Hey lovelies! So, I know it's been a while, but RL is a pain. I've officially moved out, gotten a job (and a car!) and now I'm starting the enrollment process to attend college/university. So, I've been a busy little bee, and have completely neglected you all. So, in exchange, I'm staying up late to finish this chapter (that I have, admittedly, been working on for weeks now...) and then I'm going to pass out. All while jammin' to 5SOS.

Here, the Men of the Selection sit down to a meal, learn one of the many rules involved with this adventure, and maybe one of them even meets a certain Princess? The only way to find out is to read, so go do so, and leave a review! All my love goes out to you darlings!

~DA2014

Let Your Heart Lead The Way

Chapter 8

When the strange man had once more sunk into shadows, all the men sat in a dazed silence. Until it was broken of course.

"How the Hell do you know Rose?"

"What the fuck is he talking about?"

"What does that mean for the rest of us?"

All the men who sat nearby started shooting off questions, aimed at Dimitri in particular.

Dimitri, for lack of a better term, was stupefied.

Does that mean that she remembered him?

Dimitri sure hoped so, but at the same time, he hoped not.

He wanted all the men around him to stand a fair chance at winning Rose's heart. Of course, if the tabloids that Dimitri had seen throughout his lifetime were correct, the fastest way to Rose's heart was through her people. Rose would be the first Royal-born Queen the nation had ever seen, and they were excited, rallying behind her.

And, Rose rallied behind her people. Or so rumors had it. Word of mouth was that she was often caught trying to sneak out of the Palace gates in the dead of night so she could experience life the way her people did.

From what Dimitri could tell, she would be a just and fair Queen. He, personally, was excited to see what her reign would bring to the nation. But, he knew that no matter what, her people would finally begin to prosper.

"It's not that I know Princess Rose. I was just there when the rebel's attacked the Palace, and just before Queen Janine was shot, she passed the Princess to me and told me to keep her safe. So, my Mama took us to the Safe Room, hidden deep within the Palace walls, and all during the attack, I held her. She was just a baby, no more than a few years old. When we were safely tucked away, her father, King Ibrahim, told me to take care of his daughter while he attended to the foreign dignitaries. When the attack was over, he tried to take her and she burst into screaming sobs. He let me hold her long enough for her cries to lull her to sleep, then he took her. I haven't seen the Princess since. Except for on the cover of tabloids. That's it. I doubt she even remembers, that man was just trying to ruffle your feathers. Cause chaos amongst us all."

The words escaped from Dimitri's lips without a conscious thought, but his story was now out in the open. Everyone knew he was the boy that had saved the Princess, but at the cost of the Queen's life.

"Gentlemen, if you will follow me this way please."

All the men of the Selection rose and followed Sebastian down the long twisting corridors that would be home... Until further notice anyway. After about fifteen minutes, Sebastian stopped at a set of double doors, and they were thrust open from the inside. The doors revealed a vast table, set for many people, and covered in foods of all kinds. Meats, vegetables, fruits, grains... Even pastries and chocolate. It was food on a scale that Dimitri can't remember ever seeing. He didn't remember much of his childhood, or the days he spent roaming the Palace at his Mother's side, so the only meals he can remember were minimal, and often given to his sisters or split between his niece and nephew. The long table must have been made of oak or mahogany, and it was decorated with gold. Upon closer inspection, Dimitri noticed little place cards with the names of the men on them.

Sir Mason Ashford.

Sir Christian Ozera.

Sir Edison Castile.

Sir Adrian Ivashkov.

Sir Jesse Zeklos.

Sir Dimitri Belikov.

Dimitri could hardly look at the place-setting before him. He found it incomprehensible to believe that he would be a nobleman, even if he lost Princess Rose to another man of the Selection. That was the way this worked. If Dimitri lost, he would be in the Caste of Two, forevermore considered a celebrity. Of course, that meant he'd have to pick a new occupation. Dimitri figured he could give acting a try, or even be a politician. He just hoped it wouldn't come to that. The remainder of his family would still be in the Caste of Six, and he would be boosted to a Two, if he wasn't picked as The One. But, as a Two, he'd still be making much more money than he could have ever dreamed of making as a Six, so he decided then and there, win or lose, he would find a way to send some money home to his family. They needed it now more than ever with Dimitri away.

Not long after all the men found their seats and began eating, a deep buzz reverberated around the room, signalling the men having struck conversations amongst themselves. And every single conversation seemed to find a way to revolve around Dimitri. He hated being the center of attention to begin with, but this was just getting ridiculous. He had told the men that what had happened all those years ago, as best as he could remember the events anyway, and yet they still acted like petulant children. Until a loud boom swept through the room, from the grand doors being thrust open, and in walked King Ibrahim himself.

The King's eyes slowly danced across the room, gazing upon each of the men before creeping on to the next. Finally, his eyes settled on Dimitri, and they narrowed. Noticeably so.

"You." The King stated in a low voice. "You will pack your bags an leave, immediately."

Dimitri, feeling his heart simultaneously sink in his chest, all while fluttering at the speed of light, simply lifted his chin and remained seated.

"I know you heard me, peasant, now stand from your seat, pack your bags, and leave this Palace. You stood by while my Janine was killed, and did nothing to help her. You are not welcome here!" His voice rose, and rang throughout the room.

Dimitri, never to let his emotions show, simply stood and said "Your Majesty."

Turning from his seat, Dimitri began to walk towards the door. When he came to stand next to the King, he turned to face him.

"And so you know, I did everything I could to help our Queen. I was but a boy, but I understood enough to assess the situation. All I could do to help our Queen was to honor her dying request, and that was to save your daughter. I'm sure if Queen Janine could see the state the country is in now, she would have snatched Princess Rosemarie from your clutches and run long ago." Dimitri's words were quiet, but they danced through the room as if he had yelled them to the skies. "I will retire to my room, because my departure is not your decision to make. It is Princess Rosemarie's, and hers alone. Goodnight, Your Majesty." Then, Dimitri turned to face the other men. "Gentlemen."

And then he exited the room with his head held high, even if he felt like crawling into the darkest corner of the Palace and hiding away.

He walked the halls of the Palace for a while, never once knowing where he was going, but just walking in any direction that felt natural. Before he knew it, Dimitri was climbing a set of stairs, leading to the second, third, fourth floors, and then, lastly, the roof. Pushing the door open, he crept outside and into the still night air.

"Those were bold and brave words you spoke back there. Nobody has ever spoken to the King in such a manner. Not even I."

At the sound of the voice, one Dimitri only imagined in his deepest dreams, he whipped around and his head fell to meet his chest. In a sign of respect, honor, and admiration.

Any guesses as to who it is that has never spoken such bold and brave words to the King?

Tell me in a review!

~DA2014