I struggled to keep my face an emotionless mask. You don't know how hard that is for me. I am a person who believes in expressing emotion. That's why I often get into a great deal of trouble at home. Anger was pouring out of me in waves. I was also surprised to see him. He looked exactly as I pictured him: smug, confident, dashing and downright annoying.

My eyes met his and I glared at him. "What is it, your Grace?" I asked, remembering propriety.

He didn't seem to recognize me. He was startled that I knew his rank in aristocracy. I could see it in his eyes as he was laboring to remember which ball he had met me in or if he actually saw me before. After all, what if I was a Gypsy who divined his identity from a mere crystal ball and out to steal his soul to put it inside a little bottle so I could grant myself three wishes?

Granted, he may not have thought those exact thoughts, but who could tell?

The searching look disappeared and he flashed me a smile which would have caused me to keel over with brainless delight if he had given it to me three years ago. It was very easy for me to train myself to hate that smile.

Of course, he had grown a lot more damn good-looking, so my resolve wavered (just a little, though!) and I allowed myself a little pleasure to look at his face. His blonde hair was as unruly as ever and his eyes were putting an extra charm on the charming.

He flashed his pearly-white teeth. "I was merely wondering what a lovely sight like you was doing in such a commoner's marketplace."

I drew myself up to my full height and looked him straight in the eye. Did he expect every girl to fall for his looks only? He needed to add some extra charisma. "Your Grace, if I were a commoner, why would I would swoon to one so insulting? Commoners live in that marketplace, after all."

Another look of confusion passed over his face before he resumed his cocky expression. "My charm, of course."

I restrained myself from rolling my eyes. Mother always told me it was un- ladylike, and I always thought that people who did it looked rather tipsy. I felt irritation surge through my veins (after all, who does this guy think he is?). How dare he attempt to woo a maiden he sees walking on a bridge when he was to be married? The nerve!

So I decided to tell him so. "Your Grace," I started. (Ah, yes, I must keep up the propriety. It makes things sound a lot snootier, but it's fun to be a stiff prig) "Is it not rather bold for you to pursue a lady who you know nothing of when you are to be wed? I assumed that they at least taught you a semblance of manners and etiquette while you were growing up."

Time for the crash. I sniffed haughtily to give it extra emphasis. "Am I right to regard the House of Ishida as one full of howling barbarians?"

The mix of emotions tumbling around and absorbing the laundry detergent (A/N: D'oh! Wrong time. There were no laundry machines back then, were there?) were vastly amusing. There was a bit of anger and indignation in one area and surprise in another. I'm betting that the Gypsy idea was growing stronger in his mind by now. After all, how could I have guessed his name? And what was that last emotion?

Was it…admiration?

Well, well, well.

He smiled dazzlingly, seemingly unaffected by the insult she delivered about his family. "It seems you already know exactly who I am. But I'm afraid I haven't yet the pleasure of making the acquaintance of quite a spirited lady such as yourself."

Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, "And if you're lucky, you never will again. But actually, we've already met. Several times, in fact. And pleasure is certainly not the word I'd use to describe them." She shuddered. "Grating and infuriating fits the picture more perfectly, if you ask me. But if you take gratification in endless taunts, then yes, pleasure is what I suppose your word of preference."

The Duke looked at me, puzzled. "Do I know you?"

Smirking at him, I answered complacently, "I'm afraid so. Sad, isn't it? Now," I continued, turning around and starting to walk off the bridge. "I must replace those goods which you have caused me to throw off."

I felt exhilarated. Ecstatic. Euphoric, even! I emerged jubilant from a duel of words with him! Ha! Well, granted, he didn't know who I was, but still! That lovely exchange gave me a nice warm feeling inside.

I was in a daze as I stepped off the bridge. All of my jubilation had somehow enveloped me so much that I didn't hear anything but my victorious inner voice yelling over and over again. A hand suddenly grabbed my more delicate one and pulled me around. I glanced up angrily from being interrupted from my inner victory dance.

Him again.

Be the soul of courtesy, be the soul of courtesy.

"Your Grace," I began, highly offended as such nobles are quite often, "it is ungentlemanly to manhandle me like that."

The Duke Yamato nodded, his cursed blue eyes searching. "Forgive me. I knew the second I did so was on a whim. I know you are of noble birth, dear Lady. I could tell from your posture that you had nothing short of a gentle upbringing in your youth."

I fought down the urge to patronize him and failed. "Very good." I gave him a cynical smile. "Now would you please let me go?"

"As you wish, dear Lady." His hand dropped from mine.

"Thank you," I said curtly and turned back. "Now go back into your little carriage and leave me alone."

The fool stepped around me and blocked my way. "But what would a gently- bred lady be doing alone in the areas of the marketplace? It is surprising to see one without at least a maid to carry the packages." He assumed a lofty expression. I suppose he thought that he was being incredibly shrewd. A fledgling page could easily pinpoint that in a minute.

"That's for me to know," I said archly, "And for you to leave alone. Now get out of my way." I glared at him.

He let out an admittedly delightful laugh and stepped aside. I was only a bit wary of him, but the fact that he had acquiesced had fluffed up my pride. I tasted the now-familiar taste of victory…

Which, of course, due to my sort of luck, turned the taste of expired milk that has been left in the sun too long when I heard him following me. I nearly gagged on the foul sense of victory deprived and whirled around indignantly. "Don't you have anything better to do than to hound me like a wolf?"

He grinned and I nearly lost all of my noble composure.

Nearly, of course. I might've lost all of it and fell to his glorious feet had he not mocked me again. He said with a lavish flair, "I will do whatever you tell me to do." He bowed floridly. This was an insult. He was making fun of me! I might have grown to admire that move had it not been used on me. I myself was often this outrageous with my companions.

"Noble's honor?" I smiled my most winsome and endearing smile.

"Noble's honor, my dear Lady," he declared. "A noble's word, even. Within reason, of course," he added. He looked like he was having a taste of the triumph I had felt earlier. Winning me over? Not happening. Well, then, let me show you how sour expired milk can be.

My face darkened. "Asking you to jump into the river is out of the question, then, I presume? Would leaving me alone be too much?" I looked at him hopefully. 'Please go away…'

He nodded, his face straight but his eyes were twinkling. "I may as well just accompany you and pay for your expenses, as it was my fault that your basket went over the river."

I gaped at him. I'm sure I must have looked silly and very un-noble, but at that moment, I was completely taken over and invaded by surprise. The Duke Yamato Ishida? Taking the blame? The notion was too foolish to consider! I suddenly burst into laughter.

The puzzled Duke must have thought that I lost my mind as he looked on. When it became apparent that I wasn't going to stop laughing at him any time soon, he demanded in that more familiar way, "What is wrong, may I ask?"

Ah, still polite and courteous when quite irked. A true noble in the making. He even matched the limited mental capacity requirement perfectly!

"I beg your most sincere pardon, your Grace, but I never thought I would see the day when the Duke Yamato Ishida would accept ANY culpability as his instead of blaming it on others."

Just the mere sound of those words forced me into another round of mirth.

Suddenly, he seized my hands in his slightly larger slender-fingered ones and looked into my eyes. I, as expected, stared back defiantly. The nerve of this barbarian! First, manhandling me to converse with him and persistently dogging my track!

"You DO know me," he murmured, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray strand of my (lovely) hair behind my (perfect) ear and coming to a rest on my (porcelain) cheek. (A/N: I made Sora a little vain…have to keep up with character, anyway. Nobles WERE vain back then.)

At this point, I was seriously considering letting up my icy façade, but when I noticed what I was contemplating, I mentally kicked myself in the rear. I had a good pride-boosting number of suitors back at home from many noble families! I was used to being looked at. But then again, I was never touched like this either. How could a simple gesture cause me to reassess my entire opinion of such vile (yet such handsome) a creature?

'You might as well have a better outlook on him,' the persistent voice in my head told me. 'After all, he is going to be your future husband.'

THAT train of thought pulled me back into reality. I mentally rearranged the tracks so any mutiny against me would lead to its falling off a cliff. Preferably one with very sharp rocks at the bottom. I would NOT let that happen. As good-looking as that jerk is.

Nope. I'm strong. My resolve is as steely as always. Nothing can deter my determination. Yep. But does he have to be so charming?

As I was about to yank my hands away and pound my head on a tree, he continued, "And somehow, I know you." He looked at her thoughtfully. I wondered briefly how to answer this. I decided that, if, for some outrageous reason or evil twist of fate, I would fail in my plan to divert the wedding (perish the thought!) then at least it would be one less thing to pin on me. My reply must be nothing less than earthshaking and it must make him feel like a complete idiot. And of course, I must jam it down his throat or there wouldn't be any fun to it, would there?

I am an evil person. It's cruel, yet awfully entertaining, but I'll manage.

I cleared my throat. This would all have to be delivered clearly and smoothly, otherwise, the momentous effect wouldn't be quite derailing. Choking would ruin everything. I smiled disarmingly at him and declared, "Your Grace, I suppose I must tell you who I am."

I started to walk down the dirt path, knowing that he would follow out of curiosity, and follow out of curiosity he did. I grinned wickedly and elegantly adjusted the shawl on my shoulders. "Please make sure that you will recognize me, Duke, for it never is amusing to be mistaken for some ugly foul-mouthed hag. No, those three years aren't ever enough for that cow to get that it has no substance with me that the Duke Yamato Ishida mistook her for me. Isn't it often amusing how pigheaded some people can be?"

One look at his face told me all that I needed to know. I felt exultant as watched realization dawn upon his face and kick him in the shin.

"Sora?" He looked at her closely.

I spun around and curtsied gracefully. Surprising. I've never executed a perfect curtsy before. Maybe the prospect of revenge enhances my poise. Oh, mother would be so proud!

"I was beginning to wonder how long it would take you to find out," I quipped. "Is it possible that your wits have dulled over the years? The same wits that have endlessly taunted me over the past few years? Shocking."

I took several more steps down the path, and then paused as if something had occurred to me. I turned to look back at him again and saw that he was still wearing that shell-shocked look on his face. "By the way," I called to him, looking him straight in the eye. I grinned maliciously. "It's Countess Sora Takenouchi."

At that, I whirled around on one foot (heel, actually. The barefoot days are long gone, sadly enough) and marched down the path. When I heard his footsteps fading away, my mind exploded with elation.

I have emerged from verbal battle with Yamato Ishida, insulting extraordinaire and I came out…VICTORIOUS!! He has left with his tail between his hind legs, like the mangy dog he is!