Pretending To Be Royal

"You don't have to do anything with the prince. Not even a kiss," Dimitri instructed her during one of their princess training sessions. His voice held an edge, a subtle undertone that Fiona couldn't quite decipher. 

She had hidden the encounter with the wanderer, as she feared he might discover her true identity and send her back home. 

He stood behind her, his hands hovering near hers as he adjusted her posture, his fingers brushing against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. He tapped her back gently, correcting her stance, ensuring she stood tall and regal, a perfect imitation of Princess Vanessa.

Fiona remembered the first time she saw Vanessa at the ball, her ethereal beauty and graceful movements. The princess seemed almost otherworldly, a vision of perfection. 

But the veil, the constant concealment – it was a puzzle Fiona couldn't solve. What was she hiding? A scar? A disfigurement? She shook her head, dismissing the morbid curiosity.

Dimitri stepped in front of her, his gaze intense, his eyes searching hers. He gently lifted her chin, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. 

Fiona's heart pounded against her ribs, a frantic rhythm that echoed the unspoken tension between them.

Since his recovery, Dimitri had been distant, his demeanor cool and professional. He acted as if their kiss had never happened, a phantom memory that haunted Fiona's dreams. 

She longed to ask him about it, to break the awkward silence that had settled between them. But fear held her back, the fear of rejection, the fear of shattering the fragile equilibrium they had established. 

She silently thanked the stars that she hadn't reciprocated the kiss, or she would be in an even worse position.

"And this is how your head should be held up high," Dimitri said, his voice firm, his gaze unwavering. "That'll be all for today. Luckily, Miss Rose will be coming in this evening to take over your lessons." He stepped away, breaking the spell.

As Fiona turned to leave, Dimitri called out, "Fiona."

Her heart leaped, a flicker of hope igniting within her. "Yes?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Good work," he nodded, his expression unreadable.

"Thank you," she replied, her voice laced with disappointment. She had hoped for something more, a hint of the tenderness he had shown her during his illness.

Later that evening, Miss Rose arrived, her elegant gown shimmering in the candlelight. She greeted Dimitri with a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek, a casual intimacy that sent a pang of jealousy through Fiona.

Well, he kissed my lips – top that! she thought, a flicker of defiance mixing with the envy. What if he's kissed Miss Rose too?

During a break in the lesson, Fiona couldn't help but notice Miss Rose's flirtatious gestures, her hand lingering on Dimitri's arm, her laughter echoing through the room. Fiona's eyes narrowed, a frown creasing her brow.

"Fiona, are you alright? What's wrong with your eyes?" Dimitri asked, his voice laced with concern. He rushed to her side, his hands cupping her cheeks.

"I think there's something in them," she feigned innocence, her gaze fixed on the entwined figures of Dimitri and Miss Rose. The sight is enough to hurt my eyes, she thought, a wave of irritation washing over her.

"Hold still, I'll clean it off," he said, his touch gentle as he wiped her eyes, his breath warm against her skin. 

He blew softly into her eyes, then wiped them again, his movements tender and reassuring. "Are you fine now?"

She glanced at Miss Rose, whose smile had faltered, her expression tight. 

A surge of satisfaction coursed through Fiona. "Yes, Mr. Dimitri, I feel better now, thank you," she said sweetly, her voice laced with a hint of triumph.

Dimitri smiled at her, then returned to Miss Rose, who seemed to have intensified her flirtation, her laughter echoing through the room. 

They might be a couple, Fiona thought, a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. After all, he wanted to invite Miss Rose to the ball first.

After class, Fiona volunteered to walk Miss Rose to the gate, her excuse paper-thin. She couldn't bear the thought of Dimitri walking Miss Rose home, imagining the whispered conversations, the lingering touches.

"Today was fun," Miss Rose exclaimed, her voice light and cheerful.

 For you. Fiona replied, her voice flat. "Yes."

Miss Rose continued, "Oh, I wish he had invited me to the ball. I had saved up for a nice ball gown."

Fiona's eyes widened in surprise. "You see, I like him," Miss Rose confessed with a giggle, her cheeks flushing.

"You two would look good together," Fiona said dryly, her heart sinking. They do look good together, she thought, a wave of bitterness washing over her.

As Fiona bid Miss Rose goodbye, she couldn't shake the lingering questions. Why did Mr. Dimitri say he invited Miss Rose first, only for her to not be in town? 

Or could it be that he always wanted to invite her but didn't want Mrs. G to suspect anything, so he covered up with Miss Rose?

As she walked inside the mansion, she found Dimitri waiting for her, his expression unreadable.

"Mr. Dimitri, you're still up?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise.

He walked closer to her, his eyes searching hers. "Tell me something: were you jealous?" he whispered softly, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine.

"I wasn't… okay, I was," she confessed, her cheeks flushing. "Only because you were taking Miss Rose's attention. I was jealous because you were stealing her from me. She's my tutor." She lied, her gaze flitting away from his.

"Oh, is that so?" He chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"And why did you lie about inviting Miss Rose first?" she pressed, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Dimitri ran his hands through his hair, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. "I wanted to go with you. I only wanted you, but I didn't know how to say it."

"You wanted me?" Fiona's heart skipped a beat, a surge of hope coursing through her veins.

"I meant I wanted you to be my plus one. I wanted to show you how it feels to be at a ball," he replied slowly, his gaze fixed on her face.

"Oh." Fiona's face fell, her heart aching with disappointment. She moved away, heading for the stairs.

"Fiona, wait!"

"Yes?" she asked, her voice laced with a weariness she couldn't hide.

"I liked it."

"Like what?"

"The kiss..."

Fiona's breath hitched, her heart pounding against her ribs. She turned to face him, her eyes searching his.

"Likd what?" she asked, her voice barely audible. She needed to be sure she heard him. 

Dimitri's eyes crinkled at the corners, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "The meal... It was delicious."

"Yeah, thank you," she said with a small smile, taking a step back. "I'll be in my room."

"Yeah," he whispered as he watched her leave, a flicker of regret in his eyes. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed an opportunity. He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

....

Later that evening,

"Princess Vanessa, it was a success. She agreed to come see you," Mr. Dimitri said, bowing his head in courtesy.

"Good," Vanessa replied, rising to her feet and approaching him. She took his hands in hers and looked into his eyes, her expression filled with gratitude. 

"Thank you, Dimitri," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Hey, come here, come here," Dimitri whispered, pulling her into a gentle hug. "It's okay."

"I'm so tired of being this way. I want to go back to how it was," she said, her voice muffled against his chest, her eyes welling with tears.

Dimitri's expression softened as he stroked her hair, his touch comforting. "And you will. Give it time."

She lifted her face, "You're the only friend I have right now," she sniffled, backing away.

"Yeah, only because you're in this dilemma. I'm pretty sure once you're a pretty angel again, you'll be like, 'Off with his head!'" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

She laughed, the sound echoing through the room. "That will be my first order. You are still pretty annoying."

"Remember when you had that very tiny pimple on your chin? You looked like a strawberry," he joked, a playful grin spreading across his face.

"Hey! It was just one pimple!" she laughed, swatting his arm playfully.

"I really wanted to pop it!" he replied, clenching his teeth at the memory.

"You've always been a weird fellow. But then Eric…" She stopped abruptly, her laughter dying in her throat. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I mean, we're brothers. We can't keep avoiding talking about him." Dimitri's gaze dropped to his hands, the memories of betrayal and hurt resurfacing.

Vanessa reached for his hands, her touch gentle and reassuring. "Thank you, Dimitri. I really appreciate everything you're doing for us," she said, her voice soft and sincere.

"I hope you both find happiness; that's all I've ever wanted—for you." He caressed her hands, his touch lingering.

"Speaking of happiness, I saw that pretty girl with you on my birthday night. The one with the diamonds," Vanessa said, a playful lilt in her voice. 

"Oh no… you're not going to get me to talk about my love life," he protested, his voice rising in mock indignation.

"Oooh… who said anything about a love life?" she teased, giggling at his reaction.

Dimitri's face flushed, and he ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. 

"She's really beautiful. She kind of looks like me from afar, except for the hair. I told Papa that night I wanted a gown just like hers," Vanessa continued, her voice thoughtful.

"I think I might have messed things up with her. She's the girl your father hopes to use as your doppelganger," Dimitri confessed, his voice heavy with regret.

"Wow! And let me guess—you didn't tell her?" Vanessa sat upright, her curiosity piqued.

"I couldn't. She was so innocent, and I felt it would break her heart. But then I started to…"

"Fall for her?" Vanessa finished his sentence, a knowing smile in her voice.

"And now she thinks my intentions weren't genuine," Dimitri sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"I mean, you did bring her here to act as someone else," Vanessa pointed out gently.

"Are you helping or making things worse?" Dimitri asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"Okay, I'm sorry…" Vanessa raised her hands in mock surrender.

"And then when I was sick, I… I kissed her," Dimitri confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vanessa's eyes widened. "You kissed her?"

He nodded, his cheeks burning. "I just couldn't help myself. And now she's acting weird. I think I messed up big time." He ran a hand through his hair again, his frustration evident.

"Look, Dimitri, if you really like her, let her know. Once she comes here, you won't be able to tell her how you feel," Vanessa advised, her voice serious.

Dimitri's eyes met hers, a flicker of hope igniting within them. "You think so?"

"I know so," Vanessa said, her voice firm. "Just tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel."

Dimitri nodded, a new resolve hardening his gaze. He would tell Fiona. He would tell her everything.