Maria Brink Costume Novels & Stories

Now all I would need to do is persuade Maria to choose him. After finishing, Maria spun me around to face the full-body mirror. Gazing at the girl who was facing me, I nearly let out a gasp. Wearing a sleeveless green silk gown, my figure appeared longer and sleeker, concealing my bruises. It stopped just below my knees and showed considerable cleavage. The heels on my feet accentuated the gold accents on my neck, while my long, brown hair displayed an elegant braid. When I had asked her for silver, Maria had seemed shocked.

I took a step after her to apologise, but a slow clap echoed through the perimeter Mariel. She sauntered into the clearing, wearing an outfit that was designed for combat but screamed vanity—tight black pants, a cropped top that showed off her chiseled abs, and bracers polished to a gleam. Her dark hair was braided in a crown around her head. She looked like she’d walked off the page of some story about war maidens and heartbreak. “You running from a fight?” she asked, voice slick as oil. I turned to her fully, rolling my shoulders. “I’d rather kill myself.”

My restraint thinned to nothing. That dress she’d worn, deep, dark blue that clung in ways that should’ve been illegal. Her hair loose, framing her face, her lips painted a shade of red that demanded to be ruined. This wasn’t the quiet Maria who’d stood beside me at formal events without a word. This Maria had fire in her eyes. A vixen. A challenge. And I’d wanted to take her right there, fuck her until she couldn’t walk.

Yet, at the same time, an air of mystery veiled his identity, leaving me intrigued and captivated by the enigma he embodied. In that stolen moment, as our lips danced in harmony, a whirlwind of emotions swirled within me. It was a blend of enchantment, curiosity, and a hint of trepidation, all intermingling in a delicate balance. As if summoned, in full makeup, meticulously styled hair, and a white dress, Maria stepped into the garden, with no mask on. Not ivory, not cream, but a full snow-effing-white. Floor-length satin with a sweet heart beaded top, a bit of a train, and off-white lace on the bottom.

Maybe it was the knowledge that she and Bran's relationship had changed, maybe it was because she knew that she was finally going to leave this room today, maybe it was because she was free of her father again, but whatever it was, it put a spring in Maria's step and had a smile plastered on her face as she soaped herself up. When she was done bathing, she dried herself and dragged a finger down the clothes in her closet, deliberating on what to wear. Here in the demon realm, she found that the women didn't wear shorts and pants. They all dressed in gowns and long, flowing skirts and that was what her closet was filled with—gowns and long skirts that Maria weren't used to wearing. But even h

"My son, Alpha of the Crescent Tribe, Marcus Grimhilde, is officially engaged to Miss Maria of the Sunfang Tribe!" What? My brain short-circuited. Engaged? To Maria? This had to be a joke. I turned, stiff as stone, and saw Maria beaming at me like she'd hit the lottery. Applause exploded, drowning everything else out. My ears rang. I couldn't hear a damn thing. Then... the entrance. Standing there was a woman in a deep red gown that shimmered like blood and fire. The fabric trailed behind her like smoke. Her long hair gleamed like poured silk, framing a face as cold and sharp as midnight.

ARIA'S POV: Maria had forced me to wear the dress. She had even threatened me with the guards, just like she had done during the auction preparation. The gown was so short that my butt cheeks were exposed. The chest region was so low that almost half of my breasts were open. And the back, all of it was open. A disgusting excuse of underwear with halter tights was all I was forced to wear under. I was naked. Maria didn't care at all. All she was concerned about was getting me dressed and sending me off to Dane. She maintained her poker-no-smile face.

❤️Maria's POV❤️ I was standing behind the stage curtain getting ready to perform with my sisters, Alissia and Camilla, and with my friends, Lindsey and Matteo. My sisters were wearing brown and green tattered dresses and I wore a black and gold dress with a matching gold hair piece attached to my head. Matteo wore a black and gold body suit. Lindsey wore a black silver dress similar to mine. We each had daggers attached to an armband. I also had a dagger that attached to a garter on my left leg. It was to be gifted to my future husband after my performance as a sign of my affection, another one of father's ideas.

“Tell that to your ribs when he breaks them.” Super encouraging. The combat clothes were dark gray, reinforced at all the joints. Professional. Deadly. I looked at myself in the mirror and barely recognized the woman staring back. “You look like a Luna,” Maria said softly. “I look terrified.” “Same thing, apparently.” Christian appeared exactly thirty minutes before the challenge. He was carrying a small wooden box, his expression doing that thing where he was trying to look calm but his eyes were screaming anxiety. “This was my mother's.” He opened the box, revealing a simple silver cuff bracelet with Shadow Ridge's symbol. “She wore it during Luna challenges. I want you to have it.”

Sensing my fake anger, Ben pecks me and whispers against the spot, “It’s nothing.” He pushes Maria gently to the side to take his former place and Maria screams, “It’s not nothing.” Maria raises a finger to silence me as she rummages through her purse. For the first time in a long time, she’s not wearing any flashy colours. Plain black top and navy blue ripped jeans. I am not sure who is rubbing off on who but I have started adding colours to my outfit while she’s doing less to hers.