The Choosing Game

About Last Night

Lilliana's POV:

My worst regret in life is not the wrong things i have done but the right things i could have done and didn't.

"You thought i was someone else" he scratched his neck. " you said that he had hurt you for three years and hid something from you. You said you loved and still love him"

Oh my! What have I done?

"Who were you talking about?"

Time stopped, along with everything else except for my interrogator. He sat there waiting for me to answer his question.

I opened my mouth but no words came out of it. I tried again but nothing. What am I supposed to say? Should I just come clean and tell him? I have nothing to hide, do i? So what if he knows about Nick? Maybe it would even help him realize how far damaged i am.

"I.." I started but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Alex groaned and went to the door. There was a royal guard at the door "My apologies your highness but the king has requested your presence in the throne room" his voice boomed

"Alright. I will be there in a minute" Alex said.

"His majesty also requested for the lady Lilliana" the guard said briefly glancing my way.

What? "Ok" Alex said curtly dismissing the guard.

He came back into the room "why would your father ask for me?" I asked feeling worried.

He shrugged "let's go find out" he said motioning me to the door.

I looked at myself then him "what are you crazy? I can't see your father, the king wearing your shirt!" I half yelled, seriously? What kind of impression did he want me to give?

"Fine. let's go by your room so you can change" he sighed in frustration. What does he have to be moody about? I thought.

I ignored his attitude and strut quietly out of the room. We stopped by my room and I took the quickest shower ever and change all under five minutes. We proceeded into the throne room, i was nervous as hell.

The big doors burst wide open and my heart started beating wildly in my chest. I saw the king and queen seated on the throne. Alex tugged on my elbow indicating me to come forward. I took micro-mini steps towards them.

"Morning father. Morning mother" Alex greeted his parents.

"Morning Alexeviar" they said in unison.

"Good morning your majesties" i said curtly bowing my head.

"Lady Lilliana. No need for such formalities" the Queen said smiling, it was a pitiful smile. I gave a small smile back, i knew she knows about what happened to me by the way she looked at me.

"How are you feeling dear?" And there it was! The pity party.

"I'm fine now" i said, looking down at my feet.

"We are glad you are" she said, i did not look up at her.

The king cleared his throat "we are very sorry that we were unable to protect you Lady Lilliana. Nothing like this will ever happen again." He said to me.

I only looked upon his face briefly to reply him "thank you, your Grace"

"Let's get down to business, shall we?" He then said in a serious tone. Alex nodded while i stood there looking lifeless.

He gestured the guards to the door with his hand. I stood there in confusion when the guards escorted two scrunchy looking men in handcuffs in, they looked badly beat up.

I saw Alex clenched his jaw and curl his fist in a hard ball. Who are they? And why are they here?

"Your majesty I'm innocent in all of this. Please" the man with ginger hair pled but the other one with the brown hair just kept a blank expression. What is going on here? I asked myself. A guard pulled on his hair and ordered him to be quiet.

"You are here because last night you drugged and attempted to take advantage of a high born lady" the King said with an authoritative voice “a high born lady that is under my protection!” His voice boomed through the room.

My head started spinning. I keep trying to remember but I just can't. I studied the men carefully and wondered what i ever did to upset and provoke them.

"Why did you do it? Is this something you usually do?" The Queen asked. I could sense some anger in her voice "we looked up your records and nothing as bad as this have ever shown up" she added.

There was a long silence. The ginger guy started pleading once again. "Were you sent by someone?" The queen asked. Why would someone send them to hurt me?

They stood there not saying anything, i did not know how to feel right then and there "why did you do it?" Her majesty asked again.

Ginger man was begging while the brunette had no sign of remorse on his face, he looked like he would do it again if he had the opportunity.

"You didn't answer her question!" Alex roared. Even i was startled.

"She was there for the taking and we simply did" the brunette guy smirked "we wanted a taste of the great prince's favorite wh*re" he let out a low chuckled "yes! We know she's your favorite. We wanted to know what was so special about the b*tch" every word that came out of his mouth was so venomous. My stomach twisted and turned, i just wanted to throw up.

Before I could comprehend further, i saw Alex charge forward and start throwing punches at the man. I felt a hot wave flash through me. Memories came flooding into my mind. Too many at once. My head started banging with pain and hot tears streaming down my face.

I heard the king's loud voice yelling for Alex to stop. The guards had restrained him but there was too much damage to man's face. His knuckles were all bruised up while the man lied there, laughing like a lunatic.

I felt the walls closing in on me. I remember everything I said to Alex last night. I remember kissing him. I got down the short stairs carefully and mumbled a quick "excuse me". I bolted out of the throne room before anyone could reply me, i ran out of the wing and out of the castle. I ran until I reached the creek.

My tears are all dried up. I cried but no tears came out. I screamed on top of my lungs in frustration and anger. After a while my chest was just heaving. I sat there under rocks thinking where in my life I went wrong. 'You don't let go that's why' my subconscious scolded.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts I didn't hear anyone behind me. I just felt a soft pat on my back. I turned not having the strength to panic anymore. Alex and his bruised knuckles. I just turned away "I remember" i said in a raspy voice.

He sat beside me and sighed "they will be put on trial by the kings council and I promise you they will be punished"

"Why..? Wh.. why?" I asked as i cried with no tears.

He pulled me into a hug and held on to me tightly "it's ok, i'm so sorry."

"I don't.. i don't understand why some.. one would want to hurt me like that. Wha.. what did i ever do to them?" I knew the world is full of horrible people, i knew it isn't a fair place to live in but what did i ever do for the universe to keep screwing me over like this?

"I'm sorry" he cooed "i'm sorry" he kept repeating trying to sooth me, i know he felt responsible for what happened but it is in no way his fault. I cried.. heaved until i was too tired to keep going, at that point there were only some quiet hiccups coming out of my mouth.

Once i quiet down i moved a bit and looked up at him, he was looking down and me. His eyes held so many emotions i could never decipher, he put his hand out and swiftly brushed my hair out of my face "i'm sorry" he whispered, his breath fanning my face. I could still smell the coffee he had for breakfast.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about" i said, my voice was raspy from all the crying i did.

"I do, i have a lot to be sorry about and i am mostly sorry about last night, i would not have been able to forgive myself if anything happened to you." He sounded so sincere.

I didn't know what to say, i did not how to talk to his Alex. It was strange but even more so that i was comfortable with it. "I am also really sorry about Emily but you have to understand that i didn't want to stand in the way of what she and Eric have. I know you miss her."

I shook my head at him "you don't have to apologize for that either, i completely understand. I guess i was only mad because she had to go, i do miss her," i explained.

He smiled at me. "Hey. Can i ask you something?" I asked him.

"Anything," he replied.

I took a deep breath trying to gather myself "why did the queen as those men if someone had sent them?" The question has been floating around my head since i heard it, i need to know if there is a possibility that someone is out to get me. Whoever it is and as paranoid as i sound, i need to know.

He exhaled loudly, looking away from me briefly. "A few days ago, some threats were delivered to the kings council, they were not addressed to anyone in particular but they were about the rest of the ladies still on the choosing. There was some rubbish about the true queen of Arindele being eliminated and that they would bring down the whole monarchy before they let one of you marry me." He said the last part with a lot of caution "the letter was signed 'keeper's of Arindele' as if that was supposed to mean something to the council"

"We have doubled the security around you ladies ever since but apparently yesterday the security thought you had gone to the powder room." He explained with what looked like annoyance towards the whole event that took place. "Incompetent idiots" and that proved me right, he also blamed the secret service for what happened.

"Come on be easy on them, i did enter the powder room before i went down to the bar." I defended them.

"It is their job to keep you safe!" He exclaimed angrily. I dropped that topic because i did not have the strength to go into it.

"Thank you.. for protecting me” i said softly, looking into his eyes. I wanted him to stop blaming himself for what happened and i was really thankful to him.

He stared into my eyes, smiling, he swept my hair of my face again, leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose “don’t thank me. I would gladly lay down my life to save yours” that scared me, i looked away from him. I wanted to tell him to stop and never say such things to me again. I don’t want him feeling that way, i don’t want myself to feel that way but i was starting to and it scared the hell out of me.

We stayed quiet for I don't know how long. "His name was Nicholas" i said shutting my eyes tight. Afraid that if I look at him I might change my mind.

"Was?" He asked softly.

"Yes. Was, he died three years ago" I clarified. I have never said it out loud. "He was my life"