Authors Note:
First off, I need to apologize. My goal was to post a new chapter every Saturday but the past little while has been so crazy that I've barely had any time to write!
With the end of the school year coming up, I have a ton to do, but I've already started on chapter number four (spoiler alert: Kurt and Blaine finally meet!) so hopefully, I can have that finished by the end of this week.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
P.S. When reading through my past chapters, a friend told me that the breaks that I put in there weren't showing up so I'm trying something different and hopefully I fixed that problem.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter ThreeThe sun shone into Kurt's bedroom, causing him to wake. He quickly got out of bed and began his extensive moisturizing routine, then doing everything else he needed to be ready for the day. Getting dressed, styling his hair into a perfect coif, and things like that.
Kurt made his way to the Great Room where he found Silvia-the person tasked with teaching and watching over the Selected during their stay-speaking to the girls. He waited politely for her to finish before making himself known.
"Good morning, Silvia." He smiled brightly at her then turned to the large group of girls. He could tell they were trying to make good impressions by the way they straightened their backs and flipped their hair. "Ladies." He nodded in their direction, earning him a small chorus of giggles.
"Silvia," Kurt continued, "would you mind if I introduced myself?"
"Of course not, Your Highness." Silvia retreated into the background.
"Thank you. If you wouldn't mind, ladies, I'm going to meet with you one at a time to chat for a bit. Then, I promise we can all get to breakfast." The idea of talking one on one with him made some of the girls fidget nervously while others emitted confidence.
Kurt strode up to the girl closest to him and lead her over to a pair of couches where they sat across from one another. Kurt leaned in to read the little silver tag pinned to her dress, displaying her name. "Quinn?"
"Yes, Your Majesty?" She smiled as she spoke, making it obvious that she was used to attention. She didn't seem rude though.
"Tell me about yourself." They chatted for a few minutes more and then the process started all over again.
After meeting with everyone, Kurt dismissed everyone to move on into the Dining Room except for two girls. "Sugar and Whitney, would you please stay back for a bit?"
Kurt entered the Dining Room alone. He felt bad for sending two girls home after barely giving them a chance, but the main goal of The Selection, despite what people will tell you, is to create drama. Something had to be done to distract the subjects of Illéa. The Rebels were growing more and more anxious, rowdy, and dangerous.
And so, Kurt played the part he was born into and built himself, and his life, into what it needed to be. Besides, Sugar seemed pretty stuck up from what he could tell so far and Whitney was positively generic.
Approaching the table, Kurt took a seat at the left-hand side of his father. "Who'd you send home?" the king whispered in his ear. Honestly, Kurt thought that Burt could almost enjoy gossip more than he did.
"Sugar Motta and Whitney Chambers."
"Reasons?" Kurt almost laughed at the fact that he and his father-both royals-were conversing in hushed tones at the dining table with thirteen girls watching.
"One was too full of herself and the other too dull."
"Ooh," the king laughed, "good call. I already have you, I don't need another person living in my house who could just on and on about themselves."
Kurt gave his father the sassiest glare known to man. Burt laughed and Kurt eventually let up. He knew he was only joking.
"You know, Kurt," Burt paused to take a bite of his breakfast, "as much as I would love to sit here and talk to you all day, I'm sure our guests would love some attention." Kurt nodded.
"Ladies," Kurt stood and called to the room at large, "I hope you are all enjoying your time at the palace. Though just as all of you, I have a family and I know I would miss them terribly if I were in your place, so I invite you all to write letters home and I will see to it that they are all sent in a timely manner." Everyone smiled excitedly. Kurt moved to sit again, then hesitated. "One more thing." The room went silent. "Marley," she froze. "Would you be willing to accompany me for a walk this afternoon?"
All head turned to the brunette as she sat there flabbergasted. Rachel elbowed her in the ribs. "Say yes," she squealed.
"Yes, um, of course, Your Highness," Marley said. Kurt smiled at her and sat back down.
"Why her?" Burt, once again, spoke only so his son could hear him.
"I don't really know," Kurt admitted. "I just had the feeling that she's a good person to keep around."
"Hmn." Burt said, then returned to his meal.
Marley sat at the desk in her room for the time being. She was writing a letter to her mom, ensuring her that she's okay, telling her how beautiful the palace is, and saying how much she misses her.
Kate, one of Marley's maids knocked before entering. Kate, who maybe a year or two younger than Marley, was pretty in a simple, natural sort of way. It was impossible to tell how long her straw-colored hair was because on the bun she always had it pulled up into. She had a slender face and kind brown eyes.
Kate had a warm presence and was innocent in a way that made you want to protect her. All in all, Kate was light.
"Miss," she said, smiling, "Prince Kurt will be here to pick you up soon. We need to start getting you ready." Kate looked as if she might giggle, but was able to compose herself.
"You seem more excited than me," Marley laughed.
kate walked over to the closet on the far side of the room and pulled out two dresses. One was yellow with a sweetheart neckline and a flowy skirt the cascaded to the floor while the other was more of a ball gown in midnight blue and shimmered when it moved. "It's an important event," she replied. "The whole kingdom will be talking about it for weeks! Now, which dress do you like better?" She held up the two options.
"Yellow," Marley, almost instantaneously, said.
Kate smiled. "It does seem very you, doesn't it?"
A knock came at the door as Kurt paced around his room. "Come in," he called. Finn poked his head in the door.
"Hey," Finn chimed, "what's up? Why are you pacing around so much?"
"Because I'm stressed, Finn," Kurt snapped.
"Woah, dude, calm down."
Kurt spun around to face his brother. "Don't you ever tell me to calm down. It just riles me up even more and that is not good for my skin."
"Kurt," Finn crossed the room and put his hand on Kurt's shoulder, "you have nothing to worry about. Now go before you're late. My advice, don't keep her waiting." With that Finn left the room.
Kurt did one last check in the mirror then headed out to Marley's room… after getting directions from a maid who told him which room that was.
Kurt only had to knock once before an eager maid opened the door. "Your Highness, come in" She bowed and pushed the door open a little wider. "Marley is just getting her shoes on."
"Thank you." Kurt stepped inside and noticed Marley walking towards the door in a bright, yet simple, yellow dress. How fitting, he thought. She curtsied and took his arm which he had extended for her. "Shall we?"
The two headed down the hall, Kurt leading the way around the castle with no plan as to where they were going. He was so lost in thought that he had forgotten to start a conversation and was startled when she spoke.
"Your Majesty," she whispered like she was asking permission to address him.
"Yes?"
"How do you feel about The Selection?"
Kurt blinked. Out of all the things he expected her to say, he'd never imagined that. "How do I feel about it? I, um…"
"Oh," Marley quickly interjected, "I'm sorry. That probably wasn't appropriate of me to ask."
"It's okay," Kurt reassured her, though he didn't show any signs of answering her question.
Soon they moved on to easier topics and found out that they share a common love for music. They laughed and talked, arguing about who was the better artist, Katy Perry or Lady Gaga.
"Are you crazy?" Kurt exclaimed, "Lady Gaga is legendary!"
"She's just a bit… out there, you know? And Katy Perry has amazing music! Much better than Lady Gaga."
Kurt scoffed. "Marley-" He was interrupted by a stone crashing through the window next to them. Kurt screamed, jumping away and Marley ducked down, covering her head with her arms.
"Kurt…" Marley looked at him with fearful eyes.
"Come on," Kurt said, quickly grabbing her wrist and speeding through the halls.
"What's happening?" Marley shouted from behind him. They could hear more crashes and thumps as rocks were hurled at the castle. Guards rush around them, making their way outside.
"Rebels," Kurt said. "They're attacking the palace."
Marley and Kurt made it into the Safe Room-a room with multiple hidden entrances for the Royals to hide when their safety was threatened-where they found Finn, Burt, and the other selected girls.
The girls were scattered around the room, either in small groups or on their own, each in their own state of panic. There was also a guard at posted each entrance in case anyone came down who wasn't supposed to.
A physician wandered around the space, checking up on everyone. Fortunately, it appeared that no one had been physically hurt.
"Marley," said Kurt, "I need to go talk to my-" he stop when he turned to look at her. Little shards of glass stuck out from her arms, tiny trails of blood making paths down to her wrists started at each one. He looked down at his own hand which had held on to her while they ran and found spots of it had been stained scarlet by her blood. How did he not see it before?
"It's really not a big deal, Kurt-"
"No. You need a doctor." He lead her over to the closest chair and pushed his way around people to get someone to help her.
As the fragments of the broken window were pulled from Marley's arm, Kurt found himself feeling squeamish and after she insisted for the third time that he didn't have to sit with her, he made his way around the room to check on the other girls. Each time he spoke to them he let them know that they were allowed to leave the palace and the Selection if they didn't feel safe there.
Three girls accepted. Tomorrow Tina, Jane, and Mallory would be going home.
After three hours of being locked in the Safe Room, one of the most trusted guards at the palace, Officer Anderson, gave them the clear.
"Cooper," Kurt called, "I need a full report of everything that happened tonight."
"Of course," Cooper replied. "But, Kurt, I have to warn you. It isn't good."
Kurt had stayed up the entire night talking to Cooper and other guards, going over watch schedules, and assessing the damage that had been done. Thankfully, no one had been killed, but there were some who would have to stay off-duty for a while to heal.
"Kurt?" Kurt's dad opened the door and slid into the room.
Kurt glanced up for a moment. "Hey, dad."
"What are you doing? Have you been awake since last night?" Kurt didn't answer the second question, though he didn't need to. Burt knew his son and he could tell how tired he was. He could also see that Kurt found whatever he was doing to be very important.
"Dad... this isn't good." Kurt looked away from the papers scattered across his desk and instead stared at the wall, a look of contemplation clear on his face. "The Rebels have never actually gotten inside. They're getting smarter, angrier. And now we have thirteen- soon to be ten- girls here to protect as well."
Burt smiled. It was true, bad things were definitely coming and happening currently, but Kurt was genuinely concerned about not only his family but a group of girls he's barely had the chance to get to know. He was going to be a great king. "Well, what do you suggest we do about it?"
Kurt didn't have to think, obviously he had been doing plenty of that and had already come up with a plan. "We need more guards," he stated. "From what I've gathered, there seems to be gaps in shifts where, if someone were to chart, they could easily figure out when they had an opening. That's how they were able to get so close."
Burt was impressed. "Show me."
Kurt rummaged through papers until he pulled out the two he was looking for. "The largest time gap happens here." He pointed to a stop on a map which he had circled in red. Other places were circled in blue, signifying that they also had were areas to be concerned about but apparently not as pressing as the one in red.
Burt put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Okay, Kurt. You say we need to get more guards, then that's what we're gonna do."
Every newspaper in the kingdom was filled with articles about The Rebels attack on the palace and all of them said the same thing: Marley got hurt.
Some of them, Blaine hoped, were exaggerations, but it was clear that something happened and she was close to it. That was not something either Blaine or Nick was okay with.
The two of them sat talking in front of Blaine's house. "Blaine," Nick said, "I've... heard rumors."
"What kind of rumors?" Blaine questioned.
"Well, they say that the palace is recruiting new guards. I'm- I'm thinking I'm gonna go."
Blaine turned his head to look at Nick. "Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, my family could use the money and, well-"
"You could help protect Marley." Blaine finished for him. They sat in silence for a few moments. For while now Blaine had known about Nick's feelings for Marley which is why his decision didn't surprise him. Blaine only hoped neither of his friends would get hurt.
"You know what?" Blaine had a determined look in his eyes. "If the rumors are true, I'm going with you. Nick, we are going to the palace."