zosia-posts

[zosia-posts]

"The Greens didn't kill innocent people"

Those are two of the innocent people (Specifically lords and ladies) the Greens killed before the war started

They knew the meaning of loyalty, they were loyal to Viserys and Rhaenyra and look what they did to them

Team Green, Smallfolk, Natural where are you? Why is no one talking about what they did to them? Are they not innocent?

#house of the dragon #hotd #lord beesbury #lord Caswell #pro team black #team black #anti green stans #anti greens

[zosia-posts]

I love how the Greens are saying constantly that Nyra is fat as an insult (after 6 pregnancies) but actually only Aegon ii and Helaena were described in the books as being fat and unattractive.😒

And they are actually people who are Team Green or Natural who will still complain that the showrunners are Team Black "because they made Aegon ii a rapist, when he was actually not"

Basically, the main reason why you find people who stan the Greens:

At least this guy had the courage to admit it.

I blame the showrunners for this.

They hire someone like Olivia Cooke to portray Alicent and then obsess about her beauty, put her in the spotlight and turn her into a sex symbol. And you see people actually falling for that.

Olivia Cooke is like 30 (younger than Emma D’Arcy even), and she is portraying a character who is supposed to be in her 40s at the time of the Dance.

Not to mention how ridiculous it is that the actress is only two years older than the actor portraying her on-screen son.

The pro-Green agenda of Ryan Condal and Sara Hess looks like this:

1. Get the sexiest possible actress to play a whinier, Virgin Mary version of the real Alicent Hightower (even though in book canon, she was never described as an actual beauty. She remained slim after four pregnancies. That doesn’t make you beautiful), and eliminate any notion that she wanted power, so you can make sure that people sympathize with her.

2. Come up with the idea that Aemond was bullied (even though he was the bully in canon).

3. Instead of respecting canon and making Aegon a lazy and fat drunk, give him daddy issues and attempt to “justify” his harassment of women.

4. Make Helaena a dreamer, so she can be more relevant (but she’s not).

Get the picture?

Rhaenyra Targaryen is clearly described as a very feminine person in the book, who loved dresses and jewels, and she had a very girlish personality (in no way did she want to be a knight, or a boy, LOL). She should have been portrayed as such.

I am tired of showrunners who use their money and connections to make their own fanfic out of a canon story. There are many sites for that where you can write how much you think the Greens are “misunderstood creatures” or how you think they should have won.

If you’re incapable of being non-biased when running a show who is supposed to follow a completed source, then just stay out of it.

#house of the dragon #hotd #team black #pro team black #anti hotd #anti ryan condal #anti sara hess #asoiaf #anti team green #The showrunners are Team Olivia Cooke

[zosia-posts]

Louder for the people in the back

With House of the Dragon second season about to air the conversation of fans not being able to separate the actors from the characters has come up once again. Especially with the show leaning more and more into the whole Team Black VS Team Green thing. First thing is involving Matt Smith. Matt Smith has been getting tons and tons of hate since season 1 from people are Team Green stans. They've talked about his appearance, created rumors about him being a groomer and they look for any opportunity to twist his words in interviews to try and make him look bad simply because they don't like Daemon Targaryen.

Harry Collett has also been receiving a ton of hate because he has been pro Team Black. People have also insulted his appearance, his acting and have even created rumors that slept with the director to get his role Jaehaerys, people have even wished the worst on his life. Emma D'Arcy is non binary and people have purposely disregarded to disrespect them. And of course the black actors who play Rhaena, Baela and Corlys have all been subjected to racism from stans and recently Bethany Antonia has publicly addressed a racist message she received.

The only thing I have to ask is what is wrong with you all. These people are not their characters and them participating in the who Team Black VS Team Green thing and choosing to side with the team that their characters are apart of doesn't mean that you get to disrespect them. It's insane going on Twitter and seeing how much hate some of these actors get because fans are incapable of separating the show from reality. You do not get to be racist, homophobic, transphobic and misogynistic because you have a personal problem with people who have never done anything to you. House of the Dragon is not real but the actors that play the characters in the show are and they do not deserve the hate that they're getting. A lot of yall need to put your phones down and go outside. This is not starting to get ridiculous, it's been ridiculous.

#house of the dragon #hotd #daemon targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #baela targaryen #team black #louder for the people in the back #anti green stans #icon

[zosia-posts]

I can't- 🤣

They started the Anti Hightowers fan club and I'm here for it 😂

#house of the dragon #hotd #anti Hightowers #daemon targaryen #visenya targaryen #maegor targaryen

[zosia-posts]

Lord Lyman Beesbury was the GOAT

#house of the dragon #Lord Beesbury #rhaenyra targaryen #hotd #viserys targaryen #king viserys #team rhaenyra targaryen #team black #Justice for Lord Beesbury #anti criston cole

[zosia-posts]

No I'm sorry is just you. I'm pretty sure you have read many archiveofourown, wattpad, tumblr stories that made you a "little" biased for that decision after you watched hotd again. 🤔🤨😁

Not me being hardcore team black but gradually becoming team green after a house of the dragon rewatch

Anyone else start team black then switched over?

#house of the dragon #hotd #Thats what I was talking about #People are so horny nonedays 😂

[zosia-posts]

I'm ready to say the hard truth that some fans can't accept..... Aemond Targaryen is not great😁

He is nothing, his fans (mostly women) just have that fantasy about him.💀 Also they are many people who have wrote about him that makes others think that he is all great and stuff. The truth is he is not that "badass sword man" you have all Aemond fangirls in you're head, he is just a pathetic, psycho, idiotic little boy who likes to play soldier and loses all the time when he actually starts fighting someone whith battle and war experience.😁

Every time I see another delusional Aemond fan defending him: (I have 5 different reactions EVERY TIME)

#house of the dragon #hotd #Aemond fans are delulu #Im very disappointed about women taste to men #He is so pathetic #I don't see why everyone is obsessed with him? #anti aemond targaryen #anti aemond stans #team black

[zosia-posts]

"Not interest in this post" Do you hear me TUMBLR????

I don't wanna read or see anything related about those delusionals Team Green fans! My day and nights are getting ruined!

And for what I have learned with killing my time and reading what they write, those fans are either delusional, misogynistic, creepy, blind,hypocritical, emotional manipulative, horny, idiotic. They're is literally nothing interesting about them so Tumblr I don't wanna read how they're "brain" works.

I have seen for 1 year now that they are more Team Greens out there than they were in the past.

The reason is because they like to draw and write about them in a certain way that makes them more "sympathetic", "innocent", "martys" to people. It's actually very scary because for some people out there who claim that they are Team Natural or Team Smallfolk (Let's be real those who say that, are just Team Greens the only difference is that they are horny for Daemon too) is actually working!

People have made all this complicated scenario in they're minds about The Greens, trying to change them so they can make them fit more into they're sexual fantasies that they have about them, (Especially Aemond, Aegon ii, Alicent) so that they can support them in public and in themselves without being judged or feeling weird about liking those kind of characters.

Do you like rapists, mentally/physically abusers and hypocritical people? That turns you on?Alright, fine. BUT don't you dare try to justify THAT by start manipulate everyone into thinking that you are right for that decision (Like blame Rhaenyra for everything, even thought you know the truth you just like to fool yourself) and everyone else who supports Rhaenyra Targaryen is wrong.

#house of the dragon #hotd #Tumblr is Team Green they're is no other explanation #Tumblr you are getting on my nerves #Stop it #anti green stans #anti greens #team black #team Rhaenyra Targaryen

[zosia-posts]

Team Green is so angry that the actors didn't have anything better to say about they're characters 😂🤭

It's so funny because the truth is they're isn't anything good to say and even they know it. Just because they are playing a role doesn't mean they have the same morals as they're characters.

I'm sorry Greens but the actors/actress are not as crazy and mentally as you, in the end of the day they are just doing they're job which is acting

And I still see many Greens trying again to blame the cast of Team Black for what the actors didn't say (Or like didn't say what they wanted to hear) about they're characters and for some reason they again blame Rhaenyra...😒 They do come up with amazing stories it's so laughable! 🤣👏

#house of the dragon #hotd #anti green stans #their hate for rhaenyra goes so deep they refuse to process what the literal author the creators of the show and the actor say #team black #team rhaenyra

[zosia-posts]

My man was so heartbroken he killed his whole gang for Dan😭💖

#3:10 to yuma #Ben wade #Dan Evans #Ben avenged Evans #let's goooo

[zosia-posts]

I feel like they f*cked but I don't know how to prove it 😅🥵

They're chemistry is just - 🔥

Don't worry honey he makes me nervous too 🔥

#3:10 to yuma #Dan Evans #Ben Wade

[zosia-posts]

Ladies and Gentlemen my favorite "drunk" artist

I don't know why but I'm getting quite obsessed with him!😭✨️

His voice is just-🥵🔥

#declan howell #i'm obsessed #he is so hot #the marvelous mrs maisel #he was only in one episode but he still stole the show #Spotify

[zosia-posts]

And some people still have the nerve to say that "Alicent didn't humiliate her" or "She didn't mean too", "Rhaenyra didn't have to make a scene"

After the show (and when they started writing about Daemon × reader, Aemond × reader, Rhaenyra × Alicent) people started hating on Rhaenyra with passion for no reason at all!

And then I realized that they are so many stupid people out there!And I didn't even know! I mean as a character everything she did was wrong to them!😂😒

Even if when she breathed I'm pretty sure they would still find a way to turned that against her like "You are breathing the wrong way! Stop it!"

But if it's about Alicent, Aemond, Aegon ii or Daeron they would find the most idiotics ways to defend them about all the horrible things they have done! (And then AGAIN blame Rhaenyra for what they did)

And in the end they still have the nerve to say Team Black are being "biased"?😒 Have you all read or hear what you say? 🤨

#house of the dragon #hotd #rhaenyra targaryen #That woman has gone through worse than all the Greens combined #The Greens are stupid #end of the story #team black #team rhaenyra #anti alicent stans #anti alicent hightower

[zosia-posts]

Gifs are not mine

He is so hot!!! Why aren't people writing about him??

#Declan Howell #the marvelous mrs maisel #He is so hot #rufus sewell

[zosia-posts]

HE WAS LOOKING AT RHAENYRA!!!!

look at his face

A CUTIE PIE

#house of the dragon #hotd #fire and blood #daemon targaryen #Rhaenyra targaryen #I love the way he was looking at her

[zosia-posts]

What makes me angry is that Aegon ii, Aemond, Daeron, Helaena where raised as Hightowers! Not Targaryens!

That's why I stand by the belief that they are NOT true Targaryens, it's not because they're mother is a Hightower BUT because that same mother didn't RESPECT the family she was married into and forced her kids into Andals with Targaryen features. Her husband was a Targaryen King she married into that, her children needed to be raised as Targaryens not Hightowers!

Aemond may have loved reading a lot of books (as his fans like to reminds us) but the truth is he wasn't raised to be a proper Targaryen prince, so I can't exactly see him as a True Targaryen prince.

The ONLY true Targaryens were Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon iii, Viserys ii, Baela and Rheana THEY were raised as Targaryens by they're mother Rhaenyra Targaryen and they're father Daemon Targaryen.

#house of the dragon #hotd #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #jacaerys targaryen #lucerys velaryon #baela targaryen #rhaena targaryen #Alicents children were not True Targaryens #sorry not sorry #They were Andals #team black #Team Targaryen

[zosia-posts]

But I thought Colin didn't say anything?😅

If she had a problem with him she could talk to him without being childish and hateful without any reason(He literally hasn't done anything to her). I mean.... She does everything in her power for Colin to hate her. I also don't like how she blames him for everything! 😭😅😂

Chapter 5: I fear I have fallen from grace

series masterlist previous part || next part

pairing: colin bridgerton x enemy!fem!reader WC: 3.4k words

Warnings: period-typical gender roles, a small part of the dialogue is in French, our girl is in her feels asf, some small hints of ~feelings~, Eloise being the best

Summary: It took precisely two days in England for you to utterly despise Colin Bridgerton. It took him approximately twelve hours after that to hate you right back. But he doesn't care that you're the only person in the ton who doesn't like him. You're set to marry someone else anyway, right?

May 23, 1816 – Of course, this author saved the most scandalous tidbit for last. It seems something dark lurked beneath the waters of the seemingly perfect courtship of Lady Montclair and Lord Barlow. Yesterday evening, Lady Montclair retired early from the Bridgerton ball, citing a debilitating headache as the reason for her early departure.

And the Duke… Well, this author can say that he had a very productive evening, indeed. A quick trip to the private Bridgerton courtyard found him locking lips with Lady Barrington in what seemed like a very passionate affair. 

But what of Lady Montclair? One can be certain she has deftly avoided a most unfortunate situation, for what use is a Duke if he is not truly yours? Shall we witness Lady Montclair's endeavors for another match this season, or perhaps she will retreat to the sunlit hills of Tuscany? Hopefully, today’s races will reveal more about her intentions.

You crumpled the gossip column in your hands, eyes wide in shock as you felt your heartbeat in your ears. It seemed like the walls of your bedroom were closing in around you as tears blurred your vision. Surely this couldn’t be true. Surely Lord Barlow hadn’t completely betrayed you so far into your courtship. There had to be another explanation. 

The longer you read and re-read Lady Whistledown’s words, the more you needed to convince yourself that they weren’t real. You felt anger rising in your chest, your chest constricting as your breathing quickened. It had to be Louis. There was absolutely no universe in which you got so close to getting everything you had worked for only for it to be taken away from you in such an unceremonious way. 

You felt tears prickling your eyes and aggressively wiped them away, too angry to care about your appearance. 

Standing abruptly and rushing to your door, you slammed it open and yelled into the hallway, “Louis!” 

If he had somehow managed to create a fake Whistledown column as his idea of a sick joke, you were quite ready to kill him. But this was your only hope. It had to be him.

Not receiving a response from your brother, you desperately screamed out, “Je vais te crever !” (I’m going to kill you!)

Rushing out of his room, bewildered at your agitated state, Louis stopped in front of your open door. “Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas chez toi ? Arrête de crier.” (What the hell is your problem? Stop yelling.)

You shoved the crumpled gossip sheet into his chest, forcing him to take a step back with the force of your push. He steadied himself on your doorframe, a questioning look on his face, and you felt your hope dwindling.

Shoving the paper into him once again, you cried, “T'as vu ça? C'était toi qui as fait ça?” (Have you seen this? Did you do this?) Tears were streaming down your face as you unsuccessfully tried to contain your emotions.

Though it certainly would have been cruel of Louis, you wished more than anything that he had been the one to do this. That Lord Barlow's betrayal wasn’t real. That you would go to the races today and see the Duke and that he would greet you with a soft kiss on the back of your hand as the two of you walked pleasantly. 

But your hopes quickly came crumbling down. Louis looked as confused as you felt, and you came to the realization that Whistledown’s words were, in fact, accurate. You choked back a sob, covering your mouth with the back of your hand as you fought to keep yourself under control. 

“Attends, attends,” Louis said nervously (Hold on, hold on). 

Recognizing that you were very much in the middle of a crisis, but having absolutely no idea why, he grabbed your hands and gently pushed you back into your room. Sitting you both down on your bed, he took the paper from your hands and smoothed it out to read as he placed a comforting arm around you, rubbing your arm up and down. 

His comforting touch did away with the last of your resolve. You started crying freely, and you could do nothing but sob into his shoulder as he read, feeling him tense as his eyes scanned the words on the page.

As he got to the part where Lady Whistledown outlined the Duke’s promiscuity, he abruptly stood up, face contorted in what you knew to be fury. You would have been relieved that it wasn’t aimed at you just this once if your situation wasn’t so dire. 

“Putain,” he muttered under his breath (Fuck).

He grabbed your hand and dragged you down the stairs with him as fast as possible. You stumbled after him, anxiety mounting as you realized he was taking you to your mother. 

What would she think now that you had lost everything? You and the Duke were finished, evidently. But you were still unmarried. You were still out in society. Could you even bear the shame of having been rejected by Andrew? Would any gentleman ever look at you again, or would Lord Barlow’s impatience reflect too negatively on you?

After what felt like an eternity, you reached the open doorway of the sitting room. You could see your mother chatting pleasantly inside, and fear gripped your chest as you realized you were about to shatter any semblance of peace she might be feeling right now.

“Maman!” yelled Louis angrily as he stormed into the room, still clutching your hand.

Your mother let out a startled gasp, bringing a hand to her chest.

“Louis, darling, you scared me! Charlotte and Edward are here,” she said warmly, assuming that you and your brother were having nothing more than another silly argument that would be resolved in a matter of minutes. 

But Louis was not in the mood for pleasantries. 

“Y/N and the Duke are finished,” he announced, slamming the Whistledown column on the table in the middle of the room. 

You sniffled as you saw the looks of confusion on your family’s faces, no longer crying but your breathing was still uneven.

“Pardon?” questioned Charlotte. “I don’t understand; I saw them dancing last night! She’ll be lucky to receive a proposal this week.”

“He’ll be lucky if I don’t kill him,” growled your brother. 

“Louis!” your mother snapped, appalled by his language. “That is not-”

But Louis quickly interrupted, reading directly from the sheet in front of him.

“And the Duke… Well, this author can say that he had a very productive evening, indeed. A quick trip to the private Bridgerton courtyard…”

As your brother read, you saw the faces in the room slowly turn from confused to horrified, and you couldn’t help the choked sob that escaped your lips. Your mother quickly reached out to you, holding you tightly to her as you cried into her dress.

“Bloody bastard,” said Edward, shaking his head once Louis was finished reading. No one commented on his strong language, given that it encapsulated exactly how everyone else was feeling. 

“Louis, go fetch your father,” ordered your mother, immediately falling into her protective mode. 

Without complaint, Louis nodded and headed toward your father’s office. 

"Y/N, my love, I do apologize terribly. We didn't catch a glimpse of anything last night," Charlotte insisted, sinking beside you on the settee.

"If I'd laid eyes on him in that courtyard last night, he'd be wishing he hadn't walked out of there," your mother grumbled with an edge to her voice.

Slightly unsure about how to react to three emotional women in one room who seemed ready to kill a man, Edward fidgeted while he decided what to do. Of course, he knew he wasn’t the duke you wanted to kill, but it couldn’t hurt to be on the safe side.

“Shall I ring for some tea? Yes, I think I’ll go fetch some tea,” he bumbled, awkwardly patting you on the head and making his escape toward the kitchen. 

As Charlotte stroked your hair and your mother held you in her arms, you heard your father’s footsteps storming down the hall. 

“Louis has explained everything,” Philippe said, crossing his arms as he entered the sitting room. “Y/N, you must go to the races today.”

You no longer had any prospects and all your father could think about were the horse races today. Was he serious? 

“I can’t!” you argued. “I’ll be a pariah! Everyone knows I’m the girl who couldn’t keep a Duke.” You choked back a sob. 

“What exactly happened between you two last night?” probed your mother, wanting to know just how badly your reputation was damaged. 

Lady Whistledown’s account did not implicate you in any way, but Catherine knew how vicious the ton could be. She needed to know what level of damage control would be necessary to secure your standing in society.

“Nothing!” you insisted, sniffling. “He said he liked my necklace, we danced, and he asked to go outside. I was unsure about whether he wanted to propose or… do whatever he ended up doing with Miss Barrington.”

Louis’ eyebrows shot up, disbelief and newfound anger taking over his features. “He asked you to go to the courtyard with him? Alone?”

“Surely you said no! That’s ridiculous!” exclaimed Charlotte, equally as upset.

“I told him I had a headache and couldn’t stay the rest of the evening,” you said, fiddling with the hem of your dress nervously. “I don’t know what I did wrong! Should I have gone with him? Did I lose my only chance at a proposal?”

“You’ve certainly done nothing wrong,” your father shot back firmly. “No daughter of mine would act in such a crass manner, and the Duke’s shortcomings are most definitely not a reflection on you. Nor us.”

Your mother sighed. “He’s right, dearest. The Duke is simply a man lacking in character, and now the ton knows he is not to be trusted. It’s a horrible thing, what he did. But you’re not at fault,” she insisted, looking at your father. “Which is why you must attend the races today.”

You groaned at the prospect of facing the ton with their judgmental stares and wagging tongues. What your parents were saying made sense, though. You rubbed your temples, frustrated that you were now in such a precarious social standing. 

Perhaps you had been right at the beginning of the season. Lord Barlow, along with Colin and Nigel and the rest of them, viewed women merely as breeding stock. There was nothing in it for you. No hope of romance, no hope of ever finding someone who could respect you. 

“If you stay home today everyone will wonder if you somehow were involved,” chimed in Charlotte, ignoring your glare. “If you go and act like nothing is wrong, you can prove that the Duke is nothing but a man with a debilitating lack of self-control.”

You looked around to the rest of your family, who all seemed to agree with your sister. 

However, seeing Edward walk back into the room followed by a lady’s maid carrying a tray, you tried one last time to get out of leaving your home today, or for the next three years.

“What about you, Edward? Do you think it’s a bad idea to go to the races today?”

“Oh, certainly not! In fact, it might be the best way to assure your future,” he said sympathetically. 

You threw your head back in frustration. He had probably heard the conversation as he walked up and didn’t want to disagree with the rest of your family, you thought glumly. Nevertheless feeling quite defeated, you slumped back in your seat and crossed your arms.

“Fine. I’ll go,” you conceded as if you even had a choice. 

The horrible feeling in your chest had subsided somewhat, but you were still devastated. At least your family was on your side. However, you were still feeling dreadfully embarrassed, and you knew being out in plain view today would only make it worse. 

---

“And you saw them?” asked Eloise, a disturbed look on her face as she walked toward the bustling paddock. 

Colin nodded, careful to keep his voice down. “I wish I could claw my eyes out. I think his tongue was so far down that-”

“Colin!” scolded Violet, failing to hide her small giggle at her son’s retelling of the previous night. 

“I’m sorry, Mother, but it was a horrific sight!” said Colin, also struggling to contain his laughter. 

But as soon as your family came into view, the Bridgertons sobered. It might have seemed funny at the moment, but Lord Barlow’s actions had the potential to ruin your future. It was doubtful that they would, since you were from a titled family and had done nothing wrong, but Colin could sense the whispers and pointed looks aimed at you as you walked toward the racetrack. 

“Oh, Y/N!” called Eloise, quickly leaving her family as she rushed to your side. “Colin’s just told me what happened. He found Lord Barlow in the courtyard last night! Are you alright?”

Colin felt a bit ashamed of himself for making light of the situation as he saw tears welling in your eyes at his sister's words. The regret gnawed at him; he wished he could have told you himself, or at least had his mother break the news more gently. Yet, time had been against them.

For all the sorrow he felt at seeing you hurt, a selfish part of him couldn't help but feel a flicker of relief that the impending marriage was off the table. But he quickly quashed that thought, not quite sure where it had come from and not caring to understand why he felt this way.

You blinked quickly to try to keep your tears from spilling as you looked at Eloise making her way to your side. Taking a few deep breaths, you grabbed onto her hand. Nodding at the rest of your family, you waited until they were a few paces ahead of you to answer Eloise.

“Oh, El, it’s dreadful,” you sniffled. “I don’t know what I did to lose him is the worst part. I can barely believe it. I thought it was Louis at first, trying to wind me up.”

Eloise cooed sympathetically. “I know, it must be horrible. I have no idea how he managed to get into our private courtyard. But at least he hadn’t proposed yet! Seeing the kind of man Lord Barlow is, it’s lucky that this happened now and not three months into your marriage.”

“I suppose,” you answered, not quite ready to see the positives in the situation yet. 

Suddenly, you heard snickering behind you and turned to see two women who looked to be your age pointing at you and talking in hushed tones. 

Turning around back to Eloise, you hissed, “The nerve! Why are they laughing at me? It’s Lord Barlow they should be laughing at.”

“I assume they would be if he was here.”

“He’s not here?”

“No one’s heard from him since last night,” Eloise remarked, linking her arm with yours as she guided you back to the stands. “And it’s all for the better. I daresay I might have given him a swift kick to the face if I laid eyes on him today.”

You chuckled, the first glimmer of lightness since reading Lady Whistledown this morning, thankful for Eloise’s friendship. Giving her arm a grateful squeeze, you found comfort in her mischievous smile.

“Our mothers are likely already planning the Duke’s demise as we speak,” she quipped, gesturing towards where your families were seated together.

But a deep weariness overtook you at the thought of being the subject of ton gossip for the next few days. “It’s all anyone’s going to be talking about for the next week, isn’t it?” you sighed.

Eloise’s heart twinged with empathy, knowing the delicate balance you now faced in the unforgiving eyes of society. She wished desperately that your worth wasn’t tied to another man’s title or fortune.

“Well, actually,” she began with a twinkle in her eye, “the real scandal will be that the beautiful Lady Y/N Montclair is still unclaimed by any suitor. You’re in a prime position to be selective now! It might just be a bit of fun.” 

You shot her a wry look. “How much more selective can I get than a duke?”

Eloise was intimately familiar with the high pressure you faced to get married. She knew that you had been preparing for this your entire life, but she also suspected you weren’t entirely aligned with your parents’ view of marriage. She had seen the uncertainty in your gaze whenever Lord Barlow walked away, the fluttering nerves you disguised as excitement.

“Tell me honestly,” she pressed gently. “Is there not a small part of you, deep down, that feels a sense of relief now that your courtship with the Duke has ended?”

Pausing thoughtfully, you mulled over her words. Maybe you weren’t actually as attached to Lord Barlow as you thought. After all, you weren’t upset that you had lost him, only that he had embarrassed you and that you had to begin your search for a husband anew. 

With a tentative smile, you nodded, admitting, “Just don’t let my mother hear you say that.”

Stepping onto the stands, you and Eloise quickly found your way to your families. Unfortunately, the only empty seats were next to Colin. You were tempted to turn around and leave, but Eloise placed a hand on your back and pushed you forward, forcing you next to your least favorite member of the ton. 

You unsuccessfully tried to hide your disdain as you sat next to Colin, who looked the picture of serenity. It made you unreasonably angry that he seemed completely unaffected by last night’s events while you had to face the social repercussions. 

“I’m sorry about Lord Barlow,” he spoke softly, a hint of sincerity in his voice that caught you off guard.

You hesitated, the anger in you momentarily waning as you looked at him. It was a rare moment of vulnerability from Colin Bridgerton, and you found yourself unexpectedly moved.

“I’m sure you are,” you shot back, tone more biting than you intended.

“Pardon?” Colin’s brow furrowed, a touch of offense creeping into his voice at your sharp retort.

“Oh, spare me,” you rolled your eyes, a familiar frustration you only felt around Colin coming back to you. “You expect me to believe you just happened upon the Duke and Miss Barrington? It’s a bit too convenient, don’t you think?”

Colin’s eyes widened, a flicker of hurt crossing his features before it was masked by indignation. Did you really think he was capable of something like that? Of making up a lie that would sabotage your future marriage to a duke? The thought stung more than he cared to admit.

“Other people saw them, you know,” he retorted, a hint of anger seeping into his words. “And I wouldn’t lie about something like that,” he snapped.

The two of you had spent enough time that he was thoroughly offended that you thought so lowly of him. You were just entrenched in your grudge against him and refused to budge. He regretted trying to be agreeable at all. 

“Really?” You raised an eyebrow skeptically, feeling your own anger rise in response. “So they just magically appeared in your private courtyard without being given access?”

Colin opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He was too angry, too upset that you thought so lowly of him.

“Fine,” he finally bit out, his jaw clenched. “Believe what you will.”

Colin turned away, unable to face you any longer. His reputation among the ton be damned; why did you think he was some kind of monster? He supposed he hadn’t made a good case for himself, tormenting you whenever possible, but he was still furious that you were acting like Lord Barlow’s actions were somehow his fault. Why was he chronically unable to be in your good graces?

—

previous part || next part || buy me a ko-fi!

Tag List (get added here): @marvelspogue @5sosmakesmelaugh5 @maddiebaddie1 @livingthatprovinciallife @willieoo @jessica-1120 @dreadity @h0eforwadewilson @ziarah @wordsgodeep @mrs-c-bridgerton @dianxiaxiexie @like-gabriel-and-castiel @snapeeballsack @sosasi521-blog @saturnssunflower @indecisive-empanada @invisible-dreamers-world @angerpearl @ssexsellls @smugrogerina @cherrysxuya @theonekaysstuff @idkwhatimdoing6 @ella33 @tiger1357890 @mswwvaleska @bozoqt @unadulteratedwolfcrown @anthonylockwoodandco111 @beamuont @adxrekyun @stevenwithav01 @peter-parker-tony-stank-trash @none-of-this-makes-any-sense @superhighschoollevelnerd-blog1 @patty2191 @expensiveinnocentgurl @erysione @hockeybabestars @inkwriter122 @nighttimemoonlover @chamomiletea-beforebed @sydneygal3107 @alexendria-rose @watersevn @funalpaca @babypink224221 @littlecoffeeadict @agoldenwoe