"I won't ask again," says Mark. "What is going on in here?!" Mark exclaimed. He wanted to see how the princess was doing and came across something that he had not expected to see. Sean and Maeline were about to kiss, and he needed to stop it. Calling out to them made Maeline and Sean step away from each other.

"Maeline was only trying to show me how to dance," says Sean nervously. "There was no harm at all."

"Maeline, can I talk to you, please?" asks Mark. "Alone?" Mark glared at him with sheer hatred. Sean didn't know how to react and quickly left Maeline and Mark alone. Mark watched as Sean leave before he turned toward Maeline. She had been pissed and crossed her arms annoyed. Maeline didn't want Mark to see what she was doing. In fact, she realized that Sean was someone she could get along with not Mark. Mark was starting to get on her nerves and seemed to start acting stranger by the day. Ever since her and Sean started getting closer together, Mark had been leaning over her shoulder constantly.

"What do you want Mark?" Maeline asked.

"What do I want?!" Mark exclaimed "I decided that I was done moping and came to the dance room only to discover you, and Irish man here are about to kiss!"

"So, what? And why do you care who I spend time with?!" demanded Maeline. Maeline hated that Mark tried to show dominance over her, she couldn't help but think that Mark was trying to do something and keep everything a secret. The only problem is that she couldn't think of any reason that Mark would want her all to himself. "Why are you so controlling! I didn't even do anything and all I wanted to do was give a special someone a great time at the castle!"

"Because it's going against everything we were raised in!" says Mark. "Your breaking tradition Maeline."

"Tradition is nothing but a shell that locks you in," Maeline glared at Mark. "If I wouldn't know any better you seem jealous of Sean," she continued. "You need to stop acting like a deranged lunatic and start acting like a Duke!"

"This isn't about me!" Mark exclaimed. "It's about tradition! About royalty! Carrying the bloodline!"

"Now you sound like my mother!" Maeline exploded. "I was simply teaching Sean how to dance, if you weren't such an idiot you would know that I haven't done anything wrong to provoke you!"

Mark glared at Maeline, anger flooding his system. He was about to attack her when he took a couple steps back. Maeline cared only for Sean never the royal line. Frowning, Maeline was done. She wasn't going to let Mark get to her not during this charity ball. Glaring, Maeline pushed at Mark and stormed off. Mark was about to follow pursuit when a thought occurred to him. Mark figured that the next thing to do would be to confront Sean and try to get him out of the picture. If Maeline wasn't going to see reason, then he had to put Sean back in his place. Let him know who he was and where he stood. With Sean being here then he couldn't get what he wanted and what he wanted was Maeline's hand in marriage. Mark walked down the hallway, heading for Sean's room.

Sean just got out of the bathroom when he heard someone knocking on the door. Confused, Sean made his way over to the door and opened it. The minute Sean opened the door, his eyes widened at the sight of Mark. Only this time, Mark was angrier than usual.

"Mark?" asked Sean. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" responds Mark. "You know why I'm here; I know what I saw in that dance room earlier,"

"We almost kissed what's the big deal it was accidental." Mark laughed slowly and entered the room Sean backed away until his back was practically against the bedframe.

"It's a huge deal," says Mark. "She and I are meant to be betrothed and since you've gotten here, she has been getting all over you!"

"What's your problem?!" Sean yelled, Mark approached him and back handed Sean in the face causing him to cry out and fall back. He held his cheek as he looked at Mark in shock, he had never felt this much pain before he hadn't expected Mark to take that much of a violent approach. His family had never done that to him before and this was his first time experiencing it.

"Don't talk to me that way! Your nothing but a commoner," says Mark. "And I'll be damned if the princess falls for someone like you!" Mark grabbed Sean by his shirt. "You will know where you stand you may be a guest to her but to me your nothing but trash that stands in my way." Mark pushed him down and stormed out of the room leaving Sean scared and helpless. However, Mark hadn't realized that Sean was determined to figure out what he' d been hiding.

Still Shaken, Sean walkedto the balcony and opened it allowing the winter weather come through and touchhis skin. He stepped out onto the balcony and stared out at the property. Asigh escaped as he thought about what just happened. Mark was hiding something,and he was determined to figure that out.