“Maybe it's not the first kisses that are supposed to be special. Maybe it's the last ones.”
Eadlyn has to choose a marriage partner from the selection of 35 potential suitors. The process of the choice is filled with moments of uncertainty, difficulty, and quandary. In the end, she proposes to Erik, her true love, after a series of ‘kissing many frogs’. In that she shares moments with some of the suitors in hopes she will find the perfect partner, which brings romantic feelings but not true love. Initially, she shares something with Kile, but the spark is lacking even after they share their first kiss. Thus, Kile asserts the quotation expressing how loving someone is sometimes a gradual process.
“You have to do whatever it takes to be with the person you love.”
Even though Erik is not an aristocrat or a contestant in the Selection, Eadlyn ends up choosing him as her partner. Through the whole process, there are several instances where she chooses a partner because it is expected of her. The belief that the suitor has to be an aristocrat and part of the selection molds her criterion. Ahren’s assertion expresses the significance of choosing love every time despite the obstacles or assumptions. Since she looks up to Ahren as a role model, Eadlyn takes his advice to heart and indeed chooses a partner she truly loves.
