The Choosing Game

The Library

Lilliana's POV:

It has been three days since i arrived at the palace, in those three days i have managed to stay clear of the prince, completely. I made it my routine to wake up extra early, mom would be super proud of my in that aspect but not so much in the other.

My routine consisted of the gym, breakfast and a little chitchat with Olga then finally the library. I would read almost every subject i across but i wasn't even at one percent of all the book there and i am a fast reader.

I read a great deal about the country, things that i did not learn from my tutor back at home, lords and ladies learn about the rules that govern the country right from elementary school, Nate and i would seat in my father's sturdy after school and our tutor would talk for hours about the countries laws and decrees.

Now i find out that even after our extensive lesson which took years, there are still things that i did not know about the country. I wish i could find that darn tutor know and tell him that he didn't know everything after all.

He was a proud sexist and even at a young age i hated him for that; he always favored Nate over me, he told me that Nate would one day rule as the Duke of Elma and if i was lucky enough i would be married to a Dame. My mother forbade me from talking back to my elders hence, i couldn't say a thing.

Once he told me that the only place for a noble woman was behind her lord husband and that my mother was undeserving of her tittle as Duchess for doing too much. Nathan lost it that day, he told him to get out of our house. I remember my brother's angry expression, his face was red and the vain on his forehead obtruding.

Our father was furious when he found out about what the man has been telling us and how he has been treating me. Dad apologized to me for having to go through that, i can remember his exact words "I'm so sorry bunny. He is a crazy man and i am sorry you had to put up with him. You are your own person before anything else. Therefore, you can be whoever you want to be and marry whomever you want and we will be proud of you regardless"

We got a female tutor afterward, she was great.

Yesterday i searched the library for any thing about this choosing game, i was looking for guidelines or a rulebook; anything that could give me an idea about how to go home sooner. My search came out short, the only thing i found even in the digital archives was the history of it.

It say that the choosing first originated in the 1800's. The crowned prince, Stephan was betrothed to the archduke's daughter right from birth. They were set to be married on his twenty first birthday, on his twentieth he met and fell in love with a kitchen maid named Dalia.

He could not imagine his life with the archdukes daughter even if it meant not being king. Prince Stephan and Dalia eloped leaving the country in chaos. The archduke felt betrayed and humiliated, gathered the best commanders from his vast troops of soldiers and set off in search on the prince.

The prince was found by a band of soldiers at an old cottage in the vale and brought to their general. Their mission was to bring him home at all cost, he proved obstinate by attempting an escape, the outrage general restrained him, he made him watch as he set his soldiers off on his wife, they r***d and kill Dalia, along with their unborn baby.

The prince was returned to the capital, the archduke demanded that the prince be kept under watch until the fortnight when he was to be wed to his daughter. Prince Stephan knew what his faith was, he would not marry that man's daughter even if it meant causing a war. He took his own life that night.

Enraged by the death of his son, the king declared war against the second most powerful and wealthiest man in the kingdom, the archduke. The whole country broke into war before the year ran out, all the nobles where forced to take sides.

Once the archduke army was defeated, the country started to settle down. The king lost all but one of his heirs to the war, his eldest daughter princess Ariadne. She was named his successor but a girl was not to rule a whole kingdom unmarried.

Eligible men all over the kingdom rushed to her side, all hoping to woo her. In other to avoid another war, the king announced that all noble families with the sons of age to marry will come to the capital and compete for his daughter's hand, hence The Choosing.

Princess Ariadne was only sixteen at the time of her choosing but with time the age requirement for the choosing was changed.

As interesting as the history it is, i wished prince Stephan had never met Dalia, because then right i would be at home doing whatever i wanted. But you can't help who you fall in love with, can you?

The library fascinated me more than anything in the palace but my stomach did not let me move in here full time, after the first day i decided to make it home. I would always sneak in my little snacks for my greedy stomach.

I snacked a bit then got back to reading. I decided to read a bit of fantasy after that depressing history lesson i just gave myself.

I was in the middle of 'fantastic beasts and where to find them' lost completely in the book, fascinated by all the little details that made it a great read when i heard someone clear their throat.

I was startled, i had never met anyone in the library since i found it. I looked up only to see the one person that i hoped to avoid for all eternity, the prince.

He was leaning against a bookshelf with an amused look "I've searched everywhere for you, you are almost impossible to track" he smirked, raising a brow up at me, his gaze quite intense.

I looked at him, studying him carefully. He looked handsome in a blue 'no stop it!" i scolded myself. I couldn't believe i eve thought that atrocious thought.

"Almost being the keyword there" I said bitterly, my mom always said that my sass would be the death of me, thank God he is only a prince.

He chuckled, finding humor in what i said, he stood up straight and moved two steps closer "i do not understand you Lady Lilliana" he mused.

I sat up straight "oh really, what don't you understand about vanilla ol' me my prince? maybe i could enlighten you" if you had a knife you could cut the sarcasm in my voice as it was thick and not at all subtle.

"I'm supposed to get to know you. How supposed to do that if you keep hiding from me my lady?'" he said smugly as if he was purposely trying to get on my nerves.

I did not reply him because i was not sure how. He moved closer again, this time he was almost at the couch "tell me something my lady, what is your game here? Do you really enjoy the chase? Because i can chase you.. until you are weak in the knees" he slurred sexily.

I felt my skin crawl, he was pushing my buttons hoping i would cave to his charms but it only made me mad. I stood up as he approached me again, "no your highness, i do not want that" i said sweetly hoping that he would leave me alone before i completely lost my temper.

"What do you want then Lilliana?" My name rolled off his tongue so beautifully like he had been practicing it for decades now.

"Honestly?" I asked batting my lashes. He thought only he possessed charm but maybe he has met his match.

"Honestly" he spoke softly, he stood at a small distance from me, his musky scent invaded my nostrils, never have i smelled anything as mesmerizing as his cologne.

I bit my lip and leaned in a bit and whispered "i want to be left alone" with that i moved away and put back on my straight face.

He laughed at my action, he clearly knew how to infuriate me. He sobered up at once and asked "how then will i know if you are my one true love and soulmate dear Lilly?"

"well let me save you some time. I AM NOT." I started to move away as he blocked my path. He was tall, taller than Nathan, it was almost intimidating.

"Ah! so it is true?'' he said confusing me

I rolled my eyes "what is?."

''I was really sure that you just tanked the interview to stand out," he said smirking ''to get special attention from me'' he added arrogantly.

If only i could slap the smugness off his stupid face, who did he think he was? ''Then why did you pick me? Are your choosing standards really that low?'' i asked angrily

''You really do not want to be here? Well why not?" He looked somewhat confused, as if it were such a terrible thing to hate the idea of being it a mighty prince like him.

"Why not? I am sorry to bruise your ego your highness. But contrary to what you believe, i am not some toy for your amusement, i am not someone that you can control." i shot at him ''and i will definitely not let you play with my feelings."

"Why are you so against this? Do you have anything personal against the crown?" Now he looked serious, in a you-just-disrespected-the-crown kind of way.

I looked up meeting his intense stare, i was not about to be oppressed by him. "Against what?! This game you mean? This game where you pick random girls and put them up against each other to compete? To compete for you attention. Just because you are born with a crown on your head and you think you deserve special attention. What do these girls want? To be queen. They would sell theirselves like this just to be something that will eventually kill them.

No! I don't want to be any part of this! So, just do us both a favor and let me go." I finished breathing heavily.

His expression turn hard as i tried to move around him. He grabbed my upper arm pulling me back and gritted through his teeth "i did not ask for this. Any of it! But i have a duty and i take that serious. Now so do you, you are already here and if i choose you to be my queen you will have no say in it whatsoever, you will take it and gladly let it kill you. Am i clear?"

I snorted at his comment, he was hurting my arm but i didn't want to let him know that he had the upper hand. "You will have to cut off my head before you put a crown on it, your highness" i spat. I that moment i was afraid he was going to hit me.

He glared at me instead.

I decided to push again. "If you had any sense of duty to your people you wouldn't have picked someone that doesn't want to be here" i glared back.

He looked at my arm when i winced, like he was just noticing his hold on me, he let go with a flicker of remorse in his eyes, he masked it with anger. "I chose you to be here and you will remain here until i say otherwise" he started retreating out of the room.

I felt my blood boil and my arm throb in pain "brace yourself, because i will fight you through it all" his fist curled as he walked out.