Moir ran a hand through her bouncy blonde curls as she walked down the hallway to the waiting room. Inside that very door, she would meet her future husband.

What if he wasn't here?

Moir shook the idea out of her head as she peeked inside. No one had arrived just yet, so she decided to pull out her book in progress she was reading: Rigoletto, an opera by Guiseppe Verdi. It was in Italian, but Moir knew enough of the language to comprehend the text.

Her ears pricked up at the sound of footsteps echoing in the hall. One of the members of the Selected, Mason Bennett, she recognized him as, walked inside, and a dismayed expression covered his face when he didn't see anyone inside. She looked up and smiled shyly at him.

"Hello! You're Mason, right?" Moir asked, with miraculously no tremors in her voice, a playful smile painted on her face.

Mason looked over to her and grinned. "That would be me." He bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Moir."

"Oh, the pleasure's all mine," Moir replied, batting her eyelashes and standing up to take a small curtsy.

"What are you doing in here all by your lonesome?" Mason asked casually as he slipped into the seat beside her, flashing Moir a bright smile.

"Reading. You?" she shared his smile, her brown eyes glittering in curiosity for the boy with the eternal smile on his face.

"Just coming to check out the decor, but I found something much better. You!" he smiled. "What are you reading?"

"I'm reading the script to Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi," Moir replied.

"I don't believe I've heard of it before. What's it about?" Mason asked curiously, peeking over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the page.

"Oh, it's a big tragedy about a hunchback's daughter and her love interest, the Duke of Mantua. It's a really long story, but a good one!" she grinned brightly.

"I will have to add it to my 'to read list'. It's sounds similar to the Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. That one is good too," he grinned back at her.

She nodded. "I've read it. Wonderful book." Moir looked back at him. "So, Mason, what do you think of it all so far? The selection?"

"I completely agree," he said as he leaned back. "Well I've only met you, but it's been amazing. My opinion doesn't really matter because, at the end of the day, it's what you think. So what are your thoughts?" Mason asked.

She smiled. "I'm wondering how in the world I'm going to choose between such amazing men as yourself!"

"How many other men have you met?" he asked her with raised eyebrows.

"No one besides you. I'm just saying, you guys will probably be amazing," Moir replied.

"Well, I must set the bar pretty high for the others," Mason joked.

She chuckled. "You have."

"Not many people can say they've read the Hunchback of Notre Dame in French," he chuckles. "Although my favourite must be The Phantom of the Opera."

"Me too!" Moir gasped, her smile widening.

His eyes widened from surprise. "Who did you want Christine to be with? Raoul or the phantom?"

"Oh, easy! Phantom!" she grinned impossibly wider. "You?"

"I agree! The phantom should have ended up with her. I didn't like Raoul very much. He was too much of a whiner for my taste. And I pitied the phantom," Mason replied, his own smile brightening.

"Exactly! I almost cried at the end!" Moir nodded.

He chuckled. "It was pretty sad. I didn't like Raoul and Christine together. The poor phantom. He was misunderstood. I don't think he was a monster. Have you read any other good books?"

Moir bit her lip as she tried to think. "I've read Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Now that's a good story!"

"I'll add that to my list as well. The only play of Shakespeare's I've read is Romeo and Juliet," he nodded, smiling.

"Really? It's even better than Romeo and Juliet, in my opinion. I love it!" she beamed.

"I didn't like Romeo and Juliet too much. It was to dramatic and far fetched in my opinion. Maybe you could read Much Ado About Nothing with me. It could be fun," Mason said, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

"That it would! We so need to do that!" Moir grinned, her Scottish accent rolling over the words.

"Yes, we do. I love your accent by the way. Are you Scottish?" he asked curiously.

"Thanks! Yes, I am. Scotland's home for me," she replied as she thought of home for a moment, which she hadn't seen in five months.

"What's it like there?" Mason asked casually, noticing the thoughtful look on her face.

"Oh, it's so beautiful. The green hills seem to go on for forever," Moir whispered, remembering how she had spent her youth in the forests of Scotland.

He nodded. "Do you travel a lot?"

"I guess so, here and there. You?" she looked up at him, smiling softly.

"I wish I could say I do, but I don't," Mason replied solemnly.

"You should really see England. It's amazing," Moir said as she remembered a trip she had taken once when she was sixteen.

"I don't have enough money to go, but it's on my list," he nodded with a soft smile. "What's it like?"

"Oh, it's busy and bustling with excitement. I can remember riding a double decker bus. So cool!" she smiled warmly.

"That sounds exciting. Most of my adventures happened in my hometown. I haven't even been out of the province. This is my first time!" Mason said happily.

"So, do you like it so far?" Moir asked, a smile playing upon her lips.

"It's been memorable," he joked with a wink. "I doubt I'll forget anything that's happened here so far."

She giggled. "And may I ask how it has been memorable?"

"Well, I doubt I'll meet anyone with the same taste in books as me. And it's been a lot of fun just experiencing this whole thing," Mason grinned at her.

Moir's big brown eyes sparkled. "I'm proud to share my taste in literature with you!"

"I'm glad you shared it with me. I have a lot to read now," Mason chuckled.

She nodded, smiling. "What else are you into besides reading?"

"I can cook, and I like sports. What about you?" he asked, returning her smile.

"I like to dance and play piano," Moir replied brightly.

"Do you think you could play for me sometime?" Mason asked hopefully.

"I'd love to," she replied, a grin growing on her face.

He smirked playfully. "I'll hold you to it, princess."

Moir chuckled softly. "I know you will."

"And don't you forget it," he chuckled. "I take it your favourite rooms in the palace are the library and the music room then?"

"Yes. They're great, but I adore the gardens," she beamed broadly.

"So from what I gather, and correct me if I'm wrong, you like to read and play dance and spend a lot of time in the garden? Sounds like the perfect date idea," Mason said, winking at her.

Moir winked back. "So I take it you're asking me out then?"

He continued the winking. "Maybe...that is if you want to go on a date with me."

"I wouldn't mind it," she teased, her eyes grinning.

"I'll hold that to you too, princess," Mason joked. "It'll be special, I promise."

"As long as you're there. I have a feeling it will," Moir smiled playfully.

He cupped his ear with his hand. "Is that a compliment I'm hearing? Why thank you, princess. Just for that I think you've earned yourself a dance."

She giggled softly. "And I'll hold you to that, Mason!"

Mason rolled his eyes and grinned. "I see you throwing my words back at me."

"And what's wrong with that?" Moir pouted playfully.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I was just making a powerful observation," he joked.

Moir let out a laugh. "Powerful indeed!"

"Are you mocking me?" Mason asked, feigning surprise.

"Now what insensitive soul would do that?" she asked dramatically, raising a playful eyebrow.

"Apparently the one beside me," he joked. "I think I'll have to punish you, princess." Mason smiled and laughed evilly.

Moir gasped, putting a hand to her forehead dramatically. "Oh! I take my punishment with pure guilt!"

Mason laughed and started to tickle her. "I hope you're ticklish!"

"Oh crud! No!" she screamed as she laughed hysterically.

He tickled her sides. "Now. I want you to apologize without any sarcasm."

"I can't when you're tickling me!" Moir squealed.

"You're going to have to try," Mason laughed, continuing his assault on her side.

She grit her teeth, still smiling. "I-I-I'm sorry!" Moir laughed. "I can't do it!"

"Close enough," he laughed before removing his fingers from her sides. "Do you mean it? Or do I have to tickle you again?"

She nodded. "Yes! I mean it!"

Mason leaned back. "Good. I didn't really feel like tickling you again. Although your laugh is adorable."

Moir cocked her head to the side playfully. "Thanks. And you have an adorable face when you try to tease me."

He scoffed. "Adorable? I think you mean hot!"

"Yeah, I'd use that word, but I didn't exactly know what you'd say to that. But yes, hot would be right!" she snickered.

Mason chuckled and shook his head. "I was only teasing, but at least I got you to admit it."

Moir nudged him playfully. "You are so...so..."

"The words already left your mouth. You can't take them back!" he said, smiling broadly.

"I'm not! I was gonna that you are so cute, but I guess not!" she teased him.

"You technically just said I'm cute," Mason grinned smugly.

Moir snickered. "Yes, I did. Got a problem with that?"

"Of course I don't. It fuelled my ego quite nicely," he chuckled.

Her eyes widened, and she laughed. "Uh oh."

"You got a problem with that?" Mason asked playfully, one brow rose in curiosity.

Moir rolled her eyes teasingly. "I don't know, Mr. Bennett, do I?"

Mason pretended to think and to stroke the imaginary beard on his chin. "On one hand you could. My ego is very large and you might find it aggravating. On the other hand, you could find me charming." he smirked.

"Charming more or less," she shared his smirk as she ran a finger along his square jawline.

"I'm leaning towards more," he said, leaning into her.

Moir but her lip and smiled brightly, her brown eyes glowing. "Me too."

Mason stood still. His body was directly in front of Moir's. He kept his gaze locked on her eyes and tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. Moir smiled innocently before kissing his cheek, her cheeks flushed at her own actions.

Mason chuckled. "You're not as innocent as you try to make me believe. You're quite cheeky." He dropped his head into her shoulder and hugged her.

She returned the hug. "Cheeky..I like it!"

"Well, that's one word to describe you!" he laughed softly.

Moir looked up and grinned, winking as she bolted up from her seat, running to the door. "Catch me if you can!" She dashed out to the gardens.

Mason groaned. "When I catch you, I'm going to tickle you again!" he yelled before dashing after her.

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A/N: Yes, I know this is late. I've been working a lot on Grayton's story, getting it all ready to publish this Friday. Please bear with me, loves! I promise good things come to those who wait, you never know. I could have two or three chapters out for Bad Wolf soon!
Love you guys! -MaddieBee