“Marcel! I’m glad you could make it.” A familiar sounding female voice spoke up as the sound of heels clicked against the marbled floor. Crimson appeared near the entrance of the hall extending her arms out to Marcel who went and hugged her.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Please. She’s a bitch, I said through the bond. I could feel him laugh at my comment.

“Maria, you remember Crimson?” He walked with her back to the five of us, still standing where he left us.

“How could I forget?” I asked with a smile, extending my hand.

“Please,” Crimson scoffed. She leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I don’t shake the hand of the silver’s lover.” She pulled back and stepped beside Marcel. What did she just say? I wondered, letting my mind linger on her words. She knows, I told him. But she didn’t before?

She might have sensed it then. He told me. Dragons can sense each other. We should have pieced it together then, that maybe Crimson was behind the note that was left.

“The festivities are just getting started,” Crimson said. “Oh, Princess Maria?” She asked me. “Would you enlighten our kingdom with a dance?”

“A dance?” I questioned her. I knew Marcel had mentioned it but it still caught me off guard. As I hadn’t danced in front of people for a few years. “I… I don’t know.”

“Please? I’m sure our people would love to see your grace with a dance,” Crimson pleaded. “Perhaps a duet for the future couple?”

I glanced at Marcel. Please, I doubt he knows how to dance. “You know how to dance?”

"You have already agreed to the dance once. You can't go back on it now." Marcel looked at me with a grin.

Why did I have to agree to the dance? “Fine.”

“Great! Follow me please,” Crimson said, leading us past the grand hall and to a back room. “Your outfits for the dance are in here.” She allowed us to peek in the room. There I saw a well-fitted starry night dress, and Marcel had a black pair of pants with a black vest. “The dance is scheduled for noon sharp, so you have until then to enjoy the festivities.” Crimson shut the door.

“Let’s go outside,” Marcel said, pulling my hand and leading me to the grand oak doors of the castle. My four guards stepped into the shadows as they were trained to do. I sighed. “Act like you are happy to be here at least,” Marcel said as he opened the door.

The garden in front of us was filled with various colorful flowers, the shrubs were trimmed into unique shapes, and streamers and lights hung above. The fountain in the middle of the garden depicted a gold dragon running sparkling water.

As we stepped out, a crowd of well over five thousand people cheered. “Thank you all for your support and welcome to Summer Crest’s annual festival!” Marcel greeted the crowd of people. “I’m formally introducing you all to my future wife, Princess Maria of Winterfall.” He pulled me close to him, causing me to breathe heavily.

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Please don’t… I thought through the bond, as I knew what he was about to do.

He stared at me with a gleam in his eyes and whispered, “You will follow my command.”

I can’t fight it, I cried through the bond as I could feel Marcel try to control my body. I couldn’t sense him—The bond had fallen silent. He was there one moment but not the next. Theo? I asked in a panic, but it was too late. Marcel reached for my face and pulled me in for a kiss. As our lips touched I felt the bond return. As I regained mobility in my body I glanced over where I knew my guards were and I could see Quinn’s body lock like mine had started to.

What the hell? Theo asked angrily through the bond. I could not sense you. I could not stop it.

Just as quickly as Marcel planted a kiss on my lips I pulled back. His face said it all: I surprised him. He was shocked that I was not drawn to him by his own words. “How?” he asked. “Of course,” he met my gaze then followed it to Quinn’s locked body. “Interesting… not what I expected,” He said with a bit of a grin.

Fuck, I said through the bond. Help her, quickly, I ordered Théo.

Just as I thought the words I could see Quinn’s hands begin to shake as she pulled out one of her many daggers. “No!” I shouted and ran towards her. I held her hand that held the dagger. Brienne stepped in next to me and held her other arm firmly “Fight it Quinn,” I said. “Fight his compulsion,” I whispered in her ear.

I felt a wave of magic flow through me and into her, causing her to drop her dagger as she regained her own self awareness. I was unsure at that moment if that was me or Théo’s doing, but I was grateful. Thank you, I whispered through the bond.

As soon as I knew that Quinn was safe, I turned my focus back to Marcel. I stormed up to him ready to lash out, but remembered the crowd of people. They were staring, some fascinated and some scared at the events on folding before them. I whispered into his ear, “You are lucky we have witnesses.” I snarled and walked back to Quinn to check up on her.

“Thank you Quinn,” I whispered to her as I looked her over. “How did you..” I began to ask, but she just smiled.

“I think you know."

“Of course.” I gave her one more glance over before going back up to Marcel. “Castle. Now.” I pulled him back into his castle, with my guards in tow.

As the door shut, I shouted, “What is wrong with you!” I slapped him hard across the face.

The impact did not phase him. All he did was grin. “Would you have kissed me otherwise? Besides, we have to make this relationship seem real to the public.”

“Whatever, Marcel,” I mumbled. “Take this as a warning: the next time you do anything like that, that mind control business… You’ll regret it. I’ll make sure of it.”

His face rapidly shifted from a grin to serious. “Look darling, I didn’t think you’d go through with a simple kiss.”

I sighed heavily feeling my emotions lift. “Look, let me know your plans ahead of time. Don’t act on impulse,” I told him. “If I was aware of what you were going to do, I would have gone along with it,” I told him. Even though I would not enjoy any of it.

“I’m sorry,” Marcel said. “Forgive me?” He asked, softening his red eyes.

“For now…” I was a lot calmer now.

“I need to discuss a few things with Crimson. I’ll meet you all around eleven,” Marcel said as he turned and walked down the hall. “Enjoy the festival!” he shouted as he left our sight.

“Marcel’s a fucking bastard,” Quinn said. We all laughed.

“Should we try to get some enjoyment out of the festival?”

“Definitely,” Quinn said. “After that stunt, I need a bit of fun.”

“And this is why I hate festivals,” Brienne said, reflecting on what just happened. “Because of shit just like that.”