Chapter 5 - One Reality Check? Check

I turn back to look at the gazebo. Key's standing, pointing at me in rage and well, everyone else is shocked. I can tell the King is unimpressed as well as the Queen. The other princes are disappointed and the girls are unsure if they should pretend this isn't happening or dare to show an emotion. I sigh. I didn't even make it that far. I just had gotten to the path intersection where it split, part of the path going left, the other going right.

"Prince Key! Lady Astrid! Come with me," The King says sternly.

Both Key and I stay frozen, slightly scared.

"NOW!" He shouts.

The King heads off towards me and then down the path that leads back to the palace. I quickly follow with a sulking Prince close behind.

^^^

Once inside the castle, the real drama goes down.

"King Lee, I will not marry this girl!" Prince Key starts.

"Okay," The king replies.

Prince Key's eyes widen. Is he actually going to let him off?

"Let's just have four out of the five SHINee Princes have wives while the other is the only one unable to produce an heir."

Spoke too soon.

"This behaviour of yours is unacceptable. I don't care whether you wish to be married by love or don't wish to be married at all, you will marry this girl whether you like it or not," The King explains.

"But she's a commoner!" Key exclaims.

"They are all commoners! That is the whole purpose of the Choosings,"

"But the others are," Key pauses, "More royal like if I may say."

I can tell the King was going to say something but I cut through. "Excuse you! How dare you deem me 'unroyal like.' Is it because I'm not rich like them? Because my clothes seemed a little bit more worn out than them? How dare you judge me because of my class? Maybe if some people started to realize that there are more people in this kingdom than in the richer areas I wouldn't look so far from close to being a royal," I blurt out.

Prince Key just scoffs. I look at the King and know that what I said was definitely unacceptable.

"King Lee do you see her? She just yelled at me, a royal! Someone who is above her! She needs to be sent back! Bring me some other girl," Key exclaims.

"I'm not disposable! You can't just throw me out like I'm trash," I snap.

"I don't see a difference," Key mutters loudly, smirking my way.

I was this close to slapping this stuck up prince when the King buts in.

"Lady Astrid is correct. She isn't replaceable at this point in time. She will be staying. Any girl from her district was going to marry you anyway. The advisors chose her. I don't know why -"

"Or how," Key interrupts.

I guess this boy has a death wish.

"She was going to marry you either way. You will not get to have another Choosing just because you can't start acting like an adult. Now, be a royal and accept your fate. You were born into this life so you must follow its rules," The King finishes.

"I really can't marry her!" Key says again.

"Her has a name," I mumble.

The King, enraged as ever, looks at Key with the most sincere, death glare I've ever seen.

"Dear Key, don't you know you're not irreplaceable. I can choose another heir to the throne and you'll be left to die out on the streets just like your poor mother," The King comments smugly.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother," Key sneers.

The King smiles grimly. "Since that's settled I suggest you go and apologize to everyone for your rude behavi