Chapter Text
Royal Palace. Anwealda, Angeles. The next day.
Evalena Sorenson was caught completely off guard when she received a summons to meet the Dowager Queen in her office without delay. When she was shown into the Dowager Queen's study, it was clear that she was not happy with the selected from Hudson.
"I just wanted to know what made you think that it was acceptable for you to apply for a royal selection?" Juneau asked while shooting daggers at the maid.
"I was under the impression that the selection was open to all single ladies within the proper age range." Eve replied as she tried her best to stand her ground; even though she knew that she was potentially in a category five crap storm.
"Do not get fresh with me, you lousy servant, you!" Queen Juneau exclaimed as she was turning red from outrage.
"Are you going to eliminate me?" Eve asked, feeling very afraid at this point.
"Believe me, it would bring me great pleasure to kick you out the door...but I do not need the bad publicity that would come my way if the press learned that you were eliminated for being a maid." The Dowager Queen griped as she knew the tabloids would have a field day and the commoners would think the selection was a farce. "However...if you are to stay, you will serve as my spy."
"Your spy?"
"That is right: You will report back to me on any girl that Montgomery gets close to and you will do your best to sabotage the other selected; so we can trim the fat."
"But fighting and sabotaging other selected is against the rules." the maid pointed out anxiously.
"Disobeying a royal command is also against the rules. If you are discovered, I will protect you." Juneau assured Eve as she tried to calm herself. "Do as I say and I will grant you a sizable sum, along with your weekly fees. Disobey me and you will meet with my extreme displeasure; are we agreed?"
"Agreed..." Evalena said softly as she did her best to keep herself calm and collected.
"Good, now get out!" The Dowager Queen commanded as the maid quickly did as she was told.
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Three days later.
After the Crown Prince had been given a few days to rest after all the hubbub of interviewing thirty-three women in a row, the selection began in earnest. On the fourth morning of Monty's selection, the twenty-three women who remained were summoned into the ballroom to discuss the next steps. The Dowager Queen, the crown prince, along with his siblings were there to address them.
"Ladies...I can tell you that you will now be going on dates with his royal highness: Crown Prince Montgomery." Dowager Queen Juneau stated as many girls got smiles on their faces. "However, since there are still too many of you, these will be group dates."
"This is not fair, why can we not do solo dates? So we have a chance to stand out?" The girl from the province of Lakedon asked in exasperation.
"I need the chance to show Monty that I am WAY better than all these other basic losers." The stuck up rich girl from the province of Kent remarked, earning the ire of those around her.
"I thought that I had made myself abundantly clear on the first day of this selection; but clearly, I did not." The Dowager Queen said with the fire of fury penetrating through her eyes. "I will not be questioned, nor talked back to. The two of you are eliminated; now be gone!" The girls, with looks that could be taken for either sorrow or anger, slowly went to their rooms to pack their bags. As for the remaining twenty-one selected who remained, they stayed as silent as a cemetery.
"Now, the first group date will be something simple: A hike in the royal woods. The servants have marked off a path for you, so as long as you stay on said path, you will not get lost. Now, to the hike, I command you all!" Juneau commanded as she clapped her hands and the girls were dismissed to ready themselves.
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Most of the girls had never been a group date before and neither had the heir, so it was a new experience for them both. As strange as it was for Monty and his selected, It was considerably more so for Prince Boston and Princess Augusta, who were forced by their mother to serve as the third and fourth wheel respectively. Boston especially was put off by all the gnats that buzzed around. The royals and selected walked at different paces while in the lead were Monty himself and Elara Rose Whitmore.
"I will admit to being impressed if no one else will." Monty said with a chuckle as Lari was able to match his pace flawlessly.
"Well, my father and I went hiking in the park where he worked at least once a day; so this is child's play for me." Lari replied with a smile as the two kept walking. Monty found it hard to take his eyes off of Lari; her olive toned skin, her long chestnut brown hair. He knew that he wanted to have fun with her, if she was up for it.
"So Lari, I was thinking...would you maybe want to, come to my room tonight?" Monty asked as he ran his finger on her bare arm, hoping to make clear his intentions. His intentions were clear to Lari and her eyes became as wide as dinner plates as her heart beat quickened.
"Wow...um, I am so flattered...but I think that I am actually fine with sleeping in my own room." Lari said awkwardly as Monty's smile disappeared.
"Oh...that is cool." Monty replied as an uncomfortable silence filled the air before Lari began to power walk down the path, leaving a crestfallen prince in her wake.