“Today the court has been introduced to thirteen women vying for my Prince’s affection,” she said, her smile warm. “From princesses to heiresses, to educated scholars and beautiful daughters of my dear friends.”
She looked right at me as she delivered the barb of her speech.
“Of course, there are always some duds,” she smirked, eliciting a laugh from the audience and a blush spreading over my décolletage. “But we’ll sort out the weeds from the flowers. I trust my son to make the right decision.”
I stared at the floor as she went on, wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole. But inside me, a decision had been made.
I would fight for my place on the throne by Olivier, despite that Freya and the obvious barbed remark aimed at me from the queen. I had every right to be there, and in the end, I’d prove them all wrong.
I would be the last girl standing.
Chapter Four
Olivier
I couldn’t believe she was there.
The second I saw Amber descending those stairs, I knew I’d never be able to devote as much attention to the other girls as I would her. She’d managed to mesmerize me yet again, and I found myself scouring the crowds at the after-party in hopes of seeing her again. I was desperate to catch up, and most of all, to feel her silky skin beneath my fingertips again. But I needed to wait, or my mother would be pissed I’d ignored all the other women in Amber’s favor.
She was already angry with me, knowing that Amber had only become part of the selection because of our shared past. I’d met some of the other women before, too, but Amber was the one that stood out – the special one.
As the introductions wrapped up, our servants put the finishing touches on the ballroom for the after-party. I felt annoyed thinking about it, knowing my mother would try to force the other women on me when I only had eyes for Amber.
The ballroom sparkled in all its glory. The enormous crystal chandelier hung above us, with candlelight making the room feel special. The candles were scented, and the ballroom was filled with the scent of refreshing pine. With deep red decorations adorning the room, it almost felt like Christmas, even though it was still two months away.
I’d busied myself by chatting to the people of the town and some old friends, who all admired the divinely decorated ballroom. I took their compliments with a smile, knowing full-well it was my mother’s work. I didn’t have time for decorations and picking candle scents. I had a wife to find.
I excused myself from the group of subjects I’d been chatting to and made my way into the ballroom where I picked up a crystal champagne flute from a passing waiter in a black-and-white uniform. He bowed at me and I smiled in response. I felt every pair of eyes in that room on me. After all, my decision in the selection would change these people’s lives forever. My wife would soon enough become their queen.
I couldn’t see Amber anywhere, but the other girls started filling up the room, and before I could help it, I was caught in an utterly boring conversation with a stunning woman named Zara.
She was gloriously beautiful, wearing a deep purple sari with embroidery in gold thread. Her hair was dark and thick, and her eyes were lined in kohl, making their sea-green color stand out even more. While she was an exquisite beauty, she seemed nervous as hell, her eyes dancing over my features and her words catching with every sentence she said to me. While I was impressed with her beauty, she seemed a little starstruck by my presence.
“Look,” I said, cutting her off in the middle of her stuttered sentence. I reached for her arm, gently wrapping my fingers around her wrist and circling her skin gently. She let out a little gasp, her eyes going to mine and drinking me in hungrily. “Don’t stress so much. This is only the beginning. Try to relax around me. I can tell you’re good-looking. Attractive. I’d just like to get to know you better. What makes you you.”
She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat and giving me another nervous glance.
“The weather is beautiful,” she chirped. “So perfect for this time of the-”
“Darling,” I growled from deep in my throat. “I don’t give a shit about the weather. I want to know about you. That’s the only way I can make a decision.”
I let my fingers wander to the inside of her wrist, feeling the warmth there, her pulse hammering against my fingertips as I grinned at her. She really was a stunner. If only her mind would match those looks… I had enough time to find out more about her. She wouldn’t be going home that night. There was something special about her.
“Understood?” I asked in a low voice, and she was eager to nod again.
“Excuse me.”
A tall, icy-eyed and light blonde woman appeared in front of Zara and me.
Another heart-stopping beauty, so starkly different to the girl I’d been chatting to she made me grin to myself. She looked like a Nordic goddess, all silver hair and bright, clear blue eyes. Her skin was pale, sparkling from being dusted with a shimmering powder. She looked good enough to fucking eat, aided by the delicious vanilla scent surrounding her like a cloud of intrigue.
“I’d love a word with the Prince,” the lovely woman purred without so much as looking at Zara. “You wouldn’t mind that, would you, Prince?”
“No,” I replied with a polite smile. I wasn’t eager to get away from Zara, but I did want to know more about this stunning fairy-like creature. “Let’s chat.”
She smiled coquettishly, and I offered Zara a smile, following the Nordic beauty onto the balcony. She kept looking over her shoulder, her eyes playful once we stopped on the balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens below us.
The night was balmy, unusually warm for October. The gardens below us were glorious in the moonlight. It was getting dark outside so early on now.
“You’re one of the women competing, aren’t you?” I asked the girl, trying to recall her name while appreciating her exquisite beauty at the same time.
And fuck, she was a looker. That mass of pin-straight, nearly white blonde hair, those icy eyes, and those full lips… She had an unusual appearance, but she was sexy as hell, and I could feel my dick twitching at the sight of her.
“Yes,” she replied with a confident smile. I could tell it wasn’t fake, either. This girl was very sure of her abilities, making me intrigued .“I’m Freya of Bardland.”
“Of course, of course.” I kissed the hand she’d outstretched for me, letting my lips linger for just a second on her pearly skin. “And what a beauty you are, Freya of Bardland.”
“Thank you, my Prince,” she replied, obviously pleased by my comment. “I was so contented to be invited to Luxuria this fall. It’s truly the event of the season and I want you to know how honored I am to be here tonight.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Freya,” I replied. It would’ve been my worst nightmare knowing some of these women had been forced to attend the selection. I wanted them to be willing participants and to enjoy the games we’d planned for them. Only then would they be fun for me… and oh, how fun this could be if I played my cards right.
“I have to say, you’re the most handsome prince I’ve seen so far,” she giggled, and I cocked my head at her.