Chapter 35: The Unwilling Bride

Tomorrow came too quickly for Haru. The pre-wedding feast was due to start early afternoon, and so at around lunchtime Haru found herself being guided to a room full of fancy clothes where she was forced into a dress of a particularly glaringly yellow shade and fitted with gaudy jewellery that didn't quite fit. It wasn't her idea of a wedding dress, but then again, if she'd been consulted in the first place, the wedding wouldn't be going ahead. She had withdrawn completely into herself, not speaking a word to the maids who fitted her out, not even when the corset was pulled several notches too tight and she temporarily lost her breath. What a nineteenth birthday. One hundred and a one years since she fell to the curse. That evening would be the moment where it would be exact up to the minute. She felt like her bad luck favoured this day more than any other.

She let one of the maids place a large collar around her neck, feeling more than ever like some dressed up pet to be exhibited before the court. The collar made her neck itch and the dress was awkward to move or even breathe in. She allowed a small golden tiara to be adorned in her hair, purposely avoiding the mirrors, despite the maids' attempts to get her to admire her reflection. She may have looked pretty, but she felt anything but that. She felt pretty around Baron, but that was all in the past. She was losing him to the other princess. To Sky.

The maids had just finished adding the last details to her outfit when the king entered. He beamed at her and looked her up and down just a little too long for her liking. "Looking good, babe," he said approvingly.

Haru's teeth were set on edge by his automatic response. "Your Majesty, this is all well and good, but... well I have no intention of marrying your son," she said blankly.

He blinked. "But I was told you had agreed–"

"Well I hadn't. Anyway, Lune is interested in someone else so–"

The king guffawed. "The maid? I'm sure that was just a passing fancy on his part. With you looking so gorgeous in that dress he'll fall for you immediately."

"I do not plan on marrying him," said Haru again.

"Well it's too late now. We have the feast set up and everything, and in fact we should be going now."

Haru looked lost for words. "No, I'm not going to marry Lune," she repeated. Couldn't he take a hint?

"Sorry, babe, but you don't have much choice on the matter. Guards! Escort the Princess Haru to the feast."

Haru screeched as she was once again gripped by two guards and dragged into the hall. She was kicking and screaming, but she didn't care about the loss of dignity. She wasn't going to be put through this. She refused. They could take Baron away from her, but they couldn't force her to marry someone else. She wouldn't. She couldn't.

ooOoo

Louise looked around the hall. The Baron was missing – where he should've been there was an vacant seat – and beside that seat was Sky, telling some story about how he was ill, but that he'd be there for the wedding. Louise looked down at her empty plate – the cooks had had some cooking disaster that had set the feast a whole hour back – and wondered if Lune and the rest of the party would be arriving soon.

Sophia behind her, as a serving maid, tapped her on the shoulder.

"What?" she whispered.

"Where's Baron?" the maid asked.

"Sky says he's ill."

Sophia tried not to snort at that comment. "He would never be ill for something as important as this. Something's happened."

"Well, you go and look round," murmured Louise, trying to look like she wasn't conspiring with the maid.

"I would, but I'm on serving duty."

"Get Yuki then. She's Haru's personal maid, she shouldn't be on any jobs right now. Tell her to find Baron while Sky is distracted."

"Right." Looking like she was on some order she left and found Yuki, who was talking to some of the chiefs.

"What is it, Sophia?"

"The Baron's missing. Louise wants you to see if you can find him."

"Oh, okay."

"Is there any update on Lune?"

Yuki shook her head as she headed for the door. "He should be here by now."

"I know. That's what's worrying me. We're running out of time. Haru is running out of time."

"How much longer can the feast be delayed?"

"They're running out of excuses, but I'd say another half hour. Tops."

"It's better than nothing, I suppose." Yuki hurried out and headed to Baron's room, hoping that was where he'd be. On her way she passed Muta who – for once – wasn't in an argument with Toto.

"Hey, where are you up to in such a hurry?" he asked.

"Why aren't you at the feast?" she replied, keeping up her swift pace. "I would've thought it'd be right up your street."

Muta shrugged. "All a little too formal for my liking."

"Haru's being forced to marry Lune."

He gaped. "...What?" he said finally.

"The king's forcing her to. I suppose you know all about the Baron's wedding?"

He nodded. "It's so unlike him; I don't know what's got into him recently."

"He's missing from the feast," Yuki told him curtly.

"And... you're looking for him?"

"He might be in his room."

"Yeah, maybe," Muta agreed. He paused and then added, "Can you slow down a bit?"

"Are you coming?"

"I've nothing better to do. And I want Baron's side of the story. This all seems a little fishy to me."

"You and the rest of the palace," Yuki muttered.

They came to the door of Baron's room and Yuki knocked. "Baron? Baron von Gikkingen, are you in there?"

No reply.

Muta grunted. "Let me try. Baron! Baron, open up!" He tried the handle. "Damn. Locked." He hammered at the wood. "Baron! Get moving and open up, you idiot! Haru's about to be married off to Lune unless you do something!"

There was no audible reply, but the handle rattled, as if the person on the other side of the door was shaking the handle.

"What? Are you locked in there or something?"

The handle rattled again, but more vigorously, and this time in something of a 'yes' manner.

"This would be a lot easier if you actually said something," Muta grumbled. "Alright, coming through." He backed up and ran his shoulder against the door. The hinges creaked under Muta's weight. He tried again, and this time the hinges gave a definite groan of protest and began to bend. "One more time," he muttered to himself and charged once more. This time they got significant results as the lock snapped away from the wood and the door swung open.

Muta groaned himself, clutching his shoulder. "Okay, I'm never doing that again," he said to himself.

Yuki raced inside. "Sir? Are you there?"

Baron moved away from the wall, hope sparking in his eyes. He opened his mouth, then shut it.

"Baron," said Muta gruffly as he entered the room. "What's going on? Why are you marrying Sky? And why are you locked up in here?" He peered at his friend. "Have you lost your voice?"

Baron nodded eagerly, desperate for them to understand. He pointed down to the lily pinned to his jacket, then at his mouth.

"You want to eat the lily?" suggested Muta dubiously.

Baron rolled his eyes and shook his head. Despite Sky's now loose control over him, she'd ensured that three of her commands had stayed. One, to remain quiet, two, to stay inside the room and three, not to touch the flower pin.

"Do you only ever think about your stomach?" asked Yuki towards Muta. Shaking her head she walked up to Baron. "I don't recognise that," she commented, examining the lily. "Did Sky give it to you?"

Baron nodded fervently, his eyes begging for her to realise the truth.

"The lily's important then, I'm guessing."

More nodding.

Yuki reached forward to unpin the false flower but jumped away when it gave off ice-blue sparks that shocked her fingers. She nursed her hand. "It's protected?" she murmured.

Another nod.

"Couldn't you have told me that before I almost barbequed my fingers?" asked Yuki, slightly reprimanding. She sighed. "So, I suppose we've got to get it off then?"

Baron nodded again. His head was beginning to get dizzy with all the nodding, but he had to get them to understand.

"Lemme try," said Muta. He got his fingers near the bloom, but withdrew his hand when the blue fire flickered on again. It disappeared when he moved away. Frowning he got ready to try again, his fingers poised to snatch the pin away. He hesitated for only a moment before plunging his fingers into the sapphire embers and tearing the pin away. He dropped it as soon as it was removed from Baron's clothing, half throwing it across the room.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" he moaned, blowing on his fingers and half hopping across the room. "Okay, that's another thing I'm never doing again. Baron, you better be grateful for that."

"Oh, believe me, I am," came Baron's voice. It was slightly hoarse after several days of neglect, but it was just a relief to him to hear his voice do his own bidding again. To speak his own words again.

"Okay, Baron, we've done as you wanted. Now, explain," Muta ordered bluntly.

"To put it simply, that lily gave Sky control over me. She made me stay in here because every time her concentration slipped, it gave me a chance to gain control of myself again. She didn't want that happening during the feast, so she locked me up in here. But we haven't got time for that. We have a wedding to crash."

"It's your own wedding."

"All the better."

Yuki caught his arm before he tried to leave the room. "We've contacted Lune and Queen Naoko. They should be back anytime soon."

"You have?" asked Muta, feeling like he'd been left out of the loop somewhere along the line.

"Good," said Baron at the same time. "But I'm afraid that I can't risk waiting for them to turn up. I'm going to take my own action. How is Haru holding up? She hasn't receded into herself, has she?"

"I think she's fighting against it."

"When did you last see her?"

"It was when she was being dragged into the hall."

"Dragged?" he repeated.

"She didn't want to get married to Lune, but the king wouldn't take no for an answer. He sent his guards to drag into the hall for the feast. She was putting up a fight though, with all her screaming."

A dangerously livid expression passed over Baron's face. "He's going to regret that. No one forces Haru into anything, certainly not on my watch."

"Baron, you can't go in there," said Muta. "If Sky sees you then she'll know you've broken through her power."

Baron grinned. "I don't plan on letting her see me. At least, I don't plan on letting her know it's me."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I helped organise the entertainment. There'll be something to disguise me there," said Baron confidently.

"If Sky doesn't know it's you, how do you expect Haru to?" asked Muta, picking more holes in Baron's plan.

"Oh, she'll know it's me. She'll most certainly know who I am. Make no mistake about that," he said, already halfway to the door.

Muta and Yuki watched as Baron dashed out of the room. After several moments of silence, they exchanged glances.

"Lovesick much, you think?" Muta commented dryly.

Yuki smiled. "Most definitely."