[E D I T E D]

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 17//: Rebels and Royals ♕✿~♕✿~

It is Wednesday, and Rose, Addaline and I have just been released from Caroline and her torturous lessons. Today, we had to learn "basic" ballroom dances, and walking around in 5 inch heels for an hour is not a fun experience. I guess I'm lucky that I didn't have Caroline as my dance partner; Addaline was stuck with that misfortune, having Caroline chastise her about her form while, with the help of her ability, she moved gracefully.

We were all currently hanging out in the Women's room, which was empty except for us. Rose is lethargically sitting on the couch in front of the flat screen T.V. that takes up most of one wall, flicking through channels. She finally settles on a news report, which talks about the Choosing. In a corner, Addaline is reading a thick book with mild interest, as she keeps on glancing around the room with glazed eyes. I, settled in another corner, am just as bored as the rest of them.

Unfortunately, the silence doesn't last long because the doors to the Women's room suddenly are pushed open with such ferocity that we all jump. I look in bewilderment as the Silver competitors come sauntering in, separating into their own groups. Rose and Addaline quickly abandon what they are doing and rush over to my corner.

"Yikes. Dramatic entrance much?" Rose whispers to me. I smile in amusement at her as Addaline rolls her eyes at the passing Silver.

"They think they're so much better than Reds," Addaline says bitterly, and I'm surprised at the harshness in her voice. But, noticing my stares, Addaline quickly puts on a smile. "Honestly, they need to stop acting like they're everything," she says lightly.

Rose and I nod our head in agreement when a cackle breaks through the room. Only one person can laugh like the devil's spawn...I look over Rose's head to see Alexis laughing wickedly at a girl--Tara from House Blonos.

Her loudness brings everyone's attention to Alexis and Tara, and I feel bad for Tara as she blushes silver in embarrassment from all the sudden attention. I haven't heard her talk at all while we were here.

"Tara thinks she's so special because the prince kissed her once," Alexis announces snottily. I freeze up at the mention of Ahren having kissed someone. A hurting sensation is in my chest, and I feel immensely sad and betrayed at the news. But my heart hasn't fully shattered yet, because Alexis decides to give even more terrible news.

"I was Ahren's first kiss," Alexis says with a smirk. The girls gasp in shock, and some stare daggers at Alexis competitively. While Rose and Addaline gape at the girl brave enough to announce such a thing, my heart just shatters into more pieces at each passing second. And here I thought Ahren actually felt something for me.

"Plus, I kissed him multiple times on our date on Saturday," Alexis adds, as if knowing how heartbroken I am. Which she probably does. My mouth presses into a thin line as I take in the information. Alexis wouldn't really need a reason to lie, so she was probably telling the truth. It didn't help my wounded heart that Ahren and Alexis basically had a make out session.

With my crazed emotions jumping around in me, I quickly get up from the chair I was sitting in and start to walk out of the Women's Room. I can feel Rose and Addaline's worried stares as I rush out of the room with flushed cheeks from the emotions boiling in me.

I can't believe how stupid I was!! How could I have let myself develop feelings for him while he was going around kissing people? I was a stupid, naive teenage girl who was whooshed off the ground by a guy who is a player. I got distracted from my plan. I'm only staying here for a month for the money, and that's it.

As these thoughts run through my head, I turn the corner and come face to face with someone unexpected. My eyes go wide as I immediately fall into a curtsy. "Your Highness," I murmur.

A laugh makes me stand back up in confusion. The red-gold eyes stare at me in amusement as I look back in confusion. Princess Juliet stops laughing and stares at me quietly.

"Um..." I'm awkward after her laughing fit and can't seem to find the right words to get myself out of this situation. Or maybe I should just walk away.

"You can just call me Juliet. I honestly dislike it when people call me by my title," Juliet says with a wave of her hand. I take in her appearance. She looked surprisingly casual, with a loose red shirt and black tights on. Her red hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and her eyes shined with youth.

I realize I'm just gawking at her unfair beauty and clear my throat. "Ok...." I trail off. "I'm Madison,"I introduce myself with discomfort. Juliet smiles widely as she puts her hand out. Does she want me to shake it? I do so and am shocked when she shakes it energetically.

"Hey!" She suddenly exclaims, making me jump in surprise. "I'm extremely bored, and Ahren is in his council meetings with dad." Juliet rolls her eyes. "Do you want to hang out with me?"

I really don't feel like I have the energy to do so, but I think it'll be considered rude to decline her offer. So I just nod and a second later, I am being pulled down the hall by Juliet.

We are soon in a room that is not hard to identify as Juliet's. It has lavender walls with a white dresser, a white full length mirror, a white desk, and a walk in closet. A queen sized bed with a white canopy over it lays in the corner of the room, with a lavender bed sheet. I guess the theme color is lavender and white.

"Ta-daaaaa" Juliet sings dramatically as she waves her arms around her room. I smile for her amusement.

"You're 17, right?" Juliet asks me, and I nod. Juliet smiles sweetly. "Great. I'm 17 as well. It honestly gets tiring having an older brother who thinks he's better than you at everything." Juliet narrows her eyes as she says this. I stay silent as I shuffle from one foot to the next.

"Madison, you know you don't have to get my permission to speak, right? Those are just rumors." I smile at this as I take a deep breath to calm myself. Ok Madison, just think of her as another girl, not the Princess of Norta and definitely not the sister of a boy who makes you confused with your emotions.

"Hm, I think I know something that will make you less tense," Juliet says as she jumps off her bed and rushes to her desk. After scrummaging through the pile on her desk, she looks up with a frown.

"It's not here. I bet Ahren still has it. Come on Madison," Juliet says with a wave, and she is soon out of the door. This girl sure has a lot of energy.

"Um, where are we going?" I ask Juliet as she walks somewhere. I have to run a bit to keep up with her.

"To Ahren's room," she says simply, and I immediately stop at these words.

Juliet notices and looks back at me with a frown. "What? Don't you two get along? I mean, he talks about you all the time," Juliet says with seriousness. My heart flutters at this, but I quickly squash it down, reminding myself of what Alexis said in the Women's room. I just shrug at Juliet, and she sighs.

"Look, I just want to get a board game from Ahren's room, and I don't feel like going alone. So please come with me. He's not even in there," Juliet tells me. I sigh as I contemplate my choices. I didn't want to go back to the Women's Room just yet, and I really had nothing else to do.

"Fine. As long as he's not in there," I say grumpily as I walk with her to Ahren's room. I really didn't need to see him right now.

Juliet comes to a stop at a door and opens it as if it's her own. Despite myself, I look around in curiosity. The walls are painted a deep blue and the furniture is a plain mahogany. I feel myself gulp in apprehension as I notice all of the armory hanging off the walls. The faceless helmets stare down at me as I pass them silently.

Juliet and I reach Ahren's desk, and I busy myself by looking at the content on his desk as Juliet searches for the board game. My brows furrow as I read a report on Ahren's desk titled Rebels causing trouble.

I read of the Scarlet Guard, who are bombing government buildings, but then I see a name I am not familiar with. Rogue Dawn. It sends strange shivers down my spine. The name sounded threatening, and as I read on, I realize that this group is threatening.

Reports of public executions and burning buildings of random civilians haunt me as I read about what the Rogue Dawn does. I didn't know such a group like the Rogue Dawn existed. I look at the small picture attached to the report and see a red sun with silver liquid pooling off of it against a harsh black background.

"Juliet?" I say. "Hm?" She replies back. I gesture at the report. "What is the Rogue Dawn?"

I feel Juliet's body tense up next to me, and she looks at the paper I am pointing at. Then she looks up at me with a blank look. "You weren't supposed to see that," Juliet murmurs, then sighs.

"But...since you already read it. The Rogue Dawn is another terrorist group. But they're worst than the Scarlet Guard. The Guard just want to get our attention so that they can bring awareness to equality of Reds and Silvers. But the Rogue Dawn...they're ruthless. They burn buildings with civilians inside of them, and they kidnap innocents and execute them in a video. And they send it to us." Juliet shivers. "They don't want equality between Reds and Silvers, like the Guard does. No, they want to kill all Silvers, especially the Royal family, and take over the government. Change it into a dictatorship, with Reds ruling the Silvers." Juliet points to the picture of the sun. "That's their symbol for their group. It's supposed to be a bleeding sun." I stare in shock at the picture.

"So...the sun is bleeding Silver?" I ask in a small voice. Juliet nods. "It's supposed to represent all Silvers bleeding to death, and the Reds conquering," Juliet says with a shiver.

When Juliet is done explaining, I feel cold. Another group was out there, hurting people. Another set of monsters who want to rule with oppression. The system always continues.

My thoughts are interrupted as the sound of a door creaking open makes me turn around in shock. In the doorway stands Ahren, in casual clothing similar to Juliet's. His grey eyes go to Juliet, then to me. Amusement fills his expression as he smirks and leans against the frame of his door.

"And what exactly are you guys doing in my room?" He asks with an eyebrow raised.

"Uhhhhhhh" I say stupidly. Luckily, Juliet is there to save me.

"We were looking for a board game, but it isn't here," Juliet tells Ahren.

"Oooh, that game? I gave it back to dad and mum," Ahren says. Juliet scoffs.

"You could've told me that before Madison and I had to take the effort to walk all the way here," Juliet says. She starts to walk out of his room, and I follow eagerly.

However, before I can leave, I feel a touch on my arm. I glance down to see Ahren holding my arm, looking at me so intensely, that I almost forget what he's done. Almost.

I pull away from his grasp, and without looking back, walk out and follow Juliet down the hall. I don't want to look back, but as I turn the corner to Juliet's room, I glance at Ahren to see confusion on his face.

He's playing with your emotions, Madison. You don't know who he really is, so you have to be careful, I think in my head.

It doesn't make it less difficult to turn away and ignore him.

♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~

Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter!

Nooooo Madison don't turn away from Ahren! :'( Lol

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Anyways, the next chapter will come next Friday! Until then!

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