**Short conversation with Erik added after last chapter

Kile:

I was just getting ready for the morning when there was a knock at my door. Grimacing at my reflection as I tightened my tie, I waited for them to be announced. I bent down to slip my feet into the shoes. "Sir Kile?" Carson, my butler, called.

"Yes Carson?" I looked up from my tying my shoe to see the king standing at my door. "Your Majesty," I stumbled to get up.

"Kile, sit, please. We have a lot to discuss." He was looking at my face, but not really seeing me. He was looking at the bruises that seemed to cover one half of it in a deep purple and the eye that's swelling was just starting to go down. "Violence, as you know, should not be tolerated in any Selection."

I took a breath to apologize but he held up a hand to silence me.

"But I'd be hypocritical to demand Eadlyn eliminate you on that basis alone."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" It sounded as if he was implying. . . no, that couldn't be.

"America was involved in two semi-violent confrontations, both with the same girl." He looked a little sad as he remembered this but quickly shook it off. "One she was merely the victim of a jealous Two, but the second, while she had been heavily baited into it, she initiated."

That shocked me. Sure, the queen was fierce, but the instigator in a fight? I never would have guessed that.

"I was wrong in my decision to punish you for assaulting that boy. I was actually coming to apologize last night but it seemed my daughter had gotten to you first." He shook his head. "Kile, my baby girl was almost raped. The parenting books never covered the correct actions to take after something like that. I was running on my emotions and they were falsely directed at you. I'm sorry."

That was probably the first time in my life I had ever heard the King apologize to anyone accept to the queen. I wanted to decline the apology, but all I managed was a quick nod.

"Well, I'll let you head down to breakfast. The Selected will be eating alone this morning."

I nodded again but His Majesty had already started to leave. The King had some problems to consider. Twice had Eadlyn been assaulted by members of the Selection. He had to come up with a solution to keep her safe. I had the perfect solution, but I doubted the other guys would support it. Hell, I didn't even know if Eadlyn would support it.

I finished dressing and headed downstairs. When I entered the dining hall every head snapped to me. I was the last of the Selected to arrive and I could tell by their faces they didn't expect me to. The next thing I noticed was that the room was filled with about twice the normal amount of guards, all on point, as if we were criminals being moved to a different prison.

I sat down next to Fox who immediately leaned over. "This is insane," he whispered.

I nodded but didn't comment. No one spoke, no one knew what to say. Even if they tried, one glare from the officers killed any thought. So we ate in silence. I could feel everyone's gaze on me like the heat from a sun on a too hot day. The injuries from last night throbbed under the oppressive eyes.

Suddenly the doors burst open. All the guards pulled their guns but froze when they saw who it was. Prince Osten ran thru the doors, face drawn up into a mischievous smile. The officers, unsure of what to do, just closed the door behind him.

"Kile!" He shouted.

I scooted back my chair as he ran to my side. He reached up and poked my face. "Ow! Osten, what the hell?" He giggled as my cheek bone throbbed. "Shouldn't you be with your family? Your mother's going to be worried."

He smiled and shook his head. "They're busy."

"With what?" Fox asked and I realized every one of the boys were watching us.

Osten's eyes danced mischievously. "Your mom's yelling at my dad."

"She's what?" I partially stood up at the same time Ean asked me: "Your Mom's yelling at the King?" I ignored his question, knowing that not even I could explain the odd relationship our parents had.

"Miss Marlee's scary when she's mad." Whether he was informing me of this or Ean I don't know.

"Osten, I need you to do something for me."

"A mission?" He whispered conspicuously and leaned closer to me. He was referring to the continual game of knights and secret agents that we've played since he was old enough to walk.

"Yes, Agent Ostrich, a secret mission."

He stuck his tongue out at the name. "Okay Admiral Croc-o-Kile, but if we get in trouble again, it was your idea." That was ridiculous, the kid got away with more trouble than a two year old. Something about his big blue eyes his parents just couldn't say no to.

"You drive a hard bargain, Sir." I looked up at the celling as if considering it. "We'll blame it on Josie."

His signature gapped-tooth grin spread as he reached out his hand. I shook it, trying hard to keep a straight face.

"What's my mission?"

"First, I need you to spy on our parents. I'm going to need a full report of what they are discussing, especially if they talk about Eadlyn or me. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir." He fakes a solute.

"Then—this might be the dangerous part—" he leaned in closer. "The King has locked your sister away in a tower and placed a dragon at the door, you'll need all the courage you can find in order to rescue her."

"I don't want to rescue my sister." His nose scrunched up.

I laughed, "why not?"

"The princess always kisses the knight. I don't want to kiss Eadlyn."

"I do." A voice from behind me said quietly, followed by murmurs of agreement around the table. I felt that green monster try and reel its head but I pushed the feeling down.

"Okay, just ask if she's alright then?" I suggested and Osten nodded. "Good. Thank you, Agent Ostrich. Be safe out there." I said in a particularly gruff voice.

"Yes, Admiral Croc-o-Kile, I'll—"

"Osten!" The doors to the room were again thrown open. "Prince Osten, what did your mother tell you!"

"Go, go, go." I urged Osten and he immediately ducked under the table.

"Osten, I know you're in here," Miss Ariel tapped her foot while looking around for the small boy.

I scoot my chair in in one movement, sealing him beneath us. I go back to eating as if nothing happened. Unfortunately, the other Selected don't get the memo.

"Kile!" Miss Ariel scolded. I looked up from my eggs innocently. "I swear to God, Kile, if you're playing that stupid game I'm going to make sure Osten doesn't leave his room for the next two weeks."

Miss Ariel had helped raise us since we were kids. I guess I could call her a nanny but I knew she didn't have the same position as most royal nannies. Our mothers refused to hand over the responsibility of raising us to some hired maid. Not that that was all Miss Ariel was. She was more of a stern aunt.

I knew she'd make good on her threat, at least to some extent, so I was about to give us up when I felt him kick my leg to get my attention. I taped my toes twice to let him know I understood. He was about to make a commotion.

"Miss Ariel, I—" I was cut off by a loud crash. I looked over to see a maid on the floor and a couple of dishes broken.

As everyone rushed over to help her, I heard the unmistakeable thunder of some one crawling fast. The loud, quick sounds traveled the length the table and ended with Osten jumping up at the other side.

"Osten!" Miss Ariel called but he had already fled the room. Glaring at me, she ran after him.

It was quiet again after the door shut behind them. The guys looked at me as if for the first time really realizing the depth of my relationship with the Royal Family. Henri and Fox looked in awe while guys like Ean looked skeptical. I'd just made myself a serious threat.

After the meal we were brought to the throne room, again, under armed guards. The King stood on the raised stairs. Gone was the grieving father that had spoken to me this morning, in his place was a soldier. Someone who was going to make sure we behaved from now on.

"Members of the Selection," he started, iron clad resolve in his voice. "By now, I'm sure you are aware of the actions of Raoul Silo and the falsities that we told to cover those actions."

No one spoke. No one breathed.

"In consequence of those actions, Silo will be executed as any other criminal would. His death sentence has been issued and published. To ensure another incident never again occurs, anytime you see the Princess, you will be subject to an armed escort. There will be no more privacy. That privilege has been suspended. Expect an elimination by the next Report." With that, the King walked away, leaving us standing in the large room. Someone came forward and began explaining what the King had said in more detail. When the execution would take place, when the Selection would resume and how it would when it did and with all the confusion there was one outlying theme: what the hell was happening?

. . .

After lunch we were brought to the Men's Room and left to find something to do. Which ended up being watching the news channels discuss the Selection. By popular vote I wasn't winning. I wasn't even in the running. People thought my being here was merely set up by the Royal Family as some sort of fail safe for Eadlyn. If she can't find someone better, she'll chose me. "Really, he's been living there his whole life. If anyone was handpicked for the Selection it would be him. The Selection was over before it started, the whole thing is a hoax."

But I wasn't the only one the people didn't like. If they were harsh on me, they were brutal to Henri. They raised solid questions, like if he couldn't even speak the language of the people how could he lead them. Well, I was just glad that he couldn't understand the reporters mocking taunts. "I mean, listen to this guy," the reporter laughed at a clip of Henri struggling to speak english.

Fox, who had been off in his own world all day, suddenly turned to me. "It's not fair. I would never even dream of hurting her like that. I don't need an escort. And now there's going to be an elimination, I've only seen her a few times. What if she eliminates me?" Fox threw his hands into his hair.

"Then that's one less person for the rest of us to worry about." Ivan Plays hissed from the other couch. "Keep your insecurities to yourself, Clermont. No ones in the mood."

"Shut you mouth, Waverly." I snapped, using the name of his provence like he had to Fox. "Don't take out your anger on him. He didn't do anything to you."

"Oh yeah, Angeles." Someone said from behind me. Linde Lockwood walked over to where Ivan was sitting. He leaned up against the sofa and arms crossed over his chest. "What you gonna do? Gonna go tell your mama? She is here right? Is it nice to have your mommy here to cry to when—"

"That's enough." A guard stepped forward, cocking his gun. "If you want to go home to see your mother, Atlin, I can arrange it. I'm sure she'll be a great comfort after I blow off your foot."

The officer walked to the center of the room. "Now, if you can't figure out how to get along, I'd be happy to show you all to isolation cells."

I looked back at Linde and Ivan, not willing to turn my back to them.

"Hey guys," Hale called from his spot at the pool table. "Lets calm down." Although his tone was joking, his eyes and face were serious. When no one responded he toss his pool stick over to me, "Kile, you break."

Fox and I moved slowly to the felt table. The room was strung up tighter than a rubber band stretched to its breaking point. I just hope it holds. I lean over the table and hit the cue ball. As it collides with the balls the sharp sound cuts the tension in the air and everyone relaxes. I sink two balls before my turn ends. The rest of the game proceeds with Fox emerging as the winner.

An urgent knock at the door interrupts Fox's victory. A flustered servant rushes in. "Sirs, Prince—"

"I can introduce myself."

My cue stick was resting on the table and I was heading to the door before he finished his sentence. I came to a stop before him but wasn't going to bring myself to be the first one to speak. I stared into the eyes of my childhood friend.

"Kile."

"Your Highness, or is it Your Royal Highness already?"

"I assumed we were past both pleasantries, whether either applied."

"I was simply asking if I needed to offer my congratulations or not."

"From your tone, I would assume that even if I had offered that information, a sincere congratulations would not follow."

"Well then, I sincerely hope your happy."

"Not at the moment, no."

"That's a shame. I'd offer my apologies, but then, we had agreed to keep this conversation sincere."

We returned to our silent stare.

"What happened, Kile?"

"I'm under instructions not to converse about the events happening or happened."

After a moment his entire countenance changed. His bravo seemed to sink into him and what was left in its place was misery.

"You have to know why I did it."

"I know why you believed you had to do what you did. But then you have to know why I cannot accept your actions."

"I didn't know I was responsible for reporting my actions to you."

"You're not. But neither am I to the Prince Consort of France."

"Kile." He said sharply.

Finally giving in, I gave the most and the least that I could. I lowed my voice but I knew the closet of the guards could probably still hear me.

"Raoul Silo, the suitor from Panama, is going to be executed on Friday. He tried to hurt Eadlyn." His hands clenched and I knew he got my meaning. "There was a rebel attack yesterday morning and people were killed. Your Mother is still recovering from her heart attack. And the media is having an absolute field day over this whole mess."

"Kile I—"

"Your Majesty," he was interrupted by a butler. "The Queen has requested your presence on the Third Floor."

"Of course." Ahren said to the butler, dismissing him. When he didn't leave, Ahren sighed. The butler had most likely been given orders not to leave with the prince. "We'll figure this out later, Kile."

Without waiting for my response, he turned and followed the butler out.