One of the major homos 🏳️‍🌈

You walk into the foyer, frowning to yourself. A sigh leaves your lips as you look around and groan again. 

How was this place so enormous?

The marble floor beneath your feet is cold, contrasting the warmth ebbing from the fireplace in the room. It was odd, one castle having so many, but you didn’t think much of it at the time you arrived. 

Hell, you didn't think much of it now and you'd been there for a week. Cassandra Dimitrescu had been your best friend for as long as you could remember, being that you’d met at the fancy boarding school you’d been shipped off to. (Your words, not Cass's.) You both didn’t exactly fit in at school and found comfort within your friendship over the years. 

So with your senior year of college freshly wrapped, Cass took it upon herself to invite you back to Romania for the summer. You’d heard stories of the elusive Dimitrescu castle, and had always wanted to see it. But you enjoyed your time with Cassandra at school and most of the time forgot she literally lived an entire content away.  

As for her sisters, in your mind Daniela was pleasant if not a little bit childish and Bela, while older than you and Cassandra both, was friendly enough. You had scream-sung Taylor Swift together at a handful of parties. Even caught Bela once when she consumed enough beer to rival a frat boy, and fell off the counter she was dancing on. 

Ever since? You’d been decent friends. 

Now here you stood, dripping wet, standing in a towel, and looking around the damn foyer for the eightieth time. 

Seriously, who lived like this? 

It was odd to think about.. Your friends growing up here. They were level headed enough…. Minus the wicked tempers. 

“Are you lost, Y/N?” 

You squeaked and whirled around, nearly dropping the towel you clutched to your body. The girl’s mother was there, smirking at you. She’d been doing it since you got here, making you flush every time you were around the elusive countess. 

Which was so ridiculous… on so many levels. 

“I uh…. Y-yes?” You stammered. 

Lady Dimitrescu’s eyebrow arched in amusement, heels clicking on the floor as she sauntered to you, “Oh? You look rather wet, Y/N.” Her tongue clicks after she says it and it nearly sends a shock wave through you. 

"I literally have the brain of a thirteen year old boy," You think.

Your cheeks flush deeply. “I um… I showered, in Cass’s room? Because the room you’re letting me stay in... Uh the shower it's uh... it's still broken, and um I was walking back? And I got lost — This castle is huge so it’s not hard.” Your cheeks flush harder as Alcina gives you a once over. 

You couldn't even answer a simple question around her. Ugh. God you felt like a useless lesbian.

“So you showered in Cassandra’s room?” Her voice is almost teasing, playful. You rarely hear her like this. (Given that your room is literally in The Countess’s wing of the castle… something about the other’s being renovated?) You’d heard a handful of angry phone calls with a man she frequently called a ‘Stupid manthing’. 

You were happy to not be on the end of that wrath. 

However you had made her smile twice. Simply by asking how she slept while you sat at breakfast with the four Dimitrescu women.... And that was enough to make you want to stay on her good side forever. Which…. In turn flooded your system with more guilt. This was Cass’s MOTHER, and felt horrible that you were attracted to her. 

“I showered in her room, yeah.. But like… nothing weird, if that's what you're thinking." You mumble.

The Countess seemed more amused with you, “Should I be concerned, Y/N? Do we need to have a chat over you lusting after my precious daughter?” 

You gave her a disgusted look for a second, and righted your face quickly, “Uh, no. I love Cass. But I’ve held her hair back one too many times after pa—” You stop yourself quickly. While The Dimitrescu family was famous for their top tier wine you had no idea how this woman would react to her 'precious' daughter partying with you.

The Lady’s face grew curious, “After?” 

The blush on your face spread down to your neck, horror taking over your body. “After she had the flu?” You tried.

Lady Dimitrescu eyed you carefully, scanning your face with enough scrutiny to make you squirm.If she knew you were lying, she was polite enough not to call you on it. Which only made sense, as she was a Countess. Royal manners and whatnot?

The Lady's face dropped, sending a chill down your spine, “You’re lying. There’s nothing I hate more than a liar.” 

You squeaked again, “S-sorry, Lady Dimitrescu, parties. College. Stupid mistakes.”

The Lady seemed pleased, shoulders relaxing slightly. "It's only natural, I'm quite aware of my girls and their... habits." She winks at you. You nearly fall over.

You need to steer this, stat or risk actually passing out in the foyer.

“Could you um, tell me how to get back to my room? I think I might be lost forever if you don’t and you said there’s some sort of fancy dinner right? I think I’d like to be clothed for that.” You mumble. 

The taller woman laughs softly, intrigue taking over her features. Not that you notice. Lady Dimitrescu sends you looks constantly that you don’t seem to notice — Your oblivious nature intrigues her — as does your blatant disdain of your own appearance and tendency to not be frightened by her — but... rather affected.

“I would be happy to escort you there, Y/N.” 

Your eyes go wide, “O-oh! No... that’s okay if you just—” 

Her larger hand grasps your wrist, and it immediately shuts you up. “I insist, would you allow me to show you there, sweet girl?” 

You stammer but somehow choke out a yes. 

She wasn’t asking, that much you knew.

You follow her through dark corridors, your eyes traveling the length of her usual white dress, suddenly wondering if the buttons on the back actually undo it.  As you walk you distract yourself by watching maids scurrying about. As you pass by them, they curtsy at the countess and nearly shove themselves into the wall. 

Another odd thing about this place. You couldn’t put your finger on what, but you watched enough horror films to assume it was probably cursed or something. Lady Dimitrescu leads you into a hall that looks mildly familiar, hand dropping your wrist. You almost frown, but catch yourself. 

The Countess stands there as you lose yourself to your thoughts, smirking down at you. 

“Are you going to go inside?” Her voice snaps your attention to the present, and as you look up her smirk makes your heart rate pick up. “Or are you going to drip on my floors all day? It’s going to cause quite a mess for the maids—” 

“S-sorry! I was thinking about what to wear tonight. You said formal, but like.. How formal is formal? Cass had me bring a handful of dresses citing that I ‘looked too good not to’ but I don’t think they’re…… uh formal. Exactly.” 

The Countess doesn’t miss a beat, “I was alerted to this, and picked out something I find suitable. I hope you do, as well.” Her voice holds the normal confidence it always does, and yet something about the way she says it makes your chest explode with warmth. 

“I’m sure I will, thanks again, Lady Dimitrescu.” 

She gives you a curt nod, “I will see you at dinner.” 

As you slip inside your room, you find everything to be the way you left it. Clothes strewn about, suitcase sitting on a table that cost more than your life. The only difference was the white dress on the bed.

There’s a note on top of it. You picked it up carefully and the scent of Jasmine, honey, and oud. You knew immediately. It was from her and simply signed. 

-A