A Royal's Love (Unit Matched #1)

A Royal’s Love (Unit Matched #1)

Copyright 2015 by Mary Smith

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This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any actual places, products, or events mentioned are used in a purely fictitious manner.

Cover Designed by:
Bailey Ardisone

Model:
Tessi Conquest

Photographer:
K Keeton Designs

Dedication

To everyone who is looking for their Matched

Table of Contents:

Prologue

Part 1: July

Chapter 1: Four Days Away

Chapter 2: Two Days Away

Chapter 3: My Birthday

Chapter 4: The Next Day

Chapter 5: Matched or Leave?

Chapter 6: The Matched Life

Chapter 7: Amaya’s Twentieth Birthday

Chapter 8: Just Another Weekend in Unit

Part 2: August

Chapter 9: Bring It On, New York City

Chapter 10: Getting to Know Your Matched

Chapter 11: Miami, Baby

Chapter 12: Couldn’t Stop If I Tried

Part 3: September

Chapter 13: Gia’s Birthday

Chapter 14: The Strange Feelings

Part 4: October

Chapter 15: The Pain of the Truth

Chapter 16: Lies or Truths?

Chapter 17: Answers

Chapter 18: Verdict

Prologue

The Rules

The Rules are for the citizens of Unit, and our culture. To keep our secret and the balance of all that live within our walls.

Rule 1:
The secret will never be told to those
not
of our kind.

Rule 2:
All will show respect to each other, even in anger.

Rule 3:
All citizens will be educated to the highest nature.

Rule 4:
All citizens will work for Unit to thrive.

Rule 5:
The proper attire will always be worn.

Rule 6:
Unmatched males and females will not interact in a private manner or setting.

Rule 7:
At the coming of age (18), a Unit citizen has the right to leave. Once the citizen is gone from the walls, the magic will not be in their blood.

Rule 8:
If citizen remains, they will remain pure and follow the rules.

Rule 9:
At the age of adulthood (20), a female will be Matched by their parents choosing.

Rule 10:
The Matched pair will have three (3) months to make the decision of completing the ceremony.

Rule 11:
If the Matched breaks the commitment, then they have the right to leave Unit, or remain in Unit, alone

The definitions are as such:

King: able to rule the land of Unit through the power of the Ring.

Royal: able to handle one or more of Mother Nature’s elements

Controller: able to handle the emotions of the citizens, without disturbing their free will

Protector: able to fight, speed, save the Royals, Controllers, and citizens of Unit

July

Chapter 1

Four Days Away

I tapped my pen hard against the book that I’m supposed to be studying. My mind was definitely not on reading, homework, or anything school related. I was turning twenty in four days. It seemed like an eternity to get here.

“Would you please stop doing that?” Amaya hissed at me trying to keep her voice down in the library.

“Fine.” I threw my pen down and shut my book.

“Don’t think about it,” Gia said softly to me attempting to calm me down.

“Easier said than done,” I mumbled.

“That’s it, let’s get out of here.” Amaya started gathering her books. “You’re not studying, and I’m hungry.”

Gia and I agreed and put our books and items into our bags as we follow Amaya out the door. We headed to Amaya’s car, and we went back to Unit.

The three of us have been friends for as long as I can remember. We were Paired since the day each of us were born.

Unit, Vermont is where we live. It is a small community of less than three thousand people, but it’s our home. Unit was founded several centuries ago. It was split into three groups: the Royals, the Protectors, and the Controllers. According to the Rules, we will always remain with our Paired. In my case, Amaya is my Protector, and Gia is my Controller.

People who live on the other side of Unit’s walls assume we are a religious group. That is the furthest thing from the truth.

I am a Royal. My official title is Princess Xaviera, but outside of Unit, I am plain, old Xaviera Anderson.

Inside the walls, I have a duty to the citizens. I am to keep them safe, free from the dangers on the outside and keep the balance in nature.

When I came of age, I debated with myself if I should leave Unit or remain. Being a Royal put me in a harder predicament then if I was of another bloodline. Not to mention, I am my parent’s only child.

My mother had several miscarriages before me and had a very difficult pregnancy with me. After having me, my parent's decided not to have any more children.

I struggled with being the Princess of Unit. There were numerous Royals, but I was at the top of the food chain, so to speak. The one thing that sets my family apart from the other is we can control all four of Earth’s elements. Most Royals were only able to control one or two of them.

My dad is the King of Unit and holds the most power. He has the most power because of the Royal ring. Legend tells of a story long ago in the beginning of time, Mother Nature herself created a bloodline of people to help ensure the balance of nature. In that she put her power in the ring. Whoever held the power of the ring was the King.

Was there fighting for the ring?

Not in the sense that many think.

There’s never been a war in Unit. Mainly because it’s not a complete monarch that some would assume it to be.

My father is a fair man. He has a Royal Court, and he always ensures the citizens are put above all else.

Even though I decided to stay in Unit, I know that when I am Matched I would still have the opportunity to leave, if I wanted to. It could leave Amaya and Gia without a Royal to take care of, but I know they would support my decision, either way.

My two best friends and I go to a local State College. I wanted to go far away to school, but that wasn’t proper in Unit, so I stayed close to home. I don’t get to travel too far from Unit, either. If I did it was only with my dad and the Royal Court to help out different parts of the country.

Unit controlled the balance in the United States and Canada. There are numerous other groups all around the world, but I’ve never really met them.

Amaya pulled up to the gate and punched in the code to let us into Unit. The gates were tall. An average person could shimmy over it, but the Protectors monitored it very well.

Amaya headed straight for The Diner. It’s the one place to eat in town, because it had the best burgers and was a hot spot for those under twenty-five and not Matched. The owners watched out and made sure that no one wandered off alone with someone they shouldn’t be with. There were a few that tried, but they had already chosen to leave Unit.

“Princess. Girls, great to see you this evening.” Mrs. Walters, a Controller, smiled at us.

Inside the walls of Unit I was addressed by my title, outside, not so much.

“Hello, Mrs. Walters,” we say in unison as we sit at a corner booth.

We give her our drink and food order. When you come to The Diner, you already know what’s on the menu.

The girls and I start discussing classes and projects coming up. Why did I decide that going to summer school was a good thing?

Oh, right, I want to hurry up and finish. If everything goes as planned, I’ll be in done in December, and then I’ll be able to focus some of my time on my duties in Unit.

“Well, hello.” Graham Centers’ dark eyes and smirk appeared at our table. Graham was a Protector of another Royal that was around our age. If there was anyone whom I thought would leave when they reached age, it would have been Graham Centers. He was very open about the policies in Unit and felt that some of them were old-fashioned. I wonder if he was waiting for his Matched.

“Ugh, go away,” Amaya groaned.

“You wound me, Amaya. You know.” He leaned down on the table. “When we are Matched you’re going to have to do what I say.” He winked at her.

“I’d rather chew off my arm.” She gave him a fake smile back.

“Ouch.” He stood up holding his hand over his heart. He grabbed a chair and sat at the end of the booth. Coming around the corner was Thaddeus Edwards, Royal, and Oliver Thomas, Controller.

As always, Thaddeus looked like he was mad at everything. I’m not surprised that he isn’t Matched. Even more so, that he hadn't left yet. He ran his hand through his shaggy brown hair looking at me and huffed in frustration as he sat next to Graham.

I have known Thaddeus all my life because his mother is Protector to Mom. Every memory I have was of Thaddeus’ stern face staring back at me. I found him odd at times and sometimes a jerk. There are times if I talk to him, he completely ignores me.

Then there was Oliver. I don’t know why, but I always felt bad for him. Oliver was quiet and shy, but had a heart of gold and looked like he belonged on GQ magazine.

Yes, I do read magazines. I love Vogue, although I wouldn’t wear any of those clothes. I love the articles, the purses, and the shoes. Especially the shoes. I may have a slight obsession with them.

“Thaddeus, I hear that you’re really moving up in the firm.” Amaya smiled at him. She’s always had a crush on Thaddeus, and I know that she wants him to be her Matched.

In Unit, there was never a rule about mixing of bloodlines. In fact, I don’t know anyone that wasn’t of a mixed bloodline. In my situation, I gained my powers through my dad’s side of the bloodline, and the rest of the power comes from the ring. That was how I sustained my powers of all four elements. The sole purpose of our powers was to help keep balance in nature. Our powers grew the older we became, and we could easily control the balance from anywhere.

“Yep,” was all he said. That’s Thaddeus, a guy of few words.

“Okay, boys.” Mrs. Walters came over to our booth staring down the boys. “Time to move to your own table.” She pointed to the table and without a word being said the boys got up and moved. Even though Mrs. Walters wasn’t a Royal and couldn’t command someone, we were respectful of our elders.

Our food came, and we went back to our decision about our classes and summer school. It was Gia that turned the conversation back to my Matching.

“Do you have any ideas yet?” She asked quietly not wanting others to hear.

“I don’t know yet.” I shook my head.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see who it’s going to be.” Amaya rubbed her hands together.

“We’ll find out Saturday at the party.” I picked up a fry but set it back down. I couldn’t eat right now because my stomach was doing flips.

My mother wanted a huge blowout party for me and considering that I was the Princess of Unit I should have one. But I hated big parties more than anything. So, I was able to talk her down to a small picnic of a few
hundred
people.

Four days.

Could I make it?