The next day, Hazel dreaded every second of their travel back to the palace to start the first day of the selection. The first day of being away from her parents and being stuck with women competing for Tobias's attention.
The one thing that helped her to not open the door and jump out of the carriage was knowing that Linda would be by her side. She could not cry her eyes away to her father and beg him to not make her do this when Linda would need her. Then she had to be around to protect Helena from the dirty tricks of the other ladies.
While Hazel wanted the carriage to go slowly, Helena looked out the window, wanting them to reach the palace faster.
"The two of you must look out for each other. I don't want to receive any letters from either one of you that you are upset with your sister. It is a competition, but the two of you are sisters. Do not let the chance to be queen ruin your relationship," said Renee.
"Hazel and I will be fine. The most we will argue about is wearing the same colour when meeting with the prince or the queen. We are not twins, and I will not stand for us being dressed in the same colour at any point. Hazel, I hope you remember the order I plan to wear my dresses," said Helena.
Hazel looked at her father and mouthed, "Please save me."
Helena nudged Hazel in her side using her elbow. It was bad enough that they were going to be pitted against each other for being sisters. Helena didn't want to wear the same colour as Hazel and be forced to hear about what colour suited who best.
Nathan shook his head as there was nothing he could do for Hazel. She could only love Helena the way she was. "I'll be in the palace from time to time to speak with the king. I will try to check in on you," he said.
"We are only allowed to speak to the girls through letters until the final day. It is to help decrease all the schemes that happen during the selection. All the letters you sent will be looked over by someone so be mindful of what you send to us," Renee warned the two.
She knew that she had raised each of them well and shouldn't be so worried, but she was taking them to the palace to stay for a week. There was so much danger there beyond the young ladies eyeing for the prince's attention. Even though communication with families was to be limited or inspected, it wouldn't stop families from using their connections to sway the selection to their liking.
Everyone with a daughter of age wanted the next queen to come from their family and they would do whatever was necessary to achieve this.
Helena nodded her head. She would keep her letters to how she was safe and not about any sisterly fights with Hazel so she would not appear childish to anyone sneaking a peep at her letters. She had the prince's attention at the moment and now needed to work on getting the queen to love her. She could not have either one thinking she was childish to be complaining about her sister to their mother.
Meanwhile, Hazel was more interested in looking out at the scenery than thinking about the next seven days in the palace. After her conversation with Tobias last night, she wasn't thrilled about seeing him again and trying to court him, but she was going to start over and give it another try.
Seeing Tobias again reminded her of her time spent in the palace accompanying her father for small visits and how annoying Tobias used to be, but there were a few good moments when she wasn't ignoring or taunting him.
Rumours of him being a flirt turned her off, but he wasn't the only man about to marry or married with wandering eyes. You couldn't tell the future king not to indulge in the women looking to get into his bed. It was already known that the king might take other women into the palace.
The current king didn't have anyone other than the queen as far as the kingdom knew, but it seemed like the prince was different.
"Hazel looks bored already," Helena commented. Seeing that Hazel was not interested, why didn't their parents take her out of the selection to let her try finding a husband elsewhere?
"I'm not bored. I'm just thinking about the future," said Hazel.
"You have spent plenty of time around the prince and his friends. That will give you a little help in this," Renee said, trying to motivate Hazel.
Unlike most of the young ladies, Hazel was no stranger to the palace because she was so glued to her father in the past. Hazel wasn't aware of how dangerous the palace was or had any friends inside, but she should know a little bit about the people there.
"Why didn't you let me enter the palace with father? It would have helped me now. Not that I need it considering I already have the prince's attention," said Helena.
Hazel rolled her eyes. "How many times must we hear about you having his attention? Must I remind you that he also asked me for a dance? I honestly think he would have danced with any young lady he bumped into last night. I doubt that flirting prince is the slightest bit interested in anyone yet."
"And yet, he only danced with me," Helena reminded Hazel. She still didn't understand why Hazel turned down a dance with a prince. It wasn't making any sense and it was starting to feel like a lie. "Did the prince ask you for a dance or did you say that because you wanted to take some of the attention off of me?" Helena finally asked.
"Oh please," Hazel scoffed. "Jealous of a dance with my sister? Would you have preferred I danced with him and made the people in the ball compare us before the selection started?"
"Girls," Renee sighed. They were not yet in the palace and already they were arguing. "You are not making it easy for me to believe that there will not be a crack in your bond while you are in the palace. Helena, I urge you to not let the dance get to your head. The prince's interest can easily change. Do not think you have his heart yet."
"An apology for thinking I am so desperate or jealous of you being with the prince that I would make up a story of him offering me a dance would be nice. We're competing, but you are still my sister. I would not go out of my way to steal your shine. It is exactly why I turned down his dance," Hazel said, turning to her sister who was losing her mind already.
She had to deal with other ladies acting crazy over the prince soon, but she was not going to allow Helena to start this madness when they had not reached the palace.
"I'm sorry," Helena apologised, feeling upset with herself that she got ahead of herself. She was trying to hold on to being the only one asked to share a dance with the prince and ended up painting Hazel to be a liar. "Forgive me," she said, leaning on Hazel's shoulder.
"If you are quiet, I will. You are lucky to be my sister or I would not forgive you so easily," Hazel replied, looking out the window.