"chapitre trois"

Chéri had watched out her window that morning as Prince Luca arrived. She wasn't in the greeting party like Charmant and her father. Apparently her father wanted the prince's first impression of her to be at the welcome ball.

She didn't even know what she was supposed to be wearing. Her maids had been working on it all night and probably would be for the rest of the morning. Her father hadn't trusted her to pick out a proper dress on her own. He thought she might try to make some sort of statement. And event though they were her maids, they had to obey her father. He was the king, after all.

After a few hours, her maids hurried in, carrying an opaque white bag with the dress in it.

Chéri stood up and walked over, carefully unzipping the bag and pulling it away to reveal the dress.

"No." She said immediately. "I'm not wearing that. That is a wedding dress, not a ball gown."

"It's not a wedding dress, princess." One maid assured her softly. "This is just what we were told to make. You have to wear it."

"No, I don't. It's beautiful, girls, but I won't wear that. It makes me look like I'm about to marry him. And don't say I am because the wedding isn't for another two months. A lot can change in two months..." she sighed and sat back down in her chair.

The maids shared a sad look before Joli approached her. "It's not a wedding dress, mon cher ami." She kneeled down so she was looking up at Chéri. "I know it looks like one, and I know you don't want to do this, but you have to. You know you do." She kept her voice soft and soothing so Chéri would calm down.

Hesitantly, the princess nodded and sighed softly. "Alright," She said quietly.

~•~

There had been a set plan, Charmant would choose 20 girls to date and eventually choose a wife to help rule alongside him. Going according to plan was what was keeping Charmant sane, until his father, his douchebag of a father, was forcing Chéri to marry a man she didn't even know.

He had been oh so delightfully selected to be on the welcoming party for this Luca character yet he wanted everything except that. As he sat in his room, staring intensely at the mirror, Jacques came up behind him, resting his hands on the French prince's shoulders,

"Mon ami, it's time. You look very professional but it is time for you and your father to meet the prince."

Despite expecting the time for this, shivers rose the hair on Charmant's arms as he stood, smoothing the lapels on his suit before he turned to the door, paying no kind to the maids rushing in and out of Chéri's room, arms full of white tulle and silver beads of some sort,

"Jacques, this prince will not be the man my sister spends her life with. I don't care if it's the last thing I do.... This prince will not be Chéri's prince. She will find her own."

And with that, Charmant turned, slamming his chair into the vanity area and storming out of the room, all sense of maturity and control, gone from his mind as he made his way down the hall and to what presumably would be the worst first meeting of his entire life.

~•~

Luca arrived to the palace in the morning greeted by his betrothed's father and brother. He accepted their greetings and was shown to his guest room. He sighed to himself and followed the butler leading him there. His hair was a bit messy but he smiled to all of those around him keeping his charming air about him. This wasn't Italy but he knew he'd be naive to think he didn't still have an audience.

His eyes glanced around the room once he got there and he eyed the decor. After making sure he was alone, his stone cold smirk came out, practically chilling the room. He hung up the bag the butler had brought with him from his own back in Italy. His best friend and man in charge of his affairs was arriving later in the day.

He spent a few hours with a cup of tea and a paper in front of him, working of course. The man was non stop. He dressed himself later and welcomed his best friend as he came into the room.

"Looking suave, my prince." The other man spoke with a grin, closing the large door behind him as he found a place on a sofa. "Are you ready to meet your bride?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm ready to meet the mother of my heir. Calling her my bride is far too romantic. And the only way I'll be romancing her is into my bed. Once my heir is here, she has served her purpose. I don't know her but I'm sure I won't fall in love with her. She just doesn't seem to have enough spunk." He chuckled darkly.

His best friend shook his head and looked at the tremendous view out the window. "Luca, it's not about you loving her. It's about her falling in love with you."

Luca stood, nodded and looked in the mirror. "Off to court my queen." He rolled his eyes and looked back as if beckoning his friend to follow him.

The other man stood and followed Luca out. Both ready to get the ball over with.

~•~

Another party. This one seemed even more expensive and extravagant than the welcome dinner. There was food and drinks, and even a dance floor. Nobles had come to attend the party as well. It was a huge event. Selected were allowed to pick their own dresses this time, but no white.

(There is no main chain. Tag who you want to speak to and write a starter. Try to roleplay with another Selected if you can!)