*Prince Dorian*I should have known that things weren’t as I was told. I should have picked up on the signs before my opinion of someone had formed. It should have been easy for me to notice these things… if I wasn’t blinded by false friendship and lies.My choice of friends and those I kept close to me had always been a long and tedious process. I didn’t care for those that wanted to suck up to me just because of my station in life. I didn’t want those that saw me as a tool to better their lives or as some omnipotent guard that would let them get away with anything they did wrong. But even through all the nit-picking and information gathering, a fraud still managed to get through and join my inner circle.This was the case with the Du Pleasant brothers, Marcus and Samuel.I had met them during my time at the Academy and, after months of casual greetings without anything suspicious coming up, I allowed them to join my small

My stomach was in knots for the rest of the night, and Ivy’s constant gleeful comments weren’t helping me relax. When I did manage to get to sleep I dreamed about ridiculous things that didn’t make sense at all. And they all centered around the Crown Prince. I felt like I had truly gone mad with these increasing confusing emotions and now my dreams were being plagued by this man I wanted nothing to do with. A part of me was strangely filled with peace when my mind conjured up those deep red eyes and thick black hair. And an invading wave of unwanted emotions filled me when I’d hear his voice echo in my mind. Emotions that I never wanted to feel again.Thankfully, the other piece of me was able to shove those things down once I awoke the next day. I had gotten up expecting to still feel exhausted and drained because of those dreams but I was delightfully refreshed and energized inste

Breakfast the next day was filled with news.Ivy chatted happily as she set up the dinette for myself and my brother who was sitting on the loveseat listening intently. She had heard that because of the deaths and the chaos that ensued during the festival, the King and Queen had decided to exempt the Queeness’ from elimination. She also heard that Lady Naveyame had withdrawn as a candidate, packing up her things and reaching out to her family to take her home. This now left only ten Queeness’ within the Palace and the competition, since Lady Heliona was dead and Lady Naveyame was now leaving. This news, though sad, granted everyone a break from worrying about who won the challenge. It also shortened the competition itself by two months, thus removing another challenge that would have been thrust upon us later on. Though the break was quickly taken over as a Palace Maid along with Royal Knights

The first week of the challenge was finally over and I was already expecting another visit from His Majesty in my room. So I picked up the pace as I walked out of the library, having spent my morning skimming through the many books that Lanalee looked after while Calix kept me company. I was alone for once in what felt like a very long time. With Ivy in the Palace kitchen gathering everything she needed for dinner and Arden taking his turn to stand Guard at the front entrance of the Queeness Palace.I was enjoying the peace as I made my way down a shaded walkway that connects the Central Palace and the Queeness Palace. The breeze was wild and ruffling the skirt of my dress as well as my hair that Ivy had worked hard in styling this morning. With my hands holding down my brown locks to my shoulder, I neared the side entrance to the Queeness Palace… and so did someone else.

*Prince Dorian*She’s fighting it.That was the first thing I was able to piece together, though she had made it obvious with how guarded her deep amethyst eyes always were around me. I wanted to understand why, wanted to know what was the reason that was making her struggle so much against the Bond that was already formed between us. And even though she was visibly fighting against the Bond, she couldn’t stop herself from sharing those things with me. Couldn’t hide her warm smiles, her soft laughter or the way her eyes would light up when she would look at me.Yet as the Bond grew with every moment that I spent with her, I was also struck with how strong it was. I wanted to spend every waking moment with her by my side. Craved the sound of her soothing gentle voice. And those deep breathtaking eye