"It's suffocating in there," the second princess sighed, relaxing as we moved further into the maze. "Relax I don't have anything against you, speak freely."

IM GOING TO GET KILLED

"Thank you," I smiled, still tense.

IM CALLING IT NOW- SHE ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE PARTY SO THAT SHE CAN MESS WITH ME

PREPARE FOR BULLYING

!!!

"I'm not my sister, you have nothing to worry about, besides it must get tiring talking about your husband all the time," she paused muttering under her breath, "I'm tired of hearing about him anyway."

same :/

"Are you close with the first princess?" I was pretty sure that at every event I had gone to before they had been together, it seemed uncharacteristic of the second princess to be doing this now.

im so confused

when does the bullying start?

are you taking me out here to beat me up ? or is this the beginning of a lifelong friendship ?

"Of course," Annie shot me a wary glance, "I know it doesn't seem like it to you but she's really not that bad."

I find that hard to believe

"How could I insult the first princess? She's been nothing but lovely to me, reaching out and inviting me to this event," I beamed, expressing my gratitude.

if you count sending people to spy and spread rumors in my household lovely

"You can stop pretending, I proofread the letters, and the two of you were seconds away from getting into some sort of fight in there. That stunt you pulled with the Duke- you've got guts," she laughed loudly, coming to a stop in front of a large fountain.

This is the part where I get pushed in-

"I really wasn't trying to bother the princess with that but, I'll admit that I'm uncomfortable with her obsession with my husband."

"Well it got under her skin, and you had to have known about her feelings towards him."

"I apologize for my rudeness Princess Annie but I'm unclear as to why you called me out here. Did your sister ask you to do something?"

"You're justified," she sighed, rubbing her temple, "the first princess has her reasons just as I believe you have yours, believe me, I'd be happier if she wasn't hung up over your husband."

"I don't understand, whose side are you on?"

"Whatever side gets me through a week of not hearing about how 'dreamy' Duke Ackerman is," Annie grumbled, "I don't support my sister in whatever she's trying to do but, she is my sister as delusional as she is I can't hate her, she has her reasons."

"Why would you tell me this?"

"I have no idea what you're planning Duchess but it would do you well to look into the Princess, perhaps you'll sympathize with her."

"I don't plan on sympathizing with someone who is trying to undermine my influence to get with my husband."

i'm a little bit insulted

it's stupid of her to pull me aside and ask me to sympathize with someone who's done nothing but antagonize me

and she's not even explaining why- i dont really hold grudges if she explained why i should like the first princess i might

"I don't expect you to like her," Annie paused cursing under her breath, "just try to understand where she's coming from."

"I'm so confused."

"Right, I imagine you would be."

you aren't giving me anything

"You're not on my side? But you're not on the princess's side either? And you're telling me this because?"

"Because you seem like someone I could get along with, and I'm unconvinced that you and the princess are that different."

"We definitely are, I for one would back off if the guy I liked got married."

"You've got me there."

it doesn't seem like she's going to give me any more information

or that she really wants to continue this conversation

given that she's refusing to say anything that would really allow me to-

ok .

do what you do best y/n <3 

"Well regardless princess, I don't have anything against you-" I paused, smiling. "Maybe this is strange given my relationship with your sister but, perhaps we could get closer?"

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO ASK TO FORMALLY BECOME FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE

BEING FRIENDLY WITH PEOPLE IS ONE OF FIVE THINGS IM GOOD AT

and despite how she's acted so far- i don't think she has ill intentions

"Drop the honorifics, my name is Annie."

"In that case, feel free to call me Y/N."

there should be something i can gain from this

"-and then she took me out into the garden and told me a lot of confusing things about the princess but ultimately nothing of that much value." I wrapped up my brief explanation of what had happened just as the carriage Levi and I were returning in rolled to a stop.

"When I said make friends I didn't mean make friends with people in the inner circle."

"Then you probably shouldn't have sent me to an event full of people within her inner circle <3"

"Whatever," Levi grumbled under his breath.

whatever ???"W>?D<SDFlweJ

"So? How was your day?"

omg im like a housewife <3333

"What are you, my wife?"

omg we're on the same page

"Actually yeah <3"

"Shit," he paused, "the prince is nothing but a headache, I'm not a babysitter nor am I his aide."

i've only had one interaction with him but that seems right <3

he kinda threw a hissy fit

KINDA ??? HE DID ...

"We're still going to go to the festival right?"

IM SUPER EXCITED

THERE'S GOING TO BE FOOD

AND GAMES PROBABLY

"Of course, I avoided accepting any new work."

GOOD

"What's next?" I asked the question that had been weighing on me since meeting the first princess.

We've done months of paperwork, I've introduced myself to high society as the duchess, we're about to go to the festival-

"I have work to do up north, mainly meeting with some vassals, I assume you'll be busy handling the first princess- she won't sit back any longer."

What-

"You'll be leaving?"

"Not for long, a month at most."

an entire month?

in what world does that qualify as not long.

.

"I trust you with the household but if you're nervous Farlan will be there."

"Will you be ok?"

"I'll-" he faltered, glancing off to the side, "it's an important duty."

that doesn't actually mean anything- you're avoiding the answer.

he always does this

why does he always avoid answering me directly-

"That doesn't really answer my question."

we aren't really as close as i thought we were

"It's not dangerous," he bit back his words.

there's something he's not saying

and i kinda assumed that he was comfortable enough now to talk about it

im an idiot

"Promise?"

"I promise."

he's lying

_____________________________

heyoooooo

i honestly dont know how i feel about this one KLAHDS but it's setting up a lot of stuff 2 come <3 BUT BEFORE THAT !!! another night of sharing the same room and a festival date <2

-aghmi