On the day I was gonna meet the royals, Étienne left classes early for a pre-game meeting with them. Or something.

He apologized about a thousand times (the prof let him talk to me even while the lecture was going on); I didn’t really understand what fancy-schmancy tasks he had to do, and I also didn’t mind, especially when he reassured me that a carriage would pick me up at six PM.

After classes, I went to my dorm. Put away my supplies. Washed my face. Took down my hair from its braid. And asked Antoinette, “What should I wear to the palace?”

She eyed me from her desk (she liked to recopy her daily class notes into tidy paragraphs before dinnertime). “Depends. Which of us would you rather get all of Étienne’s attention?”

“Heyyy, I didn’t even invite you!”

“Silly me, I was being presumptuous.” She smiled her coy smile. I couldn’t help smiling back.

~*~

Fast-forward a couple hours and we were all dolled up, being led through the palace by a pair of butlers.

I was happy to let Antoinette take all the attention tonight–not like I had a choice in the matter. After all, Antoinette was elegant…poised…mature…and (as long as she clipped a leash on her sniping) the perfect portrait of a queen. I had no idea how to navigate the labyrinth that was a formal dinner (why so many spoons??), while Antoinette regularly parried with professors about everything from philosophy to politics.

I said, skip in my step, “The King and Queen are gonna love you.”

Antoinette tilted her head at me. “This dinner is with the King and Queen?”

“Wait, didn’t I mention that? This is the invitation you got so mad about at the dance, silly.”

“I don’t remember that night very well. Did you tell Étienne that you invited me?”

“Nope.”

“My God. That poor boy is going to get a scare.” She laughed, pressing her manicured fingers to her brow. I guess I should’ve been clearer that this wasn’t just another hangout between the three of us? After all, the Alaries and Georges Delphine weren’t exactly on great terms.

“It’s fine. Anything Étienne can say around me, he can say around you.”

She quirked an eyebrow. We didn’t really have a way to put her behaviour re. me and the guys into words, but that expression said it all.

I waved it off. “Whatever! Sorry that I didn’t warn you. I didn’t think it’d be a big deal.”

“Oh…oh, I suppose you wouldn’t know, hm?” Mischief glinted in her eye. “None of the Delphines have been able to directly address the King and Queen for a decade. You’ve given me a wonderful opportunity.”

Ah, crap.

That…okay, that did sound familiar. But honestly, on one of my many nights scouring the journal, I’d sorted that little factoid away, thinking it was simply a headcanon from one of Staci’s fics (she loved to play on the familial tensions when she dipped into Antoinette x Étienne).

Before I could handle the bomb she dropped on me, the staff pulled open the dining hall doors and Antoinette escorted me in by the arm.

Alarm flashed across the attractive faces of the three Alaries seated at the table. The room’s temperature plunged ten degrees.

The staff pulled out our chairs. We sat beside each other, across from Étienne, the King and Queen side by side at the head of the table. Antoinette was missing cutlery and dishes. The staff rushed out to fix the situation.

Antoinette said pleasantly, “It’s been such a long time, Your Majesties. Thank you ever so much for allowing us to join you.”

I couldn’t remember why the Delphines were banned from speaking to the King and Queen. Maybe that was a good sign…? Nothing crazy had happened, or else even I would’ve mined it for fic drama. But I was having some pretty bad luck these days with the world trying to fill the gaps that the game left behind.

The Queen looked past Antoinette, right to her son. She was almost comically pinch-faced, bird-like, her hair pulled back into a bun as tight as a ballet dancer’s. “We weren’t under the impression that you had two guests.”

“I didn’t. I mean, of course, you’re welcome at our table, but–I didn’t know.”

Antoinette smiled at everyone. “I didn’t know either until this afternoon. Though shouldn’t you have expected this? Chloé and I are practically connected at the hip.”

A servant swooped in to give her a glass and pour us some sparkling white wine. I gave her a pointed look over the servant’s shoulder, back to the royals: Don’t blow it!

She batted her eyelashes at me, smirking. I would never!

Étienne stared at us like ????

Argh, here I was, wanting Étienne’s parents to be impressed by Antoinette’s flawless etiquette, and I may have unwittingly started a cage match.

I addressed the royals. “I never got the chance to thank you personally for helping me. You know, for letting me live here for a couple days, for arranging a meeting with the headmaster to get me into La Belle Lavande…I can never repay that.”

“It was no trouble, mademoiselle,” the Queen said. “How have things been faring? Étienne says your memory hasn’t improved.”

“...No, unfortunately not. I’m okay, though. Étienne’s been a godsend; he’s always there to help me.”

“Has he been helping you gain connections to recover it?”

“Sorry, what do you mean…?”

The King–a cliche representation from his sculpted beard to broad silhouette–clarified, “Connections with magicians, physicians, and the like.”

“Ah…I decided I wanted to handle all that privately.”

The Queen gave a tiny little hmph. “Étienne, how could you not have recommended her to M. Aubert? He has written many treatises on the mind and memory.”

I blushed. “No, thank you, that’s okay–”

“You should be trying to heal yourself. After all, we’ve heard you have exemplary magical abilities, and those would be wasted on a weak mind.”

Her eyes were a frosty blue; though her tone was calm, I could feel the bite of cold as she stared me down.

“I guess? I mean, thank you. I’ve been trying to hone those as much as I can.” LOL, hardly.

“If you have magic, that would mean your family is located in Eavredor, and has had roots here for a few generations. Magic like that is unique to this kingdom, as Lady Delphine and Étienne could explain to you in great detail.”

“Oh, totally, and my classes have–”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Has Étienne been helping you understand where your magic comes from?”

“That’s not his responsibility; I don’t want to bother him.”

The King and Queen shared a look. Why were they so concerned about my memory?

Servants started bringing in food. Platters of things I definitely couldn’t name, but they smelled amazing, full of herbs and rich sauces that shone on the plates. Unfortunately, I couldn’t start eating–the interrogation wasn’t over.

The Queen continued, “Do you possess any other skills? Any other interests befitting a young lady like yourself?”

The questions were practically innocent, but I felt like a spotlight had been turned on me, hot and oppressive. “I’ve been trying out lots of things. La Belle Lavande is amazing. I’ve met so many wonderful people. Like Étienne and Antoinette, of course, and the Chapelle siblings, and–”

“I asked you about skills and interests, not your social life.”

Étienne neatly stepped in. “It’s through her friends that she’s had the opportunity to find new interests, after all.”

“Yeah, absolutely. Thank you again for sponsoring me.” And that’s all I’ve got to say on the matter!

“I’m very happy to help a young woman, especially one of magical ability, to learn and discover herself. However, I’m not sure I understand why my son has brought you here.”

Étienne cleared his throat. “I wanted you to meet Chloé after all your help.”

“Yes, but am I supposed to be impressed?”

I threw a glance at Antoinette. She played the innocent, looking over the decorations in the dining hall. Help me!!

A memory from my fandom life flickered in the back of my mind. An anon once pointed out to me that all the women in Love Blooming were antagonists, or at least crappy people. Lou’s sisters were snobby, talked down to him, and were easily manipulated into hating Marie. Scattered NPCs from Rémi’s past were jealous and judgy. Antoinette was…Antoinette.

And the Queen was the biggest blockade in Étienne’s route. She hated Marie. She messed with Étienne’s mind, as was clear from his characterisation.

The King was all innocently quiet and complicit as the Queen and her annoying writing said to me, point-blank, “You’re the prince’s project, do you understand this?”

Étienne gave a semi-panicked little laugh. “Project is a harsh way of putting it. I was put in a position to help her, and so I will help her for as long as she needs.”

“To what end?”

The King said neutrally, “Yes, that is my question as well.”

“Your magic may make you a prodigy, but that isn’t enough to rule a country. Where do you come from? If you don’t want Étienne to help you anymore, why are you still associating with him?”

Antoinette turned back to royals, her blue eyes going hard. She clearly knew where the conversation was heading. I was holding on for dear life.

The Queen finally said the quiet part out loud: “The girl is not fit for marriage, no matter how much schooling she gets.”

I squeaked, “Marriage?”

Étienne added frantically, “I never said marriage.”

“Don’t be naive, Étienne,” Antoinette said dryly. “Finding a spouse is your only job until your father dies.”

The King said firmly, “Lady Delphine.”

“No offense intended, Your Majesty. I only say that because it's my job too.” She casually took a bite of food like she’d only commented on the weather.

Once again, Étienne cleared his throat. “I didn't introduce you to Chloé because I'm going to marry her. She's my friend.”

“What does that matter?” the Queen asked.

Antoinette set down her fork on her plate with a chiiing. “It matters because your son is sharing a part of his life with you. These two can’t go a day without speaking together. Of course he wants you to meet her!”

The King folded his hands neatly on the table. “I think it might be best, Lady Delphine, if you allowed us to discuss this topic without interjecting.”

“I've bitten my tongue at plenty of family dinners, so no thank you, Your Majesty.”

I thought about drowning myself in my soup.

“What about me?” Antoinette asked. “I’d consider myself a stellar match for the prince. Though my pedigree comes from the hierarchy of business, you can’t argue that I wasn’t bred from the very best of the best. I’m a top student at La Belle Lavande. I can hardly handle the amount of invitations I get–to speak at events, to sponsor, to fund, to work, even to marry.

“I’m trained in opera, dressage, ballet, embroidery, painting, and poetry-writing. I’ve won awards in all categories since I could speak. I’m involved in the Aconitum finances. If you believe the artists and stylists hired to flatter me, I’m beyond comparison in my beauty, poise, and elegance. A marriage with me would mean the two most powerful pillars of Eavredor society would be bound together in iron.”

Hear, hear!

I knew she had a mic drop line to wrap all that up, but the Queen spoke first: “It is your arrogance, Lady Delphine, that would disqualify you.”

Étienne and I held our breaths, but Antoinette smiled. “Thank you for proving my point, Your Majesty.” Antoinette flicked a hand at Étienne. “No one will ever be good enough for you, Étienne, not to them. Don’t wait for them to choose for you. Don’t let your family decide anything for you.”

“Lady Delphine, please maintain your tone.”

“It is well-maintained, Your Majesty; perhaps it bothers you only because it is so familiar. My family is known for our tempers.”

I kicked her ankle under the table. She kicked me back.

Étienne cleared his throat again. “I think we’re veering…we’ve gone off topic.”

“I’m sorry if you got the wrong impression,” I added before Antoinette could keep shoveling her own grave (a favourite pastime of hers). “Étienne is a dear friend of mine, and I would love to stay his friend and grow closer to him, and part of that is meeting his parents and seeing his home. But I don’t want to marry him.”

“If he isn’t able to work on you any longer and he isn’t interested in marrying you, then why are you here at all?”

“I–that–what?” What am I, a character to level up in a video game?

Antoinette read my mind: “What is she, a table to refurbish?”

“I never even said marriage,” Étienne insisted, not looking up, but there was a slant of annoyance in his voice. It kinda sounded like Rémi’s sarcasm. He cleared his throat for about the gazillionth time. He folded his fabric napkin and stood up. “Please excuse us.”

The Queen waved a dainty hand. “The Ladies can be excused. I want a word with you.”

Antoinette pointedly adjusted in her chair, making clear that she wasn't leaving. I slipped out of my seat, curtseyed to the best of my ability (and forgot to enunciate my thank yous and other kindnesses quoted out of Bridgerton), and then gave Antoinette a pointed stare.

A couple moments passed. Then she threw down her napkin.

In the hall, two butlers shut the dining hall doors behind us with a resounding crash. I wished for more rings and rude staff for Antoinette to plant them on. I was so freaking lucky back then! Who knew she would graduate to mouthing off to the King and Queen?!

Antoinette snarled between her teeth. “They cannot conceive of sharing in Étienne’s life at all. All they care about is him catching a wife who’ll sew her mouth shut and fill their family tree with equally spineless babies!”

Welp, I can say one of Antoinette’s romance routes is done for!

Before I could respond, Étienne came out of the doors. He was a little flushed. And no wonder; he must have run after us.

Antoinette turned, yanked off her elbow-length glove, and whacked him on the shoulder with it. “How could you embarrass Chloé like that!”

“I didn’t know–”

“Étienne, you should have known!” she cried. “They've seen the things you care about as projects since we were children! Of course they saw no use in Chloé. They want her to be a harmless morality tale on your way to kingship or some nonsense! Chloé's outlived her usefulness to them, because they don't see you having friends as useful. How do you not see that?! How could you put her in that position?!”

She whacked him a couple more times. It wasn’t doing anything worse than stirring his hair and weirding him out, but I grabbed her hands, turning her to me.

“I don’t care what they think about me. But thank you, Antoinette.”

She released a breath in a long, drawn-out sigh, biting her lip. I let go of her hands.

Étienne folded his arms, glancing back at the door. “Even so, Antoinette is right. I’m sorry, whether you think it’s needed or not. I’m very sorry to you both. I wasn’t thinking.”

“You don’t think, you don’t act, and–”

“I did. Well, I’m not sure if it’d be up to your standards, but I…I told them you were both my friends. And their thoughts on you don’t matter, because you both matter a lot to me.”

This was the character development I’d been waiting for. The change he needed. And all I could see was my friend, who’d made a hard choice. I took his arm and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

Antoinette said, “Did you really?”

“Yes.”

“I guess I should believe you, considering you look like you just outran a dragon.” Antoinette poked him in the chest. “Thank you.”

He smiled a little. “By the way, as soon as I’m able, I'll have that stupid rule about your family revoked.”

“Oh, leave it. My father deserves it! Now,” she huffed, “at least make sure dinner is sent up to the library. It all smelled very good and I don't want to miss it.”