Suzette woke up with bed hair aplenty, but that was the least of her worries, she grasped onto her head, panicking, Oh god, is the meeting really tomorrow? She grabbed a hold of her sheets so tightly that any tighter her nails would dig holes through the sheets. Her plans were foiled by him as he meticulously ruined her plans.

            She continuously sent women his way, only for them to be rejected and each time she met a prospective fiancé, he would immediately find out about it and buy them off. At one such occasion she was dining at a restaurant with such a prospective fiancé when one of Duke Chelvion's servants walked up to them and handed the man a letter. He immediately paid for his meal and left her in the dust. She clicked her tongue just thinking about it, couldn't he have waited until after their meal was over? It was embarrassing, she felt everyone staring at her, suspecting that she was just dumped. She also wasn't keen on his controlling nature, and the more he kept sending potential suitors away the more she wanted to see more just to piss him off.

            She still didn't necessarily want to get married, but he was just too much of a cunning bastard, he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. She groaned at the thought, almost biting onto her sheets in annoyance like a Neanderthal. In the midst of her inner turmoil, she didn't notice Beatrice coming in with her breakfast. It was a small dish of Eggs Benedict, a small blueberry muffin and some yogurt with chopped strawberries and peaches.

            "Milady are you ready to get dressed?" Beatrice asked her as Suzette was finishing up her meal.

            "No, I would like to take a bath first," Suzette responded as Beatrice nodded to her words and took the empty tray off her hands, as soon as she left, Suzette started biting her fingernails. How do I get rid of him without killing him?

            There was a ball coming up in a few months, to introduce ladies to the crown prince. Even if she ended up engaged to him, there's still a chance she can entice a new lady on him, maybe. At this point she was starting to feel doubtful, and dread, lots and lots of dread.

            "You are the only woman I'll ever marry," His words rang in her ears, she groaned, You and your damn way with words. She continued to chew on her nails with a flushed face when Beatrice walked back in and caught her.

            "Milady!" Beatrice's voice made Suzette jump, Beatrice turned and sighed in disappointment, "Your bath is ready."

            As soon as she got up, Beatrice then mentioned, "After your bath, your parents would like to see you." Suzette stopped and felt like foaming at the mouth, she wanted this moment to come, and yet she was scared for it. Would she be able to convince them to cancel this meeting a mere day in advance? Would they force her to go through with it regardless of her feelings--her heart rang faster, filled with anxiety. She ended up haggardly moving towards her bath and as soon as she soaked herself in it, the maids began scrubbing her body and hair. The bath water was filled with rose petals as well, giving her a nice floral scent. Once her body was washed, she told her maids, "Leave me."

            They protested, reminding her that once again, she had a prior appointment with her parents, she sighed, "I merely wish to soak in this water for a little longer, the temperature feels nice and the scented soaps. It'd be a waste to leave now."

            They insisted they'd be right outside the door, she rested her neck against the edge of the tub and ended up drifting off to sleep. She woke up when she heard shouting, "Goodness! Milady, please wake up!"

            She moaned, once she was stirred awake she moved her position towards Beatrice, "Oh, I must've dozed off, this bath is just so relaxing." She rested her head and arms against the edge of the tub once more but Beatrice was not having it.

            "Milady, this is ice cold! You need to get out now--you'll get sick!" Beatrice began to pull Suzette's naked body out of the water, even though she was resisting a bit.

            "It's not cold, it's lukewarm," Suzette pouted, Beatrice clicked her tongue and her stamina won against Suzette's, a towel instantaneously wrapped around her like a cocoon, she made Suzette sit down on the stool and began drying her off.

            "I can dry myself off..." Suzette muttered, and Beatrice looked her dead in the eye with a glower, seeing through all her lies.

            "Milady, I'm sure you could, but would you do it in a timely manner and not catch a cold in the process?" Beatrice's expression didn't fade and Suzette didn't return her gaze, leaving Beatrice no more resistance in drying her off, eventually her hardened face softened into a smile, "Milady, I know your ins and outs--you're my pride and joy! Why are you acting so strangely today?"

            "Because I'm mad and upset!" Suzette spat.

            "Have I done something to upset you?" Beatrice wondered, drying her hair more softly.

            Suzette bit her lip, "No, it's not you. I'm angry that I have to meet someone to be engaged to and I have no say in the matter. Marriages of convenience can go and rot!"

            Beatrice chuckled a bit, which threw Suzette off-guard, her hair was dry enough now and so she began brushing through it, "You know, your parents were also a marriage of convenience but they don't act or look like it, do they?"

            Suzette turned to her shocked, "They were...?"

            Beatrice continued her smile as she repositioned Suzette to continue brushing her hair, "Yes milady, at first they were rebellious too--telling each other that they'll never love one another, but eventually they saw eye to eye and did. Once they fell in love, they laughed in the face of their former selves. I'm sure that'll happen for you too."                       

            But that's the problem, She internally monologued. She did love him, but even though they loved one another, they didn't see eye to eye. Just thinking of their constant arguing gave her a headache.

            "You've made your parents wait quite awhile, are you ready now? I do not wish for you to be reprimanded so let's get dressed and put your makeup on, okay?"

            Suzette's lips quivered, she knew she had lost this battle, she couldn't help but cry at her sheer helplessness, where her eyes began to wet.

            "Oh milady, I know the unknown is scary but you'll be okay. I know you will, don't be sad, wipe your tears." Beatrice comforted her, putting down the makeup brushes.

            I can't afford to lose him again...nor can I bear to hear about or see his death again...She bit her lip.

            Once Suzette was finished getting ready, her eyes were slightly puffy, but not horrible yet. Beatrice quickly dabbed a damp washcloth on them and hoped her makeup wouldn't have to be redone. Once her slightly puffy eyes changed from red to a slight pink, her eye makeup only needed some simple retouches. Suzette wanted to stall some more, but she knew that Beatrice wouldn't allow it, so there was no point in complaining and she didn't want Beatrice and her maids to be reprimanded in her stead, either.

            "There we go, everything compliments you so well, milady, now let's go." Beatrice smiled again and Suzette got up without a fuss. She walked down the hallway, down the staircase towards the waiting room area. She hasn't visited this room often, but it was near the size of her own room, and had a mix of decorations that both her mother and father prefer. The maids had a hard time trying to decorate this room in a decent manner.

            As she was about to open the door, she gulped and bit her lip. Once Beatrice told her to stop, she went for her subconscious habit of biting her nails.

            "My lady, you just had a manicure, refrain from that terrible habit." Beatrice reminded her, and then Suzette pouted, biting her nails was a way to distract herself. When the doors were opened at the slightest of cracks, she ended up listening in on her parents, Harold and Lucinda's conversation.

            "Where is our daughter?" Harold puffed.

            Lucinda smiled, "Dear, she must be nervous. We were too."

            Harold felt pitiful, "Is she rebelling against me? Out of all the bachelors out there, he's the best choice for her, he's not an old creep."

            "Yes, it's true that she has gotten several proposals from middle-aged men but you burned the letters and kept it a secret from her."

            Harold crossed his arms, "There's no way in hell I'd let some old man marry my daughter!"

            As Suzette was listening in and thought, Really? She inwardly apologized to her parents and ended up opening the doors fully from leaning on them too much. She quickly collected herself and her posture, "I heard that you called for me, I apologize for the wait."