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yomogi-mogi-mochi · 5 months

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Honey Lemon Crescendo

Pairings: Trey Clover/Vampire MC

Summary: The gods should have made you better, so that they could love you.

The days you pray for the abolishment of your abhorrent form are rare in the centuries you have lived since your family's death, and your turning. Sharpened claws and teeth, the hellfire of your gaze are concealed for your own convenience, you tell yourself, especially as you enroll into NRC. The tonic of human affairs rarely interested you, yet when you find the truly curious case of Trey Clover, someone who is made only of that plain sort, you cannot help but to promise yourself one conversation, some several hours of the thousand thousand you have lived to taste what it is like to be treated, and be human again. But you're a fool, and a hypocrite‒ you find yourself breaking that promise over, and over, and over. Your fragile resolve frays at every sunbeam smile, every ringing laughter of his.

MC is a vampire, unique magic is telepathy, being able to unconsciously hear everyone's thoughts

Notes: Once again I am alive lol. Barely. Just finished my first semester in my Master’s program so I’ve been experiencing a bit a burn out, so I apologize if this isn’t my best work. Also, every time I'm like "hm is this too much trauma?" But then I remember the child murder, kidnapping, and child endangerment that's canon in twst and I'm like ooh wait right nvm I’m good. Fits within the canon. Anyways, I would have liked to explore the concept of BPD and its allegorical connections to Vampirism more in depth, especially due to the social sigma associated with it‒ but I feel that it would be waaaay too long for a one-shot if I did so.

Also, all stand alone quotes that are in italics represent inner thoughts (with some exceptions depending on your personal interpretations)

TW: References to depression, references to religious trauma, exorcism, and cults; references to child abuse; survivors guilt; referenced to verbal abuse; anxiety; panic attacks; slight mentions of eating disorders/disordered eating (suppressing appetite); BPD

GN Terms for MC

AO3 Link Here

Masterlist

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“There is no sin within this child. Only the devil which lives within them.”

Those were the words that had prevented your burning during the trial, among other things.

Perhaps it was also the way you would keep your claws obscured under thickset leather gloves, conceal your crimson gaze under obsidian shades, or the terror that seized you every night that left you so evidently unraveled in all of your unforgiving guilt and abhorrence for your new form. The pity that could be provoked by the wetness and flush of a child’s face was something many adults in the future instructed was a bias you should have been more grateful for‒ as it triumphed over whatever horrors people held when you spoke a decibel too loudly to show your sharpening fangs, moved too swiftly to confirm the power that swelled within you like simmering, spoiled blood‒ pungent, and nauseating.

It reminds you of the smell at the state of decomposition you found your family in when you returned home from a several day trip with your cello instructor‒ and the smell of its mouth when its sharpened teeth lurched towards your neck, before you felt the metallic taste drip cold into your gasping mouth.

It was first the elongated fangs. Then came the claws, the lack of reflection, the original color of your eyes draining, replaced with a bright vermillion. The enhanced senses and physical power were less noticeable‒ but the subtle power that swelled in your hands when you broke skin and meat with your own grip upon your arm did not go unnoticed by the Supreme Leader who examined your body and soul during your trial.

“This thing should be useful to me, I hope. I was right to send that “Cello Instructor” with them to take care of business here. I’ll continue my divine plan as usual.”

The words themselves terrified you. Should you run? Hide? Die? Where would you go‒ with your small feet and hands? What could you do? The more oppressive horror lay in the confirmation of the whorling suspicion inside of your small, ten-year old mind that your new form allowed for telepathy‒ the exact “usefulness” the Supreme Leader had suspected lapped inside of you. You were absolutely sure of it, days later, when you read the color of the townspeople faces‒ their leering eyes and curled lips, squeezing their children close behind them‒ back towards your home, set ablaze by their torches and oil. The scramble of noise wasn't needed to confirm their disgust of you, but it came anyway.

“Hideous.”

“Demon. Probably killed that poor family.”

“That disguising appearance‒ must be the child of the devil.”

“Murderer. Things like you deserved to be burned. Supreme leader is truly a blessing to take care of such vile things.”

You cowered at their stares‒ but you remember considering it distantly for a moment, even in the midst of your situation. That night you had been found by shaking candlelight, your mouth drenched with blood and fear, palming numbly at your family's cold bodies. You couldn't blame them, you supposed. The townspeople feared you. You feared you. Stay with me . The Supreme Leader told you. And you did.

He defended you during your trial with a kind smile, tying the rope around your wrists loosely with gentle hands, spoke softly of good deeds, good gods, all forgiving and loving. When he convinced the council to graciously join his family , you didn’t run.

“Don’t you want to be loved by god?”

You shakily rolled the breath that seized in your lungs, your small hands clutched in a prayer against the heartbeat that thundered against your bones.

“How pitiful child, that you choke on your sorrow. You, abhorrent creature, abomination of god‒ let me love you .”

“Let me be your god.”

He held a copy of Dissertations Upon the Apparitions of Angels, Daemons, and Vampires of Wonderland in his hands‒ he pressed a finger onto each part of your body, comparing it with his‒ what made him human, and what made you not. He gifted you your own room‒ different from all the other children, deep at the belly of the earth. The cobblestone walls reached high into the heavens where you could not see, even with your enhanced vision‒ the light falling just where your vision could reach. One of his attendants presented him with a pair of cuffs, made specially for your size. The ones they had did not yet fit you. However, he placed them on the ground‒ crescent smile and blackened eyes. You would not escape.

You kept your secrets for a while‒ despite the unquenchable jealousy, festering sin, and violence that sprouted abundantly in the minds of his chosen advisors, who pinched your skin and snaked their cold hands under your shirt. In your ever dwindling, coastal town‒ you'd seen denial was the first reaction to loss. You'd felt a modicum of humanity in your ruthless rejection, letting the inner noise of others curdle in your mind.

Their words on the surface stuck of cheap, saccharine perfume, ones you recognized in the town's alleys and such. Yet you swallowed your nausea down, digesting their words one by one. You still had faith then, capable of religion . So easy to fool back then‒ you think now‒ children rarely doubt the material world. Why would people hurt you on purpose?

You were still a child then‒ an infant in vampiric years.

“ Don’t you want to be loved by god?”

“To be useful to god?”

"Useful to me?"

“They’ve done so much for you.”

“I’ve done so much for you.”

“Don’t you want to repay that?”

You revealed it all, in your childish trust, and his soft hands. You thought perhaps, that adults, despite their true intentions, would help you somehow. Belief in good will. Faith. It grips you with force.

It wasn’t all violence at first. But you began to fear the day where their actions would finally twist into something reflective of their actual intentions. That day came rather quickly, or so you think. Time did not matter in the small confines of your chambers below ground. The bloodletting, lashings, the vivisections were then all to vanquish the spirits that germinated inside your sinking flesh, possessing you to reveal such “impure things” in front of the people. Purification , he called it, no matter how many times you dried your throat from apologies, or promised you would do better next time. Next time I will speak your truth. God’s truth . You say the way their desires for a monster began to shape every laceration, every break of the bone.

Still, you couldn’t be their monster, nor a human. It seemed that the seeds of sacrilege had been sown firmly into you, and flourished each passing decade in its grotesque power.

The gods should have made you better, so that they could love you.

You’d beg through a dried throat and spinning vision for forgiveness and to appeal your usefulness‒ you knew the moment the priest resumed his kind smile, gentle hands, and his flowery voice‒ that he had found a use for you. Work for me , he said‒ and you obliged. He held your hand again, with a firm grip, and brought you to trials, his grand meetings with thousands of his followers‒ and you’d do his bidding, pointing a shaking finger at “non-believers” and spies‒ watching closely, where the supreme leader’s eyes leered and narrowed in order to anticipate your next move of survival . By then, you had learned to tune out a significant portion of the noise of people, to live in ignorant bliss for the few hours he would spend mending your gashing wounds, let you fiddle around with your cello that had survived the angry mob that burned down your family’s bakery, and home. Soft touches, sweet voice, he spoke.

"Good child, one of god, of forgiveness, of love. "

And you could tell he had meant it‒ knowing that when he lied to you‒ he always clasped his hands unconsciously in prayer. If there were opposing intentions twisting below his perfumed words that you had somehow failed to pick up with your trained senses‒ you couldn’t be bothered to unravel them. It was just nice. To be held again‒ forgiven . By someone at least, if not yourself. You were good. You were good again.

Decades pass‒ the people and the landscape move and breathe. It was only a matter of time your hometown would dwindle into a ghost city, being built on scrappy mines and poor fishermen, controlled by a con-man and his desperate believers. Even with nothing to lose, the remaining residents exiled you. Perhaps it was their humanity that they grasped onto with that final action.

You stand against the passing aches after aches‒ drinking it all from your chalice‒ vessels gilded with gold and hammered with human desire, sitting high to the heavens on altars to hold the blood and wine offered to the gods. You’d been hollowed much like that grail, gouged from the sharpened image of your still, immutable face against the shifting harmony of the world you could not enter. You have no reflection, no face, no name people would call out to take shape as your own, no proof of your corporeal form but your own, cold touch. And the hunger. The hunger seized you at every moment‒ aching through the gums of your fangs, and pounding your heart with the lifeblood that chased it. You were at least alive in your

You'd fashion something from the use you'd have to other people. A frankenstein skin stretched over your bones. You still feel the Supreme Leader’s gaze hollowing your senses.

"It's like they're reading my thoughts."

"Those sunglasses and gloves, what are you trying to stand out? So annoying."

"Why don't you read the atmosphere for once?"

"Arrogant asshole."

"What are you, pretending to be all high and mighty."

"Liar."

The noise never stops completely. But you've learned to shut the world out, better now with the advancements on potions and ear plugs‒ courtesy of the Night Raven College’s curriculum‒ hands free to grasp at every opportunity to prove you had existed in some way‒ a being that was real enough to feel the light of gods' love and forgiveness. Useful. Good.

“How did you know I used browned butter?”

Light‒ feather soft, honey sweet music that streams into your mind.

You always sat alone in the end. There was a composition to everything, as you saw it. And you had perfected the score of distance‒ being able to orchestrate a friendly, carefree facade, an absolutely stupid and undoubtedly shallow passion, pruning the space between you and the world. A gothic mirror to parody themselves, so they could not truly look at your monstrous, yet absent form‒ something you were sure would absolutely rupture the thick skin you've fashioned together out of pieces of the real people unlike yourself. You'd break apart into nothing but dust.

It was like the volume, moods, and rhythms created in the scores you played‒ you charged the room with boisterous laughter and directed the eyes at that, instead of your fervent efforts in composing the most fantastic detachment. In the end, you were almost giddy to see that no one saved you a seat, or spared you a glance when you slipped outside for a cigarette wedged hungrily between your fingers. The nicotine was enough to starve off the ache beginning to turn swiftly to nausea between your wobbling footsteps, and you were glad, you think, to have served your use in the social spiral to be afforded a moment of peace.

Or, you thought.

“Huh?”

“You forgot your prize.” The boy in front of you thrusts a frosted cupcake towards you, prompting you to switch the cigarette to your other hand to receive it. In the subtle moonlight, you see the sugar melted into the cream glitter a bit when you inspect the pastry.

He adjusts the hat on top of his green head of hair as he continues. “The competition to see who could guess all the ingredients in the cake correctly‒ you won, it was perfect, actually.”

You stare at him dumbly and you find yourself scooting over to make space for him. His eyebrows are tilted in a way that made his face a little sorry, a little roguish‒ a combination you found curious raised above those soft honey lemon eyes that hung like that summer fruit above the lush curve of his lashes.

“So‒ how did you know? I’m curious.”

You exhale the rest of the smoke resting in your lungs. “I…used to know people who were bakers. Their secret ingredient in their famous brownies was browned butter. I’ve eaten so many trays I’ve come to know the taste. The rest is just luck.”

He laughs. Not like you had seen out of the corner of your eye when he had been talking to all those people, but a loose, genuine chuckle. “I’d hardly call it luck‒ you got the measurements down pretty close. Impressive, if you ask me. May I ask‒ are you a baker?”

“I…” You find yourself smiling through the cigarette pushed to your lips, careful not to show your teeth. “I used to be. I used to spend a lot of time there, they must have rubbed off me.”

How long has it been since you’ve thought about them? You could remember the distinct nutty smell from the pounds of brown butter your sister was in charge of making‒ the click click click of your mother’s footsteps as she worked from the counter to the rack of trays, preparing the bread dough for proofing. Your father in the background, fiddling with the radio, beaming when he heard a recording of your cello performance on the morning radio. Warmth, sunlight. The beat of your heart, and the heat of your blood.

“You’ll have to give me the recipe then. I’ve been looking for a good brownie recipe.”

A moment to contemplate if you should end this conversation here. Something switches inside of you, perhaps a remnant of that warmth you remembered.

“You have something to write with?”

His face flowers gently into a brightened expression before he pulls out a small notebook from his breast pocket.

“...Thank you.”

You hum apathetically to work through the dreadful loom of warmth you feel when you hand the paper back to him with the recipes you’ve committed to memory from your laborious days at your family’s seaside bakery. The smoke still hanging in the air shifts sharply when you stand, and you flick the cindering cigarette to the pavement to stomp it out. You can tell there is more he wants to say that sits bubbly on his tongue, but you turn towards the door leading back to the Heartslabyul dorm before the words can take form through his smile.

There’s a moment that you stand by the door where you reflect on what you saw of him while he was inside, mingling with other humans.

“You should loosen your shoulders more when you smile, like that." Under his hat, you see his eyebrows raise up in slight surprise. Surprise isn't enough, you decide, and add, "If you want to convince people."

You hope those words leave him a bit cold, a bit cruel that he doesn’t come seeking after you anytime soon, feeling the scramble of thoughts threatening to pool into your ears through the plugs. It’s all noise to you. You step inside once more‒ feeling a little less sick, a little less raw to be able to orchestrate again.

Trey finds your handwriting as pretty as you were in the noise of the room, inspecting all the curls and loops of each word. It takes him a moment before he notices what you left behind.

“They forgot their prize…”

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The next time you meet him is during band practice. Or, more precisely, hear him would be a better descriptor.

"Have you seen (Name)?"

The thick walls of the storage room muffles his voice, but you still hear it loud and clear as you lean against the door, cello in hand.

"I just saw them a minute ago. I think they went to run a few errands or something since the school festival is soon." Carter replies.

"Ah it seems like I'm on a wild goose chase. I'm starting to wonder if such a person even exists…"

“They’re everywhere and nowhere all the time.” Carter chuckles. "I didn't even know you two were like that."

"Hm. I guess. We only really talked once." He hums.

"But I'd like to get to know them better ."

The sharp inhale you suck in makes an audible sound when you hear those words brush the back of your neck. You press the palm of your hands flat against your ears in panic to prevent any sound‒ voices, noise, the world‒ all of it, from entering your mind.

Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet‒

You time his steps, the pleasantries he's likely throwing at the rest of the members, the time it takes for him to get far from your radius of power. Slowly, you release your hands from your head, and take a few moments to gather yourself before exiting the room.

Carter is the first to notice you. "Eh? (Name)? Since when were you there?"

"Since 10 minutes ago, dear. I told you we were going to take a break from group practice today and do individual practice today didn't I? We've been rehearsing so much for the festival I figured we could take a break for today."

"Really?? How did I miss this? I totally just sent Trey to the wrong place."

Lilia continues to tune his bass. "You were on your phone when (Name) briefed us on the schedule 3 weeks ago, Carter."

"I wanted to do a group rehearsal today! I feel like I finally got the hang of the last couple measures this time!" Kalim interjects.

"Don't pout, my dear president." The hand you place on his head is as gentle as ever. "You can practice without a vocalist for today, can't you? I have a lot to catch up on the Monstero Lounge gig I have coming up."

You bid your fellow members goodbye, dragging the instrument all the way to one of the empty classrooms.

Finally, a moment of peace.

You shuffle through your folder, fishing out the piece you had picked to play for a talent night that Azul had insisted you come and play at, excitedly chattering about how it was going to be brilliant for business.

Chopin's Cello Sonata in G Minor, Largo .

The cello sonata was one of the composer's last pieces. It was spectacular to you. A final, dazzling eruption before dwindling to the mere echoes of what had once been there‒ a fantastical piece with a pressure combed through every measure that would well an incomprehensible rawness that began at your chest, and would weave through the fibers of your throat that clenched in its emptiness.

But perhaps it was not so incomprehensible‒ humans in your life had been much the same. The ones you held dearly would rupture from this world, leaving you empty, aching with the sharpened, receding fragments.

When you slip off your gloves to press your bare fingers against the strings, you try not to let this thought consume you.

"But I'd like to get to know them better."

Bitterly, it seeps.

You know it's wrong‒ the piece is supposed to be for a simple, ten minute performance‒ a monotonous activity of human affairs that you would be pleased to check hastily off the list with a presentable smile and lightness. However, the decades you have lived until this day weigh upon you at once, spinning your hands in such a way that threads your grief heavily into the mellow air. The murky rust of the setting sun swells with the florid volume of your own misery, and the silence of the world that ripostes it.

The song falls softly, a slow stroke that gradually quiets until there is nothing. A diminuendo‒ to shatter, to finish. There's a small comfort, that unlike living things, the scores that stood on the iron music stand could be revived time after time, on trembling strings and resin scented maple. But, not much.

The flesh at the back of your eyelids are sparked with purple and blue stars as you squeeze your eyes shut, head leaning against the body of the cello to steady your breaths. It may have been the dizziness steadily climbing from the ache of your empty stomach to your head, but you felt like you were swaying in that concoction of color and bursting light.

"Don’t you want to be loved by god?”

You're afraid that if you open your eyes, the world may still be there. The noise, it will still exist, and reel you in‒ tangling you among its grotesque allure until the moment you reach towards it. Then, it will furl inwards, somewhere far from where you could detect it. The air feels sharp in your lungs‒ you feel like if you take too much in, you’d burst. The bow splinters in your hand, drawing blood.

"Pretty ."

A voice strikes through your bleakness, a gentle, but clear sound.

Trey stands at the center of your view. His face holds a glossy look for a moment, before he shakes his head and apologizes.

"Sorry‒ I just‒ I just heard you in the hallway, I thought you sounded really…" He laughs, shifting his gaze to the side. " Pretty ."

You look down at your instrument, and notice your bare hands, you remember you don't have your sunglasses on either. The cello echoes when you lean it against the desk, turn away from him to slip on your gloves and glasses.

You clear your throat, feeling each word stumble in staccato breaths. "Ah. Well. Um. Thank you. It's all, rather, very wrong though."

"Wrong? But it was incredible."

"Pretty."

The thoughts that enter his mind that churn into yours are ignored best you can before you swivel, veiling yourself in your disguise once more. "Perhaps wrong is not the best term. It's not tasteful for the audience, I suppose. There was no control."

"Control?" He parrots.

"Yes, you know." You wave your hand in flutter movements. "If someone like me performed like I just did‒ ha! I’d become the laughing stock of the entire school. " You clasp your hands together. "Now, darling. I must get going. Did you want to marvel at my music some more, or is there anything else you needed?"

You work quickly to gather your things, expecting Trey to leave after you've dismissed him. But when you drag your cello case around to leave, you see him still standing in the doorway, leaping towards your hand that rests on the cello case.

"Can I help you? It seems heavy."

"I'm alright. I've dragged this thing around this school, I am perfectly capable‒" When you go to lift the full weight of the instrument however, a dizziness digs into your temples, nausea quickly following suit.

"Oh‒ are you alright? Are you not feeling well? Let me at least help you with your instrument back to your dorm."

You stare at him, feeling your power rise within you, waiting for his thoughts to flood through your system‒ a confirmation to your suspicions you filter every person through, to pick them apart.

“You’re hurt.” He goes to examine your hand, you pull back.

"They don't look so well. Maybe they need something to eat? I should whip them up something after I help them carry this back to their dorm. Hm. Yeah. That sounds good. Something hearty."

Those words are inspected with great skepticism in your mind before the dizziness takes over, muddling your brain to a jumbled mess. Whatever, you think. He seems harmless enough.

“Fine” As soon as that curt response slips from your lips, you cringe internally. You clear your throat, attempting to redeem yourself. “I’ll take up your offer if that's alright with you. Pretty boy .”

He seems to hold the air in his throat when you give him that name, before he releases it in a puff of laughter. "Pft. Alright, yeah. Let's get you back to your room before you spout any more nonsense."

"Me?"

You're a bit taken back from his internal response. But you trail behind him, the weight of the nausea lifting slightly off your steps.

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"What kind of cocoa powder did you use?"

"I think…just the regular brand stuff."

"Use Dutch processed next time. If you activate it correctly, the alkalizing process gives the batter a richer color and flavor."

He had somehow used his devilish charm to string you into this, you tell yourself, sipping on the tea you brewed for the both of you. But it would be rude to kick him out of your quarters without a proper thanks. You're no longer human, but you'd at least act civilized.

The tea has run a bit cold from the two whole hours he's managed to rope you into a conversation on baking techniques‒ slipping out the same notepad and pen he pulled out that night you met, and a box of various pastries and baked goods that he seemingly prepared out of nowhere. Truthfully, you weren't supposed to eat human food without proper sustenance from blood‒ however the look he gave you had absolutely pleaded that you do. So, how could you refuse?

You clear your throat to break through your endless flood of doubts and excuses. "I heard you were looking for me during band practice. Now that you've wormed your way into my life by bribing me with sweets‒ what did you want from me?"

"Oh!" He pulls another, smaller box from the bag you saw him rummaging through for the sweets laid out before the two of you. "Ah‒ I forgot about this. It might be a bit melted since there's ermine cream on the top."

The simple white box is opened, revealing a similar cupcake that you (purposefully) forgot the night you met him.

"It's not the same thing‒ it might be better actually‒ I used buttercream last time but it's pretty heavy so I substituted with ermine cream this time." He remains composed but you can tell something is bubbling below it. "Tell me what you think."

" I'm so excited to see what they think…I worked hard on this recipe since it seems it wasn't up to their tastes last time."

You make a face when you hear his thoughts, wondering how absolutely normal someone can be. “You mean to say you came all the way here to deliver me…this cup cake?”

"Yes I mean‒ I don't mean to pressure you into eating it, obviously." His eyebrows bunch upwards in his usual sorry expression. "I just. Wanted to hear your thoughts. Since I haven't met someone this knowledgeable on baking techniques at this school."

People usually had ulterior motives when approaching others with gifts, kindness, words slathered in polite niceties and compliments. You eye him suspiciously as he calmly sips his tea, scribbling away in his little notepad.

Drawing a little closer to him, you lean against the table, feeling the heat of your crimson eyes when you concentrate your magic to wade through the noise‒ pulling the thread of his thoughts from it all. It requires a bit of power through your ear plugs and rising nausea, but you manage to unravel it.

" I'd really like to get to know them better. Friends, maybe . Cater says I should get out there more, this is what he meant, right? "

It was impossible to ignore the truth of the matter‒ that the person sitting in front of you is so absolutely unbearably bare, plain. You'd thought you'd seen clarity before, in how salient the cruelty of people was, but you had been wrong. No doubt this was true clarity‒ the candor of normal, mundane life that you normally blocked out with the rest of the noise of the world. The tonic of human lives rarely interested you, but it seemed like all this person was, and it seeped deeply into his treatment of you. Normal, bare, plain.

Human .

It was so baffling you could not suppress the smile that spread on your lips.

Ah, maybe just for today, you think. Just this one conversation. Just one moment, and I'll forget the taste of human life again.

"Hm, alright. Just this once, pretty boy ."

The sugary cream melts instantly in your tongue, and the airy sponge is sweet when you swallow your determination to forget this honey sweetness he brings. A hint of vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, spice, and everything nice. You let it settle deep in the dark of your belly, feeling the warmth still lacing through your blood from the tea you've sipped with him slowly cool under your flesh. You devour it all, with his words and smile, hiding it deep inside so you can’t remember its sweetness.

But the honey you've added at his request still runs golden sweet on your tongue. You roll it through your mouth, trying to extinguish the taste, but it spreads further, coating your throat as you swallow it. Unlike the contents of the cupcake, it runs raw against your flesh, and you must wait until it seeps deeply into the fibers of your throat before it dissolves.

The hours pass as you talk with him, but the sweetness does not fade.

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"You alright?"

The silvery tone of your voice breaks through Trey's thoughts. He had been lagging behind the Heartstlabyul group to take a break from all of the frenzy of today. The responsibility, the pressure. You'd been with them a moment ago, mingling as you always did, but now you've slowed your footsteps to match the slight drag of his own‒ something he's sure you've noticed. Heat tingles at his cheeks‒ he doesn't know whether it's from the way you've broken his image so swiftly with your keen eyes, or if it's from, simply, your thoughtfulness. For him, of all people. For him.

"Yeah, fine. Just tired. Today has been such a long day with these underclassmen."

His laughter rings clearly, even though the obstruction of your ear. With each note emanated from his lips, you feel it slipping through the cracks of the foundation of your feeble resolve, crumbling so endearingly that you smile sincerely when he speaks. It had been disgust, revolt at first, feeling the distance between your world and his inching closer and closer‒ but before you could notice the absence of nausea stinging through your chest and stomach, you felt the feather-lightness of your own smile chiming with his own, completely eclipsing the discomfort you had felt previously in the proximity to other lives. To him.

"You need to relax more. Stop fussing over these no good children." You massage his shoulders in a playful manner.

He feigns pain then quirks that smile on his face‒ you know the one, the one where he bunches his eyebrows and laughs with the back of his throat. In that moment, you're as confident as ever, charging him with laughter‒ letting your inhibitions lose. Control didn’t matter, for a moment. The world doesn’t seem so sharp at that moment, like you were going to tip over the edge.

When the pads of his fingers brush against your fingers, all that sense you had withers so easily in your chest. Through his shoulders, you can feel the vibration of the hum he emits in agreement, a musical accompaniment to the warmth that radiates from his hands.

"Maybe. They're good kids. You're right‒ maybe I do need to relax." You retract your hands from him, allowing him to toss his head over his shoulder. "Any tips?"

The seconds you weigh out whether to lie or not seem to shorten with every moment you spend with him. "I guess…music. I like to sing some of the warm-up pieces I used to know.”

"Warm up for what?"

"Ah for the…church choir."

Liar .

He makes a face, an airy laugh escapes your nose. "What?" You ask.

"...you just don’t look like a religious person.”

You look down at your feet, a slight smile as a comfort to him. “I haven’t been in a while. I don’t think I’ve had faith in anything in a long time.” A quiet lull in your words.

Your stomach turns. It's always a look of pity, or some casted look that drags you as some pathetic creature, cold and inhuman. The words die in your throat, you quiet your breaths, feeling then stick to the prickly flesh of your lungs and throat.

“I get it.”

But the look Trey gives you as he digests your words is a sadness as sincere and clear as water. It was not such a clawing, dried look that transformed you into something you didn't want to be. Instead, he swallows your words whole, as they were, his gaze reaching far beyond the pain. His sound‒ clear as a summer's day, dotted prettily with the honey lemon droplets of his gaze‒ finds you.

“I got you.”

A tranquil, silvery symphony‒ each sweetened thread weaving itself magnificent, deep within your nerves. It takes everything to pull yourself from it.

"Now, I have the perfect blend of tea for you then, darling. It goes wonderfully with those lemon shortbread cookies you made yesterday‒ absolutely divine."

Quick to shake the feeling off, you mask the dread of warmth with your usual stupid passion and fire that carves an expression of slight surprise into Trey's face, just for a moment. But it surprised you, instead, to see that it dissolved completely, and replaced with an elated burst of laughter. It takes him a moment to gather himself, and many more for you to do the same with the words he says.

"You're actually a really good person, (Name)."

The feeling returns, swiftly.

You don’t want to breach into the borders of his mind, but you found yourself reaching for the silvery thread of his sound from the noise, picking apart the gray mess of things to find that glimmering thing. Your mind had learned the scent, the exact hue and melody of his inner voice to be able to pluck it so naturally from everything else, and you were growing fearful that you had committed yet another thing to memory that would eventually be lost to time. But the words that you hear from him‒ you think it will consume you for the rest of your eternity.

"God. You're wonderful."

It nearly chokes you to hear such clarity in that declaration. Foolish . You think. Only a fool would say such a thing. You fix the shades slipping down your face, turning your energy to block out any sound and voice.

"You flatter me, my dearest."

Lucid, pure. His voice. His laughter. It wasn't just noise to you anymore. You think of what chord his voice would be, how it would sing against your fingers on your cello. Or perhaps a heavenly instrument would be more befitting.

"But you've got me all wrong."

You smile. Perhaps you were the fool.

A few weeks later, he admits: "Truthfully, I tried to avoid you best I could before we officially met. Because of your blase attitude and the rumors about you‒ I thought I wouldn't mesh well with people like you."

"Is that so?" A wolfish smile curves onto your lips, eyes turning crescent. You fiddle with the flier for the monstero lounge show coming up, debating whether or not you should have really accepted Azul’s request. "It seems most people think I'm that way."

"Yeah. But I'd like to think you opened up to me a bit, and I discovered something about you that made me want to talk to you. You're real strange, you know that?"

"Oh, I'm the weirdo? I'm not the one whose hobby is brushing their teeth."

"Dental health is important." He states matter-of-factly, before his hardened look is broken with a breathy laughter. "But really. I would have liked to be friends earlier in my life if I had just known you were the way you actually are."

You remember his words, turning your eyes downwards. "I'd really like to get to know them better."

Hesitation curdles in your mind, but the words come instantaneous, eager to his statement. "Which is?" Perhaps too eager, you shrink.

He hums, thinks for a minute. "Just‒ kind ." He says. "I never noticed before, but you're always making sure people are included, checking on people. It's like a sixth sense‒ you can easily pick up what people are thinking, but also feeling. Like a guardian angel or sorts."

You stare at him with a blank look, a breath in your lungs that doesn't make it past your parted lips. Then, gaze downwards, again.

"I wish more people would know how much good you have."

It takes great effort not letting his words sink deeply into your heart, constricting it. Sometimes, when you replay the scene in your head at night‒ an inevitable occurrence when he's on your mind‒ you try your hardest not to let it well something inside you so floridly that it bleeds heavily in your chest, and sprouts the salt in your eyes. But, it does. Idiot , you think, if only you knew what I really was.

You make a noise, unclear yourself as to your response to his statement, crushing the flier in your hand. Attempting to redeem yourself, you casually begin rolling the balled up paper in your hands, giving Trey an exasperated expression.

“What’s that?” He points to the paper.

“Oh‒ nothing. An Azul thing. Or a Monstero Lounge thing. Whatever, I’m probably going to bail on it anyways.”

“An Azul thing?” The hint of disappointment in his tone confuses you. “Oh! the Monstero Lounge show that’s coming up? I’ve been looking forward to it‒ you’re bailing? Don’t let Carter hear you say that‒ he’s been talking about wanting to be in it for weeks.”

A smile quirks on your face. “Has he now?”

Trey nods. “Why are you bailing? I thought you had a real passion for playing?”

“Performance is another matter. You know, the difference between baking for yourself, and baking for other people.” Trey nods in understanding. “Besides, what makes you say that?” You make a face which fails to fully contain the disgust towards yourself. Passion. It curdles on your tongue.

“How do I put it…You…” He pauses, thinking. In a moment, his words flood forth. “Your expression seems heavier when you’re playing. But, maybe a good kind of heavy. You always seem light and bubbly, but now that I think about it, you never talk about yourself.”

“I don’t.” You confirm, a sweet smile.

“You don’t.” An averted gaze. “I never asked.”

“How unusual of you‒ mother of Heartslabyul.”

“So,” His gaze pulls you in. “What’s your favorite color?”

You take a moment to reply, a bit surprised that he would actually follow through with his words. You’re reminded of the reason why you were so taken with him in the beginning‒ despite his sheepish deflection of compliments, despite the playful smirk that curved on his face‒ his words always matched his actions, his gaze, his expression.

“Yellow. A lemony, summery yellow. Reminds me of the flowers my sister used to grow.”

“You just have one sister?”

“One and only. My older sister.”

“I’m envious. I’ve always wondered what it was like being the younger sibling.”

You chuckle, searching the vast landscape of memories stored inside you. “You know‒ teasing, fighting, hand-me-down clothes, the like. But I love her, especially when she makes her brioche bread.”

“You’re close with her?”

Time, space‒ the difference between you and the world, him. It comes in waves as always, flooding you, and your hands which search for distant memories. You’re not sure if it was his ignorance towards your nature, or plainly his presence that seemed to pull your discorporated humanity closer to you once more.

“Very. She’s my rock. She was the first to encourage me to pursue music.”

“Do you play other instruments?”

“Of course. Cello, piano, guitar, accordion, harp, violin, flute…” You trail on.

The conversation goes on, until the two of you notice you’ve been walking around the campus, completely separated from the others. You laugh about it.

When you separate, you watch him walk across the hills, his form roaring against the sunset. There’s a twinge in your stomach, which you swallow with great effort. The distance between you and him seemed like it didn’t matter for the vivid moments you spent conversing with him‒ but now with his back towards you, as he headed towards the light‒ the feeling wades back. You search through the flood as you always do, but you cloud your own vision when you look back to the things you said, the faces you made, the memories you shared. Blackened, like yourself. The sun hisses against your skin. At times like this, you’re reminded of your stunted development‒ you had forgotten what the sun does to creatures of the night.

It scorches your retinas as you look at the heart of the sun, but you let it‒ reminded of the sweetness of his honey lemon eyes.

Bitterly, it seeps.

------------------------------

Every time Trey stands by your door, for some reason, his nerves rise to the surface, tingling at his feet and the hand that raps at wood. He doesn't understand why his body gets this fussy every time‒ he's seen you a dozen times before. That crooked, fanged smile; the delightful way your hands move in conversation, the charming little way you hum when pouring him tea (2 sugars, a touch of cinnamon, just the way he likes it)‒ these are all things he's almost gotten used to that he doesn't feel near faint when you grace him with such pleasures.

" Pretty boy ."

He remembers the nickname you call him, along the standard " darling "s and " my dear "s you seem to call everyone else. Just for him, you've fashioned something that can instantly unravel him, much like now, as he waits in front of your door with fresh pastries. He feels special when you call him that‒ but it feels good, unlike the times he tries to undermine himself under a barrage of flattening statements that stomp out every potential for expectations . Like he could make a difference, a change in anyone or anything. He’s just a normal guy. Nothing more. Riddle was a vivid reminder of that.

Except when he’s with you‒ it feels extraordinary.

The millions of things that seem to arise out of conversation‒ the sheer possibility of what wonderful things he can share with you beats like thunder in his chest, reaching the tips of his ears where they flush. That fullness he felt before returns‒ the only way to alleviate it it seems is to converse and spend time with you. He hopes the redness at least dies down when he's around you, all his senses seem to fly out the window when you're by his side.

We're just studying together. That's all. He tells himself.

He secretly holds his breath when you open the door with the creak‒ but he releases it when his lips part in surprise at your state.

"O-oh. Hello, Trey." Rather than your usual, slurry, elegant demeanor, your voice scrapes against your throat‒ the sound coming small and frail, something Trey had never associated with you before. Elegant, honey-like, and sure of yourself‒ it was never like this. Diminuendo , he remembers from you, and his favorite piece that you play. Like you'd depart from him, where he could not follow.

You fix your glasses, feeling them slipping on your nose, before you run your hand through your knotted hair. The cigarette wedged between your fingers weaves smoke between the two of you, mixing with the smell of alcohol on your breath. "I'm afraid something came up, darling. I have to cancel today, I'm sorry I didn't ring you in advance." You go to close the very small gap you've allowed yourself to open‒ Trey stops you before you can. The bold move surprises even himself.

"...You're sick? In that case I could‒"

" D-don't touch me." A crackle in your voice, fear striking your expression. "A-apologies. No. It's fine. You musnt do anything for me."

"But I want to?"

The prickly air that had been kindling on the inside of your lungs flares all at once at that moment, puncturing something inside.

"You don't know what you want." You spit.

" Oh‒ what?"

"I said you don't know what you want. But allow me to make it easier for you. You don't want this. So go away‒ get out of my sight ."

Hellfire. It stains you.

"I‒" He swallows the lump in his throat. "I-I don't understand?"

"I said . Get away from me, Trey ." His name comes cold on your tongue. He feels it coil around his spine.

What are you saying?

"But‒"

You launch the door open, almost breaking it off the hinges. The crimson of your eyes glow in your power as you bare your fangs, clawing the wood of the door with your sheer grip. A lurching feeling wells inside you, as you grow in size, in power, in sharpness. All the qualities that separate you, from him.

"I SAID GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME."

You don't recognize your voice. Trey's feet crumble from underneath him as you tower over his form. With the fear that seeps into his eyes, you decide it's enough, and shut the door with a slam.

You swallow the breaths that come faster than you can handle, looking down at the chips of wood that embed into your nails and fingers, beginning to bleed. You lean on your table, raising one hand to grasp at the root of your hair, catching a glimpse of the crimson glow that emanates off your eyes. The hair that falls in front of your face cages you in that bloody vision‒ red, and violent.

This is what you are, it's what you've always been and always will be. A monster . Fanged, clawed, hideous‒ thick, violent strokes of inky black on one of those books the priest used to carry around with him. Swirling into a void so corroded of color‒ the truest black‒ immortalizing your revolting form, permanently baring your fangs, carrying hellfire in your eyes and throat that you’d swing senseless with an animal violence. Fixed in that abstracted abyss, forever‒ eternal as you are. How pitiful that you choke on your own sorrow.

You fall into a rage, your body dragging itself by the spine‒ swinging your hands and legs throughout the room. A sound tears from your throat, far from a human cry. Music scores from missed practices fly, used plates and cups tumble to the ground, chipping. Your ashtray falls heavy on the grand piano that sits at the center of your room, slamming down the heavy lid, reverberating the strings, hammering into the air a chaotic symphony of ash and disorder.

For a moment you think to pick everything up, tidy yourself up and make amends with Trey‒ but you know the drill by now. In a week, you'd come to terms with yourself again‒ all the things you make and destroy‒ and sever yourself from this place, and its people. In just seven days you'd swallow the bitterness of your own self as you always had, clean your mess, throw the pieces you'd broken away. It ends all the same.

Before you know it, you have a half empty bottle in hand, the days old wine weighing heavily in your palm. You twist your body furiously in attempt to rupture the surfaces of rage you have rising like fire inside of you, to at least reach to the gnawing feeling inside your chest. But it grows even restless, even hungrier‒ eating away at the breath in your lungs and the beat of your heart when you come face to face with your reflection. Nothing.

What sort of monster doesn't have a face?

You couldn't have even be given that, to be remembered and touched‒ even if it was fear and abhorrence‒ to exist as a creature who is seen, and heard on their own. You were merely an image created by others.

Control‒ you never had any of it, ever since your mouth was held open by its hinges and forced to down that creature's blood. It was laughable to even call yourself a musician, a conductor, a person. There was not a moment in your life where you had genuinely orchestrated the fullness of musicality, or anything. When you plucked on the strings of your cello‒ it was always just that. Noise. There was nothing inside of you that could transfigure that dead noise from the strings into something meaningful, something that could exist in the realm of adoration. Loved .

Don't you want to be loved?

How could you be? You're just‒ this .

Crumbling to the ground, you sob, remembering the fear laid plain on Trey's face.

Surely‒ he’s gone. If you had ever held him in that way, at least. Arm’s length, prickled air‒ you had been weaving this inevitable goodbye yourself. Regret curdles heavily in your stomach as you bring your knees to your face on the floor.

I was doing so good. I was good again‒ I am good. You clench your jaw, imagining those portraits of violence from the Supreme Leader’s book. A realization‒ fuck . Nausea rises to your throat.

You want to sleep. Or drink. Or smoke. Something to sedate you out of this emptiness clawing itself all over your insides.

A knock startles you out of your daze. You assume the door is broken by the sound of the rusty hinges creaking open, the light of the hallway pouring behind you. A silhouette‒ but you don’t want to be found, or seen. You stay quiet, hoping he just leaves. Forever, maybe.

“(Name)?”

His footsteps creak against the floorboards, inching closer and closer. You wish you had the energy to tell him to leave again. Instead, you bury your face in your hands.

You hear him shuffle a bit, close to you on the floor.

His breath tickles the hairs on your arm, his voice reaching far into your head, the vibration from his throat rippling to your empty chest. “I’m not leaving.”

With some kind of divine courage, you speak. “Why won’t you?”

He shuffles closer, lacing his fingers through your tangled hair. “Because it seems I like you too much.”

“You’re a fool.”

You were the fool.

“Birds of a feather flock together.” He says, matter of factly. “Because you’re an idiot if you think I’m just going to leave you here. You…”

You feel him swallow, pausing his hands to hold your head at the crook of your neck. “You’re special to me.”

“I’ve got you.”

It feels like you're being enveloped completely by him‒ his smell, his sound. It smells faintly of candied violet, vanilla, and your honey lemon blend of tea. Trey thinks it complements well with your smell. Old books, and well-read letters tucked preciously into cookie tins. Faintly, iron.

In a shaky voice, you apologize. Over and over. "I-im so sorry.There's something wrong with me." He rubs your shoulder, measuring his movements carefully so as not to overwhelm you. "I'm sorry I'm this way. I-I didn't mean to yell. I didn't mean to send you away. I want you here. I-I'm sorry. I lied. I’m a liar.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay. We all have our things‒ we’re human, right?”

You cry harder. "No, you don't understand."

"Are you fae?" He asks, looking at your pointed ears and teeth he'd seen in the students in Diasmonia. "There's nothing wrong with that. You're still‒"

Wonderful .

He chooses his words with care in your state. “- my friend.”

You swallow the bitter taste in your mouth. "N-no. I'm nothing of the sort. I-I…" Everything is so unbearable‒ you're unbearable . Your fangs pierce into your lips when you bite down, suppressing the wailing pressure that threatens to leak from deep inside your throat. It burns all the way down when you swallow it, only leaving you with a portion of your dwindling volume.

" I'm a monster ." You spit, looking directly into Trey's eyes‒ like you did moments before‒ hellfire stirring within them. The palms of your hands face him, framed with the sharpened claws of your hands that spot with blood from the splitters still embedded within them. Slowly, you furl them onto yourself, drawing red upon your palms when they ball into fists. "A vampire‒ like the ones you know from books and stories. That's me ."

That is all I am.

Your vision blurs, and you tuck your limbs into yourself as if you brace for impact.

Instead, softness‒ honey lemon eyes, sweetness, golden.

"You're hurt."

You make a sound through your sobs when he takes your hands. Impossibly soft, feathery under your own, he picks the sharpness out of them. The blood is wiped away with his handkerchief, staining the light clover green fabric with blots of red. Now it's dirty , you think. I’ve poisoned it.

"You're not a monster." He says, unfurling your hand further, prying apart your sharpened fingers from your palm. They twitch at his words.

"I tried to hurt you‒ send you away.” You feel like your throat is going to collapse.

He’s quiet for a moment, you can see him roll his saliva through his mouth, and the doubt and anxiety which passes across the movements of his downwards eyes. A barbed look‒ you feel it prickle familiarly against yourself‒ so you ever so slightly inch your pinky towards his hand that rests near your own, making a small gesture with your pinky to intertwine it with his‒ I’ve got you .

A heavy breath pushes past his lips. “People do that all the time. I get it‒ I mean‒ I know how it feels to be anticipating the color and tone of people’s faces. I grew up doing the same. From a certain point‒ you can kind of sense when people begin to tear themselves away from you‒ like you thought they would do eventually‒ it’s kind of a relief, isn’t it? To confirm that the distance you were placing between people at least did something .”

You nod, giving him a small quirk on the lips to agree. He continues. “I’m really just a normal guy‒ you know? I don’t really have the power to change things, or have an effect on people. Like you do.”

“Me?”

He hums, rounding his expression with a small curve on his lips. “You light up the room. You charge everyone with a certain energy. A je ne sais quoi .” He jokes‒ you laugh. “It’s probably a lot of pressure, a lot of fear. But you face it. I like that about you.”

“ I’m not like you .” You hear from him. You want to remind him‒ you're a fool.

“You-” You gulp. “You do that for me too. You light up my day. But‒ I don’t know. I feel bad feeling these things. It’s like I can’t wait, you know?”

Trey scrunches his eyebrows in confusion. “Can’t wait for what?”

“I can’t wait. For the moment you‒ or people‒ leave, like you said. I’m always anticipating it. I digest people inside of me‒ pick them apart. I’m really not a good person. Sometimes there’s just something inside of me that switches when I’m faced with anything pointing to people confirming my suspicions‒ like I’m always tipping off the edge. I don’t know‒ people are…” A baited breath. “Bad. And I’m something a lot worse.”

Trey takes your hand again, drawing circles with his thumb.

“I don’t know who I am. I have no reflection, no substance, no form‒ nothing . All I know is that I’ve been emptied to carry this filth that terrorizes me‒ and whenever I lash out at it, I end up hurting other people.” The afternoon light that weaves in between the curtains illuminates a streak of dust and smoke in the room. “My story ends all the same. Like any good fabled monster.”

“What if this time it ends differently?”

A weary smile wobbles onto your lips. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” You stand, dust yourself off, and offer a hand to him. He accepts.

“It will.” His assertiveness almost surprises himself, but he reminds himself why‒ it’s you .

“Why‒ aren’t you certain?” Bitterness seeps your tongue.

“You’re the reason for it. You’re all that.”

There’s a feeling that wells inside you that replaces the tension that slips from your shoulders‒ something a tinge sour, sweet, and warm. You don’t search for the underlying tones and clandestine beats of his words. Clear as day‒ you accept this feeling. Hesitantly, you lean against him, soaking with the feeling that seems to also radiate from him.

“You’ll stay today?”

Trey feels you relax against him.

“For as long as you'll have me.”

He doesn’t let you go.

------------------------------

"I've never seen snow before I came here." You watch the soft speckles of white float gently down from the skies. "I'll never get tired of this scene."

Trey slows his pace a bit, so you can linger on the white landscape. "Really? Not even in the Queendom of Roses?"

You nod. "The island I lived on before I was exiled was exceptionally warm. I wasn’t allowed‒ ”

Quickly, you shift your words. Control.

“-I wasn’t much of an outside kid, on account of the whole sun thing before potions could handle it. And after I had left I hopped from one island to another‒ most of them were too warm to have snowy weather. And when I visited the main island it was always during the warmer seasons.”

You remember the supreme suggesting warm climates‒ quiet, sunny peaks in the outlands, away from people. Those suggestions grew on you with time. You liked warmer climates anyways, . The room you had at the temple had always been cold and damp, the only light that would peek through snuck in through the stone that had eroded over years of negligence. You shiver.

"I don't like the cold, too much. But the snow is beautiful."

You suddenly feel wool, warmth on your neck. Trey fixes his scarf on you, you almost jump away, but after the initial moment of surprise, you relax into his scent that has melted into the wool. Lavender . He always smells like sweet floral, you note. It reminds you of the patches of grass and wildflower that would sprout sparingly in the parts of your room where the sun would kiss‒ the dew that would form on them like opals would be sweet like the fragments of light that wove in soft petals on the hard stone flooring. When you touched that light refracting in honeyed rays in those small drops of water the morning chill brought, you could remember a fraction of your humanity. Summer like a warm blanket and the crickets that chirped outside while you and your sister sat beside the window sill, giggling at the lantern light. The verdant coolness that swept the bakery while you helped your papa prepare the bread rolls for proofing. Silly, small things. It could make you cry, even now, as Trey diligently wraps the scarf around your neck.

“...You were exiled?” He chooses his tone, his words very carefully, softness like velvet honey.

You smile, a shape meant to comfort him. “I was. My hometown was very poor. People needed something to believe in, and they already had their hero.” Supreme leader, in his gilded cloak. "You're going to catch a cold‒ and this scarf‒ it's from your siblings, is it not? I feel bad, you shouldn't give stuff so easily to people." Despite your words, dive your nose deeper into the yarn, threading your claws carefully within the chunky pattern.

"I’m warm enough‒ besides, you wear things like this well.” He finishes fussing with the scarf. The warmth that had welled into the wool from his skin melts into you like cotton candy‒ sweet and soft. “And you’re cold, aren’t you? If I catch a cold I’ll just have you take care of me.”

You press your cold fingers onto his bare neck to hide the rosy heat coloring your cheeks. With a shiver and a smile, he yells "Hey!" while laughing.

"Well I guess I have no choice then.”

A moment of silence after your laughter dies down‒ Trey hardens his expression. “You’re still shivering. The blood supplements haven’t helped?”

A sigh pushes through your nose. “Yeah. I guess. I don’t feel too keen on asking hospitals for donations either. I’ll be fine, pretty boy.” A curt smile curves onto your lips to reassure him.

Trey makes a face. “What if you get sick again?”

The smile you wear tightens. “I’ll be fine .”

“It’s worrying.”

“I don’t need it.”

The silence of the snowfall roars against your ears when he says‒ “What if you fed off of me?”

The dense crunch of your footsteps packing the snow stops as your chest rises and falls with a thickened rhythm.

“Don’t joke about such things.”

“I wasn’t.”

"Then don’t say stuff like that. I said I don’t need it."

"But you do! Look at you! You're emaciated‒ a few days ago you were barely standing!"

"That's‒"

"It’s not healthy, you know. You need blood to survive."

“It’s scary to see you like that.”

You’re genuinely taken back from his internal voice, a slight treble which rings against your ears. “I don’t understand. Why would you be scared?”

His answer is instantaneous, exasperated. “Because you’re my friend.”

You bite the words climbing your throat. As much as it pained you to see Trey like this, you could not swallow that thought threatening to simmer through your lips, a burning notion that had engraved itself into every piece of yourself.

I don't need you I don't need you I don't need you I don't need you I don't need I don't need‒

"Why won't you accept this offer? Accept me?" It chokes you to hear him like this‒ but the familiar nausea that seizes your throat overpowers it.

Because I could never make up for it. Make up for it being me that you choose.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.”

“ Fuck‒ yes I will!” You hiss. Quieter, you muster. “I don’t want to hurt you. But I will. I’m made that way.”

His silence drives a hot coal down your throat‒ prompting you to push down that blackness that gnaws at you.

“Sorry‒ I‒” A release in the tension of your shoulders. “I apologize. I was just…overwhelmed. It’s a serious proposition‒ you really shouldn’t take it so lightly. I haven’t interacted so much with my own kind but from what I heard, it would be almost a lifelong commitment. At least for you that is. When you die, I will..." You attempt to swallow the tightness in your throat- a hunger. "I will not forgive myself."

“I’m sorry‒ I didn’t mean to overwhelm you. We should talk about it more‒ alright?” He rubs circles with his thumb across your skin, and you feel the ridges of his fingers drawing shapes. “But if it’s regret you worry about‒ know that I would never regret spending my life with you. At any capacity.”

There were stories you heard of centuries after you were reborn as a vampire about beautiful things spun by poets and artists. To reach to the monster‒ approaching it with gentle softness rather than stakes and silver. Risking sharpened teeth with lethal maws, defying the hardwired fear and repulsion against something that has tremendous capacity for violence. Saintly, divine touch. You had deemed it one of the most beautiful things‒ sublime, and completely unfathomable to you.

But when Trey reaches to you in that moment‒ in your moments‒ you think‒ this is what it is. This is what it must feel like to be touched by something beautiful. This is what it must feel like to be touched by god. You almost understand the Supreme Leader, in a way. You understand faith ‒ it’s a terrible thing.

He cools the tindering hellfire in yourself with his touch. It burns as a searing stake through your chest.

He doesn’t let go as you walk through the ashen landscape.

------------------------------

He makes you promise you’ll talk about it. And you do‒ hesitantly accepting his proposition with a box in hand.

“I think it’s a good time to give you this.”

The smell of oak flushes his nose when Trey draws closer to inspect the intricate honeysuckles that weave through the wood.

It’s an old, tattered thing‒ something given to you when you were young by your parents. The flowers were meant to be a gesture of nostalgia and deep affection‒ and you manage to remember the fragments of your mother’s many sayings‒ something about always been meant to be with you, how she felt a strange sense of reunification when she had bore you and your sister.

A bitter taste spreads on your tongue when you move the box towards Trey, and the contents inside clack against the wood. How furious she would be if she knew what you had done.

"What is it?"

“ Insurance .” you answer, quickly.

He gives you a confused look before taking the box into his hands, opening the rusted latch on it. You only hear the eroded hinges creak as he cracks open the chest, the speckles of rust falling onto the table.

You made sure there would be enough to pack the box‒ but it seems that there is still some air when they rattle against the walls of the box. Sharpened to perfection‒ you hope they won’t wear down too much from this motion.

After a minute, there’s the same sound again, then the closing of the box before it’s shoved towards you‒ back fully in your vision once more.

“I don’t need this.” Strained, his voice comes thickly between his constricting throat ‒ a similar feeling proceeding to his chest, flaring at the ends of his fingers which tuck tightly into his palms.

The face he makes worries you.

For him, of course, but for yourself as well. You're afraid you're going to break right then and there, throat etched in silent shame‒ but you pull yourself together with a sharp, willow breath sucked into your lungs. You feel the air settle cold on your tongue, and it almost shakes.

"It's just insurance ." You say, opening the box. A wooden stake is rolled across the table to him. He averts his eyes as if it burns him. "If the time ever comes‒"

"If it comes?" The voice pounding heavily at the back of his throat raised with his breaths. He parrots your words angrily. " If the time comes? Then what‒ I have to kill you? I have to be the one?"

"I would like it to be you, yes."

He gathered his eyebrows further into the center of his forehead. "Me?"

"Only you. It could only be."

You hear his shaky breath. No‒ you feel it press deeply into your bones, a vibration that makes its way from the tremble of his fingers, through the table, into your own flesh, far inside you that its precise throb stretches the growing cracks he's made in your resolve.

"I can't."

"You must ." You feel your claws scratching against the leather of your gloves. "To protect yourself."

He feels terribly selfish, childlike for the quiet volume of his voice. "From who?”

You feel the hungry thing inside of you flourish at your own words. “From me.”

He calls out to your name. “I don’t think I could ever be afraid of someone who is so afraid of themselves.”

You have no response to that.

An inhale‒ before he continues. “You’re the reason to the certainty in my words‒ that’s not really something I had before. Nothing feels normal with you‒ but it’s the good kind. You‒” despite the situation, he laughs, cracking the expression you love. “-you really don’t know what you do to me, do you?”

A sharp finger presses against your palm to confirm this is truly‒ really‒ actually real. You doubt yourself, telling yourself that you somehow tricked him into thinking you were this good. It must have been all those pet names‒ the saccharine composition that had somehow trapped him into your siren spell.

He faces you with all his sincerity‒ revealing the sharpened claws of your hands when he slips the leather off of them. He holds them softly, hoping if his words don’t reach you‒ at least this language that you had both curated against each other, might. You feel that it does, unable to find a trace of deceit, doubt, or anything besides the honey lemon hue that basks you in all its sweetness.

For the first time in centuries‒ you feel the blood inside you churn warmly in your cheeks, your eyes avoiding his gaze.

“I suppose I didn’t.”

So of course, when he first allows you access to his blood‒ the first action you do is to cover his eyes above all else. He makes a small noise when your cold fingers fall softly on his eyelids.

Without even thinking, he reaches towards your hand‒ he sees the crimson light that weaves through your hands that eclipse into pitch darkness when he lays his hand on top of yours. In the darkness, his voice seems louder when he calls out to you.

"Can you move your hand?"

The fibers of his neck tickle against your stiffened breath.

"Not yet."

He feels your teeth open his flesh, his skin parting like a ripened fruit. The curve of your soft lips that cup warmly around the wound, leaning deep into his scent‒ to dive further into the sweetness of his blood. He groans as a moment of pain passes, but his sound relaxes‒ slurry‒ in his throat when he feels sweet pleasure, thick as honey, feathering from where he feels you feeding. His breath quickens, and you feel the warmth of his exhales. As close as a lover’s breath.

He lets out a shameless sound of pleasure‒ a whisper you drink in with his sweet ambrosia.

"Ah, this isn't so bad."

He feels the fingers you keep firmly on top of his eyes twitch.

"Sorry. 'M sorry." You mumble against his skin. His senses feel so jumbled, flooding as thick and raw syrupy mountains. He blindly accepts them‒ unlike your words, which he makes sure to affirm should not be so. I am not sorry, he thinks. You do not have to be either . There’s a tremble in your lips when he slips those words into the air, humming sweetly against his skin.

He doesn't trust his voice, but the heaviness that clouds his mind barely filters his thoughts.

"A-are you done already?"

"Mhm. Sorry, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just need a minute." His chest slowly rises and falls. He notices he's gripping your hand. "Can you move your hand now?"

"Let me see you. I want to see you."

"Just a moment." Even in the sensory deprivation, your voice feels particularly far off. "Not yet."

Trey closes his eyes, waiting for the tight pleasure that still prickles under his skin to pass. When he opens his eyes again, he finds your hand gone, the sun seeping through his fingers. You're facing away from him, sitting at the edge of the bed, bloody handkerchief in hand, unnervingly quiet.

"I'm sorry if I caused you any pain. I'll go get bandages and some pain killers for you."

You turn a bit towards him, but he doesn't see your face. He grabs your hand before you could walk away‒ calling your name.

A beat of silence. "Yes?"

"..."

It seems his senses have returned to him when he confirms the weight of your trembling hand‒ how it feels a fraction of a degree warmer than before.

"Why can't you look at me?"

" Why won’t you show me your face?

Your expression?

You?

Are you smiling? Are you mad?

Why can't you show me?

Am I‒ "

"No ." Your back gives out as you press all your force into that word, making the bed creak when you fall into it. "No. It's not you. It's not you. I just‒" A breath. "I don't want you to look at me. While I’m like this. It is a mercy. ”

Waves of scrambled noise crash through you. You want to squeeze your hands over your ears, shut your eyes until all you can feel is the vast darkness, and your fading form within it. You’d congeal with that void, rot until there is truly nothing left of anything you had‒ to to the dust as dead and far as the remains of your home.

"I don't want to just look at you. I want to see you."

You don't trust your voice, so you shake your head. When you swallow the lump lodged in your throat, it tangles in your shaky breath when you feel his hands wrap around yours.

"I want to see you." He repeats.

The noise parts with the lightness of his voice. Slowly, you turn towards him. Instantly, his hands are molded to the curve of your shape, as if they were forged by the decaying whispers of your labyrinth heart. In secret, they were cast by your hearth, and now they are cooled, and formed around the salt and tears that etch florid down your face. These hands are made for you, you think. Only the starlight has come this close to your monstrous form. Only the starlight.

"I'm sorry‒ I shouldn't be so‒ this right now. But I just can't‒ I'm so sorry." The apologies bubble from your trembling lips, as you try to form a coherent thought. But the softness of which he touches the cruel sharpness of your form‒ it wells a crescendo symphony of desire that you withheld, lurching upon you all at once.

He pulls you in, tighter.

This was home. You had always stood at the edge of it, drawing a line before the entrance to remind yourself‒ you had not been welcomed yet. But he had always welcomed you. It felt as if some speck of his soul had always done so, with the relief you feel when you step within it. The room inside your heart when you merge your warmth with his does not feel so full‒ nor so empty. It is filled with potential. Future. Something that had risen from him, infinitely.

"Don't‒" you place your fingers over your mouth. "Not while I taste like this."

He breaks your lips with his words. “Trust me?”

The warmth that folds over you feels like a prayer. Have faith . When you open your mouth, flesh is at your mercy, but you do not bite down as you expected the thirst inside you would have. Stars, the world stripped of its layers until it was only you, and him. For once infinity does not seem so much of a curse.

You must be intoxicated by the sweetness of his blood. Bittersweet‒ it seeps.

"I'm not…" You gulp down the swaying warmth. "I'm not supposed to like you."

"But…?" His smile curves so high the whites of his eyes are almost completely eclipsed by his honey lemon hue.

You intwine your hand with his. Another prayer. "Foolishly, I do."

“It isn’t foolish at the slightest.”

“It’s alright.” You smile. “I’d like to be the fool for once.”

------------------------------

You fidget with your suit steps away from the spotlight, holding your cello with your other hand.

“Stop fidgeting.” Trey instructs you, flattening the creases you’ve made to your suit jacket. He smiles. “It’s just nerves, they’ll pass when you get up there‒ you’ve told me so before..”

“I don’t‒ I don’t know if I’ll be able to play it right. I haven’t been this nervous in ages.” You still straighten the tie around your neck. “Maybe I should tell Azul‒”

The cloth is straightened again, before he glides his hands to your shoulders, bringing you an inch closer to feel the warmth that radiates off his skin. “You’re going to be amazing.”

Your eyebrows crease. “How can you be so certain?”

“You’re all that.”

His hand guides you towards the curtains, lingering when his fingers reach yours before you step into the spotlight. Azul finishes your introduction as you look towards the audience, searching for a familiar face. You find his eyes, and there is no need for any magic, any power‒ for you to find the faith in his eyes. You let it guide your bow, and the strings vibrate like golden hair gleaming in the sunlight, marrying sweetly‒ your internal harmony guided by his sweetness.

The music swells, breaks, heaves‒ before it dies out once more. The lounge fills with the sound of applause, and you sheepishly smile again the few whistles and whoops your club-mates send your way. Each and every thread of sound resonates within your body, vibrating with color.

Once you get off the stage into the crowd, you see Trey march towards you, before almost knocking you down with the force of his embrace. You allow a bit of your power to spin him off his feet, before you separate‒ wanting to see the look on his face.

"Will you come with me?" You pull his hand away from the crowd, breathless in your excitement.

"Where?" He asks, similar in his bursting fruition.

"Out there. Here. Over there. Wherever."

He smiles, the warmth moves the beat of your heart to the tip of your fingers, back into his palm when you lace your other hand with his. You think‒ I'd be a follower, a devotee, a dog for this. Have faith. I've got you. It’s terrifying, and it shakes you with excitement.

"I can't wait."

------------------------------

Notes:

The book I mentioned the priest had is based on the real Dissertations Upon the Apparitions of Angels, Daemons, and Ghosts, and Concerning the Vampires of Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia that 18th-century Benedictine monk and distinguished biblical scholar Antoine Augustin Calmet wrote. It was actually a large source of inspiration to Bram Stoker's dracula. Basically a collection of reports and examinations of vampire/monster attacks emerging in eastern Europe during the late 17th to early 18th century. The accounts of the undead rising and infecting whole villages, reaping of their health and blood that were recorded in this compendium of monster attacks formed a lot of the imagery and characterizations associated with vampires.

Historically, bloodletting was a popular method during the 19th century to cure medical conditions, especially psychological‒ as it was based on the concept of humors. Fun fact, this is why there is a distinction between surgeons (“barbers”) and physicians, and is why the striped barber sign is red and white‒ red symbolizing blood and white the bandages. This method was used from everything from hysteria, insanity, and heartbreak, to things like scurvy and epilepsy.

Bloodletting, transfusions, and vivisections (experimental surgery) both appear in Dracula because they were the hot new science of the Victorian era. Stoker's father was actually a physician so a lot the medical cures and information in the narrative frame the work very closely to the social, religious, and medical attitudes during the period.

Though Victorians still believed the world of humors (ie blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm, or more commonly known by their four counterparts: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic)- the era began to see a rise of Heroic medicine which sought to shock the body of its ills (ie bloodletting, drinking blood, etc etc)

During the New England vampire panic of the 19th century Victorian era, it was believed that consumption (Tuberculosis) had a strong connection with vampires and the “rise of the dead”, because of the seemingly unexplained rapid spread of this disease that would “consume” its victim and its family at an alarming rate (this was mostly just due to general hygiene issues and the cures for TB being syrups and elixirs of like literally just morphine and cocaine). TB victims usually had pale, emaciating skin, and in combination with how to identify a suspected vampiric corpse (ie grown fingernails = sharp claws; plump skin = immortality/fast healing); the common cures to TB other than those concoctions during the period such as bloodletting, blood drinking, and the “climate cure” (spending a lot of time outside in sunny, warm climates = aversion to the sun); as well as the spread of TB (highly infection, if one person got it in the home, it would spread rapidly to other members of the family = seems like that originally infected person was “consuming” the rest of the family members) kind of makeup the symptoms, physical aesthetic, and indicators of vampires we know today. Pre-Christian notions believed that a body could be “infected” by evil spirits, the concept of evil, etc.. if not buried properly, which translated into the Christian context as demonic or satanic influences entering the body. And because Churches were often the ones dealing with burials, and setting the precedent for burial rituals‒ they had a lot of influences in setting the precedent for burial rituals, how dead bodies should be handled, etc

Because of the strong religious influences during this Victorian romantic period, and the seeming “failings” of empirical science and thought‒ a lot of people turned to the church

Historically, during the New England vampire panic in the 19th century Victorian era, it was believed that consumption (Tuberculosis) had a strong connection with vampires and the “rise of the dead” because it would “consume” the entire family, beginning with one of the family members, then spreading to everyone else because it was highly infectious. This is why things like pale skin, and vampires needing to feed off of blood is a thing because it is connected to the symptoms and infection of TB (blood drinking was also a cure at some point??)

Everytime I'm like "should I add this ultra specific detail with an irl artist's name??? Does it make sense with the twst universe?? Ah whatever‒"

Anyway I choose Chopin for a lot of reasons. The primary reason was that his music moves me deeply (please listen to the piece if you haven't heard it before). He also suffered from TB (aka consumption), and most likely suffered through a chronic version of it his whole life, which caused a lot of suffering and medical complications through his youth, and into adulthood when rising to fame as a composer. This cello piece was the only sonata that wasn't on the piano, and was played at his very last public concert in Paris. He also had kind of a miserable love life because of his weak health (a condition he could not fix), I thought it would be an interesting connection with MC along with the emotional value the song has on its own.

BPD is very misrepresented and incredibly stigmatized in media especially but also the mental health and treatment spheres in general so I did a lot of not only personal introspection but also research on it as well. I thought vampirism would be a good metaphor for BPD because I imagine the concept of eternity and also having to physically drain someone of their life source would cause a lot of attachment and abandonment issues in addition to the feelings of shame and guilt that often come with having BPD (“why am I this way?”). The monstrous appearance described and often visualized in Dracula/vampire related films and media, as well as the myth that vampires don’t have a reflection also not only conceptualizes BPD and its affect on self image, but also visually narrates the aspects of mentioned shame, guilt, and self hatred that come with BPD and the emotional regulation issues that affect relationships. Anyways I not only wanted to do BPD justice because I feel like its very rarely represented in media accurately and with a happy ending, but I also wanted to explore

I didn’t want to go too in-depth with the cult stuff because I feel that could veer off track. I drew from my own experiences (I have a close family member in a cult), as well as some research + some inspiration from a game series called Faith: The Unholy Trinity. But of course the central ideas of isolation, salvation (under a specific pretense), and dependency are there.

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reallyromealone · 4 months

Text

So like

I made a fic

It's not a reader fic but instead about my twisted wonderland oc that's the vorpal blade and I'm proud of this so yeah, this is new for me so please be gentle

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

Deep within the woods surrounding the Night Raven College shrouded by ivy and plant life stood a sword. A soft glow radiated off the pearlescent sword, the longsword handle made of a silver-like metal twisted like roses and vines. Students didn't know what the sword was, and no one was able to release it from its prison from the stone it was stabbed in no matter the strength or the magic; it stood in its lonesome amongst the trees and the leaves.

"Please help me get a good grade on this test!" A student would beg for the sword, leaving an offering to the blade for fortune in their studies.

It was a school ritual of sorts, those daring to go through the woods to find the sword and hope it granted their wish of good grades or a confession of sorts.

And sometimes the sword granted it.

No one knew where the sword came from, what it was named, or who it belonged to but many theorized it was from the battle that created the Night Raven Academy, a bloodbath that took two centuries to heal both sides. "Why are you praying to some sword? Studying is all you need to pass!" Riddle grumbled as he and Carter went to this sword "This sword works! Not just in classes but occasionally with day-to-day!"

"Isn't that cheating?" Riddle glared and the other chuckled "Nah, it's only sometimes it works..." Maybe it was a placebo effect or maybe it worked but students liked to feel it had magic, it wouldn't be out of the realm after all. Riddle stared at the sword curiously, it seemed familiar, something heed seen before...

...but where?

Riddle didn't think of the sword much after that, his classes were his priority after all, and some sword in the woods didn't matter much to him. "Yes!" Carter seemed excited as he had a surprisingly high test score, he was pretty average in grades so it was something out of the ordinary "Told ya that sword was real!" He boasted as he leaned in his chair. It was late as Riddle looked through books in the library, skimming and searching for anything of use, he had seen this sword before!

Countless books stacked around him, looking for anything and everything... Then he found a book, old and dusty with red engravings on a grey binding "The Collapse of the Country of Roses" he was exhausted... But he will give this book a go he supposed... The candle was flickering as he looked through the pages, the grandfather clock ringing three, he should be asleep but he couldn't...

"The white Queen then cast a spell onto her general, once the man turned back into the... vorpal blade"

There it was.

The sword.

He knew of the vorpal blade, it was something every child in the queendom of hearts knew about... A sword so powerful it could slay the strongest of foes... When swung it sounded like singing...

He didn't care that it was the dead of night, trudging to the sword that glowed in the moonlight, the wind causing it to ring ever so slightly "So you are real..." Riddle couldn't believe it but here it was, just like the pictures...

Riddle did more research, days and nights between classes and club activities, he didn't know why he was so fixated on the sword...

He just wanted to know... What curse was placed?

"Oh it was a forbidden curse, old fae magic that we banned a few millennia ago" Riddle jolted as he looked to see Lilia hovering over him as he stared at the vorpal blade on the old book with a knowing look "the white Queen did it, did you know that? He didn't deserve it"

Wait...

"Did... You know him?" Riddle knew Lilia was old... But... How old was he?

"I did... He was quite a nice...person?" Lilia didn't know he could describe the other as a person, he was technically a person... But he was also a magic sword...

"Do you know how to free him?"

Lilia was quiet "I'm not sure...let's ask Headmaster Crowley"

the two speed walked to the headmaster, students looking curious as these two never really hung out like this, the two holding Riddle's research close as the sound of their feet tapped against their feet, by the sevens why did this school have to be so big?! They finally reached the headmaster's door, grand and imposing as usual, knocking twice as the door creaked open with magic no doubt "My my, don't you two look out of breath~" Crowley teased as he sipped his tea "Why are you two coming to my office in such a flurry? Is the world ending in such a hurry?"

"We have reason to believe the vorpal blade is on campus"

This caught the man (?) Attention as he set his tea down "Do you have your evidence to prove this claim?"

Riddle set all his evidence on the table and let the headmaster look through "This exact blade is in the enchanted woods in the exact way the story says, it grants wishes and when the wind hits it, it sings" Riddle said seriously and Crowley's face no longer held that playfulness, serious etched behind the mask he wore "let me see this sword"

Crowley, Vargas, and Crewel accompanied the students as they went to the sword, the two showing them the sword that had ivy growing on its side and Lilia felt sick.

This was the sword.

This was Rovina.

"Rovina..."

"You two knew each other right?" Lilia nodded as he gently touched the blade "his signature spell was vorpal glory... He summoned this exact sword... He was a great general you know? Served the white Queen right down to the last moment..."

"How do we free this... Sword?" Vargas looked confused as he stared at the glowing blade, it was the vorpal blade "Maybe we take it out so we can examine it further?" Crewel said casually and Riddle walked to the blade and grabbed its handle, a wave of familiarity washed over him as he pulled it out.

A white glow overtook their vision, the sword transforming... Into a man?

On his knees, skin pale as the moon, and long strands of ivory hair were Rovina, the vorpal blade. His toga was an off white and the gold accents of his jewelry made him look almost angelic, the golden coronet on his head acting as a halo "holy shit" was all Vargas could muster as Crowley felt something bubble inside of him, a smug pride knowing that this would infuriate the royal swords academy.

"My my, why don't we get you inside yes?"

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland fanfic #anime #riddle rosehearts #lilia vanrouge #twisted wonderland x oc #male oc #fluff #angst #hurt to comfort

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bloody-psycho-love · 1 year

Text

In the Midst of Conflict

Summary For “In the Midst of Conflict”: Five to six years have passed since the five of them have attended Night Raven College. Lilia Vanrouge and Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia had changed their friendship into a romantic relationship. But how will they navigate said romance when Malleus takes the throne after his grandmother disappears? How will Alex deal with being an outsider in the Briar Valley? Will their romance survive and flourish or will it wilt and crumble from their hands?

Co written by @eternity-forevermore and myself, @bloody-psycho-love!

Night Two

Alexandria knelt down on one knee and bowed to show Malleus Draconia the respect that he very much deserved. Her right hand was on her heart. It was the way that she was taught to respect, honor, and show her loyalty to the King of Spain at the time. But this time, it felt proper. It felt right. "My allegiance and my loyalty are with you. And only to this group. No one else shall receive it unless they are welcomed by you and Lilia." Malleus felt as if he were the luckiest fae in all of Twisted Wonderland with how many people (humans and fae alike) were willing to be by his side until the end of their fighting days. With their honest and sincere words, their expressions of twinkling eyes and expressions of seriousness, the Prince's worries evaporated. Gone. It was as if they were never there to begin with. "Thank you. For your allegiance and for your kind words. You may all stand up now." Seeing them like that was oddly fitting. But he wouldn't want to do that to him while in the throne room. This was something that was supposed to be for his eyes only. No one else was worthy of this but this group, Yuu and a few select others.

Being helped up by her lover, Alex wordlessly pushed off any kind of particle that flew in the air. "What should we do now?"

Lilia pondered for a moment, humming out loud, until he glanced outside, noting just how dark it had become.

"Perhaps we should go to bed?" He suggested, "It will become rather late, soon. And we have to leave in the morning, I do believe."

"I do think that is a good idea," Sebek answered, "So that we can have enough energy to move. After all, we're on the edge of Briar Valley, so it would take a good while to reach the capital where Her Highness resides."

Silver nodded, "Yeah, and so we can be better prepared for any surprises that may come our way." "But it's not too terribly late," Lilia says, "We can fit in another game," a devilish smile, "Should Malleus and Sebek like to join us. But only if they want to- if not, I suppose we should turn in early for the night."

Inwardly sighing, Alex did her best to keep her inner thoughts... well, inner thoughts. "I do like Lilia's idea. Playing a new game. But perhaps we shall take shifts in watching over the cottage just in case?" Until someone else agrees on this, it would hang up in the air. There was complete silence until Malleus had nodded, voicing his agreement. "Yes. I agree with the human. However, who should go first?" Were there going to be any volunteers? If there were, it would most likely be Sebek if they knew him at all. Then again it could change. After all, who knew what was going to happen tonight? If it was an awful idea, they could just do something else.

"I can go first," Lilia offers, "I've been without sleep for many hours before, so it shouldn't be hard."

"I can take the second shift," Silver says, nodding.

"I'll take it with you, Silver," Sebek replies, "Otherwise your narcolepsy could leave you vulnerable."

Silver didn't comment on it, instead of nodding. He disliked the fact that he would randomly fall asleep at times without warning, but it would be a good idea to have Sebek there. Plus it could help keep him awake, and make it less dull. "That works," Lilia says, "Off to bed with you all. I'll wake you both," a glance to Silver and Sebek, "when the time comes."

After hearing of her lover being awake for long periods of time without any sleep, Alexandria became worried. What did he mean by that and why was he saying that in a peppy tone? Should she accompany him just in case he ends up passing out? No. She needed to trust him on this. Lilia Vanrouge knew his way around a patrol. He wouldn't have become a general without knowing this. Nodding, she would only take her leave after leaning down and giving Lilia a peck on the cheek. "Please stay safe, mi tesoro," She said as she left the room to go up to one of the guest rooms. Would she be allowed to go sleep in his room? If she wasn't, she was going to do it anyway.

Malleus Draconia nodded as he turned his heel and trusted the two knights and general with the patrols. They're experts in this, so there was no worry or concern from him whatsoever. Going to his room, he closed the door behind him gently. Nothing and no one was going to get passed those three for certain. There was a reason that Lilia Vanrouge was his guardian. His grandmother was not one for flawed judgment when it came to his protection.

"No worries, my love," Lilia responds in kind, "I will make sure nothing shall befall on this family, that I do swear."

He looked over at Silver and Sebek, "Now hurry on along now, children," a smile, "Otherwise when it's your turn, you'll be terribly tired."

Silver and Sebek made blank faces, nodded, and then left for their respective rooms. They may have been adults, but they still consider Lilia to be a father figure. Lilia looked to Malleus and Alex, and tilted his head to the side, "If you need anything, I shall be right outside. Please do get enough sleep, my kindred."

Both Malleus and Alex turned their heads in the tilting fae's direction and nodded their heads in unison and confirmation that they heard him. When they had left the room and went into their respective rooms, both had the opposite thoughts. Malleus Draconia entrusted the protection and safety of the home to him while Alexandria was worried about his lack of sleep. But he could pull it off. General Vanrouge has pulled off many things that would have been impossible for others to even process, let alone comprehend and react to. There was no wonder that the Queen had entrusted him with the lives of many others. If they were to have met during his days as a war general, she most likely would have been imprisoned by him or worse. Going to Lilia's room, she closed the door behind her gently. Undressing, she was now in her underwear and nothing else. His clothes would have been too small for her to wear and Alex didn't quite know Malleus well enough (nor Silver nor Sebek) in order to ask him to borrow his clothing.

Malleus simply closed the door behind him (yes, he is in his own room) and changed into some nighttime clothing with the snap of his fingers. As he went to lie down in his bed, his eyes closed. However, his ears were open to any and all noise that would be in the cottage. Being on the edge of Briar Valley was a fool's errand for most if not nearly all.

Once everyone had left, Lilia made a quick trip upstairs. He didn't take too long- simply grabbing the surveillance items. In a few minutes, he was outside.... At the top of the cottage. Lilia didn't think he would ever have to walk through the door at the end of the hallway of the hidden stairway, but then again he didn't think he would ever be in this situation- bringing his entire family back to the cottage and then staying there for the night.

He had a bird's eye view, especially with the aid of the magic stones. Old habits kicked in, and soon Lilia was in tune to his surroundings, from every little pixies and fae that flew and roamed around these parts, to every doe, fawn, and bear that made their home. This part of the forest was always quiet, thankfully, but one can never know when it will be the day that someone dares to venture out in the area.

And Lilia prayed that he would never have to end another being again, if he could help it.

The hours passed, and soon enough the sky was starting to become brighter- but only ever so slightly. It was still dark out, and the sun would likely not come out for another two hours. He supposed it was time to wake up Silver and Sebek, so he did. He went through the door, and down the stairs, until he came upon their rooms, waking them up individually.

Once the two were out and awake, Lilia led the two (albeit sleepy) men towards the hidden staircase, through the hall and then up to the rooftop, where the platform was.

"Alright boys, here are the items. I'll leave you to it."

And without any further elaboration, Lilia left.

Silver and Sebek looked at each other, and furrowed their brows.

"What even is this place?" Silver asks, as he looks around, "Was this hidden passage always here?"

"Don't know," Sebek replied, "Malleus only showed me the hidden passage yesterday- before he announced his succession to the crown."

"...Well then."

The two took a seat, looking over the things left for them.

Soon enough, Alexandria had fallen into a deep slumber. Within her dreams, there was her and Lilia. The lovers were peacefully dancing in formal and pure white (wedding dress, white and green suit and all!), laughing at each other's whispered jokes after they had spoken their vows of undying love to each other. Sharing a passionate kiss between one another all the while being celebrated for their marriage. Malleus, Sebek, Silver, and two women were there to celebrate with them. A general would want a huge celebration, right? But not General Vanrouge. That was what the reception was for! Right now, it was just family and friends. Dancing with the few others at the wedding, cutting a cake together. What more did a woman her age want besides safety and security?

At the same time, Malleus barely dreamed. Yet when he would do so, he would dream of his childhood. Of all of the happy times with baby Silver, small Sebek, and Lilia as his guardian. As his father figure. Warmhearted, loving, compassionate. Yet he was stern and strict when he needed to be. What more could a child of his stature and age ask for? Sure, Lilia's cooking was as abysmal as ever. But it was nutritious and healthy for growing boys such as themselves, at least according to Lilia. Although he was dreaming such a lovely, heartfelt dream, his ears had kept out any unfamiliar noises that were indicative of a stranger in the cottage.

Hours passed, and soon the sun rose. Silver and Sebek spent the majority of the time talking about the past and whatever else they could come up with, while keeping an eye on the things.

"Do you remember how we leave?" Sebek asked, unsure of how to get down, "I think Lilia had us climb the tree," Silver replied, "I don't understand why they never built a ladder- ah, wait. I found the ladder."

And lo and behold, there was a ladder at the edge.

"Why did-"

"Let's not question it, Silver."

The two got down, and entered the passage, curiously glancing at the walls.

"You said Malleus allowed you inside?" Silver asks, once taking note of the doors, "What were they?"

"Just offices, nothing much to them. There were a few magical artifacts- they looked expensive. "

"Ah, I suppose that makes sense now... Why they didn't let us up here."

"...What do you mean?"

"Sebek, you broke the window once."

"...Right."

The conversation dwindled down as they came to the end of the staircase, Sebek casting the magic that Malleus had shown him earlier.

They then entered the living room, the house still as quiet, save for the noise coming from the kitchen, the waft of coffee permeating throughout the room. The two decide to enter the kitchen to see who it was.

Having woken up a couple of hours before sunrise, Alexandria had gotten dressed in the bedroom where her and Lilia were resting. Having found some eggs, a few potatoes, olive oil, and tomatoes, she had decided to make a hearty breakfast to help them all feel rested. The coffee was already hot and ready in cute coffee cups on the dining room table for everyone should they wish to drink some. Coffee that had some dollops of cream and milk in at least one or two of them with the cream and milk chilled a little bit so that it didn't go bad. The sizzling and sauteing of the vegetables was adorned with the cracking of the eggshells as the hearty smell of pan-fried potatoes had filled the kitchen and dining room. As they were being cooked in the pan, she had decided to add some salt and pepper for taste as well as some olive oil. Because she was making a big pan full of pan-fried potatoes, vegetables, and eggs, she decided to add some sliced tomatoes as well. The more vegetables to balance it out, the better. If Alex had more time, she would have also made some chocolate fried churros as well! But they would have had to head out in the early morning. While doing all of this, she was singing a lullaby to herself: Cielito Lindo. It always soothed her and put her mind at ease when she was focusing on cooking. Her long mane of midnight black hair was in a higher bun so as to not get any in the food. It was good to know what to do with a few hair clips, hair ties, and an old fashioned hairbrush. It could be used as a curler if need be! Yes, she was wearing the clothes from yesterday. But it wasn't as if she had brought anything else to wear.

Malleus was still asleep in his bedroom, but would slowly rouse from it as soon as he smelled something being made. Was he out of his room yet? Not by a long shot. But he was fully dressed with just a snap of his fingers. Normally he would have only used it to assist him. But they were in a bit of a time crunch. Taking a book from the shelf, he turned on the magical lamp that he had used when he was younger and began to read.

Silver and Sebek entered into the kitchen, the full scent of food activating their hungry stomach. As if on cue, their stomachs growled. They glanced at each other, then back to Alex, slowly walking over to her to see what she was making. They made sure to make their footsteps loud and heard, as to warn Alex that they were no- as to not completely surprise her.

"What are you making?" Silver asked, curiously. He stood right next to Alex, watching how she sauteed the vegetables, his mouth nearly watering as the sight of cooked food. Usually Silver would forgo breakfast, but he'd already been awake for hours, alongside Sebek, so naturally they craved food. "You made coffee?" Sebek asks, glancing at the cups, "May I have one?" A cup of coffee might do him some good, especially after the shift of surveillance. And truth be told, Sebek liked coffee, although contrary to what one may think, Sebek liked his coffee on the sweeter side. Not too obscenely sweet, just enough to rid the bitterness of coffee.

Alexandria answered, "Oh, this? This is called huevos rotos. It's a hearty breakfast back in my home country on Earth that helps us wake up for the morning." That was when she had begun to describe the process of how it was made, where it was first made and how to properly make it along with the cream and the coffee. The milk was an essential ingredient to help lighten the color of the coffee so that it could be enjoyed without the harsh bitterness. Of course if they preferred it to be bitter, then they wouldn't need to add cream or milk. "Of course! Both of you go grab your coffee el leche! It'll help you both wake up for the journey to Briar Valley." Alex instructed, putting some more olive oil in there to help the pan-fried potatoes, vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and caramelized onions), and eggs don't burn on her. "Grab your pans as well from the dining room table! I'll give you your serving here in the kitchen!"

By the time she was ready to serve, Malleus had put his own book away. Walking towards the door, he had opened it with a gentle hand, softly pushing it out of the way. Making his way downstairs, he could only follow his nose for the scent of breakfast that was being made. Once he had made his way into the dining room and the kitchen, he had to admit to himself that his mouth was watering. Internally, he was relieved that another day could go by without the wasteland that was Lilia's cuisine.

The two nodded, grabbing the necessary items and bringing it over to Alex so that they may get served. Once they received a good amount of food, they took their place at the kitchen table, Sebek helping himself to some of the coffee, adding more milk and sugar to it to achieve a tan color.

Silver took a bite of the food, surprised at the taste. He's eaten similar back in Night Raven, but home cooked meals often were better than what's made in a cafeteria. He glanced at Alex, and once having caught her attention, he simply gave her a thumbs up and nodded.

When Malleus entered the room, Silver and Sebek gave a small bow, with Sebek saying, "Good morning, young master. I do hope you had a pleasant sleep."

She smiled and nodded when Silver had grabbed her attention. It always felt good to her heart when someone liked her cooking. After all, food was one of the main sources of life. What was the point of eating it if it didn't taste good at least? When was the vampiric fae going to be here? Was he going to sleep in today? Was he still up and about in some secret part of the cottage? Oh well. He'll come when he wants to eat. Turning the knob off, she would go ahead and get her own coffee, going to sit down at the table next to Silver. "Greetings, Silver and Sebek," Malleus replied, picking up his pan. Going into the kitchen, he was given his bigger portion of food before giving her his thanks. Sitting down in the end chair, he had then proceeded to drink his coffee with a bit of creamer and milk. What was the flavor of this creamer? Was it regular cream? What some would call vanilla or hazelnut? Either way, it was a unique sweet taste to him that he enjoyed. Not too overpowering, but sweet enough to smell and dissuade the original bitterness.

"Father is a bit late, isn't he?" Silver speaks up, halfway through his meal.

"He is," Sebek realizes, "I don't think he's often this late. Perhaps he slept in?"

Silver sighed- it could have been possible. He didn't know when was the last time his father had gone to sleep before this. "I'll go check up on him, then."

And so he left, Sebek eating his food. Faintly he could hear Silver's voice from the hallway, straining his ear to hear them- but from the sound of it, it looked like the fae hadn't gotten enough sleep these past few days. "Belated morning, everyone," Lilia says, as he emerged into the kitchen, his voice husky and low, "I hope everyone is well." Lilia looked around, and saw Alex and the food, so he walked over to her, getting as close as he could, and said in a whisper, "Ah, this breakfast looks delightful."

Malleus had wondered if his guardian had grown too comfortable with life at Night Raven College. Perhaps that was why he was getting up late. Then again, the sleep fatigue could have finally gotten to him. He nodded at Silver as he continued to eat his breakfast. Who knew that human food could be this delicious? The tomatoes added a certain flavor that he couldn't describe. It also made for great coloring! Alex almost leapt from her spot as she was in the middle of scooping up her portion with the spatula as she squeaked out, "Lilia, mi amor, you almost scared me out of my wits!" She exclaimed, barely managing to get the portion into her pan. "Please grab a pan from the dining room table. I need to get you your portion..." As she had gotten done with getting her own portion, the immortal went to give her lover his portion and the last bit of the huevos rotos so that it wouldn't get wasted. It was then that they thanked him for the compliment on the food.

"Apologies, love," Lilia says, receiving the food with grace. "Though I'm always appreciative of the food you make, please do be aware."

Lilia took his seat, making sure to choose one where there would be an empty seat for his beloved next to him.

The breakfast was dealt in comfortable silence. The food that Alex ate was eaten quickly, almost none left over by the time that breakfast was done. Once everyone was done, Silver and Sebek excused themselves, going to their rooms to finish packing. "We ought to finish up preparation too," Lilia suggests, "Though I think we're fine, but it couldn't hurt."

"I'll do my best to be more aware in the future," She muttered, kicking herself for not being more careful of Lilia's surprise. Of course he was doing that as a way to test if you could anticipate someone coming at you. This time, she was too preoccupied. Therefore they had failed at their task. What was relieving was that not an ounce of food was not wasted and the coffee was mostly drunk. Putting their dishes in the sink, she then turned on the faucet to rinse out the dishes. Going back for the others, their speed walking had proven to be effective. Once the dishes were rinsed out and washed to the best of her abilities, they grabbed a rag to dry them off with. When that chore was done, it was then that she sped walked to Lilia's room. As he had said, preparations were needed for the trip to Briar Valley.

Malleus had already finished with his packing since he had mostly done so manually with little magic for assistance. The more magic he used, the more blotted his stone became. They didn't need an overblot at a time like this. Everything from his wardrobe, drawers (mostly souvenirs that reminded him of the magicless child of man that wandered into his life one day) and night stand. So there wasn't all that much for him to have packed. Well except for all of the books as well as some of his paperwork. Nobody besides his family must know about it. His broom was standing on the side of his bedroom wall, waiting to be taken. Taking both his luggage and his broom, the Prince made his way out of the room and would wait in the living room.

Sebek and Silver went to the living room once they were done, only bringing a small pack or two for the journey- everything in the cottage was made for them when they were teenagers- not grown men. So all they could bring were merely the items that they had brought with them to the cottage.

They saw Malleus in the living room, the two bowed their heads to him in deference.

"Young master," Sebek says, "I hope you're prepared for the journey."

"It'll be brief, but nonetheless, it will be best to be prepared as much as one can be," Silver replies.

Lilia walks into the room, carrying a sizable suitcase- its contents couldn't have been much more than anyone else's. Lilia never needed to have much, after all, and his short stature meant he could have more space for other items- like snacks.

"I am." Only two words had come out of his lips as he addressed the two young knights. His only hope was that the people would welcome him back into the capital. But he knew the truth. Most were too afraid of even approaching him, let alone speak to him. Everything should be alright now. There were no worries or concerns to be had... Well, the Prince (soon to be King) shouldn't be worrying about that at this second. What was to be thought about was the journey. Hopefully the winds have calmed down now.

Alexandria was the last one to come out with two small suitcases since she didn't pack much as all. This was going to be her new life now since she had been a nomad for most of it. Though it would be strange settling into Briar Valley, they were sure that they were going to meet new people and possibly be friends with them, yes? Snacks? Well those were almost nonexistent. Her diaries and journals? All of those were there along with her spells, potions, and other alchemical formulas. Simple hygienic items? Yes. Hair products? Check! Razor? Also check! The immortal had already double and triple checked to see if she had brought her dagger and crystal ball before coming out of the room.

Lilia looked around, and once he made the mental note that everything was in order, he began, "Alright, it looks like we should depart now. I know a clearing where we can take off, so follow me."

The old fae led everyone out of the house, making sure that it was all locked and secure. He then led everyone on a faded trail (though when was a trail never faded?), and after a few minutes of walking, there was a clearing.

Though it wasn't a clearing per se, as wild flowers have begun to sprout, making the area akin to a field, it was still a suitable place to take off. "Here, it should be good," Lilia says, preparing his broom.

Alex and Malleus nodded as they would follow Lilia out of the cottage and onto the worn trail. It truly felt as if they were going on a journey after their first pitstop. The wild flowers in the small clearing field filled her with a sense of calm as she sauntered over to go get ready onto Lilia's broom. Alexandria could fly just as easily as the rest could. So why did she never bring a broom? Simple. She didn't have a need for one for the longest time. Her two legs and feet were all that was needed for her previous life. Also her broom broke for some mysterious reason, but we don't need to talk about that- But now they would need one for this place. For the first time, she was going to be visiting this mystical place. Where she would be living for a long time. Her heart raced at all of the opportunities and possibilities of someone that she knew being her tour guide.

His stomach had billions of microscopic butterflies stuck as a wave of anxiety gradually grew before dissipating once more. What were these sudden floods of emotions? Besides from him becoming King. Maybe he was just nervous about going back. That was all. Of course! That's all it was! However his face would never betray him in the most vital of times. His aloof nature was always front and center and so it shall remain. Preparing himself, he had gotten onto his broom and went into position to sit on it.

Soon, everyone was air-bound. It was a rocky start, but the ride became smoother as time went on, with the occasional turbulence. It didn't take terribly long to get to the castle, but it was not like it was a short ride either. At some point Lilia dispersed some of the snacks around in order to keep everyone's energy.

By the time they arrived on castle grounds, it was only barely past noon.

"Finally, our feet have landed," Sebek sighed, "I don't know how much longer I would've been able to endure."

Silver looked at his blot stone, noting how dark it was becoming, "Indeed. We should take it easy for some time before we use some magic, in case." "Welcome to the palace, love," Lilia says to Alex, with a smile on his face.

The turbulence was expected at this point. But her instincts had told her to hold onto her lover's waist still. Who knew how bad the winds could get in this place? When they had made the short pitstop, the tall immortal woman almost devoured her snacks within several bites. Did her own breakfast not satiate her hunger? It wasn't as if any of the group was going to criticize or judge them for it. Once they were back in the air again, their body almost leaned onto Lilia's. But they knew that he was strong enough to be able to handle their weight. The next thing they knew, the castle of Draconia was in bird's eye view. Her gray eyes widened as they glistened, almost wanting to cry at the beauty of its' gothic architecture. Landing on the ground, they shook off their tears by blinking them again. Digging out their wand, they took a look at the stone. Luckily for them, theirs was fine. A bigger smile had spread on their face, a joyful smile, as they thanked Lilia for the ride. "It's beautiful here," They whispered, musing about life in the castle.

At the same time, Malleus had looked at his wand after being the last to land on the ground. His lime green gemstone had darkened some, making him glare at it. Within a millisecond, that darkened expression has gone away into his original aloof expression. He sauntered towards the group, keeping quiet about his wand. Malleus had too much on his mind to worry about what might happen. Putting his wand back in its proper place, his strides helped him catch up with the group in no time. Leading the group alongside Lilia, they had made their way to the front entrance, opening themselves up to the world of the royal court.

"Be prepared," Lilia warns, a hand on the handle, "The court may not be so welcoming to newcomers."

With that, he pushed the door open, the hinges creaking loudly the more and more they were pushed.

"Come right on in, kindred," Lilia calls out.

The group did, and upon entering, they realized they entered from a side entrance- fae and human servants out and about doing, doing their tasks for the day. They were in the ballroom it seemed, from the looks of it. Tables and chairs were being set up, and none of the workers glanced at the group, likely too focused on their task.

There were a few glances here and there, but no one dared come up to the group nor acknowledge them fully.

"Should we head for Her Highness' personal quarters?" Sebek asks, looking around. While not his first time in the castle, it was the first he'd ever had to consider talking to the ruling Queen.

"No," Lilia replied, taking the lead, "Her Majesty should be aware that we're here at a moment's notice. First we should prioritize getting our bearings, then meet with Her Majesty, should she ask for it."

"I see," Silver replies, curiously looking around as well, though he stood tall.

"Come along now- the faster we get our bearings, the faster we can get to the heart of the matter," Lilia says, taking the group further into the castle.

It didn't take long for them to find a servant in high enough ranking to escort them to their rooms, though it did take long to find said rooms. Silver and Sebek went off to their respective rooms, as did Malleus.

"Would you want to share a room, beloved?" Lilia asks, in front of one of the doors. There was a vacant room next to his- should Alex prefer to have one by herself.

She nodded in understanding as she braced herself for the future onslaught. Entering with the group, she ended up being behind by only a little bit since she still wanted to look at the architecture. Whoever designed and built this place was a master at it! Not to be distracted by that, she ended up pinching herself. After the pinch, their attention switched back to the group. They were just grateful that they had entered from the side entrance instead of the main entrance. Although these doors looked all the same to her, she'd have to memorize the building. Despite the glances, she managed to press on. Just blend in and everything will be fine. Well... Blend in as much as they could since they kind of stick out with their cape of black hair, gray eyes, human blood, modern day clothing and ochre skin much like the mellow-brown that had bathed the forests at the cottage. As soon as they were led to their rooms, she saw that Malleus had immediately gone into his own bedroom. Looking back at the kindred soul that was her beloved, her unpainted lips parted to speak, "I would prefer to do that, yes." Not only was she unfamiliar with this building and this land, but it would have been safer in the long run just in case someone were to hunt her down for being something that she couldn't control. Going inside, she set her belongings down before sitting down in the first available chair. The building was massive and that was just putting it lightly. Due to all of the walking that she had to do just in this building alone (and keeping up pace with the others), her feet had ached in her boots. Perhaps they weren't the right kind of show to wear. Then again, she went through worse in her own childhood. So this was a childish thing for her to complain about.

"Very well," Lilia responds, opening the door and allowing his beloved in.

The room was rather basic- the walls were a dark shade of green, the bedding as well. In fact, the entire room was in shades of dark green, black, and gold, and some slight purple- in the colors of the queen.

"Looks like there is a lot of natural light in here," Lilia comments, setting his baggage in the ground, now exploring the place. "Do you wish to rest up, love?" Lilia then asks, taking a seat on the bed, "I think Her Highness would like to check in, but whether or not you want to attend with me is entirely up to you."

Although the room was basic, it still had this aura of mystery and safety. That was all she needed in order to stay here. The natural lighting helped with making this space a comforting sight. "Do you know if this castle has a garden? I would very much love to go see it." For some reason, flowers had always filled her with a sense of serenity. Especially if they were roses. The colors of the room represented the Queen well. It was to be made obvious even if she had not met her yet. The colors somehow came together well. The greens, black, gold with a touch of dark purple. Alex was still trying to process all of this. Her physical body was here. In a castle. In the Draconia castle no less! Was she meant to meet the Queen of Briar Valley? That was only an honor that was bestowed to only the most powerful and elite of individuals. But if Lilia considered her as such as his lover, then who was she to deny him? Eagerly, she stood up from the chair and took the place on the bed right next to him. So what if her feet had hurt? It was worth it. It was worth being right beside him... Her treasure, her beloved. Her everything, her world. "I can rest later. If I'm to be more competent as your kindred, then I must meet her and make a good impression."

Lilia smiled, "I see. We should go meet her once I finish packing."

Lilia didn't elaborate, but with the use of magic, he opened both of their suitcases up, taking out its contents. He opened the drawers, and organized everything in- clothing in one drawing, while items in the other. He did it with such finesse that his blot stone did not noticeably get much darker.

He then walked over to Alex, and grabbed her hand, "Do be careful when meeting her- the woman is lovely, but you need to show that you're trustworthy first."

It looked like he didn't want Alex to be worried about the use of magic, especially after such a long trip via broom.

With his help, she was pulled from the bed with dignity. Their hands being interlocked together were two puzzle pieces that were meant to be put together. "Of our manners...," She murmured, repeating after him. In her brain, it quickly became a mantra to keep her focused on the task at hand. The reassurance that Lilia was quick to give her had always had a hold on her. She firmly believed that no one except for his family and friends were allowed to be able to feel this kind of warmth from him. Selfish? Yes. She knew that very well and wouldn't delude herself into thinking otherwise. The fact that the halls were more barren only enhanced her focus as her grip became slightly tighter. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was to ground herself. That was the main task at hand right now. Everything was going to be okay. As they walked closer and closer to the Queen's quarters, her confidence would gradually reach its peak. However it was in a cool, sensible fashion.

Soon enough, after many twists and turns, they arrived right in front of the Queen's door.

Knocking in a pattern, Lilia allowed himself in, as if he knew the Queen would let him in regardless.

Lilia brought Alex in and guided her to the front of the desk, whereupon the Queen looked up from her paperwork, her golden eyes staring at the two of them. Her expression remained blank, but her hands moved ever so slowly, as if she was taking note of every little detail.

"General Vanrouge," she begins, in a low voice, "Introduce us."

With a smile, Lilia did.

"Your highness," a bow, "This is my beloved, Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia, an immortal human."

At the word of immortal, the Queen's demeanor shifted, her face softening.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia."

She brought her hand in front of Alex, as if waiting for her to take it and shake it.

Upon raising her hand to shake the Queen's hand, she internally gulped. ...Has anyone else besides her gotten to shake the Queen's hand? Well, there would have been a few that could do so realistically. Her justification was that her brain was going haywire from seeing the Queen of Briar Valley face to face. However her neutral, polite expression had held it all in. Her grip was firm, but gentle so as to not offend the Queen. In her experiences, offending royalty had never gone well. There were no exceptions to be had for that. It was a hard rule that everyone had to abide by no matter their rank in society. Was she allowed to look into her golden eyes as she was now? Was she the type who wanted her to bow before her? "Your Highness, it is an honor and a privilege to meet you." Okay, so far so good. This was the first step and they weren't even done with that. She was sure of it. Being a daughter of a noble family herself, Alexandria knew a couple of things about etiquette and manners.

"And an honor to meet you," The Queen says cooly, removing her hand, "Lilia has told me little about you, all praise however."

The cold facade that the Queen upheld was slowly melting away, as she looked at Alex more keenly, then to Lilia, "I was told that you two, Malleus, and the boys just recently arrived."

"That is so," Lilia replied, nodding.

"You came rather quickly to my office too," The Queen drawled, leaning back into her chair, "Not even Malleus has come to see me yet."

"Apologies about that, your highness," Lilia says, "I'm sure he'll want to meet you soon. He does care a lot about you, after all."

"I sure do quite hope so," she sighs, but regains her composure, "Certainly, the two of you must be famished after such a trip from- what I take it- the cottage? Would the two of you like to join me for lunch here?"

"I wouldn't want to impose-" "You're not imposing, General Lilia," the Queen then glanced over to Alex, "Besides, I do wish to learn more about your beloved. It is not often that I meet an immortal human. What say you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia?"

As she saw the queen remove her hand, so too did she as it laid upon her side. However intimidating the Queen was, it would have been more disrespectful to look away from her gaze. Her charcoal gray eyes followed the regal woman as she then spoke to her beloved. "If you wish for it, then I shall make it happen, Your Highness." Alexandria agreed, a smile easing itself onto her mature features. Dimples were shown as well as slight crinkles at the edge of her eyes. This was an opportunity of a lifetime and she wasn't about to waste it! She was fortunate enough to have remembered to bring her golden glass eye along with her so that she could change out her smoky gray one. Perhaps the Queen wished to know about her life? Even if it was a little bit? To be truthful, she was thrilled to have someone care so much about finding out more about her as Lilia was when they had first met. Vil and Jamil were curious about her, yes. But they never quite went the distance such as her lover did.

"Take a seat, then, dear," the Queen says, gesturing to the seats in front of her.

Lilia did as he was told, and once Alex did the same, the Queen called for someone over. It was a simple servant, and in foreign tongue, she talked to the servant, who understood it all and left.

"I've let them know to bring more food for the two of you here," The Queen says, "Now, Alex, I'm quite curious- how did you meet the likes of Lilia?"

The Queen brought her hands together, looking expectantly at Alex, hiding her smile behind her hands.

"I could-" "General Vanrouge, I would appreciate to hear Miss Gonzalez-Garcia's version of events. You," a glance to Lilia, "Have only given me the barest of bare bones. I want a full story- for it can't be so simple as you claim, General."

As if on cue, her stomach had growled. Apparently she was more hungry than she had thought. No matter. The Queen already had someone bring over some food. The food that was brought over for a simple lunch was quite delectable! The servants in this castle really knew what they were doing when they made this traditional dish. However, her story had to come first. Clearing her throat, Alexandria parted her lips to speak of her version of events.

"From the beginning...," Her husky, deep voice reverberated in the room as she would begin her story from when she had come to Twisted Wonderland. Before that, she briefly spoke about her background, detailing how the fae that promised and gave her the immortality she had now told her that she could never see her family again. Not her parents, not her younger brother. Nor any of her descendants. If that were to be broken, her immortality would be gone and she would die. But at least her family was saved from those who persecuted them. Before then, her family were a noble family back on Earth in the late 1500's (in the early 1570's up until the early 1590's) when her family were wrongfully accused of witchcraft and then were persecuted by the crown as well as the people of Spain.

From then, she had to develop her magic in order to survive as well as forage and lead a nomadic life. Traveling everywhere on foot or by broom in the dead of night so as to not be spotted. There were times where she was on the brink of death from being stung and poisoned. Ironically, being stung for as many times as she did helped her body build a resistance (and eventually an immunity) towards poison. Throughout that time, she had also refined her sword fighting skills to offer herself some way of being able to fight back. Meanwhile she would periodically check on her family via following them to make sure that they were still living in the best of conditions. Well, in the best way that they could. Her diaries and journals even documented her own alchemical discoveries along with making some formulas and potions to help her have more versatility in her inventory.

As for meeting the likes of Lilia, there was a magical stone that she had interacted with while she was being chased from the town that once welcomed her for her fortune-telling and health potions. Out of desperation, she had grasped it. Suddenly she was no longer on Earth, but in twisted Wonderland. In order to blend in and protect herself, she had to come up with a new identity and move to the Land of Pyroxene. Since her magic had become powerful enough to sustain her through finesse and practice, she would look for some kind of magical school to shelter her. She had never heard of Night Raven College before. Falling asleep, Alexandria had awoken out of a coffin and into the school of Night Raven College.

Giving the headmaster her fake identity of Athanasia Vita (Eternal Life), she was then assigned to the Scarabia dorm by the Mirror. It was day one of her classes that she was to meet Lilia Vanrouge.

At first, they would just be acquaintances. However, their relationship quickly grew into something more once they found that they both had common ground with each other referring to age. Signing up for the Pop Music Club (Light Music Club) and taking over the part of the drummer when Kalim (a boy that was a part of a powerful merchant family back in the Scalding Sands) ended up being sick, their bond had strengthened. It was when he had saved her from the likes of two students who wished to court (and possibly use for their own selfish gain) her. Lilia Vanrouge had even taught her how to properly play video games as well as introduced her to more board games than she could ever hope to have seen in her life.

There were pauses in her story as she had to stop in order to catch her breath to stop herself from breaking. The earlier parts of her background were almost too much for her to say as she had never spoken of it to anyone other than a few people at Night Raven College, Vil and Jamil included. The images of people howling, screaming, and yelling out for their family members would always be in the back of her mind no matter what she tried to do. Once she was calm, Alex would go through with telling her of her life story and how Lilia had met. Had she told him about this? To an extent, yes. But for the Queen, they felt as if they had to tell them just about everything. But not about the glass eye that she seemed to have silently caught onto when she had looked at her lover. The glass eye hadn't moved one bit or a natural glow to it unlike the human eye that was intact.

The Queen listened intently, taking a sip every so often from the tea that was brought in. She made only a slight facial expression- a hint of sorrow once she found out how she had obtained her immortality, but softened upon hearing how Lilia and Alex truly met.

When Alex finished speaking, the Queen spoke up, "Thank you for telling me your story- I can't imagine how difficult it was to recall the tragedies that you had to go through, but I'm glad things have gone for the better."

The Queen then moves back, moving so that she could open one of her drawers.

"Take this, dear," she pulls out a small pouch, clearly having an item within it, "It's a hair clip, but it will change into a small weapon the moment you press the small button on the side. It'll take some magic, only a small amount, to take the shape of a suitable weapon. Lilia has told me about the brooms- so hopefully this hairpin shall not break, but worry not if it does."

"Ah, right," Lilia says, glancing over to Alex, "I've talked about your situation about the brooms with Her Majesty, I do hope you'll forgive me."

"I am rather curious though," The Queen speaks up, "You did not remain as Athanasia Vita- why is that so? I'd assume it would have been better to integrate into this world as Vita since the records are created." She glanced at some paperwork to the side, "Though I suppose I understand the sentiment of your true name, say- if you wish, I can conjure some documents for you if you have not done so?"

She looked expectantly at Alex, hiding her face behind her hands, her golden eyes intimidating.

Hearing the Queen's voice and having her sympathize with them was all that mattered at that moment. She quirked up an eyebrow at the drawer, wanting to see what the Queen had to offer her. Once a pouch had been taken out of the drawer by the Queen, her curiosity had reached its peak. What was-? Her eyebrows rose as their eyes widened. Their lips parted, but no words came out. Closing them, Alex swallowed their saliva before attempting to speak once more. What came out was, "I- Thank you." She was shocked. Almost overwhelmed by the kindness of the fae Queen. If people feared her, then they were fools for doing so. Then again, the Queen didn't have to do this at all. The only thing they wished for was to have this done far sooner. Looking over at Lilia now, she could only grin and chuckle breathily. "...Love. You don't have to apologize for everything," She leaned over as her hand touched and gently gripped his hand as she continued, "It's a good thing that you've told her. Otherwise, you would have had to use up some of your magic taking me everywhere on your broom." As the Queen of the fae addressed her once more, the human turned her attention towards her once more. Speaking of documents, it would be lovely if she could have some as Athanasia Vita. As much as she preferred her original name, the false identity was put into place in order to protect herself from any perceived threats. As for why they didn't remain as Vita? "That was due to me being more comfortable with being out in the open due to certain supportive people. But for the future, yes. I would prefer some documents as Athanasia Vita." In private, her original name would be used. But out in public, the false identity would be used since there were going to be threats that would persecute their loved ones if their true name came out.

"Alright then," The Queen says, "I'll talk to the headmaster of Night Raven- he would surely have some documents remaining, and I'll supplement the rest, but if he does not, I'll make everything from scratch. It will make you an official resident of Briar Valley as well, so residing here with General Vanrouge should not pose a problem." The Queen then pushes the pouch towards Alex, and then says, "Are there any more questions that you would like to ask of me? I'm afraid I would not have much time left in the near future," a glance to the side, "...Considering the circumstances and such. Though you can always leave a letter, and I will be sure to send a correspondence in return during my free time, if need be.”

Alex readily accepted the pouch that was pushed towards her, grabbing it from the desk. She needed to be sure to thank her for her generosity and kindness. So many questions, so little time. "I do have one," They said, sitting up straighter, "Would you be watching us even if you've run out of time?" A peculiar question indeed. But given the circumstances in which the Queen was in, Alexandria thought that it was fair to ask. After all, she could feel her own family watching over her at her time of need. Right now, Malleus needed that more than ever. After unpacking everything and enjoying his leisurely time outside in the garden with a book, his thoughts lingered to his Grandmother. Was she still here? If so, then he must seek her out. Putting a bookmark in his book, he then closed it, standing up as he called over a servant. "Lead me to my Grandmother," He commanded in a stoic tone. However, what was underneath that voice was something calling out to reunite with his family. He didn't know how much time she had left and he truly wanted to spend some time with her. The time that it took them to go there was not but a few minutes. The Prince was let in by a high ranking servant. Nodding at them, the servant had left to attend to their duties. "Am I interrupting something, Grandmother?" The younger horned fae inquired, only wishing to meet with her for what may seem like the last time.

The Queen, who was just about to answer Alex's attention, shifted her attention to her grandson, a smile breaking out on her face.

"My dear, you're not interrupting anything," She said in a soft voice, "I was just merely chatting with General Vanrouge and his beloved Alexandria. How have you been, dear?" She looks over at the seats nearby, and gestures to it, "Take a seat, child. You just had a long journey after all."

Lilia smiled, "Always so caring for your grandson, Your Highness. It is a blessing that only we bear witness to such kindness." "Is that so?" She tilted her head, "No matter. There are some things of importance I need to discuss with Malleus, but if I'm correct to assume that both you General Vanrouge and Miss Gonzalez-Garcia are close confidants, then you may be allowed to be here to listen, and give console if appropriate."

Unable to resist such an expression from his Grandmother, he smiled back softly as he silently took the seat beside his Grandmother. "It was a restless, yet tiring journey, Grandmother. Lilia had guided us to the castle with finesse and ease," He answered with the confidence of one who knew the General well. As far as he knew, Lilia had responded appropriately. No matter. The fae Queen's grandson confirmed that they were indeed close confidants. "General Vanrouge would never settle for anything less than the best for himself and for us all."

This conversation so far has answered the immortal's question. Perhaps there was more to it in their culture. It wouldn't hurt to take a listen into their conversation. Her left hand was still on Lilia's right as she kept quiet, careful not to interrupt the Queen and her grandchild.

Malleus Draconia had a tendency to hyperfocus and listen to his elders. This was no exception, especially with his own relatives. His Grandmother was the highest authority in all of Briar Valley. So her words always held deep meaning to him with the topics that were at hand. The coronation. The issues with the economy and the nobility. Of course the nobility always had something to complain about when they were bored out of their minds.

Now about the coronation, he already had some foods in mind such as the main course. "Venison steaks. This kind of meat would be popular with the elite and nobility. The pairings of fruits such as our forest berries would be good with them as well as rich sauces. Next would be a dish that is stuffed with foods from our own kitchens, of course. A roasted bird with stuffing." As he continued to list the foods, Malleus had begun to note the reasons behind why he had wanted these foods to be at the coronation. These were foods that he was personally fascinated with along with the cuisine from the Scalding Sands. The aroma and spiciness would give it a new and refreshing flavor never seen and heard of. For the desserts, there were going to be fruit-based pies that were served with some custard and sweetened cream along with some puddings. His personal favorite, ice cream, would also be there. It was something that the children of men had called "sorbets''. The beverages were already set in stone like the red wines, fruit wines, coffee, teas from all over Twisted Wonderland.

Lastly would be the flowers. His personal favorite was one that was an uncommon flower but had meant so much to him. The White Amaryllis. The selection of flowers included green roses, white amaryllises, succulents, olives, hidden lilies, and the green lisianthus. While they would blend into the environment, they also represented him and his personality as well as his past, current situation, and his future. The last flowers that would be in the middle would be the Dracaena Fragans. It represented financial and career success along with peace and good fortune.

From Alex's perspective, there was only amazement and awe. In her own family, they had never planned this far out with special occasions. Malleus must have read about these while at Night Raven College or while speaking to one of the three members that always accompanied him. Then again, these all could be traditional dishes that are native to the Briar Valley. She unconsciously caressed her kindred's hand while listening in on the conversation between Malleus and his Grandmother. Once in a while, they would give the General side glances and small, almost sheepish smiles. Although he wasn't that much older than them, they still had a long way to go with expanding their knowledge.

The Queen smiled, her fangs now noticeable. "My, you had considered this all before, haven't you? Either way, this is good. I'll see what we can do here in the comfort of our kingdom, and see what we may need to import from the neighboring nations and lands. And I'm assuming you already have flowers in mind, so I'll gather a florist and have them talk to you about it. I do believe we have a party coordinator on hand, though I do urge you to keep in mind the costs. Should it be too expensive and full of glamor, the nobility may see it negatively and think you're out to deplete the treasury, but should you do the bare minimum, they may think that you're rather cheap." She adjusted her posture, sitting up straighter, "This will be like a test, my dear. After all, it is the nobility who are hard to please yet they are the ones who are the pillars of this nation. They may be a nuisance, but they play a role in our society, so we need to strike balance. So, I do hope you'll be able to find that sweet spot."

The most important flowers and foods were going to be the venison, sorbets, and the flowers that represented the family well. But there was one problem. How was Malleus supposed to find that sweet spot to appease the nobility and elite of the Briar Valley? This was a difficult task to accomplish seeing as they would scrutinize just about everything he did to begin with all because of their reputation. He didn't want to drain their treasury or insult them by only bringing the bare minimum. If this was a test, then it was a stressful one. However, it was most likely surmised that it was to see whether he was worthy of the throne or not when she ended up passing. With that, he could take out some of the flowers and small desserts that would be there. The sorbets would be staying as well as the main course. When it came to balancing funds and budgeting, Lilia happened to be better at that than he would. Turning to the elder vampire fae, he asked, "What would be your input on this? My Grandmother and I wish for this coronation to go well with the elite so that they may continue to support the Draconia family." His gaze darted between the General and his betrothed, gauging what their answers would be.

"Hm," Lilia hummed as he thought about it, "It would be a good idea to, in fact, have two options for both dessert and main course, that way they don't feel limited in their choices, even though it's limited. Decoration, I believe that minimal decoration would be optimal- since there is the saying "less is more"- each table can have a small vase of flowers, and for around the ballroom, a large vase of the larger flower types would be a good idea. Banners as well- I believe we still have the ones during Her Majesty's coronation, we would just need to hire seamstresses to repair whatever need be.”

Lilia looked straight at Malleus, "After all, there are many nobles, so the prioritization would lay with the food. We need to ensure that we have enough food to feed them twice, and should there be any food leftover, the servants may have it." He then paused, as if another thing came to mind, titling his head and stroking his chin, "There is also entertainment. We need musicians and bards to come play, and we may only commission the expert players. Hiring newcomers may prove to be damaging to both us and them should they make any mistake during their performance." Though as a light bulb went off in his head, "Oh, but then in that case, perhaps Jazz players would be best. Granted, we may need to hire out of kingdom, but jazz music is rather well at concealing any mistakes," a frown, "but since many do not know the wonders of jazz music, they may not welcome it."

It seemed that there was much more thought to put into a coronation other than food and flowers. Honestly, this was a bit exhausting. But this wasn't the worst he's had to endure. So he would rather take this over whatever happened with Grim at the college. His left hand curled into a fist, his gloved knuckles almost turning white. Furrowing his eyebrows, Malleus was deep in thought about what he wanted and trying to balance out both the Queen's and Lilia's suggestions.

After a few minutes of pure silence after Lilia's response, he suddenly spoke up while looking in the direction of his supervisor, "Yes. I will agree with Lilia. For now, we will only commission the experts. A small vase of flowers will do and the banners and be repaired by the seamstresses. Some of the desserts may be put back as they will only add excess to the coronation. The sorbets and custards will stay as well as the venison and roasted bird," Malleus cleared his throat politely before continuing, "The expert musicians and bards may come up with something new and original in order to keep with our traditions as well as, as the humans say, mix it up. Such as new renditions of some of our folk songs for example."

Now that his caretaker mentioned it, jazz would be good. Perhaps they could do their best to compose new pieces that incorporated some of those instruments? But what would they say to this? That he had no taste in music?

During this entire time, Alex had been in deep thought herself, keeping silent as to let the others speak on matters that were unfamiliar to her. An epiphany had just come to her! What if she sang for the coronation? While not having as much experience as someone from here, she still had a soothing voice! If she could learn the pieces with a tutor and freshen up on her singing, then it was possible that she could do it!

"Love," Lilia turns to Alex, "What do you think? New eyes and perspective may offer valuable input. You came from a nation that worked similarly- have you ever witnessed a coronation?"

After all, humans had more coronations than the fae did, since they lived far shorter lifespans. It would make sense that the humans traded out their kings often, as death came easily for all. But then again, there was a chance Alex didn't get to see one due to her circumstances. "I do agree," comments the Queen, "New eyes offer new wisdom."

Malleus spoke once more, agreeing with the two.

When all eyes were on her, she felt the pressure. However she was used to this kind of thing. "What if I was the one to provide a voice while at the coronation? I could sing both types of genres just as long as I freshen up my skills with a tutor. The ancient languages will take a while, so I would have to sing in the languages that I know. The coronation would have to have a balance of being well-prepared without being too garish. Too minimal is no good either. It would be insulting to their status and it would be a waste of time. The less support you have, the more likely it is that you'll be overthrown. We would need blacks, greens, purples, gold, and red to flourish as well as to represent the family colors." The music would have to be the right mix of upbeat and mellow in order to delight, amuse, and entertain the elite while they talked to each other about whatever they wished to speak about as well.

In between these topics, she would tell of examples where the nobility had thrown tantrums and rebelled against the royal families for not providing them with whatever they wished during their parties. Accusing them of insulting their family name and of wasting their time with fools. There were plenty of examples that she could go off of just based on her parents' stories of their time at these lavish parties. Gossip was the hobby of the day and rumors ran amuck between the elite. Almost no one could truly be trusted unless you scoured for them yourself. Balancing the food, flowers, music, decorations, and the atmosphere were some of the most important things to do when it came to a coronation since it sends the nobles and the elite a message saying that you take them and their opinions seriously.

At the end of the discussion, Malleus, to say the least, was amazed at the knowledge that she had about coronations and about the nobility in general. Then again, the Prince didn't know her as well as Lilia did.

"Thank you for your wisdom, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia." The Queen then looked to her grandson, and then Lilia, "What do you think of her voice, General? I believe you're the only one who could've heard her range to the fullest extent, am I correct to assume?"

Lilia nodded, "I can attest to her voice. She adapted pretty well to Common as well, and sounds identical to a native. I don't believe it would pose too much of a problem for the singing to be done in Common, as long as she is properly trained to sing the way we do." "Thank you, General," she looked back to Alex, "Are you sure you would want to do this? I'm sure the musicians would like to meet with you in order to practice for Coronation- which will eat away at whatever free time you would have."

After a moment of careful consideration, she replied, "...Only if you are confident in my ability to sing. But yes, I would like to do this." It was official. Alexandria was going to be a part of the entertainment at Malleus' coronation. Although everyone in the room had approved of this, they had a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping into their heart and into their body. Their heart was practically pounding with how hard it was beating. It had been a long while since she had sung in front of a crowd. Five to six years ago to be exact. If everyone believed in her, then it'll be a success, right? Possibly. Still, she had stood up tall and made her decision as clearly as any who were determined to help their loved one succeed in their career. His expression had long since gone back to its' neutral state of aloofness.

"I believe that those are all the matters, then," The Queen says, getting up."Business is done here, for you lot. I'll be taking a break, and after this, I won't be able to talk to any of you, except Malleus, until after the coronation. Do be well. "

Lilia, Malleus, and Alex gave their farewells and left, the Queen slumping over her desk. The coronation was going to be a big deal, after all. She needed to make sure all went well.

And so began the preparations.

It had been a few days, and it was Coronation day. The day began early, preparations coming to completion. Then the actual coronation came- Malleus walking down the long walk, nobility on both sides of the ballroom, eyeing and scrutinizing every move that Malleus made, until he finally came up to the throne, wherein the Queen took of the crown off her head, Malleus kneeling down, the crown then being placed on his head.

Cheers were heard, and the festivities began. When it came for Alex to sing, everyone was enchanted by her voice, whispers amongst the fae about the particular human. Even more whispers came about when Lilia came to hold her hands at the end of her act, when the festivities were coming to a close.

At the end of it all, it looked like the nobles were satisfied with the Coronation, many introducing themselves to now King Malleus.

It had been a long day indeed, and it wasn't until late night did anyone get to sleep.

A week had passed, and things were running smoothly, Lilia in the guestroom with Silver and Alex- with Sebek and Malleus missing.

"I wonder why they're missing," Lilia says openly, "It worries me. Do you have any idea, Silver?"

Silver shook his head, "It was as sudden to me as to you, father. I don't have the faintest idea why he and Malleus would be gone together. Sebek didn't have time to tell me of the matters either."

Lilia glanced over to Alex, "What say you, love? Any theories about their whereabouts?"

"Ah, you may be right. Her Majesty was unable to produce more heirs, as the same for Malleus' parents. It would devastate Briar Valley should Malleus pass with no heir- the entire court would be in shambles trying to crown another king." Lilia huffs, grabbing one of the scones off the platter, "There is only a few other dragon fae out there, and the materalis no longer exist to provide their aid."

"The materalis?" Silver asks, glancing over to Alex to see if she knew.

"Ah," Lilia begins, "On record, they're supposedly a race of demons that gained holy powers, and had a particular way of reproduction. Only firstborns were materalis, and any following children would be the same race of the other parent. But due to an incident with one of them, they're pretty much dead to this world. Not much else is known about them, so it's possible some are alive, but I wouldn't count on it."

"But you said aid?"

Lilia nodded, "It was said that they only needed the blood of another to reproduce- so marriage or even close contact is not necessary."

"I see."

"There aren't many marriageable candidates," Lilia sighed, eating another scone, "There is a small kingdom west of here that have many great witches, though wealthy, they do not carry much influence. I hear their Queen is mad, too."

"There aren't many fae here that are also dragon fae- either too old or too young, and fae in general have a hard time reproducing with each other," Silver comments, grabbing the cup of tea.

"Indeed," Lilia then looked to Alex, "Say, what were the customs with your nobility in regards to marriage? I'd imagine they were similar, no?"

--"There are only a few candidates," the former Queen says, showing Malleus a small thin folder, "There is the Aiza family to the West- they offer their firstborn daughter. Then we have the Cervantes, their offer similar. And lastly the Zorras and Raine families, both fae here. They're young, but old enough to be wed. Not many options, unfortunately."

She felt the gaze of the human man bore into her with confusion. All she responded with was a shake of her head. In her world, they were merely called demons and nothing else. Of course, that was the result of Christianity having to fit everything into a neat little box of good vs. evil. Especially when that was not how the world worked at all. A wealthy family full of witches who had a Mad Queen. Was that familiar to her at all? No. Although there were plenty of Mad Kings, Mad Queens were rare on Earth, only referenced in a negative light. Not discussed with an iota of respect of humanity like the kings were. Hearing Lilia and Silver speak of this only made her more concerned for him in his older age as well as Malleus and Sebek's family. What were they going to do about this? These materalis... They sounded even more mind-bendingly powerful than the demons from Earth. How was that even possible? This topic had her so twisted up and befuddled that she hadn't dared to touch the scones and the tea until now. Malleus frowned as his eyebrows furrowed. He expected there to be few and far between for eligible candidates and he was right. The pressure was mounting on his shoulders with each passing second and it would only get worse for him here. "If I may have the folder, Grandmother?" He needed to look at these for himself and decipher them to see whether they had meant well with their marriage proposals. Whichever were more likely to benefit them, he would choose. For his own sake. For his Grandmother's sake. For the sake of his people and Briar Valley itself.

Lilia noted her look of confusion, "I suppose there is no materalis where you're from? I'm not surprised, though at the same time, I am. The only thing we know about them is that, a reason for their decline, was that this world was rejecting them, because they were outsiders to this world. Perhaps they never made it to your world, or the same fate befell them." Lilia waved his hand left and right, "In either case, it would be futile to speak of them any further, as they no longer walk on this world."

"Is that so?" Silver quietly comments, "They sound like an interesting sort. A shame that they couldn't really live here. Night Raven would look different if they could."

Lilia only shrugged, "If there were any alive, they would likely be very different from their predecessors."

Sebek peered over Malleus' shoulder as he opened up the folders, showcasing all the marriage candidates.

There was Cyrille Aiza- two photos were included in her folder. A detailed picture of her as a child, and a messy sketch of her as an adult- as if the sketch was done in a hurry. There wasn't much information about her, other than the basics- such as that she is 25 years old, knows a decent amount of magic, and that she has her own personal knight. The sketch wasn't even colored- only did the portrait as a child showcase her tan skin and blonde- almost white- hair, and sparkling blue eyes. Sebek faintly remembered that the Aiza family had divine right, and the proof of it was their bejeweled eyes. The only notable difference was what may have been tattoos on Cyrille- oddly looking like those that belonged to a particular tribe of snake beastmen that had their territory between the Briar Valley and Aiza Domain.

The second profile was that of Lamia Cervantes- Sebek remembered her- him? It was Jack's roommate back in Night Raven, the clearest difference being that Cervantes was a man in Night Raven, whereas here they were a woman. Other than that, they looked exactly the same. "Cervantes," Sebek mutters out loud, "They were a classmate of ours."

"Is that so?" The former Queen questions, "The Cervantes family is a notable cheetah family from the Sunset Savanna- usually they have their daughters be guards in the Kingscholar family, but it seems like they had too many daughters this time around." She leaned back in her chair, and wondered out loud, "I wonder what a child of a cheetah beastkin and fae parentage would look like...?"

Sebek ignored the comment, and continued to peer over Malleus' shoulder- the remaining two being the Zorra and Raine. Both candidates were fae.

The Zorra family presented Silvia Zorra, a fox fae. The most notable thing about her was her fiery red hair, and how old she was- only 30 years old.

The Raine family had Aurora Raine, a fae with blonde hair and green eyes. She was only a few years younger than Silvia.

Sebek wasn't surprised though- many fae often married young, usually in their 20s, though with the exception of soldiers and generals, since it was likely that soldiers and generals would die, so there wasn't much pressure on them to marry young. Though, as often as fae married, they also divorced, usually after a few children have been conceived.

It was a peculiar tradition.

King Draconia had indeed recognized Cervantes from just her photos alone. He may have not seen her much, but he had an excellent memory just like his Grandmother. Indeed they may have had many offspring this time to offer them up to a powerful suitor in the future. But that was his own train of thought. The Zorras and the Raines had not had a glimmer of a thought in his head as their applications were looked at thoroughly.

Finally after a considerable amount of time in silence from Malleus, he had chosen. But what was this? Two applications? Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes? That was quite peculiar. Uncommon, but hey, it's happened before. "These two would be most beneficial to the crown, Grandmother. Especially Cyrille Aiza," He remarked, pointing his left index finger down at the photo. "Cervantes is also a consideration. In the case of the Draconia family's numbers being low, I will pick these two to marry." Both at the same time? Malleus, you-you sly dog! (No, no. Just joking. Or was I?) He also didn't need to have the court in an uproar over fae divorcing fae. Malleus preferred if his mates stayed with him for the rest of their lives. Dragons were naturally possessive that way. Also desperate times called for desperate measures. His Grandmother would understand this situation. At the same time, Alexandria had looked over to her lover now, confirming his answer. "Yes. They would be called demons in my world. Chased out, persecuted. Hunted for sport. Just as I was for being a witch." Their willful ignorance was going to be the death of them someday. There would have been calls to exterminate their kind just because of their species due to religious extremism. Unfortunately Earth has had that problem ever since the word was conceived many eons ago. Her frown had only deepened as her eyebrows furrowed, anger flashing in her eyes for a mere moment before snapping out of it.

"Is that so?" The Queen's mouth curved to a smile, "Taking after your ancestors, aren't you?" With a hearty laugh, she took the two. "We could have a Crown Princess selection, if you only want to choose one and see which one is better fit, but if you intend to marry both, or have one as a concubine, that is a different matter entirely."

"Human and Beast-kin don't live as long, though," Sebek replied, "You would end up a widow at some point, young master. You will have successors, surely- for they will inherit your longevity, but your wife or wives will need magic to extend their lifespan, despite already being mages themselves. The Draconia lineage will live on, but at what cost sir?"

Sebek only spoke up because he saw the same thing happening to his parents already. Sure, he didn't see them often due to their occupation, but whenever he had the chance to see his parents, his mother was still full of life, while his father was aging and becoming frail. At best, Sebek's own father had only a few more decades in him, more should they employ the aid of magic. And what then? His mother greatly loves his father- no doubt, she will never marry unless she manages to find his reincarnation.

"That is a good point," The Queen responds, "And I was almost in such a relationship- but this I will say- for if Malleus truly loves them, then these women will go to their grave loved. But if not, then it shall be no one's loss except for these children. And it is often the children who will bury their parents- not the other way around."

"I suppose," Sebek replies, but still worried.

"A pity," Silver replies.

"Indeed it is," Lilia replies, his hand reaching for Alex's gently, "Wars and hunts because they're different. Such fights have been fought on these lands for similar reasons, but we're closer to peace than before."

Silver took a sip of his tea, "I wonder whom the young master will marry. Hopefully she will be an exceptional woman."

"One can only hope."

"I choose them both." Was Malleus just being selfish and wanting more and more? Yes. Did he deserve to be so? Why, yes. Yes, he did. His ancestors were correct in breeding with other species to have their family line survive. He wouldn't be here if not for them. "I would have to have Lilia's assistance. If they need magic to live longer lives, then so be it," Malleus declared, his lime green eyes fiery with determination, steadfast in his decision.

He has chosen, therefore it was absolute. If he and Lilia had to make an immortality potion to have them drink, then so be it. His future children will be having their parents either way. There will be no burying anyone in his family. Not anymore. Malleus had already lost so much without knowing it as a child. Besides from Lilia, he had no parents and he had gotten to visit his own Grandmother only twice. Twice before now. Even then, he felt as though his Grandmother didn't have much time left. Inside this dragon was a scared young man only wanting the warmth, the love, the touch of a family. Silver, Sebek and Lilia were all wonderful. There was no replacing them. She agreed with the father and son, gripping Lilia's hand almost impossibly tight. Alright, breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. As she performed some breathing exercises, her grip had become looser, turning rough into gentle.

"I'll let both families know, then," Maleficent says, pulling out some paper and ink, "We'll have to arrange rooms and somehow invent these immortality potions to ensure their longevity. We would also have to discuss the marriage ceremonies and such, and child rearing, since their main purpose is to further the Draconia line." She paused, and let out a sigh, "We would also have to tutor them so that they may take over some duties afforded to the crown. The Aiza child may be knowledgeable, but I've heard questionable things about that one. The Cervantes child may be knowledgeable due to her association with the Kingscholar family, but she is not royalty, at least not yet."

"They're of age, your highness?" Sebek says, confused.

"Ah," Maleficent nods, "Indeed they are, but compared to my age, they are just small things. The same goes for you Sebek- since you're the same age as the Aiza child."

"I see, your highness."

"We're here, love," Lilia whispers, "We're here for you. Say," a small pause, an attempt to see if Alex was calming down, "We can walk through the garden later on and smell the flora. Would that be pleasing?"

Silver just sat there, unsure of what to do. All he could do was see his father comfort Alex to the best of his ability.

"...I-I would like very much. Please...," She murmured back to Lilia. That conversation had triggered memories that were unpleasant to say the least. There was no intention of her becoming angry like that. What if she hurt her kindred by accident? What would she do if that happened? He may be strong, but he was also older than her by 250 years. Well, 2 years in terms of human age. So it wasn't that much of a gap. But that shouldn't matter. "...Silver may come along too. If... he wishes to," She continued, swallowing her saliva in an attempt to wet her throat. After seeing Sebek's and Maleficent's expression of worry and fatigue, he now wondered if it was a good idea to marry the two of them at once. It would cost them a lot in educating them as to catch them up with the laws, traditions, and culture of the fae in Briar Valley. The goal was to further the Draconia line, yes. But at what cost? Maybe Sebek was right. But the fae had a strange and confusing tradition regarding divorce and his heart wouldn't be able to take that kind of heartbreak. In terms of the age gap, there was practically none since he would have only been about a decade older. Well, that age gap was a bit of a stretch. Were they even mature enough to be eligible to marry him? "I-I apologize for this, Grandmother. I did not mean to make this complicated for you."

"Alright," Silver says, "The garden is nearby." He gets up, Lilia following suit. Lilia gently pulled Alex from the couch, attempting to guide her to the door. It was going to be a slow process, but it is certain that a fresh breath of air was greatly needed.

"No worries, my dear," Maleficent replied, "It would not be complicated. They can be taught at the same time. You mentioned that Cervantes was there at NRC, correct, Sebek?"

"Indeed, I did. She was a year older than us. I don't remember much as to what Jack said of her- but I do remember that she was a smart person, one who could negotiate very well. In fact, she was a competitor to Ashengrotto, who was known for his contracts."

"A smart woman then," she says, pleased, "I would assume the same for Aiza. If not, well, she would already know of her duty, being a royal just like us. No doubt, Aiza would have been sent to another bachelor, Malleus. We're her best option. As for Cervantes," a pause, a moment to think, "Well, who knows. She would have been considered to become a guard, soldier, or perhaps a close knight for the Kingscholar family. Life for her would have been greatly different, in her case. Even then, you likely would have seen her in the school halls- she's a familiar face."

"She's right, young master," Sebek exclaims, "If they are not mature, then pray tell, what would that make me? They are the same age or older!"

Maleficent raised a brow at him, but remained silent.

Malleus now looked at Sebek with a raised eyebrow. Was he implying that due to their age, they were not mature? Anyone could be mature at any age. It all came down to perspective, emotional and social maturity as well as the development of their brains. Age never meant much once you had become someone of age to do anything you desired. There were barriers kept when you were younger for a reason.

Looking over at his Grandmother, his eyebrow went back to its original state as he nodded, "Yes, I remember Cervantes. I trust your judgment for both of them, Grandmother and Sebek."

They had let themself be pulled off from the couch, almost dragging their feet while being led by father and son out of the room. Being inside that room with that topic of discussion was more likely to deteriorate their mental state than it already was at the moment. Due to them dragging their feet, it had taken them up to fifteen minutes in order to get out of that room and to the garden. The only reason it didn't go for any longer was due to Alex picking up the pace while holding onto Silver and Lilia tightly. Looking up after having gazed at her feet for fifteen minutes was a transition of stone to one from a new world. Her eyes widened as they twinkled, her brain temporarily wiping any bad memories that she ever had. What spell was there to make those disappear??

"I'll make haste in calling for them. Aiza should arrive first, and Cervantes will take a few days up to a week, depending on the mode of transportation," Maleficent says, already drafting up the letters for both families, "There is also the knighting ceremony to do, but I trust you and your personal knights to handle that."

"Knighting ceremony?!" Sebek nearly jumps out from his chair, "No worries, your majesty, I will handle this graciously alongside Silver!"

Maleficent stared at Sebek before breaking out into a smile, "I'm sure you will, Zigvolt."

"We're here," Lilia says slowly, "At the gardens."

"There's various types of flowers," Silver says softly, looking around, "Dahlias, Lilies, Poppies, Marigolds- any and all sorts."

The two waited with worry and angst, hoping that Alex's condition would improve.

The nearby pixies flew in close, curious to what the trouble was. The slight bell chimes of their voices indicated they intended to do something, only Lilia knowing what they had said. Whatever it was, it was clear they were trying to help.

"Yes, Grandmother. I shall perform the knighting ceremony without error," Malleus declared as he rose from his chair. Aiza was going to be quick to arrive while Cervantes would only take up to a week. That was fortunate. It was almost as if they were going to be here in their time of need. "Sebek. Could you go retrieve Silver? He will be needed for the knighting ceremony," His deep voice resonated from within the room without him needing to project. Turning to his Grandmother now, he then asked, "Is there anything else you would need from me before I go?” He would need to get everything that was required such as the sword.

Blinking in and out of reality, Alex's head felt foggy, almost as if she were in another plane of existence. Her chest came up and down with every breath she took, quietly inhaling and exhaling. It was suddenly that pixies had flown to examine her face. As they spoke to Lilia about what they were intending to do, she blinked away some tears as her head shook. Shit, shit, shit! She had to snap out of it! She couldn't be doing this right now! Not with her now living with Lilia and the others! This was supposed to be a good day! As her stomach lurched and she felt as if she were to spiral, her eyes opened. Were those... bells that she heard? What could be chiming those at this time? In her confusion, the pixies took this as a chance to go scour for some flowers. In their quickness, they had picked out some marigolds, poppies, and lilies for her to have in her hair. But wait! Why not all of them?? Won't that make them happy again? As the pixies came back, they had begun to pick up strands of Alex's hair, accidentally brushing up against her skin and scalp. Her body flinched as her lips quivered. That wasn't the sound of someone crying. That was the sound of someone holding in their laughter!

"I'll take care of the tutoring and rooming for the women," Maleficent waved off, "The knighting ceremony shall be done tomorrow. It'll only include the knights. Nobility and lower class are free to view, but that is all. We need not to worry about food or entertainment, only the decoration is all."

She then looked up at them, and said, "That is all. You are free to leave, the both of you."

Sebek nodded and got up, waiting for Malleus. Once he got up, the two left.

Lilia smiled, noticing her stifled laughter, "I'm glad you're well now, love."

Silver smiled as well, though kept mum.

The pixies all cheered in glee when they noted the positive shift in demeanor, now chattering more, the sound of bells increasing more. They fluttered around Alex more freely now.

Malleus only nodded as confirmation for him hearing what his Grandmother told him. As he was leaving his Grandmother's quarters, his thoughts were at a standstill. All he could think about right now were the candidates that he had chosen. Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes... He only knew of Lamia, but he had never met her in person. The Aiza royal family were heard of by his Grandmother for certain. But by him? No. All that mattered now was that they were to be betrothed to him and him only. After all, he was their best option into having a life of power, luxury, and security. After getting her stifled laughter out of the way, Alex had to take a few breaths to calm herself down. "...What had happened to me," She asked, slightly worried about his choice of words. That she was well now? What was going on that made him concerned for her wellbeing? Did she do something wrong?

"Say, where would Silver, Lilia, and his beloved be?" Sebek wondered out loud, walking right next to Malleus.

It wasn't until he walked by one of the grand windows that showcased the garden nearby did he see Silver, Lilia and Alex outside.

"Young Master," He stops walking, "They're outside- should we join them? Her Majesty did say we needed to discuss the knighting ceremony with Silver, after all, and it would be a good idea to hear the opinion of Lilia and his beloved."

"You were unwell," Lilia explains, "As if something was tormenting your soul. Silver and I were worried about your well-being, and thought it would have been a good idea to get you outside for a fresh breath of air." "Indeed," Silver inputs, "Your face looked pale, and you were clenching your fists rather tightly. It seems like the pixies were able to improve your mood."

Looking in Sebek's direction, he followed directly behind to see what was outside of the window. "So it would," He muttered, leading the way to the garden. Although it seemed as if from their body language alone, the immortal woman had been through something terrible. Was it a good idea to bother them right now? Malleus was concerned after all. Perhaps it would be better to check on them first before asking about the knighting ceremony. Meanwhile outside, Alexandria nodded her head in understanding. So she was going through whatever that was due to what had happened. "I see. I'll have to thank you two for bringing me out here and to the pixies for helping me out of my dark state." A weak smile accompanied with her slumped shoulders meant that she was a bit fatigued. But sometimes that was life. It hits you with those bad thoughts and pixies have to help you out of that dark place.

Sebek walked over the trio, hearing the last part of Alex's sentence.

"Are you alright, Miss Alex?" He asks, looking around, realizing the pixies that were nearby. The pixies replied, and Sebek understood.

Lilia supplemented more info, "Alex was feeling unwell in the guest room, so Silver and I decided to take her outside for some fresh air."

"Good to know," Sebek replies, "I don't know what I'd do should Lilia be overtly worried for your being. I'm not very good at consoling people, you see."

"Where have you been?" Silver asks, trying to change the topic- it probably would be best to change the focus from Alex to something else.

"Oh, we have a knight ceremony, Silver," Sebek says, "We have to do it tomorrow, and have to organize all the decorations and such." "Was that all?" Lilia asks, gently grabbing ahold of Alex's hand, "I don't think you two would be gone for so long just for the knighting ceremony."

The King was silent during the conversation. There was nothing to say when all was already said and done. The pixies had already told Sebek as well as Lilia. So saying anything would be all for naught. There were times when Sebek had meant well, but he would end up unknowingly touching a sensitive subject and that was right now. Luckily for him, Silver was there to change the subject. He was sure that the lady would've rather not have been a focus of attention for such a touchy discussion. However, the young knight was doing his best to not do it so much, so he had to give credit where credit was due. Chuckling, Malleus offered a small smile to his supervisor. "I will do my best to see that it's not too long."

The immortal human was grateful for the change of topic. Anymore talk about it and her mind would have gone back to that dark place, rendering the pixies' treatment all for naught. The touch of her lover was all it took (plus the pixies' help) to help her pull it together again completely. The caress of his thumb against the back of her hand filled her with the warmth of that of someone that was safe and secure.

"Should we walk through the garden?" Lilia asks, "The sun is still high up, and it would be a waste to not walk through the garden on a lovely day like this."

"Indeed," Silver replies, "The flowers are in full bloom, and it is only during this time that the pixies are the most active. We can talk about the knighting ceremony after dinner, how does that sound?" Sebek refrained from pouting, but nonetheless agreed, "I suppose that's a good idea. A moment to rest is always good. Who knows when the next moment of tranquility will be."

"Agreed," Malleus said, having stood there listening to the conversation the whole time while thinking about the women that were coming. Was it a good time to speak of that? Probably not. So he would do what he did best and keep that to himself. The pixies were also fun to talk to. "Please. There's much more to explore here than just the flowers," She spoke up faintly, getting herself up. Stretching her legs would do her some good. Perhaps a training session with her sword? That was what the dagger basically was that was handed down to her from her ancestors. Kneeling down, she gazed at a peculiar looking black flower. What species of flower was this? The petals were as delicate as glass with the sprouting middle a gold and white. Was it native to this particular part of the world or was it imported here?

"Perhaps there is more to explore than just the flowers, but that doesn't mean we can appreciate it less so," Lilia replied, looking at Alex. He followed her line of sight and noted the black flowers, "Oh, I haven't seen these sorts before. I wonder if the Queen brought them in from other lands."

Lilia kneels down, taking a closer look at the flower, "It doesn't seem to be dangerous."

"I don't think it would be a good idea if we pluck flowers from the Queen's garden, father," Silver says, "It's already enough that the pixies gathered some to ease Alex. Besides, just because it doesn't seem to be dangerous doesn't mean it may not be so." "It reminds me of hollyhock," Sebek says, glancing at the flower, "Though I've never seen them in black."

Silver may have been right. Just because she was curious about this flower didn't mean that she was going to be plucking it out of the garden. The pixies already did so much for her and she didn't want to have them do it anymore. Plus the former Queen would be a bit irritated with them if they touched the flowers. Getting up from her kneeling position, she turned to face the vines that covered the stone walls. Was that the former Queen's doing or was that nature taking over? "Hm... This is new...," Muttering to herself, she sauntered over to the thorny vines to have a good look at them. Were these rose vines perhaps?

That black flower wasn't there earlier when he had gone out to the garden. Perhaps his Grandmother had it imported from some foreign land because she adored it. What if it had some kind of rare ability that was unheard of from this species of flower? An ingredient needed for a special kind of potion? He would have to ask his Grandmother about the black flower that was in her garden. Going ahead of the group, his gaze was faced towards the animals that were in the bushes. The squirrels that were from the forest were now here. How lovely, how cute. They were brave enough to leave the forest. Did they know that he was the new ruler of Briar Valley?

"Could be that the land finally realizes there is a new rule," Lilia comments, getting back up, "At least, that is what it's said through the ancient times. That the land knows change has happened, and will react accordingly- I think I read somewhere that coronation often brought bountiful harvests for some time. Whether that is because of the coronation or just a placebo, I don't know."

"We should begin exploring the garden, should we want to do anything else later on," Silver suggests, looking around, "I feel like we have little time on our hands, for some reason."

"You felt it too?" Sebek asks, "I wonder if it's because we just got here."

Silver shrugs, "Who knows." "Very well," Lilia steps forward, "Let us explore the garden for a small bit. Once we're satisfied, we can go look elsewhere to entertain ourselves."

The natural order was changing because of the coronation... If that were true, then that meant that it was the beginning of a new era. Placebo or not, the passage of time always meant that change was inevitable. A bountiful harvest would do some good for the people of Briar Valley right now. The food shortage had taken a toll on their economy and it needed to be brought back up.

But what else should he do to bring back up the economy for his people? There was a matter of foreign affairs as well. He already knew about the nobility and the elite secretly ruling the Valley. Going to sit down on the ground, Malleus began muttering to himself. There were to be no shortcuts in life and his career as a new ruler was proof of how far he had gotten in life. Of course, he had an immense amount of privilege in his position considering that he was born as a royal.

When curious little Alexandria's hand hesitantly touched the vine, her index finger was poked. Hissing in pain, she quickly pulled away from the vine. Bringing her finger to her mouth, she began sucking away at the blood that had dripped from the finger and onto the ground. After moments of sucking the blood out of her wound, she brought it out to see that it was still bleeding. Bleeding but slightly less so. Bringing it to her lips once more, she sucked out the rest of the blood until it had stopped bleeding.

Once it stopped bleeding, she would look elsewhere and find some exotic berries in a special bush. They were a dark purple, small and round with a noticeably hard and smooth surface. These berries looked as if they could be fake somehow. Were these too from a distant land unknown to them at this very moment? Or were they just some berries that she hadn't seen in a while? There were some like this back in the Land of Pyroxene when she had first lived there under her false identity.

"Love, are you alright?" Lilia asks when he saw that Alex pricked her finger on the vines.

He followed her line of sight to the dark berries, "Ah, those berries. I think these are merely common berries." He picks one of them, examining it, "Well, they're rare here, hard to cultivate because of weather and such, so they grow more commonly elsewhere. I suppose the environment here in the castle grounds is just suitable enough to grow them."

Sebek took a closer look, confirming what he said, "I believe Jack once mentioned these berries. I forget their name, but apparently they're rather popular from where he's from. They make many products that mimic its flavor, from what I recall." "Is that so?" Lilia mused, eating one of them, "On the sweeter side, but I can see why it'd be popular."

"Yes, mi tesoro. I'm alright. I just pricked my finger on a thorn...," She replied, still staring at the berries whilst casually fanning her finger. Her fingertips' nerves were screaming at her for her stupidity, thus it had begun to bleed once more. Damn it! Now she would have to go inside in order to get supplies to disinfect and dress the wound. This was just after she sucked on it to make sure that it stopped bleeding! Curse this moment! Trying to ignore it to the best of her abilities, she observed the berries some more. "I was wondering where these were from.. I've seen them before in the Land of Pyroxene. Just when I was moving there from another town," She mused, half speaking to herself while the other half was replying to the three men that were with her at the moment.

"I see. I understand," Lilia grabs ahold of her hand, using a bit of magic to heal the minor wound, "I wouldn't be surprised if Pyroxene was the ideal environment for them to grow and thrive in. Rather different from here, our Briar Valley."

"Should we head inside..?" Silver hesitantly asks, not sure of the next course of action. Alex's wound was better, but should they remain outside longer or head back inside? "You lot can head back," Lilia responds, "I'll stay here with Alex should they wish it so."

Malleus had gotten up by then from his spot on the grass of the garden in order to head back inside. He may need Silver and Sebek in a moment to speak about the knighting ceremony. They needed to know what to do about the decorations and what colors they needed them to be. What kind of flowers (if at all) needed to be present during that time. If the young knights wanted to follow, then they would be doing so already. As she felt the wound heal, the nerves had stopped aching and yelling at her. Thank goodness for that abundant magic. Well, not exactly abundant. But it was quite the vast amount of magic that Lilia had. "Yes. Don't you two have to speak to Malleus about something important?" They questioned, now looking in their direction.

Silver and Sebek followed Malleus, with the intention of discussing the knighting ceremony. After all, it will be a public display of their undying loyalty to the crown, so they need to perfect it as much as they can.

"Something important? Do you mean the knighting ceremony?" Lilia questions, looking at Malleus' figure as it was leaving, "Or perhaps the matters we mentioned in the lounge? About marriage? He hadn't brought it up, though."

"Both. Though primarily, I was speaking of the knighting ceremony.", She grinned at him, now relishing (a little bit) about how they were all alone. A little shaken up from the incident in the guest room, the group in the garden all at once had made her anxious. She was still good at masking it so that the others couldn't detect it as easily. But now that she was alone with Lilia, Alex felt more comfortable letting down her guard a bit more. The incident was as unavoidable as it was humiliating for her. But there was nothing they could do. So the best thing to do was to move on. As Malleus heard the steps of two pairs of feet, he kept his steady pace into his bedroom, letting the two knights in first. As he came in and closed the door behind him, he gestured to the bed. "Please sit. We need to speak about the knighting ceremony for you two." He sat down in the chair that was facing the bed, gazing at the two of them. Almost boring into their souls.

"The knighting ceremony," Lilia's voice softened, "I can't believe my sons are about to become royal knights. It's as if it was only yesterday that they were children, prancing around in the fields." Lilia dramatically touched his forehead with the back of his head, exhaling loudly to exaggerate the passage of time. The act didn't last long, for he then asked, "Ah well, what did you wish to speak about in regards to the knighting ceremony?"

Sebek straightened his back the moment Malleus stared right at him, feeling his heart race, as if he was going to be caught in a web. Silver on the other hand remains nonchalant. "The knighting ceremony," Silver says, "Right. What do we need to do for it?"

A light fit of laughter trailed from her chest and ripped out of her lips. It reverberated in the air as she clutched her sides. This melodramatic fae... If she truly thought about it, she would have done (somewhat) the same if her brother had been able to grow up in a better environment. "Y-You don't...," She breathed in between fits of girlish giggling and chuckling, "...need to be so dramatic about it...!" It took her a moment to truly come back from the tears she had to blink away from her deep bellied chortling. Still holding her sides, she cleared her throat, "How exactly does this knighting ceremony work exactly? What is involved in it? What will the men have to do after the ceremony? What duties do they have to fulfill?" She had so many questions that Lilia could answer. However it just wasn't in her best interest to ask them all at the same time. "Decorations as Grandmother said. We do not have to worry about anything else. The nobility and lower classes will be there to watch. Food and entertainment is not needed," Malleus listed. What should the colors be? Black, green, gold, and purple? Should they spruce it up with different colors this time? But different colors had different meanings attached to them and in Briar Valley, colors in nature truly mattered.

Lilia smiled, "I am glad my exaggeration brought you a smile, beloved. As for the ceremony," he thought about it, eventually coming to an answer, "It is where Malleus will stand before the throne, and the knights will swear their loyalty before him. Silver and Sebek both swore their loyalty before him, so I would assume that they will lead his personal guard. Others will have to be accepted into the personal guard, though I'd imagine the majority shall be the knights that once belonged to her Majesty."

He thought about it more, trying to recall the last time the knighting ceremony happened- it only occurred every so often, and the last few ones Lilia had missed since he wasn't able to attend them.

"So what exactly happens is that the knights present themselves, and Malleus swears them in. Only a small number of guards are chosen, so perhaps only 10 individuals will be present to be knighted, excluding Sebek and Silver. Once all is said and done, the new personal guard shall take official residence somewhere in the palace, close to the King's quarters as extra precaution. The ceremony itself finishes, and people are free to intermingle- regardless of status, though people remain in their circle nonetheless."

Lilia gave a smile, "I do hope that answered your questions, love."

"Shades of green, obviously," Sebek answers, "They're the colors of our nation."

"Purple and gold may do well," Silver replies, "They compliment the previous Queen well, and surely they will suit you as well, Young Master."

"Oh!" Sebek clasps his hands, "As for decoration, perhaps swords with flowers at their handle? I do think that would look elegant." Silver nodded, "We can also hang up shields that showcase Briar Valley's emblem."

Nodding along with their answers slowly, Malleus had thought of what the throne room would look like with those kinds of decorations. It would look elegant, sophisticated, classy, and most importantly, significant. These two had good taste, he'll admit that. "Excellent. We will have it done by tonight," Malleus replied, his expression one of satisfaction, a small smile appearing in his features. "Would it be too gauche to add extra flowers to the frames of the door?"

They nodded, their smile intact. In fact, her brain had managed to spin such an image as to almost embellish the visage of Malleus knighting both Sebek and Silver in a room full of Briar Valley residents. "Thank you for the brilliant visuals, mi alma. I have been to only one in my life," Confessing this was a bit embarrassing. However, doing that in front of Lilia Vanrouge felt a little bit worse. But why was that? She needed to give herself some room to make some mistakes. Perhaps her age was getting to her after all. Over 400 years of nonstop running truly exhausts the brain. "...I believe it was when a relative of mine was being knighted by the King of Spain himself." Her left hand's index finger and thumb cupped her chin as her right hand laid as a prop on her left arm.

Seeing that he had held himself back, her heart couldn't help but beat a little bit faster. If only her family were still alive... If only they could meet him and see how loving and considerate he was... "Mi amor, please. Come closer. You're not going to hurt me." She held out her right hand to invite him to close the distance between them both. Seeing his hesitancy, Alexandria would be the one to close the distance, getting closer to him. Once she had closed the space between them, they felt comfortable enough to speak once more, beginning the story.

"My father told me of him and my mother attending the knighting ceremony with me in her arms. I was in between trying to sleep and trying to see what the fuss was about," She cleared her throat, "Anyway, let me continue. It was either one of my uncles or older cousins being knighted. My family was honored to be a part of the crowd that were seeing this. Due to this, my family were elevated to high ranking nobles. We had authority. Respect. It was a lovely time for my family and I. It was as if we had been blessed by Yahweh himself..." Her eyes shined in the sun, a blissful smile on her face with her teeth showing. "A few years later, my baby brother was born. He was named Alfonso..."

Her father was an honored and respected man of his caliber and in his field of expertise as a Knight himself and her mother a Countess of the royal court. They were granted those ranks by the King and Queen themselves after their family's services in the wars that had come before she was born.

During Silver and Sebek's discussion on whether the nobles would stand a chance against him and them, Malleus was silent. He had taken all of this information in like a sponge. Only if that sponge had an excellent memory and could memorize just about everything said as well as the body language, tone, fluctuation of said tone, etc. Then it was agreed that the minimal amount of flowers would be on the frames of the door. No more, no less. He was still trying to please his people after all.

"Yahweh," Lilia softly whispered, "I suppose that is the name of a higher entity of yours?"

In the world of Twisted Wonderland, there was not much need for many gods- they existed, but their followers were few and in between. Many looked up to the Great Seven, but not the same way as a god to follower- more similar to an idol to a fan, in any case.

"Is that all then?" Sebek says, "If so, we should probably tell the coordinators about it- so that they may quickly set the preparations."

"Though, isn't it a bit too soon?" Silver inquires, furrowing his brows, "I feel like only one day of preparation is too little time."

"Nonsense," Sebek replies, "We should not underestimate the former Queen- if she says we can make the preparations quickly, then we can."

"I suppose, but nonetheless..." Silver's voice trailed off, still unsure, but he no longer objected.

Perhaps there was a small ounce to Silver's words, but in either case, Sebek was right- perhaps the former Queen had something in mind or perhaps she had the most efficient coordinators- whichever was more true, was yet to be seen.

She nodded, going on to describe who, what, and how he works as a higher entity. Yahweh was the Jewish people's version of God and what it meant was literally, "He Brings into Existence Whatever Exists." The Jewish people had preferred the Old Testament over the New one since it was more faithful to what their belief system was. He had led the Israelites to paradise and thus he was worshiped as their God.

The topic changed from Yahweh from if he had ever met her family. If he thought about it just a little bit, then they would surely accept him based on his rank alone! "They would have loved you so much after seeing how well you treat me! You would've already been a part of the family! A big celebration would have been held in your honor... My younger brother would have looked up to you as a big brother. Would've wanted to be just like you. An honorable general serving the needs of others in the name of your kingdom..." Her voice had a more dreamy tone to it, almost blissfully unaware of the reality that she was in at this moment.

Perhaps it was better than the bad memories she had after she had such precious ones of her family. Malleus understood Silver's worries about the time crunch. But he had faith in his Grandmother. She knew how to pull off last minute events from what Lilia had told him. If he didn't have such faith in his supervisor or in his grandmother, then he would have never been here. There was no respect to be had with a lack of trust. With no trust, there is no love. "We shall see. For now, we follow the words of my Grandmother. That is all." For now, the conversation was over. There was nothing else to talk about with the decorations. Though he had thought that it would've taken longer to decide what the decorations were going to be. It was a bit... unnerving just how easy this was. His Grandmother would have never made it this easy without a catch. Neither would Lilia.

Lilia smiled at her words, "I would've liked to meet your family, love. I'm sure we could have gotten along just well." He didn't dare break her out of the daydream.

Gently, he guided her back into the castle, "The sun will begin to set soon, so let's head back inside, alright?"

Silver and Sebek nodded at Malleus' words. Once Malleus indicated the end of the conversation, Silver and Sebek both got up and gave their farewells.

It was about to be supper soon, and the two knights could not afford to miss a meal.

Neither could the King, for that matter, which is why the two beckoned for their King to follow them.

Before they were King and knights, they were friends and family.

The day went by quickly, the coordinator doing everything in their power to make sure that the event goes without a hitch. Servants shuffled around, Sebek and Silver giving a hand. Within hours, many humans and fae alike managed to make the throne room come to life with all the lovely flowers of various shades, the shields and swords, and the chairs for the knights that were to be sworn in.

Since there was no food nor consideration of entertainment, it went easier than thought, as Silver and Sebek managed to go to bed on time without much trouble.

The next day came, the sun now high up in the sky, and now it was the day.

Lilia dressed himself in his general attire, having to stand next to Malleus throughout the ceremony. Silver and Sebek wore the traditional knight attire typical for the Briar Valley, in the shade of dark green with golden accents. All three had their swords to their sides, though the same could be said for the new knights that were to be sworn in. There were many of them, perhaps around 15 men in total- both fae and human, though mostly fae. It did them well to come in early.

Though, that did mean that nobles and commoners were beginning to notice, gathering in early by the few, their numbers only growing as time went on.

By the time the ceremony was to start, the room was full, the only space available being the only space around the throne where the King and his knights were.

Truly, it was a great sight to behold- the sun peeking through the throne room with enough light, the flora practically glowing despite its deep shades, and the glistening of the swords and shields that were polished for such an event.

Alexandria was guided back into the castle by her lover as she daydreamed some more about the predicament she would have had if her family were still alive and well. The dreams that she would have during that night were more than enough for her to wake up rested the next day. That daydream truly did wonders. Well, so did telling Lilia a little bit about her family.

When the sun had risen, peeking through the curtains, she was already up and was getting dressed. Since she didn't have any formal clothing that wouldn't make her stand out, she had asked some of the maids and servants if they knew of anyone that would let her borrow or rent any clothing.

After that escapade, she was in a Victorian dress. It had a minimal amount of ruffles with the outer layer being black while the under layer was more of a dark berry. Simple, yet oh so elegant. Having a little gold and black hat that accompanied it, she only had to put on her corset and white linen. Putting them all on in order (as she remembered it), next came the stockings. These were the more old fashioned ones with a garter and hose. Finally, there was the light makeup. When everything was done and ready for her, she had a small breakfast. Arriving at the throne room and being one of the first ones, she had a front row stand to everything that was about to happen.

Malleus had observed the coordinators doing their best with the time crunch that they had. From what it was going to look like, they were doing well. With the preparations done within the night, he told them all to take a rest and head to bed.

The next morning, Malleus was in his royal clothing accompanied with his crown and a few rings that were small and slender in nature. Obsidian jewels were the highlight of the outfit as well as amethysts and emeralds with the bands being a clear golden. Black was customary for the knighting ceremony as well as to show his status as the King of Briar Valley. His royal outfit was mostly black with golden outlines, dark green, and purple adorning his royal outfit. The shields that were placed on the wall just above the throne, the flowers on the door frame and hanging on the bases, the banners that his own Grandmother had used (pristine and pressed to look as new as possible)... They were all going to be a part of his legacy.

At last when enough people were there to witness the Knighting Ceremony, it had begun. With the sword in his right hand, he would make his speech of how these two were by his side ever since he was a young fae, protecting him when times called for it. Of how they had gone above and beyond just protecting him as bodyguards, but of how they had earned his trust and respect as fellow people of Briar Valley. He would then dub both Silver and Sebek, touching the sword to both of their shoulders, now declaring them Royal Knights of the King's forces.

It didn't take long to knight the others- 15 men in total, a few minutes at most for each. Every single one declared their loyalty with the most sincerity that they could muster.

It quickly finished, Malleus giving a small bow towards the kneeling knights, and then sitting on his throne, dismissing them.

The families of the knights rushed forward to their family members, crying out in joy that they were selected. Other knights got together and cheered.

Lilia stood proud, wiping away a nonexistent tear. Truly, his boys have grown up so much.

But something felt amiss.

Lilia glanced around, looking, searching whatever could it have been. Everything seemed to be in order, until he noticed the dark shades of blue in the back.

A foreigner.

Lilia walked over to Sebek and Silver, and said, "Say, boys, do you recognize them?" Pointing with his chin towards the person.

It took a moment, but only Sebek recognized them, realization dawning upon his face.

"I do believe that is the betrothed of Malleus, sir Lilia."

Silver glanced back at Sebek, "Betrothed? You never mentioned this. You knew she was to come?"

Sebek nodded, "Indeed, though I expected her arrival later."

Lilia sighed, "We should let Malleus know- he'd want to know either way. Quick, or else she may change her mind."

Sebek nodded, and went over to Malleus with the news.

Lilia shook his head, "I'll be returning to Alex. I wish Sebek and Malleus told us sooner about this."

"Agreed."

"You should escort the woman to the king in any case. I think Malleus would like to meet them soon."

"Understood, father."

So he did, Silver spotted the same dark blues and approached the woman. He walked with stride and confidence, at least until a figure stopped him in his tracks right before he was about to talk to the betrothed.

"I am Rosamund," the knight says, "And you are?"

"Silver," he replies, "Knighted to the king as you saw."

Rosamund nodded, "Then you're aware?"

"Yes."

"Very well," the woman scowled, but she pulled the other woman close. She too was in a bad mood, but didn't comment on anything.

"She is Cyrille Arbolis," Rosamund states, "Though you may recognize her as Aiza."

Silver gave a small bow, "Allow me to take you to our King."

"Alright."

Silver began to walk, the two women in blue following closely behind him, until they were in the line of sight of the King.

"Sir, I do believe this is them," Silver gestured to the women, Cyrille walking forward and pulling her hood down, her blue eyes staring intently at Malleus. "...Your majesty," was all Cyrille said.

Malleus's lime green irises had almost glowed in the throne room although there was light from within the curtains. The beautiful blue eyed girl with blonde hair from the application that her family had sent his Grandmother was the princess due to her eye color. Or at least that was what she had told him. Then there was the knight. Rosamund Cervantes... The both of them looked quite exquisite in his eyes. But he was curious about something. Weren't they supposed to arrive a few days later? "How did you two come to be early?" The King asked, his voice even with amusement. He swore that he sensed someone from within the crowd that was a foreigner besides Lilia's betrothed. At the same time, his heart threatened to burst from his chest. Oh, yes. They were destined to be together forever. However, that did not mean that he could force them to marry him right this instant. Ethically and morally speaking. When their General approached them, they grasped his hand softly, keeping a firm grip. Leaning over, she whispered, "Should we leave? It seems as if the brides have arrived earlier than expected..." It was a bit awkward to be peeking in at them when this felt more like a private moment between the King, the Princess, and the Knight. The Knight was a cheetah beastman... How interesting to note. She'd never seen one like her before. Then the princess... There were plenty of attractive blonde haired, blue eyed ladies in the court of the King of Spain. However, Cyrille was strikingly exceptional, even compared to the ladies of back then. There was just something about her that made Alex want to comfort and embrace her tightly. To tell her that everything was going to be alright. The princess must have been anxious standing in front of Malleus like this.

Rosamund's mouth twisted into a smirk, almost laughing but didn't.

"The Queen of Aiza," Cyrille begins, "Was rather confident that you would accept the proposal, so she sent us a day after the letter was sent."

Sebek looked at Cyrille harder- the sketch shown didn't showcase the complexity of the white tattoos that contrasted against her tan skin. Her arms were littered with many tattoos, and Sebek faintly recalled the tribe nearby, middle of Briar Valley and Aiza domain.

Last time he heard of them, they had called themselves People of Arbol.

But... Surely, the people of Arbol wouldn't dare take in a princess, would they?

Rosamund stepped next to her, "I am Rosamund Cervantes, of the Soldati Famiglia. I'm sure you heard of us." She gave a little bow to Malleus, feeling his gaze on her, "I am Cyrille's knight, have been for more than a decade. Should you take her hand in marriage, I'll extend the same courtesy to you, your majesty."

Rosamund's amber eyes stared right at Malleus' own eyes, and she only smiled. She took a step back, right behind Cyrille, dutifully.

"Would it be the best time to know your answer, your highness?" Cyrille asks, "Or have you already sent a letter to... the Queen of Aiza?"

-Lilia shook his head, "It's fine, love. Besides, everyone else is watching." He gestured to the rest of the crowd, who all were whispering about the ordeal.

Raising an eyebrow at Rosamund, he stayed silent as the Knight spoke. A smirk. Something must have been truly hilarious if she were to do that. What that was he wasn't about to find out right now. None of this was remotely entertaining for him. Not at all.

The white tattoos seemed familiar to him since he had studied them before in a book that Lilia had wanted him to read for some kind of test. But it sounded like this Queen had some guts if she was that confident that he would have accepted her proposal so soon. She was lucky that he had done so or else she wouldn't have had an alliance with Briar Valley. "I have heard," Malleus replied. In a way, it was insulting to him that the Queen had the audacity to think of him as an easy target.

Somehow there was some tension between him and the Knight. However, being King was never going to be that easy. He would just have to accept that some would never approve of him. Especially those among the nobility. It was just their pesky fear speaking.

Looking directly at Cyrille now, he would give her his direct answer. "I have already done so, yes," So he had already accepted her hand in marriage just by approving the application. Sending it was just the nail in the coffin. There would be one more that should arrive within a week.

Miss Gonzalez-Garcia was uncertain about what was transpiring right now. Everyone here seemed a little too entertained by this fiasco. She placed her right hand upon his as her fingers on her left hand were intertwined with his. But all she could do was watch.

"Is that so?" Cyrille says, disappointment apparent in her tone, "I suppose I'll have to get settled in then."

"Looks like it, your highness," Rosamund replied- the honorific clearly foreign to her mouth.

"Then all I ask is for your hospitality, King Malleus," Cyrille ignored Rosamund's words, "And hopefully all ends well for the both of us."

It was rather clear that Cyrille didn't quite want to be here.

Rosamund butted in, "Your Highness, if you could, please do escort... Princess Cyrille to a room, where she may rest. We had arrived early in the morning, you see." She looked over to Cyrille, who only glared at Rosamund.

"Ah," she looked back to Malleus, "That is, if it wouldn't trouble you at all, your highness."

Silver stepped up, "I can be of service. King Malleus, if I may?"

Lilia carressed Alex's fingers, watching the scene unfold.

He was privy to more information- the Soldati Famiglia. An underground organization that dealt with illegal dealings, especially with the ore that made the Aiza Domain prosperous.

Thus, Cryille Arbolis of Aiza and Rosamund Cervantes of Soldati belonged to different factions that were the enemy of each other.

An odd duo indeed.

So far, this Queen sounded as if she were rude and incompetent to boot. It was expected that some sniveling royal would offend the Briar Valley's Draconia family. But to have this done to him on the first day of his ruling was nothing but aggravating. On the outside, Malleus was calm, stoic. Composed. But on the inside, he was seething. Did this foolish Queen not know just how much of a gift her daughter and the Knight she had pushed out of the door were? "Yes, Silver. If you would please." His voice never betrayed his emotions, but the feeling of screaming was tempting. This test was turning out to be a challenge so far. Was he making his Grandmother proud with this? Only time will tell...

Their throat tightened, swallowing their saliva to make their mouth and throat wet still. The silence from their end as well as Lilia's were deafening. The audience whispering, giggling, and pointing were not helping matters at all. Nothing about this was good at all. Was the Queen this desperate to have an alliance with Briar Valley that she would push these women out of the door? Perhaps it was the best choice for that kingdom, but this Queen sounded so...so...cruel. The poor princess didn't even look like she wanted to be here!

Silver nodded, and gestured to the women to follow him.

They complied, and left the throne room. Silver didn't know where their rooms would be- though it shouldn't be hard to find since Cyrille was to be Malleus' betrothed.

Once they were out of earshot from the throne room, Cyrille and Rosamund finally began talking.

"A shame he didn't reject," Cyrille says, sighing rather loudly, "I didn't want that horrid woman to get her way."

"Indeed," Rosamund replied, "Perhaps we shouldn't have agreed to-"

"Rose, do not finish that."

"Alright, Cy."

"Besides," Cyrille huffed, "You would have done the same if it was Isidore."

Rosamund kept mum, looking away from Cyrille.

"Be like that, then," Cyrille huffs, walking faster to catch up with Silver, "Say, where are the escape routes here?"

Silver was taken aback, and glanced at her curiously. "I beg your pardon?"

"The escape routes."

"I'm afraid I know of none," Silver replied, pausing once he reached the hallway where everyone was, "Besides, our rooms are here. I believe yours will be right next to Malleus' room."

"And what about Rosamund's?"

"Hers will be next to mine."

Cyrille didn't look to please, but knew better than to say anything else.

"Alright then," she walked over to her supposed room, only giving a brief look to Malleus door, making a sour face, "Rosa, come here. We'll be in my room for the meanwhile."

Cyrille headed right in, leaving Rosamund out.

"Don't mind her," the cheetah beast-man says. "She's been having a hard time adjusting- it was only a week ago that we were within the territory of Arbol, content with our lives, when the official heir to the Aiza domain came in, demanding Cy's presence." She had a small smile, and continued, "It was her sister, who needed her aid. The moment we entered Aiza territory, their mother's forces came upon us and forced a deal."

All Silver could do was nod, now having a better understanding of the situation.

"I'll leave you to it, good day, Silver."

Silver took his leave the moment the door closed behind Rosamund, returning to the throne room.

He noticed Malleus' foul mood, but didn't comment on it, instead just standing next to Sebek. He didn't want to add fire to the flame.

Lilia saw the entire debacle, and while he would have liked more drama, he decided it was enough.

"Pardon me, love," he calmly says to Alex, giving her a small peek on her cheeks, "I shall divert attention away from them, so be prepared."

He moved away from Alex as gently as he could, and sauntered up to Malleus, and as loudly as he could, "Your highness, I do have but one question to make- when and where will the hunting games take place?"

Lilia smiled even more when the topic changed so quickly amongst the nobles- there hasn't been a hunting game since the coronation of Maleficent. And with the new changes within the land, there was bound to be many prey roaming around and about, taking advantage of the abundant flora.

Was his foul mood that easy to detect? Then again, Silver had known him for many years. If it wasn't obvious to him by now, then it was a lost cause. The moment they were away from the throne room, his mood had only worsened until his supervisor had mentioned the Hunting Games. Turning his focus away from the sudden arrival of his betrotheds, the atmosphere in the room had become lighter. As to where the Hunting Games will take place... "They will take place in the near deep forests of Briar Valley in seven days time," King Malleus announced, almost staring down at his supervisor from his throne. But this was not out of superiority. He's just that tall. So tall that one would make the mistake of it looking like he's trying to intimidate Lilia.

Alex had let go of the General, entrusting him to divert attention. It worked effectively, seeing as how the nobles amongst the crowd had reacted. The whispers became louder as they discussed amongst themselves as to how to properly prepare for the Hunting Games coming up. While she wouldn't participate, she would just watch from the sides. Maybe then she could work on her sparring skills with her dagger/sword.

But one would not partake in the Games. One that was more massive in both physique and in height, intimidating and almost unapproachable in his demeanor. Anyone could point him out by his height, dark (almost night) blue hair, pale ivory skin and startling golden eyes. The horns and ears had made it apparent to the others that he was only half fae, but that the other half was that of a demon. The people of Briar Valley had thought of the doctor as being a kind soul for taking this delinquent in when he was young. But the amount of scars on his body would tell you a different story. The only way he had made it to being a part of the Royal Court was due to his father being a famous surgeon within the Court. At least, that's what the people of Briar Valley will tell you. He was well-known and well-respected for his accomplishments and the amount of lives saved within the Briar Valley. But he was only known by the name Dr. Zima.

Sebek and Silver finally took note of the presence that seemed to cause tension, their eyes landing on Celeste Zima. The two of them never quite formally met him, but they've heard rumors about him and how he once was. Yet, seeing how Malleus hadn't done anything, neither did the two knights.

Lilia also took note, "Ah, there he is. Celeste Zima, the Chief Inspector," he turned to Alex, "If I may caution you, do be wary around him." Lilia cast another glance at Celeste, "He was always the troublesome sort- whether he is naturally like this or because of his environment, I don't know, but he can be a dangerous individual if he wanted to be."

Lilia gathered that perhaps Celeste wouldn't do anything to cause much trouble, but that would only be a given should the lad have grown out of his ways- and Lilia didn't have enough knowledge to say that he did or not, so Celeste remained an enigma that he needed to figure out.

What would someone do when there were eyes on them? Normally they would slink back into the corner like a weak little worm. But Celeste? Oh, he revels in these kinds of situations. The more mayhem he causes, the better the outcome for him and the more embarrassing it is for their father figure. Was it childish? Yes. Was it absolutely foolish to make the new King of Briar Valley furious at him? Yes. But would it be worth it? It's possible. So when about four to five pairs- no... even more pairs of eyes were on him, he could only grin. Finally, he would speak in his deep voice, "Aw, what's this? Am I displeasing everyone here?~ Tut, tut. And I thought this was an event in which everyone could be an audience..." His voice naturally projected, thus echoing off of the stone walls. His grin vanished, his expression almost sad. But all he was doing was mocking the others for gazing at him as if he were a beast.

Alexandria hastily turned their gaze away when the half demon grinned. For a moment, she thought she had seen the elongated canines in that dark grin of his. Instead, they had preferred to look upon their lover's stern expression. Hearing Celeste speak for the first time was...haunting. But it was so in the most malicious of ways. It was as if it was an indicator of how aggravated the soul was for having to be around the fae populous in general. What did this person have against fae anyway?

As for King Draconia, his frown only deepened as his eyebrows furrowed, his gaze almost glaring daggers into the half demon's soul. If he were to cause any sort of fuss, his royal knights would be the first to escort him out of the event. No one should have to endure this from anyone. There was no exception to him or from him. Whether they were in the royal court, a noble, a commoner, or a foreigner, this harassment was uncalled for. Leaning towards Sebek and then Silver, he whispered for them to watch for Celeste. Should he do anything as simple as breathing, he is to be escorted out of the throne room.

Sebek and Silver nodded their heads. While they didn't think to escort Celeste out for simple breathing, they did agree in silence to escort him the moment he would become a nuisance to others. It didn't help that his presence alone was already so aggravating towards the others in the room, even to Malleus himself.

Lilia glanced over to Malleus, a tad worried as to how he was acting. But he stayed with Alex- Malleus had Silver and Sebek with him, but should something happen in general, Lilia hoped that it was within his power to prevent or act upon.

"Cy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry."

"...."

"Very hungry."

"Go outside then. A few hours by myself won't kill me. If I need you, I'll summon you."

"Thanks, Cy."

Alex had the temptation just to cover her own ears due to how progressively provocative and antagonistic Celeste had become. Was he pushing these people to their limits to get attention? What exactly was his motive? Was there something going on in the background of his life?

"Is this because of my presence? Or merely the fact that I'm half fae? We all know that the fae despise breeding with other species..." That smug, menacing grin had never left his face. The whispers only became louder amongst the nobles as they spectated this interaction between them and the Chief Inspector. Good. Get these people stirred up in their despicable shoes. When the King had scolded him, his hands went up with him being in a surrendering position. "I do apologize for the inconvenience, my liege." With that, his mayhem had come to an abrupt end. However, this was only the beginning... Malleus's foul mood had come back with a bitter vengeance, his hands gripping the arms of the throne as if he were going to rip them off. "Celeste. This is your only warning. Quiet down or you will be escorted out," His tone was even, collected. Authoritative as a proper King should be. When he saw that Celeste had sat back down in his seat and apologized, his mood had fluctuated back to one that was more calm. When they said that he was a troublemaker, they definitely meant it.

Sebek felt uncomfortable- he was half fae, and hearing Celeste's words packed a punch. He looked over to Malleus nonetheless. Sebek may not seem bright, but he was smarter than he let on (though unintentionally).

After all, Cyrille was human. Any children born from a union between Malleus and Cyrille would be like him- half fae and human. If Celeste had said that in mind, then Sebek supposed that he did a good job at choosing his insults.

Nonetheless, he stood tall and on guard, as did Silver. They kept a close eye on the half demon, worried as to what he'd do, now that all the attention is on him, despite the promise that he would calm down.

Lilia, on the other hand, only held his beloved's hands. He wanted to jump in, escort the troublemaker himself, but he shouldn't- couldn't- for if he did, it may seem like he was ignoring Malleus' authority, which would not bode well for Malleus in the future.

He was pleased that Malleus had it under control.

Meanwhile, Rosamund took it upon herself to explore the palace grounds, keeping to the walls in an attempt to stay out of sight. If anyone would see her, they would assume the worst- think that she's a proper demon of sorts. The best case scenario would be mistaken for being a distant relative to the Draconia line, but Rosamund doubted that.

She eventually found the garden with all the plants, pleased to have found an area with lots of sunlight. "Food from the sun god," she says quietly, settling down in an open area. Her entire being took on a green hue as closed her eyes, basking in the sun.

While Celeste had seen the spectacle that was the King's supposed bride(s) coming in to introduce themselves, that insult was not targeted towards them. If anything, he didn't know much about the identities of said bride(s) at all. One of the few (many?) good things about Celeste was that he didn't make many assumptions offhand when someone was a different species than him. Unless they were faes. Then he was absolutely a bully about it. That insult was more so directed at himself as opposed to other half-faes. He knew that they despised him partially because of that. His reputation covered a large part of that, but still. The implications were there. The attention was still on him, which was good enough for him. His father always did tell him that he was a bit of an attention-seeking little rat after all. Might as well keep up with it.

When Alex had turned back to see the half-demon, he was sitting back down in the chair. The chair creaked a little under the half-fae's weight, but that was alright. As long as Celeste stayed far away from her found family and her beloved, then it was going to be fine. Turning to Malleus, Silver, Sebek, and then finally at her lover, she worried for them all. Sebek because that insult being slung at someone could potentially harm them in various ways. Psychologically, mentally, spiritually. Squeezing Lilia's hand, they hadn't realized until now that they hadn't taken a single breathe out. Exhaling quietly, they had to make sure that they were breathing by placing their right hand upon their chest. Feeling that their heart was still beating, they relaxed their shoulders.

Since Celeste had sat down and made his "promise", Malleus had made sure to have guards keep a watchful eye on the half-demon to make sure that everything was still right in the world. His reputation had perceived him well and it looked like his troublemaking ways hadn't gone away. Not entirely. There were rumors that he used to be much worse than before with the potion incident. It involved sending his instructors to the infirmary with some of the students being scarred temporarily. The whispers had continued for a little while until Malleus had determined that the event was finally over. After all, the main event had been done for a little while now. He needed to tend to some matters that his Grandmother left behind.

The rest of the ceremony went without a hitch, thankfully. Sebek and Silver didn't need to do anything other than stand guard- no doubt a large part due to Malleus' rather imposing figure.

And thus, the next course of action was dinner, or more aptly, a small dinner party to celebrate the arrival of Cyrille and her knight.

This time, it was Sebek who had to call upon the two, as everyone was already situated in the dinner room, waiting for them.

He came to the door, and knocked. Once. Twice. Then thrice.

It took a moment, but then finally Cyrille opened the door- albeit only partly.

"What is it?"

"We're celebrating your arrival, Princess Cyrille," Sebek replies, "So your attendance is mandatory."

"Tsk," Cyrille glances to the side, "Need I to dress up?"

"That would be best, please."

"...Alright. Just a moment."

Cyrille closed the door, and Sebek could faintly hear the conversation between the two women, followed by a disgruntled groan. A few minutes passed, and finally the two came out from the room.

Cyrille came out, adorning a plain green dress. It was still in Aiza fashion, but the green seemed to compliment her much more than the blues of her kingdom. And her eyes even seem to take on a more green hue...

Rosamund came out dressed all in black, attire befitting more of an assassin than a knight. Otherwise she didn't seem much different from before- though Sebek swore her eyes looked a tad different. Perhaps it was just his imagination..?

Nonetheless, Sebek guided the two into the dinner room, where everyone was at. There were a few chairs empty, notably those right next to Malleus- which meant that the two would have to separate for the time being.

They took their places, and it was all quiet. Until Lilia spoke up.

"Say, Rosamund was it?"

A nod.

"How is it that someone from the Soldati family came to be acquainted with the Aiza?"

"Ah," Rosamund glanced at Cyrille, "We both ran away from home."

"Oh?" This piqued Lilia's interest.

Rosamund gave another glance to Cyrille, who only nodded, as if giving her permission to continue.

"I'm only a few years older than.... Princess Cyrille. We both had run away from home for personal reasons, and ended up in a chance encounter in the Arbol territory, where we were both taken in."

"Is that so? And you remained there?" Lilia questioned.

"We did," Rosamund admitted, "We only returned to the Aiza domain upon request from Princess Sarai."

That was news. There was only ever one daughter publicly announced.

"Princess Sarai?" Sebek asked, "I thought there was only one princess?"

It was Cyrille who spoke up, "The Queen didn't approve of me- hence why I left home. She took advantage of my sister's plea for help. If not for her plea, then no one would have been sent."

Cyrille looked at Malleus head on, staring right at his eyes, "So please do forgive me if I act out of place, because I am. I was not raised like royalty for a considerable amount of time, I hope you understand. Rosamund much less so, considering her history with the Soldati family."

"No worries," Lilia spoke again, "It is a great opportunity to get to know the two of you better, is it not?" Lilia glanced around, waiting for a response.

Just before anyone could reply however, the servants brought out the food, the smell absolutely heavenly- it was a soup from a foreign land, a zuppa toscana. Though, it was clearly just an appetizer, something before the big meal that was yet to come.

When the dinner party was getting started, Celeste had already left to go back to his duties. He surveyed the garden beforehand to make sure that everything was in order before his duties as Chief Inspector would continue. Inspecting the hospital rooms, equipment, the workers and many other things for major discrepancies. Making sure that everything was prepped and set up to properly perform surgeries.

Once everything had been ready with everything being clean to its fullest, then the doctors and nurses (as well as residents) could begin working on their patients. The workers that had cleaned the equipment themselves were under the careful, scrutinizing eye of Celeste Zima whom they were all scared of. And for good reason.

While the dinner party was getting prepped up, he had watched over everyone in the throne room to make sure that no more people were going to be a nuisance. While the dinner party was getting set up, King Draconia would take his place at the end of the long table. Of course, his brides were to sit on both sides of him which was to be expected. But for now, those seats would be empty. It was then that everyone would become situated at the table with him, sitting in their assigned seats.

Once Sebek had come back out with the two guests (well, not really, but you do get what I mean, right?) of honor. Cyrille had clearly looked disgruntled with this, which had made his heart sink a bit. Did she not already like him? Was there something wrong with him? Did he do something wrong by accepting the application? Had he made a mistake?

The silence was rather deafening, but luckily, Lilia had broken it once more. Always the conversation starter and always the more extroverted one. He observed the conversation, studying Rosamund's and Cyrille's facial expressions. What did they think of all of this besides the obvious? There was more to it than this after all.

The more he listened to their story about running away from home, the more he had felt terrible for the both of them. Her mother had thrown away someone who was truly a marvel of a living being. But when he had heard about there being two princesses, his eyebrows shot up. Two princesses? So did the Queen lie to him about Cyrille being the only child in her application? Shortly after he felt Cyrille staring right at him, his expression turned neutral as he turned his head to face her. Understanding the situation much better now, he nodded his head.

Before he could speak any further, the appetizer had arrived from the kitchen and onto the table.

Rosamund was the first to dig into the soup, as if she was like a starving dog. She finished long before anyone else could finish their soup- even Cyrille, who was just as famished as the knight.

"'I take it, you enjoyed the soup?" Sebek asks, only halfway done with his. He truly didn't know what to say, but felt obligated to say something.

"Hm?" Rosamund looked up, finally setting the spoon down, "Oh, yes. It's pretty good."

Cyrille only glanced at Rosamund, as if she was disappointed in her.

"What was your reason for leaving home, Rosamund?" Lilia asks, looking right at her. Perhaps he had picked up the fact that Rosamund wasn't all that she had seen.

"Oh, I got tired of hiding," Rosamund nonchalantly replies, "I was good at what I did, but what's the point if I can't show it?"

"And what is it that you do, besides being a knight?"

"One, I'm no knight," Rosamund scoffed, "and two, pray that you never have to know."

"...Rose, it's not very hard to say that you were trained in the Soldati family." Cyrille looked at her with a blank expression, as if such conversation was normal.

"But that takes away from the mystery, doesn't it?"

"Rose."

"Fine, fine."

Whatever tension there was, it left as quickly as it had come. Despite being older of the two, Rosamund wasn't as serious nor did she try to be- in fact, it seemed to be the opposite. It was clear that Rosamund intended to lift Cyrille's mood, and it worked.

"The issue is more complex than that, but," Rosamund leaned back into her chair, "There is no use telling it. It's been more than a decade and half since they had transpired, and I would rather not relive it, if I can help it."

There was another lull in the conversation, allowing everyone to finish up their soup. The servants took note of this, then brought out the next meal.

Pork chops with rice on the side.

Alex was taken aback a bit when she saw Rosamund eating as if she hadn't ate good food before. What did they feed them at that palace? Or were they not fed at all? They had only ate a little bit of the soup as she was taught to do many centuries ago. After all, there were still many courses to go and she wanted to save enough space for this. How was Lilia able to make conversation with just about everyone that he had met? Goodness knows that they wouldn't have been able to do this as easily. Not even with the skills that they were taught as the daughter of a Countess and a Knight. As for the pork chops, they would only take a few bites of that as well. Better to eat a little bit than to not eat at all. Her stomach wouldn’t have been able to finish all five courses. Not without having some sort of issues with it afterwards.

Malleus couldn't help but smile at the sight of one of his brides enjoying the cooking made by the servants. There was hope yet that the two of them might get used to living here for now on. But there was something that contradicted the first thought in his mind. What if Cyrille had run away from the castle? What if, what if, what if? Was that all he could think about? Why not let himself dine on the cooking done by the faithful servants?

Cyrille notably ate a small amount of food, eating slowly to enjoy the flavor much longer. Yet, again, Rosamund finished through the food quickly, as if there was a void in her stomach. It didn't help that there was no more sunlight, otherwise the need for human food wouldn't have been so great.

Again, it was Lilia who posed another question, "Princess Cyrille, do you intend to stay here?"

Cyrille only stared at Lilia for a moment, pondering what to say.

"For the meanwhile, yes. Though I do request that I can take a leave soon- or at the very least, send a letter to my guardian in Arbol. He was not made aware of the arrangements, and I would like to let him know that I'm not dead."

"I'm sure Malleus can come up with an agreement," Lilia smiled to Malleus, "What is your guardian's name?"

"Noé," Cyrille responded, "He raised me for a decade. I consider him my father, if anything. I have a brother through him- Isidore. Rosamund is rather fond of him, you see. I think she'd like to return as well."

"Interesting," Lilia replies, "Well, I do wish you luck in regards to that."

"Thank you, sir...?"

"Just call me Lilia, Princess Cyrille."

"Then you should just call me Cyrille. I'm no princess, anyways."

"Alright then, Cyrille."

The tension was still here, but notably had lessened. Perhaps things were working out...?

The tension in the room was quite palpable with Cyrille and her beloved. Again, they had noticed that the General had a tendency to prod and poke at some peoples' personal details. It would make just about anyone uncomfortable to have to witness this. In the end, Lilia was doing something while everyone else was sitting here like ducks. Sitting ducks. However Cyrille had brought up something significant having to do with her circumstances. She had a guardian named Noé and he wasn't notified at all. Good God, he must have been worried to death about her! If she were in her shoes, she would have looked for a way out as well!

Malleus nodded as Lilia had smiled at him. He was levelheaded enough as a person of his stature in order to agree to Cyrille's terms. They were fair and reasonable. Being stuck in an unfamiliar place and being trapped in an unwanted arrangement would make anyone want to escape the castle.

The more he heard the conversation and Cyrille divulge details about her situation, the more he understood. "I will allow you to write the letter to your guardian and have us send it to him. In due time, you will be here in the castle, safeguarded by the Royal Knights and the Draconia family."

So she was not a princess and the Queen had lied to him. While not the main focus of discussion, it should be addressed at some point. The penalty for lying in a state of affairs like this was lethal for anyone due to how much power and influence the Draconia family had in Twisted Wonderland.

Cyrille almost wanted to jump from her chair in glee, but kept her composure.

"Really?" She says, her mouth nearly twitching into a smile, "Then thank you, Your Majesty. You're far more accommodating than my blood kin."

Rosamund nearly wanted to laugh, but held it in. Despite her carefree nature from earlier, she kept a neutral expression- only possible from her training in the Soldati family.

A shame she couldn't be allowed to remain in the family.

The dinner went without much interruption this time- perhaps Lilia was done with his round of questions and was satisfied, but that didn't mean that Silver and Sebek, and perhaps everyone else for that matter, were satisfied.

But it was clear that Cyrille and Rosamund were done with their conversation, not wishing to expose more of themselves than need be- the rest of the dinner went with an awkward silence.

At the very least, Cyrille and Rosamund were now a tad more comfortable in this strange and unfamiliar place.

#twisted wonderland #twst lilia #twst malleus #twst sebek #twst silver #oc x canon #tw yandere #male yandere #female yandere #oc #canon #yandere lilia vanrouge #lilia vanrouge #sebek zigvolt #silver vanrouge #malleus draconia #oc x canon fic #oc x canon rp

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haru-natsuka · 3 months

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Masterlist

Welcome, readers, to the grand gallery of history. Everything in this collection is a record of all that has written, both factual and fantastical. Discover the truth of the world, the fiction of legends, and the possibilities of the future!

FEMALE READER X OCS

Second Male Leads Are all Yanderes but I Won't Rest Until I Win My Love Back [Ongoing Series]

MANHWA X FEMALE READER

The one that should raise to the throne not him. The one who should be the empress not her. The fate laid in front of them should be different but they lived in that kind of fate where a new hope should be blessed...

The fate (Anastacius x Female Reader x Claude) [Ongoing Series]

TWISTED WONDERLAND x FEMALE READER

Ahh... My dear esteemed benefactor, a lovely and noble flower of evil. Truly, you are the fairest one of all. Those who are guided by the dark mirror, reveal to you the visage you seek, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror. Join us in the realm of villainy, and allow us to show you the true path to a happy ending.

Heartslabyul

Slipped (Ace Trappola x Crush Reader), Angst

Consolation (Riddle Rosehearts x Wife Reader), Romance

Left with father (Riddle Rosehearts x Your Child), Family

Left with father (Trey Clover x Your Child), Family

The Unending Daze Part 1 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Part 2 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Part 3 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Extra (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

Rejection (Deuce Spade x Female Reader), Angst

Changing fate (Trey Clover x Female Reader), Romance

Forgotten (Trey Clover x Wife? Reader), Romance

Complicated feelings (Ace Trappola x Reader), Romance

Only mine (Cater Diamond x Female Reader), Slight yandere

First night interview (All Heartslabyul)

Savanaclaw

First step (Leona Kingscholar x Wife Reader), Romance

Last step Part 1 (Leona Kingscholar x Wife Reader), Romance

Last step part 2 (Leona Kingscholar x Wife Reader), Romance

Stolen (Ruggie Bucchi x Female Reader), Romance, fluff

Fetish (Jack Howl x Soulmate Reader), Romance

Octavinelle

Consultation (Azul Ashengrotto x Female Reader), Romance, fluff

Interest (Floyd Leech x Female Reader), Romance

The Visit (Jade Leech x Female Reader), Romance

Not funny (Floyd Leech x Female Reader), Romance

Scarabia

Secrets (Kalim al-Asim x Crush Reader), Romance

Confusion Part 1 (Kalim Al Asim x Wife? Reader x Jamil Viper), Romance, poly, kids

Confusion Part 2 (Kalim Al Asim x Wife? Reader x Jamil Viper), Romance, poly, kids

Fascinated (Jamil Viper x Wife Reader), Romance

Kiss-o-meter (Kalim Al Asim x Female Reader x Jamil Viper), Romance

Naive (Kalim Al Asim x Wife Reader), Romance

First night interview (All Scarabia)

Diasomnia

Painful Growth (Malleus Draconia x Crush Reader), Angst

The Past (Lilia Vanrouge x Wife Reader), Romance, Angst

Technology (Sebek Zigvolt x Female Reader), Romance

The Rhyme (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader), Fluff

Left with father (Malleus Draconia x Child), Fluff

The Unending Daze Part 1 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Part 2 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Part 3 (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

The Unending Daze Extra (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader x Ace Trappola), Yandere

My Love (Malleus Draconia x Wife Reader), Angst

Time (Silver x Wife Reader), Romance

OTHER FANFICS

Never Again (Tanjiro x Demon Reader), Angst

Memory of fireworks (Akaza x Female Reader), Angst

Kikufuku (Gojo Satoru x Female Reader), Angst

By his side (Yushiro x Female Reader), Slight angst

WEAKLY UPDATE INFORMATION

Week 1: Twisted Wonderland x Female Reader

Week 2: Second Male Leads are All Yandere but I Won't Rest Until I Win My Love Back (OCS x Female Reader)

Week 3: The Fate (Anastacius x Female Reader x Claude)

Week 4: Resting time >.<

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blues824 · 5 months

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Fluffcember Masterlist

If no gender is specified on the link, then it is gender-neutral.

Prompts 3, 4, + 5 with Silver

Prompts 17 + 28 with Silver

Prompts 2, 8, + 32 with Silver

Prompt 20 with Rollo Flamme

Prompts 4 + 5 with Grim (Platonic)

Prompt 28 with Ruggie Bucchi + Savanaclaw

Prompt 2 With Leona Kingscholar

Prompt 29 With Staff (Platonic)

Prompt 4 With Malleus Draconia

Prompts 2, 21, + 29 With Malleus Draconia

Prompts 8 + 26 With Sebek Zigvolt

Prompts 10, 11, 20, 21, + 28 With Lilia Vanrouge

Prompt 30 With Lilia Vanrouge (incl. Baby Silver) (Fem Reader)

Prompts 27 + 29 With Idia Shroud

Prompts 14 + 20 With Silver

Prompts 18, 19, + 10 With Silver

Prompts 6, 7, 11, + 12 With Silver

Prompts 4 + 12 With Jade Leech/Rook Hunt

Prompts 10 + 20 With Malleus Draconia

Prompts 26 + 29 With Lilia Vanrouge

Prompts 13 + 27 With Sebek Zigvolt

Prompt 21 With Staff (Romantic)

Prompts 16 + 18 With Lilia Vanrouge

Prompt 30 With Malleus Draconia

Prompts 5 + 14 With Leona Kingscholar/Ruggie Bucchi/Malleus Draconia

Prompt 5 With Jamil Viper

Prompt 10 With Jack Howl/Sebek Zigvolt

Prompts 10 + 21 With Rook Hunt

Prompt 11 With Trey Clover

Prompts 24 + 25 With Overblots

Prompt 19 With Housewardens x Desdemona (OC)

Prompt 26 With Idia Shroud

Prompts 24, 25, 26, + 27 With Silver

Prompts 24 + 25 With Trey Clover/Ruggie Bucchi (Male Reader)

Prompts 16 + 24 With Sebek Zigvolt

#twst #twst x reader #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #twst wonderland #masterlist

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twstwonderlandstuff · 2 years

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ITS SUMMERTIME!

warning: it's going to be a very long post, since it's a little annoying for me to break it off into different posts and link them & stuff.

about me & the blog:

call me Cherry AND AM HAPPILY MARRIED TO SILVER (silussy) AND SEBEK, MY BELOVEDS! I use she/her pronouns, and am a reblogging, writing, art and OC blog all at once!

I mainly reblog twisted wonderland, but genshin impact ,obey me , mystic messenger and ikemen prince make their rounds too.

as for my writing content, requests are currently [CLOSED] for twisted wonderland!

have an archive blog called @ramblings-of-an-internet-person for my old stuff, but that I believe tumblr shadowbanned that, or something.

as for the recent and upcoming stuff, I write it here! I have my rules written under the cut, so be sure to read carefully~!

art is something I do casually, and I'm a little over a year old to it, I still have much to learn! it's usually of my OC's or twisted wonderland.

speaking of my OC's, I have three of them! my most beloved people- I cherish them very much, so please don't be afraid to ask about them. my inbox is always open for them!

writing rules: [REQUESTS ARE CLOSED!]

🍉 I have the rights to reject any requests I don't vibe with~

🍉 If a rule is broken, I will attempt to work around it, but if I can't, then I can't.

🍉 None of my works are proofread, so sorry in advance for typos!

🍉 I'm not going to write ALL the boys, so the ones I CAN are listed as follows:

Riddle Rosehearts

Deuce Spade

Ace Trappola

Jack Howl

Ruggie Bucchi

Jade Leech

Floyd Leech

Azul Ashengrotto

Kalim Al-Asim

Epel Felmier

Malleus Draconia

Lilia Vanrouge

Silver

Sebek Zigvolt

Grim

🍉 and these are the boys I CAN'T write:

Trey Clover

Cater Diamond

Leona Kingscholar

Jamil Viper

Vil Schoenheit

Rook Hunt

Idia Shroud

Ortho Shroud

Staff (Dire Crowley, Ashton Vargas, Divus Crewel, Sam and Mozus Train)

Cheka Kingscholar

RSA (Neige Le'blanche, Chenya, Ambrose the 63rd)

🍉 I repeat, these are the boys I CANNOT and WILL NOT write.

🍉 I am open to write headcannons and short scenarios! How long/short these pieces are and their style depends on me and my mood~

🍉 You can and are encouraged to request more than once!

🍉 The limit is 4 characters for headcannons and 1 character for scenarios. The exception to this rule are the first years (Ace, Deuce, Epel, Jack and Sebek)

I can do:

Soft yandere (devotedness and love sickness)

Fem! Reader and GN! Reader (P.S.: if your request has no specified gender, I will automatically write them as gender neutral)

Suggestive content

Romantic

Platonic

Fluff

I cannot do:

NSFW

Male! Reader

Character x Character [but feel free to talk to me about them!]

Triggering content (non-con, incest, character death, the usual)

Angst (like, even the slightest pinch of angst. angst to comfort? NO, I cry)

Adult x Child

Things regarding mental illnesses

Song fics

AU's

taglist:

my tags aren't very organized because I started organizing them in 2020, stopped in 2021, then continued the process in 2022. I won't be retagging my stuff from 2021, so... 👍

writing tag:

#stuff hits the fan - my own writing that aren't from requests!

#cherry picking - 500 followers event writing tag!

#sugar rush - requests writing tag

other tags:

#news - either donation posts or actual news

#etc. - the dumpster fire that is tumblr or stuff I don’t have a tag for

#my art - my art. sometimes I forget to tag, but its either filled with my OCs or twisted wonderland.

#weddings!! - the recent trend of people coming to my blog for blessings on their weddings on various twst boys!!

oc tags:

#valencia karasu - my OC for twisted wonderland; my version of yuu a.k.a the main protagonist!

#vivica karasu - my OC for obey me! shall we date; my version of yuki a.k.a the main protagonist!

#himawari nikko - my OC for twisted wonderland; a side character for twisted wonderland!

for reblogging, the character tags are just their names. for example, #twst silver for silver from twst, or #sebek zigvolt for sebek from twst. #mammon is mammon from obey me!, and #gorou is gorou from genshin impact. I don't have the patience to customize my tags m'kay?

I guess that's it...? Be sure to stick around, cuz' I make some pretty cool stuff!

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themaladaptivewriter12 · 7 months

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Title: Starry Skies

Part 5 of my “Cray-Cray for Cater” series! Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 can be found here!

Parings: Cater Diamond x Twisted Wonderland Male OC (Mirai Yuhara)

Summary:

Mirai is struggling with his homework, so why not ask his super smart boyfriend for help.

cw: None!

a/n: I don't hate Vargas, I promise, he just had to be the bad guy for a sec.

Reblogs are appreciated, just use my custom tag, #TheMaladaptiveWriter12, if you do! (─‿‿─)♡

Cross posted from my Ao3: TheMaladaptiveWriter12

It was the most dreaded period of Mirai’s day, gym class. Mirai didn’t even know why he had to even be in a gym class that was centered around flight, when he had no magic to begin with. Mirai supposed that it was due to every freshman having a core schedule and with him being a student, albeit, half of one, that he still had to take it, but it really was pointless when all he could do the second half of class was sit there. Well at least he didn’t have to exert himself too much, and he got to stop earlier, so he guessed it had its own perks.

Mirai met up with Ace and Deuce on the field, the two already bickering about something.

“Can you two go five minutes without fighting about something?” Mirai asked, putting Grim down on the ground.

“He started it,” the two said at the same time. They both looked at each other, faces twisting in anger. “Did not,” they both shouted, “Did too! Jinx! Jinx again! You owe me a soda!”

Mirai laughed at the two.

“Hey freshies!”

Mirai whipped his head around, already knowing the owner of the voice. “Hey Cater,” Mirai waved as Cater made his way over to the group.

“Hey Boo,” Cater sang with a wink.

This was the only time Mirai liked gym class, when the upperclassmen had a joint session with his class, and that meant Cater would be there.

“With the amount of times you’ve signed up for this, one might think you actually cared for physical education,” A deep voice gruffed.

“Ha ha, very funny, Leona,” Cater sneered with a smirk, “We all know you’re here because you’re failing unlike the rest of us.”

“And you’re not?” Leona smirked.

“I’m not failing now, but unlike you, I don’t have any red marks for skipping as many times as you do.”

“But at least he tries, unlike you.”

Mirai looked behind Cater and was met with Vil Schoenheit’s piercing gaze.

“Why try when I don’t wanna do it anyways, #Lame,” Cater said nonchalantly.

There was a flash of light and suddenly Lilia Vanrouge materialized in front of Cater.

“You and a certain blue haired youth need to try harder in general,” Lilia laughed.

“Why do that,” Idia Shroud’s tired voice droned as he drug his feet as he walked up to the group. “Gym class is for normies, and meatheads, totally trash-tier.”

Mirai laughed, “Exactly. I don’t know what’s worse, the changing part, the public humiliation part, or the exercise part.”

“Ugh,” Idia groaned.

“See! My point exactly,” Cater laughed.

“I could drink ta that,” Leona gruffed.

“You guys are sad,” Vil sighed.

“Oh perks of being young,” Lilia sighed.

“Alright, alright you lot,” Coach Vargas shouted, blowing his whistle, “Enough chit chat! Line up!”

Everyone lined up, freshman in the front, third years in the back. Coach Vargas went over the day's lesson, which pretty much was the same every gym class, warm ups, two laps, then flight practice. Mirai wanted nothing more than to get out of the scorching hot midday sun and take a nap.

“Diamond,” Coach Vargas called, starting roll call.

“Heyo,” Cater waved with three fingers.

“Grim?”

“Here,” Grim squeaked.

“Kingscholar.”

Leona sighed.

“Kingscholar,” Coach Vargas called again warningly.

“Here,” Leona gruffed angrily.

“Schoenheit.”

“Here,” Vil said.

“Shroud.”

“Here,” Idia muttered tiredly.

“Spade.”

��Here,” Deuce shouted.

Ace snickered.

“Trappola,” Coach Vargas called.

“‘Sup,” Ace said, composing himself.

“Vanrouge.”

“Good afternoon,” Lilia smiled.

“Yuhara.”

“Here,” Mirai sighed.

After roll was over, Coach Vargas had everyone split up into pairs, an upperclassman to an underclassman. All they had to do was a series of stretches that consisted of arm stretches, toe touches, butterfly stretches, and back stretches. And while they did so, they had to spot for each other, making sure that they were doing them correctly and safely. Deuce ended up with Leona, Ace with Vil, which Ace cringed at, and of course, Mirai and Grim were paired with Cater.

“Okay,” Cater said, clapping his hands together, “how about we start with some simple arm stretches?”

Mirai nodded.

The pair stretched their arms, one arm hocked over the other, and Grim did so as well, stretching his little monster cat arms.

“Now toe touches,” Cater winked.

“O-Okay,” Mirai nodded.

Cater went first, standing straight before reaching down touching his toes on the first bend, holding the pose for ten seconds, then he stood up straight. Mirai really didn’t know why they had to be each other’s spotters, for they were just simple stretches.

“Okay, your turn.”

Mirai sighed dreading the stretch. Mirai stood up straight bending down to touch his toes, but only he didn’t, he couldn’t touch his toes. His fingertips only came down to his knees, and any lower bought a searing type of pain. Mirai felt his face flush in embarrassment and in disappointment.

“Can you go any further?” Cater asked softly, running a hand up and down Mirai’s bent back.

Mirai shook his head, standing straight, keeping his eyes downcast.

“That’s okay, we can move on.”

They moved on to a butterfly stretch, and once again, Cater went first, completing the stretch. Then Mirai followed and once again he wasn’t able to stretch down as far as he should. Mirai huffed in annoyance, not even holding the stretch for the required time. Grim watched Mirai with something akin to worry etched on his feline face, but he said nothing.

They moved onto the last set of stretches that consisted of stretching both arms to either spread legs, then one that laid their bodies flat to the ground between their spread legs, well, that’s how it was supposed to go, but that didn’t happen. Ace’s and Deuce’s groups were done, so they made their way over to Mirai and Cater, and not soon after Lilia, and Idia made their way over as well. There was a good majority of students who were still stretching scattered about, and Coach Vargas made his rounds, checking and critiquing everyone's work. Mirai just hoped he could finish before Coach Vargas got to him.

Mirai didn’t like the increase in eyes on him as their group grew in size, but he had to finish, lest he wanted to get marked for nonparticipating. Mirai tried his hardest to lay his torso to the ground and stretch his arms in front of himself, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t get any lower than measly putting his palms on the ground in front of himself.

“Yuhara,” Coach Vargas yelled, “I do not accept laziness! Stretch properly.”

The field got quiet and the entire class had eyes on the Magicless Prefect. Mirai grit his teeth, face flushing, glaring at the grass in front of him. Coach Vargas marched his way over standing over the group.

Cater stood up stammering, “But, but Coach-”

“Diamond, you’re supposed to be his spotter and he’s slacking,” Coach Vargas chided, cutting Cater off, “Didn’t I say I would only allow you to do this if you didn’t slack off?”

“W-Wait, that's, that’s not-”

“Yuhara! Do it again! Start from the beginning!”

The group stood in a tense silence as Mirai sighed angrily, getting into position, reaching forward only to stop before he really did anything.

“You’re not even trying,” Coach Vargas snapped, “Do it again.”

“Don’t you get it,” Cater shouted, “He can’t. He physically can’t!”

Ace and Deuce looked as if they wanted to help, but didn’t know how. Lilia was currently stopping Grim from giving Vargas a piece of his furry little mind, Idia looked as if he wanted to run and hide, the second hand embarrassment making his heart race, and the others looked as if they were ready to set the entire field ablaze.

Mirai stared angrily at the ground, moisture clinging to his eyelashes. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Mirai wanted to jump off the cliffs of the school and never be seen again.

“Again. You can’t do it right unless you don’t try,” Coach Vargas said.

“And he did.”

“You can’t possibly call that-”

“Here,” Mirai gritted out as he stood. Mirai ripped his prosthetic from its socket and thrust it at Vargas. “This is why I can’t! So please, if you can, revert the damages, please do!”

Coach Vargas looked at the group, shocked and clearly uncomfortable. Even though he didn’t want to back down, he grumbled to himself, and walked away blowing his whistle loudly.

“Two laps! Let’s go,” Coach Vargas shouted.

Mirai stood up, putting his arm back, before he jogged off ahead of the group, keeping his head down.

“Mirai,” Cater called, but Mirai didn’t listen.

Mirai hated people like that, people who could see past their own abilities and expected others to fall in the same place as they do. Mirai was more than happy to make a scene and make those people just as uncomfortable as they made him, or even more so if need be.

After the accident, the doctors told him he was lucky to be alive, let alone be able to walk, but that didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt when he was reminded of his disabilities, what he had lost, who he had lost. But Mirai was trying his hardest, he always was, but to many, that wasn’t enough, and he hated it. Some nights his back pain kept him up, and sometimes it was too much to bear that he couldn’t get up in the morning, and there was nothing he could do about it. So Mirai put up with it, he dealt with the pain, he dealt with walking with that crooked gait, he dealt with having to live with his scars, he dealt with not being able to sit up straight, he dealt with his partial blindness and the pain that accompanied it. Mirai dealt with it all.

Mirai scrubbed at his eyes with his sleeves as he jogged, and as time went on, he ended up taking the rear with Idia who dragged his feet as he jogged, huffing and puffing like he ran a marathon. Mirai was only midway through with his second lap, when the majority of the class was already done with their laps, waiting on the stragglers. Mirai and Idia were two of them. Idia slowed his efforts, jogging to match Mirai’s pace, clapping a hand on Mirai’s shoulder. Idia didn’t say anything, but the look on his face was enough for Mirai to get the message. And after a while, Cater slowed as well. The three jogged at a leisurely pace, the only ones left doing their laps.

“Come one you three,” Coach Vargas yelled, “we don’t have all day!”

“I don’t know what more you want me to do, besides keel over,” Mirai sneered quietly.

Idia snickered, “That doesn’t sound too bad right now.”

“Anything but this sounds good right now,” Cater huffed.

Much to Coach Vargas’ chagrin, the three kept their slower pace and finished their laps together. Coach Vargas went on a tangent on muscles or something, Mirai didn’t care at this point. All he wanted was to change out of his gym clothes and shower.

“Okay everyone,” Coach Vargas shouted, “time for flight practice. Grab your partner and grab a broom.”

While everyone else grabbed their broom, Mirai sighed in relief as he wandered off to the nearest shaded spot and sat down. Since Mirai couldn’t fly, he didn’t have to do anything, but Grim could, so Cater helped him. But after Grim’s protests, and refusal for help, Cater went and did his own thing, standing on the handle as he did tricks and flips on it.

“I realize that you fly like you’re riding a skateboard,” Mirai chuckled as Cater did a mock kickflip with his broom.

Cater laughed, “Technically, we’re supposed to sit, but Coach stopped caring after a lot of the upperclassmen started flying the way they wanted to.”

“What’s it like, to fly, that is?”

“It’s like,” Cater started, getting off the broom to sit next to Mirai on the grass, “It’s like, freeing I guess. Like NGL, my first time on the broom was terrible and it wasn’t easy, but it’s fun now. And the worst part is the bugs. Like imagine flying, sun on your face, wind in your hair, and then suddenly getting a mouthful of bugs, #Gross.”

Mirai cackled, throwing his head back, “Sounds traumatic.”

Suddenly Grim’s tiny broom launched itself across the field, with a terrified Grim hanging from the bristles for dear life.

“Grim,” Mirai and Cater shouted, chasing after him.

After gym class was over, the class made their way back to the locker room, and when a big group of students passed Mirai in a race to change out, a large hand made its way into his hair, ruffling his shaggy blonde strands. Mirai jumped in surprise, his head whipping around to find the culprit, and when he did, he didn’t expect to see Coach Vargas standing next to him. Coach Vargas didn’t say anything but the look on his face said it all. Mirai nodded at him, and Coach Vargas seemed to visibly relax with a sigh, the man tension in his body melting away. With that, Coach Vargas jogged off to his office, and Mirai passed that day with full credit.

After classes Mirai cleaned up around Ramshackle, ate, and showered. The last thing he now had to do was do his homework, and like always, he struggled. In his current unit in Magic history and Potionology, there’s a sub unit about the stars, but he couldn’t get this world's ideology. Magic from the stars, wishes, it was all Greek to Mirai. So he had decided to ask Cater for help with his homework, the entire topic going over his head, and the Heartslabyul third year was more than willing to help, telling the Ramshackle Prefect to meet him outside the Hall of Mirrors.

It was late, the wind cold and punishing, and Cater was late, not even at their meeting place when he was the closest out of the two of them. Mirai was starting to regret asking in general, it was cold, dark, and the ways the trees blew in the breeze were starting to give him horror movie vibes. Mirai checked his phone over and over for a text that their plans were canceled, or if Cater was going to be late, there was nothing. Mirai was just about ready to head home, when something obscenely large flew past him, the gust picking up grass and dirt. Mirai froze, his heart pounding in his chest, whatever it was, it was fast, too fast. He backed himself up to the door of the Hall of Mirrors, eyes darting around, looking for whatever it was, hoping it wasn’t some deadly Isle of Sages beast.

Suddenly it was back, flying by like a flash. All Mirai could see was the ugliest orange, black and brown blurb, and its voice was horrendous. Mirai gasped, his hand blindly searching for the knob of the door. Maybe he’d just go to Heartslabyul himself and have Cater walk him home, or better, just sleep over.

“Aw. What’s got you shaking in your boots, Boo?”

Mirai yelped, head whipping around, looking for Cater, but he didn’t see him.

“Cut it out, Cater,” Mirai huffed, “This isn’t funny.”

There was silence, and Mirai still didn’t see Cater or the thing. He just wanted to go home. Suddenly Mirai was face to face with Cater. Mirai yelped, eyes going wide. Cater was hanging upside down on his broom, his strawberry blonde waves hanging down in Mirai’s face.

“C-Cater?!” Mirai gasped.

Cater didn’t say anything as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Mirai’s trembling lips. It was short and sweet, and it definitely calmed Mirai down a bit. “Better?” Cater cooed.

Mirai was momentarily dazed from the kiss before his face morphed into anger.

“You bastard,” Mirai shouted. “You frickin’ scared me! I thought, I thought…”

Mirai’s argument died on his lips, frustration and the lack of adrenaline washing over him, and now that he knew he was safe, and there was no monster, he felt stupid.

Cater lowered himself to the ground, sitting up to slide off the broom to hold Mirai. “You mad at me?” Cater asked, lips pouty, making his words sound childish.

“No,” Mirai gruffed.

“Yes you are.”

Mirai shook his head.

“Sorry for scaring you,” Cater muttered, holding Mirai tighter.

“It’s fine, doesn't matter anymore. Just, just, let’s just go. It’s cold.”

Cater chuckled, kissing Mirai on the forehead.

Mirai turned to go back to the Hall of Mirrors when Cater caught his shoulder.

“Where you going?” Cater laughed, “Get on.”

“Hu-Huh?” Mirai stuttered, whipping his head around to meet Cater’s eye.

“Get on,” Cater repeated, patting the space behind him.

“But, but, I thought, I thought we were going to study?”

“We are, but just not at the dorm.”

Mirai inched his way to the broom, not sure about the idea. Was this against the rules? Was this allowed? In the grand scheme of things, Mirai didn’t care for rules, he just didn't want Cater to get in trouble.

“C’mon. You’ll be fine. Promise,” Cater reassured.

Mirai tentatively swung his leg over the broom, making sure he was seated as he ever would be on a broom, and held onto Cater tightly.

“You ready, Sugarplum?” Cater asked, running a thumb along the back of Mirai’s hand.

Mirai nodded against Cater’s back.

“And we’re off!”

Mirai kept his eyes shut tightly, and as he felt his toes lift off the ground, he clutched Cater even tighter.

“You’re okay, Baby,” Cater cooed, “I gotcha.”

Mirai could feel the atmosphere change, the wind picking up a bit, the force pushing against his legs. Mirai could tell they weren’t going too fast, but he was afraid to look. Just the sheer fact that one wrong move could send them hurtling towards the ground had Mirai stomach in knots.

“Babe, look,” Cater whispered.

Mirai shook his head, much preferring to stay where he was, trapped in Cater’s soft shirt and his scent.

“C’mon, Baby. We’re not even moving.”

They weren’t moving were they? Mirai slowly moved his face from Cater’s back, and slowly peeked an eye open. Mirai was taken aback, glad he opened his eyes, or he would’ve missed the mesmerizing sight in front of him. The campus looked as if it was from a storybook. It was lit up, the magestone lights casting everything in a warm golden glow. Fireflies danced in the night, flickering as they bounced to and fro. To put it in simpler terms, it was magical, although, this world actually was.

Cater looked at Mirai’s awed expression fondly, the lights reflecting off his features. Cater, as quickly and effectively, took his phone out of his packet and snapped a pic.

“Wanna try moving a bit?” Cater asked, pocketing his phone.

Mirai nodded his head determinedly, “Mn.”

“Alright, let's start slow.”

Cater continued on, their pace slow. It kinda reminded Mirai of the pace of an escalator, slow and steady. It was nice, Mirai got to see the campus from a totally different point of view, but it was getting boring fast.

“You can go faster,” Mirai muttered, scooting closer to Cater to hold him tight.

“Okie dokie,” Cater winked, and not a second later, they picked up speed.

They were going fast, like really fast. Mirai yelped, shoving his face into Cater’s blazer once more, and Cater laughed. They sped through campus, going around lamp posts, in between trees, and over buildings. It remained Mirai driving a motorbike, but instead, it was much faster and instead of being safely on the ground, they were suspended many feet in the air. It was like Cater said, it was freeing, it made Mirai feel like he could do anything. After they flew around a bit more, they soon came to a stop, the broom settling down to land. Mirai opened his eyes and they were on one of the exterior hallways on the second floor.

“Where are we going?” Mirai asked, as he followed.

“You’ll see,” Cater sang.

They continued their walk, it was a short one, and as the hallway opened up, a large dome-like building came into view.

“Is that, is that an observatory?” Mirai asked in awe.

“Bingo,” Cater chirped.

Cater led them to the door. It was rounded at the top, and split two ways down the middle. But what caught Mirai’s eye was on the doors. There were knobs, dials, and gears of sorts, it all looked too complicated to figure out.

“What’s this? Some kinda advanced lock?” Mirai asked, running his fingers along the ornate designing of the metal doors.

“Kinda,” Cater smiled, “But it’s not that hard to figure out.”

Cater pulled on the knobs, turning, rotating, sliding, and pushing, and as he did, the gears moved and clicked. Mirai watched with rapt attention as Cater fiddled with the door, it seemed it only worked in a certain order. Soon there was a click, a click that sounded much different from the others, and then the metal doors were sliding open.

“That was so cool,” Mira gushed. “How’d you do it?! What are you?! Some kind of wizard or something?!”

Cater cackled, “I mean, Cay-Cay kinda already is. But it’s all memorization at this point.”

Mirai followed Cater inside, and the doors slowly slid closed behind them. Cater placed the broom against the wall, and took out his magic pen, waving it and suddenly, the room came to life.

“Welcome to the Observatory,” Cater chirped.

Mirai was utterly speechless. He didn’t know what to do, to say, all he could do was sit there and stare at the jaw dropping sights in front of him. It was mesmerizing. The room was covered in a warm gold glow, charts and diagrams were etched into the stone walls. The ceiling was gorgeous, it was dark blue and covered in stars and constellations that seemed to twinkle and move like they were the real things. But what Mirai was most intrigued about was the huge astrolabe-like object in the center of the room.

“What’s that?” Mirai asked Cater, cocking a thumb at the object.

“That’s an Orrery,” Cater supplied. “It’s a model of the solar system.”

“So not an Astrolabe. Got it.”

“Not quite,” Cater chuckled.

“And what do those mean?” Mirai pointed to the walls.

“Celestial navigation charts. They help with that star chart on the ceiling.”

“So cool.”

Mirai was in awe, he felt as if he was in a video game. I mean, at this point, Mirai wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to the amazing places and things people would dream to actually experience back at home, but sometimes, Mirai forgot actually how magical this world was.

“So,” Cater said, and suddenly a large spell circle lit up underneath him, “what can Cay-Cay help his amazing boyfriend with?”

Mirai lost track of how much they spent in the Observatory, but how couldn’t he? This was the first time Mirai had seen this side of Cater. He was just so animated, something he never saw in Cater unless he was talking about music or Magicam. And his knowledge on the subject, it was better than any teacher Mirai ever had. Cater not only helped Mirai with his assignment, but he also gave him a history lesson as well. And the way Cater knew all the machinery like the back of his hand, Mirai could tell that Cater spent a lot of time in the room.

After they had finished, Cater led the two of them out the Observatory and back into the cool night. The ride back to Ramshackle was short and to be frank, Mirai was kinda sad about it, he likes spending time with Cater.

“Now arriving at Ramshackle Dorm,” Cater said, pretending to speak through an intercom, “Please stay seated until the broom comes to a complete stop.”

“You’re silly,” Mirai chuckled.

“Thank you for flying with Diamond Airlines. Please fly with us again,” Cater laughed, helping Mirai off the broom.

“And what do I owe you, Mr. Pilot,” Mirai asked teasingly.

“Hmm,” Cater hummed in mock thought, tapping a finger to his chin. “I think a kiss would suffice.”

Cater met Mirai halfway, pulling the Ramshackle Prefect into his arms as he placed a soft kiss to his lips.

“There we go,” Cater chuckled, pulling back. “Now go get some sleep, it’s late.”

Mirai pouted but let Cater go.

“Night, Baby,” Cater cooed, waving.

“Night, Cater,” Mirai waved, going inside.

A couple of days passed and Mirai and Grim were hanging out at the Heartslabyul Dorm. Trey needed a couple of taste testers for a new Macaroon flavor he was trying, and Grim was more than happy to eat something. Mirai on the other hand aced his assignment, and wanted to show Cater. Mirai didn’t think he’d ever complete that assignment without his help, and wanted to thank him for it.

“Where’s Cater?” Mirai asked, helping Trey clean up.

“I don’t know,” Trey said thoughtfully. “But I’d either check our room, or the balcony.”

“The balcony?”

“Yeah. We have two balconies. A big one on the third floor, and a smaller one on the fourth floor. Cater likes to sit on the smaller one from time to time.”

“Alright, I’ll check there then,” Mirai said. “Grim, you coming?”

Mirai looked over to the cat to find him stuffing his furry face with all the leftover Macaroons.

“I guess not,” Mirai laughed. “Stay out of trouble, yeah?”

Grim nodded frantically, taking a sip of his glass of milk.

“Bye Trey, see you later,” Mirai waved. “And thank you.”

“Have fun, and thank you,” Trey chuckled.

Mirai went to the upperclassmen hallways and checked Cater’s room. After Mirai knocked a couple of times, without an answer, Mirai went to find the balcony. After asking a couple of Heartslabyul students for the right way to go, the stairs to the balcony weren’t hard to find. Mirai climbed the stairs and opened the door slightly, peeking his head around the corner. Leaning against the railing was Cater, and surprisingly, his phone was off in his hand. He looked so peaceful standing there, and Mirai was second guessing going up there. He didn’t want to disturb Cater’s time by himself.

“You spying on me?”

Mirai jumped with a shout and turned around to see Cater standing behind him.

“H-Huh, w-wha, ho-how did, weren't you-”

Cater chuckled at Mirai’s confusion.

Mirai pouted, “I-I wasn’t spying. I just didn’t want to bother you.”

“Aw, Hon, you could never bother me,” Cater cooed.

Suddenly the door opened and the Cater Mirai had been talking to had dissipated into fluttering playing cards. Cater took Mirai by the hand and led him outside. It wasn’t too cold, or too hot, the night air was warm and pleasant. It reminded Mirai of a nice summer’s night.

“What’s up, Buttercup?” Cater asked. “Did you miss little ol’ me?”

“Well, not that I’d say no, but I wanted to show you my grade,” Mirai said, pulling out his phone. “Look! I passed!”

“What kinda junior would I be if I couldn’t help one of my adorable freshies out?”

“You’d still be my favorite,” Mirai smiled.

“Aw, it was nothing,” Cater said, fiddling with his bangs.

Mirai giggled, reaching up to kiss Cater on the cheek, “And thank you.”

“Now aren’t you sweet,” Cater gushed dramatically, pulling Mirai into his arms. “You’re making Cay-Cay’s poor little heart go swoon!”

“And you act like that’s a bad thing.”

“Never said it was,” Cater smirked.

Mirai laughed.

“Oh,” Cater said, suddenly perking up, “So, like, after that day I helped you, I looked into your Astrology sign, and it turns out Geminis and Aquarius' are totes compatible.”

“Are we now?”

“Like, it’s so close to one hundred percent! It says our relationships are strong, and lasting, we always have interesting things to do, and we complement each other perfectly. Like talk about #Soulmates!”

Mirai loved how animated and happy Cater got when talking about the things he liked, but honestly, Astrology? Mirai and Astrology didn’t mix. He’d seen it all back home. In America it was all the craze for the majority of the girls in his class. Crystals this, Astrology signs that, and don’t let one of them find out you and her weren’t compatible, they’d make it their mission to never get along with you at all. It was ridiculous! How could one truly believe they were controlled by random balls of gas in space? Then they’d use their sign to defend their toxic behavior. But I guess that worked out for Mirai in the end, then he’d know which girls to avoid himself.

“Would you, would you still like me even if we weren’t?” Mirai asked quietly.

Cater looked surprised, “Still like you? Why wouldn’t I like you?”

“Would you still go out with me even if we weren’t compatible, that is?”

“That’s like asking if I’d still love you if your hair was neon green?”

Mirai still didn’t look convinced, and Cater sighed, running his hand up and behind Mirai’s ear, his long finger threading between long blonde strands, “Baby, we could have the worst compatibility ever, and I’d still choose you. We could be destined to never work out, and I’d still find a way. The compatibility thing is just like a bonus, ya’know?”

“Ok,” Mirai muttered.

“Kinda like finding out we have the same movie interests, or similar hobbies. In the grand scheme of things, it kinda means nothing, people are bound to have different interests, but it still doesn’t mean that it doesn’t feel good when you find out.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Still upset?”

“No,” Mirai pouted.

“I don’t know,” Cater teased, “Still looks pretty pouty to me.”

“I am not.”

“C’mon, give me a smile. Smile for little ol’ me.”

Cater leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to Mirai’s lips and he instantly smiled.

“There we go. The prettiest smile in the world,” Cater gushed affectionately.

Mirai snickered, “You always taste like cherry chapstick.”

Cater went a little pink at that, “Do you not like it?”

“No, I do,” Mirai whispered, standing on his toes to kiss Cater again. “I don’t think I can ever taste cherry chapstick without ever thinking of you again.”

“Good,” Cater muttered against Mirai’s lips, “I want you to think of me even when we’re apart.”

“You’re always on my mind.”

Cater flushed a pretty pink, whining as he shoved his face into Mirai’s neck, and Mirai chuckled quietly.

“Why are you so cute?” Cater whined. “This is so not good for my poor old heart.”

“Um, hello? Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You’re the cute one,” Mirai laughed.

“No, no, it’s totally you, baby.”

Mirai pouted, but didn’t say anything else.

There was a comfortable silence between the two of them, the two of them just enjoying each other’s company. Mirai liked moment’s like this, just being with Cater was enough. He liked the scent of Cater’s cologne, he liked being in Cater’s arms, he liked the feeling Cater gave him. It made him feel wanted.

“Hey, Cater?” Mirai called.

“What’s up, Sugarplum?” Cater asked, looking down at Mirai.

“Will you tell me about the stars again?”

“Of course.”

Cater told him about the stars, stars Mirai knew, stars he didn’t know, even the stars that were exclusive to Twisted Wonderland. He told him their stories, their meanings, and little facts that weren’t known to the common person. Cater told Mirai of their histories, what they were named, why they were named, who named them, when they were discovered, everything. And Mirai listened, and listened, and listened. He listened because it was interesting, he listened because it was Cater, he listened because he cared. And he did care, so much, so much that it hurt.

So they sat, side by side, legs swinging off the balcony through the ornate metal bars. Every so often, their shoulders would bump, and fingers would brush against each other, and sometime during the moment, their hands ended up laced together with Mirai's body relaxed into Cater’s form. And the whole time, the bright stars continued to shine in the clear night sky above.

6 notes · View notes

leafwritings · 2 years

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~●Request Box Closed●~

come in, Have a cup of tea and a nice read.~

●Hi again. It has been a while, I can only say life has kind of caught me in a loop but I'm back and Ready to continue my hobby of making fics once more.

《Some Pointers》:

I am a Sfw/Nsfw Blog, 18+ or older are allowed so minors beware!

This is an X Reader insert

I do small fictions, head cannons and Drabbles, any big fan fiction series will be written elsewhere.

•●Rules before Request●•

This is an x reader insert blog, anything to do with character x Character is completely out of the question for me unless it has to do with a poly relations with Said reader. Shipping has never been my thing and will continuously not be.

Reader will out of be gender neutral/Female. Writing for male readers have never been my strong suit and I best not make assumptions or lazily write how I think a man acts since I don't know how they do act in fictional situations.

No Oc or Oc insert, with doing oc it would be a long process of knowing every detail of the oc as well as their personality and then trying to insert it into the story. For Me that a bit of a Hassel to do and would take up to much time to do so I prefer to leave this out for now.

I do take sub or Dom readers, both are fine by me as long as you don't request anything to extreme. I will also let you know if the request is something to uncomfortable to write.

You can request up to 3-5characters or 1 dorms per ask. I wish to keep each ask nice an detailed as possible so I would like to only have a small amount to write for that way i can take time on each one without taking to long on it or half-ass writing it.

I will only write in 2nd person. 3rd or 1st person is a no go for me.

Dark topics are okay, I don't mind writing for them as long as you don't not request anything extremely serious or straight uncomfortable for others or myself.

I can and will delete ask that I straight up refuse to do, I have the will to do so especially it is something I don't agree with or not wanted on my blog. So be be aware of what you request.

Yandere ask are also fine. But be known that I may write them In the way I know them or prefer writing them.

I do take time to write my fictions so will take time for me to post. Since I have a life outside of my blog I will post and get request done when I have my free time, any spamming I will block on-site.

I only ask that each person send a max of 2 ask. As much as I love request everyone deserves a chance to put in a request, any more than 2 ask from the same person will be deleted and ignored.

Minors are out or the question.(unless characters of age 16+ i can count as a romantic interest but nothing more) Unless asking for platonic fic, you might as well not request anything from this blog cause I will not do it.

I do not go by cannon all the time, if I want to ignore cannon rules I will.

♥︎Character Request♥︎

Twisted-Wonderland

Riddle Rosehearts♥︎

Trey Clover♣︎

Cater Diamon◆

Ace Trappola♥︎

Deuce Spades♠︎

Leona Kingscholar★

Jack Howl~

Ruggie Bucci▪︎

Azul Ashegrotto°

Jade Leech•

Floyd Leech•

Kalim Al-Asim★

Jamil Viper¿

Vil Schoenheit♥︎

Epel Felmier¤

Rook Hunt 》

Idia Shroud ■

Ortho Shroud▪︎

Malleus Draconia●

Lilia Vanrouge○

Silver•

Sebek Zigvolt°

Obey Me!

Lucifer◇

Mammon$

Leviathan¡

Satan♧

Asmodeus♡

Beelzebub¤

Belphegor ♤

Diavolo☆

Barbatos¿

Simeon●

Solomon○

Luke°•

Genshin Impact

Aether

Lumine

Jean

Amber

Lisa

Kaeya

Barbara

Diluc

Razor

Venti

Klee

Bennett

Noelle

Fischl

Sucrose

Mona

Diona

Albedo

Rosaria

Eula

Mika

Xiao

Beidou

Ningguang

Xiangling

Xingqiu

Chongyun

Childe

Zhongli

Xinyan

Ganyu

Hu Tao

Yanfei

Shenhe

Yun Jin

Yelan

YaoYao

Baizhu

Kamisato Ayaka

Kaedehara Kazuha

Yoimiya

Sayu

Raiden Shogun/ Ei

Kujo Sara

Sangonomiya Kokomi

Thoma

Arartaki Itto

Gorou

Yae Miko

Kamisato Ayato

Kuki Shinobu

Shikanoin Heizou

Kirara

Tighnari

Collei

Dori

Cyno

Cadance

Nilou

Nahida

Layla

Wanderer/Scaramouche

Faruzan

Alhaitham

Dehya

Kaveh

Lyney

Lynette

*Any other characters you don't see on the list please message me about and i will see what i can do*

Tea is ready, Enjoy!~

#obey me #obey me imagines #twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #twst #twst mc #twisted wonderland x reader #obey me shall we date #obey me!#obey me x reader #twisted wonderland imagines #om!#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin imagines

27 notes · View notes

protectoroftheunderworld · 2 years

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Who I Write For

Hey guys, Onyx here! Here are the fandoms/characters I write for and a few quick rules to read before making a request.

Bold = I enjoy writing for this character

Twisted Wonderland:

Heartslabyul

-Riddle Rosehearts

-Trey Clover

-Cater Diamond

-Ace Trappola

-Deuce Spade

Savanaclaw

-Leona Kingscholar

-Ruggie Bucchi

-Jack Howl

Octavinelle

-Azul Ahengrotto

-Jade Leech

-Floyd Leech

Scarabia

-Kalim Al-Asim

Jamil Viper

Pomefiore

-Vil Schoenheit

-Rook Hunt

-Epel Felmier

Ignihyde

-Idia Shroud

-Ortho Shroud

Diasomnia

-Malleus Draconia

-Lilia Vanrouge

-Silver

-Sebek Zigvolt

Ramshackle

-Enma Yuuken

-Grim

Staff

-Dire Crowley

-Divus Crewel

-Sam

-Mozus Trein

-Ashton Vargas

(The reason why RSA isn’t on the list is bc I haven’t gotten to know those characters enough to write for them)

Obey Me

7D Bros

-Lucifer

-Mammon

-Leviathan

-Satan

-Asmodeus

-Beelzebub

-Belphegor

Royals

-Diavolo

-Barbatos

Purgatory Hall

-Simeon

-Luke

-Solomon

New Characters

-Mephistopheles

-Thirteen

(I want to understand Rapheal’s character more before writing for him)

For now I’m sticking to writing for these two fandoms, but there will be more in the future

Here are some things to take into consideration before requesting:

What I WILL write:

-x reader (any gender, could be male, female, non-binary, gender neutral, etc)

-platonic

-character interactions (you could ask to interact with a character, my OCs, my persona, you can even ask for an OC to interact with them)

-headcanons

-full fics (though it might take a while)

-scenarios

-character matchups

-angst

-fluff

-crack

What I WON’T write:

-Your OC x canon (I just don’t feel confident with doing O x canon with OCs that aren’t mine, and I have some OC x canon ships myself so I don’t wanna cause any unesseccary conflict)

-incest

-p3dophilia

-r^pe

-abuse

-self harm (to an extent)

-racism

-homophobia

-anything yandere related

-NSFW with any minor characters

-heavy NSFW (bc I don’t know how to write it)

-aging up minor characters for NSFW

-any romantic relationships with characters like Luke, Cheka, and Ortho

-z00philia

-NO and I mean NO age gaps

-canon x canon (I’ll write headcanons but anything beyond that is no due to me not knowing how to write for that)

-toxic/illegal ships

If there’s anything I forgot I’ll update the list :)

When you’re making a request please be as specific as possible.

Example: “Can I get some Octavinelle x whale mermaid Yuu headcanons please?” Not “Can I have whale mermaid Yuu”

That’s all for now! Remember, you can put your requests in “Onyx’s Domain”! My request box is currently open, so I can’t wait to get to writing!

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst oc #obey me #taking requests #request box

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blue-te · 2 years

Text

WELCOME TO ᰔ!𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎 𝚂𝚔𝚢!ᰔ it's a story I'm making on wattpad ^^

♡ᰔ𝙰 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝙍𝙞𝙣 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙃𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣. 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎? 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩!ᰔ♡

𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙄𝙎 𝘼 𝘽𝙇/𝙈𝙓𝙈 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 𝙄𝙏 𝙒𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙉 𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙎𝙐𝙄𝘾𝙄𝘿𝙀, 𝘿𝙀𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉, 𝘼𝘽𝙐𝙎𝙀, 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘽𝙐𝙇𝙇𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘿𝙊 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝘼𝘽𝙊𝙐𝙏 𝙃𝙊𝙒 "𝙄 𝘿𝙄𝘿𝙉'𝙏 𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙉 𝙔𝙊𝙐" 𝘾𝘼𝙐𝙎𝙀 𝙄 𝘿𝙄𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙏𝙎 𝘼𝙇𝙇! ❤

#male oc #gayboy #twst x oc #obey me #obey me x oc #ace trappola #deuce gorgon #riddle rosehearts #crowley #lilia vanrouge #twst crossover #obey me crossover

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domxmarvel · 4 years

Text

Guidelines & who i write for

Rules:

(Updated: August 14 2023)

All characters will be aged up for smut

Please send all request as asks

I will turn down requests i’m not comfortable with or that I don't want to write

Please include a plot (Especially for smut)

Most of my fics (Smut) will be Dom/Top!Reader because that’s what I prefer to write

No ships,OC’s or gender-bent characters (That aren’t on the list)

Only x reader including Poly ( Characters have to be from the same fandom)

Fluff,angst, smut & Preferences

Oneshots,Drabbles,Blurbs & preferences/Multi character

Female!Reader,Male!Reader,Gender Neutral,FTM and MTF

If you don’t specify the readers gender I’ll pick whatever I think suits best

No pregnant reader No babies

No daddy kink

Light yandere only

Headcanons and Song fics aren’t really my strong suit,but I'll try my best to write them

Please don’t be vague,more details are better than less

Marvel

Loki

Lady Loki

sylvie

Dr.Strange

Bucky

Peter parker/Spider-man

Hela

Nebula

Gamora

Tony Stark/Iron man

Shuri

M’baku

T’challa

Michelle jones (MJ)

Nick fury

Natasha romanoff/Black widow

Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet witch

Pietro(Wandavision)/Peter maximoff/Quicksilver

Shadowhunters

Alec Lightwood (male reader only)

Isabelle lightwood

Magnus Bane

Raphael santiago

Riverdale

Sweet Pea

Jughead Jones

joaquin desantos (male reader only)

Toni Topaz

FP Jones

Betty cooper

Veronica Lodge

Cheryl Blossom (Female reader only)

Brooklyn Nine Nine

Jake Peralta

Amy Santiago

Rosa Diaz

Young royals (No smut!)

Prince Wilhelm (male reader only)

Simon Eriksson (male reader only)

Felice Ehrencrona

Never have I ever

Devi Vishwakumar

Aneesa Qureshi

Kamala Nandiwadal

Benjamin "Ben" Gross

Nalini Vishwakumar

Fabiola Torres (Female Reader only)

Eleanor Wong

Trent Harrison

Ethan Morales

Miraculous Ladybug

Luka Couffaine/Viperion

Marinette dupain cheng/Ladybug

Adrien Agreste /Chat noir

Alya Cesaire/Rena rouge

Chloe bourgeois/Queen bee

Kagami/Ryuko

Zoe /Vesperia

Felix Graham de vanily

Juleka couffaine/Purple tigress

Marc anciel

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Azula

Zuko

Carmen sandiego

Graham Calloway/crackle

Julia argent

She ra

Adora/she ra (Female reader only)

Catra (Female reader only)

Scorpia (Female reader only)

Double trouble

Bow

Queen Glimmer

Sea hawk

Mermista

How to train your dragon

Hiccup

Astrid

Heather

The dragon prince

Aaravos

Callum

Rayla

Soren

Gren

Amaya (Female reader only)

Claudia

Terrestrius ‘Terry’

Runaan (male reader only)

Ethari (male reader only)

Janai (Female reader only)

Encanto

Bruno

Camilo (No smut!)

Isabela

Luisa

Mirabel (No smut!)

Pepa

Across the spider verse (Coming soon)

Miles morales/E1610 (No smut)

Gwen Stacy (No smut)

pavitr prabhakar (No smut)

Hobie brown

Prowler!Miles/E42 (no smut)

Rio Morales

Peter b parker

Dr. Olivia Octavius

Youtubers/Vtubers

Corpse husband (No smut!)

Shxtou/Shoto

Vox

Multiverse Monarch/leeandlie

Yuurivoice

Finn

Alphonse

Seth

Auron

Charlie

Lucien

Detroit become human

Connor (RK 800)

Kara (No smut!)

Markus

Gavin reed

Hank anderson

Nines (RK 900)

Traci

Yandere simulator

Ayano/Ayato Aishi

Osana / Osano Najimi

Amai / Amao Odayaka

Kizana / Kizano Sunobu

Oka / Oko Ruto

Mido rana

Osoro / Osorō Shidesu

Megami / Megamo Saikou

Info-kun

Budo Masuta

Shoku Tsuburaya

Umeji Kizuguchi

1980s

Ryoba Aishi

Reiichi Tanaami

José Silva

Ken Kyonashima

Daisaku Aragaki

The legend of Zelda

Link

Zelda/Sheik

Sidon

Mipha

Impa

Please specify which version (Game)

Twilight Princess

Skyward Sword

Hyrule Warriors

Ocarina of Time

Hitman

Agent 47

Diana burnwood

Twisted wonderland

Riddle rosehearts

Malleus Draconia

Lilia Vanrouge

Azul Ashengrotto

Jade Leech

Floyd Leech

Leona Kingscholar

Jack howl

Vil Schoenheit

Rook hunt

Idia Shroud

Divus Crewel

Mario characters

Princess peach

Rosalina

Princess Daisy

Pauline

Bowser

Luigi

Fruits baskets

Tohru

Kyo

Yuki

Hatsuharu

Momiji

My hero academia

Shoto todoroki

Izuku midoriya/Deku

Mina ashido

Tsuyu asui (No smut!)

Tenya Iida

Denki kaminari

Eijiro kirishima

Mezou shoji

Kyouka Jiro

Momo Yaoyorozu

Tamaki Amajiki

Fumikage Tokoyami

Hitoshi Shinso

Mei Hatsume

Villans

Dabi/Toya todoroki

Himiko Toga

Tomura Shigaraki

Pro heros

Hawks/Keigo takami

Shota Aizawa/Eraserhead

All might/ Toshinori Yagi

President mic/ Hizashi Yamada

Fatgum/ Taishiro Toyomitsu

Gang orca/Kugo Sakamata

Mirko/rumi Usagiyama

Vlad king/Sekijiro Kan

Spy x family

Yor Forger/briar

Loid Forger/Twilight

Demon slayer

Kyojuro Rengoku

Tanjiro Kamado

Giyuu Tomioka

Mitsuri Kanroji

Inosuke Hashibira

Shinobu Kocho

Tengen uzui + Makio,Suma & Hina

Nezuko (No smut!)

Muzan kibutsuji (+ Lady Muzan)

Kokushibo/upper moon 1

SK8 the infinity

Cherry blossom/Kaoru Sakurayashiki

Joe/Kojiro Nanjo

Reki kyan

Langa hasegawa (male reader only)

Miya chinen (No smut!)

The way of the house husband

Tatsu/the immortal dragon

Miku

Buddy daddies

Rei suwa

Kazuki Kurusu

Kyutarou Kugi

****

*Not writing anymore*

Tom holland

Tom hiddleston

344 notes · View notes

its-nyakemi-nya · 4 years

Text

Twisted Wonderland Masterlist!

OCs, OC Place & Ramshackle logo:

Haru Amano

Shoichi Kazama (?)

Dwyer Kensington

Bella

Kingdom of Nevermore

Ramshackle Logo

Misadventures in NRC:

Cute Part 1 (Trey x Haru)

Cute Part 2 Final (Trey x Haru)

Prank Wars

Vanished

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle/request:

Rules

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #1: Malleus Draconia x Girlfriend! Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle # 2: Jade Leech x Gender Neutral!Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #3: Fluff! Riddle Rosehearts x Gender Neutral! Short! Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #3 Bonus One Shot: Fluff! Kalim Al-Asim x Gender Neutral! Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #4: Fluff!Lilia Vanrouge x Child!Female!Reader x Fluff!Malleus Draconia

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #5: Malleus Draconia x Short! Fem! Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #6: Lilia Vanrouge x Artist! Gender Neutral! Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #7: Ace Trappola x Fem!Reader x Deuce Spade

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #8: Riddle Rosehearts x Eden Hue

Twisted Wonderland Another One Shot #8: Malleus Draconia x Haru Amano (ft. Lilia Vanrouge, Silver, Sebek Zigvolt, Grim, Shoichi Kazama aka Dwight Kensington & Bella)

Twisted Wonderland Bonus One Shot #8: Eden Hue x Gender Neutral!Reader

Twisted Wonderland One Shot Raffle #9: Azul Ashengrotto x Male!Reader

Twisted Wonderland Theories:

MC’s World

Overblot

Analysis of the Opening + Ace Trappola

Pomefiore Arc Analysis

Unique Magic

#twst #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland one shot #twst one shot #twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #twst theories

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bloody-psycho-love · 1 year

Text

In the Midst of Conflict

Co written by @eternity-forevermore and myself, @bloody-psycho-love!

Night One

The breeze flowing through the cape of long, glossy, straight ebony hair was enough to lift up even the hardest to find baby hairs. The back of this person's neck was now exposed, sending a violent shiver down their spine. Even so, they had held on tight to the ancient pointy eared being's waist. During the trip to the group's homeland (save for the human woman), her grip on the short being's waist became tighter and tighter. It was, in fact, so tight that she felt her muscles being flexed to their limit.

The leader of said group was an ancient fae, a renowned general of Maleficent's army that spilled enough blood to drown himself endlessly in it. Yet he looked as if he had invented the E-boy trend that had transpired onto social media with his hot pink and black hair, uneven bangs that somehow fitted him well. Instead of his uniform that he would wear to Night Raven College (when they had all attended it, of course), he had worn clothes that were akin to a Victorian vampire. Her long, even duo bangs didn't help her somewhat obscured vision either as they had only fluttered every so often in front of her glasses. The crimson lenses (complimented by pure silver, of course) obscured cloudy gray eyes. Those eyes… They had seen many untold horrors that humanity has committed. Things that were truly unspeakable. Things that should never be mentioned in civil conversation. Taboos that were inflicted upon her vision. Those memories of long ago were behind her and were to be left there.

After several hours of flying via broomstick (which made her sun-kissed skin become riddled with goosebumps), the shock of arriving at the Valley of Thorns for the first time had finally hit the immortal human. The evasiveness of this nostalgia trip was something that she could never predict. A raspy gasp had finally burst out from her lips as she saw that they were landing on the ground. So they were finally here... The fae in front of her had hardly been tense at all! Were they used to the violent winds of this land and in the wild forests of the Valley of Thorns?

"Welcome to the Valley of Thorns," Lilia cheerfully says, looking up at Alex, a shine in his eyes. He smiled at her, glee all too apparent on his face.

He didn't dare mention the disheveled hair as a result of the harsh winds, nor did he dare mention how cold the immortal woman had become, instead, he opted to say:

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Perhaps I should've given you a better warning for how it was going to be, apologies about that."

Blinking once. Blinking twice. Blinking thrice now. Yet there was not a single word that came from her lips. Instead she nodded her head, silently thanking the ancient being. Just how did she end up with someone as chaotic and vivacious as Lilia Vanrouge? Well, Alex wasn't about to tell anyone any time soon. Wetting her lips with her tongue, their lips parted to speak at last. "If I knew the wind was going to be this violent, I would have worn something for my hair." Her (usually) husky and mature voice was raspy, almost hoarse from the wind taking her breath away. The brutal winds here were nothing to compare to Night Raven College's bright, more sunny and even-tempered weather with the light, refreshing breeze it had offered before.

Lilia turned his head, raising a hand to cover his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laugh. It worked for the most part, but it was rather obvious. After a moment, he regained his composure and turned to Alex, "I'm sure there is something in my home that could be a remedy.”

Lilia glanced back at the horizon, his eyes darting from side to side, "It shouldn't take too long now, perhaps a mere ten minutes or so to find my dwelling. I'm sure it'll be to your liking, love."

She couldn't bring herself to get annoyed at Lilia's stifled laughter. If she were in his shoes, the same would have been done by her. So there wasn't any point in getting upset. Perhaps it was a memory that they could both chuckle at in the future. When Lilia had spoken about having a remedy in his home, her heart had skipped a beat. This was the first time that she would be approaching his abode. Alex didn't think that it would be so soon, but she and her lover had waited long enough. Her thoughts had wandered off as usual while they were now walking on foot. After that unpredictable ride, her feet and legs could use the movement. The blood flowing back in them should help her keep warm, right? What kind of remedies did Lilia have in his home? The moment of silence that surrounded the dreary, misty valley had finally made her speak out in an attempt to somehow circumvent the anxiety that was clutching her heart with an iron fist. "I almost forgot to thank you for flying me here. You, Malleus, Silver, and Sebek… You didn't have to do that for me... Please remind me to pay you back sometime..."

"Oh, it's no worries," Lilia responds casually, "I'm rather happy that you'll be here."

Lilia moves forward, a faint trail now in sight. It appeared as if it was once used commonly, but not any more.

"The dwelling is hidden," Lilia gestures towards a direction, "It's more on the smaller side but still comfortable. It's where we raised Silver." He smiled fondly at the memory, but didn't continue to speak of it.

He walks a few feet and stops, looking back at Alex, waiting expectantly.

Alex hugged herself, feverishly doing her best to circulate her body for warmth as she sped walked to be next to Lilia. Normally her leather jacket along with skinny, leather pants, and boots would help her. But no. The Valley of Thorns just had to be a freakish abomination when it came to its weather. Hopefully this dwelling had some kind of heat source because she never did well in colder, harsher conditions. Her eyes twinkled once Lilia brought up having raised Silver there. "Do you think that once we get there, we could talk some about our memories? I don't know why, but it's a natural topic to speak to you about..." A big part of why she fell so hard for the elder fae was his fatherly nature. That warmth, compassion, and familial love reminded her of home back on Earth. The immortal had made peace long ago that she could never return to that dimension. She would stick out too much and that was not something she wanted to deal with.

While she and the fae spoke to each other (once she had caught up once more with him), the heir of the throne, Malleus Draconia was deep in thought while simultaneously following along with the rest of the group. The draconic fae was deeply worried. If his grandmother was no longer on the throne, then he was the next in line. Was he ready for that kind of challenge? He was eternally grateful for the company of the students at Night Raven College for helping him overcome many challenges. But most of all, it was his dearest friend that had approached him first. Yuu... Were they happy back in their world? Did they miss him and the others? His lime green eyes almost glowed in the foggy mist as a lantern to guide the way. But that was all to identify the prince and those eyes were almost down at the ground. Maybe it was done on purpose? Lilia was powerful enough to control the weather. To an extent. Yet again, the valley has a mind of its own.

Lilia pondered for a moment, but then replied to Alex's question, albeit belatedly, "Sure, we can talk about our memories. We both have several hundred years worth of memories, so it would be quite the deep dive."

"That's right!" Sebek interjects, eyes shining, "We can hear Young Master's precious memories!"

"If that is what he wishes, what say you, Malleus?" Lilia asks, walking over right between Alex and Malleus.

To be honest, Malleus was reluctant to return to the Valley of Thorns. It didn't feel as though he was ready to take over as King. Was he scared? Most likely. Was he about to admit that to anyone? Unless he wanted to bring an uprising of riots and violent destruction, it would be in his best option to not say anything related to his fears. When he heard Lilia's footsteps, Malleus snapped out of his train of thought.

A faint smile graced his midnight violet lips as he nodded, "It would be a pleasure to retell some of my childhood memories with you all." It would also be interesting to hear more about their other immortal guest. The fact that she was human and immortal... Maybe some of his questions about her would finally be answered. Since it was a short trek from the hiking trail to the abode, it was only a few minutes later when they had approached the building.

"Wonderful," Lilia exclaims, "I'll be sure to make some tea so that we may tell our tales in comfort."

Upon seeing the cottage, Lilia demeanor brightened up, as he looked over to Alex, "Look, love, the humble abode where it all happened," a glance to Silver, who only nodded, "and where much time was spent here," a glance to Malleus.

It was a sizable cottage, hidden by the large trees surrounding it, its bricks painted to be the same shade as the bark. There were glass windows, though aged and opaque. There was a front porch, in which there was a small table and two chairs beside it, and a painter's easel in the corner, with a forgotten sketch of the nearby scenery.

"Looks like it hasn't been attended to in a while," Silver comments as he glances around, eyes drawing up to the door.

Ah, tea... Some lavender or earl gray tea would be good right now. It was always useful as a way to warm up the body heat so that she didn't feel cold. The corners of her partially made up pouty lips curled up into a soft smile as her charcoal gray eyes laid upon the abode. The aged windows made the home look more grimy, but that was what gave it character. the fact that there were already so many memories of love, companionship, and unconditional familial care made it have a warm atmosphere around it. Whenever she had dreamed in her slumber, she dreamed of taking care of her younger brother whilst making potions to better the health of others within the community. If only... There was nothing she could have done to prevent what had happened next. Moving from place to place in hiding, it was all Alexandria could do to keep from screaming at the top of her lungs. Once she had snapped out of her thoughts, she was already going up the stairs of the porch.

Malleus turned his gaze slightly to his guardian to nod at him. Turning back to look upon the slightly dilapidated home, the Prince was reminded of Sebek clinging onto his leg for ever-loving life as Silver was roused from his sleep by the ancient fae. They were both good children and that was all that was one of the things that mattered to Malleus (even if he didn't know how to raise children at the time). Helping Lilia read folk tales and sing lullabies to help the two sleep were just some of the peaks of those days. Back when his grandmother was still on the throne... No, he shouldn't think about that right now. It would just ruin this peaceful moment altogether. His feet walked to the abode and stepped foot on it first. What was it like inside? Would it look the same as it once did?

Lilia takes the first steps, materializing the key. The door opened with a creek, as darkness hung inside the cottage.

Sebek was the one to make the first step, and upon entering, the candles lit up, and everything came into view.

It was certainly not a simple cottage, but it wasn't too extravagant either. The couch and chairs were a deep shade of green, with golden wines embroidered into them. There was the mahogany table, with a matching green tablecloth and flowers that somehow never wilted. There was an opening to the kitchen, though the wall obscured most of the view- all that could be seen from the doorway was just another table with a green table cloth, with wooden chairs and black cushions in them, and another window that had small lace curtains. Despite how detailed the furnishings were, there was no decoration on the walls, the only thing adorning them being just the candle-held lamps, and a single mirror above the fireplace.

"My, no one has taken care of the place?" Lilia quietly comments, who now stood over the table, looking at his fingers. There were clear prints of his fingers on the table, where the dust was cleaned off.

"We did leave for a good amount of time, father," Silver replies- his appearance evidence of the passage of time. He was no longer the young first year, just about to enter Night Raven, but a young man and capable knight.

Malleus came in second to last as Sebek and Silver had gone in. Inspecting with his eyes, the cobwebs seem to have invaded the door frames. He casually swiped the webs away from his horns as he ducked to come inside. Fortunately he didn't forget just how long it had been since he was in this house. As he saw the old and worn mahogany table, that soft smile (that he normally reserved for his family and Yuu) had sprung about once more, warming his heart. To him, the spider webs just make the place more cherished. Though it is a disgrace that no one kept the place clean. If one were to be optimistic, this meant that it was time to clean the place as a family. "Lilia. Sebek. Silver. Shall we clean once we're settled or should we start now?" His voice resonated in the mostly empty cottage, deep, yet melodic and haunting. Anyone could become entranced by it if he wanted them to. But he never cared to do so, preferring them to come of their volition. "Hm. Whatever suits you, Malleus...," Silver piped up, walking some to get himself going. He didn't want to pass out while standing up. Once the fae, half-fae, and human (who was taller than her by an inch and a half; good for him) had gone inside of the once abandoned building, she had finally stepped inside. The wood creaked underneath her boots, but it wouldn't give. Not by a long shot. The architect must have made sure that it was sturdy enough to withstand a lot of people if it was this big. The thickets of the foggy forest had covered the cottage well enough to where nobody but Lilia and the others could seek it out. Even if it were easily visible, only her darling held the key. With her left hand behind her, she clutched the doorknob. As she was shutting it behind her, a spider almost as big as her palm would come out of hiding. The door clicked just as the spider had crawled, now on the back of Alex's hand. Charcoal gray eyes widened as she froze for just a moment before screaming out, "AY DIOS, ARAÑA! QUITALO, QUITALO!!"* She yanked her hand off of the doorknob as she flailed her hand, trying to fling the spider off of her. Instead it ended up crawling onto her leather jacket.

Lilia was the one to Alex's rescue- appearing right in front of Alex and gently picking up the spider.

"Now, you shouldn't frighten the guests here," Lilia scolds the spider, walking over to the windows and opening them, hanging his hand out. The spider took the hint and dropped out into the outdoors.

"That ought to do it," Lilia glances over to Alex, "Are you alright, love? I know such creatures are rather unpleasant. Hopefully they will no longer be a bother." "Their webs are a nuisance," Sebek huffs out, interrupting, "It is not fitting for a place to accommodate the Young Master to have such things. I'll see to it at once!" He storms away into the kitchen, the sound of items shuffling around until an "Aha!" was heard, followed by "This should work!"

She nodded, breathing a bit ragged once more. This time it was from a silly little spider! "Thank you, Lilia... Should've expected a spider or multiple to be here," She muttered just loud enough for the love of her life to hear. They shouldn't be angry at themself. Well, they weren't, but they sure were irritated. The unpleasant tingling sensation of the spider's hairy legs was enough to send her into a panic.

A feather duster. Such a simple tool was used before to clean up spider webs and it shall be used again. The silver haired young man shuffled through the cleaning supplies, taking out a half filled spray bottle, a sponge, a mop, and a bucket. His boisterousness and vibrating voice kept him awake. There were benefits from being around such a loud person. Silver had gone ahead with Sebek in order to find the cleaning supplies in the kitchen. If they were going to sit anywhere, the spider webs needed to be cleaned up.

Meanwhile, Malleus had already gone ahead (before the incident with the spider, mind you) and snapped his fingers, using a tiny percentage of his magic to clean the furniture properly. After all, no one should have to hear the young, pastel green haired knight bust out a lung over him touching the dusty furniture. Sometimes his overbearing devotion to him grated at him. But no one could blame him. Sebek Zigvolt took his duties seriously and you never knew when you needed someone as loyal and competent as him.

"No worries," Lilia replies, glancing around. "Looks like everyone is off to complete their tasks and such," a small pause, "I think we should head up-stairs. It seems like everyone is focused here, and the second floor is smaller than the first."

At first glance, there didn't seem to be a set of stairs, but when Lilia walked over to the wall, using a small spark of magic against a nearby candle, the wall in front of him disappeared.

Lo and behold, the passage was a set of stairs, the hall illuminating one by one with candles, though dim.

"Malleus and I were the only ones to really utilize the upper two rooms. I believe they should have a little bit of magic to reduce the amount of dust, but who knows if the magic will last long enough."

Lilia offers a small gleeful smile as he turns to Alex, "Shall we, love?"

She nodded, following the ancient vampiric (fruit bat?) fae. Her heart fluttered as her cheeks turned a soft pink. The thought of them going up a floor in order to clean and get some alone time... It would certainly give them some room to breathe for a little bit! Every time they were alone with the vampiric(?) fae, her mind wandered to all of the romantic bedtime stories that her mother used to tell her before going to bed. However she knew that they wouldn't be able to do so for long. The trio downstairs would have been waiting for them by then. At this moment, her mind wandered. She has always been a bit of a daydreamer, but not like this. How would her family react to seeing her with someone like Lilia Vanrouge?

Was it possible for her to-? No. It was far more likely that they would fear for her and their own lives. They wouldn't know about mythical beings such as the ancient fae existing. Even if they did, her parents would forcibly drag her away from him. That wasn't something she wanted to think about. Again, the snap of Lilia's fingers had helped her snap out of her thoughts.

Once she saw what he had done in front of her eyes, those charcoal grays widened in surprise. It was confounding just how Lilia was able to make those stairs appear seemingly out of nowhere! His magical prowess was exceptional even for a fae! No mortal man could comprehend or understand this if they tried. It was almost as if the wall had been a trap door this entire time! In her 450 years of existing, her magic wasn't even this encompassing. To an extent, this made her a bit envious. Envy could make way for perseverance and determination though. But now she had a question to ask of her darling. "What would you and Malleus do while upstairs? ...Why was this hidden from Silver and Sebek?"

Lilia hums quietly, entering the passage, staring straight ahead.

"I wouldn't say we hid it per se- more like Silver and Sebek never quite realized it existed. The rooms were seldom used throughout the child-rearing years. Not to say the times were peaceful, but I am not the only knight or general with great prowess, so rarely were my services requested for whatever reason."

Lilia looked back at Alex, and smiled, "Though I wouldn't be surprised if the two, especially Silver, realized something was amiss. Magic flows freely here, but ever so slightly concentrated in this area- so to fully answer your question, dear, these rooms were offices. They contain everything that an office would require, and magical items that oversee the land. Items that shouldn't be dealt by inexperienced hands, to be exact, hence the need for their relative secrecy."

"No worries, everyone makes assumptions. Kind of hard not to," Lilia chuckles, "Silver was quite close to figuring out, but didn't know how to unlock the mechanism. Sebek could probably unlock it, as he seems to have a slight affinity for electricity, but he hasn't come close to figuring it out. Sooner or later they'll find out about the offices, but not now, not yet."

Lilia walked for a bit more, when the stairs ended. There was a hallway, though not particularly big nor small- with a door on each wall- making three doors in total. The first two doors were a mere few feet away from the staircase, parallel to each other, with golden nameplates on them. The language was clearly foreign, but no doubt it contained the names of Lilia and Malleus on them. In contrast, the door at the end of the hallway simply had a sun and flowers on them.

"This is my office," Lilia says as he opens the door, "The other belongs to Malleus. The door at the end leads to a small patio- though no one ever used it."

Lilia's office was cluttered, yet there was still a degree of organization to it. Shelves upon shelves lined two of the walls, while paintings decorated the other two. There was a window, albeit hidden by a shelf- its presence only noticeable due to the natural light pouring in from that area.

There was a large desk to the far back, pens and papers scattered, a small candle at the corner. There was a box on the desk with a glowing symbol, which Lilia recognized immediately.

"Ah, I had forgotten about that. Surprised it still has magic. It monitors the nearby area, want to see?"

A full smile (without showing her teeth) slithered upon her features with her eyebrows raised. Good on them for getting that far. Lilia obviously raised them well if they were able to be that observant and inquisitive. It was only natural for children to be curious of their surroundings. Her younger brother was no exception with him running off. For all of the anxiety and worry that he caused them, he was very much loved. The hallway that they had walked upon (at the end of the stairs) was a bit smaller than she had imagined it would have been. Alexandria may have had an affinity for earthly languages, but the fae language was outside of her expertise. By a long shot. "Of course. Would this be a surveillance camera of sorts then?," She asked, quirking an eyebrow up in question. If it was, then it may have done its job. How well it did would depend very much on how many intruders were chased off and the extra security measures needed. After all, it was just one part in a grand scheme of keeping others safe. Walking over to it slowly, she then leaned in a little bit to inspect it.

"Indeed, it would be a surveillance camera. We utilize magic stones and small crystals to make them work. Though, as to how exactly they work, I don't know."

Lilia picks up the box, and opens it. Inside were four bags, all of different colors -red, yellow, blue, and green- and he took out the red one. He takes out its contents, four pink stones and places them onto the table, making a square with them. Placing a finger on the table, there was another spark of magic from the tip of his finger, activating the devices. The stones flew up and created a sort of screen, a second later an image pops up of the forest. Movement can be seen in the trees as birds fly away, a feral large cat in the distance, and small fae buzzing out and about amongst the blooms of the trees.

Serene and tranquil, it was.

"I had kept them on my person, tied to my belt at all times. I've placed a small thread that can detect malice, so the stones begin to heat up when set off. Rarely did I have to fully utilize these things though, as not many know that we're here- only the previous Queen and Sebek's relatives, is all."

Lilia grabbed another bag- blue this time- and did the same thing. This time it was focused on a nearby river, its water transparent and its fish large. There was a bear, too, fishing for its next meal. "Seems like our absence has invited more of the wildlife to wander into its territory," the fae mused, "The last time I saw a bear was when I had gone hunting."

Not many people would have figured it out as fast as she had just based on what the artifact had looked like. But one with good deduction skills would have deduced that it was exactly what it was on the fae's words alone. If they didn't, then it was unfortunate. Could she blame them? Not if they weren't of this world. At this point in time, her body had already felt warmth from the heat radiating from the magical item. To see a fae playing in the forest was a peaceful sight and relieved her. Nature was a beautiful, yet dangerous thing. Seeing all of this in person was truly an honor. No one besides a few (The trio downstairs, Sebek's relatives, and (of course) the Queen) had ever seen this before. "A bear? Back on Earth, they are notoriously hard to hunt down without many injuries. Most hunters would rather die trying to get a bear fur decoration in their homes than just leave it be," She mused, not having an ounce of sympathy or empathy for those idiots. Then again, when have humans truly learned their lesson?

"I suppose the bear is a common creature then," Lilia smiled, "Most of the bears here are few and in between. The lands are vast, and the majority of our citizens remain within the limits of the cities and towns that they reside in, and bears don't particularly like our presence, hence why they can be rather obscure in these parts. Perhaps they're no longer frightened of our presence, if they dare be near while we're here. Or perhaps..." A pause, and a glance to Alex, "They've realized we have a new ruler."

Lilia removes his finger, and both screens collapse gently onto the desk. Lilia placed them back into their original bags, and took out the remaining two.

Repeating his actions, the two new screens were much different from the previous two. One showcased a small clearing, abundant with flowers and more of the small fae, whereas the second screen showed more of the woods, the only difference being the faded trail.

"Looks like nothing seems out of place, which is good to know. Though those flowers do seem to be rather new..."

"Yes. Bears are more common creatures where I'm from. Some species are endangered however. So some humans are doing whatever they can to preserve them so that they may thrive." Just like with any species of being, humans had their good apples and their rotten apples. The next thing that the vampire fae said stopped her in her tracks. Wait... New ruler? Was the Queen dead? Her eyes widened as she out a silent gasp. No wonder Malleus seemed distracted while on the way here. Did he already know about this or not? To lose a loved one so early in his life... Alexandria knew that feeling all too well. When the fae that granted her immortality told her that she could never see her family again, her heart broke into a million pieces. Back then, her family was all that mattered to her and more. What would she have done without them?? Alex could only look at Lilia, her brain unfortunately comprehending this with ease. Most of the things that were revealed through the device were left unseen by the immortal human in favor of the new flowers. Blinking thrice, Alexandria was not fully shaken out of her shock. That kind of news was never easy to shake for most.

"Indeed, new ruler," Lilia replied, "The Queen retired, and handed her crown to Malleus, you see. I don't quite know how it works, as the crown is much older than I, and the Queen has ruled for several more centuries than I've been alive for. Though I did hear whispers and rumors from the other fae," a glance to the window, "that the crown is connected to the land, so changes within the crown are physically felt all across. It's only a matter of time before his coronation is publicly announced." Lilia then noticed Alex's expression, and frowns with worry, "Ah, I should've clarified right from the start," he reaches out to Alex's hand, though only just barely touching it, "The Queen has ruled for far too long, and thought it was time to pass down her crown."

Nodding as a sign that she was listening, a voice in the back of her head only shook their head. Of course there would be rumors floating around about this. It was huge news to the communities that resided in the Valley of Thorns. She even thought that she had died when she first heard Lilia speak of a new ruler. The breath that she had held in for a moment too long was exhaled, her tense body visibly relaxing. So she didn't die. It would be impossible to kill off the Queen as she was too powerful to get rid of. Maleficent would have had them permanently banished to another realm of existence. Or killed off. "Thank goodness... Should we tell Malleus or no? He may think differently due to the rumors..." Her thumb gently caressed Lilia's as he barely touched hers. The subtle signals of their love was more than enough to keep her happiness in check.

"Malleus knows he's to be king," Lilia responds, "Though, I doubt he is aware of the rumors. Just like the Queen, fae and humans alike are afraid of him, even if he may show an ounce of kindness. They dare not utter a word in front of him unless they had to."

"We can take a moment if need be," the fae continued, his voice now much lower, just above a whisper, "I doubt the three downstairs will miss us that terribly. They'll probably assume I'm out and about, doing something befitting for someone like me."

What a miserable life... While he must have been used to it, it would take a major hit on anyone's social skills and happiness. If only Yuu were allowed to stay in this world like she was. "At least he has us to care for him and love him as he should be..." If she could, she would pull Malleus into her embrace and comfort him to the best of her abilities. In many ways, Twisted Wonderland was far better than Earth ever was. But it was in her most vulnerable moments that she missed being on that planet. This cheeky fae... This time, she giggled like a schoolgirl as her smile showed her teeth. Her voice became deeper and huskier as she whispered, "What do you plan on doing, Lilia?", taking a step closer and closer.

"Me?" Lilia replies, with a smile of his own, "Oh nothing. Though you seem to be planning something, love." Lilia has to look up in order to face Alex properly, giving her a cheeky grin, "What is on your mind? Surely you must have something, otherwise you wouldn't have asked me, isn't that so?"

"Me? Something planned?," The purr in her voice could be heard faintly. "Possibly. It has been a little while since we've done something like that, you know...~" Grey eyes peer down at crimson-magenta eyes with glazed euphoria. What was this? Two adults planning to get away from the others? It was only natural that they do so! After all, it wasn't as if they had anything to be worried about! Now her fingers brushed against his hand and up his arm, barely grazing his clothing. Getting onto one knee, she leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Only if you desire it, my General~"

"My, my, quite the vixen aren't you?" Lilia chuckles, "How can I say no to that? I suppose I'll have to take you up on that offer. Alas, it seems like cleaning will have to wait." With a flick of his finger, the lock of the door clicking could be heard, and a flick of the wrist dimmed the lighting, followed by the sound of fabric hitting the floor, likely from the curtains that now covered the window.

As they both embraced, their lips had collided with one another in a hot, fiery bliss that only one could acquire through deep, true love. It was as if everything had faded into black for the both of them. Time was irrelevant at the moment. It was a lovely, salacious, and ravishing moment for them both as they had danced, fought, and ultimately shown the true form of their twisted love. It had gone on for as long as the both of them needed in order to be satisfied to the finish. As usual, Lilia Vanrouge was correct. None of the trio even knew to come looking for them. Panting and sweating, her muscles were almost at their limit as she let out a breathy chuckle. "You're quite the savage beast when you want to be... A beautiful thing about you...," Her voice was hoarse, only being able to whisper out her words. Keeping up with him was quite the challenge, but she managed. But in return, her body screamed in agony as bruises, bite marks, scratches, and kisses littered her body.

Lilia was all disheveled, sweaty, but most important of all- satisfied.

"We've made it a bigger mess," he laughs, as he began to redress himself properly again, "Unfortunately the bedroom is downstairs, otherwise we could have a better chance of fixing our appearance. Hopefully the three won't take notice of the small details that went awry."

Lilia looked around, face still tinged pink, "At the very least, the magic has kept it dust free."

Silence was the only thing greeting Lilia's words for a moment as she began to get dressed once again. With the hairband that she brought with her (on her wrist), she hastily did a small portion of her hair into a bun once more. Looking around, she nodded in affirmation, all of the stress in her body gone. "Magic has its perks...," She murmured to herself. "We should make sure to do this in the bedroom next time...," Her voice was still a bit shaky as she straightened herself out. "...Now. Do you know where the cleaning supplies are for up here? Or would we need any for this floor?"

"There's none up here," Lilia sighs, standing up now, "Though, I do have some rags, though they were for mostly when my tea had spilt or ink." He then goes over to the other side of the drawer and pulls one out, "This one should be relatively clean, should you want to use it."

He leaves a rag in the front of the desk, while he uses another rag to clean up his 'mess'.

"Thank you, mi tesoro," With that, she began to clean something on Malleus' desk. Items that had been left untouched for many years were now being cleaned up. Becoming more organized. If the new King wanted to reorganize it, then he would have to come up here himself to do so. While being hard at work, she ended up becoming hyper focused on the task. Due to doing so, she ended up cleaning everything and organizing it to her liking. Every paper, ink bottle, quill, red stamp and liquid in their proper places.

Lilia followed suit, cleaning up his own desk and office. It didn't take very long though, as he simply placed things where they originally were, finally giving his office a neat and tidy feel to it. He even went as far as properly organizing his books, as he had often a terrible habit of putting them out of place depending on the order when he had read them.

Sooner or later, he finished.

"That took longer than expected," he finally says, "Should we head down now, now that we're done up here? Or do you wish to explore the rest of the second floor?"

By the time she was finished, her aching arms howled in pain. They could go yell at the wind for all she cared. "We should, yes. We can come up here later to explore." Perhaps Sebek and Silver could finally come see what was up here? Unless the other two thought of them as still being inexperienced. But they still had much to do and it wouldn't be an activity without the trio downstairs. In the case of sharing memories, that is.

"Sounds like a good idea."

Lilia then led the two of them down the stairs and into the staircase, where once again the fae had to activate the mechanism.

The end of the stairs, expectedly, disappeared to show the living room, empty and desolate.

Lilia looked around, tilting his head, "Wonder where everyone went. Perhaps they went to their rooms..?"

He looked back to Alex and asked, "Want a small tour of the rest of the house, love?"

Was this now their home or was the castle? Of course, she was just kidding. Traveling downstairs right behind the smaller fae, she saw that the downstairs had disappeared. Looking around the living room, she had thought for a moment that the three of them would have been waiting for them there. If it meant that she got to spend more time with her beloved, then so be it. The trio were probably getting some much needed rest after the ride here. "I would love to. Anything to be with you, mi amor," There was nothing but love and adoration in her voice.

"Alright then- I will warn though, that the rooms are not as spacious as the offices upstairs."

Lilia led the way, leading her through the kitchen, where the hallway to all the rooms were.

"The first door belongs to Silver," he quietly says, pushing the door open. The door creaked, but Silver didn't wake up- the knight having fallen asleep on his bed, sitting up, against a rather large pillow. "Must've fallen due to his narcolepsy again..."

Silver's room was a time capsule of a younger Silver- a small desk for teenagers was in the corner, with a chair now too small for him. There were a few swords scattered around, some of them hung on the walls. At his window sill, there was a bird nest, the ones where the back was removed and pressed against the window itself, so you could see the birds within the house. There were a few eggs in it, and the only evidence that they're still alive is the still green leaf that looks like it had fallen recently.

Lilia closed the door, and headed on to the next room. The door was already slightly ajar, and you could hear shuffling from inside. Lilia lightly knocked on the door, and entered.

Sebek looked up from underneath his desk, nearly hitting his head against it.

"Sir Lilia," he begins, frowning, "It seems like a few rodents have made their home here!" He raises up his hand, which holds a mouse with large ears and small eyes. It only made a squeak, but remained calm. It had beige fur, and seemed to be in perfect health. "It's rather cute, isn't it?" He looked over to Alex, then back to Sebek, "And Sebek, I did tell you to clean up your room before we had left, I can practically see the remains of your snacks hidden here and there." Upon closer inspection, right where Sebek was, one could see a few bags and crumbs. If what Lilia said was true, the food that was left there is the reason for the mice.

Though the fae had warned her just then, Alex had no worries about it. If she were younger back in her time, there would have been some hesitation-no. The proper word is reluctance. Reluctance to go downstairs. However, time had been hard on her and that meant that she had to strengthen her mental fortitude to become more humble. Although there were many things that went wrong in her life, Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia still had privileges that many others in her time could not afford. Sauntering down the stairs with the general, she was led into the kitchen then to the hallway. Seeing this many bedrooms in a cottage like this almost felt like a luxury compared to her nomadic lifestyle. That was about to end soon. Peering inside of Silver's room, she had expected it to have some more birds. But it suited him to have a minimalistic approach. Her eyes softened upon seeing the bird eggs. There were things still alive in here which brought the slightest bit of joy to her heart. Moving on to Sebek's room with Lilia, the door opened just a crack. Her hand almost slapped her mouth in order to stifle some laughter when she saw Sebek bonk his head on the table. Blinking away some tears, she had to take some breaths in order to calm down. Hearing Lilia comment on the mouse, she looked over. Looking at the mouse, it had already won over her heart as a pet. Flashbacks of her and her younger brother stealing some cheese to feed the rats came to mind. Whenever she was lonely, she could always rely on the rats and mice for good company. Inspecting the room from her view, the snacks seemed to be the cause of the rodents getting in. "Sebek, if I may ask. Would you like some assistance in cleaning your room?"

"Eh-" Sebek was caught off guard, but quickly got his composure back, "Ah, yes. I would like some assistance, Lady Alex."

Lilia entered the room, allowing room for Alex to enter, "Really, Sebek," Lilia sighed, "I hope your room in your relative's house is not like this. You may have stayed here on occasion, but that does not permit you to sully your room and leave it sullied. I do believe I have given you plenty of time to clean in advance, too." Lilia paused, and with a smirk, "I wonder what Malleus would say..?"

Sebek's face paled slightly, and the knight looked to the side, "I never sullied my dorm room- that I swear. I would never purposely bring dishonor to the young master." The mouse only squeaked in disapproval, to which earned a scowl from the knight. "What do you know, small rodent?" Sebek stared at the mouse intensely. Another squeak. “Tsk," Sebek looked away from the mouse. "If you're done with the mouse, we ought to clean your room up. The passage of time had worsened its conditions." Lilia grabbed a broom, and started to clean.

While she was tempted to tell Sebek not to call her "Lady Alex", she surmised early on that he was raised to call someone that in his culture. As someone who had an unique culture that had been stomped on repeatedly, she would never wish that upon anyone else. Her eyebrows rose as she witnessed the younger half-fae squirm under Lilia's smirk. She would have already been cleaning under the scrutinizing gaze of her own mother and father in silence if this were her. Grabbing some cleaning tools, she too had begun to help clean up the mess of the snacks here and there on the floor. A high-pitched squeak could be heard from the hole in which one had come from as it came out, crawling towards the chip bag. "No, little one. This has to be cleaned up..." She murmured to the young mouse.

"Great Seven, how many mice are there?" Sebek asks, kneeling and searching for the other mouse, still keeping a firm grip for the one in his hand.

"Probably a family's worth, considering how long it's been," Lilia comments, finishing up the sweeping. "Probably doesn't help that Silver's room is right next door, considering how well he is with fauna."

Sebek could only sigh in disappointment as he continued his search.

Though, to his great dismay, numerous squeaks can be heard throughout the room, and Sebek's frown deepened.

"Looks like it's worse than originally thought," Lilia says, giving a small laugh, "Oh dear boy, it seems like you have your work cut out for you."

Sebek didn't say anything- couldn't really. All he could do was huff- no doubt, if he was with Silver, perhaps he would've been more expressive with his words.

As the mouse crawled onto Alex's hand, she had just picked up most of the mess that her area had. Looking over at her hand, she saw that the mouse had now crawled up her arm and was on top of her shoulder. "Cheeky little thing. You should be given something more nutritious than just a bagged snack. Perhaps if we lead you and your family back outside, then you may leave these people be," The immortal mused. Stepping out of the room, she had then found a bin to put the trash in. Putting it in, the mouse squeaked in protest. "I know, young mouse. But there are better things to eat." She walked back into the room and kneeled down, continuing to clean.

Next door, one had managed to begin scurrying around the floor for a millisecond before Malleus picked it up. Amused by the sight, the young soon to be King turned the doorknob and stepped out of his room. It most likely came from either Sebek or Silver's room. He had first knocked on Silver's door, before taking a small peek inside. "Hm..." He must have fallen victim to his narcolepsy again. Gently closing the door, Malleus sauntered to the only room left on this floor that was unchecked. Knock, knock, knock. Three soft knocks should get their attention, yes?

"Come in," Sebek says, grabbing another of the mice, filling up both of his hands. At this point he would have to fill up his arms instead, with how many mice were left.

"It's probably Malleus," Lilia mused, "Probably just got out of his room."

"Ah- I'm coming right over, young master!" Sebek quickly made his way to the door, opening it, "Pardon for my latency, young master." "Hello Malleus," Lilia greets, "I suppose you're checking in on us?"

Coming into Sebek's room, Malleus's lime green eyes had laid upon the young knight. So this was where the source of the mice were coming from. "No need to apologize, Sebek," he replied in a respectful tone. At the corner of his eye, he gazed upon his mentor and caretaker. "Yes. I was wondering what the fuss was about when a mouse scurried into my room," The soon to be King peered at the young knight once more, this time raising his eyebrows with a scrutinizing gaze.

Sebek looked down at his feet, and in a low voice, just barely enough to hear him, "I'm afraid that the mice are my fault."

Lilia only laughed, "Sebek left his snacks and is now reaping the consequences." "I hadn't thought that my actions would lead to this," Sebek muttered, raising his hands to show the mice, "It's rather troublesome to deal with, young master. But I will deal with it!" As if he was invigorated by Malleus' presence, Sebek managed to pull out a container and dump its contents onto his bed, and placed the mice in it. He closed the lid, but the lid conveniently had a flap, to which Sebek left open. "It's not a very big container, but we should be able to keep the mice in here, even if temporarily."

Malleus nodded as his eyebrows lowered, his lips curling up into a smile. "I can imagine," He replied, silently chuckling. How he imagined the scenario going down versus how it went down in real life was pretty amusing. It was a little bit reassuring to see Sebek become motivated by his presence in the room and come up with a quick plan. The mouse on Alex's shoulder was let down by the immortal human as it scurried to go back into the hole in the owner's bedroom. As it did so, it was inevitably scooped up by a large hand and placed into the container, squeaking again in disapproval and protest. "Excellent work, Sebek," The Prince commented, complimenting the young half-fae.

Sebek brightened up at the compliment, "Thank you, young master!"

The compliment gave him even more motivation, getting one mouse right after the other. Lilia stood back and watched, amusement in his eyes as he looked at the young man hunting the mice. It reminded him when he went hunting with the humans once, how they eagerly yet strategically managed to find their game, somehow obtaining numerous trophies by the end of the hunt.

Lilia could only smile- for at least Sebek was doing his job properly. He looked over to the side, glancing at Alex, "Should we leave him to his devices? I believe all that remains is just my room and Malleus'."

Malleus Draconia silently took it upon himself to watch over Sebek as the half-fae cleaned as if it were the last thing he would ever do before his death. The game that Lilia had brought home back in his youth only served to become part of the cesspool that was his cooking. The soon to be King felt sorry for anyone who had to eat it. Sometimes, he thought of it being worse than some of the discipline he had received for being a little brat. That was punishment enough to where it could be used as a torture method if called for. Leaving the tall half-fae to his devices, the Prince of the Valley of Thorns turned heel to leave back to his room. Perhaps he could clean up a little bit more.

Her smoky gray eyes gazed down at her lover now as she spoke. "I believe so. After all, Sebek seems to have this under control." With that, she turned to leave the room. When they were out of the room, they had to wait for Lilia.

Lilia heads on out, leading Alex further down the hall, until a door with Lilia's name imprinted on it is seen. Right next to Lilia's door was Malleus' room, his name also imprinted on the hardwood. Lilia opened the door to his room, and unlike the unorganized mess that was Lilia's office, his room was neater and emptier. All he had was a dresser, his bed, and a nightstand. Despite the few furniture, similar to his office, paintings adorned the walls, of all various types- from still life, to natural views of what may have been the vast forests of the Briar Valley (?), and portraits of various, and likely notable, fae and humans. "It's not much, but this is my room," Lilia mused. "I think Malleus just returned to his room, if you want to check it out."

The imprinted name felt very sophisticated and fancy, almost as if she were entering the master's quarters. Lilia's bedroom felt desolate, yet safer than outside. The nature was nothing to worry about. But if there were some kind of storm, she would hide out in her lover's room first. If given the chance, of course. There was also something so whimsical about the pictures that were hung on his wall. "I don't feel the need to at this moment. Now... the simplicity of the room contrasts deeply with your office. I quite like it," Her voice took on a more relaxed tone as she continued, "The pictures give it some room to shine and breathe. Quite beautiful, these still life pictures." As for Malleus's room, she would just have to see what he had in there. If he had more gargoyles, she wouldn't be surprised.

"Well, I do think it's because of the existence of the office that I was able to have such a simple room," Lilia chuckled, "If not Malleus' room, would you like to check the garden? I do believe it should be in good condition, since all that was planted was the native flora." If one looked out the window, one could already see that trail end of numerous flowers of all sorts, of various shades of yellow to white, from small flowers to big, all of different shapes from stars to the typical rose pattern. Lilia continued once again, "I think Malleus took care of the garden, even though it didn't quite need help. I think there should be hints of Malleus' interests there."

"The garden would be nice, yes." Hopefully it is a bit warmer now. Through the window, she could see a slit of natural light through the curtains in Lilia's room. Looking out of the slit, she saw the trail of white and various shades of yellow flowers that were perfectly healthy. They were even blooming! Smokey gray eyes twinkled in delight as her lips parted into an 'o'. If someone were to take a look at her, they would remark that she looked as if she were a person excited to see such beauty. Mystified and almost hypnotized by them even. "The garden first and then his room...," Her voice was barely above a whisper as she continued to look out the window.

"Wonderful," Lilia smiled at Alex's reaction, "The garden is in the back. It's not contained, so if the weather has been kind, I suppose we should expect an abundance of flora." Lilia led Alex out from his room, and towards the back. He opened the door, which, for whatever reason, was difficult to do at first, the hinges having rusted shut. But the rusted hinges were no match against the magic that Lilia used, the door opening loudly, slamming against the wall. The first thing was the smell- the smell of flowers and pollen was strong, even though it wasn't the peak of spring just yet. Scattered around, there were small gray statues- the gargoyles- and fluttering about were the small fae- pixies?- whose voices chimed like bells. The flowers, as seen earlier, were of different shapes, size, and colors, all so vibrant and bold. "This is the garden," Lilia says, breaking the silence, "Looks like there are more flowers than expected."

The flowers were calling her name at this point. They wanted her to come out and see them as they were. In all of their splendor. Beautiful. Vibrant. Bold. Quickly, she followed the elder fae out of his bedroom and towards the back. The "spell" had been temporarily broken when she had heard the hinges almost being broken off by the vampire bat fae's magic. The creaking and slamming of the door had startled her awake from her daydream, one that she was reluctant to leave. The smell of pollen had almost hit her like a gust of wind, immediately invading her nostrils. Her nostrils flared as she grimaced, looking like a silly creature from a children's storybook while trying to hold in her sneezing. Alex was lucky enough to have not made much noise to disturb the silence. Shaking off her sneezes, Alex continued to follow until they had finally reached the garden. Up close, it was even more fantastical than from the window view... If only she were allowed to touch them. "So much more...," Murmuring to herself, she knelt down to take a closer look. The pixies that could be heard sung as if they were songbirds happily going about their day.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" Lilia quietly says, "I don't recall the last time I saw the pixies visiting our garden of all things. I suppose this is one of the few things that the passage of time gave us." Despite how quiet Lilia was, the pixies seem to have taken notice, and flew on over to him, when they had noticed Alex. Curious, they flew around her, taking in her appearance. They tilted their head, but ultimately smiled at her, seeming to have found her presence pleasing. "It looks like these pixies are becoming fond of you, love," Lilia says, still in a whisper. "They say that a positive judgment from the pixie is an auspicious one."

The pixies were pretty, almost too pretty. As long as they didn't have any malicious intentions, then everything was going to be okay. When they had smiled at her, Alex smiled back as to show them that she meant no harm to them. In a way, they reminded her of fairytale pixies that she had read in many fantasy books. They were kind, curious, yet knowledgeable in the way of intuition. "Is that so? Then I'm lucky that they smiled at me." To be around these pixies was to take part in something that soothed her mind and soul.

"Indeed," Lilia replies, "We may be here for a while, should these pixies continue to stare at you. Come," Lilia moves forward, earning a few curious glances from the pixies, "I do believe there is more to the garden than meets the eye." There didn't seem to be more to it, until Lilia led Alex even further down into the field, where behind the large bushes of flowers, there was a lazing fawn, fast asleep. It was a small little thing, all brown with its white spots. There was no sign of its mother, however. "The doe and their fawn quite like to stay here, since predators know to stay away."

Nodding, she then stood up and slowly walked behind the fae. What more to the garden was there? How big was this garden anyway? The roses, daffodils, and the daisies were in the spotlight so far. The pixies were probably befuddled to see the human that they approved of leaving them after a short time. Speeding up to join his side, her charcoal gray eyes had spotted a large bush full of yellow and white flowers. More daisies? No. They must be... Well, what were they? Not sunflowers. Roses? Shaking off her blurriness, the immortal marched on forward. What was behind this bush was one of the most precious scenes that she had the honor of laying her eyes upon. A fawn laying in a spot of flowers. But... Where was its mother? Where was she? Was she in the forest trying to find food for her child? Upon hearing that predators stayed away from this spot, the immortal already felt much safer here. In a soft voice, she remarked to Lilia, "I can see why. I would want to stay here too."

"That's good to know," Lilia responds, "I wouldn't have it any other way, if I could help it.” He looked to the side, and exhaled loudly, "I do believe that should be it for the garden, though considering how long it's been since we were here last, there may be some surprises that I may not have considered." The sun was still up in the sky, though it was well past its peak. "But, I think it would be a good time for lunch or supper, don't you think?"

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon as the forest trees had blocked parts of it, allowing for the rays to shine partially. The sky with its pink, blue, yellow, and purple hues had made the both of them look as if they were looking at a piece of art that was masterfully crafted by a passionate artist. A pair of lovers that had stuck out like a sore thumb, yet oddly belonged in the throw of flowers. But alas, it was time to leave as General Vanrouge had said. Her stomach growled as if on cue when her darling asked. "Perhaps we should go and eat supper. There's always time to visit the garden, yes?"

"That's fair," Lilia then brightened up, "Oh! Perhaps I can try out this new recipe I've been meaning to try." There was a faint smoke in the air, suggesting that someone was using the stove- but Lilia didn't notice, for it was so faint that his nose couldn't detect it. "Is there anything you would like to try, love?" Lilia asks eagerly, almost determined to cook something.

Smiling widely for once in a blue moon whilst showing her teeth, Alexandria parted her lips to suggest, "How about some fish soup? Or roasted fish with sweet peppers? Perhaps some recipe that originates from the Briar Valley?" The immortal woman was always fond of sampling some of the foods that the servants had made in the kitchen back in her time. If there was some kind of recipe that her beloved wished to try, then perhaps she could help with it! However, even with the faintness of the smell, she could sense that someone was using the stove. "Shall we go inside? I believe that someone's in the kitchen."

Lilia frowned, "Someone is already using the stove? Goodness... I hope that there will still be the chance that we can make something ourselves then." Lilia started walking back to the cottage, "There's a river nearby, and considering the only one doing any real fishing is the bear that we had seen earlier, there still should be some fish left to fish." Lilia opened the door, the strong smell of potatoes permeating all throughout. "I wonder if Silver helped out with the food," Lilia pondered, "Potato-based dishes are usually his favorite."

The moment she saw her lover frown, her wide and bright-eyed smile had dissipated into nothingness. It was replaced with a frown, index finger and thumb wrapped around her chin. Her left hand hoisted up her right arm just a little bit to balance it out as she went to follow him back into the cottage. Now fishing sounded like a good idea. But when was the last time she fished for her own food? Most likely years. So some refresher tips on how to fish would be good. The smell of the spices and the potatoes being cooked on the stove almost made her mouth salivate. "What if he's cooking risotto? Didn't you tell me once that it was his favorite food?"

"Good point," Lilia replied, his frown lessening but still there, "Though I wish they would've consulted me- I would've come up with ideas if they wanted to do the cooking." Lilia led both of them into the kitchen, where the trio were making food. It looked like Silver was handling the main meal, while Sebek and Malleus aided in the side dishes. "How is everyone?" Lilia asked, masking the displeasure of being unable to cook.

"I understand." Her smile came a little bit late, but it was a little sad that they didn't get to be included in the cooking. To be a part of the cooking process was essential for her lover as it meant that he got to perform one of his many fatherly duties for his family. She surmised that it made him feel important somehow. Stepping inside, she saw the union and cooperativeness of the trio as they handled the meal for tonight. However when Lilia had asked the question, she had almost winced from hearing the displeasure from his voice.

Malleus had just been whisking the sauce when he heard the elder fae's voice. He calmly answered his question, knowing his tone was less than recommended, "We are doing alright. I hope you enjoyed giving Alexandria a tour of the garden." He had kept whisking to make sure that it was not overflowing out of the pot.

"Indeed, giving my dear Alex a tour was of utmost joy... However, do you need any help?" Lilia asked, in an almost helpful tone, "I can help sauté some of the vegetables, if need be?" He stepped closer to assess the situation- but it was difficult with his short stature, so he ended up shifting his position- to that of being upside down. Silver and Sebek seem to have anticipated this however, so they reacted calmly when Lilia glanced downwards towards their cooking.

"We're well, father," Silver said, as he continued cooking the risotto. "Indeed, sir," Sebek replied, though there was a hint of nervousness in his voice, "Silver is a pretty good cook."

Seeing that the gravy was done, Malleus used a little bit of his magic to lower the temperature and then turn it off with a snap of his fingers. The gravy was beefy and dark brown in nature since he had felt the urge to satiate his cravings with some meat. Chiming in, Malleus had then asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice, "Lilia, is there a reason that you wish to help?" Deep down, he knew that there was some kind of motive behind him peering in on them in the kitchen. No, he did not wish to eat the toxic sludge that Lilia calls cooking again. He was fortunate that he had proposed the idea of having the trio cook for the family this time.

"Of course there is a reason why I wish to help!" Lilia says, "I have always cooked for you three, so it is rather odd that you lot do the cooking. I like to cook!"

Silver stealthily hid his cough, "Father, you have cooked for us for many years. I do believe it is time that we repay the favor, no?"

Sebek was quick to agree, "Indeed. You always feed us no matter what, so I think we should show our appreciation!" It was clear that there was a lie of some sort, but Lilia didn't pursue it, instead only sighing, "Well, if that is how you feel. But!" He says louder, "You ought to let me know the next time, so that we all may cook as a family."

"Very well," Silver replied, finishing up with his cooking. The risotto appeared to have a nice texture and it smelled heavenly. "Just about done. Perhaps you could set the table for us, please father?" "Oh, alright..." With a huff, Lilia resumed a normal position, and did as he was asked, laying out the plates and utensils. "Alex, would you like some water?" He inquired, once he was done

Seeing the teal cup of water, they had sat down and had gotten their portion of the food. Sitting next to Lilia and Malleus, they had observed the way that their lover had set up the silverware. It was rearranged from largest to smallest. Basic, yet effective on Lilia's part. Since she was taller (as well as Malleus), she had grabbed just an average portion for herself. After all, there was plenty to go around just in case anyone wanted to get seconds. As for Malleus, he would get the most since he was (obviously) the tallest one in the cottage. However, he had gotten slightly less than he would normally get. It was not because he wasn't hungry. Something was just on his mind so he didn't want to spend all of his time eating. Once Lilia had given the word to dig in, silverware had sliced and dug into the food by their owners. Alex would try each of the dishes before deciding which dish she would like to finish first. Amazingly enough, it would be the risotto since she normally loved chicken to begin with.

It took a while for dinner to be completed, Lilia taking the lead of the conversation. It ranged from small topics from about the knight training that both Sebek and Silver had to endure, in order to be guards for Malleus, to bigger ones in regards to the politics about the Fae Court- but nothing too major- just simply gossip, such as how one family had obtained some of the human technology, and how another family had been vying for the newest fashion trends.

Perhaps an hour had passed when it was all said and done, Silver and Sebek taking it upon themselves to clean the kitchen of its dishes and the table. "There is no technology here," Lilia said, almost rather melancholy, "A shame. But we do have books and board games, should you want to play, love." The time would have been good for him to play his video games- regardless of how good he was. It was one of the few things he had missed from attending Night Raven.

Throughout the dinner, Alexandria found that she was out of touch with the topics of discussion. The only thing she could do was silently eat her dinner. Besides, the chicken was baked to perfection with a slight hint of sourness from the lemon and the risotto was a bit cheesy and creamy. Both of those were perfect for her. Light, yet so savory and filling. However, the topic of a family vying for the latest fashions, another one getting human technology, and the politics had intrigued her. So much so that she planned on asking Lilia about this during their time alone. If Malleus wished to join them, then she wouldn't mind. Pushing her chair back, she then stood up to give the knights her dishes. Now following them, she went into the kitchen herself to get some more water for herself. With no technology, she finally felt like she was at home! Well, almost. "We could play a board games with each other. If they wish, Silver, Sebek or Malleus could join us. It would be fun after all to see what they have to show," She suggested, wanting to see just how much skill Lilia had retained during his time at Night Raven.

"That is a good idea," Lilia responds, "I'll have to check to see what we have in store, just a moment." Lilia disappeared, and after a few minutes he reappeared with numerous boxes, some having the Briar Valley feel, while others were notably not from here. The foreign ones had titles- some oddly titled "Unopoly" or "Snakes and Slides", while there were recognizable ones from Briar Valley- those being the deck of cards, and what seemed to be chess and mancala. "We have many options, as you can see," Lilia says as he sets the boxes onto the living room table, "There wasn't much to do during free time so we went and bought a variety of board games, some evidently not from here- I think they're from the Pyroxene."

"We should've bought more when we were in Night Raven," Silver comments, "I think Sam's shop had all sorts from all over. I think I saw one from the Sunset Savana- something about lions exploding things? I can't quite remember."

"I think that was Bombtastic Felines," Sebek replies, "I played it once with Ruggie when the teacher allowed for free time. I recall that, while it was created in Sunset Savana, the Crown over there didn't take too kindly about it, so they're forced to sell outside." "Interesting," Lilia says, "A shame we didn't get the game." He looks over to Alex, and asks, "Which game would you like to play, love?"

Some of these board games were recognizable to them, but some weren't. Snakes and Slides was a classic one that she had managed to win a few times before a certain someone obliterated her record. Alex was still a bit pouty over that shattering defeat. But all's fair in love and war, yes? Looking over her shoulder, she then asked the Prince if he would like to play some board games with them. "I'm afraid not. I have some things to think over unfortunately. I will have to do so another time." His rejection was swift as the wind, his heel turned to leave the living room. There would be too much noise for him to think properly in the living room. So he had to settle for his bedroom. Turning her head back towards Lilia, she sighed. "Malleus will not be joining us tonight," Her voice held concern within it. Ever since the elder fae had told her about Malleus having to take the throne and crown as the King of the Valley of Thorns, the back of her mind was occupied with nothing but endless possibilities with nothing in sight. How was that going to go? Whatever his destiny may be after becoming King, they would all be there for him. Just... Never mind. It was too soon to be thinking about that. His question had snapped her out of her thoughts once again. It was rather alarming with the amount of times that she let her mind wander astray now. "Oh.. Well, I'd personally like to see us play Snakes and Slides. I still have to beat your record, Lilia."

"Snakes and Slides," Lilia repeats, "Silver, Sebek, will you join us?"

"I think I'll pass, sir," Sebek replies, glancing at Malleus as the Prince left, "I would like to attend to other matters. Should I have time, and you guys are still playing, then I'll reconsider."

"I'll play," Silver says, "It's been awhile since I've last played Snakes and Slides, especially against Father." There was a gleam in his eye, a silent determination.

"Alright then," Lilia replies, "Good luck with your matters, Sebek. Silver, I do expect you to give your all."

Sebek nods, and takes his leave, likely going towards Malleus' room to see if he could be of any aid. Silver, on the other hand, took a seat on the chair, picking out Snakes and Slides from the various amount of board games With all the other games now off the table with only Snakes and Slides remaining, Silver only says, "Let's begin."

Meanwhile, Malleus had approached his room, his mind in a state of worry. Ever since coming back to the Valley of thorns, his anxiety with taking the crown was all he could think about. Even if it wasn't in the front of his mind, it was somewhere in the back. The draconic fae knew that the time drew near for him to take the throne as his birthright. But he didn't anticipate that it was going to be this soon. It was... It was too early for him to be taking the throne like this. His grandmother had rules for several centuries beforehand and ruled the land as well as she could have. Her legacy... It was expansive to say the least. What was he going to do with that? Was he going to go down in history as some tyrant who ruled with an iron fist? A ruler that the people of Briar Valley feared and openly scorned? They were already afraid of him and he didn't want to push it any further. Gripping the doorknob, he soon opened the door and let himself in, leaving a crack to let the room ventilate. Malleus Draconia had studied for many years, learning about the laws of his homeland and the history behind it. At times, it was almost too much for him. But he managed to push through it and become something more. Hell, he was one of the most powerful mages in all of Twisted Wonderland! That just meant that there was so much at stake... What was he to do? For the first time, he struggled slightly to swallow his saliva as he made his way to his bookshelf to grab one of the books that Lilia had gifted to him long ago. Maybe now it would come in handy.

It took Sebek a few minutes to catch up to Malleus. He knocked quietly on his dorm, unsure if Malleus would even allow him it, should he want to be completely alone. If he could, Sebek wanted to provide some aid to Malleus, no matter how small. "Young Master?" Sebek quietly says, not sure if his voice could be carried through the hardwood, "It's Sebek. May I enter, for just a moment?"

Meanwhile, with the trio in the living room, the game was well underway, already bringing out the competitive nature of its participants.

Just as he was about to open the book, he heard a quiet knock on his door. The person announced themself as Sebek. Recognizing the voice, he spoke up, "You may come in, Sebek." No matter who came in tonight, the Prince appreciated them nonetheless. It was times like this where he did need to have someone help him with his worries. "What do you need," The Prince asked, furrowing an eyebrow at the young knight. Sebek wasn't known to come into his room without a rhyme or reason.

At the same time, Alexandria became stumped almost immediately. That was the consequence of not having played the game in a while. Once she ended up losing, she asked Silver to "avenge her".

"I simply wanted to check up on you, young master," Sebek says, as he enters the room. "You seemed deep in thought, so I thought that perhaps it would be best if I checked in on you. It is always easier to share the burden, sir. It's what Sir Lilia taught us, was it not?" Sebek was nervous- he didn't know if his words would bring any ease of mind to Malleus, but surely it wouldn't hurt.... right?

In the meanwhile, Silver replied to Alex's request of revenge with a simple nod, and doubled down on his efforts against his foster father.

"Yes, that is true, Sebek," Malleus replied to the young knight. Clearing his throat, he then continued, "There's no need to be nervous, Sebek. You may have a seat if you wish," He finished, gesturing to a chair he had in his room. In the background, he could hear the game becoming more serious as the lady in the group easily lost to his caretaker. Lilia was always a professional when it came to these types of games. To be frank, he never knew how he managed it.

Sebek took a seat on Malleus' chair, and asked again, "So, is everything alright, young master?" Sebek realized that he may be pushing it, so he backtracks, "If you don't want to share, then so be it. I just think it was a good idea, that's all." In the meanwhile, Lilia felt triumphant, pleased that he won another game. He felt a slight pity that his beloved and his foster son couldn't win, but that feeling went away quickly enough. "Another game?" He asks, with a slight smirk. Silver let out a slight groan.

The horned fae understood Sebek's nervousness when communicating with him. But sometimes he wished that the young knight would just relax a little bit. All there was for the next two minutes was complete and utter silence. Malleus just needed to get his thoughts together so that he could speak about them in a concise manner to Sebek. There was nothing wrong with him asking. Clearing his throat, his lips parted to speak, "It is... It is of great importance to me and I wish not to speak of it while the others are on this floor with us. Come," With that, he marched out of the room and into the hallway to the left of the kitchen. There was something that he thought Sebek was now ready to see. After all, it was a part of why he had been so deep in thought.

Alex sighed deeply as she had resigned to playing another board game with her treasure and Silver. However she would set this condition, "Only if Silver and I get to pick the next games and go first." The game that would be chosen was Unopoly. Tedious? Yes. Time consuming? Also yes. Winnable? Possibly. She was willing to take the risk in order to see Lilia Vanrouge finally lose at a game.

"Alright," Sebek quietly said, following Malleus. He pondered whatever it could be that Malleus wanted to show him- a bubbling excitement in his stomach- wondering what may lay in store for him. It seemed like whatever it was that Malleus was both going to tell and show him was of utmost importance, which meant that it would require his utmost attention to the matter. Sebek just hoped that he would be the best man to listen to the young master's worries.

"Unopoly?" Lilia smiled with glee, knowing it was a game that he has never lost once in, "What a great choice. I do hope you'll be able to defeat me, kindred."

"It will be a long game, father," Silver replies, "I am your son, so therefore I know your moves." "But is that enough?" Lilia replies, "Either way, this will be an enjoyable game."

It was finally time. After so long of hiding his office from Silver and Sebek, one of them was going to accompany him upstairs. After reaching a particular spot in the hallway, he began mumbling a spell while performing it with his fingers. A little bit later, the hallway wall had disappeared, instead revealing stairs in its place. "Follow me," Malleus almost commanded, walking upstairs while expecting the young knight to do as he said. If he were to know what was truly going on, then he would need to go back to the time when the Queen first ruled. Downstairs, she was filled with a newfound determination as she declared, "I believe that either Silver or I will be able to defeat you, mi amor. Are you ready to taste it, Lilia?"

Sebek stared in awe- taking note of the spell and location of the hidden passage. Had he been an observant lad, perhaps he would have noticed how the wall was ever so slightly different in that area, or how the wall was ever so slightly pushed more to the front than the rest of the wall. Sebek followed Malleus through the staircase. It was odd going through it- he had resided and visited this particular cottage for so long, and yet, he never knew such a place existed in the cottage. It must have been the work of powerful magic artifacts and items- for there was no way such an assuming cottage would contain all this hidden space. Sebek always questioned location and reasoning for the cottage, but he always pushed them to the back of his mind, in favor of playing with Silver and training to be a Knight of good standing- after all, only the best of the best could stand next to the young master.

"I'm ever so ready to taste defeat," Lilia smugly replied, "But I doubt I'll be tasting it sometime soon." Silver pulled out Unopoly, replacing Snakes and Slides. In a low tone, staring right at his father, he says, "Let us begin this new match. May the best player win."

Once he was at the top of the stairs with the young knight behind him, Malleus sauntered straight to the office door with his name imprinted in the ancient fae language. Opening the door, he had gone inside first and sat in his office chair before letting Sebek in. The chair was made of fine leather, polished to a shine and easy to sit in and relax. His desk was fully polished to a T and was organized as if he had left it like that to begin with. He reached for the book, grabbing it and then opening it. "Sebek. What you are about to see here is the history of the Queen and when she had first ruled. Are you truly ready to begin?" The horned dragon fae asked, staring holes into the toxic green haired half-fae's soul.

While downstairs, the trio were getting everything set up with them putting the bills into the appropriate slots, setting the decks in their proper place and then choosing their miniature that they would play as. She saw that Silver had picked an animal one as she picked a thimble. What would Lilia pick? Who knows? Once they had picked their characters, the dice was rolled to see who went first. Alex had rolled a 4 while Silver rolled a 5.

"I am ready," Sebek replied, his breath starting to shake. He was realizing just how quite serious this was the moment he entered Malleus' room. Sebek had never really gotten the chance to delve into the detailed parts of the Queen's current rule and history, only enough to know the general and most important of events.

Lilia did his roll, earning a measly 3. But he didn't let that deter him, however, eyeing as to how his beloved Alex and Silver reacted. Even if Lilia had a belated start, he will catch up in the end, and ultimately win. For that is how fate intends it to be.

Malleus Draconia nodded as he had turned the pages, leaving no detail unturned to Sebek. This lesson was going to be intense and long. It was of the Queen's early life, her teen years, and then when she had ascended the throne. The laws that were being put into place had benefited many of the citizens, fae and humans alike along with other minorities of the Briar Valley. For many years, there had been peace and prosperity until something horrid had triggered the ire of the humans. With that, came the war of faes against humans. From there, there was an extensive and detailed history of the Queen's life after the war. After the lessons that covered several books into one, Malleus had finally closed it and put it back on the table. "The reason I brought you up here and told you of this is because... I have to ascend the throne. My Grandmother is no longer the ruler. I have to go back to Briar Valley soon and ascend the throne as the next ruler. I am, as the children of men would put it, afraid. Afraid of having to carry on my Grandmother's legacy."

Even though he had gotten a terrible roll at the start, she knew of Lilia's luck and how legendary it was when it came to this. So Alex wasn't about to let her guard down. Silver was a little bit more confident, judging by the twinkle in his eyes. But he was good at masking his emotions, so almost no one would guess his true feelings. Once she had taken her long and bought the property associated with the spot she was on, it was Silver's turn. He ended up getting a chance card that had granted about $20 of extra currency.

"Is that so?" Sebek says, unsure of what to say, "I cannot imagine the weight of responsibility sir." He carefully thought out his next words, "Young master, should you ever need anything, you only need to ask of us. I don't think Sir Lilia or Silver would mind much. Also, I do believe you're going to be a capable ruler like your grandmother, and that she and Lilia will be proud of you no matter what. At the very least, that is my opinion."

But Lilia's good luck always won in the end, no matter what- after all, it is what aided him during the wars. Lilia managed to get a few properties, earning money from them. Once the ball got rolling, it was difficult to stop it.

A small smile graced his painted lips as he uttered his thanks, grateful to have his family with him. "You truly do not know just how much that makes me happy. Thank you again, Sebek." Now standing up from his chair, he asked the young knight if he was still willing to be a guard of his until the end of his days. From now on, it was going to be more difficult and even deadly to be a knight now that he was going to soon ascend the throne. Answer or no answer, this was going to be the first and only time he asked him this. Malleus needed to know who he could trust to remain loyal to him if he were ever to get hurt in the future or now. His grandmother was quite legendary in the history of Twisted Wonderland for her intimidating demeanor and mysterious demeanor. He was no different from her in that aspect.

Soon enough, it had become a few monopolies. Alex was becoming more desperate as Silver was still dead set on defeating his father. Even as they were on the losing end, they would not go down without a fight. But all was for naught as Lilia Vanrouge won yet again with both Silver and Alex scraping up all that was left. However, not even a crumb of those properties were to belong to them. Silver sighed through his nostrils, head bowed in defeat as the immortal human huffed and pouted at her kindred. "I feel as though you cheat. How else would you win so many times," Alex huffed and puffed in a half joking manner, annoyed that she had lost another game. It was just in her nature to be competitive.

"I will be there for you, young master. I will not have it any other way," Sebek got up and kneels, as a knight would. "I shall be your knight until my body can no longer fight, and should you outlast me, I'll make sure that someone suitable will take my place." There was no sword, so it wasn't an official knighting ceremony, but with the conviction in Sebek's voice, it may as well have been.

-Lilia could barely stifle his laugh, "Me? Cheat? Never- and you know the fae cannot outright lie." The old fae exhaled, calming himself down from the adrenaline of victory- no matter how many times he wins, the taste of victory is always so sweet and welcomed. "It is simply Fate that allows me to win so many times," he says so smugly- though whether or not that's true, no one knows. Only the old fae knew why he won so many times- but perhaps he did not- for it really was just anyone's guess at this point as to how he obtains victory so easily.

Nodding, Malleus turned his heel and began to leave the room. Sebek's words have reinvigorated some of his self-confidence. Hearing the young knight's steps behind him, the Prince had left the room and headed for the stairs. He just hoped that Sebek would retain all of this information in his mind. It was quite a considerably long lesson. Once he had reached the last step, the long horned fae had stopped to wait on Sebek.

Alexandria knew well that the fae were never able to lie. But her trivial annoyance and pettiness at him winning every single game was justified. At least in her mind. All Silver could do was sigh softly, fingertips on his forehead at them suffering utter defeat at the hands of his father. He swore that they would win and yet the exact opposite happened. Him laughing at their loss was bruising to the ego as well. "There's no need to rub salt in the wound, Lilia..." She remarked upon seeing him catch his breath.

It didn't take Sebek too long to reach Malleus, considering how close in height he was to the draconic fae. He was still processing all the information in- the entire history of the current queen's life, the most important parts of it- but the most important, being the fact that Malleus was soon going to inherit the throne. Sebek already gave Malleus his undying loyalty and fealty, but sooner or later, he will have to follow through the customs of a true knighting ceremony in order to publicly display his loyalty.

And Sebek was prepared for that- he was not a liar, much less a traitor.

"Apologies, love," Lilia, "Perhaps things would be different should there be teams, instead of one versus one." He glances at the other games, and as much as he would have liked to continue playing and winning, he would only bring the morale down of his kindred. "Should we end it here?" Silver asks, hiding how disappointed in himself. The only sign that betrayed his otherwise calm exterior was his clenched fists, his knuckles turning white.

It was absolutely silly of her to be irritated with the vampiric fae for winning so many board games in a row (it was only two, but still!), but it was her own fault in the end for betting this on herself and Silver. Looking over at Silver, she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We probably should," She replied, overhearing two pairs of feet coming downstairs. The pairs of feet had gotten closer and closer as they approached the living room. With Malleus in front and Sebek at tow, the pair had entered the living room looking a bit exhausted. However, Malleus looked more relieved to have at least told someone of his troubles and that it was a family member he told them to. It would be about time to tell Silver of this as well so that he was in the loop about everything.

Just by clearing his throat, Malleus had commanded that the room go silent. An announcement? Once the room had fallen into complete and utter silence, Malleus began to speak, "As we all know, the Queen is gone. I, Malleus Draconia, will be ascending the throne as the new King of the Valley of Thorns. I just ask one thing from all of you. That you swear your allegiance and your loyalty to me until the very end of your days." He just needed to know who all he could trust in these trying times. After all, there were going to be many attempts on his life from now on. His Grandmother did all she could to protect her family as well as the heir. But with only him left to take up the throne, it was his duty to uphold the traditions, culture, and laws of the land. To hear his peoples' struggles. To make things right.

"Of course," Lilia immediately replied, "I have always been loyal to you Malleus, and to your grandmother. I still have some time left, and should the Great Seven will it, perhaps I'll last long enough until the end of your days, dear Malleus."

Silver stood up, and bowed, "I, too, swear my loyalty. I may not live as long as the others, but as the others, I do promise that I shall be in your care until my last breath."

Sebek stood behind Malleus, standing straight and proper, with a serious face. His eyes glowed however, betraying how sentimental he was getting. "We," Lilia gestured to everyone in the room, "Shall always support you, Malleus. King or not."

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