XVII · ISABELLE

Isabelle Baudelaire's point of view

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IT MUST HAVE BEEN GENEVIEVE's plan to make me wear her House's color, knowing how me and her son despise each other. She must have known from my dad that I had no idea about this stupid color system between the big houses. My parents always allowed me and my brothers use the colors we wanted to wear at the moment.

So, I was genuinely surprised when the idiot told me about it. And also, when he told me that my house's colors were red and black, which are, coincidentally, my two favorite colors together with copper and gold. He also told me what were mom's house's colors, so I think I can use them too, once I'm kind of part of both houses, right?

Now, that I know about it, I'll try to follow through it and wear the right colors from now on.

Maybe we won't stand out so much this way.

And why was he so hot for? Seriously, it must have been his mom who also chose his clothes for him, because it matched mine perfectly. What the hell was she thinking?

Gods bless and protect me from her and my dad's schemes. Thankfully, I'm the one who's going to choose my husband in the end, and not them. Or I think I now know who they were going to choose!

I already imagine how everyone is going to gossip about us tomorrow. Especially after we danced three songs together. But it was dancing with him or dancing with strangers, and I wasn't in the mood to dance with those damn nobles.

Whatever problems rises tomorrow, I'll deal with it. Or my dad, Addy, and Cédric will, to be more specific.

Thankfully, because of the really high heels I didn't look like a kid by his side, but taller than his mom is without heels. It's worth to mention that she's taller than me at the moment, of course, it's not like she's going to use flats on a ball!

At least, I'm around his neck with those graceful heels.

But the point is, the asshole shamelessly flirted with me in front every-damn-noble present tonight. The way he was looking at me say it all. And feeling his hands on my waist was like a test of resistance. That son of a bitch knew what he was doing to me very well.

I can't even imagine how many angry letters I'll get from the stupid Ladies who dreamed of courting his ass.

So, when he pissed me off and I realized his brother was present, even though I knew he was gay after what Dimitri told me, I couldn't help myself. Knowing that seeing me dancing with his little brother would make him lose his shit, I just couldn't let the opportunity pass. It was stronger than me.

That's what he gains from showing his weakness to his enemy. What a dumb move that was. But good for me, of course.

And so, I left him in the middle of the ballroom and went straight his where his paternal family was. While his sister seemed a little hostile towards me, his dad, stepmother and brother smiled excitedly when they saw me coming their way. "Carpentiers," I opted for a quick greeting and they all bowed slightly.

"Your Highness, Countess Isabelle Baudelaire," they exclaimed in sync.

"You don't look so against my brother as the rumors say, Princess," Dimitri's sister and my brother's crush, Lady Marie-Claire exclaimed glaring fiercely at me.

I don't think I've ever even talked with her, so why is she so annoyed with me? Is she friends with the Ladies who despise me?

"Oh, you say that because you couldn't hear us cursing at each other and making threats to one another, young Lady Carpentier. I bet the people who were around us could hear it very well, you can just ask them, since you seemingly doubt my honesty," she seemed uncomfortable by my response and backed away. "Young Lord Augustin-Cyprien," I turned to her brother, "would you give me honor of dancing with you?" I offered him my hand and he took right away.

"Of course!" He exclaimed smiling and held my hand, I bothered by his sister rudeness, then he followed me to the dance floor. "You look stunning!"

That made me smirk, "I knew you would be sweeter than your elder brother. Was he always such a brute towards the Ladies, or his hatred towards me is special?"

He giggled, "Oh, my… Dimitri was always kind of colder when it came to women," could he prefer boys too? But I'm sure he's attracted to me, though! Could it be because he think I have a masculine charm just because I look like my dad? Like other nobles have said before? "But I never heard of him being rude to them!"

"Ha… That makes me an exception!"

"I believe so," he nodded calmly. "But how did your animosity began?"

I pondered for a second, "Our first encounter some days ago wasn't the best. But I think it was when he almost killed Jade!" His eyes widened in shock, "…My pet."

"Oh, Gods, I'm sorry for that. Why would he do anything against an innocent pet? My brother must have lost his mind."

"Jade is a black panther," he understood it right away. "But she's a daughter to me. My best friend. That's why when I saw him pointing his sword to her, I fought him verbally right away, and I may have threatened to kill him if he tried anything…"

The boy gasped. He's quite beautiful and as tall as Adrien, which is around 1,87cm. But still shorter than his brother by a lot. And while Dimitri took his appearance from his mom, Augustin looks more like their father with his straight auburn hair and black eyes, while their sister was almost the spitting image of her mother with her golden long curly hair and dark grey eyes.

"Gods, you two really had a terrible beginning," he sighed.

"You have no idea. And it kept getting worse. Now we are really deep into our own hatred for each other. So much that I feel sick every time I see him! Thankfully I was able to avoid him for a little while," he giggled again.

Showing a beautiful smile that was a little similar to Dimitri's but without his brother's charming dimples. "You seemed like a couple while dancing. I could feel that you were attracted to each other from where I was… Are you sure it's only hatred that you are feeling, Princess?"

My eyes widened and I felt my face burn, "Don't even suggest such a thing. I would rather die that have any kind of relationship with your brother, that isn't based on our mutual hatred!"

He chuckled softly, and his eyes traveled to behind me, right when the next song was about to begin. But then he suddenly turned pale and when he met my eyes again, he seemed frightened. "Hm… I'm sorry, Princess, but I think I'll get on trouble if I dance this second song with you. My brother's staring at me as if he was about to murder me. I'm kind of scared," then he put some distance between us and bowed like the sweet gentleman he is. "It was a pleasure to dance with you, Your Highness."

"The pleasure was mine, Augustin! Just… if your brother asks, tell him I tried to flirt with you, alright? And if he say something, you can just say you didn't flirt back. Can you do this for me?"

"Yes," he said giggling amused, then he left me alone, like I did with his brother.

But the second that followed, a noble appeared in front of me, and without even asking for it, began to guide my body and dance the song that was playing. And when I was about to make a fuss and kick his ass, I saw Dimitri beginning to dance with a random noble Lady right across me, with his eyes on me. What is that asshole scheming now?

Is he trying to provoke me just because I danced with his younger brother? How childish!

I brought the boy closer to me and he gasped, but I didn't had my eyes on him. "You were quite bold to dance with me without even asking," I muttered in a demanding tone, but with a sensual smile on. "If it were any other circumstances, I would have made a fuss and kicked your ass across the ballroom."

"Sorry, Your Highness. But I couldn't help it. When you dance, you usually only dance five times. This is the fifth, I couldn't let it pass. But was it a good surprise?" Absolutely not.

Dimitri seemed to be excitedly talking with the girl, while his eyes were still on me, and that made me feel suddenly irritated. I don't know the reason, though. Maybe it's because he's making me dance with this dork.

"What's your name again?" I asked, showing how I didn't care, but he didn't seem to catch on.

"Gilles Reverdin, Princess. My father is Baron Planchet Reverdin. My mom, Baroness Clarisse Reverdin is a distant cousin of Marchioness Rosalie Carpentier," oh? "However we aren't from one of the main branches of great houses," but he didn't seem ashamed of it. "I'm their only son, which means I'll inherit the baronet."

Putting my hands on his neck, I bought him even closer, as I mimicked what Dimitri was doing to that annoying girl, making the boy's heart almost stop. And believe me, I could hear the poor boy's heartbeats. "Sorry, Gilles. But I honestly, couldn't care less. I know what you are trying to do, but I have to warn you that I can't consider you a prospect husband. However, I believe you might find the right girl for you right after we finish this dance!"

"Pardon me?" He seemed confused.

I guess he had no idea of the dance he chose to dance with me, he mustn't be used to attending those kind of balls. It's one of those you switch partners, and the one I was about to switch for is, of course, Dimitri, that jerk. Once you have to switch with the person who's in the opposite direction as you, and that's him for me!

"Wait, Princess…" Dimitri didn't let him finish.

"Switch, dumbass. She's with me now!" He exclaimed in an intimidating tone, took his hands away from my waist, pushed the girl he was dancing with to Gilles's arms, at the same time as he brought me abruptly to his chest. Circling his arm in my waist again, possessively. "Were you enjoying dancing with that freak?"

I chuckled bitterly, "Oh, I was. Were you?"

"Enjoying Lady Raphaëlle Delafose?" So she's also a low ranking noble. "I was. She was one of the most pleasant women I've ever met!"

That made me scoff, annoyed to death, "If you really was enjoying the annoying low noble that much, why were you staring at me?" I asked glaring at him fiercely, with my eyebrows arched and he gave me that smile again. The one that showed off his damn dimples, and made my heart race for some unknown reason.

He tightened his grip on my waist and brought me closer, making me gasp, "Weren't you staring at me as well?"

"You didn't answer my question!"

"And I won't," he came half a step closer, enough for me to feel his breath in my forehead. "Why did you dance with Augustin? Didn't I tell you not to?" His voice was calm, but I could feel how angered he was by that.

I mocked, "Didn't I tell I would do whatever I wanted?"

"No. You did not!"

"Oh, no? Than now you should be aware of that. Because I will not listen a men like you, and I'll do whatever I want. If I want to dance with him, I will. As much I will dance with whoever noble men I want, and you know why?" I paused but he said nothing, only staring at my eyes, while our bodies danced together automatically. "Because they are all better than you!"

I could tell that hurt his ego, because he looked genuinely offended for the first time since we met. And it was really amusing! "Better than me?" He mocked in pure disbelief.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Want to hear it again? All these gentleman are light years better than you are, Your Grace!" I whispered closet to his ear, getting on my toes even with the damn heels on. He makes me want to lie all the time just to seem him angry like this.

Staring at me dumbfounded, he abruptly put some distance between us, but took me by the hand and took me away from the ballroom. Ignoring everyone else. He kept walking fast and making me have to run in those heels, as I tried to walk in the same pace as him.

"Where are you taking me, you psychopath?" I muttered.

"…"

"Why are your legs so damn long? For fuck's sake. You are almost running, jerk. Have you forgot that my legs are shorter than yours? Are you…" he didn't let me finish, as he turned around and threw me over his shoulder, with his hands on the back of my tights. "Gods above, put me down, Dimitri. Have you lost your mind? If someone sees us they will think the worse!"

"…"

It was kind of hard to see being upside-down, but I recognized the way he was going as being the way for the indoor garden. "Don't go there. Jade's there! If you try anything against her again, I'm going to fucking kill you!" I hissed.

Ignoring me, he entered the indoor garden and headed to the tall table where I usually eat when I want to get away from everyone else.

"Dimitri, damn it, if you try anything, I swear to Gods, I'll really fucking kill you!" That was it.

He made me seat on the table and when I saw the way he stared at me, it really have me goosebumps. "Then do it," he exclaimed in a slow tone, making his voice sound deeper. "Do it, Isabelle!" He yelled furious.

"What are you…" again, he stopped me from finishing the sentence… as he slammed his lips against mine aggressively.