51

The Middle

"Knock, knock."

The door was open (it usually was), but Kath had been reading a book. She hadn't seen Michael come and lean into the door, even though she had asked him to come and talk beforehand. It was evening, and most of the girls, Michael, Sam and Emilia had gone to the beach. Kath had too, but that was a while ago. Michael's hair still was wet.

"The door's open," Kath replied, and placed the bookmark between the pages of her book.

Michael advanced through the doorframe into Kath's room, eyeing the mix of Harry Potter merchandise and things related to engineering and planes. "So…" he said while looking around. "What did you want? You sounded very ominous on the beach today."

"I'm sorry for that," Kath replied. "Are you happy now? You're on Dominica now," she added.

"Yes, thank you," Michael laughed. "Your family's nice though."

"You haven't met all," Kath remarked. "Jackson and Aubrey don't live here, and Everett is in the Air Force. You only met Henry, and he invited everyone to go clubbing with him, and he flirted with Isa."

"Isa's practically only on her phone and talking to Jason though, unless he's working."

"I mean, if they get along so well…" Isadora trailed off. "Let them be?"

Michael nodded. "They're good for each other. I'm glad that Rho didn't have issues with leaving the Selection though."

"Rho and her brothers do have something hard against them."

"It's just their word," Kath noted.

"Alongside ten witnesses that have been in the media for quite a while by now. It's thirteen versus their mother."

Kath nodded. "That's true."

"You have lots of Harry Potter stuff," Michael pointed out.

"You didn't catch that after my Halloween Ball dress was themed 'Ravenclaw', and I made my family do the same?" She rose an eyebrow.

"… Right."

"We need to talk," Kath added. They had to start the topic either way, so, why bother with talking around the topic? She pulled her legs closer, and took a deep breath.

"Again… huh?" He trailed off into the thought he had. Probably remembering the same time she had said that before.

"I'm going to be honest," Kath began. "We don't work. Friends, sure, but nothing more. Do you agree?"

"… Yeah." Michael nodded. "I see where you're going."

Kath nodded, but kept silent for the next moment. He didn't seem worried (but he would go down to six…?) or angry, so what was he thinking? Did he agree and only keep her in for politeness after Cecilia or because she got along with Rihanna and her friends?

"You want to leave… Well, leave in quotation marks. Stay here. Whatever. You get what I mean."

"Exactly," she said.

"Well, sure. I'll text Silvestre later."

"Thanks," Kath ended.

Kath had told her family beforehand that she'd leave the Selection, so to them, at the dinner shared between the girls, the two royals and the Rhodes family, it was no surprise that Kath asked to give her a moment to say something.

"I am leaving the Selection," she said, giving a brief pause. Michael nodded. "It was an interesting perspective and experience for sure, but Michael and I agree—we'd probably never work, especially not under these circumstances. I'm incredibly glad to have met everyone, and to have done it, let alone because I made great friends, but I want to go back into the life I always wanted. Thanks for having me join you all, but this time, I'm staying home."

* . * . *

Rihanna sighed.

Dominica was nice and all, and it was sweet that Emmy joined them for this trip (she had dodged Honduras and Sota last week), but this was also annoying her. They were down to seven now that the representatives of Honduras and Sota both left, and by now, she and Emilia had turned their plan into an elaborate idea on how they could end up together.

Right now, they were still sitting together, watching the sunset at the beach. Most girls, except Tatiana, the two and Tilly had headed towards their hotel already. Emilia leaned into Rihanna, dozing, while Tate and Tilly were playing with a water ball nearby the water line.

"You know," she muttered quiet enough so that only Emmy could hear her. The princess looked up. "We need to talk to Mike."

Now, Emilia sighed. "I don't know… I don't want to force him into anything. He's still my brother, you know. As much as I'd like it… maybe there is someone?"

"What do you mean?" Rihanna asked.

"He's been far to calm about the eliminations. He had no issue with letting the girls go, and he is down to seven now. Kath seems to be intending to stay too, so he'll be around six. Something is up."

"That, or he plans to expose Greene. Besides, Tilly could you see anyone genuinely dating him for more than a one night stand?" Not really, no.

"You know Mike. He'd dodge press attention for anything," Emilia reminded her.

"He never was happy about the Selection though."

"How would he expose Greene? He'd also tell the world that dad, Silvestre and everyone played along. Everyone who knew, it is. Maybe cause worries about danger from the terrorists, and the trade stuff?"

"…As if people would think that far."

Emilia chuckled. "What do you suggest?"

"I dunno. I'll try, and see what comes."

"That's not a good idea," Emilia warned.

"Nah, we'll be fine." Rihanna waved it off.

After Kath explained that she was leaving (or staying, details) to everyone at dinner, Rihanna took Michael wordless, pulling him into the corridor. She ignored Emilia's worried glance—she looked like Rihanna was going to take him to rob a bank!—and ignored Michael's confused "What are you doing?"

"We need to talk," Rihanna insisted.

"… Do you want to leave too? That's what Kath said to me when she left," Michael muttered.

"No." Rihanna shook her head. "I want to know an answer. On our proposal. Now."

Michael mustered Rihanna. "Well… that's sudden."

"Why is Isadora still in, if she's essentially dating Jason? She's just holding you away from the final. Then there's Tate, me, Sonage's Rosa and Abby from Lakedon. You barely even know the last two's names. Are you secretly dating Tate or Tilly, or why are you keeping this up, Mike?"

"I…" Michael stocked. "The person I would chose, father wouldn't like to accept. Probably not at all. Greene wouldn't either, or anyone."

"So… you won't chose them?"

"I'm looking for a loophole… We need to discuss this, because I want to keep my One around. I know that unless dad dies anytime soon, we won't be able to be a thing."

"Unless your dad dies…? How would that affect things?" Rihanna wondered. "That doesn't make sense. There's still Greene, and—"

"If dad dies, I'll abdicate."

"… What?" Rihanna rose an eyebrow. "Really? But you've been the crown prince your whole life!"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, and I'm done with it. Emmy and I… we talked about that when she first woke up. This all reminded me of the fact that my life's… yeah. She's in. She'd be happier either way—she deserves the recognition of being the Queen. The people and press like her more too, and she's just better at this. Nothing's going to change my mind."

Rihanna tilted her head as she ran the scenario through her head. "… Really?"

"Yeah," Michael nodded. "I mean… as mean as it sounds, I used to hope that dad with his drinking, smoking and all… do you know that when Maxon Schreave married America Singer, genes came into our family that increased the likelihood of getting a heart attack? My grandfather died of one, and so did others. I was naively hoping… I don't want him to die, but I don't want to do this."

"Why not say that now?" Rihanna wondered. "Why not… end it now?"

"You know Greene," Michael almost laughed at the idea, "he's misogynist. Emmy supports feminists. Do you really think he'd not try to… I don't know. Change the constitution and make the line of succession male-only again?" He shook his head. "Plus, I touched the topic with dad and mum a while ago. Even when mum agreed with my views, she spoke against it! There's no way I can get out of this."

"How would that change if your father were to die?"

"… The protocol that is enacted if father dies. I am to announce it live. I've got what I actually will say written down. I know it by heart. Emilia is fine with it, and if I say it live, then who'll stop me?"

"Cut the broadcast?" Rihanna suggested.

Michael shook his head. "We've got that planned out. Everything."

"Does my mum know?"

"No, not yet. I'd tell her before, but phrase it as if it was decided. That'd give me more time for my part too, because she'd think that it is planned and meant to be."

"… Okay." Rihanna nodded. "… Okay," she repeated, and took a deep breath. "Thanks for the information dump?"

"I thought she already told you," Michael pointed out. "Sorry."

"No worries. I guess we were too busy planning how to work…"

"… I think… I might actually have an idea. For that, I need Emmy to do something…. And…" He stopped. "Damn. Why didn't I think of this before?"

"Of what?"

"I… I need to talk to someone. Now. I'll come back to you later."

Michael rushed off just as fast as she had pulled him into the corridor, leaving her confused. While Rihanna did check the story with Emilia (and found that it was true—Emmy had just been worried about other things to tell her), she had no idea what Michael meant.

Only near midnight when they were sitting in Emilia's room and watching a TV show together, they understood what Michael had done.

"We need to talk," he said as he opened the door to their room.

"What's up?" Emilia asked curious.

"I'm in, but with one thing—I need you to do something too."

* . * . *

In the next morning, Michael was far from awake. Initially, Silvestre questioned whenever he (and maybe someone else?) had sneaked out to go partying, but it wasn't the hangover that made him sleepy but the sole lack of sleep—time spent into planning.

The group wouldn't head back until the evening, but Michael pushed the essential things he had to do aside in favour of the beach. He needed to talk to some people, and then to Silvestre. Someone had to explain her the plan, and Rihanna had talked him into doing that.

So, when they reached Angeles, he spoke to the girls he still referred to as Sonage and Lakedon, to assure himself that they weren't anyhow possibilities. He wasn't going to throw them out yet—Greene had made his dislike about the tempo of the Selection known after Rho left—but did it to be sure.

There was just one better outcome to him, no matter what he thought, and that one was impossible. He knew that, and there was no denying to it. His happy end was going to be much, much more difficult.

He told Isadora and Jason together.

"Which is why the rest of the Selection will probably be staged completely. I don't know how long Greene wants to span, but it's not going to be forever." He didn't reveal all details, or who would 'win', but that the end was at the horizon. Jason congratulated. Little did he know.

"That's good for you," Isadora told him. "When am I out?"

"I don't know yet," Michael replied. "But I'm pending to say last, because you have a reason to stay here. But yeah, start making plans for afterwards."

Isadora sighed. "Alright, I'll figure out something."

"I mean, if you don't want to go home and need a place to stay, I know people in down, and you got a boyfriend," Michael reminded her. "I'm sure it'll work out."

They agreed, and the crown prince once again reassured them that he, alongside his sister, were on their side if they ever needed help. Asking them to say hi to Rho, he left them alone to finish his list of girls he would need to talk to.

The second to last one he'd need to talk to was Tatiana. Her case was similar to Sonage and Lakedon—except that he knew her name which probably was one big bonus and help. He knocked at her door in the palace, asking if he could come in.

When he did come it, she quickly ended a video call with Africa who was preparing for her movie with her mother (and Tate's father who also seemed to be around).

"I… what do you think right now?" Michael asked her, sitting down.

"My dad just mentioned that Jennifer, my sister, wants to stay in Angeles with my mother the whole time," Tatiana told him. "I couldn't say that I am not happy, but…"

"But?"

"I decided."

"Decided what?" Michael asked, confused.

"Which film school I want to go to. I want to stay in Angeles. I'll need good excuses to dodge her."

"I'm probably not going to disappear, so feel free to say that you're invited here or so," Michael laughed. "But why the decision when the Selection is still going on, if I may ask?"

"I'm not stupid," Tatiana replied with a smile. "I'm not going to win, and I'm good with that. My guess is on Tilly, but who knows. It's just a question until I'm leaving. Probably when we're visiting my home, I suppose?" She laughed. That hadn't been decided yet, because of other engagements needed the royals, but it was planned to happen. She pointed to a few pieces of paper on her table. "I'm working on my applicsation right now."

"I'd say, you're free to leave now too," Michael admitted, "but Greene would probably kill me."

"That doesn't sound fun," Tate noted. "But if you don't mind, I'd like to be out by the time I start film school."

"I think I can arrange that," Michael agreed. He paused for a moment, considering to tell her that the winner of the Selection had been chosen. "I mean, the Selection is essentially decided by now, so it'll just be an act either way. Don't tell the others though—only Isa and Rihanna know."

Tate rose an eyebrow. "Who'll win?"

"I'm not going to spoiler," Michael laughed. More to avoid the press learning of it than to keep the surprise though. "I'm not going to bother you any longer though. See you later."

The last girl he'd need to talk to was Tilly, and she was going to be difficult. Explaining his plan to her, well, when he left Tatiana's room, he decided to do it later. Rather than doing that, he headed towards Silvestre's office. Earlier, he had asked his father and Silvestre to come by—Rihanna would join too, and they would tell his father a slightly changed version of the plan. One where Rihanna and Emilia weren't dating, but they just needed a way out of the Selection, and Rihanna 'volunteered' as tribute.

"You're early," Rihanna pointed out when he reached her office.

"I might be dodging Tilly."

"Don't you want to explain this to her? You did to all, didn't you?"

Michael shook his head. "Only Tate and Isa, and Tate only because she's half-out either way."

"What do you mean?" Rihanna asked.

"Tate is applying for film school right now, so in whatever thing we're staging, she'll probably be the next one out. We should have gotten Greene to join us. Maybe he's a better playwright than politician."

Rihanna laughed. "Sounds like a good idea, shall I text him?"

Michael rose an eyebrow. "You have his number?"

"… That was irony, duh."

"I guessed."

They continued joking around and talking (apparently, Rihanna and Emilia had been shopping, and apparently, that meant that Michael had to listen to every bit of what they did), until Silvestre and Richard (finally—it felt like forever) arrived.

"What so important thing needed us to come now?" Richard asked unhappy. He didn't seem to be in a very good mood.

"Maybe—are you alright?" Michael asked his father.

"Just not feeling very well," the King muttered.

"Let's talk in mum's office," Rihanna suggested.

They did agree and enter the office, sitting down. Rihanna and Michael, alongside Emilia, had discussed the plan. One important person in the plan wasn't very up to date ("I might found a way to get around dad and all, but I need you to do something" was the only information Michael's lover had gotten), but that Michael would do later.

"So… we all know that Greene can't drag the Selection forever," Michael began. "And I know that the only choices he, among others would accept aren't choices I'd take." He paused, hoping that this didn't sound too offensive. "So, Rihanna and I were discussing this before and…"

Silvestre rose an eyebrow. She knew about Rihanna and Emilia, so was she thinking of that?

"She knows how the work goes—she's been around Emmy and me forever. It's a legit story people would buy, and… dad? Are you alright?" Michael looked to the King.

"Go on, son. Just don't take forever."

"Well, Rihanna would be fine with playing winner—and we'd find some wait out of this later when the stuff has died down. Essentially, what I'm saying—plan the end and tell Greene—"

"No." Silvestre insisted.

"Mum," Rihanna groaned. "It's not like we're dating. Besides, Mike isn't that bad. You know him!"

"That's not what I am saying!"

"Well, what's the problem them?" Rihanna asked with a hint of panic in her voice. Michael agreed with that.

"I don't see it either?" he added worried. This had to work—it was their only way out.

"No!"

"Mum, give a point," Rihanna insisted now, "or end it. I'm nineteen!"

"No, you… you… no." She insisted.

"No is not really a reason, you know…?" Michael pointed out.

"I… I have to a… agree with them, Silvestre," Richard noted. "They do have a point, and this is a way for this to end without scandals or anything."

"Yes… no… but…" Silvestre shook her head. "Just don't."

"Still… not a valid reasoning?" Michael said. "I mean, what do you mean?"

"You…" Silvestre rose. "No. I'm vetoing."

"You don't have a veto…?" Michael pointed out.

"I do, because you're half-siblings. That's just—no!"

Silence. A very valid silence, filled with confusion. "… What?" Michael frowned. "We're not?"

"You…" Silvestre sighed. "You are."

"How…" Michael turned to his father. "Any comment?"

Richard shook his head. "Silvestre, end this nonsense. Now."

"It's…" She sat down. "It's true."

"…. Wait." Rihanna leaned forward. "Who are my parents? You always said that you don't know, that I was found. Be honest, mum."

"… I don't know who exactly your father is," Silvestre admitted. "I never figured it out… She never told me."

"She? My biological mother?" Rihanna asked.

"Yes. Charlotte."

Next to Michael, his father moved abruptly. The surprise that made Michael froze, he thought first, but he was gasping for air.

"Dad? Are you alright?" Michael asked, half-standing already.

He wasn't. At first, Michael thought that the same thing he sometimes had with the press was happening to his father, but no.

"Call an ambulance," Silvestre, the only first aid-trained woman in the room said. "That looks like a heart attack to me."


Author's Note

This is a friendly reminder that Mike will not marry Rihanna

Kath is an incredibly well-written character, but from the beginning on, she and Michael had no real chemistry. I've tried a lot, but their personalities, ideals and motivations are too clashing to work together. I think that in a different setting, she'd have gone a different path down, but she just didn't fit in this setting. I'm really glad I got to write her though.

Tatiana worked out really well when I got Africa, as noted before, and I still like her. I don't know much about the disorder she has; I do have a friend with it, but I would never have known if he didn't tell me, so I ended up writing her like I see that friend in relation to it. I'm not sure if I did it well at all, but it worked?

Since Isadora is, essentially, out as well, I'm going to say thank you for her too! Similar to Kath, Isa's a very interesting character, although I think she maybe would have worked in a caste system setting better. Isadora was probably the character I enjoyed writing most of out of the six girls.

Next Chapter: The Truth Untold

We finally get to learn who the lover is!