The royal siblings were chewed out by their parents when they got back, and I suspect that they would be locked up inside the castle under stricter guards. Just when I thought that I wouldn't be seeing them for a while, the king summoned me and Marina. I thought we were going to be convicted of lese majeste or some petty crap like that but turns out it was so Roy could apologize and bow down to us.

"We've been too lax on raising you. Learn to have more sense like Tiana!" was what the king said to Roy.

After that, Roy would occasionally come hang out with us and follow me around when he had free time. Was I supposed to be his tutor or nanny or something? It's annoying!

As for Luminaria...

When their punishment was over, Luminaria requested that Marina and I join her and Chrom during their lessons. She didn't exactly respond to my feelings, but at least we all got to hang out together and become close friends again.

During our dance lessons I sometimes had to stand in and do a man's part, since there were three girls and only one boy here. It was in one such session while Luminaria and I were dancing together, that she said with a sullen face that since she was a princess she would probably end up being married off to another country regardless of her will. A part of me couldn't help but be excited, wondering if the fact that she mentioned it to me meant that a part of her wanted to be with me instead.

"If you wish for it, I will do everything in my power to keep you from being married to someone you don't like," I had told her. "Even if the whole world becomes my enemy."

Luminaria's only responses were a vague smile and tightened grip on my fingers as we danced on.

Our days passed on like that, with Luminaria occasionally getting closer then pulling away from me. Whenever this happened, there would be an odd sort of tension between her and Marina.

And then before we knew it, the tenth birthday of Chrom and Luminaria approached. A huge party was being organized in the palace's largest hall, with all the nobles and even foreign royalty invited.

"Do I look okay?" asked Marina. She was at my house to prepare for the ball. Since she didn't have many fancy clothes, I bought her a new dress and my maids helped dress her up.

Marina's silky hair was done up in a braided bun, with twirling strands framing the side of her face. Her makeup really drew out the shine of her red eyes that matched mine, and her cute pink lips were alluring. Her dress was a poofy layered pastel yellow dress with white frills.

I smiled and held her cheek. "More than okay. You look amazingly beautiful."

Marina blushed and curled up her shoulders. "I think you're more beautiful."

My outfit matched hers, though my dress was a bright crimson. "No you are."

Marina balled her hands against her chest and buried her face into my shoulder. I laughed and hugged her.

"Ojou-sama, the carriage is ready," said Lescia.

"Thanks." We left my room and went to the foyer of the mansion.

My father was there too, along with my mother, who came back from our territory to celebrate the prince and princess' tenth birthday. They were both dressed up for the party. Mother still looked young, and she was an incredible beauty with red hair. Her body was very shapely too. She was the kind of person that in my old life would have me screaming HOT MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

"Mama!" I ran towards my mother that I hadn't seen in a long time and hugged her, burying my face into her large chest.

"Tia!" Mother hugged and rubbed my back. "I missed you so much. You've really grown!"

"Un!" I smiled happily.

Marina walked up to her and curtsied. "I-I'm Marina Lauset, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Mother returned the greeting in kind. "Rosalia Bracklin. Thank you for always taking care of our Tiana."

"N-no, I'm always in Tiana's care."

"Marina is one of my best friends and my mage partner," I said.

Mother's eyes widened. "Oh, you're a mage too? That's amazing, to be so young."

"We're still apprentices," said Marina.

"That's still impressive." Mother smiled. "Tell me more in the carriage."

We got onto the carriage and I told my mother about what happened while she was gone. I had many stories about working for the mage department to share with her, and Marina joined in on the conversation here and there. When I told her about saving the royal siblings in the city, she couldn't stop laughing.

We reached the castle while still having lots to catch up on. Mother and father entered the hall together when they were called by the announcer, with us following quickly behind.

The announcer's voice boomed. "May I present, Duke Tigre Bracklin, Duchess Rosalia Bracklin, their daughter Tiana Bracklin, and... Marina Lauset."

Several pairs of eyes stared at us. The Bracklin family was one of the most influential families in the country, so that was a given. But also surprising was that we were accompanied by someone from the Lauset family who was known to be illegitimate and unwanted.

Marina froze up from the attention, and I held her hand to lead her into the hall. We walked up to greet His and Her Majesties, then turned to the stars of the show.

I bowed. "Happy Birthday, Your Highnesses Luminaria and Chrom. May you both live a long and happy life."

"Thank you, Tiana." Luminaria gave me a smile.

Chrom stared at me awkwardly for a while, then blurted out "May I have my first dance with you, Tiana?"

The hall went silent. Not only was it a breach of protocol to ask at this moment, a dance with the prince was a highly coveted honor. Especially the first dance. Noble girls glared daggers at me from every direction.

My mouth gaped open. I would rather dance with Luminaria. I glanced at her, but she lowered her eyes and slightly shook her head. Well, can't be helped, I'm sure she had her circumstances as a princess. It would cause all sorts of rumors if she danced with another girl here.

I looked at the king and queen to see if they approved. Surely the prince's first dance should go to a foreign visitor they wanted to improve relations with? But they gave me nods.

I bowed to Chrom. "It would be my honor, Your Highness."

We left the royal family so that other guests could greet them. I really wanted to bang my head against the wall or chug alcoholic drinks like there was no tomorrow, but it would be extremely damaging to both my house's and Chrom's reputation. I resigned to comforting myself with food.

"Everyone's really staring at us," Marina whispered beside me.

"They're staring at me," I whispered back and sighed. "Though protocol aside, a daughter of the House of Bracklin would be one of the most appropriate choices for the prince to pick, so I doubt anyone can say anything against it."

Still, whispers surrounded us.

The birthday greetings ended and people cleared the middle of the hall to open up a dance floor. Noble girls lined up, hoping that Chrom would change his mind, but Chrom walked a straight line towards me without so much as a glance at the other girls.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" He bowed and held out his hand.

I stared longingly at Luminaria for a bit. She was beautiful in her elegant dark blue dress. Some foreign prince was courting her for a dance, and she accepted.

"Yes, Your Highness," I held Chrom's hand and he led me to the middle of the floor. I held his hand and shoulder and let him wrap his remaining arm around my waist. The music started up, and we settled into a slow waltz.

"It makes me sad that you're so much more fonder of my sister," Chrom whispered as we danced.

"I can't help it, I like girls," I replied. "You're turning into a splendid prince, but I probably can't fall for you."

Chrom's blue eyes stared into mine, full of affection. "Still, I don't want to give up."

I gave him a sad smile. "It would be so much better for you to get some other noble girl. Except Victoria Burke, I hate that bitch." Duke Burke's house had always had a strong rivalry with House Bracklin, and both constantly tried to gain more influence than the other. Duke Burke's daughter, Victoria, was of a similar age to us and would always try to start shit with me whenever we met. There was no doubt that she would be aiming for either prince's hand in marriage.

Chrom laughed. "I'll keep that in mind." He gripped my fingers tightly. "I don't want this dance to end."

I wanted to do something for him to make him happy. "You can hold me in closer for this dance."

His eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah." I moved in to press my body against him, and he tightened his arm around my waist. We danced together closely like that, our foreheads occasionally touching softly to each other.

Lots of gasps and awws came from the audience.

The music stopped, and we parted ways.

"Thank you, Your Highness." I curtsied and bowed my head.

"It was my pleasure." His eyes were sad. He was soon cut out of view by the large swarm of noble girls trying to get a dance with him next.

I was ejected out of the crowd and went off to find a quiet spot to rest.

"Good work. That was a very beautiful dance," said Marina.

I threw my arms around her and buried my face against her shoulder. "I need to recharge on Marina cuteness."

Marina giggled and rubbed my head.

A voice appeared beside us. "Oi, dance with me next." I looked up to see Roy's smug face. He looked grumpy and uninterested, like he was doing me a favor, but the tips of his ears were red.

"Is that any way to ask a lady to dance?" I asked.

"Tch." Roy half turned away and stopped, then straightened himself and turned towards me. "May I have this dance?" He held out his hand and bowed his head.

I sighed. I suppose I should reward him for correcting his behavior. "I'll be right back," I told Marina, and took Roy's hand.

Throughout the whole dance Roy was stiff, but he managed not to make an embarrassment of himself. His face was red as he looked down at me. Since he was a few years older than us, he was taller than me by about a head.

"Shouldn't you be dancing with some other girl?" I asked.

"Shut up."

"Why did you want to dance with me anyways?"

"I said shut up."

I shrugged and looked away, only to be faced with a storm of glares from noble girls.

"How can she be monopolizing both princes to herself," was the common theme among the whispers I heard.

I would gladly switch places with any of you, you know.

The dance finally ended and I walked away from the dance floor. I was looking around for Marina when yet another prince blocked my way.

"You must be someone interesting, if both of the princes wanted a dance with you." If I wasn't mistaken, it was Prince Gregory from the neighboring country Florence. He was taller than me like Roy, and his long dark green hair was tied back in a low ponytail. I was tired of babysitting princes but I had social protocols to follow.

"Tiana Bracklin, daughter of Duke Bracklin. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Gregory Florence, Third Prince of Florence. May I have a dance with you?" He bowed and held out his hand.

I rolled my lips in and tried not to sigh audibly. Am I allowed to refuse? Would it reflect badly on Edelgard as a whole if I did? I don't want to be the one to sour the relationship between our two counties.

"It would be my pleasure." I took his hand and reluctantly went onto the dance floor yet again.

"Say, are you the same age as the Second Prince of this country?" asked Gregory as we danced.

"My birthday is a few months later, but we're about the same age, yes."

"We might be in the same grade later on at school then. It's been decided that I would study in this country."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you ten too, Your Highness?"

Gregory laughed. "I get that a lot. I've always been taller than other kids."

"Is that so."

He looked at me with eyes filled with curiosity. "So why did both of this country's princes ask you for a dance?"

"It's just due to my position as a duke's daughter. They're doing their duty of strengthening the bonds between our houses."

"It seems like there's more to you than that."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I retreated from him as soon as the dance ended and quickly walked away. I found Marina surrounded by some other kids, as well as a man. He looked like he might be her father. I hurried to her side.

"Marina!" I placed myself in between her and the others.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Baron Luke Lauset."

"Tiana Bracklin." I curtsied. "I heard that your family doesn't think fondly of Marina. May I ask what business you have with her?"

"I merely wanted to ask how she was doing." Baron Lauset smiled. "Thank you for looking after her." He bowed to me, and left with his other children.

I turned to Marina. "Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?"

Marina shook her head. "They were just asking me about how my life was." She smiled at me. "Thanks for worrying about me."

"As long as nothing happened, that's good." I saw some boys looking at us out of the corner of my eye. "Let's go to the balcony before someone else tries to get a dance out of us."

I held Marina's hand and we went out onto the balcony overlooking the castle's gardens. The cool night breeze refreshed me. The stars shining in the dark blue sky formed a beautiful backdrop behind Marina's barely illuminated face.

"I'm tired," I whined as I leaned against the railing. "It's like I'm a babysitter for princes or something."

Marina giggled. "That's because you're so beautiful, Tia."

"You're the more beautiful one."

"I still haven't danced at all tonight, you know?"

I raised my eyebrows. "No one asked you for a dance?"

"Some boys did, but I declined."

"Why?"

"I wanted to save my first dance of the night."

I tilt my head. "Was there someone you were aiming for?"

Marina smiled and held out her hand. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

My jaw dropped. "You want to dance with me?"

"Is that a no?"

I quickly held Marina's hand. "Of course I'll dance with you!" My heart pounded against my chest in a way that no one else tonight made it. "Do you want to lead or should I?"

"You can lead."

I placed my arm around Marina's thin waist as she held my shoulder. I held her remaining hand up and waltzed with the music. The feeling of her warmth through her dress made butterflies fly in my stomach. I held her close, inhaling her perfume, our noses nuzzling against each other.

"Is this for me to recharge up on Marina cuteness?" I asked.

Marina giggled. "Yes, but I also want to dance with you." She leaned her head against my shoulder. "Am I not enough?"

"Huh?"

"Even if you like Princess Luminaria, I still want to be with you." She looked into my eyes. "Can I?"

"Marina, you like girls?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just know that I love you." Her lips quivered in the moonlight.

"Are you really okay with me?"

"I should be the one asking that."

The music slowly winded down.

"Tia?" The stars were reflected in Marina's loving eyes.

 I parted her hair with my fingers and kissed her.