The Queen and the Theif

Him

About three glasses of expensive champagne later, and I was drunk. At the last dance I shared with Cassian, people were starting to clear the ballroom out. My mind was buzzing and letting loose. Cassian had left to attend to some duties, and I was alone in a corner, smiling at everyone who passed. I was thinking about going back to my room, when I felt a presence I would know anywhere near me. It instantly killed my leftover excitement.
"Juliette," a deep voice said behind me. "Well, don't you look simply delicious tonight."
"Oh Mr. Archer, you know I'm engaged"
"Just as you know green is my favorite color. Though you seem to be back to your giant dress habit. Disappointing."
"Mr. Archer, I thought we discussed that you are not to talk to me," I said, back still turned, fiddling with my, unfortunately, empty champagne glass. I could use some more right now. "Green is the color of the country I rule, and you seem to keep forgetting you're not permitted to talk to me."
"I thought we had also discussed that I did not do what you accused me of." He continued anyway "I became a lord after saving Princess Lorelei's life; would a killer do that? The queen was so appreciative that she made me a Lord of her court."
I did not respond, so he continued.
"Prince Cassian is an awful replacement of me , you know." He scowled, intense resentment showing on his face.
"Who says I'm replacing you? I would bargain that I'm trying to get the opposite of you." I said, getting an idea. I'm gonna piss him off. Damn I am drunk. "Cass, unlike you, is willing to grab what he wants, funny, attractive, devastatingly hand-"
He quickly moved in front of me, a menacing look on his face. I definitely succeeded in pissing him off. He grabbed my wrist, frustratingly gentle, and began dragging me out the giant doors. I tried to fight, but I know there is no use. My whole body feels like it's floating from the alcohol. Once out there, he used his arms to cage me in. One arm on each side of my head. My breath caught unintentionally.
"If I am not attractive, why did your breath just catch?" He says, smirking with satisfaction. "And if you're not replacing me, why does he look so much like me?"
"My breath caught from fear, you ass." I said, lying. "I need to find Cassian."
He took a strangled breath "Please shut up about this 'Cassian'. Do you know how much I hate hearing another man's name in your mouth? How can you say that I want to kiss you until you can't remember your own name, let alone Prince Cassian's?" He said with disgust. "How it make me gag to hear you call him attractive?"
"I don't think that's my issue, Mr. Archer." I said, trying to keep my cool, like a million butterflies did not just erupt in my stomach. "It is your fault we are not together. I was loyal until you betrayed me."
"That's another issue. Stop with this 'Mr. Archer' thing. Please just call me Ezra."
"I will not." His features started to shift from angry to desperate. "I choose Cassian. I haven't known him for long, but he has already proved to be better than you will ever be to me."
"How could you? I know that we are not together, nor have we been for years. But you are not so dense as to think I do not still love you. Did you really need to get engaged in front of me? Do you know how excruciating it was to watch you chest to chest with Prince Cassian in front of everyone?"
"Oh, please. We have been technically engaged all this time." I said "Now we just have a ring." I admired the ring Cassian had given me. A large diamond with two rings of pearls on each side.
"This isn't over, Juliette. We both know that we're in an endgame."
In a sudden rush of determination to prove him wrong, I walked away and quickly found Cassian talking to a Lord, and I dragged him away.
"Hello to you too, love." He said laughing, a clear sarcastic undertone.
"Kiss me" I said, my look pleading.
He looked confused for a moment, even startled, but then he broke out into a big grin. He picked me up by my waist, and twirled me. Then setting me down, in front of the few people still in the room, Ezra included, he kissed me. He was a great kisser, I must say. His lips first captured mine and it was gentle, then it got more intense, before Cassian stopped kissing me.
"I thought you were a villain, love." He said sarcastically before going back for more. I felt a tug of anger in my heart. But then-. At this moment I decided I would be the hero of his story, or at least the love interest. Anything but the villain. Because I will admit, it is tiring being the one everyone hopes will fail or fall. It does something to you. I will wash my hands of Ezra Archer.
"Not in this story"