Welcome (1)

As Hazel walked into the palace beside her mother, she inspected the walls to see what had changed from the last time she was there. She had been so interested in looking around for Linda when they entered the palace for the ball last night that she missed looking around at the palace decor.

It was always entertaining to see what could be added to the walls. What art she might recognise or which former royal they created a new portrait for. Sometimes there were portraits she couldn't help laughing at.

Once she had seen enough, she looked ahead at where Helena walked with her father. Helena reminded Hazel of a bunny at the moment because of how she couldn't stay still. 

No matter the outcome of the selection, Hazel decided to walk out of here happy. Many dreamt of entering the palace and not only was she doing that, but she was getting to sleep here for the first time in her life. It was an experience she could not let go to waste.

"It is beautiful," Renee said, looking around for ideas for switching up her furniture in a few weeks.

The palace was one of the many places others looked to for the start of new trends whether it had to do with clothing, art, or decor. Her family had two chances of the next queen being picked from it so there was pressure for her to have everything perfect from the way she acted to how her house looked so no one could use it against her daughters.

"Why did he have to be here already?" Hazel muttered upon seeing Prince Tobias standing with a palace guard. 

The queen was nowhere in sight most likely because there were a few minutes left before the second and final selection group would be welcomed to the palace. 

Hazel was glad the queen was not here yet so she could avoid the woman's intense gaze. The queen's presence oftentimes led many to become nervous and lose their footing, accidentally tripping up in front of the queen and ending up being talked about for a season or more. 

Hazel did not have the slightest clue of what the queen thought about her or Helena. Though she had been in the palace before and to many balls, the queen briefly acknowledged her presence when her parents were around, but when she was alone, it was like the queen did not see her.

Hazel had not been invited to the palace like many young ladies were when she came of age despite her family having close relations to the palace, but she took it as she was yet to impress the queen. She realised that the queen did not only care if you came from a good family. The queen must like your presence. 

Hazel and Renee joined Helena standing off to the side away from the other young ladies and their families. Already there were glances made Helena's way because she danced with the prince at the ball and seeing this, Hazel could not be any more happy that she had turned down Tobias's offer to dance.

Hazel leaned close to Helena to whisper, "You must feel like you are floating with all this attention on you."

Helena didn't respond to Hazel since she needed to stay focused. The queen was arriving any minute now so she was trying to recite in her head how she planned to greet her. She was also trying to catch the attention of the prince who was currently more interested in the walls than the women.

Hazel's attention also went to Tobias. She thought that he must be enjoying having women fight for his hand with his player ways. After not seeing him in a few years since he was more involved in wars than the palace, she remembered their encounters when they were younger and how unpleasant they could be. 

Despite the many times he annoyed her, Hazel had to admit now that she saw him in daylight that he had gotten more good-looking since the last time she got a glimpse of him before he went off to join the royal army. Even if he wasn't a prince, he would have many looking to court him for his looks. 

Hazel was suddenly taken aback by Tobias looking her way. Her eyes widened because of his gaze. 

Hazel looked away, thinking he could not possibly be looking at her when he was not long ago acting like he did not see any of the young women standing around in the spacious room. He was looking her way, but she wasn't alone so he might have been looking at Helena. 

Hazel slowly turned her head to look his way and found him still looking her way, but this time, he was smiling. She would have thought he was looking at Helena if not for the smile he wore. His smile was directed to her and she knew he would look to annoy her later. Their conversation at the ball was far from over since he wouldn't easily let go of her turning down a dance with him.

If not for there being others in the room, she would tell him to find something else to look at. Hazel turned to face the door she walked in to avoid his gaze. Eventually, he should get bored and find someone else to bother.

Tobias enjoyed every bit of Hazel starting to act like he didn't exist. She was the only young lady in the room not looking his way. He wondered if she regretted turning down his offer for a dance last night. It would have helped to put her at the top of the list among the women in the room. 

Had Hazel not been standing near Linda's brothers, he would have picked her over her younger sister. Tobias tried not to meet Helena's eyes to avoid making her think he was interested in her. She was just the best option at that point last night. 

'How long is she going to avoid me?' Tobias wondered as he continued to sneak glances at Hazel. He tried not to make it obvious since it would end in her being messed with by the other young women.

Though the women slept far away from his bedroom, the stories about their arguments and foolish fights had reached his ears. They were stopping at nothing to aim for the seat of the future queen. 

Tobias would rather be anywhere than here at the moment, having to force himself to entertain the advances of these women. He already had a plan in mind to sneak out of the palace and stay with a friend tonight.

"Announcing Queen Tabitha Castro!"

Just as the queen entered the room, Linda rushed in with her mother right behind her to get in place for the queen to address them.

Tabitha paid no attention to the young women and their mothers as her eyes were focused on her son. She wasn't surprised to see that he was not wearing the outfit she had made just for the day. He was sometimes too stubborn for her liking but there was nothing she could do about it. 

Tabitha approached Tobias and resisted the urge to straighten his clothes. "Try not to make a scandal with this group," she said.

"I will make no such promises," Tobias said, looking away from his mother. 

They dragged him back to the palace to make him get married so they had to deal with the way he chose to go through this selection.