The Lunar Chronicle One-Shots, Rewrites, Etc.

Chapter 70 of Winter

A/N: Hi everyone this is my first fanfic feel free to point out errors of all sorts (spelling, punctuation, etc.) hope to get to know you guys more. Enjoy!!

Thorne and Cress were thankfully not the only people to be dressed crazily. It seemed like the entire city of Artemisia had come to celebrate the coronation..

It was like as if there was no revolution at all. Thorne struggled not to scowl. The entrance to the palace was a stunning site with a courtyard greeting the guests before the grand- Thorne thought over-the-top-entrance.

No one had noticed them strolling through the  gates. Between Thorne's light-up bow tie and Cress's frilly orange dress, they fit right in.

Thorne's gaze traveled up the gates, open for anyone to stroll in. He felt Cress shiver. She looked beautiful and he longed to snake his arm farther down her back and just... he couldn't think like  that. Cress had made it clear that wanted nothing more than to be friends.

Thorne cast his gaze back to the gates. He wondered how many times she had come through these gates. Thorne pressed his hand on Cress's lower back and murmured " Pretend you belong here and everyone will believe it."

 He hoped he sounded helpful.

He heard Cress let out a slow breath and straighten her back as if to mimic Thorne's swagger.

"I am a criminal mastermind," she murmured "and I am here to take down this regime."

Thorne grinned  down at her. "That's my line."                                                                                                        "I know," she said "I stole it."

Thorne chuckled and moved to place them behind a group of aristocrats so they looked like they were part of the group.

As they came closer to the big doors, Thorne listened to the chatter of the courtyard swiftly changed to laughter to echoes on the stone floor.

Thorne heard Cress release a shaky breath only to take another sharply because of...something. He wasn't quite sure. Then he saw her looking up and followed her gaze and he too took in a breath. The palace was a beautiful one; not that he had seen many to compare it to. A statue of some lady with a bow and arrow pointing towards the sky was in the center of the courtyard.

"Good day," said a man greeting them.

Thorne dug his finger's in Cress's back. The man wore a uniform and his hair was dyed various shades of green. The man's face was all smiles. He didn't look like he knew Thorne was an Earthen and Cress a shell. He could only hope.

"We are glad you have  have come to enjoy the festivities on this most celebrated day,'' the man said. "Please enjoy the comforts our generous queen had laid pout for her guests." He  gestured to his left. "In this wing you are free to enjoy our menagerie, full of exotic albino  animals, or listen to an assortment of musical performances that will be taking place throughout the day in our grand theater.'' He lifted his right arm. "This way there is an assortment of game rooms should you care to test the providence of luck, as well as our renowned companionship rooms-  not that the gentleman is in need of  more companionship. Of course, a variety of refreshments are available throughout the palace. The coronation ceremony will begin at sunrise and we ask that all guests begin to make their way to the great hall at half before. For the safety of all of our guests, there will  be no continued access to corridors once the ceremony has begun. If you require anything to make your day more pleasurable, please let me or another courtier know.''

He  tilted his head and walked off to welcome someone else.

Thorne smiled and tilted his head down at Cress, "What do you suppose  he meant by 'companionship rooms'?" Cress shot him a glare and he stood straighter and pushed a finger in between his throat and collar. " Not that I'm tempted to...or...this way right?"

You two seem lost," a woman purred behind them. Thorne spun around, tucking Cress behind him. Two women standing there were eying Thorne in a way that made him even more uncomfortable. The woman wearing glasses pushed them at the end of her nose, letting her gaze swoop over him from head to toe and back up. "Maybe we can help you find your way?"

Thorne plastered his signature grin. "Flattered ladies," he purred back at them. "We're on something on a covert mission right now," he winked, "But we'll keep our out for  you at the  coronation."

"Ooh a covert mission," swooned the second woman. chewing on her pinkie nail. "I will want to hear that story later."

Thorne winked again. "I will want to tell it." He wrapped an arm around Cress and led them away from the couple. When they had far enough that he was sure he wouldn't bee  overheard, Thorne let out a slow  whistle. "Holy spades. The women in this place."

Cress bristled next to him. "You mean the glamours in this place. One of them was a man."

Thorne stumbled. "You don't say. Which one?"

"Um... the one wearing glasses?"

He glanced back over his shoulder scanning the crowd for the couple. "Well played Lunars," he murmured.

He turned back forward again. "Jacin said to take the third hallway, right?" He glided them toward the curving with floor-to-ceiling  windows offered a view of the front gardens.

"Try to keep in mind that they can make themselves look however  they want to," said Cress "No one in this palace is as beautiful as you think they are. It's all just  mind control."

Thorne grinned and squeezed her closer to his side. "I'm fairly certain there's at least one exception to that rule."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Thaumaturges."

He laughed and awkwardly dropped his arm. She didn't even pick up on the hint. Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the wall. "You know," she said,, "we could just not do what we are supposed to and-" she trailed off.

Thorne was just surprised. Cress doesn't do this kind of stuff she was usually sweet and kind and-

"I thought I sensed and Earthen boy," she said reaching up, she traced the lights on his bow tie, then continuing down his chest. "And a well-dressed one at that."

Thorne's body tingled where her touch was. He just wanted to-wait 'sensed'?

Cress couldn't sense- then she wrapped her arms around his neck and all thought flew out of his head. Dumbfounded, Thorne offered no resistance as she pulled him into a kiss.

A/N: Hi again!! This is my first fanfiction as I already said and please point out any errors and if you have any request for further short stories, au's,  head canons, etc. feel free to leave them in the comments or in my inbox. Hope you all enjoyed!!