Dominic and his siblings gathered in the visitor room, their faces etched with concern.
Katherine slept calmly on the couch, her pillow wrapped tightly in her arms.
Ruby had rushed to inform them earlier when she came to the kitchen to get some water and she saw Katherine in the visitor room. Her voice barely above a whisper.
"Do you think she left her room to sleep here because of the incident that happened yesterday?" Riley asked, her brow furrowed.
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "I guess so."
Ethan's expression turned practical. "She can't sleep here; she'll have a neck cramp by tomorrow, and with her leg like that, it might make the ankle swell."
Lucas suggested, "Do you think maybe we should wake her up and take her to her room?"
All eyes turned to Dominic, awaiting his decision.
Ruby asked, "What do you think, Dominic?"
Dominic sighed, his eyes never leaving Katherine's peaceful form. "I don't think it's a good idea to take her back to her room; she might be scared."
Ethan leaned in, interested. "What do you suggest we do?"
Dominic's gaze shifted to Ruby. "I'll take her to your room; she can sleep there."
Ruby nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Okay, that's a good idea."
Dominic carefully lifted Katherine into his arms, ensuring not to wake her or jostle her injured leg. Ruby led the way, Riley following closely.
In Ruby's room, Dominic gently laid Katherine on the oversized bed, covering her with a blanket.
Riley teased, a mischievous glint in her eye, "She'll get a busted when she sees where she is in the morning."
Dominic smiled wryly. "Alright, good night." He exited, shutting the door behind him.
Ruby settled beside Katherine, noticing Riley's intentions.
"Aren't you going to your room?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.
Riley grinned. "No, I'm sleeping here tonight. I want to witness the morning show when she wakes up."
Ruby rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
The two princesses turned off the light, settling in for the night.
The next morning, Katherine stretched on the bed, her eyes still closed.
As she opened them, soft giggles surrounded her. She blinked, taking in the unfamiliar room.
Her eyes snapped shut, then open again, ensuring she wasn't dreaming.
Ruby and Riley's smiling faces came into focus.
"Good morning!" they chimed in unison.
Katherine's eyes widened in surprise. She tumbled off the bed, landing on her butt with a groan.
Riley and Ruby rushed to help her up.
"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, concern etched on her face.
Katherine winced, still shaking off the pain. Memories flooded back.
"Where am I? How did I get here?" she asked, curiosity mixed with confusion.
Ruby grinned. "You're in my room."
Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Your room?"
Ruby nodded.
"How did I end up in your room? The last thing I remember, I was in the visitor room sleeping."
Riley leaned in, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "Yeah, Ruby saw you last night and decided to call my brothers. Dominic carried you here to Ruby's room, thinking maybe you'd be scared to sleep in your own room."
Katherine hesitated.
Ruby asked, "Why were you in the visitor room?"
Katherine's gaze dropped.
Riley teased, "Were you scared the snake might crawl back to your room?"
Katherine's cheeks flushed.
"No... it's not that," she stammered.
Ruby's expression softened. "It's okay, you're always welcome to sleep in my room whenever you're scared."
Katherine smiled nervously.
"I'll head back to my room now. Thank you for everything."
Ruby reassured, "You're always welcome."
Katherine stood, limping slightly.
"Do you want us to help you to your room?" Ruby offered.
Katherine declined, "No, don't worry, I can manage."
As she reached the door, Riley's question stopped her.
"Is it true the cooking task starts today?"
Katherine turned, her expression cautious. "Yes, I guess."
Riley nodded."Ok".
Ruby called out, "Take care."
Katherine exited, leaving Ruby and Riley exchanging knowing glances.
She emerged from Ruby's room, walking gingerly to her own, her limp evident.
Just then, Dominic rounded the corner, almost colliding with her. Katherine recoiled backwards, her eyes widening in surprise.
Dominic swiftly grasped her waist, pulling her into his arms to prevent her fall.
Their eyes locked, the air charged with tension.
Two passing ladies witnessed the intimate moment, their faces darkening with displeasure. They clenched their fists and stormed off, angry whispers exchanged.
Katherine snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushing.
She swiftly extricated herself from Dominic's grasp.
"Are you okay?" Dominic asked, concern etched on his face.
Katherine nodded curtly, turning to leave.
Dominic called after her, "Do you want me to assist you to your room?"
Katherine rolled her head in response, saying nothing.
She continued down the hallway, using the wall for support.
Dominic sighed, his gaze lingering on her retreating figure. His expression reflected a mix of concern and frustration.
As Katherine disappeared from view, Dominic's eyes narrowed, his thoughts unreadable.
Later in the cool evening, everyone gathered at the dining table, ready to savor the meal prepared by one of the selected ladies.
Her hands trembled slightly as she dished out the meticulously presented pasta onto each plate, accompanied by a succulent turkey.
A warm smile spread across her face as she served the food, and the aroma wafted up, tantalizing everyone's nostrils.
She took her seat, visibly relieved.
Alex's eyes widened in anticipation. "Wow, this looks good."
Ruby's gaze sparkled. "And the aroma is tantalizing."
Queen Charlotte's expression turned hopeful. "I hope it tastes as good as it smells."
King Ryder's voice boomed. "Let's have a taste."
Everyone dug in, placing a scoop of the meal into their mouths. But their faces contorted in unison, shock and disgust etched on their features. They spat out the food, reaching hastily for their water glasses.
Gasps and coughs filled the air. The lady's smile faltered, confusion written across her face.
"What did you cook?" Stella asked, her voice laced with dismay, sipping from her water.
The lady stuttered, "W-what...?"
She tentatively took a scoop of the meal, but her face contorted, and she quickly spat it out. Her eyes widened in horror.
"Why does it taste so salty and peppery?" Ethan asked, his brow furrowed.
Every gaze fell upon the lady, her face now etched with mortification.
"I-I'm so sorry... I didn't know how it happened," she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. Sobs racked her body as she faced the disapproving stares.
The room fell silent, the only sound her muffled cries.
The lady sat in her room, her body racked with sobs, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Her face contorted in anguish, humiliation etched on every feature.
A knock on the door broke the silence. Few of the selected ladies entered, thier expressions sympathetic
One lady approached, concern etched on her face. "It's okay, it's not the end of the world."
The distraught lady's sobs intensified, her words barely intelligible.
"I've never been this humiliated before," she wailed, her face crumpling.
The second lady wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"It's okay, everything will be fine," she soothed.
But the lady's anguish turned to despair.
"Everything is not fine! I'm evicted from the contest!"
Her voice rose, indignation mingling with sorrow.
"Mistakes happen sometimes," the first lady offered gently.
The lady's expression darkened, anger flashing in her eyes.
"I know someone did this to me, just to humiliate me in front of the royal house!"
Her accusation hung in the air, her sobs growing louder.
"Who could do that?" the second lady asked, her brow furrowed.
The lady's cries escalated, overwhelmed by emotion.
The sympathizing ladies exchanged worried glances.
They continued to console her, offering words of comfort. Their expressions reflected empathy and understanding. But the lady's pain and anger remained, a palpable force in the room.