Oh my goodness! I can't apologize enough for how long it's been! So terribly sorry; I've been sick to my stomach. This next chapter is another filler, but it is so so so important. I'm still accepting girls, so please enter. I will not decide who will win until I have received all of them. So, with that, please enjoy the next chapter, and review to tell me what you guys think!

After making sure Ethan was calm and tucked back into bed, Vivienne left Door 529, locking it behind her. Always being the slower one to finish jobs, her parents believed that Viv was still in the Washing Room completing her work for the day. Because of this, sneaking out was never a problem. She walked up the cracked stairs with excited speed and pep, imagining what that night's meeting would produce. Viv couldn't necessarily say she was excited to see Prince Lucas, but she was entranced by the secrecy and profits that came with the relationship. The meetings at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the balcony where the abandoned rooftop greenhouse was were always looked forward too by both parties. Every week since two years ago Lucas and Vivienne met in the unnoticed part of the palace, even in the cold and rain. Even tonight, in the chilly November air, Vivienne didn't bother bringing her thin sweater; Lucas always warmed her up with his cuddling and kisses.

Kissing Lucas was, at first, difficult to pretend was enjoyable, but Vivienne had learned to act very well as a young girl; she dreamed of becoming an actress and being loved by the country because of her "poor maid" story. She had long since forgotten that dream; Vivienne faced her harsh reality as soon as she began working in the Washing Room. Yet even though she let her hopes of starting an acting career fade away, she used the skills she had worked on into good use with Lucas. Handholding and sweet talks became more comfortable and passionate kisses held more fire, but they'd never gone farther than that. Lucas was quite the gentleman and respected Vivienne's boundaries. She wanted the "I do"s before she was completely committed.

It wasn't that Vivienne didn't like Lucas, but she just didn't feel the spark she knew she should've felt. The complete and utter adoration Lucas held for her was difficult to pretend to reciprocate, and she couldn't help but wonder how she had made a man like him fall for a girl like her. It was completely absurd, but Vivienne thanked her acting skills. Sometimes Vivienne felt guilty for leading him on this one-sided relationship; Lucas was a great young man that was going to be a fantastic King one day, and he deserved a woman who truly loved him, but Vivienne was determined to live a better life, and if she was to be named a shallow, selfish scum of the Earth, so be it.

It took a good five minutes to get to the greenhouse, so by the time Vivienne arrived, Lucas was already there. He was casually leaning against a rusted steel post, looking down with his arms crossed. Vivienne's stomach dropped as she stepped into the cold night and realized this meeting was not going to begin positively, like it usually did. She knew the little things about Lucas that most didn't; arms crossed meant he was conflicted or angry, and looking down meant he was upset. Acquiring this knowledge wasn't particularly difficult for Vivienne as she had always been very observant. Lucas seemed so lost in thought as to not even notice her entrance, and so, as to not greatly startle him, she scraped her foot slightly on the cement as she walked over to where he was. He looked up instantly, gray eyes wide and alert as arms instantly drop to his sides. Viv hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck- how he liked it most- as he wrapped his around her waist. He pulled her closer and kissed her softly, a sweet one that should've caused a tornado of butterflies to swirl in Vivienne's stomach, but left her feeling empty. She let her eyes flutter close as his did the same. She thought she heard a sound from behind her, where the entrance was, but dismissed it as part of the broken down structure they were standing in. Pulling away, she put on a smile as she looked up at him through her eyelashes, breathily saying, "Hey."

He smirked, eyes lighting up to the color of the moon above. "Hello, my beautiful," he whispered. Vivienne had to admit that the attention and sweet pet names felt nice, especially after being practically invisible her whole life. She let go of her tight hold on his neck, but grabbed both of his hands and held them in hers. She noticed how he looked down at her hands and rubbed his thumbs over her rough knuckles slowly. Lucas bit the inside of his cheek and looked into her dark brown eyes, flicking back and forth between them. Closing her eyes, Vivienne breathed in deeply and sighed. When she opened them, she cocked her head slightly to the side and asked, "What's wrong" in a light and seemingly concerned voice. He let go of her hands and looked down at his feet, scratching his neck nervously. Vivienne waited patiently as he searched for the right words. Eventually, he brought his eyes up to hers and kept them there.

"The news that I will be telling you is something that was against my choice," he began strongly. "I had no say in the decision and I am thinking desperately how to fix this. You have to know that I'm trying to find a solution," Lucas said as he grabbed Vivienne's broad shoulders, almost as if to keep himself stable and upright. She nodded vigorously, surprised and anxious of his words and the uncertainty she could detect in his stormy irises.

"Of course, Lucas. You're a problem solver; if anything's wrong I know you'll fix it," she told him, knowing her words rang with truth. "You know I'm your right hand man. I'm with you every step of the way. Just tell me what's wrong, baby. Let me help."

Lucas nods stiffly, eyes not leaving hers. He clears his throat and breathes in deeply, strong chest expanding. He holds his breath for a few seconds before exhaling. The wait increases Vivienne's nerves and impatience, and she's about ready to snap when-

"I'm having a Selection."

...

There goes a new and better life.

Bitterness rises in her throat, and her face almost contorts into anger, but she catches herself and makes it fall into shock instead. Lucas had to believe she was losing her one and only love, not her money sign. "But…" She trailed off, desperate for the right words, but finding none. How could she express sadness when she could only feel rage? Think about sad things, she thought, an acting skill she had picked up when she was ten. Thinking of a sad memory could change a person's joyful demeanor into one containing depressed and disturbed feelings. She chose to think of the poor maid the Head Maid had dunked, imagining the burns and peeling skin the girl would have to deal with...

It worked. Tears sprung into her eyes, and Lucas hastily wiped them away, kissing each spot below her eye where a tear had leaked out. As she was brought back to the present, tears almost instantly vanished. She couldn't help but think of all the things she could've had but now would never because some idiot wanted to screw with her happiness. Her plan had exploded like New Asia, and Lucas had a strong chance of meeting a girl he loved more than Vivienne, and that absolutely couldn't happen as long as Vivienne had a say in the matter. Lucas was not allowed to realize he didn't love her until she had a fancy diamond ring on her finger. She didn't care if he didn't love her after that- she'd still be married to him. Viv knew how much Lucas disagreed with divorce; one time he suggested to Vivienne that he would make it illegal when he became King. She just needed to get a proposal out of him, and Vivienne thought that after two years of a healthy and romantic relationship, he would've popped down on one knee by now. And she knew why he couldn't, but now...

"Lucas, I know what you can do!" She said excitedly, smiling at her brilliantly simple idea that just worked out wonderfully in her favor. She grabbed his hands again, entwining their fingers together. "Marry me! The whole Selection would be called off and we'd be together and not have to meet in secret and we could even-"

"I don't think you get it, Viv. This is a secret relationship, and it's secret for a reason," his cold tone cut her joyous one off. "Could you imagine the tabloids? The press would be all over me falling for the maid who washes my clothes! They'd wonder what goes on in the Palace that they don't know about. What kind of other secrets are the Royals keeping? Can we trust the Royals to focus on the war? Or are they too busy smacking lips with a poor six? People would riot, attacks would be more common, our allies wouldn't respect us and our enemies wouldn't fear us. We'd be a laughing stock for the entire world!" He shook his head in frustration at her.

Vivienne flinched, actually hurt by his words. They reminded her again of how worthless the country thought of her. "And I guess reputation comes before love, right? Because the world knowing I'm with you is more important than our happiness," she responded, glaring at the Royal looming over her. She let go of his hands and turned away, trying to make her anger deflate before it caused her more trouble.

"I'm trying to fix this!" He insisted, grabbing her shoulder.

"How?" She snapped, spinning around and sticking her chin up at him. All calming habits she had were forgotten as she let red cloud her vision. "And even if you do, what happens then? We have a secret marriage? Have secret children? The country needs a Queen! It needs heirs to rule after you!"

"Do you honestly think a maid would be a suitable Queen?" He responded lowly, nose twitching in carefully contained rage. Vivienne felt something in her snap as the deadly trio of Hurt, Anger, and Distress consumed her. She felt Hurt aching in her heart as it thumped heavily inside of her. Anger stirred in her stomach as it built from deep within her core. Distress swirled inside her head as doubtful thoughts questioned her. The emotions grew and grew until the clashed into each other and all of a sudden, Vivienne's body moved on its own accord. She swung her hand back and slapped him on the cheek- hard. So hard that Lucas, a good 200 plus pound muscular man, stumbled to his right, both hands clutching his left cheek. His face was scrunched in pain and shock, and Vivienne looked down at her hand in wonder. Had she really just slapped the Prince's face?

She gasped in the realization of what she'd done as guilt washed over her. She glanced back over to Prince Lucas to see him stonily glaring at her, hands clenched at his sides. Viv could see the outline of her hand stamped on his face as his cheek began to swell. Even in the dim moonlight the harsh red color was noticeable.

Eyes widening, she rushed over to Lucas, reaching one hand up to his wound. "Oh Lucas-" she began, an apology ready on her tongue.

Lucas grabbed her wrist before she could touch him. "It's Your Majesty to you," he hissed at her, swinging her arm down forcefully. "Don't bother coming back here again. You won't see anything but that moon-" he pointed above their heads at the hole in the green glass, "-and the memories you'll have of me," Lucas said. He pushed by Viv, reaching out for the old door handle and yanking it so roughly the door popped off the top hinge. He stopped in the doorway and turned around to face her, one hand on the door. His voice was barely audible, but Vivienne could hear him in the still autumn night.

"Goodbye Vivienne."

The two words he always said to her at the end of their meetings, when it was getting late enough for Viv's parents to start getting suspicious. Before they held hope and a promise of seeing her again, but now they contained a finality of their last meeting.

Viv felt herself fall apart. All she had worked for, everything she had planned, had been completely shot within fifteen minutes. She felt the numbness set in as she realized there would be no ring, no white dress, no happy ending, for her anyway. Ethan would also suffer, never getting the freedom he deserved, like Vivienne. She cleared her thick throat as hot and heavy tears swam down her cheeks and painted the cement before quickly fading.

"Goodbye, Your Majesty," she croaked, voice cracking. She let the tears run freely now, and streaks of wetness cleaned her red face. Her lips disappeared inside her mouth in an attempt to stifle a sob, but the strangled cry still escaped her. Nostrils flared as her nose leaked almost as much as her eyes did. Short tendrils of hair that had fallen out of the bun were plastered to her face as the tears acted like glue.

Viv let her head hang back so that she was staring at the glass roof. The paneling was patchy with dark and light greens, and above her was the hole that Lucas had thrown a rock through to create. The memory form two years ago came rushing back to her.

"What?" Lucas asked, noticing the distaste in Viv's face.

"Nothing, it's just…" Something seemed off about secret meetings in a closed and broken down greenhouse. It was dark and dank and smelled of rotten plants. "I'm a little…claustrophobic," she lied, wanting Lucas to agree and pick a better spot. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully with his hands on his hips. Grinning at her, he said, "I know how to fix that."

She sighed. For the short time she had known him, she found out a lot of things about Prince Lucas. One of them was that he was a complete problem solver. He couldn't stand to let anything stay unfixed. Sometimes, such as now, Vivienne was extremely annoyed by his constant attempts to make something better instead of get something better.

Viv watched with arms folded across her chest as Lucas took a rock from the ground and held it up, examining it. He tossed it between his hands a few times, feeling its weight, before bringing his arm back and launching the rock up towards the glass. In the quiet of the night, the shattering of the glass screamed in Viv's ears, and she was surprised when the guards hadn't come to investigate the noise.

Looking up, Viv noticed the gaping hole in the roof. It was about five feet in diameter, but it let moonlight flood in. The emptiness of the greenhouse seemed to become filled with the light, and Viv found it romantic. It was perfect.

She turned to Lucas. "Better," she said, walking over to him. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him. "Much better," she whispered into his mouth.

The sound of the door clicking startled Vivienne out of her memory. She didn't notice that Prince Lucas was gone, the door crookedly closed. She knew that he would be bothered by the breakup for days, maybe weeks, but his life would go on and he'd have the perfect chance to find a girl a million times better than Vivienne in a month or two. As for her, life would remain the same, with everlasting work and a changeless routine. One thing would be left behind, and it hurt Vivienne as she could already feel the emptiness from where it filled her heart.

Not love.

Hope.

Well, there it is! The end of Vivienne and Lucas' relationship…right? I don't know, we'll see! Review and please submit girls! Thank you all for reading!