You're not supposed to love me!

...

"If anyone sees you running around the palace like that, quite literally, I can confirm that bad things will happen. Good Lord, practically completely nude." His voice rumbles.

"I'm wearing clothes, what are you talking about? Your clothes are the issue. Who are you cosplaying? Emo Howl Pendragon?" I snicker and he throws his black overcoat onto me.

"What? No, Who's that? These are the mourning clothes that my butler prepared for me!" He scoffs. "I certainly am NOT emo, whoever that is."

Is this guy serious? I yank my tank top out of his grip. "Where am I?"

"You're in the palace of the Kingdom of Maluhia. Where else, you mental patient?" He says with his annoyed tone, but then covers his own mouth as he turns to look at my face. "My apologies, Marchioness, I was unaware who I was speaking to. Please enter my room. I'll call for a maid to help dress you." His voice grows monotone.

The fuck did he just call me? Marchioness? "I'm not a- whatever. I'm not going with you, you creep!" I protest but he drags me into his room and sits me down on an intricate fainting-couch.

"I'm going deeper into my chambers. Don't open the door. Carlton will be in shortly with your maids." He leaves.

"My Lady!" A highschool-age girl comes running in. She has short curly brown hair and lovely tan skin, but she's also wearing one of those pilgrim-cosplays, she is followed by another girl who is dressed like her and an older man with an ascot.

"Your who?" I choke out as she strangles me with a hug.

"You disappeared!! Where did you go?" '

"I think you have the wrong person-"

"Of course not! I know Marchioness Etheria de Alari of Maluhia when I see her." The girl studies my outfit curiously as the older man looks away with a bead of nervous sweat on his forehead.

"Master Davorin has informed me of your situation. I had your maids prepare you proper clothes for the stroll back to your room."

It suddenly clicked. Those names: Davorin, Maluhia - - they were the names from that romance novel Aneka had me read. Except I can barely remember anything. Wait, no, yes I can. I take time to remember the contents of that godforsaken book as my 'maids' dress me.

I was just reading it before that lecture. It was a romance between The Grand Duke Davorin Vassedras and some other guy... He was the crown prince or something. Oh Okay I remember! The plot was, Grand Duke and Crown Prince had bumped into each other in the palace and became a little more than friends, But since the Crown Prince was rising to the throne, he and the Grand Duke couldn't pursue their relationship. At Least it wasn't because the people in this world are homophobic. Now that I think about it, this story is kinda sad. Shame I never read the end. But who am I in this story? Marchioness... Marchioness... Never a mention of a Marchioness. I must be an extra.

"You're all done, My lady." One of the maids pats off my skirt. I turn to a mirror to see myself wearing a cotton gown with a square neckline and lace. Huh.

"Black looks good on you." The rumbly voice comes back a third time. I flip my head around to see the guy from before, The Grand Duke, folding up the sleeves to his blouse."She needs some jewelry, Caltron." He glances at the Butler. That's right. Caltron is the only one aware of their encounters, Davorin's Right-hand man.

"That's really okay. I already feel overdressed." I admire how the bodice hugs my body.

"Nonsense. Go get her a shawl and some jewels." He repeats, and they all scurry off to find what he demands. "Your hair is very strange." He comments.

"Excuse me?!"

"I always thought your hair was that light red color. That is indeed interesting, the way your hair is two colors... Let alone black. I don't think anyone in the kingdom has hair that dark."

"Uh... Thanks?"

"It's lovely." His eyes rest on the back of my neck. The maids come back in. They put my hair in a low bun and wrap some sheer black fabric around it like a veil. I'm given pearl earrings and a thin black choker.

"I better go." I scurry out of the room after bowing to him, and run towards the area where I woke up. I had my backpack with me, it ought to be here. I glance around the hallway and find my backpack shoved behind a large plant pot. There we go.

"After you, My Lady." The maid opens the door for me and inside is an extravagant bedroom with more little cherubs painted on the walls.

"You think the murals are overkill?" I turn to the maid and she looks down nervously. "You can go. Thank you." I watch as she exits and I plop down on the end of the bed. My bed apparently.

Hmm... My phone... no service. I dump out the contents onto the duvet and sort everything out. My phone, Folders, Wallet... The Book! I flip it over to reveal the Title. 'My Dear Duke' I read through the pages to find where I had left off. The ending of the book was quite sad, The Grand Duke waited for the Crown Prince, but he never came. He had chosen the Kingdom over Davorin. How depressing. I wipe an ugly tear after finishing the book. "What the fuck, the was so sad."