Taeya woke the princess three hours later. She had to walk Freyja through every step, leading the dazed princess down the hall and into the next room, full of bustling women and Freyja's favorite designer. The gown was draped on a mannequin and just the sight of it made her want to burst into tears. "Nani, I'd like another gown. Charged to my father. For the banquet and festivities to follow. The opposite of this one, please," She said quietly, taking a piece of the pale silk in between her delicate fingers. "Perhaps velvet?" She asked, finally turning towards the designer with a smile.

.

The fae was not please, "Dahling, you are stick. They not feed you here in this dark place? You look so pale! No sun either? Mishka, a change of scenery does not mean no self care. Are those bags under eyes? Bagh!" For a fae, she was exceptionally short and stout. And made the best dresses in all of Sylvia, in all the world in Freyja's opinion. A second mother in many ways. Including the nagging. "How is prince? Nice? Mean? Why you standing there like baked potato, get behind curtain." She said, waving people around with her hands. "Yes, yes, I will Mae second dress as long as you hurry up. Or there will be no time, bah!"

.

Freyja grinned as she walked behind the wooden curtain, Taeya following shortly behind her to help her out of her first dress. "The prince is fine, really. We get along well. I like his inner circle too. They're...full of character." Taeya rolled her eyes at that one, bringing round the silk piece and then proceeded to help her into that on as well. Just as she thought, it was much looser than originally. The palest shade of Lilac, more of a kiss than a tint. And it draped across her in a water like way. The ancient looking dress was simple and still modest while being eye catching.

.

"Agh! You are skinny skinny skinny! Bony little assol." She tsked, holding the fabric closer to her skin and then shaking her head. "You look more pretty when it is loose. Next dress will be more interesting." The short woman gave a wicked grin.

.

Yes. Freyja was definitely scared.

.

"Um, so was this it? You have my measurements for the second dress, right?"

.

"I have old measurements. Ones before my little princess lost bunch of weight that make her nothing but skin and bones. You hold still, no. Take off my dress before you tear or stain it. Taeya you make sure she is most careful. I need my measure tapes." She started muttering in the old language as she waddled away.

.

Taeya laughed, "I've missed Nani. I think she missed you too, skinny little princess," She said, the blonde shaking her head. "Oh my Gods. Maybe no corset until after the wedding. Okay? Your back has some sores." She notified the other as she slipped a chemise over her head so there could be some decency during the fitting. The rest was a whirlwind. Mostly Nani throwing insults towards everyone in her line of sight and the two noble girls trying their hardest not to laugh at it all. Because that would follow with more insults. Eventually, both females left the room with a fit of giggles. Princess, no longer dazed, drowsy, and moody. She was looking forward to the remainder of her day.

.

"Sooo, what's with the new dress order, highness? Nani seems overly excited and it sounds like it's going to be expensive." The blonde shrugged, nudging her friend with her elbow.

.

"It's going to represent my change. My transformation. I'm no longer a little girl in frills and tiaras. I'm going to be married and to a vampire at that. I don't want to look like an innocent doe while those around me look like they're Hades' right hand men and women." She explained in a quieter tone.

.

"So you're going for what? Dark Persephone after she's dragged to the Underworld? A bit dark-"

.

"No, Taeya. I want to be Hades." She whispered quietly. Her friend looked at her, eyes wide. She was confused. Perhaps shocked. "This is not a love marriage. I will not be useless or idle. Keenan doesn't even want me as a trophy wife, dearest. And that was the best I had hoped for. This is...different. I want to rule, not single handedly necessarily. But I want to definitely be a major part of the decision making process." The princess continued in a whisper, smiling brightly a anyone who dared to pass them.

Keenan stood, unlocking the door. This was a very dangerous game they were playing. If it worked in his favour, he would be free from his father’s rule, the rest they could figure out later as no one would dare threaten a king, especially not with the size of their army. Keenan stretched, gods he had terrible posture when he was sat at his desk. Now all he had to do was survive the next few days.

“Monty,” he said gently, “Would you be willing to walk with me while I attend the final jacket fitting?” He asked gently.

Monty agreed of course, it would be rude not to, besides, he needed to talk to Keenan. “We do actually need to talk,” Monty said gently, “You are acting weird lately. Actually, since you first took Aleksander under your wing. It’s the first time I had seen you genuinely care about another person. Not that you ever stopped caring for me and Claude, you just started thinking about how your reactions affected others. Hell it was nice not to be cleaning up your mess for once, “ he said with a laugh, “You have been healthier since at least up until recently. You took pride in yourself. It was nice to see.”

Keenan smiled, Monty was kind, and right. He did not treat him nor Claude particularly well for a very long time but they both stood by him even when he made some questionable decisions. Since he started taking responsibility for himself, they had become closer, almost inseparable. No one had expected him and Aleks to fall for each but that couldn’t be helped now and it made him happy. He was happier around Aleks. More alive even.

He shivered as he walked into the room where the tailor was waiting for him. “Will you keep me company?” He asked Monty.

“I haven’t abandoned you yet? Although it has been rather tempting in the past, I have resisted,” he said with a laugh.

The fitting made Keenan anxious. They had picked the jacket along time ago, he had no idea if it would fit. The tailor handed him a black undershirt, it felt expensive, although Keenan was unsure what it was made from. The tailor tsked as he tried on the waist coat. “Your highness, I hope you don’t mind my asking but have you been ill recently? This fits looser than it should.”

Keenan shook his head, “I did get injured removing a pack of rogues from a local village.”

And he hadn’t been feeding as much as he should have. Monty gave him a sideways glance as if he was thinking the same thing. Keenan rolled his eyes, he really wanted to say something but the tailor seemed annoyed enough as it was. Keenan’s eyes lit up as they jacket was brought out. It was black, double breasted with vibrant gold embroidery to match his eyes. He knew the embroidery would match his eyes as they spend hours deciding on the perfect shade when it was designed. Even Monty nodded in approval, “So you do have an eye for fashion then.”

“That was all me,” the tailor piped up.

Keenan hissed as he was stabbed with a pin, “careful.”

He was grateful when the whole debacle was over. “I assume you have things to do with the rest of your afternoon? I have to go and get the stitches taken out from when you let me get stabbed,” Keenan said with a sly smile.

Monty faked a gasp, “You got yourself stabbed thank you. And you sound exactly like Claude. I didn’t stab you. I do have afternoon plans unless you need me to hold your hand? Freyja says she has something for me and after today’s incident, I figure someone should go and check on her.”

Taeya left the princess to her own devices after preparing her for dinner. Now the redhead sat in front of the mirror and examining her friend's work. She'd allowed Taeya to play with cosmetics and still the only thing added to her face was kohl lining her eyes and a lipstick that only added shimmer. The wine colored curls had been pulled away from her face in an updo. The only ones to escape were the baby curls at her forehead and ears. The amount of pins holding the thing together was shocking. She could hardly tell there were any at all. Eventually Freyja decided she liked what she saw and removed herself from the vanity.

.

She moved towards the window to peek out from behind the curtain. How many days were left? Bah, didn't matter anymore. She rolled her shoulders, stretching. After dinner she'd take Ronwyn for a little spar. It'd been too long, even her hands were starting to become as velvety as the sapphire colored gown she wore at the moment. She couldn't help but feel a bit lonely at the moment. Taeya was off helping prepare the weddings decorations and Ronwyn was most likely with the guard. She didn't want to call for her brother. Cassian, however. Could be a stress relief. As if summoned, there was a knock at the door. The princess walked patiently and left the newcomer in and grinned.

.

"Highness, you look ravishing. What a lucky male that gets to marry you," the blonde said, leaning to kiss her cheek and kicking the door shut with his foot. "I know you said you would seek me out later, but if I'm being honest. This place is boring. How was the fitting?" He asked.

.

Freyja smiled, "Nani is still Nani. I was actually going to find you before you came. I'm a bit bored as well. Would you like to join me for a bit of tea?" She asked, walking away to set up her small table with the pot Taeya had called for her moments before her leave.

Taeya left the princess to her own devices after preparing her for dinner. Now the redhead sat in front of the mirror and examining her friend's work. She'd allowed Taeya to play with cosmetics and still the only thing added to her face was kohl lining her eyes and a lipstick that only added shimmer. The wine colored curls had been pulled away from her face in an updo. The only ones to escape were the baby curls at her forehead and ears. The amount of pins holding the thing together was shocking. She could hardly tell there were any at all. Eventually Freyja decided she liked what she saw and removed herself from the vanity.

.

She moved towards the window to peek out from behind the curtain. How many days were left? Bah, didn't matter anymore. She rolled her shoulders, stretching. After dinner she'd take Ronwyn for a little spar. It'd been too long, even her hands were starting to become as velvety as the sapphire colored gown she wore at the moment. She couldn't help but feel a bit lonely at the moment. Taeya was off helping prepare the weddings decorations and Ronwyn was most likely with the guard. She didn't want to call for her brother. Cassian, however. Could be a stress relief. As if summoned, there was a knock at the door. The princess walked patiently and left the newcomer in and grinned.

.

"Highness, you look ravishing. What a lucky male that gets to marry you," the blonde said, leaning to kiss her cheek and kicking the door shut with his foot. "I know you said you would seek me out later, but if I'm being honest. This place is boring. How was the fitting?" He asked.

.

Freyja smiled, "Nani is still Nani. I was actually going to find you before you came. I'm a bit bored as well. Would you like to join me for a bit of tea?" She asked, walking away to set up her small table with the pot Taeya had called for her moments before her leave. The male nodded, taking her offer and sat down opposite of her. As she poured them some of the tea, he started to speak.

.

"So, Nani is well then. That's good. How are you doing, Freyja?" He asked, reaching to hold her hand, which she allowed.

.

The Princess shrugged, taking a sip of tea as she watched Cassian spin the golden ring around her finger. An old habit he had that she never minded. "I'm well. I like it here so far. Everyone leaves me alone. And the village down there is very lively. Keenan took me there the second night. After Faust pulled on of his little stunts." She rolled her eyes, taking another drink.

.

Cassian didn't look up from her hand but her smiled, twisting the golden band around and around. "He told me about it. The blood in the glass? Yeah. You would have drank it if Keenan said anything he said. Choked it down so you didn't look ungrateful." He shook his head, curls bouncing as he did so. "Freyja, let's do something crazy." Cassian said in a hushed tone.

.

The Princess laughed, "And what did you have in mind?"

.

"Let's run away together. You don't love him, do you?" He expression must have soured because he smiled. "See! It's fine. You already said that nobody bothers you here and everyone is too busy planning the wedding anyways!" His grip tightened ever so slightly as she tried to pull it away.

.

"Cassian, I may not love him in the way you have in mind. But I do care for him. He has been very welcoming and understanding. We both have our reasons for carrying on with the wedding procession. And you! You have so so much waiting for you! I mean, you're the next right hand to the King and and you're trained by the Ancient Scholars and if we ran away we would have to change everything. We would not survive." She said, trying to get it through his head. "Cassian, I think you need to leave and clear your head."

.

"You're choosing him over...me?" He asked, seeming confused and angry all in one. "A bloody vampire over me? Me? Freyja, seriously? This is a joke. This has to be a joke, I mean. I even asked Faustian. We had his blessing. We could have left and lived together. We both know how to hunt and we could figure out a way for money." He was frantic, still holding onto Freyja's hand. His dwarfed hers.

.

She had to look away. In shame. Yes. In a way, she was choosing Keenan over Cassian. But leaving was signing Keenan's death sentence. She might as well push him into the sun herself. As she thought this over, Cassian went silent, until she finally set her face into her other hand. The hand still with Cassian began to feel dry until it began to irritate her skin. They had both been silent for several moments and when Freyja looked up. Cassian wasn't there. There was a stone gray figure who looked too much like him but aged heavily. She blinked a few times and removed her hand from the dead male's grip and gasped as the whole figure collapsed into dust.

.

Very slowly, she stood. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't find the voice to even scream. So she dusted what got on her gown and went to check the mirror. She looked...refreshed. the bags were gone from under her eyes and suddenly the gown fit much better than before. She looked back at the pile and picked up the clothes that had been left behind and threw them in the fireplace. Taking his jewelry, she shoved it in her jewelry box, under the rest. She'd have them melted down later. As for that humongous pile of ash. She stared at it silently, back against the door. Broom! She needed a broom. And once she found that, she simply swept as much as she could in the dustpan and dropped it in the rubbish, the second pan was thrown into the ash pail, along with the third. What was left she scattered about. The maids would finish it off. She sighed deeply and brushed off her gown once more and gave a few practice smiles but there was a pit in her stomach. This had to be a warning from the Gods. She had considered it there at the end and as punishment they struck him dead.

He was so jumpy, it made absolutely no sense. It wasn’t the first time he’d had stitches removed, hell it wasn’t even the first time he had been stabbed. He shivered as a mage instructed him to remove his jacket and undershirt, which made no sense as he could not feel the cold. He felt oddly exposed but this particular mage had been treating him for a long time. Occasionally they would have a trainee who would gawk at the brand on his back but, this mage was well practised. “Now Keenan,” she said softly, “you may feel a slight pulling but this shouldn’t hurt.”

It was one of the weirdest experiences ever. She cleaned the wound before applying a dressing. “I will have some medical supplies sent to your room so that you can change the dressing daily or as needed, whichever is more frequent, until the wound is healed. It should be fully healed before your wedding and if you take care of it, it shouldn’t scar,” the mage said.

Keenan nodded, hurrying to redress himself. He didn’t bother fastening the buttons on his jacket as he hurried down the hall. He would only have to change for dinner. Which brought him to his next problem. What was he going to wear. He really needed someone to pick things like that for him, was that a thing a king could do? He would have to find out. In the end he settled on a jacker that was a deep purple, so dark that it was almost black, this was then decorated with elegant black embroidery. Running a brush through his hair before redoing it, he hurried to the dinner.

The conversation was awkward, especially with the Fae guests. The King was busy pretending that Keenan did not exist. The inner circle had strategically placed themselves so that Monty was on Keenan’s left instead of Aleksander, Freyja was on his right. Faustin, the insufferable fool was sat opposite. There was one guest missing. Cassian. As if reading his mind, Monty decided to speak up, “Was Cassian unable to join us? Considering that he was the future right hand to the king-“ He was cut off as Claude stomped on his foot under the table.

Keenan was curious about Cassian, especially as Freyja smelt of him. Monty gave him a look that said ‘What did you do?’ He did want to have an excuse to murder Cassian and he was hoping he would be given one but this time was not him. He even had an alibi if someone did try and blame anything on him. That was one thing he had learned, it was always worth having someone with you so that they can vouch for you if you were accused of something.

Keenan cleared his throat, eager to change to topic, although he did want to corner Freyja later, “Less than two days until the wedding now. Freyja and I both had our final fittings today,” he gave Freyja an easy smile, “I cannot wait to see you in your gown,” he dipped his head slightly, if they weren’t at a dinner, he would have kissed her hand to prove a point. He could play the diplomat if needed and if he needed to pretend to be in love to keep his father off his back, so be it.

When the others were preoccupied in conversation he leaned closed to Freyja, “I need to talk to you after this,” he whispered.

[short sorry]

Freyja had arrived to dinner on time. The first time that had happened since she got here. She smiled at everyone as she entered and took her seat amongst them. Keenan spoke and as if on cue, her cheeks bloomed with color and she tilted her face away shyly. She nodded slightly, "looking forward to it, highness," se said, suddenly taking a great interest in the food on her plate, slicing into whatever it was. Tasted like fish. She glanced at her brother who hadn't touched his plate, shooting daggers at Keenan as if he suspected the prince.

.

Freyja released a sigh and rolled her eyes. It wasn't Keenan's fault. Faust shifted his glare to Freyja. "Cass told me he was headed to see you. Had something he wanted to asked you?" He said, leaving his fork in his fish as his face lost all expression. "Something very important regarding your wedding plans."

.

It took all her effort not to choke on the fish and keep her face straight. "He did and he asked me a question and I told him no, I didn't want roses. I don't like roses and the roses would ruin the wedding." She said flatly. "And then he left. He seemed a bit upset. I mean, they're just flowers. He must have gone home." She said, taking another bite of the smokey flavored fish. Before sitting back to let it settle. Faust nodded as if he knew what she meant about the so called flowers and he cleared his throat, excusing himself from the dining room.

.

Freyja returned to her meal and finished it. Once she finished, she too stood and excused herself from dinner. She smiled at Keenan and the inner circle, "I'll see you later, then," the prince said, making her way out of the room. She considered going back to her own chambers but decided on going into the garden instead.

.

She sat on a stone bench and slouched. If her mother could see her now she'd die at the sight of her posture. She was far back, away from the suffocating roses at the front. She had no idea what these were but she liked the fruity smell that they produced. Freyja sighed and started to pick off any fuzz that had started to collect on her dress. Nervous fidgeting. Maybe she should visit temple. Well, she hadn't bothered to ask Keenan about their national religion here and if it was his Gods upset with her and not hers then she was absolutely screwed.

.

"I wouldn't have followed through with it," She muttered, pulling her body close on the bench, leaning into her knees. What scared her most was that she didn't feel really... guilty. She just felt a little sad for her lost companion. Her action had caused the death of her almost fiancé and lover and her brother's best friend and the future right hand. She knew she smelled like him. He had visited her, but who would believe her when she told them the Gods struck him dead because she thought of actually leave with him.

.

(NO. Mine is short. I am so tired lol)

“Wouldn’t have followed through with what?” Keenan asked as he walked up behind her.

Her posture was terrible but rather than scolding her, he was purely concerned. She was usually so meticulous in her presentation. He gently touched her shoulder, “do you want to tell me what really happened to Cassian? You literally look like death,” he said with a chuckle, “you also smell…different”

“Or I can distract you with wedding drama? And trust me, there is always something,” he pretended to clear his throat, “two very awkward thing we have to discuss. They will expect us to kiss at the altar and the whole marriage blood bond thing. I know you read that book Claude gave you. It’s not permanent and is just a way lovers connect deeply with each other. Vampires can also tell another’s strength and possibly future power but that depends on the vampire. Claude is very powerful and could be much stronger if she wanted. Aleks is fairly powerful for a turned vampire, which means he has a strong sire. It is something we can fake if you wish. I would suggest you remain in my quarters on the wedding night and then stick to high collared dresses for a few days so they believe you are hiding a bite,” he said gently.

He moved and sat next to her. He took her hand, “You can trust me, or I can be a distraction, but I don’t think you fooled anyone with your talk of roses,” he offered her a comforting smile, “I just want you to know, if you did consider running away, you are not alone. Aleks suggested it the second the engagement was announced. I had seriously considered it on occasion, even now but things will turn out for the better, we just have to get through the wedding and the tour.”

He stood back up, “But enough serious talk, it is not long until we are married. It is not how I pictured my wedding day but we have to remember to enjoy it, despite the drama. I still believe you will still look stunning. My suit is stunning if I dare day so myself, although my tailor complained that he had to make some adjustments,” he said with an eye roll.

“Now I just have to decide what to do with my hair. A more important question when I am king, is it frowned upon to have a personal stylist? I feel like I always wear the same outfit. Without the king to dictate my style choices, I might deviate from the standard high collared jacket. I know, what’s wrong with me.” He laughed as collapsed into the seat next to her.

He was trying to make the best of the situation they were both stuck in. The blood sharing was what worried him the most. He doubted Freyja had ever been bitten by a vampire, let alone be expected to complete an intimate ritual. It wasn’t like Keenan hadn’t done it before, vampires did it often, married or not. Doing it following a wedding was different. It was a sign of a couples’ devotion to each other. For them it was different, so he did not believe it was necessary, so much so that he was willing to fake it, even in front of the king, if it was what made Freyja most comfortable.

Freyja sighed and leaned into him slightly. "Runaway. Definitely that. He came and said he had been granted Faustian's blessing for us to up and bolt. Funny thing is, that's something he'd need the King or at least the future Heir to give him. And I'll admit, I was definitely torn. I knew what would happen to you if I left and it did make me a bit upset and then I considered it, I swear for just a moment, and when I looked back at him he was dead. I took my hand out of his and he became nothing but dust." She sighed with a small shrug.

.

She leaned back to look at him, "What do you mean, I smell different? Why say it like that? We used almond instead of vanilla tonight but I ddnt think it was that bad." She rolled her eyes, making a face. But she continued to listen to him go on and a small grin crept up on her as he started talking about their outfits and the processions. The ceremony, the blood sharing, and a possible future hair stylist for the future king. That coaxed a coughed laughed out of her.

.

"I'm sure having your own stylist is perfectly normal. Father has one," She grinned. "As for the ceremony parts of being a couple, some are necessary. Anything that is expected to be seen in person has to be if this is going to work. As for the blood sharing, does it alter one's scent? If they- as in the other vampires- can smell if we've done that whole ordeal than that's an issue. If they can, would we actually need to bite eachother? A fae's bite normally leaves a scent behind because it's how males used to 'mark' their mates. A purely territorial thing." She sighed. Territorial and strange. It was all slightly concerning.

.

"Our legends say that our blood has healing properties and other magic qualities. Some used to have a fae to drain for potions and spells. It's since been outlawed. But if we do have to have the whole blood exchange, I'd like to warn you that too much could possibly kill you. Our favorite stories were of the heroes who tried to become God's by drinking fae blood. Of course, they suffered a painful death and then the Death God punished them in the afterlife for trying to become one." She smiled slightly.

.

"I just want everyone safe until your father dies so we can fix things around here. I'm willing to do what's needed until then. I just hope he dies soon," She said quietly with a breathy laugh. "But I'll put in an order for high necked dresses when I get back to my room. Nani, my favorite designer, is in for the wedding. She made both of my dresses and a slew of them that are in Sylvia. They're being shipped after the wedding. That reminds me, I think I may need a bigger wardrobe. There's not enough room for my shoes."

.

She had to stand, stretching her legs which were buzzing back to life giving every inch of her being a painful tingle. "I think we ought to head back inside. Keenan, could you just tell everyone that Cassian just....left? I don't want them to know his death was a punishment for my actions. Oh, um. What are the Higher Beings of your kingdom? Or do you not have...any?" She asked slowly, fiddling with her fingers anxiously.

Keenan bit his lip as he tried to put a finger on it, “I don’t know how to describe it, something about you has changed slightly.” He realised exactly what that something was when she finally opened up about what happened to Cassian, he gently squeezed her hand, “No one ever has to know.”

He sighed when she asked about he blood sharing, “Slightly. It’s not supposed to be territorial. It’s almost romantic… at least for a vampire. Vampires are most vulnerable when feeding after all. You can tell if a couple has done it if you a really looking for it but the effect doesn’t ever last more than a day or so,” He screwed up his face when she said about fae marking, “Look I know our customs are strange but why are yours so territorial? That just seems so possessive and unnecessary. But to answer your question in interspecies relationships, the non-vampire partner only needs a few drops of vampire blood to stop the bit from hurt, most enjoy with one sided biting.”

He blushed slightly when she mentioned the properties of fae blood. He’d never seen a vampire die from it however, it made some violently ill during the war. At that point they had no choice, fae or starve to death so they did what was necessary. That was how he justified the lives he took. They could not afford to die on the frontlines and at that time, he was the disposable son so his father did not care what he did to survive. In all honesty if he hadn’t done it, then he wouldn’t be here now. It was strange that he was feeling guilty now, considering he had never felt any guilt before. The effect this fae girl was having on him was strange. Aleks had taught him to actually think about others but as a vampire, there was no need for either of them to feel remorse. Aleks had said she was making him too gentle, maybe he was right. “From my experience, Fae blooding is rather intoxicating and is the epitome of you can have too much of a good thing,” he said sheepishly.

The whole Aleks and Freyja thing was messy and far more complicated than Keenan wanted to think about. Aleks made his distain for the princess clear and Keenan could not blame him. It was supposed to be Aleks he was marrying, it was even legal, hell before he killed his brother, his father may have even allowed it but now he was expected to marry for power, no matter how much it destroyed his private life. If they did share blood, Aleks would be jealous, Keenan knew that, Aleks would understand eventually but it would not stop his feelings getting hurt, that was out of both of their control. Keenan let out a soft sigh, “The sharing blood thing is up to you. It depends how well you think you can fake it. I believe that we will be leaving for our tour not long after the wedding as my father wants me out of sight and out of mind and it is a very convenient excuse to have me gone,” he said with a shrug.

Keenan chuckled softly, “I am sure we can arrange to have more storage space for you. The god thing is complicated. I mean we are unholy creatures, so we do not worship gods, however some humans do believe in a god, I don’t know what. That would be a question for Aleks, most humans worship some form of a god. We are burned by holy water so something must exist right? Vampires aren’t given much education in the way of the religion, I have never entered the cathedral. Old rumours about vampires burning up upon on entry. I haven’t been brave enough to test it.”

The Princess smiled, "I appreciate your discretion, Keenan. And more closet space." She said, wiping her palms on her hand. There was no other way to put it, she felt a bit awkward as they spoke of blood and nonsense and she rolled her eyes as he said something about everything being so territorial. She wanted to know the same thing.

.

"Well, I was off thinking of calling for Ronwyn for a spar. I can fight in a gown, just I'd rather not this one. So why don't we head inside?" She asked, teetering on her feet to sway back and forth as she made a quick to-do list in her head. 1) Get out of this gown 2) Write down orders for high necked dresses to send with Taeya to Nani 3) call for Ronwyn and bribe him into sparring 4) Bathe 5) actually sleep. Tomorrow would be prep for the wedding and she'd be either called everywhere to help or locked up in her room.

.

"I do have some good news though, I think I'm already positive on what I want to take during our little tour. Could we leave right after the banquet? If it's just us and the inner circle we could simply just slip away unnoticed. I'll make sure Taeya packs plenty of everything. Well, how far away is your relative? That's our first stop, isn't it? I just didn't want your blood spoiling over if we don't reach it in time... blood spoils, right?" She asked, looking at him with a furrowed brow. He was starting to rub off on her. She may not like talking about her blood specifically, but she now spoke of the liquid like it was a common grocery.

.

It had only been a week. No wonder Taeya was concerned for her corruption.

.

Her face slowly turned crimson. "I suppose you vampires already have that figured out though. Right?" She gave a grin and reached for his hand, pulling him up to link their arms. "Come on, tell me how everyone is. For the next twenty four hours it will be nothing but wedding talk and then it will be wedding day so why don't we talk about....anything, really. Like... what are your favorite holidays celebrated here?" She asked.

.

Her own mind was immediately flooded with memories of home, well the country palace. The moon festivals every full moon that were full of dancing and sweet treats. Her second was Yule. Presents and good food and music reserved for one time a year. It was bad luck any other time of the year.

.

"I'll admit, I will miss the moon festivals. They were fairly often but they were great fun. They're weren't as fun in the capital city, but in the countryside we would stay up till dawn dancing and dancing and then we'd all be so sore we could hardly move the next day," She grinned. "And to make matters worse, I am a God awful Dancer. I have two left feet and for a princess that's pretty sad," She grinned. "So go on and tell me what your favorite is. Does the noble Prince Keenan have two left feet or is he grace?" The princess asked, golden eyes flashing with curiosity.