Snarling with frustration, Eligor punched the wall and reluctantly followed her. Marie walked confidently to the newly designated “meet with the suitor’s room”. Almost to the room, she had a thought that stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Not that I am objecting to the session itself, but who will be the chaperone while Bain is gone?”

Just then, Shane, her father's most trusted man in arms walked up to them, with a letter bearing her father’s seal on the front.

“Good morning my Lady. The Duke has appointed me to act as your chaperone in Baine’s absence.”

Marie smiled, relieved that her father had at least picked a man that they both agreed was trustworthy, unlike Eligor.

With Shane’s arrival, Marie was able to dismiss Eligor, much to her relief and his obvious frustration. Making their way quickly to the room, her heart sank when Jacob announced Tod, the Magistrate of Port Fishingsworth’s son was to be the first suitor of the day.

“Hello my Lady,” Tod said as he entered the small room with a bow.

“Hello, Tod” Marie replied coolly.

He rolled his eyes,

“Really, my Lady you’re still angry at me for killing that stupid songbird?”

Marie just looked at him raising her brows. Tod snorted angrily,

“If you hate me so much, why was I not one of the ones you eliminated at the last Gala?”

“Because I knew I could get rid of you at the next one. Think of me what you will but those I have eliminated thus far were chosen because I had no desire to lead them on. You on the other hand Tod” she paused, “I’ll just say that everyone knows that you don’t have a snowflake’s chance in Hellfire flames.”

Seeing that Tod was becoming agitated, Shane moved closer to Marie, his hand hovering over the pommel of his sword. Seconds later the bell rang and spitting at Marie’s feet, Tod exited the room. Shane started towards the door, a murderous look on his face. Marie quickly jumped up laying a soothing hand on Shane’s forearm.

“It’s alright Shane. He just wants to provoke you so that he can punish you for touching him.”

Shane took a deep breath closing his eyes.

“As you wish my Lady.” He said, already beginning to calm down.

“Thank you, Shane.”

Just a few moments later Jacob announced Lance, son of the Earl of Pinevalley.

“Lance!” Marie exclaimed in surprise.

“We had our one on one the other night, how is it that you can be here again so soon?”

Lance pouted giving her sad puppy dog eyes.

“Are you not happy to see me my Lady?”

“No of course not Lance, you know I love the time we are able to spend together. I was just surprised that’s all. How did you get back here so soon anyway?”

Smiling slightly, Lance had the grace to look a bit guilty.

“I ah may have led my father to believe that I was making progress on getting you to accept my proposal my lady, and seeing as how close he and the Duke of Skyhills are....” he trailed off.

“Your father bribed mine to get you an extra meeting with me,” Marie said flatly, finishing his sentence.

Lance scratched the back of his neck awkwardly

“Yes, that about sums it up, my Lady.”

Shaking her head (a frequent occurrence when she was around Lance) Marie said,

“Look, Lance, I could care less about our slimeball fathers trying to wed us because quite frankly I have bigger problems right now.”

She then gave him the condensed version of what had happed the day after the Gala.

“So, if announcing my intentions of narrowing down my suitors to you and another to keep them from marrying us as soon as they can makes our “Fathers” back off”

She shrugged.

“Are you sure about this Marie?” Lance asked shocking her by finally calling her by her first name.

Marie sighed “I’m honestly not sure of anything other than the fact that I have to marry soon and if I am forced to marry I would rather-”

she paused blushing crimson.

“I would rather wed you than any of my other suitors Lance.”

With mere minutes left before their private session ended, the pair decided that Marie would tell her father that she was only interested in Castiel and Lance. The most important part of the plan was the term that she got to see each boy for at least half an hour two to three times a week.

“So that Father does not get suspicious of me suddenly choosing one suitor. Castiel seemed fairly nice at the Gala, though considering the quality of the rest of them excluding you that may not be saying much.”

Marie explained to Lance when he questioned the need for her to also be seeing Castiel.

The timer rang signaling the end of their time together. Lance’s mind was whirling with all of the things that Marie had told him and his excitement about Marie taking one step closer to marrying him. Surprising both himself and Marie, he swept her up in his arms hugging her tightly but not quite daring to kiss her. This was far more intimate than the friendly hugs they had exchanged in the past, and Lance knew he would never forget the feeling of Marie's body pressed so close to his. Far too quickly for his liking though, Marie pulled away, taking a few quick steps back and putting a couple feet of space between them. Looking more flustered than he had ever seen her, Marie looked at him awkwardly. Clearing his throat, Lance said apologetically,

“I’m sorry Marie, that was far to forward of me.”

Marie sighed softly,

“I” she paused, looking at the ground before meeting his eyes again and continuing “I can’t blame you, Lance......after all, it’s not like you tried to kiss me, you just caught me a little off guard.”

Lance allowed himself a slight smile,

“So does that mean you forgive me?”

Marie rolled her eyes and huffed in mock disgust,

“Of course, Lance you big lug, now get out of here before my father gets suspicious!”

She said, breaking into a smile.