Two days later, Sir Abdalah announced that our schemings had gotten out of hand, and that the king would be arriving later to sort us out.
Well actually, it was more like this;
“His most Eminent Royal Majesty, King Gordon Rafeal Finnegan Bradshaw Thorne the fifth is arriving this afternoon to asses the goings-about of your daily lives, along with Her Illustrious Highness, Queen Eliana Celeste Amirilla Lizzette Mavis Marvella Thorne. All are expected to appear present and well-dressed. Except for you-” he pointed at Kai, who he’d never taken a liking to. “- as the king is currently unaware of your residence, and it will stay that way. And the two brothers as well.” by which he meant Seth and Dioval, who were off doing gods know what. I certainly didn’t want to know.
After breakfast I accosted Kai. “is there any news from your mom?” I pleaded. “Anything about my father?”
Kai shook his head. “Sorry. My mom wrote last week but she just talked about the weather and the library. I think she avoids talking about him on purpose.”
I bit back the bile on my tounge and nodded. “Thanks.”
“So… i have to ask.” he said hesitantly. “Are you and Marcus like… a thing now?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. We haven’t really discussed it or anything. It’s really awkward.” he nodded. “I bet. Just… don’t let him break your heart, flowers. You have nineteen other matches, remember?”
Something clicked in the back of my brain. “Like you?”
“Huh?”
“Remember when i got my list and i didn’t tell you who my first match was?”i asked slowly. Kai shrug-nodded. “Yeah, that was kind of weird. Are you finally going to tell me who it was?”
“It’s-”
“Guys,” Acosta popped out of nowhere, making us jump. “Kayla, Cass and Rune are trying to get Gwen to light something on fire. You need to check this out.”
“Coming!” i said quickly.
Once that had settled over, I rushed up to my room to change. The dress I chose was dark, night-sky blue that depicted different constellations on the skirt with white ribbons and lace. I thought it was pretty enough. I left my hair down.
I met up with Gwen and Cass at the top of the stairs. Cass’s pale hair was in a bun, and she was wearing green. Gwen had double braids and a headband, in orange as usual.
“I wonder what the king is like,” cass wondered
“Or what the hell we're supposed to call him,” gwen snorted. “He had what, twenty names?”
“ Gordon Rafeal Finnegan Bradshaw Thorne,” I counted on my fingers. “That’s only five, Gwen. I’m pretty sure marcus has more names than that.”
Cass smirked. “Marcus, huh?”
I blushed. “Shut up.”
“Girls! outside, now!” Abdalah yelled from downstairs, and we hurried after him. I saw Kai lingering, and crossed my arms. “Shouldn’t you be hiding or something?”
Kai shrugged. “I’m kinda worried I'll be found.”
“Don’t worry,” I smiled.
He opened his arms and gave me his crooked grin. “Kiss for good luck?”
I giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Get out of here.”
Kai looked surprised, but nodded. “I’ll wait for you in the gardens,” he called and ran off. I pushed my hair from my eyes. Then I shuffled into one of the two lines that were forming on either side of the large doors.
We waited for a minute or two, before the doors flew open.
The king was tall, broad shouldered and muscular. His grey hair was shoulder-length and wavy, as was his thick beard. There were still some strings of Marcus’s same brown hair. He was dressed in all the regalia of a king, a golden spiky crown sat on his head, illuminated by the sun behind him. It looked like a halo.
He chuckled and swept his arms out wide. “My son! Come here!”
Marcus broke free from the ranks and embraced his father. My chest tightened and I had to wipe my eyes. I wished Kai didn’t have to hide.
“Well well.” the king looked around at us. “Aren’t you a good looking bunch?” a few girls giggled.
“Which one’s liliad?” the king muttered to Marcus, not as discreet as he thought he was. More giggling. I turned pink as Marcus held out his hand to me. “Liliad, come here.”
“No thank you,” I muttered.
The king laughed. A deep, full-bellied laugh. “Come here, girl.”
I hesitated, but stepped forward and dipped into a curtsey. “Your highness.”
“Don’t bow, Liliad. Come now, chin up.” I cautiously straightened up to see him smiling. “No, we’re practically family.”
My mouth fell open. “What?”
Marcus looked nervous, and the king’s eyes widened. “Oh. I mean, all of you girls are like family.”
“But only one of you really will be,” said a nasal voice behind him. The queen stepped forward. Her hair was gray, in a tight bun. Her crown was similar to the kings, and her dress was long and red, accented by silk gloves. Her nose was long, and she glared at me.
“Hi,” I said hesitantly. The queen sneered.
“With your permission, your majesties,” Abdalah interrupted. “I’d like to dismiss the girls to their regular duties before luncheon.”
“Yes, yes.” the king agreed, and everyone started to walk away. I stared at him for a second, then hurried to the gardens.
There was a maze of waist-high rose bushes, but further on was a grove of weeping trees covered in white flowers, the petals sometimes fell off and drifted to the ground. In the center of the grove was a large stone fountain, and Kai was sitting on the edge.
I smiled as I walked towards him. He hadn’t noticed me yet.
“You’re terrible at hiding.”
Kai looked up with a start and I giggled. He grinned. “I told you. I was waiting for you.”
I waved my hand in the air. “Why? What if i’d never come for you?”
Kai stood up as I stopped in front of him. “You’d never do that.”
I blushed.
“Besides, didn’t you have something to tell me?” he continued, oblivious to my disorderly emotions. “The last person on your match list.”
“Oh.” I looked down. “I suppose I have to tell you, don’t i?”
Kai smiled “I know it’s me, Flowers.”
My eyes shot up to him. He laughed. “You know i already got my list, right? I just didn’t think you’d be so weirded out by it when you saw it.”
“I…” I grabbed the fabric of my skirt and clutched it nervously. “I don’t know.”
Kai’s grin faded into a loving smile. “You know how long I’ve been in love with you, Liliad.”
I nodded. “Since we were ten.” my eyes were stinging, wanting to spill over. I refused to let them.
“If you chose Marcus, I’ll accept that. Just…” Kai took one of my hands. “Just give me a chance, okay?”
I stared at my hand in his, then up at his grey eyes. It was only two days ago that i’d had an eerily similar conversation with Marcus.
“I have to choose?”
Kai laughed. “That's kind of the point. I won’t make you choose me, but i also won’t give up on you.”
I laughed bitterly. “Sea and stars, Kai. i don’t know what to do! There's so many reasons-”
Kai shushed me. “Trust me for just a moment, Liliad, and close your eyes.”
I gulped and covered my eyes. “Okay,” I muttered. “But this is really nerve-racking, just so you know.”
“... I’m going to kiss you now,” Kai said softly. “Is that okay?”
I felt like everything was burning, but I nodded. “That’s okay.”
I felt his breath on my skin and then- then he kissed me, and the world melted away at my feet.
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