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As quickly as the wine sharing ceremony had begun, it was over.

Kel and Calix were both quickly ushered out of the room to prepare for the dance.

As she was led to a small dressing room nearby, Kel tried to remember every hook and tie on her dress that needed to be undone.

There were two hooks at her hips to release the shimmering white underskirt. It was tied around her waist as well.

Or did it come off in parts? And she was supposed to leave the tie alone?

"Ugh. Good thing someone else has to handle this," Kel mumbled to herself, nodding to the maid who was holding the dressing room door open.

Upon entering the room, she gasped at the first pleasant thing that had occurred so far during the engagement party.

Standing at the back of the room, arms straight at her sides, was Lucy.

The woman's face was a little more hardened than Kel was used to, but otherwise, she looked no worse for wear.

"Lucy!" Kel grinned, bounding toward her friend, only to be stopped by two pairs of hands grasping at her dress.

"Hold still, please, Your Highness," a maid instructed, working to unleash the long skirt.

Ah, she had been right the first time. The skirt came off in one piece after all.

"..Your Highness," Lucy bowed her head politely as Kel's expectant gaze returned to her.

Huh? Why was she acting so formal?

Briefly, Kel glanced at the busy maids on either side of her. Did Lucy want to keep a distance in front of others?

It only made sense, of course, but Kel couldn't help but feel a sting in her chest at her friend's cold greeting.

She didn't need a faithful guard right now.

She needed the bright, smiling Lucy.

The Lucy who ate cookies with her and ranted about life late at night.

The Lucy who occasionally snuck her outside the palace walls when she was feeling cooped up.

"Leave us."

The fidgeting hands at Kel's sides halted.

"E-excuse me, Your Highness?"

The maids had barely finished removing the skirt and were holding a pair of similarly-decorated white pants.

"I'll put those on myself," Kel huffed, snatching the pants. "Now, leave."

The women exchanged uncertain looks before bowing and backing out of the room.

There was an exchange of nervous murmurs outside the door the moment it thudded closed behind them, but Kel didn't care.

"Um.. can you help me with these?" she smiled at Lucy again, holding up the bizarre flowy pants.

Lucy hesitated before nodding.

"Of course, Your Highness," she replied, her frigid tone unchanged.

"It's just us here, Lucy," Kel tried again, feeling a lump rise in her throat. "No need to be so stiff."

"I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable," Lucy responded mechanically, reaching for the pants.

"No.. that's.. not what I meant," Kel's smile faltered. "Just treat me the way you normally do."

Lucy avoided her eyes, fumbling with the pants.

"It's disrespectful to treat the Emperor's future wife so casually."

Kel tried to swallow around the lump blocking her throat.

"But Lucy..."

What did it matter if she was the Emperor's future wife? She was no different than she was yesterday.

Or the day before that.

Whether she was a war hostage or an ordinary palace guard-

Or even an Empress.

"I'm still me," Kel whispered.

Lucy glanced up at Kel for a moment before hurriedly averting her gaze once again.

But a single moment was enough time for Kel to see.

Lucy was doing everything she could to hold back.

Her teeth were gritted.

Her eyes were teeming with heartache.

"Does this have to do with Calix?" Kel demanded, dodging Lucy's attempt to begin tying the pants on her.

Lucy paused again, blinking slowly.

"His Majesty-"

"I don't even want to hear it!" Kel cut her off.

She couldn't stand to listen to the usually fierce woman submissively spout one more thing about 'respect' and 'the Emperor's wife'.

"Is he doing this to punish you or to punish me," Kel muttered.

Calix could force her to marry him, force her to perform a stupid dance in front of hundreds of people, so why not take her only friends away too?

She'd been the Dragon Emperor's war hostage before, but she felt more like a prisoner now.

Seeing Kel's disappointment, Lucy let out a heavy sigh and dropped the strange pants to the floor.

"If we're talking about punishments.." she whispered, a hint of a smile flickering at the corners of her lips.

"Might I suggest a change to your wardrobe, Your Highness?" Lucy straightened up, a dangerous expression on her face.

Kel scrunched her eyebrows together.

"W-what do you mean?"

Minutes later, Kel began to make her way back to the ballroom, turning to exchange a smirk with Lucy as gasps shot up from all around her.

"Y-your Highness?" a brave maid came forward, her lower lip trembling. "M-May I help you with the rest of your outfit?"

"The rest?" Kel tilted her head. "My outfit is already complete, though?"

"Oh. Uh, do you really plan to go out.. like that?" another maid piped up.

"Why not?" Kel retorted. "Is there a problem?"

"It's just that the Emperor might not.. approve of.." the first maid answered timidly, ".. of that."

"I'm his beloved fiance," Kel shrugged. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled."

Even though she knew perfectly well that Calix would be less than thrilled with her last-minute wardrobe alteration.

In fact, he might even be livid.

"Her H-urk!" the guard supposed to be announcing her arrival back into the ballroom choked, breaking into a fit of coughing.

"H-H-Her Highness, Q-Queen Eisa," the other guard stepped in, tripping over his tongue as his cheeks reddened.

Heh.

She could already picture Calix's eyebrows knitted together in disapproval of the clumsy announcement.

She'd been dreading the dance up until now, but she was beginning to think it might be the best part of the night thanks to Lucy's little 'suggestion'.

Making no attempt to conceal the smile on her face, Kel stepped into the ballroom, a collective shock rippling through the crowd as the bright lights bounced off her exposed legs and abdomen.

"Now.." she whispered to herself, searching for Calix.

"Shall we dance?"