Disqualified!?

"Number?" I tilted my head. I never received a number….  Should I start to worry?

"Your attendant did not give you your number?" Helen asked. I turned and looked at Sara and suddenly remembered she seemed to have wanted to say something to me this entire time.

"P-Princess here…" Sara handed over a small wooden token. "You are in stage three."

"Why did you not give it to her sooner!?" Helen yelled out, but I quickly stopped her by pulling her back.

"It's fine. I think she wanted to tell me but was hesitant to…." I looked up at Sara, who had her head lowered.

She bit her lip before clenching her fists and saying: "Princess. I am sorry, I dared not speak too much since I am a fan of yours and might have started rambling endlessly, and the last thing I wished was to bother you…."