An Arragement Most Foul

Annaliel was lost in her own thoughts as they headed back to the party, the events that had just passed making her second guess the plan. Did she really want to seduce Constantine now and break his heart? Was it even worth continuing now that they seemed to be on good terms? She couldn't think much more on it as Colette suddenly popped up out of nowhere. She tried to put a smile on her face but it was quickly turned into a frown as she spoke rudely. Annaliel didn't care if that girl had cired her eyes out, that was no excuse to call her a...a slut. If anyone was a slut it was Colette. She felt a little bad for Constantine that he had become friends with this girl, but her pity turned into anger as he said that he had to go dance with her, completely ignoring the fact at Colette had just rudely insulted her!

Before she could even answer Constantine and Colette where on the ballroom floor waltzing together, leaving her to gwak a bit as Colette just mocked her with a grin. Oh~ She was going to regret doing that! Annaliel quickly turned on her heel and returned to her sisters, slipping a smile on her face as she was greeted by the conversing group. She told them Constantine had gone to dance with Colette since he had promised her, saying it just loud enough for a group of single men nearby to hear. She removed her shall and set down her book and fan, slipping back into the conversation for a moment until a handsome man approched her for a dance, saying it would be a shame if he couldn't get one before she was married. She smiled at him politely and accepted, much to the surprise of her parents. However her sisters grinned a bit, knowing that she was just going about their plan.

Annaliel walked arm in amr with the man to teh floor and allowed him to slip his arm around her waist so that they could begin to waltz, and right where Constantine could see them. She smiled up at the man she was dancing with and giggled sweetly, speaking to him in a quiet conversation that Constantine couldn't hear. The man in truth was just asking about her family and tell her he was glad Constantine was settling down, but she actted in a way where it seemed that he was flirting with her instead!
 
Constantine raised his eyebrow at Annaliel's sudden flirtacious behavior. And on top of that, Colette was rambling on and on about being in love with him and some other things that he couldn't really understand. What in the world was going on? As he waltzed across the ballroom floor with his best friend, he finally spoke up and cut Colette short, "What are you talking about? Colette....you know that you and I have been just friends. Right? Just.....stop talking! I think you've had too much to drink tonight." Of course, Colette didn't like that too much, and started rambling again. He looked over at Annaliel and the man again. She was still giggling and flirting. For once, Constantine felt a little jealous and heartbroken. First the sexy get-up and now this? Why was she acting this way? Was she doing this out of spite? It was starting to become sadly clear to him that something fishy was going on. But what?

Colette looked at Constantine sadly wanting to pull away, but all she could do was put her head down. So, apparently, Annaliel was right. He didn't really love her. And to think of all the times she dressed up so beautifully for him! All the times she risked her family's reputation just to get him out of tough situations! Everything! All this time.... Colette pulled slowly away from Constantine's grasp tears falling down her cheeks. She could hear him asking her with a very concerned voice what was wrong, but she was too upset to care. If Annaliel was trying to get her back with her new sexy appeal, she didn't need to anymore.....The young girl burst into tears and looked towards Annaliel. "YOU WIN! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!?! ARE YOU AND YOUR SISTERS FINALLY SATISFIED?! YOU GOT YOUR REVENGE, SO YOU CAN GO LAUGH BEHIND MY BACK NOW!!!!!" She ran out the door and outside the castle not even looking back. Not even being careful not get her dress and shoes dirty. As she ran with her hands covering her tear-streaked face, she slipped down and fell onto the pavement. But Colette didn't even get up. Her heart was too broken.

Constantine looked at Annaliel. He could hardly believe what he had just heard. Was that the reason she was acting like this? To get back at Colette? All he could do was shake his head at her disappointedly and ran off behind his best friend to see what was going on. Everything was so twisted and warped tonight, he didn't really know what to believe! Whatever was going on, he wished someone would help him to understand, beacause he was definitely lost right now. Looking sadly at a weeping Colette on the ground a little ways off from the castle, Constantine walked over to her and bent over to pull her up. Her dress was ripped a little and her makeup was ruined from all her tears. Constantine tried to ask her what was wrong, but all she did was cry even more and ran off down the street and away from the party faster than he could catch her. He walked back to the castle and sat down on the front steps stroking his temples. What the hell was going on?

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Annaliel nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden out burst, as did many of the other people on the dance floor at the time. For a moment she was just utterly surprised, she had not expected Colette to break down so soon, she thought the girl could have taken much more. However, her surprise was quickly changed to guilt, maybe she had pushed this a little to far. She could feel the stares turning onto her once more and this time she did not like the feeling they gave her. She glanced toward the Parlor where other people were peeking out to see what the comotion was. Annaliel looked to Constantine and his disappointed look made her heart sink into her stomach. She had been a complete fool! Thinking that such a plan would have any positive results, she had to go apologize, or at least atempt to make amends amongst them.

Annaliel turned to her dance partner and quickly excused herself before running out the door after Colette and Constantine. She came out just in time to see Colette running off and Constantine sitting on the step. For a moment she wanted to kick him, he was technically the reason she was so upset or that any of this was happening in the first place. Annaliel trotted down the stairs loudly, driven by her determination to apologize to Colette, and slapped him harshly upside the head, glaring down at him.

"What are you doing!? You're just going to let her run away crying!? Some friend you turned out to be..." She growled at him before looking away for a moment. "Look, what she said was true, I was actting this way to get back at her, she had said some things to me that day you visited...some very rude and provoking things. I let my anger get to my head and agreed to my sisters' plan to mess with her when I shouldn't have. However, there is no way that I was the only person to cause her this sadness, you're to blame too, though I'm not sure you even realize it...Anyway I'm going to go after her and apologize...or at least try to get her to calm down and think logically. You can either sit here like a fool or help me, either way I am going now!" She said loudly, not letting him slip in a word.

As soon as she was done talking she ran the rest of the way down the stairs and along the street chasing after Colette. She was running as fast as she could in her dress, and followed the sound of the upset girls sobbing, trailing her until she came to a stop somewhere on an empty street.
 
Constantine ran after Annaliel furiously. "Now wait a second!!!! How is any of this my fault?! I can't believe you would even stoop that low!!! I thought you Ackworth girls were a little better than that!!!!.....If that's the case, then it makes you no better than Colette!!!!" As he ran down the street with Annaliel, he started to realize how it could be his fault. All those times he and Colette went on walks together and slept together.....she was bound to get the wrong idea sooner or later, and he was so caught up with everything around him he was too stupid to realize it. Constantine groaned frustratingly. "I'm sorry about what Colette said to you and your sisters and I'm sorry if she caused you all any trouble! She said she would help me not threaten you! This is a complete disaster! Annaliel, next time you should just tell me if any girls threaten you like that! I know how to handle girls like this when they get out of control, and, apparently, with this kind of outcome, you and your sisters really don't!!! And slow down! I know where Colette is headed!!!" Constantine ran ahead of Annaliel and quickly came across Colette crying as she sat on the ground in a rough part of town Constantine had only been in once or twice.

Colette wanted to get up and run further when she saw Constantine coming followed by, of course, Annaliel, but of course, she couldn't. Her shoes were ruined and her feet hurt terrribly. She got up quickly, still crying, and backed away when Constantine tried to apologize. "I-I....DON'T CARE!!!!" she screamed through sobs.

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Annaliel looked at him as they were running, her face flushed from her working so hard to keep a steady pace.

"And you whould you have believed? The girl you knew all your life or the girl that you mother arranged you to against your will!?" she asked in a demanding tone before she came to a stop with him, having found Colette.

Annaliel kept back, letting Constantine at least try to slip a word in, though it seemed that it would be usesless with how upset she was. She gave a small sigh and walked over to her slowly, keeping her tone calm and level.

"Colette, please listen to us for a moment...I want to say I'm sorry." She said softly, still moving towards the girl and holding her hans up so show she wasn't trying to play a trick on her or anything.
 
Colette looked at Annaliel suspiciously. She rubbed her eyes a bit then yelled in a fiery tone, "Oh so, NOW, you wanna be nice!!! What, you wanna rub you victory in my face?! Look, you got what you wanted, okay!!!! So, go back your sisters and that stupid party and laugh behind my back!!!! Embarrass me! Humiliate me!!!! You know thats what you want to do and you love it!!!! Beacause guess what?! SO DO I!!!!" She turned her back to Annaliel, tears still falling down her cheeks. All she really wanted to do was go home, not listen to this girl!

Constantine walked in front of Colette as soon as she turned her back. He looked down at her apologetically and said, "Colette....I am so sorry for all of this! I was dumb! Too dumb to realize that over the years through our friendship, you were falling in love with me! Had I realized it, I would've never kept stringing you along! I would have been stopped sleeping with you! This is all my fault.....So, don't blame Annaliel, okay? Hate me, instead. We're best friends, remember? I would never let you run off without a sincere apology...." He held Colette's face in his hands, and smiled at her softly, wiping her face with his kerchief. "And I do love you, Colette. I always have and I always will." Constantine pressed his lips softly against Colette, and she fell into his arms smiling. She was still crying, but this time it was out of happiness.

"T-Thank you, Constantine.....I understand, now. I do! And I'll love you, too! Always!.....But, now I'm too disheveled to return to the party!" she said quietly. Turning to Annaliel she said, "I guess I owe you an apology, as well, so sorry! We girls ought to stick together rather than fight so much......Could you take me home, Constantine?"

The young man smiled gracefully at the 2 young women and said, "Shall we?" He escorted Annaliel back to the party, and had Colette wait in the carriage for him to escort her back home. "So......I guess I'll see you later, then? It looks like my parents have already fled the castle....." he said to Annaliel, of course, smiling.

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Annaliel couldn't help but smile at the happy couple solving their problems, it put her heart at ease for all the trouble she caused. However, a bit of sadness filled her. They loved each other and if she wasn't here they could possibly be together. When Colette addressed her she was knocked out of her deep thoughts and she smiled at them politely.

"It is alright, the situation wasn't exactly forgiving to any of us." She said softly as she walked back with them to the party.

it seemed that the party had died as soon as they left, guests leaving the castle as they returned. Annaliel smiled politely at Constantine and nodded her head.

"I suppose you will...have a good night then, and the same to Colette." She said as she waved goodbye, returning to her family after that.

On the way back home, Annaliel couldn't help but feel horrible. This lovely ball had turned sour and all because of her. On top of that she was depriving two people that loved each other from being together. If only she could stop this wedding from happening, then maybe Colette and Constantine could be together. A sigh passed her lips as they finally arrived home. She looked to the book that Constantine gave her and smiled a little bit. At least she could read the book and return it as soon as possible...before she corrected this awful mistake...
 
Constantine was quite tired from everything. He made it clear in the back of his mind to not get anymore of his dearest, closest friends involved in his own personal problems. That night he dropped Colette off back home, and went back to his own home and climbed into bed early. Everything was beginning to get so confusing for him. Did he like Annaliel now or were they just friends? And what about the wedding? Was she and him going to still try and find ways out of it or.....were they going to go through with it? Constantine's feelings about Annaliel had skyrocketed a bit since the ball. Even though she had only dressed and acted that way to get back at Colette, there was something he liked about that sudden....spark....he saw in her. Especially when he had showed her the Royal Library. As for he and Colette, there was no way they could ever be together, especially after what had happened at the ball. Truth be told, he had never felt like more than just good friends with her, and there was no sense in making himself miserable just to heal her broken heart. He was just going to have to make it up to her somehow. Two weeks had passed since the party, and Constantine was shocked when the butler had come into his room to tell him Colette was sitting in the living room and that she wanted to speak with him urgently.

Colette sat on the couch in the living room in front of Constantine trying hard not to cry. Her makeup and hair was so beautifully done and her dress was very beautiful, too. As much as she wanted to be happy about her looks, she couldn't, but she still tried. Looking up at Constantine with an uneasy smile, she said softly, "I am to be married to a man in Walsberg. I asked my father to arrange it for me.......He's a good man. About your age. His name is Henry Farwell III. He's very rich and so sweet......I am to be meeting with him and his family in Walsberg in only 2 hours. That is why I am so dressed up......" She looked up at Constantine to see shock and worry plastered all over his face. Colette smiled a little and said, "Don't worry. It was all my idea. My doing. I shouldn't be screwing up other peoples' arranged marriages, so I've gotten my own.....I wish you all the best, Constantine. And I'm sorry I put you through so much pain beacause of my crazy heart. I won't be coming back to Hemmingsway for a long time after today, so....tell Annaliel that I'm sorry and I hope that if we and her sisters ever run into each other again, it'll be a nice reunion."

Constantine was so speechless. He didn't really know what to say. He wished her the best of luck and promised her that he'd come visit her in Walsberg as soon as he could. They said their goodbyes, and he painfully watched the last of his closest friends ride away to get married. He could see a single tear fall down Colette's cheek as she rode off in the carriage with her mother. It seemed like everyone else was settling down except him, and for the first time in his life, Constantine felt disgusted by his own lifestyle. Maybe he needed this marriage. He surely couldn't and wouldn't stay a handsome, unattached bachelor for the rest of his life while everyone else around him eventually settled down and had children. Constantine's feelings had been so warped since the ball, and now he didn't really know what he wanted. He sat in the Royal Library with a smug look on his face as he flipped through the books, hoping that the sense of imagination and fiction could mask the confusion he felt inside.

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Annaliel sat in her family's carriage as it headed into town, more specifically the castle. It had been two weeks since the party and she still felt guilty over everything that had happened. When she had gotten home her sisters quickly cornered her before they had to return to their own homes, forcing that awkward and embarrassing story of the out burst Colette had. Her sisters all seemed to feel a little guilty for causing that much damage and asked Annaliel to apologize for them as well when she had a chance to. For the rest week Annaliel spent it moping around her room, reading the book Constantine gave her and atempting to write a proper apology to Colette. She locked herself away some much that her parents regularly came up stairs to make sure she wasn't dead. Eventually the young girl joined society again, seeming a bit changed.

She still was polite and warm, accepting any guests that decided to come and visit her, but she had a different air about her. It was more...mature to say the least, she wasn't the blushing shy miss she had been before the ball, though she did still have her moments. It could be the new clothing her sisters bought her, the clothing rather more adult and mature than what she used to wear. Her old clothing had been quickly given away to younger cousins or sold, leaving her with a whole new wardrobe. Whatever the cause of the sudden change in her it seemed to make her parents rather happy, and catch the eye of some men who weren't interested before. In the second week since the party she had been called on 4 times by men for tea, which she politely declined since her mother would not approve of her having tea with men when she was engaged.

A small sigh slipped past her lips as the castle came into view. This were far to complicated now, she really didn't know what to do. Should she cancel the arrangment and run away to become a governess or just marry Constantine? A bit of guilt filled her as she remembered Colette, her hands rubbing the letter she had written in her hand. She was never good with vocal apologies and she felt that the one she had given the night of the ball wasn't good enough. Sadly she did not know the address to send it to which kept her from putting it in the mail right away. She also did not have the guts to ask Constantine, she was still a little embarrassed that she had pulled such a stunt and found it hard to bring herself to face him, though she would have to sooner or latter. She glanced down at the book he had given her, the large novel sitting next to her in the carriage. She had brought it along to continue reading, having found that she just couldn't bring herself to read anything else until she had finished it.

The carriage slowed to a stop in front of the castle and a footman came over to help her out. With letter and book in hand Annaliel headed into the castle, saying a very proper and kind hello to the king who had been passing by, and going directly for the library. She walked briskly, the fabric of her skirt flowing about her as she moved quickly. Today her dress was high collared and made of deep navy blue velvet. the collar and sleeves were decorated with bright white lace. Her hair had been pulled back into a simple long braid. The dress, though it didn't show much skin, hugged her body tightly and fattered her figure to a point where it would almost be considered sinful. She smiled at the guards politely who were standing outside the door and entered quietly, closing teh door behind her. She had only taken two steps into the room when she noticed Constantine sitting there reading. She nearly dropped the book as she gasped in surprise, not having expected him to be there at all!
 
Constantine didn't look up thinking it was just one of the king's servants asking him if he wanted anything to drink. "No, no! I'm still not thirsty! So you can leave...." he groaned. He sat back and yawned, outstretching his arms, and opening one of his eyes, he could see it was actually Annaliel sitting in the doorway. "OH! OH! Annaliel! Oh, I am so sorry!!! I thought you were one of those pesky servants! They're actually quite nice, but they come around too often!" He exclaimed, surprisingly and jumping out of his chair. Motioning her towards one of the chairs, he offered for her to sit with him at the small table. "Please, do sit with me! It's getting much too stuffy and lonely in here! I have something important to ask you, anyway. Very important. And might I add, you do look stunning today, Annaliel," he offered graciously with a tired smile. Straightening his new teal vest, he shuffled around nervously. He looked quite handsome in his new "scholarly" outfit, and a lot of women had to stop and look at him a second time when he had passed by in the streets and in the castle. It made him look tad bit older and more serious and didn't scream "rich, lazy, sex-addicted, bastard" like his old clothes had. It seemed as if Annaliel was looking quite more mature herself and Constantine couldn't help but notice, but he decided not to comment on it.

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Annaliel blushed slightly as he approched her, a small polite smile slipping on her face and a giggle escaping as he assumed she was a servent. She walked over to the table and set down the letter and book on the table before taking a seat in front of where he had been.

"Whatever you are reading must be rather interesting, for the last time I checked, I wasn't much of a servant." She said softly, a bit of a tease in there as she tried to be a bit more talkative than usual. "And thank you, you look nice today as well, Constantine."

And he certainly did! When Annaliel had seen him she couldn't believe her eyes. He wasn't dressed in his usual flirting garb and in fact looked like a scholar right out of one of the large colleges for men! When he mentioned needing to talk about something very important she became a bit more serious and listened intently to him.

"What is it you have to ask me?"
 
Constantine laughed nervously at Annaliel's response, "Yes! Thank you! And excuse me again for saying such a thing. It is an interesting book. I've never read it before, but........so many things have been happening these past 2 weeks since the ball.....I just haven't been able to wrap my head into anything..." Moving onto more pressing matters, he began to speak, and the smile on his face quickly turned to a more serious look. "Annaliel.....Um...I don't think you have been notified of it or have heard of it, nonetheless, since word won't even really get out till tommorow. Colette is getting married to Henry Farwell III in Walsberg in only 3 weeks. Apparently, it was all her idea. She told me she felt as if the only way to truly get over her love for me, is to move on with another man. He is a good young man, really. I've met him before. Had lunch with him, really......," he said quietly. Looking over at the window on the far side of the room, he watched the birds peck around on the other side of the windowsil before continuing, "She wants both you and I to attend the wedding, and the rest of your family, too, if they can. She said the invitations should arrive to each house in 2 days, but she wanted me to tell you all this ahead of time. I'm surprised at all this, and I did have Colette promise me that she was doing this for her own happiness and not beacause of me and you.......She says she really wants you to come, Annaliel. To be her maid of honor." Constantine let Annaliel sit for a while and think about what he had just said. It was a lot to take in, in one sitting, and he had more than enough time today to sit and wait for her response.

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To say that Annaliel was shocked woule be an understatement...and very large understatement. She honestly couldn't believe what she was hearing. Colette was getting married...and to someone who wasn't Constantine! When they first met she had come off as a vicious woman who would bow to no one and be as stubborn as a mule until she got what she wanted. But she gave up so easily, just dressing up and flirting a bit broke her down, though it was probably more Constantines obliviousness than any of her doing. Now she wanted to make Annaliel her maid of honor? It was both flattering and unnerving. She would accept of course, as well had her family, and go to the wedding and support her in any way she can. She was taking a very big step and much faster than Constantine and her were going about it. She glanced down to the letter she was written and decided to save it for when they were face to face. She may not be able to speak her true feelings well, but as least she'd get an instant responce once the letter was read.

"I see...I hope the best for her and Henry." She said softly, still sounding like she did not believe what she had just heard. "I will make sure that my whole family will come and that nothing will conflict with her wedding day. Thank you for telling me..." For a moment she just sat there silently before she looked up at Constantine. "How are you taking it?" She asked softly.
 
Constantine sighed and then smiled. "I'm taking it fine. It's just a bit shocking to see Colette settle down so quickly. Especially since she used to be as unwilling as...well...me. I remember how ill she used to speak of Henry and his brothers! And now, she's going to marry him! Hahahaha!" he lightened up. "It is mostly my fault that all of this is even happening......I'm just going to do what I can to make it up to her. It's the least I can do without all three of us coming out miserable. And there's no since moping around and worrying about it. Then it wouldn't help at all in any way......," Constantine trailed off. He absolutely did want the best for his closest friend. He just hoped that this time it wouldn't hurt her. Looking at Annaliel, he could see that she was just as shocked about this as he was, and so would everyone else in Hemmingsway and Walsberg. It was like a chain reaction. Like as soon as Constantine himself had been engaged to be married, every other eligible, rich bachelor and bachelorette were washing their hands of their past behavior as well, and trading it off for maturity and a family. A new life. Constantine could only hope he could keep up with it all himself.

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Annaliel smiled at him politely and nodded her head in understanding, At least he was trying to make things better. Hopefully this would make things easier on them when the time for them to get married came around. Speaking of getting married...

"Um, Constantine, I was speaking with my mother this morning and she wanted me to...talk with you about the wedding. Our parents might have arranged it but they aren't going to organize everything. She asked that we at least try to...picture what we want for the big day." She stuttered out, her nervousness getting the best of her as the topic of their own wedding came up.

After all that had happened it didn't feel like they were getting married, it felt like they were just two people dragged into a bad situation. She knew Constantine wasn't completely happy with marrying her, and she hadn't been so fond of the idea of marrying him either. Though now things seemed a bit...different. She didn't hate Constantine, that was for certain, though marriage was still a bit iffy for her. She did find him to be a little more charming though. He certainly wasn't as bad as she had thought he was. She looked over to her stuff, her hands resting in her lap, and continued on though she felt her cheeks flushing more.

"However, if you'd prefere to not talk about it in a place where we could be bothered then I understand...We could meet up another time when you are available."
 
Constantine could see the nervousness written all over Annaliel's face when the topic of their wedding came up and he could see how uneasy she was about it. Truth be told, he didn't really know where he stood about the whole marriage idea. Especially since everything that had happened since their first meeting. So much had happened in only a few months, it was hard to tell what he truly wanted anymore. Annaliel turned out to be a very interesting and beautiful young woman in ways of her own. She was different, and Constantine had come to like that about her. Both of them had surely gotten a true taste of adulthood in the past few months, and for the first time, he wished to change nothing (except the whole fuss with Colette). No matter what they did, neither he or Annaliel could stray away from discussing it any longer anyway, and they would have to discuss it soon. Coriella had told him that herself. Sitting up, Constantine made a proposal, "Hmmm. That is true. Well, today seems to be a pretty twisted day, so how about we discuss tommorow, when things are a bit more clearer and we've thought all this over? We can have tea in the garden in my parents' backyard. That's right.....you haven't even seen my house before have you?"

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Annaliel looked up at him, a little surprised that he had invited her to his home, he had always been the one to come visit her and her own home. She smiled and nodded her head, liking the idea of having a bit more time to think about it, that would at least give her an idea of what she would even want for her own wedding.

"No, I haven't seen your house at all. I'll be glad to have tea with you tomorrow though, I still have a bit of thinking to do on the subject." She said softly with a smile on her face. "Well then, now that that is out of the way I think I'll do what I orgianlly came here to do and read."

She then reached for the book she brought, the one he gave her, and opened it to the page she was one, quickly slipping into the words that the pages held.
 
Constantine smiled and began to read his own book, as well finally being able to rest on the words with his full attention. After he had left the Royal Library that day, he felt a little better about everything, but he still was clueless as to what he really wanted. He could barely sleep at all, but eventually did with the help of the cook, who was able to concoct him an old sleep remedy in his evening tea. As he slept, his mind stayed on what would happen at tea the next day, since it would be he and Annaliel's first little outing. One that they were both more willing to attend. The next morning, he made sure that the servants were up to par before Annaliel would arrive at his parents' estate. He wanted to be sure that absolutely nothing went wrong, and that Annaliel would enjoy her first visit. The Evingdales' estate was extremely large and breathtakingly beautiful! It was hard to believe that it was the Duke that lived in such a magnificent mansion and not the King himself! Coriella couldn't help but tease her son's sudden urge to please a girl. "Oh, come, now, Constantine! I'm sure she'll find the estate to be quite pleasing as is!" she cooed. But Constantine wasn't taking any chances. He wanted everything absolutely perfect, and when she did arrive, he realized that he had never worked so hard on anything before in his entire life!

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When Annaliel left the library, having made a good dent into her book, she left a bit more chiper than she had arrived. She was happy that Colette had moved on and got herself a man whom could hopefully make her happy. This meant that they could be on much friendlier terms and even become friends one day, hopefully. However, she felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought of visiting Constantine's home alone. Before she was in her own home under the watchful eye of a parent or sibling, now it would be just him and her, since Constantine was certainly old enough to take guests on his own. She was barely able to get any sleep that night, having to sneak a drink of whisky to help calm her nerves and allow her to rest. The next morning was a blur of getting ready and dressed, her mother nearly having a fit as she helped Annaliel prepare. It was one thing to have someone visit, but to be invited was a completely different story.

With the help of a maid and her mother she put on a lovely day dress. It was a pale yellow and had white lace decorating it. This wasn't high collared but it didn't allow as much of a view as her ball gown had. Her hair was tied back once again, similar to how it had been during the ball, just without any flowers. After slipping on a pair of flats and being tossed her fan and day shall, she was shoved out the door and into her carriage. The trip wasn't too long, and the sight of his home was absolutely amazing! Certainly this estate was not Constantine's home, it looked like it belonged to royalty! When she arrived a footman came out and escorted her into the home, walking slowly to allow her to gawk at all the lovely furniture and art that filled the rooms.
 
Constantine looked at himself in the mirror once more before quickly racing down the long spiraling staircase and into the hallway to greet his new guest. "Good morning, Annaliel!" he exclaimed, smiling widely, "Welcome to my parents' estate! I hope you're finding things to your liking!" He then nodded to the footman, and after running down quite a few hallways and making a few turns, he led her out to the garden out in the backyard. "Pay no attention to the other side of the garden! I know it looks a bit distraught, but, apparently, my mother absolutely hates how small the landscaper made it, and now she wants it even bigger! It's crazy since this garden is already an acre wide! I had the maids set up the table over there so you could look at the better side of it," he said. Constantine pulled out the chair so Annaliel could sit down, then sat in his own. The maids had done very well with arranging the table much to Constantine's relief. He would definitely have to pay them back somehow later. "So, how was your morning? Are you hungry?" he asked still smiling.

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