Chitose sat in her piano room, solemnly playing a song. As she played, one of the staff members she hired walked into her room, holding an envelope.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt me?!" Chitose shouted. She screamed at the poor staff member.

"I-I- I know! But it's from the palace!" She whimpered. Chitose immediately snatched it away from her.

"Finally! I'm the step mother of that damn brat and I have not even been invited!" Chitose cursed. She read the letter and began to smirk. They were finally getting rid of the damn brat.

"Himiko! Pack your bags!"

—————

With multiple people excited at the arrival of a new queen, Ryuko was forced to plan a wedding that they decided to take place only a week later. She was forced into it despite only wanting a few citizens came.

The wedding committee decided on the entire kingdom coming to the wedding, despite Ryuko's words. She would ask her husband but she didn't want to bother him. He was busy right now.

"My lady, there are three people at the front waiting for you." A servant asked. Ryuko was relieved to be away from the committee. They were stressing her out. She needed a break from these people.

Ryuko treaded down the stairs happily. She was so happy to leave. She lifted up her light pink dress and ran throughout the halls despite being told not to, several times. She was barefoot as she ran on her tiptoes.

Ryuko thought about walking right back up when she finally saw the people waiting for her. She gulped and began to shake.

"Heard you were getting married Ryuko! How's it going?!" Himiko shouted. Ryuko wanted to scream so that someone could grab Shinya. She wanted them gone. She needed them gone!

Ryuko began crying a bit. She had to turn and run away. She couldn't stand looking at her awful family. She could see Keigo walking alone and she ran to him for help.

"Hey? What's wrong?" He asked, trying to calm her down. She wiped a few tears from her eyes, staining her white opera gloves with water. "Ryuko? What's up? You're crying." He asked. He thought about taking a chance to investigate. Using her vulnerable state seemed wrong though.

"Can you please get Shinya? I don't want them here!" Ryuko said, pressing her hands up to her face, holding her head in her hands. "I think I hate them..." she cried.

Keigo looked at the shorter woman and escorted her to Shinya's room. The walk was very quiet and they didn't want to speak. Or at least Ryuko didn't.

"Who are those people?" Keigo asked.

"My step mother and her children. They were awful to me. I can't stand them." Ryuko said. "Their cruelty is beyond levels of comprehension." She said, poison on her tongue.

"I'm sorry that you went through that." Keigo apologized. "If they are truly that awful, I would want them gone too." He said, walking the Lady into the kings room. "Hey your majesty." Keigo said opening the door. "Ryuko has something to talk to you about."

"Ryuko, if it is about the wedding, can this wait until we go to bed? I'm quite busy." Shinya said, not even looking up at her.

"It's not about the wedding." She muttered while biting her lip. "I wa- I need some guests to leave..." she said, trying to fight back tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She wanted to appear strong, like she would be a good partner for him. "Can you get rid of them?"

"It depends. How did they arrive? Why do they need to leave?" He said, lifting his head away from his papers, lifting his reading glasses above his head.

"I don't know who invited them!" She shouted, losing her composure and beginning to cry.

"Ryuko, calm down for me, alright? Just take a deep breath. Alright?" He said, standing up to walk up to her. "I'm right here, and I'm going to listen."

In.

And.

Out.

Ryuko got the chance to calm down. She took one large breath before exhaling and explaining more.

"They're my step mother and her kids. I want them gone." She said, pulling her gloves off. She felt bad for staining them. "I'm sorry. I ruined them, didn't I?"

"It's easily fixable, I promise. I'll try and get them to leave but I have to tend to this first."

"Actually, they aren't going anywhere." The Grand Duke said, walking into the room.

"What do you mean?"

"Xenia, a tradition we've done for centuries, based off of the ancient Greeks. The rule of hospitality, forbidding Homeowners to kill their guests or treat them badly in fear of Zeus, the god of hospitality, striking them down. This applies to higher ups in the palace, meaning you cannot kick out any of my guests, even if you are King. I am Grand Duke, i high status Royal, meaning my guests stay until they no longer want to."

Ryuko's heart shattered into pieces. She was to be tortured in her own home until her step mother was tired of her.

"I will apply a restraining order for Ryuko, keep them from being within fifty feet of her. Ryuko, would you be comfortable leaving the room for a moment?" He asked. Ryuko nodded and accidentally brushed against the Grand Duke on the way out.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you hate me." She said, patting his shoulder, and swiftly leaving. The Grand Duke was always in Shinya's room, getting a lecture, and Ryuko had only been present for one.

The moment Ryuko was gone, Shinya began to argue with Yotsubashi.

"Your grace, why do you always need to pick on Ryuko, knowing she's done nothing wrong. She's been nothing but helpful around the palace and she treats you with respect."

"Your majesty, that woman is definitely up to something. Don't you think it's weird that Keigo said he saw his dead wife, the same day she arrived. Some sort of witchcraft to gain the trust of the higher ups."

"This again? Ryuko has short hair, which means she cuts it. Witches cannot cut their hair or else they lose their magic."

(Actually a true fact, they believed witches magic was in their hair, so they'd cut it.)

"Either way, that woman is up to something. Just watch." He said, leaving the room with a big smirk on his face. "I expect an apology when she does it, because we both know that I am right." He laughed.

✨✨✨✨✨

What is this little ugly ass Tim Burton character up to? I think he'll tr-

I already know what's happening, y'all can guess.

I love this book honestly-