Atreus was looking forward to thronecoming, despite all the pressure he'd be facing this year. It was his junior year; the year before he'd have to officially sign the Storybook of Legends... But at least tonight, he could just not think about it. Tonight was too nice to spend it thinking too hard about destiny.

Besides, they were constantly reminded about the importance of signing the Storybook and of what would happen if they didn't. He knew it wasn't just all talk; the last Sleeping Beauty never had her destiny fulfilled and now she was a social outcast. All the conversation about what happened to her prince was all rumor, but it was enough to infuse them all with just the right amount of fear.

Still, though, Atreus wasn't about to let something like destiny dominate tonight.

Walking into the ballroom, Atreus braced himself to be swarmed by his classmates, but thankfully, no one who cared about him yet was here. Well, aside from Marcy, whose presence was like a spotlight even at a school dance. He had no doubt that even without both of their family legacies, Marcy would find a way to stand out. He would say it was because she had a way with people, but Atreus knew better than anyone that it was really because she was a terrifying force of nature.

"I'm surprised nobody's managed to annoy you yet," Atreus said with a smile as he popped up by her side, miraculously managing to get across the room without anyone trying to speak to him. Normally, people were raring to even be in his vicinity, given who he was – or, well, given who his father was.

Marcy frowned at him, only barely keeping it from being a scowl. Out of reflex, she already had a hand on his forearm, flashing a fake smile at a passing underclassman. "Well, the night is still young, and you just arrived, so..."

Despite all her bluster, Atreus could tell she was glad to have him around. If anything, it was only around each other that they could really be themselves. Marcy was sizing him up, but with her, he hardly felt self-conscious. Besides, he couldn't blame her. Their story was one of the most desired endings. It was the story; the original happily-ever-after.

"I should have gotten you a matching tie to match my gown," Marcy muttered, her brow creasing in thought. "What a wasted opportunity..." Turning her face up to Atreus', practically craning her neck, she added, "How did you even get over here so fast? I'm surprised you're not drowning in a sea of admirers by now."

"Frankly, so am I, but I figured I wouldn't jinx it by making note of it." Apparently, luck was on his side tonight. Either way, he wasn't missing the attention, as much as some people thought he lived for it. Well, maybe a little. The attention certainly didn't hurt. Still, it got overwhelming sometimes. "Besides, I've had enough attention for a lifetime," he added with a slight roll of his eyes. "Probably even more than one."

All the attention was to be expected, though. He wasn't just any prince, after all. It was the one thing he envied his younger brother for—Adroit, at least, didn't have every single eye on him, even if they were both technically Prince Charmings. But to be fair, his brother wasn't part of one of the oldest stories in the book as far as either of them knew.

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you'll always have more coming, Your Highness," Marcy quipped good-naturedly, reaching up to pinch Atreus's cheek and giggling. "We can find some wood to knock on if you want to avoid your fan club tonight, can't risk the jinx."

She would never admit it out loud, but Marcy took a lot of pride in being Atreus's friend. Yes, her goal was to be perceived as his girlfriend, but she'd never had that kind of interest in him. Still, he was the only person that she never got tired of, and as much as the concept of destiny intimidated her, despite her so badly wanting to fill Snow White's role, she could take a lot of comfort in knowing that "her" Prince was special to her... all she had to do was not investigate too deeply why she didn't love him that way! Easy.

Squinting intensely, Marcy continued to search the crowd and laughed softly as she noticed Xander and his father coming in together. She lightly smacked Atreus's shoulder and motioned toward them, raising her eyebrows pointedly. "See, the Gastons are twinning, and we didn't even color-coordinate? I am off my game this year..."

"Since when did Kane and Xander wear the same outfit to things like this?" Come to think of it, Atreus didn't remember if the father-son pair had ever thought of wearing a matching set before now. Maybe they had and his brain just skipped over it. It wasn't like Atreus was all that close to either Gaston, even if his own father personally knew Kane. Adroit was closer to Xander than Atreus was, he'd probably know... "And since when did you care about color-coordinating?" he added with a frown.

Okay, so maybe that was a dumb question. Marcy did have the tendency to go hard when it came to appearances—especially their appearance as a couple, even if they weren't really dating. "You know, we have all year to keep up the act." This last part he added quietly, his eyes darting around to make sure no one had heard. It was unlikely anyone would overhear but better safe than sorry.

"My biggest question is why? To each their own, but I'd catch fire if my mother and I ever wore matching attire... though they do look quite sharp." At Atreus' next statement, Marcy took a melodramatic step back, clutching her chest and hitting Atreus with a wounded expression. "It's like you don't even know me!"

Her eyes shifted in the same way as his as she shook her head, silently scolding him by gesturing to the crowded ballroom. Though she wasn't really worried about their thronecoming outfits, she was determined to keep up the front that they'd built for themselves in order to make their lives at Millennium a little easier. "I know that, I just want to set a precedent early on, don't you?"

Smoothing out her skirts, Marcy looked around the ballroom before looking at Atreus expectantly. "I want to get something to drink, are you coming?"

"Hmm, I suppose you have a point...," Atreus responded teasingly, trailing after Marcy towards the drinks. Most of her suggestions were just orders, anyway.

Undoubtedly, she would make a great queen—unflappable, determined, ambitious. His mother liked her well enough, and maybe that shouldn't matter when he couldn't change who destiny put him with, but still, he valued his parents' opinions. There were far worse people Atreus could have ended up with. He would rather end up with Marcy than someone he hardly knew.

"I don't know if you noticed, but we are the precedent," he pointed out. Their entire story, their whole fairy tale...It was one of the oldest, alongside the Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella tales. Sleeping Beauty did have that wrench thrown in it after what happened with Isabelle Rose and her prince, though... Nobody ever talked about what happened to her Prince Charming anymore, not even his own father. Regardless, his and Marcy's story was a precedent, the precedent. If they couldn't make their happily ever after work, then who else could?

"I always have a point, dear," Marcy crooned, reaching back to pinch her best friend's cheek as they strode toward the refreshments. She may have teased him relentlessly, but Atreus truly was the only person she felt like herself around. There was never a need to be his perfect princess because they understood each other. "Honestly, you'd think that would stick by now."

Though she was walking toward the back end of the ballroom, her gaze snapped to the front entrance as Andromeda walked in, so much more casual and aloof than you would expect of a princess. Marcy scoffed melodramatically, pointedly directing her eyes between Andromeda and Atreus, trying to signal that the youngest Charming had arrived without verbally acknowledging her.

"That's what she's wearing? She's just rubbing it in at this point; imagine still looking nice in that outfit." Marcy bitterly shook her head, ignoring the barely present flush upon her cheeks and continuing to push through the crowd. Well, she didn't quite push; her classmates sort of just parted, but she seldom noticed that sort of thing.

Continuing on, she added, "I know that we're the precedent, Atreus. That's why we need to make an effort. No offense to your mother, you know I adore that woman, but after she married King Charming, the Whites are no longer viewed as the default Queen, am I right? I have to work for my destiny."

"Fair enough." Atreus tilted his head, peering over at his sister sidelong. How typical of her to turn up late and still end up looking nice. She was like their mother that way—Estrelle could turn up in literally anything and still turn heads because of how stunning she looked. Or, well...he wasn't entirely sure how much of that he was basing on his father's reactions. If there was one head Estrelle could always turn, it was Archelaus'.

"There is still the fact that we're assumed to end up together, anyway," Atreus pointed out, turning his attention back to Marcy. "Expected, even. I don't think even my parents' marriage could have changed that particular tradition."

Destiny was one hell of a magic bond, and even if breaking it didn't kill you, it sure hurt like a motherfucker. It turned his stomach to think about the fact that his father could have ended up dead for something as simple as falling in love with someone else. One Charming breaking tradition was hardly a pattern, though, and given how their entire lives revolved around destiny, Atreus had long since resigned himself to his fate.

As he spoke, Marcy delicately put a single cupcake and tea sandwich on her plate, though Atreus could tell she was dying to tear into the snacks. As much as she acted like a princess, she had a bigger appetite than people gave her credit for.

"I hear you, and for the most part, you're correct. Everyone is expecting us to be together, but that doesn't change the fact that only one generation prior, that expectation was shattered." Marcy handed him a plate, nibbling on her own little sandwich. She looked thoughtful, staring off into the distance as she spoke. "I could probably stand to do less than I do to maintain our image, but Atreus, my role has been redefined altogether. There's pressure on both of us, yes, but no one would really be shocked anymore if you didn't end up with me, and instead found your own Queen. I refuse to turn into my mother in that regard."

As always, Marcy had a point. It really wouldn't be surprising if he followed in his father's footsteps and ended up deviating from his destiny.

"Is it really so bad that your role's been redefined?" Atreus asked with a slight frown, taking the food Marcy handed him. "I mean, sure, no one would exactly be surprised if I ended up with someone else, but doesn't it just give you more wiggle room when it comes to romantic prospects? You and I both know we're just going through the motions at this point."

Following Marcy's gaze, he caught sight of his sister in the corner of his eye, talking to a boy he couldn't quite remember the name of. Someone from one of the noble families if Atreus was remembering correctly. He'd always had shit memory when it came to all the noble families below them. "Looks like you have an admirer," he added teasingly, glancing over towards Andromeda.

His younger sister was a lot of things, but between the three Charming siblings, Andromeda fell right in between her two older brothers when it came to subtlety. She was decent at it when she tried, but in normal situations, that skill went right out the window. And her little glances over to his and Marcy's corner were far from subtle—or maybe that was just his eldest sibling sense tingling.

Andromeda caught his eye, grinning as she saw him. Before Atreus knew it, his sister was grabbing the boy she was talking to and dragging him over. The boy looked flustered, his face practically burning.

"So!" Andromeda started, a cheeky grin on her face. "What were we talking about?"

"Oh, you know, just the inevitability of our destinies," Atreus responded with a wayward smile of his own. It wasn't a total lie, anyway. His family knew better than anyone that he was a shit liar. Catching sight of the alcohol Andromeda was holding, he added, "Should you really be drinking alcohol before school starts?"

Why was there even alcohol here? He probably shouldn't have been surprised. Someone must have snuck it past Headmistress Grimm.

Andromeda rolled her eyes, already exasperated. "Ugh, it's always about destinies! Just let the magic do its work instead of plotting everything out. Honestly, who even cares anymore?" She took a swig of the wine in her glass, raising a teasing eyebrow at her brother. "Maybe I should bring you a glass, hm? Make you less tense."

"Oh, great idea; how has no one thought of just defying destiny before?" Marcy said sarcastically. Not even a minute into this conversation and she was already exhausted from talking to the other princess. Atreus and Adroit were pretty much the only Charmings she could tolerate. With a dramatic swish of her skirt, Marcy walked off with a huff. She didn't expect Atreus to follow her, but he probably would anyway.

"Andy..." Atreus frowned at his sister, the expression creasing his brow. It was pretty bold of her to be so dismissive of destiny right to his and Marcy's faces. He knew she was just saying that to get a rise out of Marcy, but still.

"What?" Andromeda giggled, obviously more than a little tipsy. The boy she was with put a hand on her forearm to steady her, concern in his eyes. He was kind of cute, now that Atreus got a good look at him. What was his name again...?

Atreus sighed in defeat, deciding to follow Marcy rather than scold Andromeda. She was too headstrong for it to work, anyway.

"Marcy, wait up!" he called out as he followed her. Marcy may have been way shorter than him, but she was speedy when she wanted to be.

"Your sister is insufferable," Marcy huffed as she slowed down somewhat to let Atreus catch up with her. They were on a totally different side of the ballroom now, closer to one of the balconies. Marcy slipped outside, hoping that the fresh air would clear her head. "Does she ever think before she speaks?"

"She didn't mean anything by it, Marce," Atreus said with a sigh, leaning against the railing. So much for not wanting to let destiny take over tonight. Everything came back to it in the end.

"It's easy for her to say. She's not the one who has to deal with it all." Marcy crossed her arms petulantly, the cooling night air raising goosebumps on her skin. "You and I know better than anyone what a big deal it all is."

"Yeah..." To be honest, Atreus wasn't that keen on the whole destiny thing. What was the point of anything if they all knew what would happen to them, anyway? If their entire lives were set out for them by Ever After's magic? He wasn't about to admit all that to Marcy, though. It was too important to her to just throw it all away. His father had done it, but Marcy's mother had let him go and that was the only reason Archelaus got away with defying his destiny.

Apparently, though, his thoughts were showing on his face, because now Marcy was putting a hand on his arm. "It's not as bad as it could be, Atreus. We could be marrying strangers. I'd rather marry you than anyone else in that room."

"Do you think we'd even be friends if we hadn't grown up together?" Atreus asked suddenly. Marcy was his best friend and a large part of that was because their parents raised them together. The traditional fairy tale families tended to do that, and the Charmings and the Whites were no exception.

"I don't know, Atreus," Marcy responded with a little huff. "Probably not. You'd be terrified of me otherwise."

"I'm terrified of you now. What would be the difference?"

Marcy whacked Atreus on the shoulder, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please. You know you love me."

Atreus' expression softened as he smiled down at Marcy. "Yeah, I do." Sure, it wasn't romantically, but at least they actually cared about each other. That wasn't hard to fake when it came to their pretend relationship. "Still, it's kind of scary to think about... We'll have to sign the Storybook of Legends next year. And there's that rehearsal signing coming up..."

"It's just a rehearsal, Atreus. The real thing isn't for a while yet," Marcy pointed out. But still, she could understand where he was coming from. Atreus was Prince Charming, after all. The Prince Charming. Everything maidens could wish for. Who could blame him for being nervous when he had so much to live up to? They both did.

She, of all people, knew how heavy the weight of his destiny was when hers was so precarious. No matter how many times Amarante White said she gave up being with Archelaus for the man's happiness, Marcy always saw it as a personal failure on her mother's part. The woman had given up the highest throne in the land, for magic's sake! The things she could have done with that kind of power... Marcy refused to turn into her mother and lose her destiny like that.

Laughter burst out in the ballroom, probably because of something dumb that one of the boys had done.

"We should probably get back inside," Atreus suggested, pushing back from the railing and offering Marcy his arm. "People must be wondering where we've run off to."

Marcy already her hand in the crook of his elbow, putting up her perfect princess front. At least she and Atreus weren't completely alone in all this destiny business. They had each other, after all.