𝐵𝑒𝓆𝓊𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 | 𝒟.𝑀.

40 | ﴾ Imperio ﴿

Narcissa shocked me by actually apologizing for her sadistic sister before she told me to stay put in the changing room until the ceremony. I paced and I paced, lifting up the unholy, weighty dress as I did so in my bare feet. She'd given me a white bouquet and I was actively crushing it in my tiny fingers. Every time I saw myself in the mirror I would stop in shock, as though whoever was there would hex me immediately. I looked like I'd just risen from hell to sacrifice the enter estate in a bloodbath.

I circled the many windows in the room. It was uncomfortably bright because eight perfectly tall windows all faced towards the very center of the room. It was so well lit by the sunlight pouring in that I could see lazy speckles of dust clinging to the air thickly.

I determined that I was in the Eastern tower based on the geography below. I made my way around to the window that faced the gravel entry path to investigate the traffic flow. Squinting, I could see guests that I didn't recognize milling down the pathway in gothic attire. I stomped my foot, frustrated that I was being treated like Rapunzel, locked in a tower all alone on my wedding day.

I went to the door and yanked on the knob to confirm it was locked. The long, ancient handle toggled in place and refused to twist, confirming my suspicions. It was so elderly in mechanics that it would require a skeleton key to open it, or someone from the outside to set me free.

I spun, recalling I had my wand. Perhaps it would work this time, perhaps they had not set any wards yet. Unfortunately, Narcissa had purposefully taken it on her way out while I was distracted.

I growled loudly, and sat on the stool with my back to the mirror plucking off petals and letting them saunter downwards in flittering motions. I waited well over an hour, the sun was moving in the direction of the horizon once more. I had plucked clean half of the bouquet with my dress now freckled with plant pieces, when the door clicked and swung inwards.

Draco stepped in and shut it, plastering himself against the wood before locking it behind him. He breathed relief and let his head hit the wood before his eyes slid to me in astonishment, standing there crumbling the thin flowers in my right hand like an evil queen.

I crossed my arms, annoyed that he had just accepted my disappearance for the entire day.

He blinked at me, his eyebrows rose into his hair. A breathy laugh of disbelief escaped his lips, "I see my aunt wasn't kidding."

I threw the flowers at him and they exploded in a fluttering mess around his shoulders. He brought his arm up defensively until the chaos had ended, as if I had another bouquet to throw as a secondary blow.

He straightened and brushed flower petals off of his pristine suit, "Hey now gorgeous, don't burn my village to ground." He cocked his head at me as I stood and grabbed my long train. He ran his gaze down me slowly, whistling, "You look incredible, and unusually wicked." I couldn't help but notice how suave he looked as well. His black suit was finely cut to his frame, a black rose sat in his chest pocket.

I narrowed my eyes in evident disapproval of my appearance, "Hmmm."

"Hmmm," he mocked back as he approached me with now vivid concentration, his hands in his pockets. "So, here we are. I apologize that I couldn't come see you earlier. My mother has been guarding this room like a hound." He towered over me with confidence, and I wondered how he had gotten past Narcissa if she was intently trying to prevent it.

"Why am I trapped 'ere?" I snarled.

He trailed his fingers along my jaw line softly, and I found myself lost in the baby blue of his eyes, "Because you're disobedient, and reckless. My parents aren't taking any chances that you'll kill off our bloodline in a panicked escape."