is no arguing over my decision, Isodora. No one goes outside, and that's it." He turned around and walked away.

"I'm sorry about that, Killian."

"It's all right. But I didn't know the Princess couldn't do whatever she wanted."

"You have no idea," I sad dramatically. "I guess we'll just have to take a stroll inside the Palace. Pretty lame, huh?"

"I'm sure we can find somewhere to go." He paused a moment. "What about the Ball Room? It should be big enough for a stroll, don't you think?" he asked slyly.

I laughed. "The Ball Room it is." We walked arm in arm to the huge mahogany doors, and I pushed the double doors open.

"Oh, wow," He said in awe. "It looks so much bigger than on that first night, and it already seemed huge, then." He walked to the middle of the room and looked at the painting on the ceiling, turning around to get a full view of the image. Small cherubs were painted among clouds. "One, two, three, four, five-"

"What are you counting?"

"The angels."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, well then you might as well count the stars, too. I'm going to go get myself a coffee. Call me when you're finished," I said sarcastically, heading to the doors.

"Hey, hey, hey, where do you think you're going?" he said, grabbing me by my waist, and twirling me back to the center of the Room. "Don't think you can ditch me like that, Princess," he said slyly. "The angels and stars can wait." I giggled and kicked my shoes of, walking only in my skin color tights — why on earth was I wearing tights in the middle of summer? — and I untangled myself from his embrace. "Where are you going?" he asked again.

"I'm going to show you something. I used to do this with my brother when we were little." I placed myself against the wall and ran as fast as I could to the middle of the room, and then let myself slide as far as I could. Killian burst out laughing, his red curls bouncing around his head, and he kicked his shoes, too. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows while walking to the wall where I had started.

"Okay, you wanna play this game? Watch me." He sprinted to the center of the room and slid all the way to me. I dodged him as he almost came smashing against me. We both laughed and ran again, sliding to the other side of the room, racing to see who would go the farthest. We were both giggling like thee-year-old kids and crossed the room I don't know how many times. Killian was laughing so hard that we fell on his butt. Hard.

I slid to his side and my legs couldn't hold me, because I was laughing so hard, so I found myself kneeling next to him. "Oh my goodness, Killian," I managed to say between laughs. "Are you okay?" I giggled again, as he moaned and rubbed his bottom.

"No…" he whined. "And you're gonna pay me for this," he said grabbing me and pulling me on top of him. "I deserve a kiss for this."

"Why in the world would I kiss you for falling on your butt?" I giggled.

"Don't question me," he said, and then he pressed his lips against mine and broke off the kiss very soon after. He smiled slyly.

"Is that what you call a kiss?" I asked him with a smirk on my face. "Let me show you how it's done." But before I could kiss him, he shifted our places, and I was under him.

"Didn't expect that, huh?" He winked. "Now you can show me how it's done."

I smirked. "You're such a sly d-" His lips against mine shut my words, and I buried my fingers in his curls, kissing him. His soft, tender, round lips kissed me playfully and it sent a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. The Ball Room floor was not the most comfortable place to be, but I didn't mind. He was kind and gentle in his touch and kiss.

A handful of minutes later, he broke off the kiss, and he laughed. "Max and Eric were right: you are a good kisser."

I felt my cheeks redden. "Well, I have some practice, and I've learned from the best." I wiggled my eyebrows, and chuckled. "But you're a little bit heavy and this hard floor isn't really the most comfortable," I said, gently pushing him off me.

"My bad," he said, sitting next to me and helping me up. We chatted a little longer, both sitting on the floor and the middle of room. At some point, we both lied down on our back, looking at the painted sky on the ceiling, counting the angels. Killian counted thirty-three, and I counted thirty-five. So we gave it a second try, and both counted thirty-four. I grabbed his wrist to check the time.

"Oh, my goodness, I'm late," I said, quickly standing up. "Judy is not going to be happy." I grabbed my shoes and slipped them on. "I'm sorry, Killian, I have to go. Thanks for this pleasant afternoon, and I'll see you later at dinner," I almost shouted as I walked through the doors and ran up the stairs.

Judy was waiting for me, her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. "I'm not a magician, you know? I need more than thirty minutes to get you ready. And you still have to take a shower." She rolled her eyes.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I was counting the angels," I said evasively, and quickly undressed to take a shower. When I was done, Judy helped me pull over my head a burgundy off-the-shoulders dress with a tulle skirt going to my mid-calves. I slipped some golden colored heels and she fixed my hair as best she could in the little time we had in a thick fishtail braid over my shoulder.

I practically ran down the stairs — without falling — and stopped to take a breath before entering the Dining Room. I walked regally to my chair, next to Aislinn who was still there until the next morning, and we both talked about the boys, careful not to speak too loudly.

When dinner was finished, but just before dessert, I invited Harrison out of the room, and in the piano room, for a dessert date. A large plate with dozens of different pastries was waiting for us on the coffee table.

"Wow," he said. "How are we ever going to choose?"

"We don't choose. We eat them all." I chuckled.

He looked at the pastries. "Um, okay, but there are only one of each."

I rolled my eyes. "Then we share. Were's the problem, Harrison?"

He smiled slyly. "No problem at all." He took a pastry and fed it to me. I bit in it, looking straight into his eyes. He smiled and ate the rest of it.

"My turn to choose one." I took a green macaron and fed it to him, just like he had done to me. But macarons are fragile, and the moment he took a bite, it shattered in my hand. We both burst out laughing, and he pushed my hand to my mouth, so nothing would be lost.

"Now come chocolate fondant," He said, holding the dessert in front of my lips. I ate a part of it, but, as the name suggests, it's 'fondant', and it dripped on my chin and his fingers. "Oh, you have some chocolate there," he said smudging me even more with his chocolate-y fingers. "No, that's not gonna do." He leaned in closer, and kissed me, pretending to clean my face. But of course, it was even worse, and we were both smudged in chocolate. But I didn't care. A chocolate tasting kiss is much better than just stuffing ourselves with desserts.

We ate some more pastries, and smudged each other's faces when we fed the desserts to the other one. It was fun and romantic at the same time. It could easily have been one of my favorite dates. Not the favorite, but one of my favorites.

Your thoughts on this chapter are greatly appreciated ;P Thanks!

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