chapter 1

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~mari knows all~

MARINETTE WAS ECSTATIC FOR THE ARRIVAL of a new Graceling. Princess Chloe was great company and so was Nino and Luka, but she was overjoyed to have a potential Graceling friend that wasn't a boy. Sure, she liked spending time with the other Gracelings, but besides Nino and Luka, all the other Gracelings were younger than her. And she was barely twelve! Patently put, she was happy about the arrival of this new Graceling.

Until she realized that this new Graceling was Lila Rossi, infamous for "dating" Prince Dick Grayson, and for countless other things that just didn't add up. But Marinette would keep her mind open until she met Lila Rossi.

જ⁀➴°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:・જ⁀➴

Marinette had just gotten out of the shower and was being helped into her dress (that she had made) by her maid and friend, Emma, when she got a text from the group chat (cleverly dubbed 'The Better ones' by Chloe).

QueenChloe- mars! The new Graceling is coming in 30mins!!

QueenChloe- HURRY UP MARS

Marinette laughed. It was just like Chloe to rush her. In reality, she really had 45 minutes, but Chloe knew she would spend at least fifteen minutes doing her hair.

LmukaTheSnake- yeah mars bar Chloe is goingto bite ur head off

MarsBar- im coming hold ur horses

She typed into the chat. And then, she quickly brushed her hair while Emma did her very light makeup. Marinette was a Graceling living at the palace. She needed to look her best no matter how much she hated it.

"Thanks Emma!" Marinette called as she walked to the stairs.

"You're welcome, Lady Marinette, some advice: don't believe everything you hear about Miss Lila." Emma said, forehead wrinkled like she detested the very thought of Marinette meeting her.

Miss Lila, not Lady Lila?

"Alright, thanks Emma."

જ⁀➴°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:・જ⁀➴

Marinette walked down the staircase in record time, Chloe would be happy. And she couldn't wait to meet this new Graceling, supposedly the daughter of an Italian diplomat and supposedly dating the infamous Adrien Agreste, the son of the Graced fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste. Which was absolute horse poop, since Adrien Agreste wasn't even allowed outside the house!

Marinette took her place, on her left was Nino and her right was a girl named Kelly. The Gracelings had practiced this method of lining up in age order for all the time that she had been there. And she had been there since she was two.

Luka was at the very beginning, on the left side of the court and Asher was on the very right of the court, he was five and with agility. Of course there were younger Gracelings, but all of them were too young to be standing for too long.

The voice of Chloe's father, king of France, shook her out of her thoughts.

"Welcome, Lady Lila, I am King Andrè."

How could you tell? No, obviously you're the king, who else would you be, the Joker of Gotham?!

"Thank you for inviting me, my king. I am honoured to be here." Lila's words felt harsh and not at all like what she expected. "My Grace is still unknown, your majesty."

Oh, Marinette now realized Lila's game. Her words felt like honey and sugar to the ears, she enchanted people with her very words. That was why Marinette felt so uncomfortable listening to Lila. 'Nature is the antithesis of lies.' Lila had tricked, gaslighted and manipulated her way into everything. That was Lila's Grace. It was so very lucky that Marinette's Grace contradicted Lila's, otherwise it would be so hard to rip free of her clutches.

Lila kept talking, showering praise, upon praise, upon praise. Marinette shared a look with Nino. Nino's Grace, invulnerability upon mental attacks and physical attacks (although less with the second part), made him unsusceptible to Lila's manipulation. Chloe and Luka however...they were vulnerable.

Chloe had an irritated look on her face but quickly smoothed it over with a polite but cold smile. Good. Chloe wouldn't be convinced by this liar.

Luka seemed to not have heard Lila say anything, and besides, he wouldn't allow himself to be manipulated, he had the Grace of reading auras. Particularly useful for the king when he was meeting with foreigners but also helpful for Luka to know who was trustworthy or not.

Lila finished her speech with a flourishing curtsy. Marinette hadn't gathered much from it, most of her words were spent turning the conversation around and complimenting the palace and its residents. Marinette did realize that Lila was twelve, her birthday later than Marinette's.

Marinette truly wasn't prepared for the headache that was coming. She would most likely have a migraine from listening to this girl tomorrow.

Oh, I've got a bad feeling about you Lila.

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