Penelope stared at Tyrion's hand for a moment before pushing it away from her. "I am not falling for your joke. You are hiding because you don't want to get married."
Penelope knew very well not to take his offer seriously.
"When did I say that?" Tyrion replied, putting his hand back at his side.
"Our mothers are close, so I hear things, and you always hide at balls because you don't want to court anyone. I think it is fair that you don't. They are awful with their proposals," said Penelope.
"Why don't you marry me so your proposals can end and I have the wife my parents want me to have? It works for the both of us," Tyrion suggested.
Penelope laughed at the joke. "You want me to enter into a fake marriage with you? It worked for a couple I know, but it won't for us. I want to marry for love eventually, and my father doesn't want me in the palace. I don't want to be here."
Penelope had heard enough awful stories about the palace to never want to live here.
Penelope looked out at the garden before them. "You have plenty of offers."
"I have plenty of women who try to sneak into my bed to find their way to the throne. If they would simply ask, I could give directions to the throne and allow them to sit on it before I send them to the dungeon," said Tyrion.
Penelope smiled. "Instead of hiding, you should be inside telling some wonderful lady this joke."
Tyrion missed where he told the joke.
"I hope these balls can become pleasant. You should find someone who makes them worth attending. Someone who will be a good queen. I'd hate to see the queen's seat fall into terrible hands," said Penelope.
Tyrion was ready to make another offer but placed it on hold when he noticed danger coming. "Your father," he informed Penelope.
It was only a matter of time before Duke Collins, Penelope's father, came searching for her.
Penelope looked to her right to see her father coming toward her.
"What are you doing alone with this thing?" Edgar Collins asked, shielding Penelope.
Penelope panicked. "Father, this is the crown prince you are speaking about."
Penelope knew no one would dare trouble her father for how he addressed the prince, but she always wanted to be careful.
"I know what I see," Edgar replied.
An annoying little thing stood beside his daughter.
"Duke Collins." Tyrion offered his hand for Edgar to shake.
Edgar stared at the hand stretched toward him. He wasn't interested in shaking hands with another bastard who would court his daughter. "You must stop your interest in strays," he told Penelope. "You've taken on your mother's habit."
Tyrion lowered his hand. "One of these days, I will get you to like me, Duke Collins."
Edgar held Penelope's hand so they could walk together. "Do me a favour and hold your breath while you wait. Perhaps deep underwater while you're at it."
"I might surprise you with how good I am at holding my breath," Tyrion replied with confidence.
Penelope didn't want to be around to see Tyrion place himself underwater to impress her father. "Don't be foolish. My father is the kind of man who gets in the water and holds you down until you stop breathing. I am ready to go inside. Prince Tyrion," Penelope curtsied.
Penelope led her father away from the prince so Tyrion could live another day. "I am sorry. I just wanted a moment alone, so I slipped out and was followed by someone. Prince Tyrion saved me from another proposal, so you should say thank you."
"No," Edgar replied. Not with the way the lovesick fool was looking at Penelope. "We'll soon be ready to leave."
"I think it is a good idea before you shoot someone. We can't spoil the ball with that. There's Lily," Penelope said, waving to her twin sister. "I promise to stay by her side until we are ready to leave. You owe mother one dance, so you should do it now."
Edgar immediately looked around for his wife, Alessandra Collins. Everyone knew they were married, but that didn't mean there weren't hopeless fools looking to get close to his wife. He'd kill them first and then kill the younger ones buzzing around his daughters.
Edgar reluctantly let go of Penelope's hand. "Stay close to your sisters, brother, and guards. I pay those fools handsomely, yet they lose sight of you fast."
"I will make it back to them. Please go find mother," Penelope said, shooing her father away. He was lovely to her, but he would scare away anyone she wanted to speak to.
Penelope started to walk in the direction her sister and brother awaited her. She hoped the suitors would go toward the twin who was most eager to dance.
"Oh!" Penelope gasped, stumbling after someone bumped into her, but she balanced herself. "I'm sorry," she apologised.
"Yes, you should be."
Penelope looked up to see who was so rude when she was certain he was the one who bumped into her. "You," she said, surprised.
Penelope stepped away from the man she knew to be her cousin from her mother's side. She had been warned numerous times to stay away from Warren Kennedy, son of her aunt who had partially ruined her mother's face a long time ago.
"This is just like your family to walk with your head held high and-"
"I said sorry even though you bumped into me," Penelope interjected, refusing to be subjected to his insults.
Penelope was well aware of why he was like this toward her. Everyone knew the story of how his mother, Kate Kennedy, could no longer walk after throwing herself from a high window. The blame was placed on none other than Penelope's mother.
Warren scoffed at Penelope passing this off to him. "I didn't, but of course, someone like you wouldn't own up to what you did. Just like your monster of a mother. She should do the town a favour and put back on her mask."
Penelope clenched her fist. She would hit him right here, but it wouldn't be ladylike. "You should watch your tongue."
"Or what? You'll get your father to kill me like he killed all of your mother's family? Your parents got away with what they did for years, but one of these days, I'm going to enjoy doing you like how they did my mother-"
Warren was interrupted by Tyrion grabbing his shirt. He was so blinded with anger because of the Collins that he didn't see the crown prince watching the interaction and then approaching.
Tyrion pulled Warren close, twisting his shirt so the collar was tighter around Warren's neck. "You'll do what? Don't choke up now."