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ericjuneau · 7 years

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Reprise (Epilogue) [Frozen/Tangled/The Little Mermaid]

EPILOGUE

Elsa's return to Arendelle met with great celebration. Kristoff, Anna, and Olaf had organized it. They knew something good had happened when the clouds folded and crinkled from the sun's gentle burn.

Elsa met them at the dock, where the Barefoot Maiden lay in repose. Anna couldn't stop hugging her sister.

The royal guards cleared a path for the carriage to take them to the castle. Without it, the citizens would have mobbed their queen in celebration. Instead, they traveled behind the cart, singing songs of victory.

Elsa looked out the window at Arendelle. The sky was still a bleak and dismal slate, though that was typical for the time of year. The grass remained woody and the misty air smelled stagnant. There should have been crocuses and tulips blooming by now. Anyone visiting Arendelle would find a depressing place to be sure.

The podium Ansel had once used to address the citizens remained in front of the castle doors. Elsa took her place behind it, with Kristoff, Anna, and Olaf at her side. She waited for the citizens to finish gathering before she spoke.

"Citizens of Arendelle. I'm happy to announce that our nightmare appears to be over. The magic that brought forth this terrible climate has been destroyed."

The crowd roared in applause.

"Unfortunately, there is no magic to aid our recovery. It will take hard work, but we will bring back summer. This means there are hard times ahead. Our farmland is devastated. Our crops are in blight. I'm afraid we must prepare to suffer through another year of hardship."

Elsa had never felt the mood of a crowd before. When people talked about sensing energy from a massive group of people, she thought it was nonsense. But for the first time, some sixth sense recognized the dismay in the atmosphere.

"However we will have help. We have new alliances. Corona has pledged to give its support--in a non-military fashion," she added as an aside. "We will get through this. And I will be behind you all the way."

Now the crowd seemed confused. Kristoff twisted his face quizzically.

"Someone once told me that... there are some people worth melting for," she said to the throngs. "I think there are some people worth freezing for too. I give this pledge to you now: I am not going anywhere. Though I don't always show it, I love being your queen. I love this kingdom. I love the people in it, no matter what they say. Whisper and gossip in taverns if you want, I won't leave you. Not ever."

And Elsa kept her word. She was behind every citizen's back. Shoveling, carting, cobbling, smithing, farming, harvesting, ranching, even baking. She renovated the plumbing system, all pipes having been destroyed from freezing. She created oxplows from ice, taking time to craft the blade to utmost sharpness. She created a thin coating of snow all around the pastures--the meltwater would encourage sprouting.

In fall, the grass was green again, the livestock was healthy and back on their ranches. The white duck in the courtyard pond even had a fresh batch of fuzzy yellow chicks dashing after it. Elsa noticed this in the garden, during Arendelle Castle's First Annual Children's Tea Party.

When she announced the event, she told Anna "this is the hardest thing I'll ever have to do." It was one thing to be Arendelle's queen. But if she spent all her time holed up in the council chambers, she would never be Arendelle's leader.

"Mmm," Elsa said, sipping from a teacup. She was sitting on the grass, dress spread out, addressing a five-year-old with braided pigtails. The party was wrapping up, but Elsa wanted to make sure she met all the guests she could. "Are you having fun?"

"I don't like tea. It tastes like dirty water," the little girl said.

"I didn't like tea until I was older," Elsa said.

"I like the cookies though. When I play tea party at home, I have to use rocks for cookies. This is different than my tea parties. I have to do friendly smiling here. And my mom said not to run around like a maniac."

Elsa glanced at two squealing boys chasing each other by the pond. "I think if you wanted to run around, no one would mind."

"Is your army run by a giant snow monster?"

"Er... what?"

"I know you got Olaf. But do you have a giant snowman too? In your ice castle? Is he, like, the head of your guards? Do you send people you don't like up there and the snowman eats them?"

Elsa searched her mind for a wise response. "No. He stays up there. Guards it, keeps it tidy. He's not really mean. In fact," she leaned in. "His name's Marshmallow."

The little girl giggled, rolling back on her rump. "That's a funny name."

"Hey, Elsa." Anna stepped up to them, wearing the green and black velvet dress that matched the courtyard garden.

"Excuse me one minute. Princess business," Elsa said to the girl as she stood up.

"I understand," the little girl said.

The two sisters stepped to the side. "Is everything going okay? Everyone's having a good time?" Elsa asked.

"They're having a great time," Anna said, surprised she asked. "This was a great idea. No one can stop talking about it. Just look at Olaf."

She pointed to the other side of the grove. Three boys were juggling the snowman's body parts between them. Olaf yipped in delight. "Whoa... wahoo... yippee... the world is spinning..."

"I've got to say, I never expected this from you," Anna said. "And you were the one to suggest it."

"There's not much point to opening up the gates if people don't want to go inside. The castle doors could be wide open. It doesn't matter unless I keep my heart open too."

Anna smiled. "Anyway, you wanted me to tell you when it was five o'clock. And... it's five o'clock."

"Oh!" Elsa squealed. The tea party was scheduled to end half an hour ago, but she'd been having so much fun. She turned to the little girl. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Aw, but we just started," she whined. "I wanted to have tea with a queen."

Anna stepped forward. "I can take her place. I'm her sister, Princess Anna."

"Yay! A princess. That's even better!"

Anna gave Elsa a sly smile. Elsa rolled her eyes, then walked away.

"Oh, Elsa," Anna called out. "You will tell me who you're seeing one of these days, right?"

"Who said I'm seeing anyone?" Elsa shrugged. Before Anna could ask anything else, she dashed out of earshot.

"Right," Anna said. She clinked her cup with the little girl.

Elsa ran behind the trees through the grove, peeling away her garrish decorations--the tiara, the bracelets, earrings, necklace. The courtyard's back wall abutted the shoals Arendelle Castle was built on. In its center was a postern--a back way. It was usually locked, but Elsa, being the queen, had asked for and received the key. She slipped through the gate at the same time slipping out of her fancy shoes.

Salty sea-spray kissed her face from the waves striking the rocks. She took a moment to breathe it in, then let out her tight hair bun. The soothing wind played with French braid like an animal's tail.

She stepped gingerly down the rough rocks to the water's edge. A man's head broke the surface.

"Hi," Gil said. He smoothed back his slick wet hair.

"Hi," Elsa said dreamily. She sat on a flattish rock close to him, hugging her knees. "Sorry I'm late. I just got done with the tea party."

"You're not late," Gil said. "How was it?"

"Good. The kids loved it. I might do it again next month too."

Gil pulled out a box from beneath the surface. "Here. I made you a birthday present."

Elsa accepted it, saying "But it's not my birthday."

"I know. But you didn't tell me when it was, so I guessed. Looks like I guessed wrong."

Elsa laughed. "At least you were bold enough to try."

"I only had a chance of one out of three hundred and sixty-five after all."

Elsa undid the seaweed ribbon. Inside the box was a necklace made of tropical cerith and horn shells. "Oh, it's beautiful. There's nothing like this in Arendelle seas." She attached it around her neck. "I'm quite sure I'll be the only one around with this kind of necklace."

"What if they ask you where you got it?"

"I'll tell the truth," Elsa said. "A handsome man gave it to me."

Gil smirked. "Well, half a man."

Elsa smiled. Twice the man of many. "I have a gift for you too."

"It's not my birthday, either," Gil said.

"No, it's not a birthday gift. It's something I meant to give you before."

She leaned down, placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him. Gil rose out of the water and kissed her back.

"You couldn't find a way to cut it?" the King Frederic asked, equal parts resigned and disappointed.

"No... Well," Rapunzel reconsidered. "I did, but... no. I think it's better this way. Better than the alternatives were."

Rapunzel waited for her parents or Flynn to respond. They had made their greetings and hugs down at the docks. Then again in the village, again at the castle entrance, and several times more just now in the conference room.

"Better this way?" the Queen asked. "What do you mean?"

"I think it sends a message to the people of Corona. A message of hope. That even if the past may be inescapable, there is always hope for the future."

The king and queen didn't know how to respond to that. But Flynn did. "What about all the low-lifes and thugs? People from miles around are going to want that hair. Everyone from warring kingdoms to kidnappers. How are you going to stay safe?"

"I thought you already knew. You got my message, right?" Rapunzel said. "I can't remember when I sent it. The past week's just been a blur."

"Yes, of course. We did everything you said. He's waiting in the dungeon. It was no easy task to get-"

Rapunzel stood up. "What? You put him in the dungeon?"

The King held up his hands. "He asked to be put there. He said it was the only place he felt comfortable."

"Oh." Rapunzel looked down.

"Should we send a page to go and fetch him?" Queen Arianna asked.

"No. I'll do it," Rapunzel said.

"We'll be here," the king said, cradling his arm around the queen.

Rapunzel and Flynn left the conference room and descended a spiral staircase. The castle lay on a foundation of sand-colored bricks, not gray. That, plus the east-facing windows, helped the dungeon from seeming too gloomy.

Each cell had a barred door, but all the ones Rapunzel could see were empty. Which meant he was in the last one, at the darkest part of the hall.

"Can you wait here for me?" she whispered to Flynn, grasping his hand. "He's probably scared enough as it is."

Flynn nodded.

Rapunzel walked all the way to the last cell. There he sat on the bench. The door was unlocked.

"Hello, princess," Omis Ravir said. "How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine. How are you?" Rapunzel asked.

"I'm fine." Ravir's gaze fixed on the floor. "Nervous."

"No one gave you any trouble, did they?"

"No. But I'm still not sure this is a good idea. My appearance..."

"I don't care about your appearance. And neither will anyone else. I promise. It's going to take some time to ease back into the world. I know. I had to do it myself."

"But you must understand my terms. I won't be seen."

"If you don't want to, you don't have to be. In fact, it's better if you're not. But..." Rapunzel held up a finger. "You'll still be considered a member of the royal guard. Keeping the princess protected is a tough duty. You're the only one for miles around that could do it. That's a high honor. In fact, we already prepared a welcome feast for you."

"A feast?" Ravir asked.

"Mm-hm. Roast pork and cinnamon sauce. Chicken pie with turnip and carrots. Cucumber salad and spiced squash. And chef makes these apple tarts with whipped cream that are delicious."

"I don't remember the last time I ate," Ravir said. "It's been decades."

"Oh. Then maybe we'll just start with some bread."

Rapunzel held out her hand through the door. Ravir looked at it with his yellow eyes. He reached out and put his clawed hand in her soft pink one.

The first thing that Ariel did was hug Eric. Then she hugged him again. And again. And again.

They took it slow. Five days passed before the couple left the castle. It was like a second honeymoon. And with the war over, they had the time to spend.

They shared parts of each other. Parts as ugly as groupers and beautiful as angelfish. Parts they had hidden too long. When they emerged, they emerged holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes.

When Eric returned to the kingdom, he was immediately arrested. The royal guard sent him to trial, charged with treason. He was led in handcuffs to the parliamentary court. Seven lords and three sub-judges from the surrounding villages assembled on a high platform semi-circle. Eric stood in the lonely booth for the accused. On a podium sat the book of law for him to consult, but he did not need it.

Eric's explanation of what happened took an entire day with the council's interruptions for questions and clarifications. Each evening, they sent him back to the gaols while other witnesses and lawyers made their case. But by the end of Eric's deposition, their patience grew short. They began waving off sidebars and arbitrarily sustaining objections.

When the trial was over, the councilors returned their verdict. There could be no doubt in what Eric's actions were--half the kingdom was a witness. And both Eric's account and the evidence proved that he acted with free will, without any coercion. Guilty. No doubt about it, reasonable or otherwise.

His punishment? Tell everyone that he was sorry.

The captain of the guards roiled. He demanded exile, capital punishment, or something equally severe. He disavowed the judge's authority, tried bargaining with council. But the verdict had been made--the verdict the prosecution wanted. And the sentence had already been carried out.

In their final statement, the judges declared that Eric's actions were most definitely treacherous. But once Eric explained his motivation, they were justifiable. The head judge declared that any man or woman worth his character should have done the same thing. When the royal guard heard that, he rescinded his challenge, although he still grumbled about it.

Eric's first act, once he was back in power, was to withdraw from the war. He recalled his ships and support, ignoring any messages or questions from fellow countries, be they ally or enemy. The people backed his decisions, especially when word of Arendelle's situation reached them.

When Ariel returned, the town was still jubilating the end to the war. Each day a new ship returned, bringing someone's father or brother back home.

One of the last things she told Eric before they came out was "I want to make an announcement to the people. Can you arrange that?"

Eric was surprised. She'd never wanted to do that before. "Sure. The official celebration ends next week, when we sign the formal declaration of departure. You could do it then."

"Good," Ariel nodded.

"Can you tell me what it's about?" Eric asked.

Ariel sighed. "I'm not even sure myself."

Days later, the kingdom gathered on the streets. Streamers and confetti flew from windows. Husbands in woolen outfits embraced their wives on the docks as inert warships patrolled the harbor.

Eric stood on the balcony of his castle, overlooking the kingdom. Down below, the crowd was so large it flowed beyond the gates. After he signed the document held up by the minister of war (and the crowd had finished cheering), Ariel came out.

She wore the most formal gown Eric had ever seen--a conservative black dress with tight bodice and paisley trim. After Eric finished goggling, he stepped aside to let her take his place. The crowd whispered to each other, unsure of what was to next. They'd never seen the prince's wife so prim and droll.

"Good people," she declared. "I am not much of a speech-maker. I'm not good with my words. So I'll keep this brief. I know... that I haven't been the best of rulers. I've made some decisions... or influenced others to make decisions that weakened the kingdom. Selfish decisions, careless decisions. That's because I have been living a dual life."

Eric's eyes shot open. Now he knew exactly what her speech was about. And he was frightened.

"As some of you might know, I came to this kingdom under mysterious circumstances. No country, no family background, no dowry. Well, there is reason for that. Up until a year ago, I was a mermaid."

The crowd burbled with surprise, disbelief, laughter, and dubiety.

"More than just a mermaid," Ariel continued. "I was princess of a kingdom called Atlantica, the greatest in all the ocean. I fell in love with a human and, through magic, became what I am today." She paused to let the crowd absorb this. "But that is part of my past. The past is part of who I am and what I will be. And what I will be is queen. Queen of both this land and ocean."

Ariel reached behind her and pulled out her trident. Eric hadn't even seen her carrying it. The gold partisan gleamed.

"This is the trident. It's a weapon forged by the first gods and proof of my birthright. It can only be wielded by the true ruler of the seven seas."

She held it aloft. It began to make a harmonic magical thrum.

"With it, and my coronation, I declare this kingdom part of Atlantica. And Atlantica part of this kingdom. You are all now citizens under both. I will make my decisions and actions in the best interest of both. And any I made in the past that weren't, I will take back."

Now the crowd, unsure of where all this was going, began to come around. The once angrily-toned chatter began to lighten with acceptance.

Ariel looked back at Eric, who had a smile on his face. He approved. They'd work out all the logistics later, but for now, he saw the kingdom becoming stronger. Just like they were stronger.

She turned back to the crowd. "I can't ignore my people any longer. Either of them. Because I belong to both. As do all of you. And I hope... no, I am pleased that you are all now part of my world."

#END#

#Elsa #Rapunzel #Ariel #Frozen #Tangled #The Little Mermaid #fan fic #fanfic #fanfiction #fan fiction #Disney #Princess #Disney Princess #crossover #Reprise

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice" Chapter 7

Hello readers!

A few things first before we dive into the very intense chapter that is Numbah 7:

First of all, I've been hearing all the buzz about Diasomnia Part 3 dropping tomorrow on the JP server. Congrats to all my fellow TWST fans who can actually read/understand Japanese lol. Speaking of our final boss dorm - my poll for the possible third Sacred Crown, decided by YOU, story is up for another three days. Tell yo friends, pass it on, and please vote.

Second of all, this chapter legitimately has a trigger warning for violence, abuse, character death and the Tweels going feral...all the fish bones lol. You have been warned.

And lastly (cuz I'm working another 10 shift tomorrow), Happy Birthday to @nuitthegoddess's OC, Aurelian Hawthorne. I hope your boyfriend makes it out of the Blot-o-Sphere and everyone can laugh about this later lol.

Chapter 7: Daughters and Sons

The evening had been fairly calm on the walk back to the tunnel hub. Azul ignored the odd looks he got for walking alongside Elise in a ‘human suit’ as she gently floated through the water next to him. Yes, it was a little more difficult to move in this form but he always felt so uncomfortable in his octopus form…which, looking at the current situation, Azul now felt a bit ridiculous feeling that way but old habits die hard! The princess didn’t seem all that bothered by it. She was too busy fluttering her tentacles through the water, softly propelling herself through the water with a look of pride at her progress. Any time she ended up jetting ahead at a suddenly faster pace, she’d always float down to the sandy ground and wait for Azul to catch up, grinning at him the whole time like an excited child. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Azul couldn’t bear to hide his own smile. “You’re taking to this form very well, Your Highness. Most humans would be pretty clumsy with it, barely able to figure out up from d…d-down…” Before Azul could properly finish his words, Elise playfully swam above him and turned herself upside down, nearly making the boy walk his face right into hers. She had never gotten that good of a look at Azul’s eyes before. For one thing, he was always hiding them behind those glasses. But now that she was up close, she could see they weren’t just blue: his nervous eyes were greyish-blue, like a stormy sky. They almost had an icy sheen to them. They were more than beautiful. Azul was just as ensnared by hers. “Your Highness,” he murmured quietly in such close proximity, “Were your eyes always that bright…?”

Elise's deep blue-black hair framed her face in fluttering waves as she slowly shook her head with a coy grin. She realized how close in proximity they were to each other one heartbeat later. That same feeling Elise felt before started to buzz in her chest as she turns herself right side up again. She felt a bit dizzy...fizzy...and a bit self-conscious. Azul cleared his throat without much success before walking ahead, "It's getting late, I better get you back to the Leech's, or Mother will have my hide."

Elise giggled to herself as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and continued to follow behind Azul. Even if she could speak, Elise was too kind to tease the poor boy any further lest the tips of his ears grow an even darker shade of pink.

Once they reached the hub, Azul stopped at the main entrance. Unfortunately, he couldn't navigate the maze of tunnels very well in his human form which irked him greatly. Elise could see the hint of frustration on the boy's face and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before gesturing that she could make the last leg of the journey on her own. Azul felt conflicted over the notion of leaving the princess alone. The ocean in general was a dangerous place and leaving a non-native all alone could be disastrous. On the other hand...she didn't seem to need his help. In fact, any amount of help he had tried to give her since they all began just ended up in failure over and over again. Azul suddenly felt like a cold lump of lead had fallen into his gut. Elise furrowed her brow as she watched an invisible maelstrom from behind his distant gaze. Azul Ashengrotto seemed, in Elise's experience at least, to have different faces: the first and most common was his charm and suave ambition that he had at the ready in most cases when he was coming up with an idea or pursuing something and then the second, more secretive face...this one he wore right now. It would sometimes surface and then wash away as quickly as seafoam pushed onto the shore.

Azul's eyes lit back up as the princess' soft touch on his arm anchored him back into the present. His first face was suddenly thrown on and locked in place, "Ah, forgive me, Your Highness. My thoughts seemed to drift away there for a moment. You're sure you will be alright going on alone?"

Elise nodded and scribbled a quick note in the sand with one of her tentacles, 'Jade and Floyd showed me the way'

The octopus boy crossed his arms with an annoyed expression. He had messaged the twins earlier telling them that Elise would more than likely need one of them to escort her back...so where were they?!

The twins were both sitting in their home's dining hall, getting an earful from a very upset Madam Leech. Floyd leaned lazily on his hand as he poked at the food on his plate, tuning out his mama's irritated voice as much as he could while his brother sat straight up across the table, at full attention.

"Honestly, you boys! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?! No call, nothing, you just up and disappear overnight without so much as a word! I had no idea where you were-oh Floyd, eat your food, darling! You're so skinny! As much as we're paying that school, the least they could do is make sure my baby boys are eating properly! I swear you keep growing more every time I look at you-"

Floyd just groaned before shoveling food into his mouth and giving Jade a pointed look. Jade reassured their mother that both he and Floyd were always well fed on campus but that did little to stop her motherly rant. When their father's absence was finally noticed that started a whole nother wave.

"And where is your father?" she huffed, "He's always here for dinner on the dot..."

It was true that Don Leech insisted on eating his meals with his wife and sons, regardless of how busy he was, and he wouldn't leave the table until everyone else had finished eating. Tonight, however, he was a bit more preoccupied.

Don Leech hovered outside in front of the mansion with his eyes glued to the horizon. Something in the stir of the currents seemed off. It made his fins bristle to a fine point. All reports his boys had given in within the last hour up to a few minutes ago didn't raise any red flags but his instincts were still on fire for some reason. For one, his sons' friend hadn't returned yet. The Don called one of the guys that had just returned over to him.

"Head into the tunnels and make sure the young miss makes it back safe and sound. I don't want anyone under my watch coming to harm."

He left his associates to watch the front as he turned inside, knowing his wife was probably already upset with his tardiness.

"Cowrieeee....

...where...are..yooouuuu...."

Cowrie could hear their voices calling from around corners. She was in a part of town she knew she didn't belong in, hiding inside a tight, dark nook, her hand over her mouth to hopefully keep the burly shark mermen from hearing her. When the chase began there were only two of them. Now there were at least four. Apparently, Proteus was hiding a couple of his thugs to make the hunt more interesting. The young eel tried to keep her breathing steady and her mind clear. Panicking now would only lessen her chances of escape. She used to run espionage missions for her father and would sometimes find herself in situations like this where she had to hide or run. She escaped then, she would now. Cowrie just kept reminding herself of this over and over in the dark, listening for their voices to judge how close by they were.

"Come out, little worm. We just want to talk..." one of the voice chuckled.

They were getting closer. Damn it, DAMN IT! Stay calm. Don't move. Cowrie felt the ground beneath her hiding spot. Sand....soft sand. This she could work with but she had to be fast. The shark with a missing eye slowly swam around the corner sniffing about. His mouth spread into a big sinister smile showing off his multiple rows of sharp teeth as his nose lead him to a small opening in the side of an abandoned building.

"Hello...gotcha."

He peered inside and his smile quickly turned into a grimace when the only thing he saw was a hole in the sand that seemed to lead further into the actual building's interior. He silently signaled the others to move around the building and go inside as quietly as possible. The building was made from the remains of a sunken ship. Inside were odds and ends of random things and remnants of whatever business was there previously. The burrowed hole definitely lead inside the innermost room but when all four of the sharks lurked inside, it was completely empty. It wasn't until the entryway to the room was slammed shut did they realize it was a trap. Cowrie quickly jammed the biggest rock she could carry into the door's bar handle to keep it from opening and swam as fast as her tail could manage straight out of the main exit, knowing it wouldn't hold them for very long. She didn't look back as she heard their snarls and the crash of metal sounded from behind her. The mermaid sped through the main street trying to find her way amongst the confused and hurried crowds. Cowrie quickly sped away as soon as she heard screams from the mermaids in the area. She could hear the sharks' one-eyed leader yelling for everyone to move out of his way and when he spotted her.

"Come here, you lil' viper!" his snarl was full of malice.

The small eel quickly darted down the side alleys, over and under fences, anything to put distance between her and her pursuers. The whole Leech territory was one huge maze to her but she couldn't stop. Her heart beat at the speed of light as her eyes never stopped searching for another exit. Escape. Escape. Cowrie's laser focus on this was the only thing keeping her nerves from overwhelming her. She knew what Proteus' sharks were capable of. She had seen it first hand...and she did not want to be their next little 'accidental' chew toy!

"Come back here, you little bitch!!"

Cowrie shrieked as she felt large claws swipe at her tail seconds before she darted through another small opening through a tall barbed fence. Shit, the gashes burned and her blood was seeping into the water, leaving no chance of her hiding from them now. Her body was growing tired but Cowrie knew she couldn't stop. She flopped for only a second back into the main road, skidding a bit against the ground with a grunt. A few onlookers swam up to her to make sure she was alright but scattered as soon as they spotted just who was chasing her. Her tired eyes looked about the area for another escape route. When she spotted the tunnel hub at the end of the next turn, she went for it as fast as she could. This could be her only chance at actually losing them for good.

A few members of the Leech muscle were seen entering tunnels right as Cowrie sped past them in a blur. She crashed into one of them, nearly knocking him over.

"What?! What the hell, kid?!" The larger eel growled until he saw the much smaller, striped eelette who was nearly out of breath and looking absolutely terrified.

"P-Please! Please help me, sir!" Cowrie felt all of her emotions begin to bubble over all at once. She was shaking like a leaf.

The older merman quickly assessed the situation as two of the sharks were barreling towards them, looking pissed and even a bit hungry. He let out a high-pitched whistle that brought two more of his cohorts over to him and ready to deal with the situation at hand.

"Get inside the tunnels, kid, go down the first left and keep left. Hide if you get lost. We'll come find you. Get movin'!"

Cowrie muttered a quick thank you and torpedoed straight into the tunnels as the sounds of an intense scuffle began right behind her. It was dark. She didn't have any glowing spots like the twins or even Luna did thanks to her mixed-breeding. It was great for hiding which is another reason why her father used her the way that he did but when she was lost in the dark? It was distressing beyond reason. Cowrie paused to take a couple of quick breaths before continuing forward. You can do this...you're alright, she told herself. She had to remain calm if she was going to make it out of this situation. Cowrie couldn't see but her sense of smell was impeccable. She sniffed the surrounding water and walls, searching for anything among the many scents left behind that might be familiar. Suddenly, there it was. To her left. It was faint but it was definitely one she knew very well.

Jade. Jade had been this way before. Cowrie listened for any sound of either the sharks or other eels that had helped her. Nothing. She quickly and quietly followed Jade's scent through the twists and turns of the giant stone maze. She would stop for only a split second to make sure she wasn't being followed before continuing. Every once in a while there would be tiny shafts of faint light drifting in through smaller holes in the walls. When the scents began to change, Cowrie suddenly clasped a hand over her mouth and clung to the wall. The light was faint but slowly passing by the opening ahead of her was the very distinct shape of a shark's dorsal fin. It slowed to a halt as its owner's voice called to her.

"Oh, little Cowrie...I know you're there. I can smell your sweet blood, little worm~"

Her heart was pounding in her ears so hard that she didn't even realize that another familiar smell was even closer to her. The shark's fin started to move as the merman started to turn around. Just before he could face the tunnel Cowrie was hiding in, a familiar black and aqua-blue tentacle wrapped around her waist and pulled her into the opening right above her. It happened so quickly that she didn't even have time to freak out. Above in a small little nook, Elise was waiting and caught the shaken eel in her arms. The princess pressed a finger to her lips to tell her friend to keep quiet. Elise could see the first and second shark floating along the stone underpasses through a couple of smaller openings around her. It was only a matter of time before they noticed two mermaids hiding above them. Cowrie kept one hand over her mouth but pointed to another passage behind Elise's head. The princess quickly squeezed her octopus body through before pulling Cowrie in after her. There were only two sharks that they could see. Hopefully, that meant that the other two were still outside or were at least chased off by the eels at the gate. Cowrie's hopes were dashed when she saw a third shadow lurking from around the corner. She knew it was the leader from his gravely, hunger-pained voice.

"Stop hiding, you little shit, you'll only make your punishment worse!"

He was blocking the closest exit forcing the girls to hide again but the other direction was a dead end. Elise could see the panic start to rise in Cowrie's eyes. She didn't know who these sharks were but obviously, her friend was in great danger...and she'd be damned if she let them have her. The princess pointed to one corner of the dead-end that seemed to be deeper than the rest. Before Cowrie could argue, she pushed the smaller mermaid into the dip and tucked her long tail around her, trying to make her as small as possible. Elise put on a brave face and mouthed the words 'trust me' to Cowrie before covering her with as much of her body as possible like a mother hen would her baby chick. Granted, Elise wasn't 100% sure this would work but what other choice did she have? Elise pressed herself and Cowrie as close to the wall as possible. The tips of her fingers and the suction cups of her tentacles felt the stone wall and slowly she felt her whole body adapt. Her skin turned a darker gray and formed the same smooth but strong texture as the wall with the same grooves and look as the stone itself. Even the ends of her hair clung and morphed into an extension of the wall until her whole body just looked like another lump of rock. From there, Elise shut her eyes and prayed that this would work.

The one-eyed leader hovered around the corner, sniffing about, followed by another. He slowly peered into the darkness with his one good eye, narrowing it in frustration. He elbowed his partner and gestured to him to get a closer look at the dead-end while he swam down another passage away from the hiding girls. Elise felt her muscles start to burn as she stayed as still as possible. Cowrie stayed curled tight and held her breath as the large shark merman swam mere inches away from them. The bulky shark nearly grazed them with his tail as he sniffed every single corner...but after several long minutes, he followed his leader down the opposite direction. The minute he was gone, Elise grabbed Cowrie and jetted away into the next tunnel with silent urgency. Jade's scent was getting stronger, Cowrie let out a quiet breath of relief. Elise seemed to know which direction to go and was moving non-stop, pushing off of the walls if she had to. Anything to gain more speed to propel them through the tunnels. The light was getting brighter. They were so close when several things happened at once. Elise heard the voice of the eel sent by Don Leech to search for her and just when she and Cowrie made it through the final passage into open water, Cowrie let out a scream that made the princess' blood freeze. There was a smell of blood...

The scream could be heard from inside the Leechs' house and Jade's entire body felt a hot rush of adrenaline as he heard Cowrie's voice. Both he and Floyd were out of the dining hall and rushing down the main corridor faster than any land animal could muster. When they reached the front gates, Jade's vision burned hot fiery red.

Elise was surrounded by the four large shark mermen and in her arms was Cowrie, shrunken in on herself and looking filled to the brim with dread. The end of her tail was covered in gashes and a large bite mark. Her own blood leaked out into the water around her. The one-eyed shark had the same blood on his grinning mouth.

"You're lucky I didn't take a piece off, you little snake. Proteus told us not to hurt you too badly...but he didn't exactly specify the limits."

The other sharks laughed mirthlessly around the two girls. Elise kept whipping her tentacles at them to try and get them to back off but the men just laughed even harder as they dodged. One took the hit straight across his face which only made him budge ever so slightly. It felt like she was punching a brick wall. "Ooo! This one has some spunk! I like her!"

Their leader grabbed the next tentacle that tried to whack him across the face and yanked on it hard, pulling Elise to the ground, "Easy there, lass. I wouldn't want to havta take a bite outta you. Or maybe I would. Octopus is quite delicious after all." His mates bared their teeth and snarled out harsh laughter in agreement, "Although..."

He turned his attention to Cowrie and grabbed her face, forcing her mouth open as two other of the thugs grabbed Elise and dragged her away from the younger mermaid, "I hear that this one has a nice poisonous bite. And what pretty teeth. I bet they'd make a nice necklace, wouldn't they, boys-"

A loud crack rang through the water as Jade's long tail struck the brute across his bloody maw, sending him and a couple of his teeth tumbling backward. Cowrie fell to the sandy ground as Jade suddenly covered her tiny body with his in a tense arching guard. Floyd made quick work of the two holding Elise with his own tail and pulled the octopus mermaid to safety behind him. Both of the twins' eyes were bright and wild with fury, their teeth bared, claws out and ready, and deep throated growls rumbling out of them. The fourth shark was quickly struck down with a sharp bolt of lightning magic as Don Leech wasn't too far behind with his own crew. If the twins looked furious, their father looked downright murderous. Electric magic was still cracking between his fingers in prickling sparks, ready to explode at any given moment.

"Who the hell do you think you are coming into my territory and harming these girls, like some back alley trash?" His tone was laced thick with venom even though his words were steady.

He saw the injuries on the small female eel's tail and the way his son held her protectively to his chest without taking his eyes off the enemy. He didn't know who she was but seeing her trembling form cling to Jade only made his blood boil even hotter. The same deadly, wild-eyed look Floyd got whenever he was pissed grew on his father's face, tenfold.

"Normally, I'd have the decency to give you two seconds to get the fuck off of my property with your shitty lives intact...but you bastards clearly have no decency yourselves so why should I?" His soft thunder of a snarl sent cold shivers running all through Elise and Cowrie's already shaken bodies. This was the fearsome Don Leech that Cowrie had heard stories about all of her life. This was the dangerous world below that Elise barely knew and now had a front-row seat to. Jade and Floyd's snarled grimaces slowly turned to feral, sharp-toothed smiles. Their fins stood sharp on end as they knew what was coming next. Jade slowly leaned down to speak to Cowrie without breaking his gaze, loosening his hold on her shivering body.

"Cowrie...go inside with Elise, please."

Cowrie didn't argue. She quickly swam over to Elise and booked it towards the large house without batting an eyelash. Elise was out of her depth, a foreigner in this world, but she knew better than to try to stop it. It was something much bigger than her or even Cowrie. She didn't dare turn around as the sound of wet crunching and mangled shrieks reached her ears. Madam Leech was at the front double doors, watching the scene with a cold yet furious gaze on her face. She quickly ushered the girls inside before shutting the doors behind them. Her words didn't register to either of them but her voice was soft and gentle as she guided them both back to her parlor after telling a few of the staff to bring medical supplies to the room immediately.

"Don't worry, my dears. My boys will take care of those beasts. You're safe now."

She cooed and held them both close to her as Cowrie finally broke down into a loud sobbing wail. Elise just felt frozen. Completely and utterly frozen in shock.

"Everything will be alright, my pearls. There, there..."

Outside the mansion, Jade's ears were ringing with how angry he felt. His teeth pierced the rough shark mermen's hides as he threw them to the ground, tearing at them as if they were just paper dolls. Floyd's wild cackle could be heard close by as he continued to wrap his tail around one of their throats tighter and tighter. Jade Leech was never really one to lose his temper but all he could hear, smell, feel in that moment was a sickening replay of Cowrie's distressed scream and her blood filling the water as he held her traumatized form to him. He knew of Don Muraeni's cruel reputation since he was very young but this...it was unforgivable. Jade only came to his senses when he realized the one his father had pinned to the ground was the same one-eyed shark that had threatened to rip his beloved Cowrie's teeth out. He dropped his current target like a two-ton ragdoll, leaving his father's muscle to deal with him, and breathed heavily as he glared over at the main offender. Floyd saw the look on his twin's face and got a ruthlessly delicious feeling of glee.

"Hey, Jade..."

"Yes, Floyd?"

"That one-eyed bastard is the one that bit Cowrie-chan and threatened her, isn't he? Let's deal with him properly."

"Yes, Floyd..." Jade snarled coldly as he swam over to his father. Floyd followed suit with a wicked giggle.

"Father...let us handle this one." Don Leech looked over his shoulder at his two sons. Their faces were even more frightening now that both of them were covered in shark blood. His sons: deadly, cunning, and ready just like he taught them to be. He felt an instinctual sense of pride swell in his chest as he eased away from his prey, letting his twin boys take over. The future Don Leech quickly replaced his father's steel trap grip around the shark's neck with his own as he and Floyd bent down to smile wickedly into his one good, scared eye.

"You are the sea scum filth that hurt my Cowrie...you're either real ballsy or real stupid," Jade's voice cut like a dagger right through his serrated smile. His assertively protective tone when he spoke of the girl didn't bypass his father's ears.

"My money's on both," Floyd giggled, tail swishing back and forth as he poised himself, ready to attack at any given moment.

Jade hummed and tilted his head to the side as he pried the shark's lips apart with two fingers on his free hand, "My, my....what impressive teeth you have...don't you think, Floyd?"

Floyd's smile couldn't get any bigger, "Oh yeah...they'd make one hell of a necklace, right Jade?"

Their laughter shook the shark merman to the core. If he had even a hint of what coming onto Leech territory would mean for him today, he would have left town hours ago. Don Leech ignored his pleas for mercy as he ordered his associates to clean up the rest of the mess as if this was nothing more than a pitcher of milk that had spilled.

"Spare a few pieces, boys," he called to his sons, "Don Muraeni is going to be receiving a nice message from me personally this evening..."

"Just a little bit more, my darling."

Elise's mind was reeling from everything that just happened but she did her best to comfort Cowrie, petting her hair as she held her close. Cowrie's crying had ceased but she kept wincing and whimpering as Madam Leech put some form of odd medicine over the cuts all over her tail. The mother eel insisted on treating the wounds herself. She kept cooing words of encouragement to the girl as her elegant hands moved with precision and a true healer's touch.

"Almost done, sweetheart. It'll only sting for a little bit."

Once she finished, Madam Leech wrapped Cowrie's poor abused tail up in some sort of bandaging material. Elise kissed the top of her friend's head as she felt Cowrie start to relax in her arms.

"Madam, your husband wishes to speak with you in his office," a female maid had quietly entered the parlor as her mistress was finishing up, "Your sons are there as well."

The mother nodded and handed the remained medical supplies to another one of her maids before turning to Elise and Cowrie, "Elise dear, I think it would be best if you girls return to your room for now. Don't worry, I'll make sure to have my husband's men on watch all night. In the meantime, you need to rest."

The princess took the mother's gentle smile to heart and nodded. Madam Leech asked the two maids to escort the girls back to the princess' room before leaving the parlor herself.

"Who is she, Jade?"

His father cut right to the chase, still heated from all the commotion. Jade was still on edge himself but now for a different reason. This was definitely not the way he wanted to break the news to his father but after everything that had happened, and considering what could have happened, Jade Leech's previous doubts were put to rest once and for all.

"Cowrie Cerith. Otherwise known as Cowrie Muraeni. My mate."

Floyd's eyes flicked curiously back and forth between his father and brother. The tension in their gazes alone could suffocate a blue whale. Jade stared his father down with a serious but cool gaze while Floyd could see the heat rising in his father's narrowing eyes.

"Muraeni...Muraeni?!" Don Leech's fists pounded on his desk as he practically jumped from his seat, "Of all the girls you could choose from, you pick that bastard's spawn?!"

Jade knew fighting his own father would not end well and thus tried to keep his temper in check and his words clear, "She never asked to be his child so I see no point in holding it against her, Father. Cowrie isn't of age yet but once she is, I have every intention of making her my proper mate for life. Please don't try to change my mind. It won't happen."

Floyd was waiting for his twin's head to explode with how intense their dad's glare bore into him. Before that could happen, their mother made her entrance and read the room.

"Darlings," Madam Leech's voice was velveteen and soothing, "Goodness, what is with this stifling atmosphere?"

Her husband didn't end his glaring contest with Jade as his beautiful wife swam over to him and placed a comforting hand on his back, "Your son...has just informed me that girl is a Muraeni and that she...is his intended mate." The whole time Don Leech seethed out each word his tail angrily smacked the floor. Another trait Floyd had picked up on.

His wife gasped and placed a hand to her chest as she addressed Jade with a shocked look, "Jade darling, is this true?"

Jade's eyes didn't pull away from his father's but a soft smile did adorn his face, "Yes Mother, it's true. I've already made my intentions known to Cowrie and asked her to stay with me. She agreed."

Don Leech and the twins nearly popped off their fins when a loud, delighted shriek erupted from Madam Leech. She was positively beaming.

"AT LAST! Oh, sweetheart, this is WONDERFUL news!"

Her husband looked as if he had just been slapped sideways with a jellyfish, "W-WHAT?!"

His mother immediately pulled Jade from his seat and into an excited hug, leaving him to blink in surprise as the wind was basically crushed out of him, "My sweet Jade has found a mate and such a pretty little thing! Oh, you two will have the most beautiful babies!"

"Dearest..." Don Leech groaned in exasperation as he slumped back in his chair, "I know you're excited, my love, but you can't be serious about allowing this..."

Madam Leech released Jade from her death grip of a hug and turned to her grumpy husband with a tut, "Darling, really, listen to yourself! You're acting like we're planning a funeral!"

"If Jade mates with a Muraeni, it will definitely come to that," he snarled. His wife's enthusiasm was undeterred as she swam back to his side, running her fingers along his spiked dorsal fin.

"My love," she purred sweetly, "That poor girl being a Muraeni is even more reason for her to become our Jade's lovely bride. You saw how that monster's thugs were treating the poor thing! We cannot allow her to stay in such a ghastly situation!"

Jade and Floyd just sat back and watched their mother work. Their father was one of the most powerful mob bosses on this side of the reef but their mother was a professional mastermind in her own right. Even the formidable Don Leech couldn't win against her charms and steel will. Floyd chuckled as he imagined Jade and Cowrie having the same dynamic a few years from now. Their father looked from his wife's sweet gaze to his sons' amused ones and groaned in defeat.

"I...will consider it..." he grumbled, "She can stay tonight. I'll give my final decision in the morning."

His wife placed a sweet kiss on his cheek with a satisfied grin making her sons chuckle.

The area outside the Leech Mansion reeked of lingering shark's blood as Don Leech's men cleaned up what was left after the fight out front. From the edge of the cavern of tunnels, Seven had seen the tail end of the skirmish. He had known that the Leech family weren't ones to mess with but seeing it first hand? His stoic face didn't show it but it turned his gut to rot. His sister had certainly picked a strong family to mate into. It was his sister that had brought him here and now he wasn't so sure he could get close to her without ending up in the same sack the sharks were now being dragged out in. He didn't doubt that Cowrie was safe for a second, it was just that now she was here on enemy turf and Proteus' thugs were thoroughly...dealt with...things were going to be far more complicated.

The front door to the mansion was up the slope a way so anyone paying attention could see anyone exiting the caves and vice versa. So when Floyd Leech swam back outside to see how the clean-up was going, Seven spotted him right away and decided to take a chance.

Seven's sudden appearance at the gate caused a stir right away as he expected. What he didn't expect was for Floyd to make him an offer. The second twin waved his father's boys off, signaling that there was no danger which confused them but they knew better than to question the more wild Leech son. Floyd casually swam over to the opened gate and looked Seven up and down with a curious grin.

"What's up, Sven? You missed the fight."

Seven narrowed his eyes in annoyance at the strange younger eel, "It's SEVEN..."

"Eh. Whatever. It's a weird name."

"Anyway," Seven huffed, "I saw the end result. Where's Cowrie? Is she alright?"

Floyd stretched like he was getting ready for a workout, "Yeah, yeah she's safe inside. Jade and I made sure to take care of the bastard that hurt her. He's over there, nice and snug," Floyd giggled eerily as he pointed to a large sack two of the other eels were dragging around the other side of the fence. Seven noticed that it'd move slightly before going still again. "He ain't gonna be swimming properly for a while. Or ever." Floyd chuckled as if he told a funny joke. Seven didn't bother asking what happened to the other sharks. He didn't want to know, honestly.

"I need to see Cowrie for myself."

Floyd's face split into a sharp grin, "Yeah. Ok. I'll let you inside to see her...on one condition. I'm still pumped from the last fight. Those sharks were big and tough to bite into but they weren't very fun..."

Seven picked up on what Floyd was asking immediately and rolled his eyes. Seriously what did Luna see in this guy? He was just as reckless and wild as his stupid younger brothers who had too much energy and were always itching for a scrap.

"You'll let me in the door as long as I go a round or two with you, is that it? ...Fine. Let's get this over with. Just keep in mind, I'm six years your senior...so don't expect me to go easy on you."

Seven's warning fell on deaf ears as Floyd practically vibrated with excitement as he jumped into position, posed, and was ready to start throwing down. The older Muraeni eel just sighed and swam into the open space, looking more bored than anything. Floyd bolted at his opponent at breakneck speed to sink his sharp teeth into his tough shoulder. Floyd's excitement quickly turned into confusion as he found himself face first in the sand before his teeth could even break the skin. Seven's thick tail uncurled itself from Floyd's arms and smacked the back of Floyd's planted head.

"Seriously? You think you can protect Luna with such amateur moves?" Seven asked dryly, "Honestly she could have done more damage and in half the time..."

Floyd didn't bother taking that bait but instead whipped his tail around to grab Seven by the throat and threw him down on the ground.

"Better," the Muraeni eel coughed.

Don Leech swore his family was going to be the death of him. He felt his head pound as he pinched the bridge of his nose. A roughed up Floyd and less-so Seven sat across from him in his office.

"If we get any more of you Muraeni's coming in here tonight, I'm going to have to open up a slaughterhouse..." he snarled.

"I apologize for the intrusion, sir. I just wanted to make sure my sister was safe," Seven's polite tone was unexpected but the Don's guard refused to fall, "...and I also apologize for fighting with your son. It was the only way he'd let me in."

The Don gave Floyd an exasperated look, "I admire your spirit, boy, but there is a time and a place! Get yourself cleaned up and back to your room before your mother sees you like this!"

Floyd just grumbled something about being bored as if he wasn't covered in scratches and bruises and swam out of the office. Seven was left alone with the Don and his muscle standing watch by the door. Don Leech sized the young merman up with a scrutinizing gaze, "I suppose you're here to make a bargain for your sister's return, hmm?"

Seven's expression was stoic, his tone even, and his head cool, "Actually, sir....no, that's not why I'm here. I want to ask that my sister be taken into your household indefinitely. I'm afraid her safety would be forfeited if she returns to our father's house. Especially if he finds out about her intention to become your son's mate."

Don Leech wasn't surprised so much as he was disgusted by Seven's words. This boy only confirmed his suspicions that Don Muraeni's cruelty knew held no boundaries. But for Muraeni's own son to ask this of him?

"You know about your sister's connection to Jade? And you're not opposed to it?" He watched Seven carefully, waiting for his reaction. Seven remained as poker-faced as ever.

"I am not, sir. I know our father would absolutely not feel the same, however. To be frank, Don Leech, I'd rather my sister be safe in the arms of her mate even if it means never seeing her again than for her to die at the hands of her father because of a feud that started before she was even born..."

"And what about you, boy? I sincerely doubt that your father will handle this betrayal with any mercy."

Seven knew the moment he agreed to keep his sister's happiness a secret that he was walking a dangerous line. But did he regret it? No...he couldn't say that he did.

"Let me worry about that, sir. Please just consider what I have asked of you, instead."

Don Leech took a deep breath and pondered to himself. So much for waiting until morning to decide. His heart grew heavy as he looked into Seven's serious and worn-down expression. He took stock of each scar this young man bore and could tell that he knew exactly what the costs of his actions were. Seven's resolve had been pressurized into a level of strength that rivaled cut diamonds. This Don Leech could respect at the very least.

"Very well, then. We have an understanding. And you were never here, Mr. Muraeni."

Seven rose and bowed his head to the Don, "Thank you, sir. I'd like to see my sister now before I go."

"Of course."

The twins were waiting outside of Elise's door. Now that they had calmed down and gotten all of their aggressions aired out, they worried that perhaps they had scared the princess to the point where she no longer felt safe in their home. This weighed on Jade as he frowned, hesitating to knock on the door right in front of his face. Floyd also felt a bit guilty but also frustrated with himself and his brother. More so Jade.

"Hey, Jade. Stop acting like you regret doing it."

Jade gave his twin a hollow chuckle, "You know I don't, Floyd...I'm just a little worried."

"Uuugh you worry too much!" Floyd growled before knocking on the door for his brother. There was a pause before they heard a click of the latch from the other side. The door slowly opened a bit before Elise's turquoise eyes blinked up at them. They widened just before she slammed the door shut, making Jade feel like his worst thoughts were confirmed right then and there. Before his ear fins could start to droop, the door suddenly opened up all the way and Elise was there with a worried look on her face and more medical items in her hands that the maids had given her for Cowrie. She grabbed Floyd's hand and dragged him inside before he could argue and waved Jade to come in as well. The princess made Floyd sit by her vanity as she started applying that same medicine Madam Leech had used before to the cuts and scratches all over Floyd's face and shoulders. He fussed and hissed about how it stung but Elise just silently scolded him with her eyes and continued her work.

Jade saw Cowrie's curled up form on Elise's bed. Her back was to him. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. Her tail was bandaged up and laying limp over the side of the bed. He quietly swam to the other side of the bed to see her sleeping face. Only then did he exhale. His relief didn't last long as a second knock came to the door, sending his protective instincts through the roof once again.

The door was opened by one of their father's bodyguards to reveal Seven waiting on the other side. It wasn't that Jade didn't trust him, per se, just that every cell in his body screamed at him to protect his injured mate from this male that could potentially try to take her away from him and right back into harm's way. Seven recognized this look in Jade's eyes and entered the room with caution, "Relax. I'm not here to take Cowrie back. I just wanted to see that she was safe."

This seemed to put Jade at ease to an extent and he relaxed his body to show that it was alright for Seven to approach his sleeping sister. Elise wasn't sure who this new eel was. Seeing her confusion, Floyd filled her in.

"This is Sen, he's one of Cowrie-chan's brothers. We fought outside."

"It's Seven and you started it, you weirdo," Seven said flatly over his shoulder as he looked down at Cowrie's sleeping form. A quiet snarl rumbled from his throat when he saw the bandages, "What the hell...they've never been this rough before."

"This has happened before?" Jade tried to hide the irritation in his voice but failed.

Seven gently sat himself on the large bed next to the small eel, softly brushing her dark bangs out of her face, "Our father...well more like his underlings...they carry out any disciplinary actions whenever any of his children or thugs get out of line. We don't get special treatment just because we're family. But I've never seen them be this rough with Cowrie before. Cowrie's never run from our home turf onto yours either. Doing so is suicide."

"So what happens now?" Floyd asked from his side of the room, wrapping his tail around Elise like a blanket.

"Cowrie stays here with you. Permenantly. She can't come home after this. Our father wouldn't just punish her. He'd kill her..."

Elise clung tightly to Floyd's tail as her body seemed to freeze over once again. Intruders were one thing but did these mafia bosses really kill their own children simply because they ended up on the wrong turf?! Jade and Floyd's faces were stone cold. They never had to fear that their father would kill them simply because they broke some rules but they also knew that these things happened a lot more in their circles than many liked to talk about. Cowrie stirred awake and looked up at Seven like she wasn't sure if she was still asleep or not, "...Sevy?"

"Yeah, it's me, Cowrie."

If she wasn't so out of it, Cowrie swore her brother had a bit of a half-grin on his face. She suddenly jumped up and threw her arms around her brother's neck, her voice shakey, "S-Sevy!"

This wasn't going to be easy, he could already feel it. He shushed gently to his baby sister, reassuring her that everything was ok. That she was ok. Then came the hard part...

"Cowrie....you're going to be staying here from now on. With Jade and with Floyd. You'll be much safer and happier here."

The young mermaid pulled away and gave her brother a distressed look. She knew what he meant and part of her loved him for what he was doing while the other didn't know how to process this at all, "B-But why?!"

Seven sighed as he pulled her tiny body close to his, "Hey, hey, come on...please don't make this any harder than it already is, Cowrie. I'm not dragging you back home just so I can watch you get ripped to shreds. You're staying here, understand?"

He had been through hell and back several times since he was barely a teen but somehow hearing his younger sister cry was the most soul-crushing experience of all. What she said next nearly broke him.

"What about Luna?! She's all alone! I can't leave her there! And what about you?!" her muffled sobbing seemed to ripple through the whole room. The twins looked frustrated and defeated. The princess looked absolutely heartbroken. Seven knew he was thinking like a madman. Just being there in that house was already the biggest risk he's ever taken. But...there was still one loose end left.

He gave Cowrie a gentle kiss on the top of her head, "Don't worry about me, Cowrie. Don't worry about Luna either. I'll make sure she's ok, got it? You..." he turned and gave Jade an icy glare, "...you better give my sister the best damn life you can, you hear me you smug punk? I'll come for your head myself if you don't."

Jade just accepted the title of smug punk as a compliment and gave his future big brother-in-law his usual grin as Seven handed Cowrie off to him. Seven rose from the bed and looked to Floyd, "Walk me to the door. We need to talk."

Floyd hadn't said a word the entire time he and the bodyguards took Seven to the front gate. The Muraeni son was tense and silent the entire swim there but stopped as he waited for the gate to be opened.

"You're both insane. You and your brother. I don't know what the hell my sister or Luna see in you two...but as far as options go, you're their best bets. So I'll accept it."

Floyd giggled at the older eel's gruff attitude, "Ehh really really? Does that mean I can call you 'big brother'?"

"Don't push it," he growled, "You want to get Luna out, yeah? If that's the case...I need two favors to start with."

Seven jerked a thumb over to sack Don Leech's men were getting ready to be delivered, "Gimme that first off. If your dad wants to send mine a message, I'll deliver it for him. But it needs to be realistic or my old man will never buy it."

Floyd was intrigued by this plan but still a bit skeptical, especially since it involved getting his Luna back, "Sure. But how does this help us get Luna out?"

Seven crossed his arms and sighed, "Use your head. You can't just bust into the Siren's Cove and whisk her away. You'd be dead before you even got within a mile of the place. You need someone with a brain on the inside. The VIP performance is the night after tomorrow. I know Cowrie was plotting to sneak you and your brother in...and no she didn't tell me. I just know my sister. She can't do it now. So I will. But first, I gotta keep up appearances so my dad thinks I'm still loyal to him. So I need a second favor."

"What's that?"

"I need you to punch me in the face a couple more times...."

Elise decided to give Cowrie and Jade some time alone for the rest of the night and didn't argue when Jade took Cowrie into his room. She could understand their feelings and desire to be together after the terrifying events that happened earlier. Being all alone in her own room felt harrowing somehow. She felt like she'd go mad if she spent another second cooped up and made her way outside. Granted she had to ask for directions but eventually, the princess found her way into the large garden behind the house. It was the most colorful and brightest part of the estate: a large chunk of reef teeming with life that Madam Leech had been carefully curating since before the twins were even born. It was gorgeous and just distracting enough to help Elise feel even a tiny bit more normal. She found an open space with a flat stone structure that she propped herself upon. It was quiet...well outside her on-fire brain, it was, anyway.

Elise looked up towards the water's surface that seemed miles upon miles away with a silent sigh. She felt stuck in between two places she didn't belong in. She was a human princess that no one on the shore seemed to be looking for, in love with a mermaid prince that didn't want her, now stuck under the sea in a very beautiful and very dangerous world that both amazed and scared her, in a body that wasn't really hers. Elise looked down at her tentacles that seemed to curl and unfurl on their own like a sea anemone flowing in the currents. It was a strange place to be. How many days had it been since she had changed? How many hours has she spent in this form? Was it...unpleasant? Is that why Azul hated being in his true form so much-

Elise suddenly tensed up. Azul! She had told him that she'd let him know when she made it back ok! She huffed in frustration when she realized that really had no way to do that. Then again, should she tell him everything?? He'd probably freak out. She didn't want to worry him but either way, her phone was back on land. Along with her magic pen and other personal belongings. She bet no one bothered to look in her room either. If they had, then they'd know she was actually MISSING! The princess crossed her arms and pouted as she felt a bitter taste stew in her gut. Was she really so forgettable?

"Octi-chaaaan?...Octiiii-oh there you are!"

Floyd poked his around the coral hedges with a big smile on his poor bandaged face. He seemed to be talking to someone on his phone, "Yeah I found her, Azul, she's fine."

Speak of the devil. Maybe Elise had some sort of psychic abilities now that she was an octopus. She could hear Azul's hurried tone coming from the phone. Judging from Floyd's bored expression, the octopus boy was nagging at him.

"Ehhh? I said she was fine, geez. She punched a shark in the face earlier! It was awesome!" Floyd burst out laughing, ignoring the shocked outburst that most definitely came from Azul's side of the phone. If nothing else, it did make Elise laugh to herself. In the heat of the moment, she had completely forgotten that she, Princess Elise Coralette, had most definitely punched a shark merman in the face. Absolutely legendary.

"Yeah, yeah I'll tell her. Calm down," Floyd pulled the phone away from his ear to relay the message, "Azul wants you to wait here for him tomorrow. No leaving the grounds without him."

Elise gave the eel a playful salute in response. Floyd just grinned and continued talking to Azul, "Octi-chan says ok and that I should get off the phone so we can cuddle and make out and stuff since I've had a very stressful day. Ok byyyyye!" Azul's spastic chatter went unheard as the mischievous eel ended the call.

The princess shook her head at Floyd's devilish giggles before yanking the phone out of his hand. She opened up the messaging app to text Azul while Floyd made himself comfortable on her very spacious lap of curled-up tentacles. She played with his hair with one hand so he wouldn't start fussing about not getting any attention while texting the no doubt exasperated Mr. Ashengrotto with the other.

F: It's Elise. Floyd's just being a brat. Don't worry. And yes I am fine, I promise.

Across town, Azul rolled his eyes. Leave it to Floyd to fool around even in the most strained situations. He started typing a message back as he sat in the living room of his mother's house. His home was a fairly large one not too far from The Leviathan Club. His parents were in the next room. He could hear his mother's worried voice sound boarding off of his step-father's much calmer notes.

A: Is Cowrie alright? Mother has been very worried about her since word spread around the Square.

F: She's been injured but she's going to be alright...it's a lot but she's going to be staying here from now on. She's with Jade right now.

A: Probably for the best. I will let Mother know not to worry...or to try not to anyway. Are you sure you're alright? You weren't hurt, were you?

Floyd noticed the tiny grin on Elise's face as she read whatever it was that Azul was saying. She was really pretty when she looked happy. Floyd internally scoffed, knowing that Azul had no idea and wouldn't even if the twins sent him a framed wall-sized photo of the look Elise had on her face right now. Azul was one of his best friends in the world but good grief was he dense...on the other hand, Floyd wasn't sure if the princess was aware of her growing glow either. Eh, it seemed like too much work to butt in right now so Floyd just resigned to rest his eyes and enjoy the feeling of her delicate fingers comb through his hair. He figured if he shut his eyes, he could at least pretend it was Luna instead.

Cowrie felt exhausted, too exhausted to keep crying. So instead she just breathed in her mate's soothing scent as she stay nuzzled into his chest, letting his soft voice caress her in comfort as he continuously planted kisses on her hair, face, and neck.

"I'm so sorry, Cowrie..." Jade's voice sounded weirdly uneven now that it was just the two of them. It was like he had been holding himself together until the millisecond they were curled up on his bed, alone, behind the closed and locked door.

"I promised you that nothing bad would happen and yet-"

Cowrie couldn't stand it a moment longer. She had lost count of how many times he had apologized to her and how many times she reminded him that none of this was his fault. Eventually, she just let him say it for no other reason than to maybe put his heart at ease but this was too much. So she stopped him from finishing that thought with a kiss on his lips. She looked straight into his eyes when she ended the kiss, pulling barely an inch away from him.

"You saved me. You, Floy Floy, and Ellie. And we're all ok. It's just a few gashes. I'm ok. And now I'm here with you. Now we can make sure we're both safe. Always."

Jade exhaled and planted another soft kiss on her lips before pulling her back into him. Neither one of them said anything else that night. They didn't see the need. So they just fell asleep, curled into one another as the rest of the house fell into a peaceful quiet.

Across the reef, on the Muraeni turf, things were not so peaceful...

The entire house seemed to explode into a rage of confusion and anger at the 'present' that had been dropped off on the family's doorstep. Don Muraeni snarled at the commotion disturbing his late-night and burst out of his den, "What the hell is going on?!"

He glared down from the second level at the sight in the large mansion's entrance hall. His sons were circled around a batten and bruised Seven and tearing open the large sack that had arrived with him. Once it was opened they all seemed to rear back in disgust. Ventuno gnashed his sharp teeth with boiling fury, "What the fuck is this?!"

Inside was the one-eyed shark beaten to an inch of his life, barely conscious, what was left of fins torn to shreds, and without a single tooth left his broken maw. The only thing left from his partners was their dismembered tail fins. Seven sported a fresh black eye and a couple more gash on his face in addition to the scratches and bruises Floyd had already given him from their little brawl. He crawled into a sitting position and coughed, wincing from the stinging pain.

"C-Cowrie's gone..."

His younger brothers look at each other in shock but the eldest only scoffed, "Oh is that all? Eh, one less brat to look after."

He snapped his sharp fangs at his younger brothers as he shoved through them, snickering at the ones who flinched. Seven looked up into the searing stare his father was giving him. The Don barked at his thugs to clean up the mess before yelling down at Seven.

"Get up here now, boy! You have five seconds before I mount your tail on the wall!"

Seven groaned as he sluggishly pushed himself off of the floor. He felt Proteus' gaze from somewhere in the hall. He didn't know exactly where the ray was but knew that he was definitely watching every little interaction as it was happening. As soon as Seven crawled into the den, Don Muraeni found Proteus in a matter of seconds and stared him down.

"Proteus. Get to the Cove now. Put the whole place on lock down. Luna is to stay there permanently. She isn't to leave her room or take a breath out of her goddamned window unless I say so."

The door to the Don's den slammed with an echo of finality as his right hand grinned from his hiding place in the shadows.

"Yes, sir..."

Tagging: @wysteriadelights @honey-milk-depresso @1ndigowitch @evieyouknow @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @marcepanna @feldya @aiimee9 @espada188 @zstargalaxy

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 10

Ok so first thing's first-

This is the last chapter I'll repost today/tonight. But more importantly - this is a REDUX chapter (cue fanfare) because when I originally wrote this chapter two years ago holy shi-, it was before two of my OCs that are near and dear to my heart were fully developed.

This was a horrible mistake that needed to be retroactively corrected so I went back and added a bit more of a proper introduction in the chapter for my beloved, my wonderous...Luna and Cowrie Cerith *chef kiss*

I present to you readers that have already experienced this and the sequel story and any new readers, the new-new Chapter 10 of 'Her Ivory Crown'. Enjoy~

Ch. 10: Conflict of Interests

Jade and Floyd circled about through the crowd for the third time, the first two times being for patrol for troublemakers and this time being for a "casual stroll" meant to make sure all of the booth pick ups were going off without any problems. Part of the deal Elise had made was that a nice percentage of the profits from each photo booth and the merchandise booths would go directly to Azul and therefore add to the NRC's festival sales numbers in exchange for the support Azul and the rest of Octavinelle had provided to make all of this possible so last minute. While there technically wasn't a rule against two schools joining forces, it was frowned upon as an unfair advantage. Therefore, this part of the operation had to be done discreetly so no one else would suspect any foul play. Just like how no one suspected that the props, photography, and booths were all set up by the highly resourceful Octavinelle dorm itself. Or that Manari Ali and her vice dorm leader, Jinnah Safiri, were both given a magic booster so that they could not only create but perfectly replicate each of the outfits (minus a few additions) and the backgrounds for the photosets perfectly using their own magic. A much faster and efficient method than making everything by hand. Or if anyone did suspect, they understood the no-snitching policy that was very prominent on Night Raven's campus that was now being extended to their female guests. Jade quietly observed other assigned members of his dorm sneaking into each girl's booth, picking up the prepared envelopes the girls had ready for them and then casually disappearing into the crowd to pass them along to an eagerly awaiting Azul. There was nothing to report aside from the fact that the girls were keeping their side of the contract with ease. So far the results were even better than they or the Octavinelle trio had expected but even so...Floyd was feeling irritated. Jade had already had to stop him from being too rough with some other students that were getting a bit too touchy with the girls trying to hand out tickets. To be fair, Jade did wait a couple of minutes before stepping in. Something about not wanting to scare the girls too badly. Floyd just yawned and pouted at his brother, "Hey Jade...how long do we gotta keep doing this? Everything is going to Star Fishie's plan...it's booooring..."

Jade just smiled at his twin and patted him on the shoulder, "Hang in there, Floyd. We just need to make one more round," the more composed twin noticed that they were almost at the Octavinelle booth and grinned, showing his teeth, "unless you'd like to see to this one personally? I believe they might have an opening for us..."

Floyd looked just in time to see Elise's own 'twins' walking to the top of the stairs at the front of their line. The two girls give him and his brother playful, inviting looks after the petite one whispered something to taller vixen-like girl. While Night Raven had the Leech brothers, Sacred Crown had the Cerith sisters. The elder sister, Luna, was dressed as Jade, appropriate since she was also the Cerulamare vice dorm leader. Luna had molten sharp gold eyes that were warm and sultry and long, pin straight, silken black hair with tiny flecks of gold throughout. Cowrie, the younger sister, was much shorter and more petite with choppy ragdoll, matching black hair and sleepy baby blue eyes. She was dressed as Floyd, which given her spunky attitude also seemed appropriate. They were mermaids too, apparently. One was rumored to be on a mandatory singing ban due to a 'siren song' incident that put Sacred Crown's campus on lock down for about two months. They weren't sure which sister it was, but the twins had been warned to approach both of them with a healthy amount of caution just in case. Floyd heard the warning but wasn't slowed down in the slightest, not when 'Star Fishie' and her crew just got all the more interesting! Jade could only follow his twin with an amused sigh as Floyd made a b-line towards the two girls, completely ignoring all the other boys already in line.

"Welcome Leech Brothers~" the two girls chimed in melodic unison, "Princess Elise will see you now," the sisters smiled sweetly at the brothers, ignoring all the complaints coming from the boys in line who didn't know any better than to keep their mouths shut. They learned pretty fast once Floyd gave him this signature about-to-snap look, however. The sisters took the arm of the brother they represented and led them up the steps to their own Miss Ashengrotto who looked very pleased at their arrival.

"Well if it isn't my favorite twins! No offense, girls."

The two sisters just giggled before returning to their spots and let the boys decide where they wanted to stand before the picture was taken. After which, Elise retrieved the printed photo and slipped it into a thicker envelope she had stashed in her Azul coat. The princess gave the brothers a light smile as she sneaked the envelope into Jade's blazer inner pocket with the deftness of a trained professional.

"Thank you, gentlemen!" the three girls said in perfect harmony, making Floyd giggle mirthfully at how sneaky they were being in plain sight. Jade's smile stayed on as he gave Elise's hand a couple of light kisses.

"Thank you, ladies."

Who knew girls from a 'princess school' could be so entertaining? The boys in line only groaned and muttered their complaints under their breath as Jade didn't bother hiding his display of affection. Nor did Floyd restrain himself as he draped his arms around Elise from behind, making her giggle. These displays ultimately meant nothing but the twins did enjoy riling up all the impatient bottom feeders no matter which school they hailed from, knowing they wouldn't get these special perks. Their eyes were locked onto the two mischievous Cerith sisters the whole time, however. To add a bit of salt to the wound, Luna blew the pair of brothers a flirtatious kiss, making the ignored patrons even more disgruntled. -

Riddle wasn't paying attention to anything people in the crowd were saying around him as he was following their flow back to the stage for the final two performances. It had been such a roller coaster of an afternoon that he had no idea how to feel right now about any of it. His mind circled back to earlier when he stood next to Reine, waiting to get his picture taken with her.

He had lost count of the embarrassing amount of times he stared at her, completely smitten. It was so bad even Riddle couldn't fool himself anymore. The real question was how did Reine feel? Were there actual signals or was Riddle so desperate for validation that he was looking for something that wasn't even there? The little king silently waved those fluttering thoughts away as they shifted back to Zehn's ugly words. Riddle did believe Malleus when he said that Zehn had to be motivated by jealousy more than anything but part of him struggled against a shard of belief in Zehn's words too.

Reine had been nothing but pure sweetness to all of the boys she met since her arrival. She was warm, welcoming, kind whether she was talking to him or someone more eccentric like the eels. As a future ruler, diplomacy was always at the forefront of her words and actions no matter the status of whom she was around. Could it be that maybe she was just being nice and placating him? ...Riddle didn't want to accept it but yes, that could very well be the truth. On the other hand, something did seem different when he entered her booth. The princess was happy to see him, she didn't try to pretend she wasn't. She also seemed a bit more tender than usual. It reminded him when he, unintentionally, surprised her in her dorm. Reine was softer, more unguarded. It was so charming the memory alone made Riddle's heart squeeze a bit too hard. Pull it together, Rosehearts, you're getting downright obsessed! he silently hissed at himself, trying to remind himself the reality of the situation. Ugh, why did everything have to be so damn complicated? Whatever higher power had been listening to the poor boy's internal struggles wasn't done testing him yet apparently. He heard the familiar voices and laughter of the visiting girls join in the flow of the crowd around him as they were closing up their booths and heading into the main staging area. Elise and Reine were linked arm-in-arm not that far away, both girls seemed very pleased with the outcome of their efforts. Silver and Sebek had been dismissed from their duties, he guessed, since they were nowhere to be seen. In their place was a very attentive Floyd, hovering over the girls from behind with that stupid half-awake grin on his face as he kept playing with the small horns on Reine's head. Either she didn't mind or didn't notice but it made Riddle want to run up and smack his irritating hands away from her. In his hyper focused state, Riddle felt himself bump into the taller figure in front of him and apologized automatically before doing a double-take. Judging from the outfit, the ears, and tail, Riddle thought he bumped into Leona but that was definitely not Leona's beautiful face or modelesque body now facing him.

"Pardon moi, Mr. Rosehearts," it was definitely Adela de Beau's elegantly accented voice that was currently addressing him and her sapphire blue eyes peering down at him right now. Riddle immediately corrected his gaze and cleared his throat, "Miss de Beau, forgive me for bumping into you...also, not to be rude but are you...a lioness?"

The tall girl sighed and crossed her arms in frustration. Not at Riddle because who could blame him for being surprised but just the explanation was a bit odd. Her golden blonde-tuffed tail swayed back and forth behind her as she took a breath and motioned for the boy to keep walking with her as she explained. She normally didn't feel inclined to explain herself but in her short time around Riddle Rosehearts, he was nothing but earnest in every way. Plus it was no secret amongst the female students that Reine and Riddle have grown fond of each other's company. So if Reine trusted him...

"My heritage is a bit complex," she started gently, "my father is a lion beastman and my mother a very beautiful and open-minded human woman. A very odd arrangement that was frowned upon by many in my hometown."

Riddle was both confused and fascinated. Marriages between beastmen and regular humans weren't completely unheard of or even seen as strange in some places but obviously that was not the case in Adela's background.

"The short version: I was born a hybrid but instead of looking like a mix, my body can switch back and forth between the two as part of my unique magic. It's pointless really," she laughed dryly, "however, my human form is more appreciated in the modeling that I do. I suppose I've grown more accustomed to it. But I suppose I should thank my juniors for convincing me to play along with their idea...it feels nice every once in a while to let my other self out for some sun."

Riddle took a minute to admire the golden fur that covered her tail and ears and the feline slits in her eyes. Honestly, this girl was gorgeous in either form so her employers preferring one versus the other made no sense. Then again any sort of media marketing never made a lot of sense to Riddle anyway.

"I'm not surprised that you're a model. You've modeled with Schoenheit before haven't you?" Riddle wasn't that interested in fashion but he did recall seeing a couple of magazines with the two of them featured in it. Mostly because he confiscated them from Cater.

Adela smiled at Riddle's keen eyes, "Oh? Why yes I have. You didn't strike me as someone who was interested in such things, Mr. Rosehearts. I've actually been honored to model with Vil Schoenheit quite a few times before. He is exquiste." He hadn't been paying much mind to the female whispers coming from behind them until Adela suddenly let out a loud snarl and whipped her head around, ears flattened. The offending girls had 'accidently' stepped on her tail and gave half-assed apologies before skittering away. The looks in their eyes were anything but apologetic.

"Petty little rats...ugh now I remember why I usually don't walk about like this," seeing the surprised look on Riddle's face, Adela huffed, "most of us at Sacred Crown get along peacefully at the best of times, but you put them a mile within of a heart-throb like Vil or Mr.Le Blanche, they lose their senses and turn vicious. Of course, it doesn't help that Vil has already made his intentions of asking me to the dance known. So I will be making my boutonnière with him in mind. Poor little bitches can't handle disappointment it seems."

Riddle felt an electric currant of guilt pulse through him for first of all bringing up the topic but also unknowingly step into more personal territory, "Oh, I am sorry for prying into your personal life, Miss de Beau."

This made the girl chuckle lightly at his guilty expression. The poor thing looked like a scolded puppy, "Non, non. Don't be. Vil and I are professionals and occasionally colleagues. Nothing more. We work well together so why not enjoy the dance together? Saves us both the trouble of dealing with the crude rabble. It's definitely not the first time a fuss has been made and it won't be the last, I'm sure..."

Riddle followed her gaze towards Reine and felt his brow furrow, "Has Miss Reine been harassed as well?" The lioness let out a hum as she recalled the specific memory, "I remember it started when I was a first year. We were having a holiday ball with Royal Sword. Zehn Cavalier ignored all of the girls who desired him for their dates and invited Reine to the ball as his partner, a younger girl not even in highschool yet. You can imagine how livid they were...it's only a rumor, of course, but I've heard he has been that way for years. Any event, school or otherwise, that called for a date or dance partner, Cavalier would always have his eye set on Reine and her only. It wasn't until she was a proper Sacred Crown student and everyone realized that she was a princess aiming for her mother's throne did the bullies start to move on to other targets. Do not be fooled by a sweet voice and face, Mr. Rosehearts. Girls can be oh so vicious when they covet something or someone."

Riddle wasn't surprised at all to hear that Zehn had a history of being weirdly possessive of the princess, "I'm guessing he intending to secure her for the dance in a couple of days too then..." he couldn't keep his tone pleasant sounding even if he wanted to.

"That would be my guess as well. But this is a new situation we find ourselves in. We've never attended a dance with two boys' schools at the same time...anything can happen, yes?"

Riddle remembered Cater mentioning the dance as well. This seemed as good a time as any to get some inside information, "Miss de Beau, you mentioned making a boutonnière?"

"Yes. It is a long standing tradition at Sacred Crown. Whether we host a dance or attend one with either Royal Sword or another boys' school, the girls make a boutonnière to give to the beau of their liking. The boys do the asking in most cases and present some sort of token or make some grand gesture to win the girls' favors. If the girl says yes, she gives him the boutonnière to show that he has won her affections and will be her escort for the evening. A bit old fashioned but still romantic. We have danced with other schools before but Royal Sword takes pride in their amorous feats to, how you say, 'win fair maiden's heart'..."

Romantic was one word for it. Humiliating and nerve-wracking were better ones though. Adela couldn't help but smile at Riddle's look of worry, "Have faith, Mr. Rosehearts. If there is a fair lady you desire, I have no doubt you have everything you need to be victorious."

Judging from the spark in her eyes and the swish of her tail, Adela knew something. Before Riddle could muster up the guts to ask, they had reached the arena's main seats. The lioness saw the other Sacred Crown dorm leaders grouped together closer to the stage, waving to her to join them. She gave the younger boy a graceful half bow before departing, "We have a saying in the days before a ball when everyone is rushing to win their desire one's company. Good hunting to you, Mr. Rosehearts."

Riddle's face flushed as he remembered Cater practically screaming the very same saying to him as he left to get his photo with Reine earlier. He wasn't sure if he should feel exposed or angry before feeling a good mixture of both. Riddle barely had time to process before the diamond boy himself clapped a hand on his shoulder and guided him a few rows down to an open seat by him, Trey, and the Adeuce combo. Unfortunately he found himself surrounded by probably the most eclectic group of people possible: the shady Octavinelle trio behind them, the very sparkly Pomefiore trio in front, and Kalim and Jamil on the side.

"Here he is! Just in time!" Cater plopped Riddle right down next to him, smack dab in the middle so he'd have no escape before whispering to him, "Sooo how'd it go? You get the coveted photo? Let's see it!"

"Isn't the next performance about to start?" Riddle huffed trying to sidestep the subject altogether. Cater wasn't having it and forgot to keep whispering.

"Aw come on, dorm leader! You get a picture from the day's most exclusive booth and you're not going to share? Come ooon. The was the only one I couldn't get before they sold out again and again," the diamond started to whine.

"Fine. If it will stop your pathetic whining," Riddle carefully pulled the envelope from inside his jacket and removed the photo with Reine and her group so Cater could see it. Cater being Cater of course drew everyone else's attention to it as well and suddenly it was crowd. The three most excitable members immediately rattled off their comments without batting an eye. The others didn't not look but instead gave more subdued murmurs of praise and approval.

"OOOH she looks so good! Like a dark sorceress!!" Kalim chirped excitedly as he leaned all the way over to get a look.

"Heeeh~ Mantie Ray is so so prettyyy. Lucky Goldfish...I wanted a picture too. And a squeeze." Floyd chuckled without any hint of shyness whatsoever.

Rook was practically writing poetry as he spoke with what looked like a glistening tear in his eye, "Quelle beauté~ Ah, my mortal heart can't take this, this goddess setting my soul ablaze-"

Riddle snapped and flared like an angry porcupine. "DO YOU MIND?" he snarled, red in the face as he snatched the photo away from Cater and everyone's prying eyes and shoo'd them out of his personal space. Thankfully he was saved from any further embarrassment as the next performance started with a roar of female voices cheering for Neige who just walked on stage with the seven dwarf students, his smile as brilliant as ever as he waved to the crowd. Rook went into full blown fanboy mode while Vil sat stiffly next to him with a blank expression and polite clap.

In pure Neige Le Blanche fashion, the song and choreography both were fun, light-hearted, and adorably charming. The song was so catchy that it was sure to haunt all of their dreams for many, many nights to come, especially the whistling that joined the lyrics about whistling and working.

A few rows down, the Sacred Crown dorm leaders seemed to be enjoying themselves a bit more, bobbing and clapping along with several other members of the audience as Neige charmed all of them as usual. Reine knew better than to look around and have a repeat of earlier. She just smiled and clapped along, eyes focused on the stage, like everyone else and completely ignored the buzzing thoughts in her head...or tried to at least. The princess' brain wouldn't stop replaying the photo shoot moment she had with Riddle earlier even though literally nothing happened. He showed up, they said maybe two word to each other, he stood next to her...looking really sharp in his uniform and almost touching her hand...their fingers definitely touched when she handed him the picture afterwards. And he smiled and said something but she didn't really hear it because she was very distracted by how nice he smelled and looked- OK so some things kinda almost happened. Maybe. Almost. Or did it? Maybe she was just imagining things? Reine was grateful that everyone around her was so distracted right now. Her face may have been calm but she felt like she wanted to crawl into the deepest hole possible. Reine had always considered herself a very composed, very self-aware princess but now she felt like a clumsy fool mentally falling tripping over herself over absolutely nothing. Unfortunately for her, Reine also wasn't as sneaky as she'd like to think. She nearly jumped right out of the row when a whisper to her left suddenly said...

"I saw that, by the way."

Reine quickly turned and saw Petra had scooted closer to her, giving her the most smug look possible, "Yeeeah that little long distance bout of flirting with the VIP ticket you and Riddle had going on earlier...That."

Suddenly the deepest hole wasn't enough. Reine wanted-nay-NEEDED to dive into the very abyss of the nearest ocean and drown herself right that second. Seeing the shock flood her friend's face had Petra grinning like a damn fool.

"So...come on. Just say it."

"Wha-what??"

Petra scooted even closer to whisper right into Reine's very pink ear, "You. LIKE. Hiiim~"

Oh sweet underworld, where was that ocean when she needed it?! Reine couldn't respond. Her brain was on fire with a myriad of debates sparking off all at once. Petra was relentless.

"Aaaand I'm pretty sure he likes yooou~"

Reine covered her now rose red face with a tiny squeak of protest. Really? Was the boy's affection for her so obvious to everyone but her? Ugh Great Seven above, she wanted so badly to feel happy about this but this was beyond embarrassing. Actually she did. She felt so stupidly happy that-NO no no NOOO! This couldn't be happening! No, it couldn't be with Riddle because then...then...

Petra immediately started to regret her playful teasing. The princess in front of her went from being a bashful, blushing mess to someone who looked genuinely upset very quickly. Too quickly. She quickly grabbed Reine's hand and led her as casually away from the crowd as possible, saying something about going to the bathroom so none of the other girls would get suspicious or worry.

"Reine, what's wrong? Having a crush isn't a crime...or do you actually NOT like him like that?" Petra's formally teasing voice was now hushed even though the hall was empty.

Reine spoke barely above a whisper, "That's not the problem, Petra. I think I do like him. I...ok fine, I really, REALLY like him but I can't afford to have feelings for someone like Riddle."

The other dorm leader blinked at her owlishly as the two of them sat for a beat of silence, really letting that statement sit there between them.

"I don't get it. What's wrong with Riddle??"

Reine laughed dryly as she felt her heart ache, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing is wrong with him at all. He's so good and kind. I never feel uncomfortable around him. He makes me feel so...happy. But, we haven't even known each other for that long. I'm going to be the queen and I'm currently trying to decide who is going to be my king....but what does Riddle want?"

Petra could feel the high ebbing away from her friend as she spoke and it suddenly clicked for her too. Being royalty was full of complications, even when you weren't heir to the throne. She said nothing and just sat down on the cold floor next to the worried princess, letting Reine continue.

"It's different when it's another royal or someone raised in the royal court. We were born into this and groomed for it. What if he already has plans for his life, his future? He's free to make those choices. I can't take that away from him. I couldn't bear it. Even though the thought of always having him beside me is...very nice."

"And...what about Zehn Cavalier?" Petra said his name like it was some sour thing in her mouth.

Reine had definitely not forgotten about him which just made this all an even more frustrating, tangled mess, "Yes. What to do about Mr. Cavalier...I still haven't quite decided. Unfortunately." This felt like a lie even as it came out of her own mouth but no one else needed to know that yet.

Petra leaned her head on Reine's shoulder as they both sighed tiredly, "Man...why can't we just go to school and, I don't know...fumble our way through classes, exams, and boy problems with little to no consequence like everyone else does? Between you and Riddle and Elise and that mermaid prince guy, we're well on our way to having a solid 'Sad Princess Club' established. Don't even get me started on all the guys my dad keeps trying to get me engaged to. Ugh..."

This got a laugh out of both of them at least. The loud cheers from the crowd echoed into the hall, letting the girls know the Neige's performance had ended and that their girls were on next. Petra quickly hopped up and grabbed Reine's hand to get her off the ground. Reine gave the brunette a pleading look, "By the way, you didn't hear any of this, right?"

"Oh, of course not. I mean it doesn't really matter either way. I'm pretty sure everyone in our school at least suspects you two by now anyway," she said with a wicked giggle.

"...Great."

The stage was dark as the Sacred Crown group entered and took positions, Charlaine took a deep breath and let it out quietly as she took the center position between Manari and Jinnah. It was now or never, go big or go home! The crowd quieted down just in time for Charlaine's voice to start singing acapella, ringing across the arena clear as day. After a few moments of just her voice, lights up and music on and there was the Sacred Crown Hall dance team poised and ready, dressed in alternating Scarabia and Pomefiore dorm uniform replicas. Flanking Charlaine on either side was Manari dressed as Kalim and Jinnah dressed as Jamil. Charlaine was dead center dressed to the nines as a mini Vil Schoenheit with every detail in place from his crown to his perfect smokey eyes. Granted the skirt was shortened at the last minute to avoid any dancing casualties. Rook and Kalim were estatic as the music took off to a more upbeat pace and the girls all started to dance in perfect sync together. Vil and Jamil both sat in stunned, open-mouthed silence, just staring at the display. Celebrity or not, this was the first time Vil could remember seeing someone dress up like him and not only doing it so perfectly but also singing and dancing at the same time! Jamil by himself was so self-concious about getting any excess amount of attention so seeing Jinnah dress up like him and dance very well in his outfit broke his brain entirely. Every move Manari and Jinnah made around Charlaine while she sang, framed her like a work of art until the three of them would dance together again, the whole time Charlaine sang with a bright smile on her face. Many of her fellow Sacred Crown students in the audience were already clapping and singing along, making her sing with even more energy. Her energy was infectious. The dancers' movements were excuted so tightly it was like second nature to them even if their outfits were two completely different styles. All their hardwork had clearly paid off.

Once the final verse ended and the girls hit their final dance move in a tight finish, the crowd was on their feet just like they had been with both Vil and Neige's performances. Rook was legitimately in tears this time, clapping and swooning with as much gusto as he could possibly muster, "OOOH!! Mademoiselle Skylark, your voice, your smile! C'EST MAGNIFIQUE!" Kalim was just as excited and even shaking a still stunned Jamil next to him as he rambled on about how impressed he was. Jamil could only clap as he slowly snapped out of it. The one and only Vil Schoenheit wore a smile of approval as he too applauded the girls' wonderful performance. She wasn't as beautiful as him, of course, but Charlaine had certainly impressed him nonetheless. On the stage, the girls were breathing hard and felt a bit wobbly as their adrenaline wore off but they still couldn't believe the sight in front of them. The dancers behind the main three girls took a bow and then motioned for the three leads to do the same, which made the crowd cheer even more.

"Well we did it," Manari laughed over all the cheering to Charlaine and the others, "Now...we just wait and see."

No one in the audience moved from their spots except those who had performed earlier. Now each group stood waiting on the stage to hear the results. Like in the official VDC, the votes were left up to each student and each performer as well. If they were being honest, the girls weren't too hopeful about taking first. Sure, they gave it their all and the audience responded well but they knew a good chunk of the Sacred Crown student body were hardcore Vil or Neige fans. Or both. So their chances? Not great. Still, Manari, Charlaine, and Jinnah stood in row in front of the rest of the girls, ready to place wherever they ended up as the votes were counted. Vil, Rook, and Epel stood next to them, looking as cool as ever. Though Charlaine did catch Rook smiling over at her which did distract her from her nerves temporarily. Neige was on the other side of the girls, looking a tad nervous but still mouthed a 'good luck' to Manari and Jinnah. The other three groups were standing in the back, none looking all that hopeful. Reine and the other dorm leaders in the audience had voted for their girls in confidence but that didn't make them any less anxious.

"This was a very close competition! Third place, losing by only a handful of votes....," the contest's chosen MC paused for a dramatic drumroll, "...Royal Sword Academy's Neige Le Blanche!"

The girls looked at each other wide-eyed. Did they hear that right? Neige only took third?! They clapped for Neige's group but they along with Vil's group couldn't hide their surprise. If the legendary Neige only took third then who the hell are in the top two?!

"Second and First place...are only one vote apart!"

Vil had a sudden wave of deja vu slap him right across the face and he didn't like it one bit. The look he gave Rook didn't go unnoticed but Rook just looked back with a face of complete innocence. Both Epel and Charlaine looked like they were about to pass out.

"Second place....Sacred Crown Hall! Which means First place goes to Night Raven College's Pomefiore!!"

The sound of the crowd was deafening. Surely Vil was dreaming...he did not just...finally after all this time...Rook and Epel were beside themselves and only them gently pulling him front and center alongside them could snap him out of his trance. He couldn't hold his composure as reality finally hit him. Charlaine wasn't even upset. She absolutely beamed as she cheered and applauded him along with everyone else. Manari and Jinnah just shrugged and cheered on the Raven boys as well, "Can't beat the real thing, I guess!" Also they wouldn't be surprised if Charlaine had in fact given the Pomefiore boys her vote. Oh well~ All that was left was one last win...

All of the dorm leaders plus Alyssa and Jinnah stood in a tight circle around Elise as she stared at the tablet, waiting for the sales numbers to update. Every last item and ticket was sold and every last madol promised to Azul/NRC had been delivered and accounted for. Now they just had to wait for the sales committee to finish tallying up the numbers for each school. By this point, they had changed out of their outfits and into more casual clothing, any additions like Reine's horns and fangs were gone. Azul and the twins had just finished submitting their numbers to the committee, all three of them looking quite relaxed which could mean one of two things: 1) the girls met the conditions of the deal and succeeded in pushing NRC to the top of the sales contest with all of their contributions thus everyone involved prospered OR 2) the girls didn't met the conditions but still made Azul a lot of money and they would also become his personal waitresses in the Mostro Lounge proper for the rest of the week. Also something about the girls giving Azul and the twins something irreplaceable on top of their labor but that was never truly specified in detail...

"Oh!"

One chirp from Elise made all of the girls lean forward even more. The results were in aaaand....there it was in print: Royal Sword Academy in third, Sacred Crown in second, and Night Raven College in first. Elise turned around to the rest of the girls with a triumphant grin. Floyd giggled and clapped happily as the girls burst into a round of excited cheers, "Yaaay~" Jade and Azul looked equal parts satisfied and amused.

The news spread like wildfire and the girls of Sacred Hall never felt so good about second place in their lives. The majority of the Royal Sword boys were very good sports about it and gave their congratulations to the girls and their rivals. And for Night Raven College, there would be absolutely no living with them or their over-the-moon Headmaster now.

Azul and the twins approached the excited ring of girls to thank them properly by inviting them to the Mostro Lounge to celebrate now that the day was officially over. The other students of Night Raven were also invited. If Azul had any intention of inviting Royal Sword, he never said so. Though seeing a very content Che'nya wrapped around Reine, he supposed he could make one exception. Riddle couldn't stop his smile from growing as he saw Reine hug the cat boy, looking undoubtly happy. Someone else had caught her eye and she said something to Che'nya before running off through the crowd now moving towards the exits, the same black lace dress she wore earlier fluttering about her legs. He had no idea who could make her move so quickly until he saw her run straight to Malleus as if they were old friends. The princess and the dragon both looked so happy to see each other even though they only just met. Riddle frowned at tingle of jealousy that was starting to surface and mentally brushed the unnecessary feeling away. He walked towards the exit, frustrated with himself, only to be stopped by Floyd.

"Neee Goldfish-chaaan. Come to the Mostro Lounge, we're gonna have a big party!"

Riddle really wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now but before he could reject the invitation, Floyd flashed him a toothy grin, "Mantie Ray and all her friends are coming too, heh heh..."

Damn it. Now Floyd was teasing him too?! Azul and Jade insisted as well, giving Riddle little choice but to accept.

"Girls. We did it. We got 'em."

The girls of Sacred Crown all gave a hearty cheer that rang throughout the Mostro Lounge lead by Manari. Not only did they accomplish what they set out to do and not get caught for all their behind the scenes mischief, they managed to beat Royal Sword Academy TWICE! History had been made and no one could ruin their moods tonight or ever. Elise sat in a corner booth across from the man of the hour himself, sighing contently, "Well I must say today was a huge success for all of us, wouldn't you agree, Mr. Ashengrotto?"

Azul was beyond pleased, "Oh yes, you precious pearls have exceeded my expectations tremendously!"

The princess' angelic smile took on a whole nother meaning very quickly, "Oh I'm so happy to hear that. Now then. Since our contract with you has been satisfied, I think now is a good time for you to complete the last step of your contract with us, or more specifically with me."

Azul felt a cold prick of panic run through him. He had read over every single syllable of the contract paperwork that she, a human princess of all people, had presented to him and had him sign before signing a contract with him on behalf of her and the other girls. Everything had been right there and he had agreed to it all. Octavinelle would provide the resources the girls needed to meet the criteria of the sales arrangement, along with the twins who would act as muscle to keep rowdy customers in line if needed. Also Azul would personally have all the rights to the pictures taken to continue selling exclusively to the students of NRC who didn't beat the rush in time. So long as a cut of the profits were donated directly to Sacred Crown, anonymously of course. The only grey area had been this aforementioned last step...perhaps he had been too blinded by such a golden opportunity that it slipped his mind to worry about it.

"Yes, of course...and what exactly is that, your highness?" Azul asked unable to hide the pop of nervous energy in his voice.

Elise batted her eyes innocently at him, still smiling sweetly. It was then Azul released that this girl probably didn't deal with being told 'no' very often, a terrifying quality in women of status really. Especially the aggressively, deceitfully sweet ones.

"Oh it's not much. A token, a mere triffle really~" this made the Cerith sisters standing behind the princess giggle impishly, "I just want a favor from you, Mr. Ashengrotto. Doesn't have to be today or even tomorrow. Just a promise to do me a favor when I need it. See? Perfectly harmless."

Azul was confused but he just chuckled light-heartedly, "Well I see no issue with that. It's the least I can do for the sweet pearl that has brought me such a bounty." She probably won't remember anyway, he thought. Oh but she definitely would. Jade and Floyd silently looked forward to it.

Both Riddle and Reine felt absolutely exhausted. They were both surrounded by much more excitable friends on opposite sides of the room, taking selfies and regaling in the day's events. A moment of reprieve would be so nice right now...fortunately, they both had the same idea at the same time and no one bothered stopping them. Especially the ones that noticed the two of them at the same time.

Riddle made his way to an isolated corner next to windows that peered out into the underwater scene surrounding the lounge and let out a breath as soon as he was alone. At least he thought he was alone.

"You too?"

He looked to his right to see the princess sitting on some cushions, grinning up at him. The boy's brain was screaming in alarm, telling him to run away like a scared rabbit but the minute Reine patted the cushions as a sign that she wanted him to join her, his feet had other plans. The princess felt guilty for beckoning him closer. Really this was going against everything she had declared earlier but she also seemed to be suffering from her body having a mind of its own. The two of them sat next to each other in an oddly comfortable quiet, watching the aquatic scenery on the other side of the glass. It felt so easy in spite of their nerves jumping all over the place.

"You surprised me today," Riddle's voice was soft, "I really didn't expect you...well I didn't expect anything you girls did at all, actually."

The princess' laugh sounded like a bell, "Ah ha. Then our plans were a success. Honestly though, I didn't expect to play the one and only Malleus Draconia either. It was Elise's idea. She wanted to take everyone by surprise in the 'most fetching way possible' and there's no stopping her from getting exactly what she wants, I'm afraid."

"Sounds like a certain aquatic dorm leader...hopefully they never join forces or else we'd all be doomed," Riddle snorted, not noticing the questionable look on Reine's face, "you were quite fetching tho-ahhh...um..."

Riddle caught himself a little too late. His face began to flush when he saw the way Reine smiled and bashfully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "O-oh thank you. It was fun but very, very odd. Believe it or not, I'm not used to getting that much attention. Or at least not that much informal attention. I'm certainly not accustomed to wearing this much black either but...well Elise said it was good for building up intrigue and suspense for some reason."

Riddle's mouth grabbed the steering wheel before his brain could, "You look beautiful in black. A-and red too. You should wear them more often." Sweet strawberry tarts, stop talking!

"Goodness," it was Reine's turn to flush, "you are being rather bold with your compliments today, Riddle. Perhaps I should...I like your boldness." Wait she likes it, keep going-wait NO!

The boy cleared his throat in attempt to settle his nerves. It didn't work. There was just too much push and pull between the two of them, it was maddening. The princess was feeling just as conflicted and guilty. Why was she willingly making this situation worse by not just inviting him into her space but also flirting back?! Yes, Miss Reine Castilene, Crown Princess of the Rose Queendom who is supposed to be pulling herself off the market on purpose, you know what is happening here and it is FLIRTING. Honestly, you realize you have a crush and then hours later- while they weren't speaking out loud, Reine was very busy lecturing herself internally.

"I like youuu...r..uh I like many things about you, Miss Reine." Ugh, he was drowning. Every ounce of cool authority right out the window in seconds. Riddle was so all around flustered that he didn't even notice himself instinctually leaning closer to the girl in front of him. Her surprised eyes were pulling him in like a black hole. A very pretty, sweet black hole.

"Riddle...can you do one thing for me?" Reine's voice sounded unbearably shy. What was she doing? Why wasn't she stopping this right now?? She shouldn't want this as badly as she did but Reine just had to know, had to hear it for some unexplainable reason, "Can you call me by just my name? No honorifics?"

That's it. He was finished. A man absolutely defeated. Before he could never imagine being so informal with royalty but somehow it felt impossible to deny her request all the same. His voice came out in a soft hush as if he were speaking some ancient spell into existance, "...Reine."

"Again, please?" the sound of her name wasn't anything new but with Riddle, it felt like its own form of magic.

Riddle gulped and spoke her name again this time with a bit more courage, "Reine."

The princess couldn't hold back her laugh, she felt so stupidly giddy. It was embarrassing, awkward, and delightful. The feeling connected the two of them like an invisible bridge. "See? Was that so hard-"

The princess froze with a surprised squeak as Riddle suddenly pressed his lips to hers. In love stories, they always made that first kiss seem so embellished. So magical that the world would stop and fade into a dewy haze as the two lovers melted into each other's embrace, the music would swell, etc. etc. A very over the top scene that was usually pretty cheesy. Turns out, Reine realized, the real experience wasn't too far off. Her arms slowly wrapped around his shoulders as she returned the kiss with little to no hesitation, mentally noting how much broader his shoulders felt now that she was touching them, how good his lips felt carassing hers. Riddle's brain could only focus on how soft her lips were, how they tasted like honey, the soft touch of her dress's fabric as his hands found her waist, as one kiss turned into two...three...four very breathy kisses that brought them closer and closer to one another. It was around the impending fifth kiss when it all came to a very sudden cold flush of realization, making the two of them pull apart in a panic.

"I-I-I am SO sorry, Your Highness! I don't know- wha..." Riddle was a crimson faced mess trying to explain himself even though he had no baring on why he just did what he did. But he felt everything all at once: confusion, happiness, and guilt. SO much guilt. When did he turn into such a barbarian?! Reine wasn't much better off. She could only stare red faced and wide-eyed as everything sunk in. This...was...a...DISASTER. A disaster that she very happily and willingly let happen. Where the hell did all that resolve from earlier go?! So much for "I couldn't bear it" and "I don't want to get him involved blah blah blah" ...she felt like a two-faced liar. The two of them felt the weight of crossing that line bear down on them in that moment. Reine back peddled and grabbed onto any remaining sense she could and cleared her throat.

"R-Riddle...I should be the one to apologize. I'm so sorry."

Riddle felt the air around them plummet from the rush of emotions, and hormones, that was there only seconds ago and somehow it only made him feel worse. Did he offend her? Did she think he was just trying to take advantage of her? Was he a terrible kisser?! Reine gave him a sad smile, trying not to let her eyes tear up, "I'm sorry, Riddle. The kiss was wonderful-" YES! "-but...it shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have let it happen. Please forgive me." NO!! Riddle felt like a monster even though that was not Reine's intention at all. He quickly recovered and stood up, away from her, bowing formally to her.

"Don't apologize. You're right, Miss Reine, it was highly inappropriate and much too forward of me. I'm the one that should be asking for forgiveness." they both hated how rigid he had suddenly become. It felt like such a misstep but Riddle couldn't help it. He had never felt so foolish, so ashamed. Before she could say another word, the boy politely excused himself and quickly left the lounge in a silently tormented rush. Reine couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. She felt a chill run through her entire body as thick tears welled up in her eyes.

She had ruined everything...

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Tagging: @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @nuitthegoddess @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @aiimee9

@victoria1676 @feldya @espada188

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fic "Her Lost Voice" Chapter 9

Not me watching Sleeping Beauty and taking notes in preparation for Diasomnia's impending victory

Hey it's still May 19th so Happy World Eel Day, everyone!

Speaking of eels-

Let's pick up where we left off yesterday with everyone's favorite tweels storming the castle/siren club lol

Chapter 9: The Miserable, Lonely, and Depressed

As soon as he heard her voice say his name, the sleepy fog flooding his system evaporated. It had been way too long and now here she was.

"Floyd...?"

The miniature Leech twin regained all of his energy and then some in an instant. He beamed up at the siren as she slowly swam over to her bed, the dumped flowers completely forgotten, and curled up in front of her pillows so she could get a better look at what was apparently her beau. Floyd excitedly dove into her hands and wrapped himself around her thumb, hugging it since he was too tiny to give her a proper embrace.

"Lunaaa! I missed you!" he chirped in his much smaller voice as he nuzzled his cheek against the pad of her thumb like an affectionate kitten.

Luna's heart melted for a moment at the sound of Floyd's familiar and honest glee. How she missed it and him both. But that didn't distract her from her immediate frustration. Granted, now it was even more difficult to stay angry with him.

"Floyd," Luna huffed in a whisper that was trying to sound stern but knew it sounded lackluster, "What are you doing here?! If they find out, they'll kill you!"

The tiny eel didn't seem to hear her. That or he just didn't care. Floyd just squeezed the parts of her hand he could fit his tail around excitedly as he planted tiny excited kisses on her skin. Luna felt her resolve starting to crack. Good grief, why did he have to be so damn cute?

"Floyd, please."

He finally gave the siren an annoyed pout. So much for her never getting upset with him for doing something reckless, "I don't care about them. I'm here to rescue you. If you wanna be mad then be mad at Sevy, not me."

Luna sighed and gave Floyd's tiny head a very gentle pet with the tip of her finger, "I'm not angry with you or Seven, honey...I just don't like you putting yourself in danger! I'd rather you'd stay away from me and far from here-OW!"

The siren scoffed and glared down at her miniature boyfriend who had bit her finger. He kept nipping at her while giving her a sour glare like a pouty, rebellious child.

"Floyd, stop that!" Luna hissed quietly.

"Then take that back! I know you don't mean it so why did you ignore me for so long?!" She could hear the frustration make his voice crack as he stared her down, the end of his tail whipping against her fingers.

Luna's frustration reached its peak and her words spilled out of her mouth before she could give them thorough thought, "Because I love you, you idiot!"

Floyd's eyes went wide and his tiny jaw went slack as he felt his brain grind to a halt. Luna looked away from him as she felt heat bloom on her face.

"The thought of something happening to you or you getting hurt because of me absolutely kills me, Floyd. I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do to protect you..." When she looked back down at him, Floyd was still completely frozen in shock, making her feel even more embarrassed, "Floyd. Goodness, j-just say something! ...Please?"

In a matter of seconds, Luna saw him completely thaw his way out of shock and b-lined right back into hyper glee in record time. His smile was as wide as his eyes and his tiny tail was wagging like crazy.

"You love me? Really? REALLY?!"

Luna now couldn't deny it even if she wanted to. It was a first and frankly, Floyd Leech was definitely not the type of person she imagined herself committing to. But then she met him, flirted and romanced him, and he not only reciprocated but chased after her in earnest. Especially when she tried to break things off. And the big difference was that it didn't feel like a game or a transaction. Luna couldn't lie to herself anymore. This silly, wild boy actually made her feel happy. Floyd made her feel so good and never pretended to have feelings he didn't. It was all genuine with him...which is why this had all been so hard. So here she was being hit over the head with her own clumsy confession and feelings that had been bubbling under the surface for months now. There was no point in trying to play coy now.

The warm smile on her face set Floyd off like a little firecracker, "Yes, honey. I do."

Luna almost squealed when he suddenly darted up to her face and smooshed his into her lips. She guessed that was as close to a legitimate kiss as he could get in this form. While he had been a bit confused and conflicted about how exactly he felt before, Floyd's brain pretty much threw all that out the window right then and there.

Luna let a genuine giggle slip just before kissing Floyd on his tiny head. He suddenly looked irritated and grumbled, "I wish I wasn't tiny...this makes it even more awkward..."

He became bashful out of nowhere which only confused the siren. Floyd was pretty straightforward all around so this seemed very strange. His ear fins were wiggling and twitching as he looked back up at her, "Hey Luna...?"

Floyd knew that he was definitely doing things out of order here which was frowned upon when it came to mating rituals but honestly, he and Luna had technically already mated in the physical sense before so it was already too late to 'do things by the book' so to speak. His mother would be livid at his lack of preparation but hopefully the fact that she's getting another daughter-in-law would distract her. Normally the male would give his chosen mate a proper gift in the form of jewelry or some other trinket when proposing they become official mates. The female would then wear it like a human woman would a wedding or engagement ring to symbolize that she had taken a mate and was essentially off the market.

Floyd, unfortunately, forgot that part until just now...so here he was about to do the mermaid equivalent of proposing to his girlfriend without a ring. It still meant just as much to him regardless and he hoped the same was true for Luna as well. He just hated the fact that he felt so goddamn flustered all of a sudden!

"Luna, I wanna ask you-"

Floyd snarled and nearly spat acid as a sudden knock on the door interrupted their moment. The scared look that was on Luna's face made his guts twist and turn. He didn't like seeing her that way at all. Luna quickly whispered for Floyd to hide as she opened her jewelry box and shepherded him inside before going to the door. Fortunately, it was Seven on the other side of the door. This only irritated Floyd even more. As soon as Luna let him in and shut the door, Floyd popped out the jewelry box like an angry jack-in-the-box.

"HeyheyHEY! You couldn't wait a few more minutes?!" the tiny eel hissed.

Seven was unphased as usual, "Afraid not. Luna needs to be back on stage in the next three minutes."

Luna gave Seven an understanding nod before picking up her seething beau into her hands and cooed to him, "I'm so sorry Floyd honey. Just please wait a little longer."

Floyd's temper was almost boiling him alive. It was so bad that even Luna's pet name for him barely put a dent in it, "Let's leave right now! You have the key right here!"

Seven rolled his eyes. Jade had warned him ahead of time about his twin's impatience, "If you leave now, it'll only cause more of an unnecessary commotion. Wait until the show is over and the guests all leave. Then, and ONLY then, Luna can open the portal and you two can sneak away because no one will even realize she's gone until tomorrow. And you need to stay quiet...my younger brothers are still outside lurking about. Not to mention, I haven't seen Proteus all night."

Floyd looked like he was ready to take a bite out of Seven when Luna calmly interjected, "Seven, I'll be right there. Just give me a moment with Floyd, ok?"

Her step-brother left without an argument. Luna turned her gentle smile back on, making her lover cool down a small margin.

"Floyd honey," she tried again, this time actually seeing Floyd start to relax, "Please wait for me. Just a little longer. Then you and I can leave together, safely, quietly. Then we'll have all the time in the world to talk and more."

The tiny Leech whipped his tail with acute sass as he crossed his arms and pouted up at her, "....ok."

Luna set him back down on her vanity and planted another kiss on his turquoise hair, "Thank you, darling. It won't be much longer. Then you can be back to your normal size and have me all to yourself."

His expression didn't change but the excited thump of his tail betrayed him making Luna giggle, "Stay hidden and quiet, honey. I'll be back." -

Jade remained waiting in Seven's box, still as a gargoyle. He was quietly pondering how much time they had left when Seven returned and casually sat back down in his seat. He knew that eyes were on him constantly so he had to remain vigilant and calm. Thankfully he had one hell of a poker face. He kept his eyes to the stage as he quietly addressed Jade.

"As soon as the last song ends, return to the front doors with the other staff and unlock them. Wait until the crowds start to leave and then exit with them. Don't break away from the crowd until you're away from the club. You only have about an hour left on the potion so move as quickly as you can without looking suspicious."

Jade said nothing but tapped his manta tail on the floor twice to indicate he understood the instructions.

The crowd below started to quiet down as the lights dimmed. Luna took her position behind the curtain once again, this time with a rekindled spark in her eyes. Just a couple more songs then it'd all be over. Finally...

The youngest of Seven's brothers yawned as he circled around the club once again. This was getting boring but he knew if they didn't do this then the lot of them would get a face full of electricity from Proteus...or worse. He yanked on the uncomfortable collar the three of them had been forced to wear by the sadistic ray: the material alone was rough and rubbed against the skin but it also had metal bolts attached to the outside to make the charges all the more potent. He was about to turn around when a strange smell suddenly hit his senses. It seemed a bit old but also extremely out of place....it was then he noticed it was coming from the vents.

He suddenly let out a whistle to call his older brothers over. The two larger eels made their way over and saw the youngest pointing to one of the vents. He didn't have to explain when the other two caught the same smell. All three pairs of eyes narrowed as they broke apart, each one entering a different vent to track down the infiltrator. It was definitely the smell of another eel but not one of their own.

It didn't take the three brothers long to track the smell to the back hallways where all the sirens' quarters were. But which room was it in? The three silently filed into the empty hallway and accessed the situation. The two elder brothers left the youngest to keep looking as they returned to the main floor. Surely Ventuno and their father would need to know about this. Meanwhile, the youngest continued to sort out all the smells along the doorways, searching for his target like an aquatic bloodhound.

Don Muraeni hadn't budged from his seat all night. He had plenty of gentlemen come to his own box to discuss business in between performances. The more foolhardy of them tried to make offers on purchasing Luna for as their own personal siren but each one was swiftly and rudely dismissed by the Don and his snickering heir. Ventuno just took it as even more entertainment, knowing his father would never sell Luna to anyone or give her to their sons when she already brought him in profit aplenty. He wasn't exactly put off either by the fathers trying to push their daughters onto the Don's son in exchange for some other kind of boon. No agreements were officially made but it was clear that Ventuno had plenty to choose from if he were interested. His enjoyment was rudely interrupted when his two younger brothers silently shuffled into the box, trying to whisper something urgently to him as their father continued to chat with another colleague of his.

"The hell do you runts want?" Ventuno spat before grabbing another crab off of the platter next to him. He lazily crunched the tiny creature between his sharp teeth, half-listening to whatever it was that his brothers were saying but as soon as he heard a certain name, he started to choke, "What?!"

"Ventuno...cover your mouth, boy."

Don Muraeni's sinisterly smooth tone made all three sons freeze. The eldest cleared up his own cough as soon as possible and quickly dismissed himself, "Father, there's some riff-raff inside that these slugs can't handle."

The Don held up a hand to silence his colleague as he turned to narrow his eyes at his now whimpering younger sons and his snarling heir. His voice seemed to turn the air colder all around them.

"Take care of it. Now. Or would you rather continue to disrupt my business and suffer even greater consequences?"

The sons knew better than to answer that and quickly dismissed themselves before the Don had to ask a second time. Ventuno snapped his teeth at the shaken brothers before shoving past them in an irritated hurry.

Floyd had settled on taking another nap to make himself feel better but he was once again interrupted by a noise coming from the other side of Luna's door. He saw a shadow from underneath the door and smelled a scent he didn't recognize. His fins prickled up on edge when the doorknob started to rattle. Outside in the hallway, the youngest of the numbered brothers snarled as he fiddled with the lock, trying to pick it open. Whatever that smell was, it was coming from inside Luna's room. He turned and yanked on the door handle when picking the lock had failed him.

Floyd quickly dove back into the jewelry box on Luna's vanity and pulled it shut as he wrapped his tail around the coral portal key. He felt his whole body tense up and flood with instinctual adrenaline in the process. Had he been full-sized, he'd just knock the door off its henges and sucker-punched the intruder himself. Whoever showed up next had the same idea. Floyd heard a gruff voice bark at the first intruder, telling him to 'piss off', seconds before the handle was ripped off and the door forced open. The Leech twin couldn't see him but Ventuno's deep snarl and the stench of aggression told Floyd all he needed to know. The Muraeni heir leered around the empty room, occasionally tossing things aside as he sniffed about.

"I can smell you in here, you Leech bastard, where are you?!"

The last song had reached it's second chorus when Jade noticed some movement coming from the sides of the room. He remained silent but tapped Seven on his shoulder with his tail before gesturing to the sight of Seven's younger brothers swimming towards the back hallway in a hurry. Seven cursed under his breath but rose from his seat in a calm manner.

"Stick to the plan...throw them off track."

The three younger numbered brothers heard Ventuno thrashing about in Luna's dressing room and felt uneasy about the entire display. The eldest had already snarled and threatened each of them for not doing their jobs and letting some outsider sneak in...and now that the adrenaline of the hunt had started to wane, they realized that they were in fact in forbidden territory and that Ventuno was absolutely destroying the headlining diva's room with no clear signs of stopping.

"The hell are you three doing back here?!"

All three brothers turned and nearly died on the spot from fear when they saw who was yelling at them. They cowered under Seven's icy glare like a pack of scared sardines.

"Get back outside before Father sees you. You know you aren't allowed back here," he commanded in a cold but blunt tone as he made his way towards the ruckus.

The three younger brothers quickly made their way back towards the front doors that were now open and hid amongst the leaving patrons. They shuffled in between the gentlemen and their packs as they exited the venue, going unnoticed by most. The three of them seemed to share alike mind and moved together like a school of much smaller fish. They came to a united halt as one of the manta mermen suddenly swam in front of them, nearly bumping into the eldest. The manta gave a polite apology before disappearing into the flow of the crowd. When the eldest of them picked up on another scent trailing behind the manta, the other two suddenly stiffened as well. It was very similar to the first foreign musk they discovered earlier. Did that mean...there were two of them?!

The eldest snarled quietly as his dark eyes honed in on where the stranger had disappeared in front of them. The manta ray was further ahead moving at a steady pace. The other two brothers followed the first as he began to follow the strange manta at a safe distance. What the brothers didn't see was the smirk on Jade's faux-face as he began to pick up the pace even more once they reached the edge of the lot. He could feel the potion's effect start to fade and knew he was on a tight time frame. The further he lured them away from the club and away from Luna and Floyd the better but he had to get back to his home turf quick.

It wasn't quite as easy for him due to his larger size but Jade had taken mental notes during his and Cowrie's last 'chase'. He continued to face forward, never letting on that he knew he was being followed as he took different twists and turns down this street and the next. All the while, Jade kept his eyes and mind sharp. It wouldn't do him any good to get himself lost. The trio moved together like a pack of wolves. If one of them bumped into a dead end, the next brother took the lead down another path trying to get ahead of Jade to cut him off. Jade picked up speed as he began to recognize his surroundings. Even in this form, he was too quick for the trio to get ahead of him. He was almost to the border when he began to feel a twisting pain in his torso. Jade cursed silently in his own head as he almost crash-landed into the square as the manta fins morphed back into his normal eel form, throwing off his balance. He quickly turned down the alleyway that led behind the Leviathan Club and hid himself the best he could. His body fully changed back as he quietly tried to catch his breath. Around him, he didn't hear or see anyone. Jade waited in silence for several minutes before looking about the area himself...nothing.

In front of the Leviathan Club, the street was full of usual patrons either enjoying the late evening or heading home. Jade didn't see the three brothers anywhere nor did he smell them. He exhaled in short relief before heading straight back home, not knowing that four pairs of glowing eyes were watching him from further down the street. The tall, imperious figure hovering in the middle of the three rough hunters grinned as his red eyes burned with mirth. Each telling whisper the brothers gave him filled him in on the night's events including the suspected intruder in Luna's room and how it had smelled very closely to how Jade Leech had smelled.

"My, my, it would seem hiding in the square all night paid off. Thank you, boys, for chasing the young Leech my way. Let's let him go for now. I have a feeling Don Muraeni might need some assistance rounding up a runaway soon..."

The three brothers knew better than to argue with him as all three of them answered in submissive obedience.

"Yes, Proteus."

Floyd quickly swam underneath the vanity as an angry Ventuno knocked the jewelry box and other items off of it as he continued to turn the room inside out. He held the key tight by the end of his tail. His ear fins perked up as he heard a familiar voice enter the room.

"Ventuno! What are you doing?!"

The only thing that could overrule Ventuno's boiling temper about his enemy hiding in plain sight was his inexplicable desire to either throw Seven under the bus or knock his lesser brother's teeth out. Either way, for Ventuno, the opportunity literally just came through the door.

"I should be asking you that, Seven. Or better yet, what aren't you doing? I was just told by our younger brat brothers that a Leech somehow got in here unnoticed like a rat. I can smell him all over this room. Why couldn't you, hmm? I wonder what Dad will have to say about this...especially since you already fucked up once."

Seven clenched his jaw shut as he allowed the arrogant family heir to laugh in his face, "I've had securities checks done around the clock since we opened, Ventuno. If there was an intruder then we would have found and dealt with him already...but I guess your method of destroying business property works just as well," he added sarcastically.

His older brother growled and got up in Seven's face, baring his teeth and tensing up his tail fins to show dominance, "Listen, just because you're the toughest dog in the pack doesn't mean you can talk back to me so freely. Or do you want another scar on your throat? Maybe this time, I'll rip out your vocal cords and mount them in the dining room right next to a nice, open plaque I'll be saving for your head...'Sevy'..."

Seven felt his hold on his temper start to ebb as his brother used the nickname Cowrie had given him. Ventuno sneered as he watched Seven's eyes narrow, "Oh I'm sorry. Did I hit a nerve? I forgot, that was the lil' maggot's pet name for you, wasn't it?"

"There's nothing in here as you can see, Ventuno. Get out," Seven's tone was cool and collected as usual but Ventuno wasn't finished with him just yet.

"Ooh, poor Sevyyyy..." his tone was laced with amused malice, "You were too late to rescue the little brat from becoming shark food. Damn, what would Stepmother think?" For the first time, Floyd saw Seven's tail tense with anger and shake like the end of a rattlesnake's. "Oh was that supposed to be a secret? How you were her favorite out of all of us? It's adorable how the guilt is tearing you apart, you pathetic sap," Ventuno swam around his younger brother with the smuggest sounding taunts Floyd had ever heard,"Or actually now that I think about it...didn't you just sit back and watch as Stepmother became shark food too? Wow, that soft-hearted bitch even gave you a name without telling Dad...you act like you're above all this but you're just as greedy for a place at the table as the rest of us-"

Floyd heard a loud thump as he saw Ventuno suddenly hit the ground right in front of the vanity. He quickly zipped out from his hiding place and went behind the overturned bed before Ventuno could spot him. Fortunately for Floyd, the eldest Muraeni son was preoccupied with Seven's hand holding him down by his throat. All Floyd could hear was Ventuno struggling and choking as Seven's voice turned dark. His curiosity got the better of him as the tiny twin peeked out from his new hiding spot to watch Seven almost strangle the arrogance right out of his older brother. For the first time, Seven's usually empty eyes were on fire with cold rage.

"I know you haven't given a single damn about anyone besides yourself since the day each of us was born, but don't you dare assume that I'm the same as you, you fucking parasite. And don't you dare insult her like that," Seven's snarl sounded like the beginning of an earthquake as his ice blue gaze pierced right into his older brother's angry eyes. For a moment, Floyd was convinced that Seven was really about to choke every last breath out of his brother...until he didn't. Frankly, Floyd was a tad disappointed. Seven let the asshole go with a final warning.

"There's nothing in here for you to find. Get the hell out."

Ventuno coughed and sputtered as he flailed on the ground, trying to get away as soon as Seven let him go. He snarled as soon as he got his breath back and rose back up, trying to bolster what little dignity he had left, "Ok Seven...I'll leave..."

Before Seven could even blink, Ventuno's tail whacked the bed and knocked it back against the opposite wall. He smirked as he looked down at Floyd who had curled up in a tiny spiral to duck out of the way of the large piece of furniture.

"Well, well, seems we have an infestation after all!" Ventuno chuckled with a sinister grin. The grin quickly faded in a matter of minutes when a large spark of magic suddenly went off in the smug Muraeni's face, temporarily blinding him. Before his vision could clear, Ventuno felt a blunt something hit him in the head twice so hard he swore he had been hit by a bus. Floyd now back to his original size just blinked in both disbelief and wonder at the culprit. Seven sighed in either relief or frustration at how quickly this entire operation went south. Possibly both. The metal piece of her broken bed frame sank back to the ground with a hollow thud as Luna glared at her now unconscious stepbrother.

"Change of plans," she huffed, quickly addressing Floyd and Seven after shutting what was left of the door, "Floyd, give me the key."

He obeyed without question and Luna pressed the key to the wall just to the side of the broken door. The same kind of mirror-like portal opened and she gave Seven a desperate look. He cursed under his breath, "Luna, we don't really have time for goodbyes here. You gotta get going."

"You're right, there's no time for a goodbye," Luna suddenly wrapped her arms around Seven in a tight hug, "Heart's Lyre."

Before Seven could argue, he felt his entire body lock up in a weird paralysis as his arms crossed behind his back. The look in Luna's eyes was both apologetic and determined, "Proteus saw Jade. I heard your brothers talking about it just before I rushed back here. If he knows, your father will too if he doesn't already. You're coming with us. Floyd, let's go."

Floyd gave Luna and Seven a push into the portal as Luna kept her arms around Seven and dove in after them as the portal closed after him.

Luna's body hit the sand hard as the portal seemed to throw her and the others out the other end like a shot. She tumbled more times than she could count and swore some of the sand got into her lungs as she gasped and coughed upon finally landing, her ears ringing.

...Lu.....Lunaaa... "LUNA!"

A familiar voice echoed to her before she felt a pair of arms envelop her. When she could finally open her eyes properly, Luna felt her throat tighten. Elise's beaming smile greeted her old friend as she hugged her close, "You're here! You're really here!"

It took Luna a moment to realize that, yes, Elise actually was speaking to her. Her sister's excited cheer rang out as the younger eelmaid hugged Luna from behind, wrapping her tail around her older sister affectionately, "Luna!! You're ok!!"

"Wh...where...?" Luna's brain was still trying to make sense of everything that was happening way too fast. The giant coral garden surrounding her didn't look familiar at all. Floyd somehow ended up across the way and was currently being helped off the ground by a very relieved-looking Jade as Azul kept patting his back to help him cough up some sand. Luna sighed a few her nerves out seeing that he had made it in one piece. A groan coming from behind her proved that Seven made it as well. The dazed eel pushed himself off the ground and shook the excess sand from his hair, ears, and back. Cowrie pried herself from the sisterly hug and full-on tackled him, squealing with glee, "Sevyyy!!" Everyone was here...they made it.

Luna turned back to Elise and held her face as if she wasn't sure if her friend was real or not, "Elise...you...wait you can talk now?!"

The princess just laughed as tiny inky tears prickled at her gem-colored eyes, "It's a long story. We can talk about all that later. I'm just so happy that you're here! We're all together again, finally!"

Luna's lips quivered as the sentiment hit her in full force, "Yes...Yes, finally."

The two girls squealed as Floyd suddenly wrapped them both in a tight hug nuzzling Luna's cheek before giving her several kisses on her face. Luna broke down in laughter and embarrassment, now noticing that Elise had somehow escaped the hug and joined the rest of the group as they just hung back and watched Floyd explode like a happy puppy.

"F-Floyd! Calm down! I'm not going to disappear, I swear!" Luna's usual cool-headed veneer was all but destroyed at this point and any attempt to regain it or hide behind her hands was rebuffed by her excited beau.

"Never," Floyd was relentless. Elise and Cowrie were both a fit of giggles at the display. Azul and Jade both had looks that were somewhere between relief and exasperation. Seven was just lost entirely...until he saw Don Leech and his wife enter the garden with two very different reactions to what was happening.

Everyone froze as a stern 'AHEM' from Don Leech broke the atmosphere. He hovered, arms crossed, hair looking like he had been asleep until not that long ago, and an irritated yet confused scowl on his face. Madam Leech, a surprise to no one, looked fully prepared for the day already even though it was technically very late at night and merely blinked as she observed the beautiful, embarrassed girl in her other son's arms...until realization hit her like lightning. She looked at Luna and then Cowrie. Seconds later, she connected the dots, seeing how similar the two girls looked, and gasped in delight. Her husband wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. How could he be when here he was, peacefully asleep in bed, when suddenly he was very rudely awakened by a loud ruckus in his garden which was now full of rowdy young people. One was his enemy's kid which he was convinced he would NEVER see again. The other he knew exactly who she was and whose siren diva she was...and here she was in the arms of his son. His headache from the other day came back in record time with a vengeance.

"Everyone. Inside. NOW."

Inside Don Leech's office, the three eel boys all stood in front of his desk as if it were a prison lineup. The twins looked like they knew fully what to expect. Seven looked like he was wondering how in the hell he even got there in the first place. The three girls all sat comfortably as they could in this tense atmosphere on the large couch behind them with Madam Leech perched nearby, poised elegantly, calmly but still very much like a protective mother hen. Azul stood off to the side of Elise, silently grateful to not be put on the spot for once during this whole affair.

The Don glared daggers at the three boys as he heaved a deep sigh, "Days ago, my property was trespassed by Muraeni thugs that chased his own daughter onto my territory....and my son, Jade, tells me then that she is his to be his mate. And you," his eyes darted over to Seven who flinched for a split second, "You, one of the Muraeni boys, show up, beat up my other son, and tell me the same thing. Now, in the middle of the night, you show up yet again with no warning whatsoever with the main diva of my rival's very exclusive sirens club in my garden of all places. Care to explain what the hell is happening here?"

Seven cleared his throat, "Sir, I apologize for this very...strange...situation. Obviously, you know who my other sister is. I was the one who helped her escape here."

"Jade and I helped too," Floyd pipped up casually making Jade and Seven sigh heavily.

"Thanks, Floyd..." Seven grumbled. So much for taking the brunt of the blame.

Don Leech slowly rose from his seat and stared at all three boys before leaning over to address Luna directly, "Luna Cerith is it? ...As in the same Luna Cerith that is the not only the headlining siren at the Siren's Cove but the eldest daughter of the past diva and ex-mate of Don Muraeni himself, Junonia Cerith?"

Luna felt her hands trembling as she kept them folded in her lap, "Yes sir. The very same. I wasn't aware you knew my mother, sir..."

"We've never met," Don Leech's gaze softened momentarily while speaking to the very nervous eelmaid, "I just did some further digging on my rival's history when I found out my son was planning on taking his daughter as his mate. When I did, I found out about you and your brother," both Luna and Seven tensed up at the implication, "I didn't expect to actually see you in my home...again."

He threw a look Seven's way before addressing the three boys with a renewed glare, "With that said...am I to believe you three idiots somehow snuck into the Siren's Cove, in the dead of night, to kidnap Don Muraeni's prized siren singer that has been no doubt at the very top of his radar and still is and bring her back here, into my house?"

The three boys all muttered some form of affirmation to the father's very dangerously poised question. He continued in a very deceivingly calm tone, "Tell me. Why would you do this exactly?"

Seven swallowed as he felt himself begin to crack under the pressure but before he could answer...

"She's my girl," Floyd said bluntly, "I didn't like how they kept her all locked up so I rescued her."

A single pin drop would have sounded like a landslide at that moment with how quiet that office was. Any faint hope that the father had that maybe, just maybe his assumptions were incorrect were shattered. Floyd fully expected his father to react the same way he did when Jade told him about Cowrie: the agro snarling intimidation tactics, the staredown, the whole nine yards. Instead, his father looked into his eyes with the most stoic expression on his face that Floyd had ever seen...which frankly was way more terrifying. Floyd tried to silently stand his ground as Jade had done before but he felt his tail start to twitch anxiously behind him.

His father took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly before speaking, "So...not just one of my sons, but both of my sons have decided that out of all the women they could choose, they choose the two that are absolutely, undeniably off-limits and from the absolute last family they should ever associate with at all...because of course, they would..."

Their father's expected snarl started to build with every word but stopped when Luna's gentle voice politely interjected, "Don Leech, sir...if I may?"

The Don's felt his brow twitch but he still extended his hand, giving Luna permission to speak. The twins scooted to the side to give her room to approach their father's desk. The siren floated forward with Cowrie in the middle between her and Seven.

"Thank you, sir. What you said is very true...the Muraeni family is the very last family anyone should associate with. And that is exactly why my brother and your sons have done what they did for me and my sister. Don Muraeni is a monster and he's abused Seven, Cowrie, and myself for years, in several malicious ways," Luna paused only to give the twins a soft smile, "Jade and Floyd are wonderful boys who have risked so much to help us. My sister and I love them and owe them so much for just that. As for Seven, he risked everything to help Cowrie and me. Because of that, I brought him here to your home. I ask that you forgive my overstepping and accept my gratitude for extending your kindness and generosity to my brother and sister, sir."

Luna bowed her head to the Don and Seven did the same. Cowrie grunted as Seven and Luna placed their hands on the back of her head, making her mimic them. The Don felt the entire room watching him, waiting for a response. He looked at the three siblings and contemplated what the elder sister had said carefully.

"Something else I've discovered that seems off. None of you have the name Muraeni...?" he asked curiously.

The three of them raised their heads again to meet his calculating gaze and Luna shook her head, "No sir. I never took the family name Muraeni even after the Don became my stepfather. Cowrie is biologically his but she shares our mother's name as I do. And Seven..."

Luna hesitated, knowing that this was a somewhat touchy subject. Seven was never actually allowed to even discuss this topic even within the family but if Don Leech was really so concerned about his and his sisters' lineage then now was the time to bring it to light.

"I'm Seven. Just Seven. I have my father's genes but that's it, sir. The only one allowed to have the family name is the Don himself and his heir, Ventuno. The rest of us are just numbers. Our mother never tried to give us proper names."

Elise felt a heavy sadness settle in her chest as she listened to Seven talk about himself as just a number as her eyes took in all the scars on his arms, neck, back, and tail. She hadn't known him that long but his voice always sounded so even, so sure until now. The sound didn't change but really taking in his form and listening to his words...he just seemed so tired. For a moment she, and Azul judging from the look on his face, felt like she was intruding on a very personal moment. The two octopuses shared a look of understanding but remained still and quiet as the rest of this strange drama unfolded in front of them. The proud Don had a look on his face like he was considering his next move as if this were all just a game of chess.

"Your biological mother didn't. But you seem like an anomaly compared to your other siblings, Seven. You went to the surface for a time for schooling like your sisters did when you were about sixteen years old, correct? In that time, you were documented having a name that wasn't 'just Seven'...but you were the only son who did go up top." Don Leech pulled a file of documents from his desk and placed them on the top for all of the younger eels to see. Right on top was an acceptance letter to none other than Night Raven College with the name 'Indigo Cerith' as the addressee and an ID photo of a younger, human Seven wearing the school's uniform.

It was Luna and Cowrie's turn to be shocked. The younger sister cut through the tense atmosphere with a confused chirp, "What?! Sevy you never told us that!"

"You never asked," he grumbled with a heavy hint of embarrassment before looking at Don Leech, "How did you find this information...and why?"

He just snorted as if the boy told a funny joke, "I'm the leader of one the strongest and most influential families in town, boy. You really don't think I have eyes and ears everywhere? As I said, once you came here to ask me to accept Cowrie into my household, I called in a few favors to find out exactly who you were. In the process, I learned about Luna, her mother, and you....and frankly, though they are trained sirens, I have no reason to suspect any foul play from your sisters. Everything about them checks out. You, however, are awfully suspicious and I don't like suspicious visitors coming and going as they please..." The family leader rose again and stared directly into Seven's wide ice blue eyes with the look of a hunter, "So my question is this...who are you really, and why have you come back here, boy?"

Seven took a breath, not looking away from the elder eel who was silently challenging him, judgment and sentence at the ready the moment he said one wrong word.

"I'm..."

Damn we just can't get away from these cliffhangers huh? lol don't worry the next chapter is coming right up!

Tagging: @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @iscarlettappel @marcepanna @honey-milk-depresso @foxwitchaine @nuitthegoddess @evieyouknow @aiimee9 @espada188

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice" Chapter 8

Here are some links cuz I'm in a short hand mood rn and I left y'all on a cliffhanger lol

Inky's AO3, Masterlist, and SC Poll (3 more days~)

Chapter 8: Storms at Sea

The slam of his father's doors rang in Seven's ears. The angry sound stabbed into his brain that was already working overtime to maintain every detail he had planned and now needed at the ready. Don Muraeni was furious. Seven knew this would be the case. Every second of what happened next would count so the injured eel sat half crumpled up on the floor in front of his father's desk, heavily breathing from exhaustion but still in the expected silence.

His father circled him slowly like a vulture. He was stewing over the next words that would exit his tensely clenched teeth. Just when Seven's breath started to even out, his father snarled and grabbed him by the back of his hair, yanking him up.

"What the hell happened tonight, Seven? Speak now."

"Proteus sent some sharks after Cowrie...they chased her onto Leech territory until they cornered her on Don Leech's property. I tried to get her back before they could tear her apart but...I was too late."

Seven winched but made no sound as his father grip tightened and pulled his head back so hard he thought his neck would snap, "You followed after them onto Leech's turf? You're lucky you're still in one piece, boy..." Don Muraeni's word dripped with the same venom that flooded his gaze.

"I wanted to save my sister."

Seven felt a stinging heat flood his face as his father's claws left a deep gash across his nose but once again didn't cry out from the pain. Doing so would only anger his father more.

"Seven, you pushed me to do this with your foolishness. You know how I hate my goods to be damaged, especially you," the Don hissed as he grabbed a piece of fabric from his desk to wipe his son's blood off of his claws, "you're stronger and more cunning than your brothers. Even Ventuno. I need you in top form or else you'll just be another useless hunk of flesh taking up too much space. I won't suffer any fools in this house."

"Yes Father..."

The truth was something Seven and his brothers knew but never talked about, rather it was a silent dark shadow that just hovered in every corner of their home and would continue to do so as long as their father was in power. And what was the truth?

"A pity that Cowrie was undone by the sharks. There was a time she had potential but...well, her mother could have given me a stronger child instead of one tiny, unruly brat. One less pathetic welp taking up space in my empire. Her bones are probably being used to decorate Leech's hovel instead of fertilizing our grounds outside...hmph. If it was one of my boys' bones, I'd be more insulted."

Seven hadn't always been the second eldest. Cowrie hadn't always been his only sister. Ventuno wasn't always the 'heir', it was really just that their father chose him because he survived and was easy to manipulate. Ventuno was just too proud and stupid to see it that way.

The Muraeni family tree was as large as it was twisted. His father had never taken a mate for love but instead out of necessity, business, a means to an end. He wanted and needed a strong brood that he could raise into either attack dogs to do his bidding without question or daughters to lure in strong and valuable blood for future offspring that would fall into the same two categories. Luna and Cowrie had been the exceptions simply because of their siren qualities. As long as the child obeyed and they were useful, they got to stick around. Once that changed...well...to say that the ground of the Muraeni home was secretly a vast graveyard wouldn't be an exaggeration. Seven had known this to be true for as long as he could remember. His father didn't exactly hide it from him, from his brothers, or Cowrie, or even Luna. This is why Seven knew he could only move forward with his plans for the girls' sake if nothing else.

"Father...please allow me a second chance," Seven specifically lowered himself closer to the floor to appeal to both the Don's temper and superiority. This behavior had been ground into him for so long it barely felt like an act at all.

His father circled him once more in silence with a steel-cold look in his eyes before he finally settled once again behind his large desk, his temper seemingly tamed for the moment, "Alright, Seven...I think you've learned your lesson. So you understand what will happen if you decide to go rogue again?"

"Yes, Father."

"There's a good lad. Now then..." the Don paused to casually flip through some paperwork on his desk from various accounts with his clients that needed settling, "I do have some more complicated clients that need to be dealt with."

Seven delicately rose his head to meet his father's gaze, "Actually Father, I want to take over at the Cove."

Don Muraeni gave his son a look that was both curious and silently warning him to proceed with caution. Seven did just that, "The Cove and its sirens have been under Proteus' watch for some time and while the girls have performed as expected, I feel like they could bring in a greater profit if they had someone supervising them that wasn't so...threatening. Luna especially has voiced her concerns about his harassment towards her. I know it's not just Luna herself either."

The icy mob boss was fully aware of Proteus' indulgent habits with the mermaids he had carefully curated and collected for the Cove and in most cases, he didn't even bother with correcting him. In Luna's case, she was one of the youngest and most rare sirens in his possession. While the others were classic sirens portrayed in myth and legends, poor young women who either found themselves stuck in squalor before being plucked up by the greedy eel or those who were simply discovered and bought by the monstrous eel, Luna was an eel siren. She was exotic and had a more wild beauty to her than the others. Not to mention, she was the spitting image of her mother who was quite popular in her time at the Cove as well. In other words, Luna Cerith was her stepfather's golden lure. If there was one thing Don Muraeni couldn't abide by, it was non-paying customers or his enemies touching his things. Especially his most prized possessions. It didn't matter that Proteus worked directly for him: Luna had always been specified as off-limits. Seven knew this was his father's Achilles' Heel and banked on this information tipping the scale in his favor. He saw the exact moment when he got inside the Don's head in his father's narrowed eyes.

"You have always been the sharpest out of my progeny, Seven. I was considering handing the keys over to Ventuno. However, I also cannot trust him with my sirens...his reckless entitlement fans his arrogance too hard," the father snorted dryly as if amused by his heir's poor attitude, "Very well, Seven. With you, at least, I won't have to worry about Luna being ruined."

Seven felt his guts turn sour at his father's words. Luna wasn't technically his kin but even as his step-sister, Seven knew that Luna's beauty and allure were undeniable. He also knew that Proteus wasn't the only one within the Muraeni House that took notice. All the more reason for Seven to go through with his plan.

He rose up off the ground, "Thank you for the opportunity, Father-"

"Listen, boy," the Don snapped, "I was willing to give you a few more chances but since you're so eager to prove yourself by taking on the biggest task on the table, this is your last chance. Got it?" Seven nodded in silence, "Good. I've already sent Proteus over to the Cove. You can take over first thing in the morning."

"Why waste time when I can easily get things in alignment right away, Father?" Seven kept his voice steady even though he felt his pulse race.

Don Muraeni looked his son up and down with a faint look of pride in his eyes. If you blinked, you'd miss it, "Taking initiative, you're already off to a good start, Seven...fine. Send Proteus back here when you see him."

Proteus entered the Siren's Cove without so much as a glance at the bouncers at the door or the waiting staff inside. It was late and the club was still full. Proteus took a seat in Don Muraeni's private box just in time for Luna's main number of the night. Tonight would be a test drive of sorts, a preview to whet the appetites of their patrons and hopefully bring them back in for the event in two days.

Behind dewy veiled curtains, Luna sat on a giant cushioned shell, poised and dripping in multiple strands of black and white pearls that hung from her neck and shoulders. She took a deep breath and thought to herself the one thing that kept her going through all of this.

Just one more song...

It was always 'one more' night after night. One more. One more until something else. Luna didn't know what that something was but just the thought was the only bit of hope she had left. She hadn't seen her sister in days, though it felt like months at this point. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she saw Elise. Her phone had been left in Cowrie's care back home so really Luna had no idea if Elise was still underwater or not. And Floyd...just thinking of his name, his face made Luna's heart ache with bittersweet pain. She knew she'd never see him again. It was probably for the best. He'd survive without her. He could be perfectly happy with someone who could be with him freely. He'd move on eventually...

None of these thoughts took the feeling away but Luna still clung to them, trying desperately to convince herself. She took another breath as she heard the club's emcee begin to announce her. Just one more song.

The curtain rose and revealed the bejeweled siren to the eager audience of male patrons ready to indulge in her beauty. As the music began, Luna adorned her well-trained mask. She was coy, enticing, enchanting. That's what her audience wanted and that's what they would get. No one came to see the real Luna, who was clinging onto false hope that maybe she'd wake up tomorrow and be somewhere safe and happy with everyone she was currently missing. The song that left her lips soared over the crowd in smooth, full-bodied notes like a fine wine. Luna made sure to give the gentlemen closest to the stage their due moments of her attention. She knew she had them the moment her golden eyes locked onto theirs. She could see their senses cloud over as her voice sank into their ears and hearts. Luna was getting the desired result with ease. The more important or wealthy patrons that sat comfortably in the private boxes further away were her next targets.

The siren gracefully swam away from the stage and made her way through the audience to the marked box. This particular gentleman was picked specifically for her to entertain during her song for one reason or another. There was always at least one that the Don wanted her to give extra attention to. It was probably because he was the highest bidder or her stepfather owed him a favor. Luna was never told the details, not that it really mattered, so she never questioned it and just did her job. This sort of thing used to be so much easier for her...that is before she met Floyd. Now that someone had a hold on her heartstrings, acting the part called for a bit more gumption. Luna, however, was a master in the making. This was just business after all.

Luna continued to sing as she reached the VIP patron's box. It was an older half-human merman from the other side of the kingdom. He was joined by a younger merman of the same type that could, frankly, be his son or nephew for all Luna knew. She cozied up to the merman, singing just to him in her dulcet voice, leaving little flirtatious touches here and there over his skin. She imagined that this man, in particular, requested her specifically due to a 'special interest' in her variety of mermaid. Luna was used to it. She had a lot of gentlemen buy her attention for the same reason. The man's eyes were half-lidded and intoxicated as his lips formed into a dreamy grin. The younger man seated across from him watched the scene with an almost nervous longing. Luna threw him a bone in the form of a playful wink and a blown kiss as she made her way back to the stage for the end of the song. The audience gave her enthusiastic applause and bursts of praise as the curtain fell. The preview was a success.

Luna made her way back to her room without stopping to speak to anyone on the way. When she found her door was open, Luna felt her blood freeze. Inside Proteus was casually counting the portal keys he held between his fingers, "My, my...what a busy little minx you have been, Luna."

She felt her head spin as venom boiled in her throat, "What the hell are you doing in my room, Proteus?"

The electric ray clinched the keys in his palm with a sly smirk on his face, "It is my duty to look after my boss' treasured beauties, is it not? It would no doubt distress him greatly to know that his prized pearl had been sneaking out to who knows where with who knows whom...or perhaps, I've found a clue."

Proteus held up a small photo in his other hand and Luna felt her stomach drop. He turned so she could see her and Floyd's smiling faces clear as day, "Luna...poor little siren...flirting with disaster are we? This is one of the Leech boys, isn't it?"

Luna held fast to her cool demeanor, "What of it? I met him at school. He seemed like a fair bit of target practice away from home."

"Interesting that you would commemorate something as bland as 'target practice' with such an adorable photograph..." the ray's eyes pierced into her, waiting for even an inch of incriminating evidence.

Luna just gave him a teasing grin, "It's not very often I find prey with such a handsome face. Are you jealous, Proteus? I don't imagine many women harboring your picture in their intimate hideaways."

Her grin widened as she saw Proteus' eyebrow twitch. She had struck a nerve but he recovered with little effort. A dark chuckle left the ray merman's lips as he crumpled up the photo in one hand and broke the keys in his other.

"Don't flatter yourself, you haughty little tramp..." his copper-red eyes seemed to burn into the shade of blood, "You girls think you're so clever. Running around behind the boss's back. Teasing me, mocking me to my face."

Luna's eyes narrowed as she bolstered up her resolve, "Get out of my room, Proteus. You've ruined my personal things, invaded my space, and polluted the air with your sleazy stink-"

Luna couldn't move fast enough. She let out a weak shriek as Proteus' clawed fingers tightened around her throat, forcing her back against the wall. His sinister gaze burned into hers, "You're lucky you're so beautiful and so valuable, my dear...but that wicked tongue of yours could use some discipline."

A sharp and brief shock of electricity shot from Proteus' palm and scorched through Luna's entire system. She clenched her teeth, refusing to let him hear her scream. This only made the sadistic bastard chuckle, "Goodness, you are a stubborn one. I'm glad...I like my prey nice and spirited."

Luna braced herself. She knew Proteus couldn't leave any marks on her or hurt her enough to keep her from performing or else the Don would have his head. She just had to tough it out until Proteus was satisfied and then he'd go. If she retaliated, it could lead to even graver punishments not just for her but for her sister too. At least, that's what she originally planned. Proteus saw the resolve in the siren's eyes and grinned, his eyes becoming half-lidded as he leaned in. He knew exactly what or rather who was holding Luna back.

"It's such a shame...you and your sister are such fun little toys. But now I'm only down to one."

Luna's breath hitched in her throat as her shock went straight to her widening eyes. He couldn't mean...the ray chuckled, "Oh that's right! You haven't heard. Poor little Cowrie. The wild little thing just couldn't help but get herself into more trouble than she could handle this time. And her big sister wasn't there to protect her from the hungry sharks...or the hungry Leechs who are no doubt chewing on her teeny little bones as we speak."

He was lying.

He was LYING! Jade and Floyd would never let their family hurt Cowrie!

Luna thrashed against Proteus's iron grip and shrieked, "You sick, lying bastard! Tell me where she really is!!"

The ray just tilted his head curiously, "Oh? Well doubt me if you must but this 'lie' came straight from Seven's own mouth as he lay beaten to a pulp from the Leech family's own hands with what was left of those poor dumb sharks torn to absolute shreds. His exact words: 'Cowrie is gone.' There you have it."

Luna froze. Seven was probably the most honest member of the Muraeni clan. He always had been. She fell to the floor, limp as a broken doll, as Proteus released her and cooed in a sickeningly sweet tone as he lightly grasped a lock of her sleek hair, "I am absolutely devastated to be one to tell you this, Luna...perhaps, I can lend you my company to help you grieve."

Had they been on land, Luna would have spat right in his smug face. She swatted his clawed hands away, trying to back away from his looming form, "Get away from me!!"

The door slammed open seconds before Proteus felt a hard and fast blow knock him backward into Luna's vanity, scattering its contents all over the floor. Seven hovered between him and the huddled-up siren on the floor. The brother's eyes seared with anger.

"You're done here, Proteus. Don Muraeni has turned control of the Cove and its sirens over to me."

Proteus frowned as he dusted himself off, "Ah. Young Master Seven...I wasn't notified of this."

"This is your notice. Turn room keys over to me and return back home immediately or I will have you personally escorted out," Seven was curt and serious to a fault.

Proteus took his time removing the copies of the sirens' room keys he had made, making both Seven and Luna fume. As he did so, his whip-like tail stabbed its point into the crumpled-up picture of Luna and Floyd before showing it to Seven, "By the way...I found our proud diva's little secret stash. She's been collecting portal keys and among them was this. Were you aware of this little tryst, Master Seven?"

Seven took the picture and gave Luna a sharp look as he growled, "I was not...were the keys destroyed?"

"But of course. I was very thorough," Proteus sneered down at Luna who was shaking with a mix of anger and shock. Seven's expression froze back into its usual stoicism.

"Good. I'll handle the rest," he addressed the sadistic ray with his hand open, waiting for the requested room keys. Proteus set them all into the eel's open palm and left the room with a sour look on his face. A pity that now all of his little dolls were taken from him, he thought to himself as he left the club.

Seven snarled as he glared down at Luna. Any anger she felt quickly turned into genuine fear.

"Luna, what the hell were you thinking?!" Seven yelled making her shiver. Her stepbrother slammed the door shut and leaned down to look her right in the face. He paused a moment before his face softened and he whispered to her...

"I'm sorry that I have to do this. It's the only way."

Luna let out a shocked scream as Seven suddenly grabbed the table behind her and smashed it with his fist. He continued to yell. She continued to cry out defenses to his angry accusations. Anyone and everyone in the connected hallway heard the commotion from their cracked doors or from behind corners. The guards that had been stationed at either end of the hall remained still as statues. The show staff looked at each other nervously, knowing that the audience was still waiting for Luna to return to the stage but also not wanting to get in the middle of whatever was happening inside her dressing room. When the fight suddenly fell silent, Luna's door flew open and Seven stuck his angry face out, scaring the jumpy staff.

"I'm pulling Luna from the stage. She's done for the night," he said gruffly before slamming the door shut once again. He sighed, giving up the act as he turned to a very shaken Luna still curled up in the corner.

"Luna..." his voice was quiet and soft, "I'm sorry. It was a farce. I'm not angry." He slowly approached her and got down on the same level as her. She could only whimper out the one thing blazing in her brain in a weak whisper.

"Where is Cowrie?"

Seven gently wrapped his scarred arms around his step-sister and pulled her close to him. He placed one of his large hands on her head he leaned down to whisper into her ear, "She's alright. She's with the Leech Family. She's safe. No one else knows but me."

Luna's whole body finally released all of the anxious energy that had built up into a shakey sob as she wrapped her arms around Seven's neck. He felt absolutely terrible for a multitude of reasons, the first being that he had to further traumatize his poor step-sister just to keep these secrets and her safe.

"It's going to be alright, Luna. I just need you to hold on a little bit longer," Seven spoke in hushed comforting tones as he pressed his face into her dark hair, letting her sob into him, "Just until the VIP night. Then we're getting you out of here for good..."

Luna pulled back and looked into his honest ice blue eyes, "...w-what? But how? Even with you in charge now, there's no way I can just leave."

"Don't worry about the details, Luna. All I need from you is to make one more key."

Seven revealed a tiny pouch he had hidden in his other clenched fist, "All you need is right here."

Luna opened the pouch and gasped, "Where did you get these?"

Her brother snorted dryly, "I had a little help from your...what do surface dwellers call them? 'boyfriend?' "

Inside the pouch was a chunk of coral from Madam Leech's garden and the gold necklace that Floyd had given her. Normally Luna's portal keys worked best if the fragment came from a place she was familiar with but this would have to do. It was a shot in the dark at best. Wait...did Seven just say boyfriend?

"You met Floyd?" She couldn't keep her eyes from lighting up as she said his name.

"Oh yeah. He's...definitely...something else. I don't see why you like him but that's not really my business," Seven grumbled. Luna sniffled and let out a tired laugh.

"That's a good way to describe him."

Seven saw the warmth return to Luna's eyes and tiny grin as she held the necklace in her hands as if it was the world's most precious treasure. He realized that he had never seen Luna look this way about any guy since...well ever. It was a true rarity. Now he felt like a jerk for knocking Floyd around, even though he technically asked for it, but Luna didn't need to hear about that.

"Stay in here for the rest of the night. I bought you some time by pulling you from the stage. I'll make sure that Proteus is actually gone and no one else should bother you. If they do, call for me immediately," Seven was back to his business-first tone as he helped Luna off the floor. She quickly leaned forward to hug him and rested her head against his chest with a sigh.

"You deserve the world, Seven...thank you."

He suddenly felt oddly bashful hearing this. Affection or actual praise was definitely not something he was accustomed to, certainly not from his father or even his mother when she was still around. He had known Luna since she was about two years old and he knew the difference in her voice when she was just flirting to get something out of a target versus when she was being sincere. She meant every word she just said and all Seven could do was continue to hug her to him.

The next morning came and Elise had kept her word. She waited for Azul to arrive as she sat in the dining hall with the Leech family and Cowrie. It was a very interesting scene and probably the most entertaining meal she had in quite a while. At the head of the table sat Don Leech looking like he could use a couple more hours of sleep simply mumbling something to Jade in between bites of food. Jade seemed to be in high spirits as he multitasked between talking with his father and holding Cowrie's tiny hand in his to help her feel safe. Cowrie sat on the other side of Jade and was being doted on by Madam Leech who sat across from her, clearly thrilled to finally have another girl in the house. It took some coaxing to get Cowrie to leave the safety of the twins' room but once she did, she joined everyone for breakfast and seemed to relax. Madam Leech took to her future daughter-in-law like a duck to water and did what any overly caring mother would do: shove food into the small female eel's mouth as if she were a baby chick.

"Cowrie sweetie, you are so tiny and skinny! Goodness did that brute of a father ever feed you?!"

"Well actually-" and she was cut off by another spoon full of breakfast. Eventually, Cowrie just gave up and chewed the food in content silence. It felt nice to have a mother of sorts again, even if Madam Leech was a tad aggressive with her affection.

Across from Jade sat Floyd who just hummed with a happy grin on his face as he played with his food before eating it. If his mother asked him about his plans for finding a mate, and boy did she ever, Floyd would just grin and give some cryptic answer like "Eh it'll happen soon enough." Elise was sworn to secrecy about the plans they had brewing. Which turns out, not having a voice? This was the easiest thing in the world for her. The princess just ate her meal and enjoyed the morning chaos that being in the Leech household brought.

Three days, Elise reminded herself. It was now a countdown within another countdown: including today, it was now three days until school started and two nights until the VIP event at the Siren's Cove. In other words, only two more nights until Jade and Floyd snuck into the club to rescue Luna with Seven's help. Neither one of the twins seemed to be worried so the princess knew she shouldn't feel so worried about the whole thing. There was a pleasant smile on her face but she could feel her far more honest octopus legs twisting into themselves like pairs of hands wringing together anxiously. That and today was also the day she was to meet Azul's grandmother a second time to find a way to break this supposed curse on her. With so many impending things, it was hard for Elise to feel completely calm. Just seconds after she finished off her plate, one of Madam Leech's maids entered the room.

"Mr. Azul Ashengrotto is here, ma'am. He's already specified that he cannot stay for breakfast, unfortunately."

Madam Leech gave a disappointed hum as she fed Cowrie another piece of shrimp, "A pity. Elise dearest, be sure to invite Azul back for dinner!"

Elise nodded with an amused smile as she waved goodbye to everyone else in the room before leaving. The maid escorted her to the entry hall where Elise nearly choked on her own ink. Azul was there waiting for her, looking quite anxious himself...

...in his octopus form.

One of his purple and black tentacles tapped on the floor like a nervous foot waiting to catch a train while two others were doing the same nervous, wringing motion that Elise's had been doing earlier. He wasn't wearing his glasses leaving his eyes unguarded and even more of an intense stormy blue against his grey skin. When he suddenly noticed her staring at him, his entire body froze. He cleared his throat and tried to greet her with as much confidence as he could. Which wasn't much honestly.

"G..Good morning, Your Highness."

Elise blinked a couple of times as she looked him up and down in this new exotic form. He was just like her now...well not just like her but Elise's octopus form seem to recognize that a male was present. Frankly, it was a very weird, instinctual feeling. This had to be one of those 'changes' the eels had mentioned before. She ignored it for now and finally made her way over to him with a curious smile on her face. She giggled to herself as she playfully poked one of his front tentacles with one of her own much like she did back in the grotto when he had his human legs. Azul hiccuped in surprise when the poked tentacle suddenly wrapped itself around Elise's with no restraint whatsoever. Elise would have squeaked if she had a voice to do so. The feeling of the two tentacles intertwining felt weirdly intimate and affectionate. Somewhere between a handshake and a kiss. He quickly yanked his away from hers, his embarrassed face turning a bright purple. She held a hand up to her mouth to hide the amused smile but the shake in her shoulders as she laughed gave her away.

"I-I am so sorry, Your Highness! This form is admittedly easier to move around in but these things," Azul glared at his own octopus legs as if they were misbehaving children, "they can have a mind of their own at times..." Elise didn't seem too bothered by it but Azul himself felt like he could drop dead from embarrassment any second now, "A-A-Anyway, we should get going. I don't want to keep Grandmother waiting."

Elise linked her arm with his, her eyes practically twinkling at how awkward and bashful this version of Azul seemed to be. It was a refreshing and downright adorable change. She swore she heard Jade and Floyd snickered from around the corner but didn't bother looking back to check.

Madam Lorelei Ashengrotto was seated at the exact same table within the Leviathan Club true to her word. She was pouring over some notes she had spread before her on various pieces of parchments. When she looked up to see her grandson and the princess, her eyes smiled along with her lips, "Come here, darlings. We have much to discuss."

The sea witch decided not to comment on Azul's natural appearance for two reasons: the first being that she never liked wasting time and the second being that the poor boy already looked like he might collapse from overexposure. Instead, she gestured for the two to take a seat before diving right in.

"Well then, angelfish," she addressed Elise directly, "I have some good news and some bad news for you, my dear. The good news is that your current condition is not permanent. Not yet anyway. So we still have time to reverse it. The bad news, however, is that in order to reverse this curse, you need to make a choice. In order to become human again, your prince on the surface either needs to fall in love with you or become a merman once again. It isn't simply reversing the magic as it is taking it back for yourself."

Elise felt like a boulder had rolled onto her chest. If she understood what the sea witch was saying then that would mean taking Rielle's very real desires and happiness away from him in one way or another. Rielle loved Emily and gave up his life under the sea to be with her and now he actually was. Elise just got caught in the crossfire of it all. Either option seemed impossible.

"Yes, well that first option isn't an option. Not organically anyway. So how would we do the second, Grandmother? I doubt it's as simple as convincing Rielle to return to the sea..." Azul had a pensive look on his face as he crossed his arms, mulling over every word.

"You are correct, precious. You will need something much more powerful than that. Fortunately, you have me to guide you," Madam Lorelei gave the younger octopuses a confident smile before reaching into the bag at her feet for a long box, "It took a couple of favors to get what we needed but voila, here we are..."

Elise looked at the box as the sea witch placed it on the table between them and opened it for her. Her eyes widened at its contents while Azul's narrowed into a serious icy stare, "You are sure about this, Grandmother?"

Inside the box was a sharpened dagger that looked like it could cut even the toughest metal. Madam Lorelei nodded with a serious look, "This isn't a mere accident, Azul. Your magic is both brilliant and complicated. So much so that a counterspell or breaking of the contract won't do the trick. I couldn't have been blessed with a more talented grandson to carry on my magical prowess."

Azul would have been extremely flattered in any other occasion hearing his grandmother's praise, but right now it just felt like he just made it near impossible for Elise to get back home with her hands clean. His grandmother once again spoke directly to the princess.

"Let me make this as clear as possible, angelfish. When Prince Rielle completed the contract, the magic that bound him to Azul's deal was pulled apart because of your sudden broken heart. He gained the love of Princess Coralette as stated in the terms but...he rejected you which in turn nulled his portion of agreement in a way," she paused to take another sip of her tea and to let that information sink in, "The magic lingering from the incomplete contract then had nowhere else to go so it latched onto you, dear Elise. It bound you into a secondary oath that left no physical artifact behind such as another contract."

Elise felt like the entire room had turned upside down. She understood the complicated logic behind the witch's explanation but how was a dagger going to help...? Madam Lorelei read the confusion on the girl's face loud and clear as she took a final sip of her tea.

"As I said before, my dear. You have a choice to make. There are two ways to change you back into a human: either fulfill the contract in reverse by getting Rielle to fall in love with you and give you the coveted kiss of True Love or sever Rielle's half of the magic, the half that turned him human completely. To do that, you need to pierce this dagger into his human feet. It has magic nulling properties that make it an oath breaker of sorts. Once you do that, he will return to being a merman and you will return to being a human. All will be as it should."

'True Love's Kiss'...Azul wanted to roll his eyes at such an old-fashioned trope. The fact that it had any authority in the realms of magic was laughable. The look in the sea witch's eyes was still a sympathetic one. Azul had filled her in on the princess' personal feelings towards Rielle and vice versa. Even though her heart was broken by this boy, it was clear that the princess was less than eager to take back the life Rielle had gambled his own voice and left everything behind to get. She remembered reading the letter he had written so sincerely. It made her heart squeeze in sharp pain as she recalled the way he sounded so desperate and so ready to finally come out of hiding so he could be with Emily. More guilt washed over Azul as he watched the distress spread over Elise's face. He wanted to say something to make this all easier for her but did those words actually exist?

"I can tell you have a kind heart, angelfish. All the more reason to be honest with you. Both Azul and my daughter have told me what occurred on the Leech Family property just yesterday...you were there to witness it firsthand, were you not?"

Elise felt her throat tighten as she looked into the sea witch's deep blue eyes that shone with wisdom. Her gaze wasn't unkind but it was most definitely shrewd.

"The Coral Sea is not a place for kind-hearted, unguarded souls, Princess. Especially on this side of the reef. You have seen how deadly and cruel life down here can be. So for your sake, I ask you to be objective in your reasoning and don't let your emotions blind you. You belong on the surface in your palaces and under the sun. Not down here in the dark and cold, constantly wondering if you're to be hunted or not. It's a simple fact."

Elise knew she spoke the truth and she did so because it was for Elise's own good. But even so...was the sea witch right? She was definitely not prepared or given the same constitution the Cerith sisters, the twins or even cunning Azul had growing up in her cozy surface life. At the same time, when was the last time she had a solid home or a present family on the surface? If that was where she belonged then why weren't those she left behind trying to bring her back? Or perhaps they were and she just had no idea? ...there was only one way to truly find out.

The princess nodded in thanks to the sea witch before taking the box in her hands. She still wasn't sure if she really wanted to use it but either way, Elise knew she had to go home at least once more before returning to Sacred Crown. Madam Lorelei took one last sip before giving the young ones a final warning, "One more thing, my dears. From what Azul has told me and judging from your appearance, I would say you only have until the next full moon to complete this task...after that, well, you will be stuck as a mermaid forever, dear princess. You may use magic to give yourself a human form but ultimately, you'll never be able to stay away from the water for so long. A mermaid of any sort can never truly be parted from the sea."

Time was so hard to track down here that Elise had no idea how long that actually was. She was glad that Azul had accompanied her every step of the way through this. His cool head and foresight came in handy for exact occasions like this.

"The next full moon is roughly a month from now. Around the same time as the next festival between Night Raven and Sacred Crown. How convenient," Azul sighed, "And you're saying that the only options we have are to hope that Rielle will suddenly decide that he loves her and not Princess Emily...or to literally stab the magic right out of him."

The sea witch chuckled, "Magic concerning the heart is rarely a straight path, my boy. No one said this was going to be easy."

Another countdown. Everything seemed to be converging in on her at once in a myriad of questions, thoughts, and feelings. Three days. Two nights. One month. Two 'homes'...two forms...

Two Elise Coralettes...?

"I have one more gift for you. It's a temporary fix but it should help at the very least."

Elise came out of her daze as Azul handed his grandmother the empty nautilus shell he had previously stored Rielle's voice in. Somehow she didn't even notice that he had been wearing it around his neck this entire time. Madam Lorelei rose from her seat and gestured for the two teenagers to follow her, "More good news, dear princess. Though the magic itself bound you to the contract's terms, you never actually consented to give up your voice as the prince did. So instead of your voice taking Rielle's place in Azul's possession, it simply locked itself away. This we can work with but I'll need a proper workspace for this next part. Follow me, my dears."

His grandmother's home wasn't too far away but the terrain changed drastically. Azul was quite used to it but Elise was a bit shellshocked. One thing she had noticed was that this entire area of the Coral Sea wasn't as bright as the more southern regions where Rielle's home was located. The water was colder as well but there were still bits of reef life here and there. Traveling just outside of the city, however, it grew even darker and the reef seemed to halt and give way to dark stones and fuming underwater geysers. Had Elise not met the sea witch before seeing where she lived, the princess would have feared more for her actual soul. Especially when she saw the large set of bones at the entrance.

"I assure you the inside is far cozier than the outside, angelfish," Madam Lorelei chuckled, "Come in, come in~"

The interior of her home was as stylish as she was even if it was furnished with very avant guard, if not macabre, furniture that looked like it was made from bones just like her jewelry. Azul made himself at home as Lorelei guided Elise over to an open area surrounding a cauldron. The princess looked around to see the walls lined with very organized rows of bottles. Some were labeled, some were just holding strange contents inside that Elise had never seen on land. She swore some of the bottles held living, moving creatures inside them.

"Alright, my sweet. This will be quick and painless I assure you. All I need for you to do is to sing."

...Sing???

Elise looked beyond confused. How could she sing when she couldn't even speak?! Then again who was she to argue with an all-powerful sea witch? She took a breath and opened her mouth to sing and felt incredibly foolish trying to do so. She felt like her mouth was just uselessly flapping open and shut like a carp.

"Not like that, dear," Madam Lorelei said bluntly, "You're a mermaid now and a mermaid's song it very much like magic itself. It's not something you just breathe out of your mouth or words that you simply put sound to. Hear the song, feel it warm, and build up inside of you. One that resonates. This is the only way we can unlock your voice."

There was only one song like that Elise knew. She took another deep breath and let it out as she listened to the soft notes in her mind like it was her own personal music box. It began as a silent hum in her chest. Soon she opened her mouth and let the words form on her lips even though she couldn't make a sound.

"Much better, yes. Keep going."

Azul watched as his grandmother threw ingredients into her cauldron while Elise focused on the unheard song. He had seen his grandmother do spell work all of his life and yet he never lost his wonder for it. Once everything came together, the sea witch raised the shell towards Elise's mouth. A tiny light started to grow from the princess' throat until a soft sound echoed from it. Both the light and Elise's song grew until both flew from her open mouth and into the shell. The princess grasped her throat not because it hurt but because for the first time since she became mute, it felt...empty.

"This will not return your voice to normal but it has freed it so it can be used in this form at least," the sea witch placed the shell necklace around Elise's neck and she felt its warmth against her skin, "as long as you wear this, you can speak, but only if the shell is worn and intact. So be very careful with it. Go on, try it."

The princess cleared her throat, feeling hopeful when she heard a small squeak come from her, "...Th...ank...you...thank you!"

Elise's face burst into a bright smile. This was a far cry from the last time Azul heard her voice as she tore into him...and he made a mental note to keep that from happening a second time at all costs.

The princess threw her arms around the sea witch with a joyful cheer, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Ashengrotto!"

Madam Lorelei just chuckled and patted the excited princess on the head, "Madam Lorelei will do. And it was no trouble at all. Just remember what I said before, sweet child," she paused as she looked over at Azul but still spoke to the princess, "you have a difficult road ahead of you and not a whole lot of time. So weigh your options wisely."

Elise's tentacles that had been holding the box placed it back into her hands and somehow it felt even heavier, "Yes, of course."

Azul and Elise swam back to the Leech family home with the box and a few other items in a satchel Madam Lorelei had lent them to assist the twins. Elise felt like a mess: she was thrilled to be able to speak again but wasn't used to hearing her voice at all anymore. Azul had said something that made her laugh and she nearly jumped out of her suction cups hearing the loud noise come from her mouth. It was very different from her usual trained, demure giggle that she had curated for years. The mystique was shattered in a matter of seconds. Azul couldn't help but tease her with a sly grin.

"My goodness, I never realized how boisterous you were under all that regal poise, Your Highness..."

"Well, I never realized that you were such a terrible liar, Mr. Ashengrotto..." when his face pulled an abashed expression, a mischievous smile spread across Elise's face, "You told me you were an ugly, gross octopus. How dare you lie to me to cover up how cute and shy you actually are!" Cute wasn't actually her first word choice when she saw him earlier that day. But her nerves got the better of her and that's what came out of her mouth.

Cute?! Shy?! He huffed as if the princess had spilled ink all over his contracts, "You make me sound like some skittish little guppy!" Azul folded his arms in with a frown as they continued to swim. Elise wasn't sure if he was scowling because she had hit a nerve or because he was trying to keep his face from flushing again.

"I never said it was bad!" She laughed, "You've just surprised me. That's all."

Azul watched the princess swim ahead of him with a much more spirited smile on her face, taking his time before catching up with her. She was definitely not what he expected either. That was one thing Azul was sure about in this whole confusing mess. Even with the brighter expression on her face, the boy still noticed a bit of apprehension hiding in her eyes.

"You have the ingredients you need, right? Do you need any help? I'm quite good at potion-making myself," Elise let a bit of smugness shine through that last statement as she quickly changed the subject.

Azul took great pride in his potion-making skills and rarely did he ever need help. However, that didn't stop him from admiring the princess' confidence, "I don't believe so, Your Highness. But if that changes, I know who to call on...if anything I may need your help in keeping Floyd from drinking the wrong potion on purpose."

The princess snorted, "I will do my best. I do have one request though."

"Is it another 'favor'?" Azul teased sarcastically.

"Yes. Call me Elise instead of 'Your Highness' or 'princess'. Or even 'Ellie' like Cowrie does. I really don't mind at all."

Azul came to a halt mid swim, "Is that really...ok? Doesn't it seem kind of rude? I mean...you are a princess."

Elise turned and hovered in front of him with a sort of melancholy look in her eyes that didn't match the grin on her face, "I am a princess, yes. But in title only. I have no actual power nor am I going to take the throne like Reine will one day. It's just...it doesn't seem to matter that much. Especially down here. Plus you're the only one who refers to me as 'Your Highness'."

Now that she mentioned it, none of their eel companions did address Elise that way. Azul did it because...because of formality he supposed? He had never really thought about it too much to be honest. Referring to her as anything less than her royal title felt inappropriate. Then again, she really didn't feel like a princess. Not that Azul knew that many princesses to begin with. Elise felt like....like...Azul didn't even know. He still found himself at the crossroads with this unique girl: he knew she was established as one thing but she seemed like something different entirely. Ok, he was definitely overthinking such a simple request...and now he was just floating there like an idiot while she stared at him-

Azul cleared his throat to reset his brain because it spiraled into a tizzy, "Alright. Elise....'Ellie' seems a bit too common. Elise is a perfectly good name all on its own."

Elise smiled with her eyes, "So is Azul. May I call you Azul since we're going to be spending even more time together in the coming weeks? ....or would you prefer 'Azuzu'?"

"Azul is fine," the boy octopus mumbled as his tentacles cringed at the cutesy nickname. It just didn't sound right coming from her. Especially now that she had her voice back. He'd rather listen to her say a world of other, less embarrassing things. Besides, though he didn't mind this wall of formality coming down between them, his mind was itching with a myriad of other questions and curiosities. The anxious glimmer was still there in her eyes. Not that he had been trying to stare but Azul was very observant in most cases. Something was wrong and he had an idea but...prying into her personal feelings seemed uncouth. So instead, he tried something else.

"Elise, what song were you thinking of before?"

Her eyes became distant as they entered the city once again, "...my mother's lullaby. It's always the first song that comes to mind so I guess it did the trick. Did your mother sing to you when you were young?"

Azul had many fond memories surrounding his mother. Some were downright embarrassing but he did in fact have a wealth of good ones. He almost felt bad for sharing even a hint of them simply because it felt like he was rubbing in the fact that his mother was still with him. When he hesitated, the princess playfully nudged him with one of her legs, "No? Not a one?"

"O-Oh no, no my mother used to sing to me every night when I was very young...she never missed a night," Azul averted his eyes away from Elise, feeling guilt start to pick at him again.

"I like your mother. She seems so lovely and warm. Jade and Floyd's mother is very sweet too...I don't think I'd want to make either one of your mothers angry though," Elise giggled.

"I definitely do not recommend it..." Azul grumbled, "not unless you want a barrage of wooden spoons unleashed on you."

Her laugh rang out like musical notes. If she was bothered at all by the conversation, it didn't show in the least. Azul continued to share more stories - leaving out all of the painfully embarrassing ones - of his childhood as they finished their journey back. If nothing else, her laugh seemed to make the waters brighter. He had a feeling that Elise still felt unsure about what to do about Rielle and he didn't want to push her to decide especially when she was probably still hurting from the heartache and...well...he was definitely no stranger to heavy feelings. Another time, he silently told himself. They had more important matters to deal with first. He just hoped that the twins could pull this off. Azul had never been one to be afraid of a gamble every now and again but this just seemed horribly, terribly reckless even for Floyd. But he'd be lying if he said that he wasn't impressed with the motivation the moody eel had gained within the last day or so since gaining inside help to bail Luna out of her miserable situation.

Azul had known Jade and Floyd since they were all children and he couldn't remember a time when Floyd had ever latched onto another, especially a female, like he has Luna. It was nothing less than bizarre. For a while, Azul had assumed that Luna used her siren charms on him but when he asked Floyd about it, the eel denied everything. Luna never sang to him, used magic on him. Luna was just Luna: beautiful, full of feminine charm naturally even without her being a siren. She was also very clever just from the skill set Azul had discovered she had even if it was just through word of mouth. She was just...

"...beautiful and nice. And she never gets mad at me for doing things my own way and..."

Azul could still hear Floyd go on and on about the siren with that goofy smile on his face. It was nauseating how smitten he was and how little he tried to hide it. Of course, now that Azul thought about it, Jade too was smitten. Now that was weird to think about it. Jade Leech, the poker-faced and elusive Vice Dorm Leader of Octavinelle that was obsessed with his terrariums. The same Jade Leech that was always calculating something or causing mischief with his wild twin was now wrapped around the tiny little finger of a blunt, sassy little siren that led her life like a stray cat, going wherever and living however she pleased. Saying whatever was on her mind with no hint of deception. They were a very interesting and very different pair...wait a second.

Azul's brain came to a sudden halt. His two companions, his childhood friends, his partners in business and in crime so to speak: they were in love. Jade had already chosen Cowrie as his proper mate. Surely Floyd couldn't be that far behind with Luna. Then again this was Floyd we were talking about. Still, just the thought somehow threw the octopus boy for a loop. He was happy for them, of course, but where did that leave Azul? It wasn't that he was afraid their plans of opening a Mostro Lounge permanently after graduation were now ruined that the twins were choosing their mates just that it made Azul really stop and think where he also was in his life. Leave it to his doting mother to remind him that he too was eighteen now and coming upon the point in every octopus merman's life where he started desiring to mate, to settle with a female of his choosing, etc. It was, for a lack of better words, absolutely terrifying and made Azul's guts tie themselves in knots.

Sure, he was clever and had the compacity to find tactics to charm and lure girls into buying something he was selling but actual courtship? The genuine article?! Fortunately for Azul, his mother - unlike Madam Leech - never forced him to meet girls or go on dates. She told him from the very beginning that he needed to find his soulmate organically and in his own time. He was extremely grateful for this but still...the subject matter is something he'd rather avoid completely. Just thinking about it already had his mind reeling, spiraling through the anxiety-fueled fog and-

Elise quickly swam back to Azul moments after she heard a loud clang and saw him holding his frustrated and embarrassed face. Amidst being lost in thought, he swam straight into a light pole, and now here he was nursing a bruised ego.

"Azul, are you alright?!"

He tried to insist that he was but that didn't stop the princess from pulling his hands away from his face and gasped. A bruised ego and a bloody nose, apparently.

"Ooh that looks like it smarts...come on, your mother's restaurant is just around the corner from here. I'm sure she had some sort of first aid available. Let's get you fixed up," Elise grabbed his hand started to pull the poor boy down the street, ignoring all his fuss about how he was actually fine.

Mama Ashengrotto didn't make as much of a scene as Azul thought she would. Instead, the mother just shook her head at her son's unusual clumsiness and left Elise to nurse yet another Octavinelle boy's injuries in her large comfy office. She returned not too long afterward with some snacks and a message for Elise. Mama Ashengrotto paused in the doorway and watched the girl gently tend to her son as he fussed. He sounded like he was being belligerent but really, Mama knew he was just embarrassed. It was still cute all these years later.

"Honestly, Elise, it's just a small scrape. You're acting like I'm going to bleed out any second," he huffed as she softly dabbed around his nose.

"Hush. I'm almost done," She just pouted at him as she focused on what she was doing.

"Not to interrupt, my sweeties, but there was a message left for you, Elise," Mama Ashengrotto set the trey of refreshments down before handing a folded piece of parchment to the girl.

She didn't recognize the scratchy handwriting at first but the name signed at the bottom flipped a switch as soon as she saw it.

It was directions about when and where Jade and Floyd needed to be on the night of the Cove's VIP event and all the details everyone involved needed to know. And at the bottom of the paper was a simple signature...

'Seven'

Azul ended up extending his stay in the Leech home until the VIP evening had come. He actually did tell his mother where he was this time...just not every single detail about the why's and what for's. When it was time for the group of teenagers to execute their plan, they acted as nonchalantly as possible during the evening meal and turned into their rooms as expected at the end of the night....until the whole house was quiet enough for them to sneak into the garden, one by one.

Floyd was the most fidgety and irritated of the small band of rebels, surprising no one. Azul held two potions before the brothers, one in each hand, one blue and the other red.

"Pay attention, Floyd. This is important," Azul said sharply, "Jade, the red one is for you. The blue one is for Floyd. They both will only last about three or four hours so do NOT drink them until you're about to cross the border, understand? The rest is up to you two and Seven."

Cowrie held out what looked like earplugs to Jade with a pouty expression on her face, "You'll need these, Jay Jay, so you don't get all...ya know...love stupid because of the siren songs."

"Ooh? Are you worried that I'll stray, my Cowrie?" Jade was incorrigible when it came to his smug teasing. Even with his mate, he couldn't help himself whenever she showed even a hint of territorial or jealous behavior, no matter how small. He silently reveled in it. Cowrie scoffed, trying to ignore the amused twitch in her mate's long tail.

"I just know how things work in that place and I'm trying to keep you from getting robbed down to your bones, Jay Jay!" Cowrie huffed with her cheek puffed up like a grumpy blowfish. This only made Jade internally gush over how cute she was. The younger Cerith sister turned to her impatient brother-in-law-to-be and gave him a serious look.

"Floyd," the tiny eelmaid grabbed onto Floyd's black strand of hair and gently pulled him down to look her in the eyes and used his proper name to show she meant business, "Trust Sevy and don't do anything besides what he told you to do, ok? My sister will be heartbroken if you get yourself killed and I'll kill you myself if you get her or Jay Jay killed, got it?"

Floyd's tail kicked up some sand in irritation but he didn't look away from Cowrie's sharp stare either as if doing so would be stepping down from a challenge, "Yeah. I get it."

"Good. And no fighting unless you absolutely have to!"

Floyd just huffed and gave Cowrie a pout to rival her own. Azul crossed his arms and sighed, "For the record, I think you're both absolutely mad for even attempting this...however, it would be a crime to leave Luna trapped in that horrible place. So get in, get her out, and get out of there before the Muraeni's even realize what happened."

Azul flashed the portal key to the Octavinelle dorm that Jade had passed onto him, just in case things went south way quicker than they anticipated. Everyone knew their roles. Everything was prepared. Azul and Elise waited in the coral garden with Cowrie while the twins snuck off the property under a spot in the tall fence they had dug out months during their last visit home. Cowrie sat curled up in Elise's arms, trying not to show how anxious she was really feeling as she watched the twins disappear into the night.

The Siren's Cove was packed. Seven had his hands full keeping the guest list check-ins tight but flowing smoothly. There were, of course, the non-elite patrons that spent most of their nights at the Cove's usual open events but they were soon turned away at the door and informed that tonight was a private event for only those who were personally invited by the owner, Don Muraeni himself. Those who didn't comply were swiftly met with shark and ray mermen bouncers who didn't waste time with verbal explanations. His father and oldest brother were already seated in the Don's private box, comfortable and ready to enjoy the night's coming entertainment. Seven's younger brothers, however, were left outside to watch the perimeter for anyone who looked shady.

Seven's calm eyes roamed over the line of patrons as they showed their printed invitations to the doormen and entered the club to greet him where he stood watch. They knew who he was and he knew them but he held fast to the rule of silence and merely bowed his head graciously to each of them as they entered. Some came armed with gifts for their favored sirens. Seven accepted each one without question and had the staff take each gift to the girls' rooms in rotation. Any gift that came for Luna was simply left outside her door, lining the hallway so as not to disturb her as she prepared herself.

Seven's eye spotted another Don of a smaller clan that was indebted to his father enter the venue with a group of his own associates in tow. He was a Zebra moray with a small family and a slowly declining ring of muscle but under Don Muraeni's umbrella, he was able to keep his own household afloat. The Don nodded to Seven out of respect and motioned for one of his lackeys to present a vase of flowers to Seven to give to Luna.

"To celebrate the young mistress' debut," he grinned with a rough dry voice.

Seven was about to accept the vase when a suddenly clanging noise was heard from the ceiling. Everyone who heard it looked up to see a series of ventilation port-like openings in the stone ceiling. It seemed to be coming from one of the openings...like something was crawling or skittering around inside.

Seven snapped his fingers and signaled to two manta ray mermen on standby that floated into the main entryway from the shadowed corners. They nodded just before one of them went to investigate the vents while the other took the vase from the visiting Don.

"Probably just a lost crab or some other small intruder, I'm sure...they seem to swarm this time of year," Seven reassured the Don and his crew motioning for them to enter the main hall. The manta ray that took the vase was then given his instructions from Seven.

"Take this to Luna's door and knock. She always prefers flowers to be delivered personally."

The mantra ray gave him a courteous grin before swimming towards the backstage corridor without any questions.

Luna sat before her mirror, adorning the elaborately strung pearls she was given to wear specifically for her performance tonight. Her face was a cold mask of calm but inside, each nerve was on fire. Seven hadn't elaborated on what exactly to expect tonight, just that she should be 'ready' and to act as if everything was normal. Meaning that Luna kept up the facade of a scolded diva put in her place by her angry step-brother and now supervisor, keeping her mouth shut and her head down. Obedient and silent when she wasn't on stage. Other than that...Luna held the freshly made coral key in her hands, not sure exactly where it would take her when the moment came. She hid it inside her jewelry box along with the gold necklace Floyd had given her moments before hearing a knock at her door. She opened it to find one of the manta ray staff holding a vase of flowers addressed to her.

"Oh thank you. These are gorgeous," Luna took the vase in her arms and admired the blooms as the mantra ray smiled down at her. She swore that one of his eyes was darker than the other and his smile though...she had seen it somewhere before. The manta ray said nothing before bowing to her and swimming back towards the main entrance, leaving Luna to wonder if she was just imagining things. She set the vase on her table, that Seven had replaced for her, and finished getting ready, knowing that they would call for her any moment. Perhaps it was just Luna's nerves getting the better of her but as soon as she turned around to look at herself one more time in her mirror, she thought she saw the vase move in the reflection. Of course, when Luna turned around...it was perfectly still. She took a deep breath and let it and her paranoia out. Clearly, she was just getting a bit stir crazy. Luna left her room as soon as the stagehands called out for her.

The main hall was filled to the brim. All the guests had been seated and were being served by the eager wait staff who knew tonight would be the best time to rake in some heavy tips for themselves. Seven saw that the security closed and locked all of the exits and entrances until the performances were over per his father's orders. Once everything was in place, he took his seat in his own box. He was one step above his younger siblings who were locked outside but still below his father and eldest brother. Therefore, he sat in a different box, separate from them. He was soon joined by the same manta ray that had delivered Luna's flowers for him. The eel gestured for the ray to sit in the seat next to him.

"You might as well get comfortable. It's going to be an interesting night."

The manta joined him with a grin as he took a seat next to the eel. Jade Leech's voice left his lips in a sly chuckle, "I imagine so, big brother."

Seven grunted, "Shut up and plug up your ears already. The show's about to start."

Luna's first song ended with the sound of vigorous applause. She peeked out from behind the curtains and found where her stepfather and brother sat. They looked as satisfied as either could possibly bear to show. Her eyes wandered across the upper level until she found the box she knew was Seven's. It was empty. He was already on the move, it would seem. This only gave Luna more reason to follow the next direction that he had given her earlier.

'After your first song, return to your room and stay there until it's time for your second and final song.'

Luna did exactly that. What was waiting for her there nearly made her jump out of her speckles. Fortunately, Luna was smart enough to clamp her hand over her mouth as she quickly shut the door behind her. The vase from before had been tipped over and the flowers scattered all over the floor and laying on top of her pillows on her bed was a miniature version of a very familiar face that could very well fit in her palm, just napping away. Her gasp seemed to make the tiny thing stir awake and beam up at her as soon as he was fully awake. She wasn't sure if he was even real but there he was...smiling up at her as he always did whenever they have reunited again.

"...Floyd??"

oop another cliffhanger

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @honey-milk-depresso @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @iscarlettappel @marcepanna @feldya @zstargalaxy @evieyouknow @espada188

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #sacred crown chronicles #twst oc x canon #octavinelle #twst oc schools #floyd leech #jade leech #azul ashengrotto #twst ocs #the cerith sisters #luna cerith #cowrie cerith #elise coralette #seven sevy muraeni #more eel mermaids #its jailbreak time bitches

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 16 (FINALE)

This is the final chapter of 'Her Ivory Crown'

Any new readers, I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have revisiting it. I will be posting the second part of the Sacred Crown Chronicles along with the One Shot stories that tie into the sequel as well.

Ch. 16: Their Royal Majesties

The evening was coming to an early close thanks to the Headmistress' earlier curfew ruling. The girls didn't like it one bit but they had already caused enough ruckus for the week as is so each of the Sacred Crown students remaining in the Monstro Lounge bid their new and old friends goodbye and made their way back to the dorm. Reine and Riddle started to leave as well when Reine saw Cowrie still sitting alone at the bar poking at the pasta on her plate. She was back in her SC uniform, worn in her signature casual style compared to her sister who wore it exactly to code always: the powder blue blazer was tied around her waist like a sweater, her white blouse's top two buttons were undone, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and left untucked from her pleated skirt, her dark pink bow tie nowhere to be seen, and the black ribbon choker she always wore was around her neck. The Cerulamare azure blue vest was buttoned properly but that was the only piece of her uniform she ever wore properly. The cherry on top was the Octavinelle fedora still on her head. A few other girls from the Cerulamare dorm were grouped nearby, throwing dubious looks in the free-spirited eelmaid's direction. Reine knew those looks well and frowned.

"Riddle, you can go on without me. I'm going to wait for Cowrie and walk her back," she said to her beau with a soft smile before kissing his cheek, "thank you for everything, love."

The red-head followed his princess' gaze to the scene and picked up on the energy immediately. If there was anything he had learned today is that Reine could and would handle herself in any situation she deemed worthy of her attention. Some gossiping schoolgirls were nothing he needed to concern himself with so he returned a shy kiss on Reine's cheek, not used to public displays of affection just yet, before bidding her goodnight.

Cowrie could definitely hear the remarks her dormmates were making while looking at her back. If the girls were actually trying to be sneaky, they were dumber than Cowrie originally thought. The first year knew it was only a matter of time before word would spread but did they really have to bring it up here?

"Do you really think Dorm Leader Coralette will choose her? They're awfully close...but what a joke right?" the second-year girl said not nearly as quietly as she should have, making the other three girls giggle wickedly.

"Wouldn't it be a little unfair? Talk about nepotism. She'd only be choosing her because she's Vice Dorm Leader Luna's sister..."

Next year both Elise and Luna would be fourth-year seniors and both girls would be spending most of the year off-campus in different internships elsewhere. Therefore, Elise would need to choose a new dorm leader, and given their friendship, rumors were already flying that it would be Cowrie Cerith. This was already garnering a polarized response from the rest of the dorm members that would be left behind: most shared the opinions of the mouthy second year leading the gossip ring at that exact moment but a few underdogs thought Cowrie was the best choice. Cowrie was already an odd duckling being not only one of the top three students in the entire school while seeming like one of the most carefree, if not laziest students in school, but also her grades and test results were so good that she was already planning on skipping a year and starting the next semester as a third year. This was, of course, supposed to be private information but word spread quickly amongst the Sacred Crown girls regardless. Said information just stirred the pot further, making others even more envious.

"I heard she's skipping right over her second year too? Ugh, what a showoff...there's no way she hasn't been cheating this whole time!"

Cowrie didn't react. She just stared blankly down at her plate as if these ugly-talking bitches weren't coughing up shade literally behind her back and bounced her sneaker-wearing feet on her stool's footrest. It wasn't until Jade quietly set another drink in front of her did Cowrie meet his gaze with her baby blue eyes. He was cleaning glasses on the other side of the bar, giving her a soft grin as he did so. He too ignored the other girls as they continued pseudo-whispering. But his presence only added to their unnecessary chatter.

"Did you see her ask that upperclassmen out earlier? She got right up in his face and everything...how desperate can you be? He probably agreed out of pity. Or fear."

"You sure about that? I heard he was a creepy eel too-"

Jade set another glass down more aggressively than he had with the previous one, making the girls jump. At the last comment, both Jade and Cowrie both turned sharp gazes to the now nervous cluster of girls. 'Creepy eel' huh? How surprisingly bold and rude these girls are, Jade thought silently as he broke eye contact to watch Cowrie stare into them. He and his twin had always been feared on Night Raven's campus but it would seem the students of Sacred Crown were more maliciously passive-aggressive. Jade wasn't all that surprised. Teenage girls were more terrifying in their savage packs than boys in most cases.

"Girls, curfew is in twenty minutes," Reine's firm tone made the girls jump again as she suddenly appeared behind them, looking less friendly than usual. The princess' reputation had rapidly evolved since the recent events that had happened both that day and the previous one. Not that Reine minded. A little bit of intimidation felt pretty nice actually.

"Y-Yes Dorm Leader Castilene. We were just leaving," the second year that started the rabble in the first place skittishly said.

"Leave more swiftly and quietly if you please," Reine gave them a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she passed them to approach the bar. The girls fled the area like scared mice. Cowrie gave the princess a low whistle as she sat down next to her.

"I like this new side of you, Reiny-senpai~"

Reine gave the freshman a genuine smile, "Thank you. I do too...pay them no mind though, Cowrie."

The mermaid scoffed and took a sip of the drink Jade gave her, "Let them talk. I don't care."

"You are quite cavalier about this, Miss Cowrie," Jade chuckled as he continued to clean up, "How admirable...scaring them seems easy enough though. Just a thought."

"Just Cowrie. I ain't that formal," Cowrie said to the tall boy before taking another sip, "Besides...when Ellie-senpai passes the dorm leadership to me, they'll have to follow my rules or walk themselves out the door. Hehehe~"

Reine sighed as the freshman giggled, "I'm just disappointed they ruined the surprise. Elise was so excited to make a formal announcement once we got back on campus. Oh well. Since we're ruining secrets, is it also true that you're skipping right to being a third-year?"

"Yup," Cowrie casually stated before shoving another piece of shrimp into her mouth, "the faster I can graduate, the faster I can be free to live as I please. And maybe catch up to Ellie-senpai and Luna."

Reine's smile stayed in place but as she watched Cowrie's distant expression, she felt like there was more hiding behind her meaning than the mermaid had let on, "What do you mean by that, Cowrie?"

Jade didn't say anything but if you were paying attention it did seem like his ears perked ever so slightly even though his eyes were down and his hands were busy. Cowrie just turned to Reine with a laidback smile.

"Meh. Nuthin. Just daydreaming...hey maybe we'll get to be classmates next year, Reiny-senpai!"

"Ooh that would be fun," Reine laughed lightheartedly before her tone turned a bit more serious, "Actually, since we have a moment...I wanted to talk to you about what you and your sister did to Zehn."

Cowrie's eyes suddenly shifted off to the side, looking like she had been caught in the act right then and there, all over again. Jade again said nothing but his grin widened still. He and Floyd had heard about the girls' 'interrogation' of one Zehn Cavalier and both were equally impressed and disappointed that they couldn't witness it firsthand.

Reine sighed and continued, "Granted I was very out of it at the time but still. As a dorm leader, I cannot condone your actions. But...as a friend, I am very grateful," Reine's smile returned as she gently wrapped her arms around the younger girl, "Thank you, Cowrie. I'll definitely ask that you be my escort when I come to visit Riddle in the future. I wouldn't feel nearly as safe with anyone else."

Cowrie giggled cutely and nuzzled against Reine's cheek very much like Che'nya often did. Reine learned long ago that apparently eels also did this to show trust and endearment towards - as the sisters put it - 'their humans.' In a more romantic context, this gesture would also be extended to potential mates. Reine just took it for what it was: a sign of friendship and platonic affection.

"Now finish your plate. We need to head back soon and I don't want you getting in trouble on my behalf again. Especially if you're going to be my fellow dorm leader next year...I refuse to let you ascend with a tarnished record." Reine gave the younger girl a playful grin.

Cowrie pouted like a child being asked to leave a theme park early before scarfing down the rest of the seafood pasta on her plate. She in turn chugged the rest of her drink before neatly stacking her dishes and handing them to Jade with a bright smile, "Thanks, Jay Jay. See you tomorrow~ ...and tell Floy Floy not to ditch or else Luna's gonna be pissed."

Jade chuckled as he took the dishes from her much smaller hands and set them aside, "I'm sure my brother won't disappoint Miss Luna. He seems awfully motivated, after all."

It honestly had been a record number of days that Floyd had been in not only a decent mood but a proactive one at that. A school of wild killer whales probably couldn't keep Floyd from showing up at this rate. Though he was still grumpy that Azul made him stay in the kitchen for most of the evening...

Reine felt like she had been transported back to the day before the music contest all over again once she and Cowrie returned to the dorm. The other girls were all in a tizzy over the dresses they all received either from their families' personal tailors or that they had made arrangements for before the festival even started. Reine was waiting for her in her room no doubt but she was so thoroughly spent that all she wanted to do was just sit in the lounge and enjoy the excitement all around her. The perfectly normal, school event induced excitement. No more dread or drama involving her royal family, rejected suitors, or life-and-death Overblot situations. Just a bunch of high school girls excited for a dance with a bunch of handsome boys. Refreshingly normal and Great Seven above did it feel good after the crazy week they all had. Reine just sighed contently, leaning back on the sofa, watching her fellow dorm leaders and their girls all admire and compliment each other on their gowns that none of them could wait until the actual event to try on. Just in case last-minute adjustments were needed but mostly due to unbridled excitement.

Luna looked absolutely stunning in a shimmery, not to mention form-fitting, black strapless mermaid-style gown that just barely met the dress code and sleek elbow gloves to match. She looked less like a high school student and more like a sexy lounge singer. She was currently zipping up Cowrie into her aquamarine cocktail dress that had an illusion neckline with coral-like patterns dotted with tiny pearls and a short, flowy a-line skirt that stopped a couple of inches above her knees...again, just barely passing the dress code. How the sisters got away with it, no one knew or asked. The boys certainly weren't going to complain.

Manari and Jinnah, both wore dresses very close to their homeland's style of formal wear: heavily embellished in gold beading that matched their jewelry, bright colors on fine silk materials, and the flashier the higher status it meant they held. Manari's attire was a deep purple with accents of gold with a sheer train decorated in peacock feather designs that fell around flared out pants instead of an actual skirt. Jinnah's was a gown that was rich sapphire blue as the main color and accents of the famous peacock green with more elaborate gold trims running along the bodice and had a longer, veiled train that fluttered around her skirt, adding more movement to the overall garment, making her look like royalty. The other dorm leaders and their second-in-commands each had gorgeous dresses that were made just for them in every detail, down to the very last stitch. It was quite a sight.

"And what is our guest of honor doing lumped up on the sofa? Aside from getting wrinkles in her uniform?"

Reine snickered as Elise stood before her, looking glorious in her lavender off-the-shoulder number despite the crossed look on her face. Reine ignored her best friend's comment as she admired the elegant dress with its fitted, sleek, pearl-beaded bust and delicately layered ruffle skirt that made her look like she was floating across the floor.

"How on earth do you look like an absolute dream in that dress and yet you do not have a date, Elise Coralette?"

Elise rolled her eyes, "Well excuse me, Your Majesty, some of us were very busy trying to make all the arrangements for this dance to worry about procuring one single dance partner, you know..." It was true that Elise was in charge of all the planning that went into the actual dance and it was her expert attention to details that made sure everything went off without a hitch. But her response was also a cover for the fact that since Prince Rielle ditched the festival, Elise hadn't really sought out nor desired any other boy to be her date. This was clearly backed by the cynical glances the Cerith sisters were currently giving their stubborn dorm leader.

"Besides. I've had plenty of offers from the Octavinelle dorm so I will have my fair share of boys to choose from during the dance anyway," Elise declared smugly. The eel-maid sisters shared a look before giving matching looks of mischief to Reine from behind their dorm leader. The princess read their minds without question.

"Oh is that so? I'm sure Azul will be waiting with bells on," Reine chimed innocently, "that is if he doesn't already have a date himself, of course. I'd be shocked if he didn't, honestly."

Elise blinked curiously, "Mr. Ashengrotto? I'm...not sure actually. He never even mentioned going at all." Cue the mischievous sisters slinking up along either side of Elise.

"Well of course Azul-kun will be there, he is a dorm leader after all," Luna said cooly as she slowly circled Elise and stopping beside the sofa Reine was sitting on, "I can just imagine how handsome he'll be, dressed to the nines as always. He's always so stylish, isn't he, Cowrie?" she purred with a sly grin.

"Oh yeah. I bet Azuzu will look even better than he does in his Octavinelle suit, " Cowrie mirrored her sister's movement and settled on the other side of the sofa with an impish grin on her face, "Imagine...he'll probably wear extra nice cologne too. He'll smell like heaven while looking good as hell. If he hasn't been snatched up already, a smart girl would definitely pounce when given the chance..."

Elise had in fact indulged in Azul's alluring cologne'd presence on a regular day more times than she'd like to admit. And now her brain was mapping out an elaborate vision of him as the sisters mused on and on about how appealing Azul Ashengrotto would inevitably be tomorrow. That, however, Elise would be taking to her grave.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Ashengrotto is - along with over half the students at Night Raven, let's be honest - very attractive indeed. I think we can all agree on that," Elise cleared her throat, determined to get back on track, "HOWEVER! You cannot distract me from the most important problem we are currently facing! Reine, why aren't you trying on your gown?!"

The eel sisters snickered as their dorm leader tried to save face and helped Reine off the sofa as she rolled her eyes, "Alright, alright. I will go try on my dress. Here I go."

While the girls were both eager and seasoned when it came to formal dances and the like, it became swiftly apparent that not all the boys of Night Raven were in the same camp. At Heartslabyul, there was a myriad of mixed energies all around. Riddle was fortunate in that his future father-in-law gifted him the very same suit his tailors had made for him to wear to the dance and his date was also his future wife. So he was all set as far as he was concerned. Cater and Trey had gotten dates without any issue and if they were suffering any nerves at all, it didn't show in the slightest. Cater being Cater, of course, had a very stylish suit in his closet at the ready. A sleek white tux with black lapels, a dark pink vest, and a bright salmon pink bowtie because pops of color were both charming and always trendy on Magicam. Trey was a bit more classic and subtle in his style: a dark green suit, white shirt, black tie, and shoes. Nice and simple. The first years and any other students that did not have a suit already prepared fortunately had Sam ready to lend a hand. Once the shop owner caught word that a big dance was happening, he took the opportunity to stock up on appropriate attire and accessories for the whole lot of nervous and/or excited young men on campus.

Deuce was looking himself up and down in the mirror in the suit that Sam had provided for him at a reasonable price. The suit was a nice shade of deep blue with a black floral print dress shirt and white tie and it was a perfect fit. He liked it and felt like it looked really good on him but he was still an absolute jittery mess of nerves. He managed to ask Alyssa to the dance and succeeded but at what humiliating cost?! Well, the answer to that...had Ace laughing his ass off.

"I can't believe you completely skipped the first and most simple step and just went straight to asking her to be your girlfriend!!"

Yup. That totally happened. By some miracle Alyssa Ledell, the sweet sunflower angel that she was, said yes to both being his date for the dance and his girlfriend without a hint of hesitation. Deuce was both overjoyed and horribly embarrassed once the word spread across campus like wildfire. Don't even get him started on the fact that he had never been a boyfriend before! Where did he even begin in being one now?!

Deuce just huffed as his face glowed bright pink, "S-She still said yes! You're just bitter because almost every girl you asked said no! Epel and Jack both got a yes from the first girls they asked. Hell, even Sebek got a girl to go with him without being rejected! So what does that say about you, huh?!" Deuce's past thuggish persona shone through towards the end a bit.

Ace immediately stopped laughing and glared at his classmate as his bruised ego flared, "Shut the hell up! Psh, I turned down more girls than the girls who told me no!"

The two freshmen began to argue making Riddle burst into the room with an annoyed expression. Cater and Trey just found the scene adorably amusing. The two freshmen immediately froze up as Riddle snipped at them to quiet down.

"Aww our cute little freshmen, daring to face the perils of wooing the fairer sex. Well, some more successfully than others, eh Deuce?" Cater winked and playfully put his arm around Deuce's shoulders, the attention making him blush even more, "Way to win the cutie's heart! Of course, I think we can all agree that the true triumph goes to our legendary dorm leader and our glorious new Heartslabyul queen! So are you going to be 'Mr. Riddle Castilene' or 'Mr. Reine Rosehearts?' "

Riddle rolled his eyes as the group of boys all laughed at the notion, "Ha. Ha. Hilarious..." Reine had already informed him that she would be taking his name and that he would in fact be His Royal Majesty, Mr. Reine Rosehearts which he was perfectly fine with but he would never admit it to these fools. He would admit, however, the boys referring to Reine as their new queen filled him with an embarrassing amount of pride. The kind of pride that made him want to shout from the rooftops that she was going to be his wife to anyone that would listen and to everyone that would even think about trying to put the moves on her. But again...he would never admit any of that part out loud. Instead, he just let relief and even a bit of warm happiness wash over him as he took in the simple levity filling up the Heartslabyul dorm and no doubt all of the dorms across campus. Like Reine, he truly enjoyed how at ease he felt now that everything had fallen into place and now everyone's biggest worry was whether or not they'd be completely overtaken by butterflies in their stomach come tomorrow night. Not any looming threat or life-altering dilemmas. Just simple, everyday high school level awkwardness and excitement.

Riddle took a moment while his dormmates bantered back and forth to send a quick message to Reine on his phone. He was sure that she was fine now but there was no harm in checking right?

Back at the girl's dorm, Reine smiled when she heard Riddle's assigned chime ring from her phone as she was helping Alyssa into her silver-blue gown. Reine knew Elise and the others were awaiting the two of them downstairs but the girls could wait for a second longer as she quickly sent a sweet message back to her beau. Alyssa was bubbling over with excitement as she was telling her dorm leader about Deuce's adorable albeit clumsy confession. Reine was pretty impressed: first, she got a fiancee, now her second-in-command got a boyfriend. Rosabyrine girls had a reputation of not wasting time on fruitless endeavors but damn this had to be a record!

"He was so sweet," Alyssa cooed as Reine cinched up the laces on the back of her dress, "And nervous. I knew he wanted to ask me out but I didn't expect that!"

"Sounds like he didn't either, to be honest," the princess laughed, "Poor Deuce. Thank goodness you said yes."

"Of course! Deuce is wonderful! He's so cute and earnest..." Alyssa practically had stardust in her eyes as she swooned over her new sweetheart, "I just wish we didn't have to leave after tomorrow..."

Ah yes. The elephant in the room was finally addressed. It didn't seem fair, did it? Everything had worked out so well and now that it had? The girls had to return to their island the day after the dance. Reine guided Alyssa to the full-length mirror with a warm smile, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet, hmm? Tomorrow is still going to be a day to remember and look how lovely you are."

Alyssa had already looked like a little doll on most days but now she looked even more charming, like a breath of fresh air. Her dress had beading and silk cut butterflies all along the scoop neckline and gave way to a flowy tulle-layered skirt that reached the floor. Reine's heart squeezed with adoration, "Oh, you look like a little fae princess."

Alyssa was beaming pure sunshine as she swayed back and forth in the mirror, "Ooh, you think? Not that anyone is going to be looking at me once they see you."

Reine had put on her gown as well and in light of the rapid evolution she had undergone, she decided to change it up and depart from the usual silver and white gowns she had worn in the past. Instead, Reine's dress was a crimson ball gown with rose appliques over the sheer Queen Anne style neckline and down the see-through sleeves that hugged her pale arms, giving the impression that the flowers were blooming on her skin. The rose patterns wound their way down the neckline and bust and tapered off the black tulle that covered her belled-out skirt. It was nothing less than gorgeous and made Reine absolutely show-stopping. Naturally, she was the guest of honor so it was to be expected. Even so, Reine couldn't help the shy blush on her face.

"Riddle's a very lucky guy," the blonde gave the princess a cheeky grin, "His rose garden has nothing on you."

"Alyssa, don't be cruel. How could I compare to those immaculate blooms he cares for so tenderly?" Reine pouted teasingly.

"Well he doesn't swoon over the roses like he does you, that's for sure..."

Reine would never get over the notion that the proud Heartslabyul prefect couldn't hide his affection for her from others even when he tried his hardest to. Nor would she ever get over her feelings of embarrassment when she was reminded how oblivious she had been up until recently...

"Reeeeine! Are you done yet? Elise is going to have a cow down here if you don't hurry up!"

Manari's voice brought the princess back to reality. She shook her head at her best friend's impatience as she linked arms with Alyssa, "Shall we?"

Tomorrow came and passed fairly quickly into the evening hours peacefully. The dire situations that shocked the campus before were forgotten to most of the students, visiting or otherwise by now. Reine couldn't be happier to completely forget her dreadful experiences with the now exiled Zehn Cavalier and her defeated mother. Jasper had to, unfortunately, return home to begin his studies under the current Queen's advisor so he would be fully prepared when Reine ascended the throne but her cousin made sure to send her all the congratulations he could muster over a slew of texts. Also, a fresh batch of her new signature red roses and black ribbon to wear in her hair for the dance. "A queen must always be properly styled! ;) " was his final message and she could hear his snark from miles away. Well waste not, Reine thought as she put the final touches on her hair and make-up. She could already hear the bursts of excitement downstairs as some of the girls' dates decided to meet them at the dorm and walk them to the ballroom instead of waiting for them there. Rook Hunt's poetic declarations and Kalim's excited outbursts could probably be heard across the entire campus. Reine wasn't even in the room but she could feel their dates' shy reactions from where she sat. The princess just giggled as she heard Vil and Jamil's annoyed tones, shuffling the exuberant boys out the door, before going to check on Alyssa.

Alyssa was dressed and ready but also looking rather panicked as she paced back and forth. Unknown to Reine, Riddle and his seniors were in a similar situation back at Heartslabyul with a very nervous Deuce. Reine just sighed in amusement and stopped her vice leader before she wore a trail into the wooden floor, "Alyssa, you're not getting cold feet are you?"

"NO! Er no, of course not! I'm just a little...concerned. That's all," the blonde giggled nervously, "I look ok, right? RIGHT??"

"Alyssa. You look like perfection standing here right now and your boyfriend loses all sense of reason just at the sight of you on a bad day," Reine laughed. Goodness, is this how she sounded not that long ago about Riddle? She inwardly cringed at the thought...

Reine escorted the blonde freshman downstairs before she could argue, "Trust me. You have nothing to worry about whatsoever. Just breathe and continue to be your sweet little self."

The Leech brothers were the next callers to arrive to pick up the Cerith sisters. An uneasy Azul was hiding-er-standing behind them, looking as if the twins had dragged him there by force. Which they basically did. The trio had always looked rather dapper in their Octavinelle suits but they certainly out-did themselves for the occasion. Azul wore a similar style of suit as his dorm one but this one was silver-grey with a black dress shirt and smart, purple pocket square and matching tie, and shiny black shoes. Despite his nervous energy, he cleaned up very nicely. The twins wore matching charcoal grey suits and black gloves but the difference was in the details: Jade, clean cut and sharp as usual, wore a black collared shirt with a light grey vest and bright aqua blue tie that matched the blue poppy flower in Cowrie's boutonniere, and black shoes while his twin wore a more colorful teal shirt with the first few buttons undone like always with a black pinstriped vest, and black and white shoes similar to his Octavinelle ones. Luna's amber-gold calla lily boutonniere was attached to his lapel, giving his look even more color.

Reine and Alyssa greeted them as they waited. "You three look so nice!" Reine smiled brightly. The tweels grinned down at the princess, happy to receive such sweet praise, while Azul seemed to grow a bit flustered. Reine heard Cowrie prance into the room with the same amount of praise at the ready, though a bit more forward per usual Cowrie fashion.

"Ooooh! You guys look hot!" Her usual sleepy-looking baby blues widened and even sparkled a bit. Or maybe that was her darker blue eyeshadow, "Hey hey, Azuzu! Why are you hiding?? You look so good, come out!" Cowrie kept trying to get a better look at him by darting around the twins like a curious little kitten following a laser pointer. Azul looked like he was about to phase through the floor from all the sudden female attention, something he was very not used to at all. Jade smiled as he looked his energetic date up and down in her flirty little dress and delicate pearl accessories pinned in her sleek dark hair. Floyd just giggled as Cowrie kept trying to draw the octopus boy out, "Cowrie-chan, you look like a cute lil' jellyfishie~"

This distracted the younger sister momentarily, "Ooh think so? You like it, Jay Jay?"

The more reserved twin's smile grew some more as Cowrie swished her short skirt back and forth, awaiting his approval, "Oh yes...very cute, Cowrie," he said softly. The moment Luna entered the room, Floyd's jaw practically detached from his face. The finishing blow aside from her unapologetically sexy outfit was her rich smokey eyeshadow that made her golden orbs practically glow and the classic string of pearls hanging from her neck that completed the look. Jade helped his smitten brother out by silently pushing his mouth closed for him. The elder sister floated up to her date with that deadly flirtatious giggle of hers, not even bothering to address the other two boys next to him, successfully buttering up Floyd's ego.

"My, my Floyd~ Aren't you so very handsome? Lucky me." She batted her eyes up at him like a professional, placing her hands on his shoulders and smiling as she felt them tense under her touch.

Had Floyd been in his eel form, his tail would have been wagging at breakneck speed. If he wasn't already, Floyd Leech was definitely hooked now. Cowrie just snickered as she latched onto Jade's arm, "Too bad, Ellie-senpai isn't here to see you guys. She left earlier with some other Octavinelle boys."

Luna sighed teasingly, "A pity really. But we should get going then we can catch up with her. Maybe Azul-kun could sneak in a dance or two with her as well before the rest of his dorm whisks her away for the night," before he could answer, Luna turned to Reine and Alyssa, "Reine could use an escort, yes?"

The princess smiled, silently entertained by the sisters' antics, "Yes, I'm meeting Riddle at the ballroom. Perhaps I could walk with you, Azul? If you don't mind, of course."

Azul snapped back into his usual charming veneer, the very same he always had at the ready when it was time to entertain customers, "Ah but of course, Your Highness, it would be my honor naturally."

Reine linked her arm with his and gave him a playful smile, "Don't worry, I won't force a dance out of you, Mr. Ashengrotto." The other girls giggled as poor Azul's face glowed pink. Jade offered his other arm to Alyssa and followed Azul and his brother out the door with the two much shorter girls on either side of him.

The ballroom looked as if springtime had exploded inside. Instead of letting Kalim's barrage of flowers go to waste, Elise's quick thinking utilized every single one to decorate the room and used just enough magic to keep each flower pristine. Several students had already gathered inside and were excitedly mingling about. Elise was flitting about making sure everything was ready before finally settling in the middle of a small group of attentive Octavinelle students, all ready to soak up her girlish attention. Their hopes were swiftly dashed as soon as Azul and the twins arrived with the very attractive Cerith sisters at their sides. One look from Floyd and Jade made the boys quickly distance themselves as the trio approached. The poor boys took extra care not to stare at the lovely mermaid sisters lest they get themselves into even more trouble. Elise barely noticed as her eyes lit up at the sight of the sharp-looking boys.

"Well you three clean up nice, don't you!"

Floyd's expression turned friendly as he looked Elise up and down, "Oooh Star Fishie, you look so pretty..."

Jade hummed in agreement before smirking at Azul, "Very fetching indeed. You think so too, right Azul?"

"Ahh, but of course. Your Highness' beauty is undeniable," Azul retained his oozing charm without letting his nerves get the better of him. For now.

With both sets of mischievous eels surrounding them like vultures, there was no way Azul and Elise were getting out of this without being thoroughly teased. The octopus tried his best to not lose his cool under the twins' taunting gazes or Elise's adoring one. The princess practically glowed as she looked him up and down, "Oh Mr. Ashengrotto, you're too sweet. But...where is your date?"

Azul wouldn't be surprised if the eels had somehow manifested popcorn into their hands with the way all four of them were watching his exchange with the princess, "A-ah, I'm afraid I am without one. It's been a terribly busy week and all. Surely you understand, Your Highness."

Elise ignored the snickering coming from both Luna and Cowrie as Azul all but quoted Elise's excuses from earlier, "O-oh yes, of course, completely understandable!" She laughed lightheartedly. The way Luna tilted her head in Azul's direction while giving her dorm leader a sly grin didn't escape Elise's notice. She could take a hint and the poor boy seemed to need a swift rescue.

"Well in that case, perhaps you'll allow me to keep you company then, Mr. Ashengrotto!" Elise took the boy's hand and quickly pulled him away from the teasing presence of their four retainers. She threw the sisters a sharp look over her shoulder as she heard Luna whistle suggestively and Cowrie throw some kissing noises her way. Azul wasn't sure if he felt relieved or like he was about to have a panic attack.

Riddle took a deep breath as he searched the room. He fidgeted with his gloves and straightened his already perfect suit for the millionth time making Trey laugh.

"Nervous are we?"

"Hush..." Riddle's tone had no teeth to it as his cheeks flushed light pink, "aren't you supposed to be paying attention to your date, Trey?"

Trey's date was currently in the middle of taking selfies with her fellow dormmates and their dates. And, of course, Cater. Trey just chuckled as the girl waved cutely over to him.

"I decided to take a breather from the Magicam marathon for a second."

Riddle was too distracted by all the electricity permeating the air around him to respond. Alyssa and Deuce had found each other in a bubble of adorable giddiness. Kalim was excitedly hyping up Jinnah to his dormmates and anyone would listen, really making her feel both flattered and embarrassed. Both he and Rook Hunt were absolutely gushing in the most humble yet extra ways about their dates while Jamil and Vil stood off to the side looking exasperated with the whole scene. Manari was just enjoying every second of the free entertainment, not noticing how Jamil's face began to flush as she took his arm. The whole room was buzzing in one form or another until finally, Riddle heard the sweet voice he had been waiting for.

"Looking for me?"

He turned and nearly melted into the floor under the radiant vision that was Reine Castilene. She smiled and giggled lightly at his shocked face, "Sorry to keep you waiting, love."

He couldn't feel his legs. In fact, what were legs?? Riddle's brain short-circuited and turned to gooey butter. It wasn't until Trey gave him a light push before heading back to his own date did Riddle come back to Earth.

"Yes. Always. You're so gorgeous, I don't know how I missed you," Riddle was getting better at expressing his feelings in confidence but his face still struggled to keep its literal cool when faced with his beautiful princess. Her shy gaze made his heart flutter as she closed the distance between them, taking his gloved hands in hers.

"Why thank you, Mr. Rosehearts, you charming sir."

Their moment of intimacy was quickly interrupted once they realized that they were suddenly the center of attention. The entire room was looking their way once the announcer addressed the room and drew everyone's attention to Reine, the guest of honor. She handled it like a champ and gave the room a curtsy as the other students applauded, cheered, and even whistled for her. Riddle applauded his queen as well with a proud smile on his face. Reine leaned in to whisper a soft apology to him, "I'm afraid you're going to be in the spotlight with me for a bit, darling."

Riddle did feel a bit awkward with all the pairs of eyes suddenly watching them but the boy just took Reine's hand in his and kept his gaze on her, "I've been in far worse places. Besides, I doubt anyone is going to be looking at me tonight anyway. You're way too enchanting."

When did this boy get so smooth? She thought as they got into position to open the dance with a waltz, thankfully a dance they could both handle. They were soon joined by other couples on the floor but neither of them noticed anyone else. They could have been dancing just the two of them for all they knew. The first three dances blurred together as Reine and Riddle kept gliding across the dance floor. No one bothered trying to cut in to pull the princess away from him for even a second. With the way they were stuck in each other's gazes, anyone interested knew they didn't stand a chance. It wasn't until the dances became more lively - thanks to the joint efforts of Scarabia and Almascaber mostly - that the royal couple decided to take a break. Riddle stepped aside and let Reine mingle with those who wished to congratulate her and maybe sneak in a quick dance while they had the chance. Riddle just let himself watch his princess radiate grace and contentment from afar, where he thought he was safe...he was incorrect.

"Riddle!"

The boy was suddenly surrounded by the other Sacred Crown dorm leaders who all had looks of mischief in their eyes. He quickly felt like a scared fox cornered by a pack of hounds and Manari was leading the pack.

"Heeey Riddle, congratulations on becoming Reine's Rosabyrine king! We wanted to celebrate you and welcome you into our family properly before you could dash off," Manari had a sneaky grin on her face that only added to Riddle's inner panic. The other girls giggled lightly as they formed a circle around him. "Also, I have to say just how happy we all are that it was you and not Zehn Whatshisface. Let's just make that clear right now," Manari continued as the other girls all chimed their agreement, "So with that said...Your Crimson Rosy-Highness!" Manari gave Riddle a deep bow setting off a chain reaction throughout the circle as each girl gave him an elaborate title and curtsy/bow as well.

"Your Majestic Tea-Time Excellency!"

"Your Honorable Hedgehog Highness!"

And so on until Riddle couldn't help but laugh at their ridiculous displays until finally the ring was complete and the girls all gave a cheer as they showered him in white and red rose petals. Across the floor, Reine smiled and secretly hoped her fellow dorm prefects weren't harassing her fiancé too much. She was about to go to his rescue when a familiar figure caught her eye as he entered the room with his crew. Reine's eyes lit up as she caught Malleus Draconia's bright green gaze. She didn't hesitate to go right up to him and wrap her arms around him in another affectionate hug.

"You came!"

The Diasomnia prefect smiled warmly down at his friend as he returned her embrace, "Indeed...though I suppose we are late."

Reine just brushed off his concern, ignoring all the odd stares their little group was currently getting, "Oh not at all. You arrived just in time and you all look so dashing in your suits!"

Malleus was in an all-black tailored suit with a subtle sheen to the fabric and dress shirt with silver lapel pins shaped like tiny gargoyle heads. Very fitting. Lilia wore his oversized, dark green suit jacket over his shoulders in his usual fashion, leaving his white shirt, black vest, and pants in perfect view. Sebek had already zipped away to find his date that had been patiently awaiting him and, very loudly, apologized for his tardiness but from Reine could tell, his suit was eerily similar to Malleus'. Silver was fiddling with the green chrysanthemum boutonniere that Petra had given him, trying to properly re-pin it to his sage green suit jacket. His father frowned in disapproval at the fact that Silver's matching vest wasn't buttoned correctly and his hunter green tie was too loose. Honestly, you'd think someone else taught this boy how to dress! Reine giggled affectionately and stepped forward to help the poor boy out.

"Here, Silver, let me," she offered affectionately before pinning the flowers straight, gently cinching up his tie, and straightening up his vest for him, "There. Much better." She saved him just in time for Petra to come running up to him.

"There you are! I thought maybe you passed out somewhere again!" the other princess laughed before dragging the bashful boy onto the dance floor. Lilia took his leave as well, disappearing to join in the lively dancing. Reine smiled up at Malleus and extended her hand to him.

"This kind of dance isn't exactly my forte but I do recall promising a certain prince a dance and I always keep my promises."

The tall, dark fae accepted her hand and let her guide him onto the floor. At first, other couples that noticed the two started to draw away in surprise but once they reached the center where Manari and Jinnah were showing Riddle and Elise how to follow along with their dance properly, Malleus was the center of curiosity in a whole new way. Azul was also doing his best to imitate the movements, ignoring the eels and their teasing, but was glad for the sudden distraction.

"Girls, may I introduce my friend Lord Malleus Draconia?"

The girls all looked up, like way up, at Malleus with wide eyes. At first, he wasn't sure if he scared them or made them uncomfortable but they soon proves his worries unnecessary.

"Wow...you are TALL." Manari said bluntly, "Good thing we didn't try to make Reine that tall at the music contest, she would've twisted both of her ankles!" she and Jinnah suddenly laughed, lightening the mood. Reine didn't appreciate the jab at her clumsiness but let it slide anyway. Soon enough the other dorm leaders nearby took notice of the new face and also clamored up to him curiously. Charlaine in particular was amazed by his sheer towering figure alone.

"See, I told you he was real, Charlaine!!" Petra yelled over the music as she and Silver were dancing not too far away.

Malleus was very amused and surprised by them all. Clearly, Reine wasn't the only fearless one of the bunch. He was promptly invited to join in the impromptu dance lesson which he agreed to without question. It was a great change of pace to be included so readily. He smiled as he and Reine mirrored each movement until finally, they were dancing together. His heart warmed when he noticed that she was wearing the briar rose around her neck and how happy she would gaze at Riddle whenever their dancing brought them closer to each other.

"You found your King, little rose. I am happy for you."

Reine's laughter bubbled out of her like a happy fountain, perfectly reflecting her true feelings, "Thank you so much, Lord Draconia. I cannot wait to congratulate you when you find your queen someday."

Ah, what a nice thought...he would like that very much.

The night continued in a spiraling reverie amongst friends, old and new, binding them all to each other in one way or another whether they realized it or not. Reine didn't want it to end. Why were the best days always the shortest? The night air felt nice as she and Riddle finally broke away from all the excitement and found the one balcony that didn't have any other couples getting cozy on it. Riddle let out a long sigh as he hugged Reine from behind and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Aww did my girls tire you out, my darling?" the princess cooed and stroked his wine-red hair.

"Shh, just let me enjoy this before anything else happens..." he murmured tiredly, making her giggle. They enjoyed the far-off sound of the music mixed with the soft chirping of crickets in their little haven. Riddle had tried to avoid thinking of it all night but the sad realization finally caught up to him as he felt his chest start to ache a bit.

"I finally have you next to me and now I have to say goodbye tomorrow..." his voice sounded like a fragile bubble about to break. Reine pressed a soft kiss into his silky hair and sighed.

"Only for a little while...we'll see each other again soon enough. Remember, you can come see me if you miss me too much. Then I can entertain you in my dorm's rose gardens. Maybe I'll even adopt some hedgehogs so I feel less lonely in-between time."

Riddle smiled into her soft shoulder at the thought, "You say soon but...ah, I'm sorry. I sound like a child, whining and moping. Don't you dare tell my dormmates about this."

The princess chuckled lightly, "Never. I find your vulnerability so cute. I want to be selfish keep it all to myself."

"You are an angel," Riddle relished in her giggles as he pressed kisses into her pale neck, "...I suppose I can be patient."

He intertwined their ring hands together and gazed fondly at the red gem ring on her hand. Riddle was ready to be entirely devoted to her, hell he already was in many ways, and he had no more doubts that Reine felt the same for him. She showed it in every little look, little touch, every sweet word she gifted him. What was a week...a month...a year or so to wait until they wouldn't have to say goodbye anymore?

"I'm yours, Riddle Rosehearts. I'm not going anywhere." Reine promised in earnest before turning to press her lips to his.

And that was enough to keep his heart chained to hers. Always.

The next week on Night Raven's campus passed by at a painfully slow pace. Everything seemed far too quiet for the boys. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, for once. No magical upsets or sudden supernatural invaders. Just the usual state of affairs: class, club activities, study sessions for upcoming exams...normal, boring school life. Some of the boys were more affected than others. Kalim seemed more distracted and glum in his classes so much that Jamil had to scold him more often than not. Jamil seemed pretty much the same but did take to wandering off on his own to get some space more often now. Kalim's spirits would brighten whenever he received a message from Jinnah or Manari. Even more so when he received a package from the girls full of homemade snacks. Jamil, of course, insisted on checking them first...and not because some of them were made especially for him. Totally not the case at all. Azul was his usual business-oriented self, though he did admit to missing the refreshing charm the girls had brightened Monstro Lounge up with during their visit. Not to mention their generously plump wallets. Jade seemed completely unchanged as if the festival never happened. Floyd was a totally different story: he was a fussy, grumpy dark cloud that his dorm mates wisely stayed away from. He didn't bother trying to hide or curb it whatsoever whether he was in class, at basketball practice, or even working in the lounge. But every once in a while, his phone would chime and the dark aura would turn into sunshine for a few minutes of bliss as he dropped everything to respond to the messages the Cerith sisters - Luna especially - sent him. Both Jade and Azul were relieved that the sisters had given their numbers before leaving as it had become a lifeline of sorts. Jade was a bit more stealthy about responding to Cowrie's texts, making sure no one could catch his candid smiles at all the messages and photos she would send him about her day-to-day activities and her bug collection.

As for Riddle, his reputation as Heartslabyul's tyrant king increased ten-fold once the other students heard about his and Reine's 'execution' of Zehn Cavalier. He went from being an uptight, strict dorm leader to being a resolute force of nature to be respected without question. Not that he minded at all. If anything the Heartslabyul students' attitudes went from fearing him to greatly admiring him almost overnight. He took pride in that and the excitement the other boys showed whenever Reine came to the campus for a visit. They already adored her before but now she always brought them little presents, solidifying her place as their dorm's beloved 'queen'. And she always made sure to deliver Alyssa's handwritten letters directly to Deuce and in return, take his letters back to Alyssa. Yes, the two sweethearts had each other's phone numbers but this was just too cute to not help orchestrate.

Time passed in these bittersweet cycles as the seasons changed and as everyone grew older. There were other festivals, other sporting events, other events that kept them all connected even after they all graduated and settled into their adult lives. The biggest event that brought them all back together face to face was one of the happiest days in Riddle and Reine's life...

- Years Later... -

"Your Majesty, the guests will be arriving soon...shall I fetch the King for you?"

Chamberlain Jasper Elfern, now fully grown into his role in the royal council and his role as both husband and father, smiled up at Reine as she dismissed the remaining council from her throne room. Queen Reine Rosehearts smiled at her cousin, "No need, Jasper, I could use the fresh air."

The royal gardens were abuzz with a flurry of activity. Her trusted staff of servants bustled about making sure everything was in place like clockwork, only pausing to bow respectfully to their queen as she made her way to the more secluded corner she knew her husband favored. Reine stopped to observe the handy work of one particular gardener and gave her praise to the older gentleman.

"The roses look absolutely gorgeous as always, Mr. Cavalier. Well done."

Mr. Cavalier Sr. bowed graciously to his generous queen. While his son was still banned from the royal grounds to this day, Reine found that his father was still a decent and kind man who deserved compassion. His wife and son had left him to relocate to another city entirely, doing what no one knew nor cared. Though the father had originally been a member of her mother's court, Reine remembered from long ago that he had shared his passion for gardening with her before and even offered a few tips to her and the royal family's gardeners at the time. Now he was allowed the joy and freedom of tending to Reine's multicolored rose gardens to his heart's content with no worries or want for anything. Speaking of fathers, Reine continued her walk deeper into the garden as she followed the sound of her own father's booming laugh. She smiled as she found her family under the same gazebo where she and Riddle officially began their courtship so long ago.

Revon Castilene regained his former name and title as Duke Revon Elfern now that his son-in-law took his place as the Rose King. He and Alva divorced once their daughter became queen and Alva Castilene retired to the countryside without a single word of affection for her ex-husband or daughter. The two of them accepted it without a fuss and Reine asked her father to remain in the castle, nearby so he could help Riddle in his early years grow into a fine ruler and also so he could be near his grandchildren. Riddle and Reine's eldest ran to his mother as soon as he saw her. The four-year-old boy was the spitting image of his mother and looked as if he were made from fresh snow with his fluffy, white-blonde hair and his father's dark grey eyes. The little prince called 'mama, mama', reaching up to her with his little arms.

"Hello, my darling," Reine softly cooed as she pulled her little angel into her arms. After all this time, Riddle Rosehearts - now King Rosehearts - still looked absolutely smitten as he watched his wife dote on their little boy. He had grown to be quite the handsome man in time. He was thrilled when he hit a growth spurt right before his third year at Night Raven College. He never reached the NRC giant levels of tallness, but he did stand at a proud 5'8 by the time he graduated and now with a slightly deeper voice. But all that paled in comparison to the pride he felt when his daughter was born. The now two-year-old princess lay curled up and napping in his arms as he sat across from his father-in-law. The baby girl looked like a tiny, more vibrant version of her father with bright strawberry red hair and lavender eyes. And yes, she even inherited Riddle's heart-shaped hairs that seemed to stick up whenever she had a hissy fit. Her outbursts were cute now but the King and Queen had a feeling their little one also inherited her father's temper from his younger days.

"It's almost time, love," Reine whispered as she gazed lovingly at her pair of beloved redheads, "I almost hate to wake her up but everyone's been waiting to meet her for a while now."

Normally, the crown princess would be presented and celebrated soon after being born but the royal parents decided to wait until she was a bit older for a few reasons: 1) the birth had been difficult and there was fear that the baby princess was born with a more fragile immune system than her brother, fortunately, this was found to be incorrect later and 2) Reine enjoyed seeing all of her 'nieces and nephews' and wanted them to be able to meet her little one once all of them were able to travel with their parents. So today was the day and it promised to be just as wild as any day where all of the Night Raven and Sacred Crown alumni got together. Time, marriage, and families didn't seem to change that whatsoever.

The tiny princess' curious eyes charmed everyone who gazed into them as soon as they were in her presence. It didn't matter how stoic or expressive the person was. Her godmother, Elise, was absolutely in love with her.

"Oh, darling angel! How sweet you are!" Elise cooed in delight, giggling at the tiny girl's serious expression. Another thing she inherited from her father, "Riddle, she looks just like you! What a face~"

"She is already quite vigilant," Riddle grinned smugly as his baby girl kept a careful fist clinging to his suit coat even as she looked around the garden at all the people.

The only time the little girl's face changed is when faced with the Leech brothers and their curious little ones. Perhaps it was the fact that the twins had somehow gotten even more monstrously tall before they even graduated school and after or perhaps it was because this was the princess' first time seeing people with sharp teeth. Either way, her lavender eyes were as wide as saucers. Riddle had promised his wife that he'd be on his best behavior but even so, he frowned and held his daughter a bit more tightly as Floyd Leech bent down to coo at her.

"Hiiiii baby goldfishie-chaaan~ You're so tiny and cuuuute, heheheeeeh~"

Even as a grown man who was a husband and father, Floyd's personality barely changed from his school days. If anything, his wife kept him a bit more even-keel. Floyd's son was the same age as Riddle's eldest and the small boy shyly tried to look up at the princess from behind his father's long legs before eventually wandering off with the young prince and the small herd that consisted of Jinnah and Manari's very boisterous children. Riddle had fully expected his daughter to burst into tears out of fear but instead she just garbled some broken words up at Floyd as she gently tugged on his long dark strand of hair.

"Aww, she likes meee~"

Jade and Floyd shared similar bright smiles that eventually made the tiny girl giggle and Riddle breathe a sigh of relief. His daughter didn't seem quite as impressed with Azul but was curious about the octopus' little one that seemed just as curious in return.

Reine was making the rounds, thrilled to see each of her friends and their families again. Playing catch up was starting to make her head spin, however. She couldn't believe her eyes once she saw that Jinnah was once again pregnant and yet somehow still stunning as ever. Both Reine and Manari joked that the poor woman needed a vacation. The woman just shook her head with a sly grin, "Yeah try telling that to my husband..."

The queen had almost greeted everyone in the garden when Jasper announced the arrival of another guest. She smiled warmly once she saw King Malleus Draconia enter with his gorgeous queen at his side and young daughter in his arms. She made her way over to the fae family and curtsied to them all before welcoming them with open arms.

"Hello, old friend. I'm so happy you could make it."

Malleus might as well had been frozen in time. He barely changed at all save for a more defined physique and facial features that only got better with age. His daughter was his little twin, horns and all, and a year younger than Reine's son. The little girl immediately recognized her 'auntie' and reached for her. Reine wrapped the little dragon fae in her arms with such warmth that Malleus nearly melted at the sight.

"Hello, my little dragon queen! Oh, you're getting so big, aren't you? Would you like to meet your newest cousin?"

As if on cue, Riddle joined them with the curious princess in his arms. The two little girls locked eyes as their parents talked with each other. It wasn't long until Reine's son realized his favorite playmate had arrived and rushed over to retrieve her from his mother's arms. The two skittered off to rejoin the pack as Reine took her little princess in her arms to introduce to Malleus properly.

"This is one of Mommy's dearest friends, my little rosebud," Reine said sweetly. Her daughter locked eyes with Malleus as if she completely understood and was sizing him up as he bent down to look her in her bright eyes. The dragon king chuckled as her tiny hands reached for his horns.

"You're as bold as your mother, little rose queen..."

The nickname he once gave Reine stuck as the tiny princess giggled in delight upon hearing it. The old system of the Rose Queendom's next ruler had been done away with, much to the relief of Reine's cousins who wished for a more normal and free life for their own daughters. Reine's daughter was the one and only crown princess, uncontested. With that in mind, Malleus' nickname for her served as a blessing for the little one's future. It couldn't have been a more perfect day, Reine realized as she looked out into the garden and let her heart be warmed by the presence of all her friends and family. Some were friends who had become family even. Trey had found love in the form of Jasper's sister, Scarlet Elfern now Scarlet Clover. It was love at first sight as soon as she stumbled into his family's cake shop to become an apprentice and the millisecond she fed Trey some of her homemade treats. It sealed the deal once he saw how endearing she was with his younger siblings as well.

Deuce and Alyssa stayed together all through their school years but did end up breaking up after graduating simply because Alyssa wanted to focus on becoming the next royal librarian which called for intense continued study, which ended up putting a strain on their relationship. Instead of giving up, however, Deuce focused all of his energy on joining the police force within the Rose Queendom. After a couple of years and a few promotions, Lieutenant Deuce Spade paid a visit to the royal library asking to speak with the head librarian, and asked Alyssa right then and there to take him back. They were expecting their first child as husband and wife within the next couple of months.

Cater broke into fashion design alongside his sisters for a few years before breaking out on his own. He found love during his many travels: an androgynously beautiful male model he met during a fashion show in the Land of Hot Sands a couple of years ago. The two swiftly became quite the power couple on and off Magicam. Reine waved to each couple from across the garden, happy to see them all again.

Ace Trappola, unfortunately, couldn't make it but sent a bounty of presents for Riddle's little ones and even more affirmations of congrats. During his time at Night Raven, Ace had gotten really good at Magift and then quickly drew the attention of recruiters at future events. Before he even graduated, Ace had offers from professional teams ready to scout him as soon as he was out the gate. He lept at the chance without ever looking back and could honestly say it was the best decision of his life.

All in all, everyone had settled into their lives very comfortably...

Riddle and Reine tucked their babies into their beds before turning down the nursery lights. The evening was soft and quiet as they returned to the gardens for a bit of privacy before retiring themselves. The Queen and her King had a nightly tradition that began once they both moved into the castle and continued every day since.

"Are you ready to lose, my love?"

Riddle chuckled as he opened the cage to pick up his red hedgehog companion before calling the matching flamingo over to him, "You say that every time, my queen, and yet I remain undefeated."

Reine sighed dramatically as she gently held the blue hedgehog in her hands, "Yes well it took me years to convince you to ignore the 'no playing croquet after 5:00 rule' and I eventually succeeded. So it stands to reason that I too will succeed in defeating you as well...someday. I will wear you down yet."

Riddle gave his wife a boyishly smitten smile as she readied her blue flamingo. Seven above, he loved this woman. She playfully scolded him for trying to distract her, "Don't you give me that look."

Her husband just laughed and stepped aside so she could take the first shot.

"Yes, my queen."

- the end -

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

Tagging:

@iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @aiimee9 @1ndigowitch @nuitthegoddess @victoria1676 @feldya @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @espada188

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neoninky · 1 year

Text

TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 13

Hello readers~

Hope y'all are doin well. I'm back with two more chapters of ze dramas lol.

Chapter 13: Darling, It's Better...

The hallways grew darker as the students returned to their designated dormitories. With the exception of the literal divide between the Cerulamare girls, everything else seemed as if Elise had never left, had never been thrown into the dark world within the Coral Sea.

She saw the happy looks old friends gave each other at the beginning of the new semester and heard their rapport and laughter between them and the new freshmen already starting some groups. It was like this every year ever since she enrolled but now it all felt so alien and distant to her, like Elise herself was on the outside looking in. She quietly looked to Luna beside her as they continued to follow their dormmates towards their gate. The siren looked a bit tired but still serene. Luna had a soft smile on her face as she watched her baby sister lead the pack with confidence and enthusiasm. Cowrie was already calling back to the new girls, telling them how much fun the "welcome party" was going to be. This garnered a reaction just as divided as it was at the actual ceremony.

Years prior, Elise had never noticed the difference between the myriad of Cerulamare students, but in that moment, it was as if her transformation had gifted her a second sort of sight. The mermaids that were like Cowrie and Luna had different tells than the Atlantian mermaids: their scents, their features, though they were all in human forms, it was much easier for her to tell them apart. This must be what Luna had meant by the other girls picking up on Elise's changes. From the corner of her eyes, she could see other juniors and visiting senior girls looking her way, some even sniffing in her direction, before whispering amongst themselves. Inside she felt a wild instinct flare up in response. It was like she could feel her tentacles bunch together, propelling her to either move away or to get ready to defend. Elise jolted when she felt a hand suddenly touch her shoulder from behind. The princess whirled around faster than anyone around her was prepared for, her mouth full of ink ready to be spat in the intruder's face...until she saw who it was.

"Whoa Hey! Sorry to spook you but didn't you hear me call your name like three times??" the girl laughed in her usual playful tone.

It was Manari Ali, one of Elise's dearest friends on land. She looked just as spirited as ever, especially now that she traded in her long ponytail for a cute short style. Elise quickly swallowed the ink back down and cleared her throat. She wasn't even sure how she did it honestly, but her smile returned as she stopped and hugged her friend, "Manari! Forgive me, I was a bit distracted there. How are you? You look amazing!"

The Almascaber Prefect gave her friend a tight hug and a big smile, "A hell lot better now! I was worried sick over you all summer! Where were you?! You didn't answer any of my messages or calls! Even Reine was starting to freak a bit!"

Elise's face froze in a pleasant enough expression but she was internally screaming. She had completely forgotten to check all of the messages left on her phone when she retrieved it! Fortunately, Luna saw the panic rising in her best friend and casually slid into the conversation.

"Manari, so good to see you again," she said smoothly, "Elise is still the workaholic we've always known her to be and started her internship early this summer. Something about wanting to get ahead of the game for her transcript."

Elise mouthed a silent thank you to Luna who kept distracting Manari. Namely with the mating necklace that Floyd had gifted her. The peppy girl wiggled her eyebrows mischievously at the siren, "Oooo is that what I think it is? A mermaid mating trinket? Luna Cerith is finally off the market?? Whoo, the onslaught of broken hearts you're gonna leave behind!"

Luna playfully batted her eyes in a coy fashion as she feigned innocence, "Manari really, you make me sound so wicked," she pouted, "Alas, it is true. My darling Floyd made this beautiful necklace for me this summer," her smile turned genuinely delighted as soon as Floyd's name passed her rosy lips.

"Should I start calling you Luna Leech then?" Manari giggled.

The siren smiled happily, holding back her enthusiasm as much as she could behind her cool veneer, "Oh no. It's too soon for that. I won't be taking my love's name until after we both graduate, of course."

Elise watched the two girls talk about Luna's future with mixed feelings. Of course, she was very happy for Luna and Floyd, Jade and Cowrie too, and relieved that her two closest friends would have a future of happiness and security. She wanted nothing more than that for them. Especially now that she knew just how terrible their lives in the Muraeni house had been. Still...that same feeling of distance kept creeping upon her. It had been lingering back in the shadows for some time now. Only when the dust seemed to settle did it start clinging to her.

"Elise? Are you ok??"

Elise snapped back to the present on cue, "Y-Yes? Yes, I'm fine. Sorry Manari...I've just been working so hard on this internship, it's pretty much consumed my whole life lately," she laughed lightly. That was definitely one way of putting it. Manari looked her friend up and down skeptically.

"Uh-huh...by the way, you look different. Did you change something??"

Elise felt cold anxiety sting up her back, "What do you mean?"

"Uh your hair and eyes are different colors now...? That and, I can't put my finger on it but...you just seem really different." Manari blinked, looking more doubtful than before.

"Oh! Yes, that! Well I uh...you know it's my last year at Sacred Crown and it just felt like it was time for a change! Obviously, you agree!" Elise gestured to Manari's haircut, hoping to steer the focus away from herself.

It worked for a moment. Manari shyly laughed and played with a bit of her short black hair, "Yeah well it gets ridiculously hot in Silk City so I figured why not? Although your change feels...bigger. Did...did something happen over the summer??"

Elise exhaled in quiet relief when Jinnah suddenly called out to Manari in the opposite direction, "Yo Dorm Leader! You coming or what??"

"Ah yes," Manari laughed dryly, "That's right, I'm still the Dorm Leader. I guess I better get going. Hey, don't disappear on us again just because you're busy doing Senior stuff now ok? Reine's doing regular school and part-time royal studies off campus and she still makes time for us common folk you know?" Elise winched as her friend emphasized that last part with a sassy poke to her cheek before running off after her own dorm.

Luna quietly snickered at the guilty pout on the princess' face as they continued towards the Cerulamare gate. Elise just pouted even harder in response, "Oh you hush."

"Yes Your Highness," Luna grinned sarcastically as they reached the well portal that led to their dorm. All of the gates were scattered around the campus' main building but they all worked the same. Like the mirrors of NRC, each Sacred Crown Dorm had a large well-like door the girls would step down into. Cerulamare's was covered in barnacles and stone-carved creatures like starfish and seahorses.

The already lively Cerulamare dorm greeted Luna and Elise on the other side along with the new decor. Part of Elise had believed that Cowrie was just teasing her about the changes to the dorm uniform and overall theme of the dorm but...Elise looked up at the newly furnished entryway and immediately knew that was not the case.

What used to be a marble atrium with carved scenery of the famous prince's ship at sea was now a room that resembled the lower decks of a much less elegant ship, complete with enchantments that made the surrounding wood creak as if the vessel was truly moving. The double doors leading to the dorm lounge were dark wood with muted blue stained glass windows and above hung a carved mermaid like those on the front of old sailing ships. Music and excited voices boomed on the other side. Luna gave the princess an amused look, "Shall we?"

Elise's jaw dropped as soon as Luna opened the door for her. The lounge was full of Cerulamare girls dancing to music with a heavy electronic beat, all dressed in the newly tailored dorm uniforms in a large room that resembled the deck. The ceiling was covered in large swatches of hanging material that looked like the sails along the sides and blue flamed candle chandeliers hung in a row down the middle. The only thing Elise recognized was the large windows that showed the aquarium surrounding their dorm.

Cowrie seemed to keep the victorian naval theme that Elise had established in her time as Dorm Leader as a base for the uniforms but with a few obvious changes. Instead of white and navy, they were now black, unbuttoned waistcoats embellished with either copper, silver, bronze, or gold depending on the year or status the student wearing it was, standard aqua blue shirts with a darker blue vest that matched their bandanas and black trousers varying in length from shorts to full pants, once again depending on the student's year. The shoes seemed to be the style of boot each girl wanted to wear along with any jewelry. In the center of the lower floor/deck was multiple rings of the students loyal to Cowrie having the time of their lives while the other girls either retired to their rooms already or stayed in the corners of the large room. "I like the new look, don't you?" Luna spoke over the loud music to the still shocked princess next to her, "I think it suits us."

Elise stopped dead in her tracks before she could argue as she turned to a smug Luna. The siren's clothing had already shifted into her designated Senior Cerulamare uniform and she pulled it off flawlessly. It was similar to the Junior girls' with full-length pants, and knee-high boots. She didn't have an overcoat, however, and her aqua-blue blouse was off the shoulders with long puffed sleeves and fingerless gloves. She even had black and blue smokey eye makeup on that made her golden eyes and jewelry shimmer.

"Wow, Luna...you look like you should be in a movie!" Elise laughed. The siren gave her a mischievous grin in return.

"I'd say the same for you," she said as she pulled out her phone, "Smile~"

Elise did her best to at the last second only to let out an embarrassed squeak when Luna showed her the picture. She was wearing the same outfit and only seeing it on herself did she realize just how fitted a lot of it was! Her face burned bright pink as she glared around the room for Cowrie demanding an explanation. A sudden spotlight coming from the back of the lounge told her that she wouldn't have to look much further. In front of the aquarium glass sat a platform where the helm of a ship should be. Instead, there was a large, worn chair that bore the signature skull and crossbones emblem on the back of it. Seated in it was Dorm Leader Cowrie Cerith in full prefect regalia.

She wore a white victorian captain's shirt with a black neck ribbon and gold seashell brooch, a black and gold vest, black shorts, aqua fishnet stockings and black leather ankle boots to match her leather gloves. On top of all that, Cowrie wore a long, blue waistcoat over her shoulders in the same fashion Azul wore his Octavinelle coat. If all that wasn't extra enough, the cherry on top was her black and gold captain's hat, fully feathered with a big blue and teal plume. All this just told Elise what she already knew: when Cowrie Cerith set her mind to it, it became reality.

The small, proud eelmaid stood up and addressed the room with a big grin as the music softened, "Oi, oi, OI! Welcome to Cerulamare, ladies!"

The girls that had been dancing moments before all cheered with boundless enthusiasm as if Cowrie were about to lead them into battle. Luna looked on with even more sisterly pride, "It will indeed be a most interesting year..."

"Awww come on, it was fuuun, Ellie!"

Cowrie's coat, hat, and boots laid thrown about the large prefect room she inherited from Elise. The princess couldn't really be that upset as Cowrie laughed and bounced onto the large comfy bed. Elise soon followed after her once her shoes, bandana, and earrings were off. The princess flopped into the bed between the two sisters with a sigh, "You made quite the impression already, I'm sure."

The younger Cerith sister pouted as she rolled on her side to look at the tired princess directly, "So can I trust you not to worry about me and the dorm while you're gone?"

"I think a better question is can we trust you not to get yourself and half the dorm kicked out of school," Luna typed away on her phone with a sarcastic grin. Cowrie just stuck her tongue out at her sister before tossing a pillow at her, "I'm being serious! Stop flirting with Floy Floy and pay attention!"

Luna giggled and put her phone away before mirroring Cowrie by rolling on her side, "My little sister in all of her new prefect wisdom does have a fair point, Elise...besides, we need to focus on what comes next, don't we?"

Elise felt an anxious twist in her gut, "Yes, I suppose..."

Cowrie tilted her gaze towards the lost look on her now-octopus friend's face, "Annnd what is that exactly, Ellie?"

There was a heavy pause in the air as the siren sisters waited for her answer. They already knew about their friend's unsteady resolve. Hopefully, something had changed. "Well...Luna and I are going to Octavinelle tomorrow night. I gave Azul the dagger so I know it's safe."

"Uh huh....and?" Cowrie was never a patient one.

"And...in a month from now...we'll all come back to Sacred Crown as 'visitors'. The campus will be open to Night Raven College and Royal Sword. So Rielle is bound to be there too," Elise sounded like she was trying to convince herself of this plan. That or like she was doing a poor job reading a script, "And then before the full moon, I will talk to Rielle. About everything. And everything will be settled and I...will go home...back to normal."

Luna and Cowrie shared a look of silent concern before looking down at Elise in her current state.

"Everything will be fine, just as it should be," she said matter of factly....with tears welling up in her eyes that stared straight at the ceiling and a pillow tightly hugged in her arms.

"Is that really what you want, Elise?" Luna's voice was soft and careful like a mother's lullaby aimed to soothe her friend.

A lump formed in Elise's throat, "I...I don't know. But what choice do I have? It's...it's where I belong, right? And Rielle deserves his life back."

"Ya want me to answer honestly?" Cowrie sighed, "I don't buy that for a second. Neither does Luna."

Luna narrowed her eyes in an irritated fashion towards her blunt sister but made no sound to disagree with or interrupt her.

"You make an awesome mermaid, Ellie. Not just any mermaid either - you're a fearless octopus! Just like the sea witch!" Cowrie's baby blue grew wide with either excitement or desperation, Elise couldn't really tell, "You came to my rescue and did that cool camouflage thingy AND punched a shark merman in the face!"

"It's like you were born for it..."

Elise turned to Luna and saw the soft smile on her face. It didn't reach the siren's eyes, however, "With that said, this is your life, Elise. You do have a choice...one that is not mine or Cowrie's to make for you. No matter what you choose, Cowrie and I will always come to you in your time of need. Right, Cowrie?"

The younger Cerith frowned, sadness at the thought of permanent separation sinking in, "Yeah...we'll always look out for our Ellie."

Elise appreciated the two sisters more than she could ever say. It was that affection and some other feelings rising to the surface that made this all the more difficult.

Luna got up to dim the lights an hour or so after Cowrie finally convinced her and Elise to stay in her room that night but stopped when she heard a clicking noise. The princess had fallen asleep first right where she lay in the middle of the plush bed and there Cowrie was, taking pictures of her, without a hint of remorse.

"Cowrie, what are you doing?" Luna whispered, "Elise wouldn't want these pictures being taken of her."

"They're not for Ellie, Lu-Lu-naaa~" she giggled quietly as she began texting away on her phone.

Luna knew exactly where her baby sister's head was but only sighed playfully, "My, my, you devilish little cupid. You just love to make things more complicated don't you?"

Cowrie's grin couldn't be more devious, "Hey, you know it. I know it. Pretty sure Jay Jay and Floy Floy know it too. Buuuut the octopi need a lil' push~ and besides...this might help Ellie decide, right??"

Luna hummed before dimming the lights, "Perhaps."

Azul shut and locked his bedroom door with more force than usual. After what felt like hours of teasing from his own eel cohorts, he was finally allowed some privacy in his own damn room. He threw his phone onto the bed and started to change into his pajamas, grumbling the whole time with a still heated face. Just when he got comfortable under the cool covers of his bed did he hear a chime come from his now lit-up phone.

"What now?!" Azul groaned, "I swear they're relentless-"

He halted when he saw it was a message from Cowrie with several pictures attached. Once Azul opened said message, he nearly dropped his phone. There were no words, just candid picture after picture of Elise. Elise talking with Luna during what he imagined was their opening ceremony judging from the cloaks they were wearing. Elise inside the Cerulamare dorm, dressed in a very flattering outfit, talking and laughing with those around her. A selfie with her, Luna, and Cowrie all in their Cerulamare uniforms. And the coup de grâce: pictures from multiple, good angles of Elise asleep in the same flattering uniform. Her deep blue-black hair belled all around her, cascading down her exposed shoulders and back. Her sleeping face was that of a pink-lipped, long-lashed goddess. Not to mention how beautiful her figure was in those clothes. The visual ambush ended with an emoji of a face holding a finger to its mouth in a hushing motion and the words "Goodnight, Azuzu~"

Azul's face burst into an intense flush as he threw his phone in his nightstand at record speed. Thank any and all oceanic gods that Jade and Floyd had not been around when Cowrie sent that message! Those eel sisters were just as bad as their mates! Besides those pictures were meant just for him so he'd be damned if he let those demon twins even sneak a peek-

The heated octopus sat straight up and hissed in frustration, "STOP. STOP THINKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW."

The rest of Azul's night was split between thinking how on earth he was going to face her tomorrow night and trying to suffocate his face just enough that he would pass out. Or at least muffle the embarrassed groans that flowed freely from his mouth.

"We'll see you again soon. Now come on, get ready for class."

Cowrie yawned and finished putting on her classroom uniform after giving her sister and Elise a sleepy hug. The two older girls were already up and ready to start their day, which began with getting the sleepyhead prefect up and going. Elise was already huffing and puffing like a mother hen trying to comb Cowrie's ragdoll wild hair.

"You're the Dorm Leader now! If you look and act like a slob, what kind of example are you setting for the others?!"

"Ok Moooom..." the younger eel moaned like a kitten trying to get out of grooming.

"And remember, everything is normal. Nothing weird is going on, ok?"

Cowrie rolled her eyes, "Sure. Normal...."

"Floyd, it's time to get up."

Floyd Leech groaned something intelligible and burrowed deeper into his blankets, ignoring Jade's attempt to get him moving. The other Leech brother was already dressed, groomed, and disappointed but not surprised as he stood over his brother's bed, "Honestly Floyd, come now. It's the first day of classes..."

"IIIII doooooooonnnnnttt waaaaaannnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......" came a muffled whine from the mountain of pillows Floyd had buried himself under, "I wanna stay here...for Lunaaaa..."

Jade had done a pretty good job until now hiding the bitter envy he had felt brewing in his gut. Luna would be there, hidden away from the rest of the dorm for a whole month, meaning his brother would have ample opportunity to be all comfy with his mate. And cause more headaches for Azul and himself with his mood swings, no doubt. Meanwhile Jade would have to wait until he could see his Cowrie again...perhaps this was payback for having his stolen time with love first. That, however, didn't stop Jade from stooping low enough to do what he did next.

"Good morning, Floyd honey~"

Floyd's teal bedhead popped to the surface like a spring daisy seconds after hearing Luna's sweet voice. The stars in his eyes quickly faded when he realized that Luna was not magically there but that Jade had called and put her on speaker phone to lure Floyd out of bed. The grumpy twin growled at Jade's smug smile.

"Lunaaaaa...Jade's using you against me..." Floyd whined.

"Floyd, my love," the siren cooed from the other side of the call, "I know you're so tired, honey. But if you're a good boy and go to classes like you're supposed to, I'll spend some extra special time just with you tonight, ok? As long as you want~"

It worked even better than Jade could have imagined. He had to hold a hand to his mouth as Floyd flailed out of bed and scrambled over to his closet like an eel on a mission.

"Thank you, Luna," Jade said into his phone with a satisfied smile.

"Of course, brother dearest. Have a nice day you two~"

Down the hall, Azul was dressed, cologned, and groomed to perfection per usual...but he had never felt less ready to face the outside world in his life. He glared at his reflection in the full-length mirror with downright militant steel, "Listen here, Azul Ashengrotto. You have worked too hard and too long on perfecting your reputation to let it all go to rot over a beautiful girl! So get it together!"

The pictures that Cowrie had sent him last night only made this ridiculous crush of his worse. SO much worse! Yes, he absolutely saved said pictures to his phone but that would go with him to his grave! Azul grasped his head as if a terrible migraine hit him like a bullet train. But no, it was just the memory of Elise's candid smiles and beauty haunting him all over again.

"Ugh, why did I ever think getting involved with princesses and that stupid Rielle was a good idea?" he muttered to himself. This girl would surely be his end, one way or another. Speaking of which...'end'. Azul raised his gaze back to the mirror and tried his best to regain his resolve.

"You are here to assist her and fix what you fucked up, nothing more. Nothing!"

....Unless? Perhaps she wanted more from him? Azul snorted at his own brain for bringing up such an impossible notion. In what world would someone like Elise Coralette choose much less want to stay with a guy like him? On the surface, Azul Ashengrotto made himself out to be clever, stylish, industrious, powerful even - clearly someone of good taste all around! And yet no matter how far he tried to run from his past, it was moments like this, just him and his reflection, where all he saw was that same sad, chubby little octopus hiding away from the world in his pot. No, he could build an empire's worth of shiny reputations and she would still be beyond his reach. It left a bitter sting in his guts and made him hiss, "The sooner Elise is back home and back to her own life, the sooner I can keep moving forward and..."

Azul's mind suddenly flashed back to that moment before the princess regained her voice, a moment of kindness: "I want to see the real you..."

The Octavinelle prefect nearly jumped out of his own skin at the loud banging that threatened to break down his door. Any ease the memory may have brought was swiftly dashed.

"Azuuuul~ Let's goooo already!" Floyd didn't sound any less moody or tired. Nor did he look it when Azul threw open the door.

"Would it kill you to knock lightly like a regular person?" he spat sharply, but the twins looked past their friend's irritation with laser precision.

"Ehh? Azul...you seem really flustered, ya know?" Floyd's grin slowly spread across his face as his brother chuckled, "You ok??"

Nope, absolutely not. Azul had no time nor patience to deal with these shenanigans today. The octopus gave a vague and curt response before shuffling past the twins and speed walking down the hallway towards the dorm mirror. The twins laughed mirthfully as they followed behind at a more casual pace. Jade glanced at his phone, his smile widening as he re-read his beloved's message sent just for him. It made Jade smile and ache for her company even more. His precious little pearl. He sent a flirtatious reply while Floyd wasn't looking and continued after Azul and his brother as if it never happened.

Cowrie felt like she was stuck in limbo as she passed through each boring class, barely listening but still managing to get through any lab work required. The one thing that did make her happy was that she was at least in the same class as both Reine and Manari. The two veteran dorm leaders welcomed her to Class 3-B with open arms as she entered the room. At Sacred Crown Hall, it was a tradition for any new dorm prefects to have a 'big sister' help them in the very beginning. Reine handpicked Cowrie herself which made Cowrie very glad but also put an even bigger target on her back...

On NRC's campus, Floyd wasn't fairing much better but was determined to keep his word and go to all his classes like Luna asked him to...that and he knew the second he tried to dip, Azul or Jade would tattle on him. At that moment, Azul was entering the first alchemy lesson of his junior year, and his partner of the day? The one and only Riddle Rosehearts.

The Heartslabyul king's growth spurt didn't go unnoticed by the normally shrewd octopus but then again, neither did Azul's unusually distracted state.

"Azul why did you pass me a vial that's clearly...empty? I asked for that one right there," Riddle was giving him a look that was both confused and mildly put out.

Azul tried to play it off like it was just a simple mistake but if there was anything about Azul Ashengrotto that Riddle knew for sure, it was that he didn't just make 'simple mistakes'. Riddle saw the Octavinelle Prefect as someone on the same level of wit and magical prowess on a normal day. He'd even go so far as to call him his rival...again on a normal day. Whatever kind of day today was, Riddle wasn't sure what he was looking at.

First of all, Riddle took charge of the assignment right out the gate and Azul didn't even bother to argue. Very strange. Second of all, any verbal response that came from the aquatic dorm leader was lacking his usual confidence and polish. Riddle was better off conversing with one of the dorm flamingos!

"Azul," Riddle said with a bit more force, "Are you even trying to pay attention?"

This struck a nerve. Azul narrowed his eyes at his classmate and shoved the next ingredient into his hands, "Apologies, Your Not-Yet-Majesty. I'm afraid my very busy summer has left me a bit foggy."

"That's odd, even for you," Riddle snorted, "You've been firing on all cylinders the moment classes began for as long as I've known you," Riddle paused to stir in the brightly colored liquid into the cauldron between them before giving his partner a curious look, "So what's got you so rattled-"

A whip-crack made the two boys and half the room tense up, "I'm hearing far too much barking from you pups!" Devius Crewel scorned the boys as he walked about checking their progress. Riddle and Azul quickly resumed their work, looking doubly focused.

"It's nothing," Azul whispered, "Just something unexpected happened that changed a lot of things. It's...it's nothing. A bit of seasonal madness. Probably from the summer heat."

Riddle blinked, then watched Azul from the other side of the cauldron before something in the other junior's body language and far-off eyes clicked in the Heartslabyul prefect's mind, "...Ahh. I see."

Azul raised his eyes to Riddle only to be met with a knowing look, "You see what exactly??"

The redhead waited until the professor was a bit further away before he grinned and whispered, "You, Azul. You look and sound a lot like I used to before."

Azul could smell entrapment a mile away in most cases but in this one, his curiosity burned far too much, "Before...?"

Riddle's smile and eyes softened as he continued the assignment, "Before I realized just how much I loved Reine. Or as you like to call it 'seasonal madness'."

Azul's whole body stiffened as if Riddle had shot him with lightning before he tried to laugh off the implication, "O-Oh?? Well, that's very romantic and all but I-"

Riddle hiked up a skeptical brow as he stared him down, daring the flustered boy to finish that thought. Instead, Azul just cleared his throat and shoved his face into their shared notes to finish making notations.

Riddle continued to stir the concoction with a smug grin, "So what's her name, Ashengrotto?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he fired back cooly.

"If you insist...you might want to turn the notebook right side up though."

Back at the Cerulamare dorm, Elise and Luna were hiding out in Cowrie's private room. They agreed to wait until the boys were available to meet them in the grotto that evening. If any of the other Octavinelle boys saw the girls sneaking about, they'd all have a lot more issues to deal with. Luna already had her hands full at that moment. The siren continued to lounge comfortably on her sister's bed without even a hint of worry. Though she did feel like she was watching a crab skitter about as Elise paced about the room.

"Something is wrong. What is it?"

The princess had a delayed reaction that left her with a deer in the headlights expression, "What?"

Luna couldn't help but laugh to herself a bit, "Elise. How long have we known each other? You may have your human friends fooled with your trained 'royal charm' routine that you've put on since middle school...but I know when you're about to have a meltdown and this is it."

Elise couldn't deny it even if she wanted to. Luna had a knowing, feline-like gaze that pinned her to the spot. When Elise hesitated, Luna sat up and patted the spot next to her. The princess flopped down face first with a long, heavy sigh.

"Did our conversation last night upset you?" the siren frowned.

"No no, it's not that so much as...I...I'm conflicted, Luna. Not just about changing back into a human..." Elise's words trailed off as she began to fiddle with her fingers. This was a nervous trait that she never showed anyone aside from the Cerith sisters.

"Something else?" Luna coaxed. When Elise didn't answer right away, a sly grin spread across her lips, "Or is it someone else?"

The signs and symptoms would've been clear as day to a normal person. For a siren? Luna could write the whole damn book herself! The pink warmth lighting up the tips of Elise's ears said it all. Luna giggled as her best friend groaned into the blankets beneath her as she hid her guilty face.

"Luna, pleeeaaassse!" her muffled cries of embarrassment only amused the siren more, "I can't talk about this right now, I'll DIE!"

Luna rolled her eyes playfully, "Ahhh there she is. Our drama queen, lovestruck once again."

"This is serious!" Elise's grumpy pink face suddenly surfaced making Luna snort, "This time is...ugh, it's so complicated!"

"Is it really? More serious, more complex, than the deep will-they-won't-they romance you and Prince Rielle allegedly shared for years...?" Luna's tone and lifted eyebrow were full of skeptical judgment.

Elise just pouted in bitter defeat, "Ok yeah I deserve that...and yes it IS because with everything that has happened and will happen probably in the near future, I'm not sure what to do."

Luna softened upon hearing Elise's genuine honesty, "Ah...the heart is a very tricky thing. One minute you feel completely in control, invincible even, and then the next, you feel so dizzy you barely know your own name."

Luna sounded oddly dreamy as she spoke. Elise smiled and turned to face her, "So...that's what the twins did to you and Cowrie, huh?"

It was the siren's turn to feel bashful as she laughed light-heartedly, "Not at first. But eventually, yes. Floyd and I were just playing a game with each other, having a bit of fun here and there whenever we got the chance but...before I knew it, he was attached. So was I. And not even the threat of my stepfather's wrath could keep him from coming after me. He's a reckless one for sure. It makes me wonder what our children will be like."

Somehow the topic of children caught Elise off guard, "You two have already talked about that??" This made Luna laugh even more.

"Of course. It's like Cowrie said before, mating amongst mermaids is a very serious thing. The only reason I acted so noncommital in the past was because of role as a siren. It was more of a work-study or transaction if anything. But now that I have my darling Floyd...well, everything is different," Luna paused at the bewildered look on Elise's face, "I forget that you were originally a human. Courtship on land works on a very different time frame in most cases, doesn't it? And it's not always for the long run."

Elise honestly couldn't talk from personal experience. She had pretty much dodged any and all serious attempts of dating or courtship thrown her way for a few reasons.

"Think of it this way," Luna continued, "Floyd and I are a lot like Riddle and Reine, give or take a few details. We've vowed ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives. It's not a casual dating sort of thing like many humans do with each other for an allotted time. Like Riddle and Reine, we're not officially 'married' but it is something definite in our future. So naturally, Floyd honey and I have talked about being together officially after we graduate which will lead to having a family of our own. Though they are a step or two behind, eventually Cowrie and Jade will be the same way. Maybe even sooner, Cowrie was much faster to open her heart to dear Jade. And they are the future Don and Madam Leech after all," Luna smiled as she remembered just how smitten her baby sister was and how fast it all happened.

Elise suddenly remembered the conversation Luna had with Manari about taking Floyd's name after graduation and how sure and happy Luna seemed about the whole thing. In fact, she had never seen the siren look more openly content since they were kids.

"You both seem so ready and confident," Elise sighed as she stared up at the ceiling, "I thought I was 'in love' with Rielle for so long and now that I know I'm not...I'm not even sure if this new one is another vapid crush or the real thing."

"Say his name."

Elise's gaze snapped back to Luna who was grinning with a sparkle in her eyes, "Rielle??"

"No, no. The new handsome fellow that has you so 'conflicted'. Say his name with a straight face." As if Luna didn't already have her very accurate suspicions. Elise could see it in her eyes.

"That doesn't prove anything!" Elise was on thin ice and knew very well that she was just trying to buy herself more time. Luna was too clever to be fooled.

"Oh no? You pined for sweet Rielle for years and yet now you can say his name like it was just another word in a dictionary. Why do you think Cowrie calls Jade 'Jay Jay'? The poor dear can barely keep it together if you ask her to call him by his full name properly," Luna giggled, "You didn't hear that from me, of course."

There was no escape. Elise knew she was done for. Luna looked ready to wait until the end of days if need be just to get the princess to be fully honest at long last. Elise hopped up from the bed and gave her siren friend a fiery look of determination.

"Ok fine. BUT you heard nothing, got it? This does NOT leave this room. EVER."

Luna just grinned and silently made a cross over her heart. Elise took a deep breath and opened her mouth...but nothing came out. If anything her face grew even more pink.

"Take your time," Luna attempted to encourage her.

This only led to about five more minutes of Elise pacing back and forth while muttering unintelligible hysterics to herself. Luna proved to be just as patient as Elise thought.

"Ok," Elise stopped and faced Luna, "Ok....A....Aaaaa...." Why was this so hard?! She took a breath and tried again, "A....A-Azul...A-A-Ashengrotto..."

Click. Elise's stomach dropped as she realized Luna had just taken her picture, "Luna I swear to-"

The princess froze as Luna turned the phone around to show her a picture of her own very pink, very giddy face. Oh...she was in trouble.

Elise covered her face once again and groaned, "Oh great Triton's BEARD..."

She had never heard Luna laugh so hard in her life but even so, Elise kept her embarrassed face hidden. After the laughter died down, she felt Luna's arms envelop her.

"See? What did I tell you?" the siren still had a bit of mirth in her voice but it was gentle nonetheless, "Didn't I say you deserved a mate that was more your speed, my lil octopus? Seems you have good taste after all."

Elise hugged Luna tightly while still hiding her face, "Luna, stop teasing meee....how am I going to face him now?!"

"Ara ara~ So dramatic..." Luna sighed and patted the princess on the head, "Reminds me of dear Reine that night in the Mostro Lounge. Though she and Riddle-kun were much further along than you and Azul-kun, surprisingly enough."

Elise felt a flutter in her gut as Luna compared her and Azul to an actual couple that was already committed to a future together. It also made a few gears begin to turn. Was there a chance...?

"Luna," Elise's voice was strangely timid and soft, "What should I do?"

"If you're asking me..." Luna pondered for a beat as she began to tenderly stroke the worried girl's hair, "I'd say do as much as you can to not have any regrets in the time you have left."

The setting sun made Cowrie's empty room look even more lonely somehow. She silently entered and locked the door behind her before dropping her book bag by the desk and flopping back down on the spacious bed. She knew any minute now her Vice Prefect would be knocking on her door for whatever reason but for now, Cowrie Cerith just wanted to deal with the impending sadness her empty room had in spades.

She pulled her phone from her skirt pocket and read through the messages she and Jade had exchanged throughout the day. Then the couple of messages from Reine and Manari. Then Alyssa. As she was reading the last message, a notification for a new message from Luna popped up. The message was short and sweet but still made Cowrie bolt up with an excited gasp.

"I think it's going to happen soon."

Floyd was practically beating down the door that led to the dorm's landing port as soon he, his brother, and Azul finished closing down Mostro Lounge for the night. As far as he knew, Luna had been waiting for him for hours and he refused to keep her waiting for a second longer!

"Calm down, Floyd!" Azul hissed at him quietly as he pushed the impatient eel aside to open the door, "Do you want to wake the entire dorm?!"

Jade clapped a hand over Floyd's mouth as he began to whine loudly, "Just a tiny bit longer, Floyd. Be patient."

The moody eel's patience lasted just long enough to let Azul open and shut the door behind them. Jade and Azul barely turned around when they heard Floyd splash into the water below and take off to the grotto like a shot. Jade couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's enthusiasm as Azul followed after him. The second Leech brother returned to the hallway to make sure the rest of their students stayed put for the night.

"Lunaaaa!"

Azul rolled his eyes as he could hear Floyd long before he entered the grotto. The siren giggled sweetly as her lover wrapped his long tail around hers like a giddy snake and continued to plant kisses all over her face and neck, "I missed you too, Floyd honey. But settle down, love, or do you want everyone to know we're here?"

He merely thumped the end of his tail against the ground as he kissed her lips in response. Azul looked around the grotto for Elise but felt a sting of worry when she was nowhere to be found.

"Azul-kun..." Luna caught his attention as she wrapped her arms around her puppy-like beau, "She's in the seaweed forest just over the ridge. Go check on her, won't you?"

The coy sparkle in Luna's molten eyes sent a shiver up Azul's spine. That and the notion of alone time with the princess after stewing in his own hormonal brain juice all day. Still, he managed a nod and left the grotto to the lovey-dovey pair.

The water over by the seaweed forest was one of the more dark areas but then again, that's what made it ideal for privacy. Azul silently tried to keep his nerves in check as he swam through the long tendrils of foliage but they all came to a head once he caught Elise's sweet scent. The tiny bit of light that did find its way here caught the deep blue of her soft hair and the ethereal sheen of her black and blue tentacles. Her back was to him but Azul still felt the tension in his body just from being this close to her. He cleared his throat the best he could, "E..Elise?"

Her bright turquoise eyes nearly ended him right on the spot. If that didn't do it, her shy smile almost did.

"Hi, Azul...c-can we talk?"

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #ao3 writer #sacred crown chronicles #twst oc x canon #ao3 fanfic #octavinelle #cerula #cerulamare #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #twst oc #elise coralette #luna cerith #cowrie cerith #indigo cerith #under the sea mafia #more eel mermaids

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 12

Inky's Links: AO3 : Masterlist : 3rd Story Poll (20ish hours left)

Chapter 12: Blood in the Water

Indigo had always been a fast swimmer but as the waters grew darker and colder, he took his time getting back to the Leech territory. His stoic ice-blue eyes stayed focused on what was in front of him as his long, winding tail propelled him forward past schools of fish and over changing scenes of territory beneath him. He was tired but still on edge, a habit he could never quite kick even now that he knew his sisters and their friend were safe. He kept his promise to Junonia and made sure her daughters were taken care of. That brought peace to Indigo's restless mind more than anything. The tense alertness that had kept him alive up until that point grew as he saw the glow of the central square peek over the horizon.

It was lively as usual as if all the madness of the past twenty-four hours never happened. Indigo received a few odd looks as he joined the crowds but paid the paranoid onlookers no mind. He was too busy carefully looking over his shoulder for someone else. However, another familiar face caught his attention as he passed by the Leviathan Club. Indigo felt obligated to at least stop for a moment.

Mama Ashengrotto was in full form as the former Muraeni son entered her establishment. She looked his way with a curious smile, "Well now, I haven't seen you in a minute, young man. And alone?"

Indigo relaxed a fraction in the cecaelia woman's warm presence, "I just wanted to let you know that my sisters and the princess had returned to the surface safely. Your boys too."

The motherly octopus smiled gratefully, "Thank you for keeping an eye on them. They can be quite a handful. It's no wonder you look so tired," she chuckled, "Come in, come in, have a seat and have a house special on me, dear...but do remind me what you go by again?"

Indigo knew better than refuse her generous offer and followed Mama Ashengrotto to a table of her choosing as he answered as if it had always been his name, "Indigo Cerith."

The woman smiled knowingly, "Ah yes, that's right. Here you are, Mr. Cerith. I'm actually glad you're here. Some of my girls were wondering when you'd come by again."

A sly grin adorned the hostess' face as both she and Indigo noticed just how excited some of the waitresses looked when they saw him sit down. He just cleared his throat and failed to hide the small flush on his face. This was probably the one and only leisurely visit he had made to the restaurant but clearly, his absences didn't go unnoticed.

Indigo was heading towards the hub when he noticed a small group of Don Leech's men started to flock around him as if he were leading a pack.

"Indigo, sir," the biggest eel quietly addressed him, "We received a tip-off about one of your brothers while you were away. The source was a bit iffy but..."

Indigo was still getting used to Don Leech's men calling him 'sir' but apparently becoming the Don's protege warranted it without question. Indigo swam among them, listening in silence. He had his suspicions that something like this would happen. Don Leech seemed to be on the same page.

"We haven't seen any intruders on the property since you left, sir. The boss insisted we give you some backup on your way home just in case."

"Appreciate it, thank you. If I know my brothers, it's Ventuno," Indigo kept his voice low and even in spite of his brow furrowing, "I don't know where he is but I can still feel him lurking about somewhere...don't look too concerned. Let's just head back as usual. I have an idea."

The group entered the hub and headed straight for their home turf. The pair of eyes watching them from inside the dark tunnels went unnoticed. While he certainly wasn't the most clever Muraeni son, Ventuno did have enough skill and smarts to know when and how to hide his scent. So when his younger brother led him right to the proper exit, it was only a matter of time before he could and would pounce. He was nothing if not persistent when he had a goal in mind.

Indigo reported directly to Don Leech as the men who guarded him dispursed back to either watching the grounds or going to patrol the surrounding territory. There was too much activity surrounding the mansion right now as the waters grew dark with the coming night. Ventuno found a suitable hiding spot, buried in the sand among the rocks just outside the tunnels. He slowly and quietly began to dig deeper into the sand whenever the coast was clear, inching closer and closer to the barrier surrounding the Leech Family home. Once he finally reached the wall itself after some time, an array of familiar scents guided him along the edge until an opening on the backside revealed itself. Luna's scent...those twins...even Cowrie's scent...though a little old, all of them wafted from the garden just on the other side like a beacon. A dark chuckle hummed in his throat as Ventuno quietly slipped inside like a snake on the prowl. The brightly colored clusters of coral provided enough cover for Ventuno to hide for what felt like hours. He grew impatient as the night grew deeper and more strangers came and went from the grounds. His brother was never among them.

"What's all this commotion about?"

Ventuno couldn't see her face but a woman swam close enough to his hiding spot that he saw her teal tail swish through the water. He peered through the gaps between the coral branches to get a better look at her. Madam Leech was being informed of the current situation by one of Don Leech's men as he followed her into the garden. She seemed unconcerned as she tended to another cluster of coral, her back to Ventuno. The other eel was called away and told the mistress of the house that he would return shortly. She thanked him for keeping her in the loop and continued to tend to her garden.

She was beautiful, elegant, not to mention youthful. The way she carried herself and wore black pearls along her neck, this woman was clearly the Don's wife. Ventuno internally scoffed at Don Leech's luck in bagging such a stunning mate. Even Ventuno knew how stupid it'd be to attack another boss' wife, but she was the only one standing between him and the door to sneak inside. She was alone with her guard down...surely, she'd be an easy target to quickly subdue without much harm done. The woman's back remained turned as Ventuno slithered out from his hiding spot with staggering speed. He wasted no time trapping Madam Leech.

Madam Leech's shriek was cut off as Ventuno's large tail tightly ensnared her body and clamped over her mouth. Her yellow eyes shot the Muraeni son a venomous glare as she struggled to free herself. A smug, razor-sharp smile just spread on the roman eel's face.

"It's a good thing you're so beautiful, Mrs. Leech. I don't really like roughing up beautiful ladies. But I'll promise you this: if you keep quiet and let me do what I came here to do, then I won't break your pretty neck. You're going to tell me where Seven is and you're going to do it quietly, hmm? If not...then even your beauty can't save you."

Ventuno hissed as the woman bit into his tail, allowing her seconds to free herself. She almost made it to the door until the Muraeni son tackled her to the ground, trying to muffle her screaming once again, "Breaking your neck it is then!"

In a matter of seconds, Ventuno made two very big mistakes: first, he assumed that Madam Leech was defenseless, and second, he assumed she was alone just because the rest of the garden looked empty. Madam Leech quickly whipped and swept her tail along the sand behind them to reveal a familiar spotted figure had been hiding in the sand as well. Ventuno couldn't even think fast enough to dodge Indigo as he wrapped his arms around his brother's neck and flipped him onto the ground, away from the startled mistress.

No questions were asked. Ventuno couldn't utter a word before his brother sliced his face and chest with his claws, all while a raw intensity was frozen in his pale blue eyes. Ventuno's instincts finally kicked in as his sharp teeth dug into Indigo's arm. No words were exchanged between the brothers as they tore into each other in a miniature storm of blood and sand.

Madam Leech was quickly embraced in her mate's arms seconds after he arrived on the scene and wrapped himself protectively around her. The Don look directly into her eyes, ignoring the brawl happening right before him, "Are you alright, love? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head with a soft smile, "No darling, I'm fine. It was just as Indigo predicted."

Ventuno's bloody body was roughly pinned to the ground by his furious brother right as those words reached his ears. Just as Indigo predicted...a wet cough escaped his mouth followed by a bitter laugh. Ventuno laughed right in his brother's glaring face.

" 'Indigo'...? Who the hell do you think you are?" he coughed again, "You take on your fake name and run away with Luna to our enemy's doorstep, thinking you can just have some other life free of any consequences?!" Ventuno spat out those words like they were poison.

Indigo's icy eyes narrowed dangerously, "If you feel like talking so much, tell me why you're here. I know Dad didn't send you. He's smarter than that. My guess is that he's taking away your status as his heir and you blame me, right?"

The wounded eel snarled and tried to snap his teeth at Indigo, only to have his throat nearly crushed as his head was shoved deeper into the sand, "Of course, it's YOUR fault!! You ruined EVERYTHING and for what?! To suck up to these Leech bastards?! The future of the Muraeni clan belonged to ME damn it! So why the hell does he want you back?!"

Ah...so that was it. Indigo's angry expression melted back into its usual stoic tone though it was colored with something that pissed his brother off even more: pity. His parting words, however, weren't so kind.

"I don't know what you thought coming after me would accomplish, Ventuno. Whatever it was, I hope it was worth the cost...not only did you invade another Don's home, you attacked his mate," Indigo's eyes lifted as a large shadow suddenly passed over the two hunched brothers. Any fight the Muraeni son had left in him vanished as soon as he saw the cold rage in Don Leech's eyes.

"Step aside, Indigo..." his voice was low and vibrating with a snarl.

"Yes sir," Indigo released his grip on his brother and swam away from him without another word of parting or sympathy. The last sound he heard before guiding Madam Leech safely inside was the cracking of his brother's ribs as Don Leech slammed his tail down on his chest. The Don called his men to his side and ordered them to take Ventuno outside the wall and behind the mansion, "I'm not done with you yet, boy, I just don't want to tarnish my beloved's garden any further with your blood..."

Ventuno could hardly move much less breathe but that didn't stop him from giving one last argument, "I-If you kill m-me...my father...h-he'll start a war! I'm...I'm still his son!"

Don Leech didn't even bother scoffing. He followed his men to the outside dune where no one would see what was about to happen. He stared down at the beaten Muraeni with steeled malice as he was thrown down before the furious boss, "You should have thought of that before you touched my wife..."

Indigo wasn't nearly as battered as his brother but that didn't mean he left the fight unscathed. Inside, Madam Leech was tenderly cleaning the gashes Ventuno left on his arms, shoulders, and tail. The mother hadn't known Indigo for very long but also felt some maternal affection towards him even before he rescued her.

"I'm sorry..." he suddenly muttered, "I didn't mean to put you in harm's way like that, Madam Leech, but Ventuno acted just how I thought he would."

The mother just tutted as if her life being threatened was nothing unusual, "Hush. A proper wife to a household such as this cannot let herself be phased by these events. Besides, you predicted your brother's actions before he even arrived. You also factored in that he'd be too distracted by my being there to notice you hiding in the sand, " she smiled proudly, "I was right to put my life in your clever hands. I can see why my darling has faith in you."

Indigo had a distant look in his eyes that made the mistress frown, "Indigo...I know you were born and raised in the worst this sort of life has to offer. Even so, this cannot be easy for you..."

If he felt any remorse, he didn't show it. Instead, Indigo merely shook his head and spoke with resolve, "My brother sealed his own fate. I don't regret protecting myself and you, Madam. I doubt the Don would have me act any other way."

"You acted as any good son of the Leech house would in this situation," Madam Leech placed a motherly kiss on Indigo's head before binding up his wounded tail, "I'm glad to hear you have no regrets. My husband will take care of everything. In the meantime...you need to rest."

"Yes ma'am," he sighed.

A soft smile rested on Madam Leech's lips, "Besides, now that you are here and a part of this household, I must do my part in ensuring you have a far better life. I like to make sure all of my boys, biological or otherwise, have the very best chance at happiness. After you heal, I have a niece I'd like you to meet. She's an absolute gem."

He was beginning to wonder if he had some giant target on his back that alerted every mother in the area that he was an eligible bachelor. It wasn't something he was allowed to pursue in earnest while he was still at his birth home, however...well Indigo could already tell that Madam Leech was not a woman to be told no. Though he was exhausted, the thought of courtship made a bundle of nerves flair up in his gut.

"...Y-Yes, ma'am."

By the next afternoon, the news of Ventuno Muraeni's death had spread over both territories if not even further. The remaining sons of Don Muraeni silently waited in the dining hall. Their plates were full but none of the three sons moved to take a bite. Their father's shouts could be heard echoing down the hall paired with the crashing noise of broken furniture and who knows what else. Proteus stood patiently just inside the office door as his boss processed the news.

Another crash sounded as Don Muraeni's tail scattered the contents on the shelf to his right. He was absolutely fuming. For all the attempts he had made at making a suitable heir, the offspring that stayed loyal to him were a pack of idiots!

"Stubborn...wreckless...absolute fool!" Don Muraeni snarled out the broken words in between each harsh breath, "He just had to rush headlong into his own grave and ruin my plans!"

Proteus leaned to the left to dodge another heated swing of Don Muraeni's tantrum possessed tail that ended up decapitating an innocent statue by the door. He calmly cleared his throat as he casually swatted some offending dust away, "Sir...condolences aside...what would you like me to do with the body? It's rather unpleasant just leaving it in the main hall."

The furious moray rolled his eyes, "Feed it to the sharks for all I care. The boy is just as useful to me dead as he was alive!"

"Understood, sir. As for the Leech Family...Don Leech wasn't subtle in his message. How will you respond?"

It happened at dawn. Don Muraeni was roused awake by another ruckus only this time, it wasn't some leftovers of throw-away thugs being dropped on his doorstep like a sack of garbage. No, the barely recognizable corpse of his eldest son was laid at his feet by none other than Don Leech's own men. They came straight into enemy territory as if they owned the place with a very direct message from their even more fearless leader...

"Your spawn came into my home and attacked my wife whether, by his own volition or your command, it doesn't matter. This is the payment dealt by my own hands. If you have something to say, Don Muraeni, come say it to my face."

Even in this violent world divided by two warring families, the murder of a Don's heir was only trumped by the murder or assault of a Don's life mate. While Don Muraeni lived by his own rules in terms of having a proper mate, Don Leech was more traditional in that he was mated for life. As morbid as it sounded, children could always be made but a mate was irreplaceable. By this logic, no one could fault Don Leech. Not even his enemy. If Don Muraeni blamed anyone, it was his foolhardy son! The aggravated moray took a deep breath and sat down at his mostly still assembled desk.

"This must be dealt with carefully, Proteus...after all, a tragedy has occurred because of my son's short-sightedness," he swished his tail pensively as he thought, "If we are to bring Seven back home, willingly of course...then we must offer peace to our dear Don Leech. Peace in place of bared fangs would be best."

"Of course, sir. And if our dear Don-to-be doesn't cooperate?" Proteus's face was somber but a spark of deep-seeded excitement made his sharp tail twitch behind his straight back.

The Don's eyes narrowed at his right hand, "Then I trust you still have the right leverage to sway him?"

A wicked grin opened across the electric rayman's face, showing off small spiny teeth, "Naturally, sir."

"Good," Don Muraeni's face froze back into its usual stoic expression as he rose from his seat, "I've been meaning to have a chat with her but alas...her stubbornness hasn't waned in all these years."

Proteus chuckled coldly, "She is a determined specimen, sir. However, we both know how much of a soft spot she's had for our Seven. I'm sure she'll see reason and submit."

"I trust her in your capable hands, Proteus. Now. Let's see if my other sons have any use left in them...if not, well," the Don gave Proteus a dark look over his shoulder as he left the dismantled office, "Feel free to add to your collection if you so desire..."

The sun was starting to set over the Sacred Crown Hall campus the next evening. Miles above their home in the Coral Sea, Luna and Elise were walking toward the central gardens behind Cowrie and her vice prefect with the rest of their dorm for the sorting ceremony. While Night Raven College held their ceremony at night and Royal Sword Academy had theirs in the morning, it was tradition for Sacred Crown Hall to hold theirs at the golden hour of sunset.

Each dorm donned their matching ceremonial robes: hooded flowing periwinkle cloaks that faded into a deep midnight blue fabric trimmed in gold along the split sleeves and edges that depicted abstract patterns tied to the school's famous stain glass hall and deep fuschia fabric lining the inside. While NRC's main road had statues of the Great Seven, Sacred Hall had a long open corridor of stained glass figures in tall arched windows. Though it was a girls' school, the seven figures that inspired each dorm were actually princes and heroic figures from the past. Cowrie looked up as they passed the Cerulamare window. Theirs portrayed the determined sea-fairing prince that faced danger in his endless search for the mermaid princess who saved his life and entranced him with her beautiful voice. From this old story came their dorm's motto: "Whatever storms and dangers entail, we set our sights forward and prevail."

It was corny but Cowrie came to love it and the story about the prince. Mostly because he reminded her of just how stubbornly determined Elise could be. Once all of the girls arrived at the large wishing well in the old castle's courtyard, they separated into their own groups and quietly waited for the Headmistress to begin the ceremony. The white-haired fairy godmother stood in front of the school's Great Wishing Well which was just as Cowrie said: it was more of a large pool or fountain than an actual well. Along the marble edges of the pool, there were blank copper coins, waiting for the new girls to toss into the water. The new freshmen arrived in a similar fashion to the boys at Night Raven though instead of coffins, they slept inside large glass terrarium-like chambers scattered about the garden. When the lingering sunlight painted everything in an amber glow, the chambers began to glow themselves, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.

"Welcome back to Sacred Crown Hall, my girls," she greeted the students warmly as she pulled out her ivory wand, "Let us begin and welcome our new students with open arms."

The Headmistress touched her wand to one of the chambers to awaken the expectant student so she could choose and toss her coin into the fountain to be sorted. It was exciting the first time around but after doing this a few times, both Luna and Elise felt distracted. Cowrie stood at the very front of the Cerulamare group as the newly appointed Prefect looking less than excited. Luna felt a buzz come from her skirt pocket and noticed her sister look down at hers as well. She waited until the Headmistress wasn't looking to pull her phone from her pocket and read the message from Jade.

"There's been a situation at home. Keep an eye on each other. Elise and Luna, come to Octavinelle as soon as you can."

Luna kept a neutral expression as she silently showed Elise the message before joining the rest of Cerulamare in applauding their first freshman. The princess followed her best friend's example and did the same. Before the Cerith sisters met up with Elise again, they finalized the next step in the plan. Luna had been given the extra key to the Octavinelle grotto to hold onto until the time was right. Normally, being fourth years, they would return to their field studies a day or so after the opening ceremony. It was very unusual to see any fourth-year students hanging around throughout the year. Since neither Luna nor Elise had an internship to go back to, they would stay hidden and close by at Octavinelle.

Cowrie wasn't too happy about being left behind but was reassured once a month had passed and it was time for the open campus festival at Sacred Crown, they would all regroup when it was far less suspicious. Until then, everyone had to play their part as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The ceremony wasn't even halfway done and this was already proving to be difficult. Elise noticed a few other girls either giving Cowrie or her funny looks and whispering amongst themselves. So much that it was starting to make her irritated and anxious at the same time. Luna also noticed this and gave a few of the closer by girls a sharp look. That was all it took to make them wander further away from them.

"What is going on?" Elise whispered harshly to Luna, "why are they staring at us??"

Luna leaned in to answer as the rest of the girls cheered for another new Cerulmare student, "Keep in mind that many Cerulamare girls are mermaids. Whether they be like Cowrie and I or more Atlantian, they may have taken notice of your changes, Elise. You were their Dorm Leader for two years. That or...my sister doesn't seem to be to everyone's tastes."

It was as if Luna's words lifted a veil off of Elise's eyes. She looked around the room at the other dorms and saw how they all stood close to their dormmates almost uniformly. Cerulamare's students, however, had a literal gap dividing them. Cowrie stood in the very front facing forward, straight up and sure, ignoring all the whispers buzzing around her. Some of the girls flanked her and her vice prefect all holding the same confident stature. Others seemed to have split off into a separate cluster, shrinking away from their new dorm leader and her allies. It made the princess feel as if she swallowed a beehive.

"Honestly," she huffed quietly, "this is ridiculous...not to mention embarrassing."

Luna nudged Elise right as Cowrie looked over her shoulder at the two of them as they stood further back. Luna gave her younger sister a supportive smile and silently encouraged Elise to do the same. Once Cowrie turned back around, satisfied, Luna leaned in to whisper to Elise, "I'm frustrated too. But my sister thinks the world of you and takes pride in the fact that you chose her specifically. Have faith in your decision and ignore all the rabble. Let them embarrass themselves."

Hearing this, the princess felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps Cowrie wasn't the most orthodox choice but Elise had put a lot of thought into choosing the younger Cerith sister to pass the torch to. In spite of her trivial anxieties, Elise believed that her younger friend would prove to be a capable dorm leader...she just didn't like the looks of all these naysayers making a fuss already before the semester even started.

Later after the night began, Jade felt a response buzz come from his pocket right as he, Azul, and Floyd gathered in the Hall of Mirrors to begin their own ceremony. As third years, nothing much had changed for the infamous trio: Azul was still the Dorm Prefect, Jade was still his outlandishly efficient Vice, and Floyd was still so bored by orientation that the other two had to drag him there. At least he was until he was also checking his phone with a goofy grin on his face. Luna had apparently sent him a very different message. Azul saw no point in scolding the moody twin for not paying attention. Instead, he was silently plotting out the next few weeks in his mind. Jade discreetly leaned down to whisper to Azul as Crowley began the ceremony, "The new supply for Mostro Lounge should be here tomorrow night."

"Excellent, I'll receive it personally. See that the students adhere to the curfew as expected," Azul responded cooly making Floyd and Jade snicker.

All three boys had agreed to keep Elise and Luna's coming and going under wraps and thus worked out a way to speak about it in public without giving away any secrets. Just in case any eavesdroppers decided to tempt fate by sticking their noses where they didn't belong. If anyone else found out that two female students had been snuck onto campus, it would be chaos...

Much like Elise and Luna, Azul and the twins found their third orientation to be rather boring. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any wild interruptions or outbursts. Floyd was very disappointed and had no problem saying so.

"Ugghh...is it over yet? None of these freshies look that interesting," he muttered to his brother and best friend.

"Patience, Floyd...besides, the are some new upgrades that may prove entertaining," Jade nodded towards the other dorms and their new ranks.

Riddle remained the Heartslabyul king as expected but he had a surprising growth spurt over the summer. He left last semester at his usual 5'3 height but returned standing at a very proud 5'8. This was hardly anything compared to the Leech twins at their towering height but Riddle was nonetheless satisfied. Now that Trey and the other third years - including Leona, surprising everyone - had moved on to become fourth years entering the field for further study, there had been a few changes in rank among the dorms. For Heartslabyul, Deuce Spade became the newest Vice Prefect. Judging from his conflicting expression as he stood next to Riddle, it was hard to say if he was excited or abysmally nervous.

For Savannaclaw, the leadership role went to Ruggie with Jack at his vice. Though just looking at them, anyone would have thought it was the other way around. Ruggie hadn't changed that much but somehow, Jack got even taller and more buff.

For Pomefiore, Epel had taken over as the new prefect after a lot of serious study in potionology and one hell of a glow-up, a parting gift from Vil no doubt. While Riddle's growth spurt was surprising, Epel's was mind-boggling. While he didn't turn into a burly musclebound hunk like he probably dreamed of becoming, he did - as Rook would poetically describe - transform some a small youthful duckling into a tall, handsome, and regal swan. He kept his lavender locks long enough to keep pulled into a short boyish tail and his frame, though still slender, became more toned as he now stood at a strapping 5'9. Ace and Deuce wondered what exactly he ate while at home on the farm during the break.

The biggest surprise for the new Ignihyde wasn't that Idia and Ortho were replaced with someone that stood out...no rather the new prefect wasn't someone everyone knew but the reason he stood out was that he showed up.

Finally, Diasomnia was now led by Silver who, if anything, looked a bit more fit and seasoned. Sebek surprisingly didn't seem to age nor did he put up much of a fuss as the Vice Prefect but the two very different boys seemed to balance each other out perfectly. Their freshmen didn't seem to know how to feel about the dynamic, however.

Azul took notes of the changes and put the necessary pins in them for later use. Floyd's mood didn't change whatsoever. If anything, he seemed even more eager to get back to the dorm or at least be anywhere but here. His brother noticed the restless look in his eyes and frowned.

"Patience, Floyd..." he repeated.

Ever since their father informed them of what happened, Floyd had been in a weirdly imbalanced state. He wasn't angry but he wasn't calm either. It was like Floyd was constantly on the brink of an outburst but it never quite took off. Jade was far more poker-faced about the whole incident. As the future Don Leech, he had to keep his cards close to his chest. On the surface, the three boys were just the usual trio that returned from another usual summer break to school. However, Azul and Floyd knew that under Jade's gentlemanly exterior, he was in fact, livid. First Jade's intended had been attacked and aggressively injured right on his doorstep and now his own mother had been threatened? The second opportunity presented itself, Jade Leech was more than willing to teach the Muraeni Family a lesson. But for his beloved and his sister-in-law's sake, that would have to wait. Fortunately, Jade was incredibly patient.

As for Azul, there was definitely something brewing behind his stormy eyes. Something that he refused to let slip now that they were back on campus. Here Azul Ashengrotto was the cunning, charismatic leader of Octavinelle, a reputation that he had built from the ground up. This wasn't the time or place for weakness or doubt to seep through the cracks. But if he were honest, he was feeling a bit anxious himself for a number of reasons...

Was she safe? Would he be able to keep her safe by his side until the time came for her to decide? When the time did come...would he be able to let Elise go without any protest? That last question dug at Azul like a hundred fish hooks stuck crudely into his flesh. No one would ever know it from the trained grin on his face, the very same he had at the ready of any business day. Only the twins suspected but neither one was in the mood to stir the pot right now. The three of them led their students back to Octavinelle where they held the usual welcome party in their Mostro Lounge. Where they all played their usual parts to a T until it was time for curfew.

Azul stayed behind in his office for a few minutes as the twins herded the students back to their rooms. The quiet both comforted and teased him. He leaned against the cool leather seat at his desk and let out a long sigh, feeling his whole body finally give way to exhaustion. It wasn't long before his brain steered itself back to those questions concerning Elise. After a long pensive brooding, Azul went to the platform that led out to the open aquarium surrounding the dorm.

The dorm leader didn't make a habit of swimming around the dorm as much as Jade and Floyd had in the past. In fact, Azul often avoided doing so but now his octopus form felt less alien to him as he glided through the open water silently. The water was less cold than the waters of home, brighter even. His mind remembered watching the princess playfully jet about like a child with a new toy when he was back in the Coral Sea. It made him smile remembering her laughter and glee. How she gracefully took to that form so easily. How she'd tease and test him with it. Seriously did she know how beautiful she was? She had to! That sparkle in her eyes, that coy smile...Azul suddenly grimaced at his own sappy thoughts.

"She's been gone a day or two! Get it together!" he hissed at himself as he entered the coral reef that hid the secret grotto. Of course, she wasn't there. He didn't expect her to be but somehow Azul had been drawn to this place like a magnet. The octopus male floated down to the ground and let his winding tentacles carry him along the sand as he looked about the empty hideaway. Every keepsake was in its place even the photo that Floyd had borrowed had been returned to its shelf. The bed that Cowrie was set up looked a bit unkempt though. Without a second thought, two of Azul's tentacles reached over and straightened it up as he muttered about its state being unacceptable. That's how Azul's restless night started...about half an hour later, the Leech brothers had found their octopus friend outside the coral reef, earnestly hunting for something. They quietly spied on him with mischievous curiosity for a few minutes. They watched him as he muttered to himself, carefully inspecting every little shell or trinket he picked up from the sand, only to throw back anything that didn't satisfy his unspoken quest. A few of his tentacles held bits of brightly colored coral branches or shells that he eventually took into the grotto. After a few minutes, he swam back towards the Mostro Lounge.

The twins quietly peeked inside the grotto and found that not only had Azul straightened the bed but he placed all of the shells and things he collected strategically throughout the cave so that they could catch the glow of the anemone-like lights just right, giving it a more pleasing aesthetic. Jade and Floyd shared a look that made both of their faces break into devilish grins.

"Heeeeeh...?"

"Oyaaa?"

Their musing was suddenly interrupted by an embarrassing wail.

"J-Jade! Floyd! What are you two doing here?!" Azul's face was a deep purple. In his hands was the music box Elise had sold to him, nestled safely inside a bubble to keep the water out. The eels nearly burst.

"Ooooh Azuuuul....you're building Octi-chan a nest? Are you tryna court her?!" Floyd giggled wildly.

Jade touched a finger to his chin as his face kept its wicked smile, "My, my...our Dorm Leader is serious."

Azul huffed as he fought the urge to blast both of their smug faces full of ink, "I am trying to make this dreary hole more suitable for Elise and Luna, who are going to be staying here for a good amount of time, thank you very much! Honestly Floyd, as her mate, I'm surprised you didn't think to do the same for Luna yourself."

Floyd just rolled his eyes, "Pffft, says you. I cleaned my side of the room, got extra snacks, and threw extra pillows on my bed so she'd be nice and comfy!"

Jade chuckled, "It's true. He did. I must say I was quite impressed."

Azul floated past them and gently placed the music box down by the bed after casting a waterproof enchantment on it, "A sweet gesture, Floyd, but if you think that you can sneak Luna into your room without causing a commotion, then I'm afraid you're very wrong. No one must know that the girls are here. Ever. She's staying here with Elise and that's final."

Floyd's protests fell on deaf ears but after enough whining and threatening to skip out on every shift at the Lounge Azul gave him, Azul finally caved and agreed that Floyd, at the very least, could visit the girls after curfew. As long as he didn't get caught. Or skip out on class the next day. OR keep Elise from getting proper rest. There were probably more stipulations but frankly, Floyd had stopped listening. Instead, he followed the current wave of capriciousness that had him buzzing.

"You know, Azul...now that Jade and I have made and presented our courtship gifts properly...if you need some adviiiiice~" Floyd had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face that Azul had ever seen.

"Enough out of you two! Go back to your rooms at once!"

His face was practically glowing as Azul shuffled out of the grotto and began trying to swim back to the dorms. It was exact moments like this that he wished he were a much faster swimmer. Instead, reality had him locked between two teasing eels taking their sweet time swimming alongside him as he struggled to get ahead of them.

Deep in the Coral Sea, another secret cave opened for the first time in a while. The long shadow that greeted the strange little creatures stuck clinging to the cave floor, walls, and ceiling made them shrink back and quiver in their slimy little forms. A dark chuckle left Proteus' lips as he floated by them going deeper into the den.

"Now, now...is that any way to greet your master who has so kindly given you shelter? There are far worse prisons I assure you."

The strange, almost humanoid sea polyps couldn't make a sound aside from the somber screeches that left their strange mouths. The sadistic ray ignored them for the most part as he entered the deepest part of his hidden vault of creatures. This was his carefully built and curated collection and while not every single piece held his attention or dark affections after he used his own personal magic to entrap them in this state, there was one very special creature that he visited the most...his favorite little 'diva'.

Proteus settled on the smooth stone floor in front of a giant shell that held one particular polyp in a large bottle. The ray's grin widened as he peered through the glass, "Good evening, Madam. It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I do hate to neglect you so but really it's your own fault for misbehaving. Honestly...why keep denying the Don what he wants? You could have everything you ever wished for..." he cooed to the small, stripped specimen.

This feminine creature refused to look at the ray but instead shrunk as far back away from him, coiled up on herself like a snake, as she possibly could. A typical reaction, definitely not surprising but Proteus' smile didn't budge whatsoever.

"In fact," he continued as he traced his long claws along the aged necklace that had been tied around the bottle, "I have some very good news for you...your son is coming home."

This caused her pair of large round eyes to quickly lock onto him. The exact reaction he wanted, "Well, that's our hope anyway. We do look forward to a glorious revival for the Muraeni House with our dearest Seven taking the reins in his capable claws...however, he won't do it unless you help us, Madam. And you will won't you?"

The tiny creature seemed to rile up and hiss at him through the glass in protest. She whipped her tiny tail-like appendage against her prison as if it were Proteus' face directly within her reach. Such spirit after all these years. This was a good sign.

Proteus's sharp teeth linked together like a wall of daggers as his smile stretched wider, almost insanely, "You've always wanted what was best for him, isn't that right...?"

The crescent moon pendant dully clinked against the glass as Proteus continued to teasingly poke, twist, and turn it about in his fingers that promised to crack it the instant he wasn't given exactly what he wanted. The female polyp could see it and soon curled back upon herself in despair.

"We do so appreciate your cooperation, Mistress Junonia."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @honey-milk-depresso @ladyrosemoon @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @feldya @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @aiimee9

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #sacred crown chronicles #her lost voice #twst canon x oc #octavinelle #cerulamare #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #the cerith siblings #luna cerith #cowrie cerith #indigo cerith #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #twst oc schools #under the sea mafia #more eel mermaids

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice" - Bonus One-Shot #1

So here's something different for all my Indigo fans out there~

While this doesn't tie directly into the main story of "Her Lost Voice", it is part of the Sacred Crown canon if you will and is part of a collection of one-shots that you can also find on my AO3 page.

Think of this as an Indigo Cerith vignette about his days at NRC. Enjoy~

Indigo Cerith: NRC Days

“Scarabia…”

The Dark Mirror’s voice rang clear throughout the hall as a few murmurs spread throughout the boys behind him.

“The guy who can barely walk? Really?”

“Scarabia, huh? I thought with his scary face he’d be Savanclaw for sure…he even has some scars.”

“Wait…do you think he came from the sea and that’s why he’s walking funny?”

“A merguy in the desert? He won’t last two minutes!”

Dire Crowley called for the rest of the students to hush so the ceremony could continue before looking to the nervous-looking young man, hesitating in front of the mirror, “Welcome to Night Raven College, Mr. Cerith. Your Dorm Prefect and fellow Scarabia students are over there.”

Sixteen year old Indigo Cerith nervously looked down at his human legs. He had been on land for maybe an hour and who knows how much of that time was spent in that weird coffin he woke up in. While he had gotten the hang of standing up straight, actually walking was…embarrassingly challenging. Not to mention the robe and clothes he woke up in felt so strange. Well, EVERYTHING felt strange, to be honest. The Scarabia Dorm Prefect was kind enough to wave to him so he knew where to go. Indigo took a deep breath and took his first wobbly step and then another.

A few of the other students snickered at the sight but Indigo just ignored them and thought of what Junonia had told him instead.

“It’s going to feel strange at first and you may feel a bit silly but don’t rush it…just take your time, Indigo. Soon enough you’ll be walking just like anyone else. Maybe even running or dancing,” she said with her motherly smile, “Don’t worry about what others may say or think. You’re going to do wonderfully, Indigo. I’m so proud of you, my darling boy.”

Indigo missed her and his sisters already but a pair of awkward legs wasn’t going to stop him from taking full advantage of this rare opportunity. When he finally made it to the others in his dorm, his Prefect gave him a friendly grin.

“Welcome to Scarabia, I’m the Dorm Leader and Third Year, Nasir Ali,” he said softly before extending his hand to the new first year.

Indigo slowly took his Dorm Leader’s hand and shook it, “Indigo Cerith…nice to meet you.”

He took a spot with the others and was quickly greeted by a few other curious but still friendly guys all from different years. As he continued to watch the rest of the ceremony, he noticed he was getting a few strange looks from another dorm standing across from them. The third year standing next to him noticed as well.

“That’s the Octavinelle Dorm. A lot of them are from the Coral Sea as well so they’re probably wondering why you didn’t get sorted into their dorm,” he whispered. When Indigo gave him a surprised look, he chuckled, “Those of us that have been through more than one ceremony can tell when a Coral Sea-er comes onto the surface for the first time. I gotta say though, this is the first time one of you guys ever got sorted into our Dorm. That’s pretty cool.”

Indigo blinked his ice-blue eyes up at his senior feeling a weird tingle of pride. No one had ever said he or anything about him was cool before…

He eventually got the hang of walking but everything about this place nearly knocked him right off his feet at every turn. Magic mirror doors? Ghosts? Flying on brooms?!

Everything…

…was amazing.

Well, maybe not everything.

It was cold and rainy outside the rest of the campus but inside the Scarabia dorm, the sun shone brightly upon the stretch of golden sand. Indigo had gotten used to the Dorm Uniform: the loose-fitting clothes and no sleeves were very comfortable and the hood allowed him to keep the sun from beating down on his head. But the regular school uniform….

Indigo glared at his offending garments as they waited for him inside the wardrobe in the corner. How did land dwellers do this every day?! He muttered to himself as he carefully changed into the much more fitted outfit. Pants up, buttoned and zipped. White shirt on, fully buttoned. Next was the maroon vest…more buttons. By the time he got the jacket on, his necktie clumsily tied and loosely hanging around his neck, he gazed at the most frustrating step….shoes.

Indigo was embarrassed to know that most land dwellers learn how to tie their shoes when they were children. Here he was sixteen years old and still struggling. Most citizens of the Coral Sea, no matter what neighborhood they come from, went to a prep school of sorts specifically to teach them the basics of surface life. Poor Indigo was flying blind and had to learn everything on the fly. Tying his shoes…walking…tying a tie…which utensils were used while eating and how to use them.

Flying a broom was definitely NOT covered at all.

His P.E. classes were absolutely mortifying the first month or so. Vargas groaned in frustration as Indigo clumsily fell off his broom yet again, making the other first years around him crack up laughing. Thankfully he was only a couple of feet off the ground, but even so, Indigo lay in the dirt for a split second feeling like an absolute fool.

That was pretty much the week and a half of Indigo Cerith’s life at Night Raven College: waking up and fumbling his way through his days. One day, Indigo didn’t leave for classes. He felt sick, frustrated, and too upset to try again over and over anymore. His roommates didn’t bother him much but as soon as the prefect heard from the other first years that Indigo didn’t get out of bed, he decided to check in on his junior.

Indigo wasn’t in his bed. He wasn’t in the kitchen, or the lobby…no, Prefect Ali found the first year staring into the fountain outside, hood over his head and no shoes on his feet.

“Indigo! You’re going to be late for class!”

The gruff first year glared at the Prefect, “I’m not…I’m not going. Not today.”

The senior had heard about the boy’s struggles from his classmates and around the dorm whenever Indigo wasn’t around. He seemed pretty distant and quiet. From what the dorm leader saw, the boy was earnest and he tried his best. Just…awkwardly.

“Ok sure. Take the day off and go for a swim. That’ll make you feel better!” Prefect Ali smiled.

Indigo looked at him like he was just messing with him but the senior’s smile didn’t falter whatsoever. Instead, he clapped a firm hand on Indigo’s shoulder, “You’re from the Coral Sea so living in our dorm must be hard for you. It’s a pretty big fountain so by all means, use it whenever you need! …Honestly, if you like, you could transfer into Octavinelle. It’d probably be a lot more comfortable for you-”

“No thanks,” the eel muttered roughly, “I have no interest in being in that dorm…it reminds me of home too much.”

In the short time that Indigo had been in school, he had been approached by some students from Octavinelle either trying to figure out who he really was because he looked “familiar” or just trying to get something out of him. All around, Indigo wasn’t ok with either. At least in Scarabia, no one bothered him or tried to corner him because he was different. Aside from the heat and dryness, life in Scarabia was very peaceful. Everyone left everyone else alone to their own devices because the entire dorm was more focused on their studies and own school-related ambitions…it was exactly what Indigo wanted, actually.

The dorm leader gave him a pleased grin, “Glad to hear it. You may be off to a rough start but I think you belong here. Just take your time and go at your own pace, Indigo! Studies are important, but here we value wisdom and application. If one way isn’t working for you, take a moment, and try again a different way! …oh! I can make a dry land potion for you as well so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in your true form. I’ll bring you one after my classes are done, ok?”

Indigo watched his Dorm Leader leave with the rest of the students with a stirring in his chest. He knew that good feelings weren’t bad, that most people had them every day, but…that didn’t mean he was prepared for them.

After a day spent swimming in the large fountain, Indigo felt like himself again…and in the following days, he practiced walking. Practiced tying his tie and shoelaces. And he accepted assistance from his dorm mates that noticed his struggle and genuinely wanted to help. He focused on his studies and paid as much attention in class as he could. He even learned how to make his own dry land potions so he could go swimming more often. So when the first midterm exam results were posted…

Indigo stood in the crowd of anxious boys trying to find his name on the long list of top fifty scores. His pale eyes scanned the lower numbers first but he didn’t see his name so he went higher…nope…higher still into the 20s to 30s ranking…no ‘Indigo Cerith’. He started to accept that his name probably wasn’t even on there at all until another first year that recognized him from Homeroom yelled over to him.

“Indigo! Look over here!”

He saw the shorter Diasomnia freshman excitedly waving to him and made his way over to him. The boy pointed to the top of the lists, “Look at you, man! You’re the first freshman in the Top 10! Nice!”

Indigo’s eyes widened as he finally saw his name printed at…number seven. He grinned wryly at the irony but enjoyed the warm glow of pride growing in his chest nonetheless. The feeling didn’t last long as he noticed a few others shooting glares his way. Namely, upperclassmen who had gotten very used to their spots in the upper accolades of the overall test results. To be outranked by a freshman who flopped out of his coffin like a newborn giraffe was humiliating. However, they were also about to find out that Indigo Cerith wasn’t one to let himself get bullied by strangers…

The Savanaclaw Dorm was the first to find this out personally. It started with one accidental elbow shoulder bump in the hallways that turned into a challenge on the school grounds that very quickly turned into the aggressive beastman being sent to the infirmary and Indigo to the Headmaster’s office…

He was thoroughly warned and scolded by a very frustrated Crowley and sent back to his dorm. Indigo expected to be scolded a second time as soon as he returned to Scarabia…turns out the Dorm Prefect put him on kitchen duty after dinner but otherwise thought it was impressive.

“I can’t be too upset about self-defense but don’t start any fights, ok?” he laughed.

…unfortunately for Indigo, word spread fast and he couldn’t finish his first year without a few more cases of 'self-defense’. If nothing else, he helped him exercise and let off some steam. By the time he reached his second year, Indigo Cerith had gained a reputation as the undefeated 'Oasis Snake’ and suddenly he wasn’t being challenged because his opponent had beef with him so much that they just wanted the glory of finally beating him. It was very tiring for both him and the Headmaster. Indigo put his wits that kept him in the upper academic ranks to good use, however, and learned how to defend himself without damaging himself, his opponent, or school property. In that regard, Crowley eventually started turning a blind eye to it. Something about being 'so very generous’…

However, Indigo was met with a whole new challenge during his second year: flirting. Indigo was a very good student and very sharp but nothing could have prepared him for what happened during a Magift game between Night Raven College and their rivals Royal Sword Academy. This was years before NRC would open its gates to Sacred Crown Hall but that didn’t mean that the boys didn’t sometimes encounter the charming girls of SCH at their rival’s games. At this point, Indigo was well versed in the deep-seated rivalry between his school and Royal Sword…and apparently the fact that RSA had connections with the top girls’ school didn’t help either.

Indigo was painfully aware that he didn’t get out much and that underneath his scarred poker face and astute intelligence, he was absolutely clueless on how to talk to…well most people but girls especially. It was the weekend and a few of his dormmates invited him to the game on the RSA campus. Seeing as how their Dorm Leader would be playing in the match, Indigo decided to actually go this time. Like the others from his school, he was in his classroom uniform but wore a sweater cardigan instead of his blazer since it was a bit chilly that day. His focus started on the game itself, but he grew distracted once he noticed more and more of his classmates were talking about the elusive females on the other side of the field. For a moment, Indigo’s eyes flicked over to the same direction.

They were cute across the board, loudly, excitedly cheering for their brother school’s team. Some of them were even beautiful. Indigo forced his eyes back onto the field when he started feeling weird butterflies in his gut. Frankly, the only girls he ever got to be around were his stepmother and his sisters so this was entirely new territory and he had already decided that there was no way any of those girls wouldn’t be terrified of him. He had sharp teeth and scars on his face for crying out loud. Human girls would probably just think the worst of him or run away. Human boys generally ignored him or stayed cleared of him already. Or tried to fight him. It was pretty clear that either way, Indigo couldn’t win.

He got up to go get something to drink as he mentally shoo’d those thoughts away. He made a point to not walk too close to the girls in front of him which proved more difficult than he anticipated because his legs were already pretty long as a freshman. Now that he was a sophomore, he grew about three inches. Indigo also did his best to ignore the eel hormones that had been starting to brew since last semester. He wasn’t sure about humans but as far his own kind went, he was reaching the point of mating season becoming a reality.

Indigo already felt creepy enough, the last thing he wanted was to come on too strongly if or when he did get the attention of someone he wanted to attract. Ideally a female but if he was really honest, as long as they were attractive and meshed well with him then he didn’t really care about their gender. He did get a love note on his own campus where there were no females in sight last Valentine’s Day. Indigo didn’t think anything of it, but according to some of his dormmates it was shocking and something they referred to as 'forbidden love’. Other’s were less surprised and even congratulated him. He just wrote it off as another strange land dweller custom.

Indigo kept his eyes forward at a neutral position, trying not to make eye contact or stare at anyone around him when he suddenly noticed one of the girls’ compact fell out of her bag. When she didn’t realize it, Indigo carefully picked it up and cleared his throat to call out to her, “Uh…h-hey, excuse me. You dropped this.”

The third girl in the trio suddenly stopped and turned around, her strawberry blonde curls swished behind her as her spring green eyes looked up at Indigo. For a split second, Indigo stood holding out the girl’s compact as stiff as a statue, waiting for her to freak out and scream at him or something. The other two girls’ stared up at the taller boy with looks he had grown used to. The girl in question instead just skipped up to him with an embarrassed grin on her face, “Oh my god, thank you! I didn’t even notice it fell out!”

Indigo noticed she had a cute little red diamond on her cheek as she looked him up and down curiously. “You’re a Night Raven boy, huh? Which dorm??” she asked curiously.

The poor eel’s brain went into overdrive. He hadn’t expected to get this far into a verbal conversation and was dreadfully unprepared, “Uh…Sc…Scarabia.”

“Oh really? You look pretty rugged for a Scarabia boy!” she giggled, completely making his brain fog even worse, “Well thanks again…uh…what’s your name?”

“Sev-uh…um…Indigo. Indigo Cerith,” he mentally kicked himself for automatically slipping into his old name.

“Huh…you don’t talk to girls much, do ya? That’s kinda cute. Hey! Are you on Magicam??”

He wasn’t. Until about ten seconds later. The blonde winked at him returned his phone to him after helping him set up his account and adding him to her friends list, “Thanks again, Indigo! See ya later!”

And then the three girls hurried off in a gaggle of hushed giggling.

Indigo wasn’t sure if that was a successful conversation or not. He felt his whole body shut down in confusion as he replayed the whole situation over in his brain. He wouldn’t actually be that active on Magicam that year or ever but he did receive a lot of messages from other girls that were just as confusing as the diamond girl. It wasn’t until the next game between the two rival schools that he gained some traction and get a little bit more experience at this whole flirting business…

…all because of another fight.

This time it was basketball. He wasn’t sure how he even ended up at this game in particular especially when he didn’t even want to be there. Indigo thought Magift was pretty interesting but basketball? Not so much. Still, he had gotten roped into going thanks to the Octavinelle Prefect of all people. He and Indigo were in the same club and apparently, he had started a betting ring behind the faculty’s back and wanted Indigo there just in case things got out of hand. Surely no one would mess with the 'Oasis Snake’ at a school event, right? Also, this was his payback for letting Indigo swim around their dorm whenever the Scarabia fountain felt a bit cramped. Indigo was, again, minding his own business when he spotted two students from his school cornering a smaller student by the end of the bleachers, just out of sight of most of the room. The eel immediately felt his instincts kick in and left the Octavinelle group’s side to see what was really going on. The smaller student was actually a boy from Royal Sword. Most of Indigo’s schoolmates would have just ignored the situation entirely…but Indigo wasn’t a typical NRC student. The game was loud enough that no one noticed two guys getting beat up under the bleachers.

“Are you ok?” Indigo offered a hand to the roughed-up Royal Sword boy. The boy stared up at him as if he were an angel of some sort before slowly taking his hand.

“Y-Yes! Th-Thank you!” He stuttered as he straightened himself out before looking up at his savior with a sparkle in his eyes, “You’re amazing!”

Indigo blinked owlishly down at the boy, “Oh…it was nothing. Just didn’t seem right to leave you like that,” he mumbled.

“What did you say??” the boy said, holding a hand to his mouth trying to be heard over the enthusiastic crowd. Indigo looked over his shoulder to make sure the Octavinelle prefect and his crew weren’t looking for him before awkwardly leaning down to repeat himself more loudly.

“I said it was nothing. Don’t worry about it,” as he was talking Indigo realized that maybe he had leaned in a bit too closely because the boy’s face suddenly started to flush. He started to lean back but the boy grabbed his vest and carefully pulled him back.

“Can I give you my number?” the boy smiled up at the confused eel, “You seem really cool! I’d like to keep in touch with you! M-Maybe we can hang out at the next game?”

What was happening??? Indigo just blinked and thought for a moment…wait, he heard about this before. Humans exchanged contact numbers for multiple reasons but the biggest one was when they were interested in each other platonically. Oooor romantically speaking. The eel took a moment to look at the situation objectively. It was pretty similar to the Magicam situation with the pretty diamond girl which felt nice. Confusing but nice. And now…

The boy shuffled his feet and tucked a stray hair behind his ear as he waited for Indigo’s answer, never taking his rather doe-like eyes off of him. These little intricate movements were weirdly charming and gave the eel a similar butterfly feeling in his gut. He was…very cute. Piecing together all the little movements, the blushing, and the shy smile the boy was giving him…oh yeah this wasn’t a platonic situation. This also felt nice.

“Yeah….s-sure,” Indigo dug in his pocket for his phone. The boy’s smile widened as he rushed to find his own phone. Indigo gave the strange Royal Sword boy his number just before leaning down so he could hear him better over the blaring score horn as he gave his name and digits.

After the game, Indigo returned to his dorm without a word to anyone. It was night time and the cool breeze felt nice after being crammed in the crowded gynasium. Indigo sat his phone on the edge of the fountain as he dipped into the water. He released a relaxed sigh with his head above water as the rest of him changed into his eel form. Moments later, he heard ping from his phone only to be met with messages from Magicam that he had yet to answer from some girls he didn’t really know, a few from the diamond girl, and then in a seperate notification, a text from the doe-eyed Royal Sword boy.

“…..huh.”

The end of his tail started to wag as he checked the messages.

Indigo Cerith never really got used to the idea of someone finding him 'cool’ or even 'alluring’ in any way, but that never stopped him from somehow attracting people that thought those exact things about him. Girls, boys, it didn’t matter, they all came and went over time which didn’t bother Indigo at all. Being seen and given positive attention was wonderful, yes, but what made him the happiest was just being there at school, learning, and growing. He never boasted about his grades or his abilities, it wasn’t really his style, but Indigo always managed to stay within the top ten ranks when it came to exam results. He never excelled at flying on a broom or even Magift which didn’t bother him. Indigo’s strengths lied in subjects such as Alchemy, Potions, and History. Any physical prowess Indigo possessed came from his rough life at home and literally having to fight his sibling off on a daily. He was hungry for as much knowledge he could get into his system because he never knew how much time he had left. When he wasn’t in class, he could often be found in the library, or in the courtyard. Sometimes you could see him swimming by from the Octavinelle lounge. Either way, very few people could hold Indigo Cerith down for personal time. He was always doing something or going somewhere.

The strangest encounter he could recall happened during his third and final year on Night Raven’s campus. It started during the sorting ceremony. Indigo stood next to the Scarabia Dorm Prefect that had taken the place of Nasir Ali, arms crossed, his scarred face mostly hidden underneath the hood. He watched the new year’s batch of first years with mild interest. In the crowd of excitable freshman was one peculiar bean pole of a boy from the Queendom of Roses.

“Jasper Elfern.”

Indigo watched along with the rest of the room as this scrawny, wide-eyed freshman bolted up to the front and snorted as he nearly tripped over his own feet. Granted Indigo had very little room to judge considering how his first day went, but this kid still reminded him of small dog let off its lease. Jasper let out an excited whoop when the mirror sorted him into Heartslabyul. Figures…everyone in that dorm was kinda crazy. He should fit right in.

It was about two weeks into the new semester when Indigo had received another challenge from a gruff Savanaclaw. This time it was a hotblooded freshman that was too stubborn to listen to his seniors that had already tussled with the eel. Indigo just stood in the courtyard, arms crossed, waiting for the angry pup to throw his first punch or spell, if he were feeling ambitious. As usual, a small crowd gathered around the scene for the show. Among them was none other than Jasper Elfern.

“Hey hey, what’s happening now?” the freshman poked his head in between the other students to get a better look. The current Vice Prefect of Heartslabyul smirked as he recognized his enthusiastic junior, “Welcome to the show, Elfern. This has become a source of entertainment on campus. Another challenge for the Oasis Snake.”

Jasper looked Indigo up and down, his eyes growing wide at the older boy’s broad and calm stature, “Why do they call him that??”

“He’s an eel merman from the Coral Sea but when he was freshman, he got sorted into Scarabia. That’s a historical first alone, but he’s incredibly tough and wicked smart. He’s been in the top ten grade ranks since he got here and he’s beat every guy that’s ever tried to fight him. He’s become a legend of sorts,” the Vice Prefect laughed, “Either way, it’s always a nice break from boring classes to watch him school another thick skulled student.”

Jasper was already so entranced that he didn’t even bother asking why no one ever tried to stop the fights which were clearly against the rules….and then he actually saw the fight, if it could even be called that.

The freshman grabbed his magic pen to cast some sort of magical attack but before he could finish, Indigo shouted some encantation. The ground underneath the freshman suddenly turned into a whirlpool of quicksand that sucked in the freshman’s feet making him yelp and flail about. The ground turned solid by the time the boy had sank down to his hips. Indigo shot more magic at the other boy’s pen that flew out of his hand as he panicked. The pen became surrounded by a block of ice.

“Don’t worry, you’ll barely use magic this semester. Have fun waiting for it to thaw out,” he said in a bored tone before walking off to his next class. The freshman yelled out for his seniors to help him as the rest of the onlookers just laughed at his stupidity. The crowd split up but Jasper stared after Indigo’s retreating back with stars in his wine-colored eyes.

“He…is so COOL.”

And that was the beginning of the Oasis Snake’s first official stalker. Jasper didn’t have any ulterior motives or malicious intent. Did that stop him from asking around about him every chance he got or figure out his schedule so he could talk to him face to face? Absolutely not. Jasper was so curious it nearly caught him on fire. What was his home like? What was he really like?? Did he like tarts?! Anything and everything. The fateful day where Jasper Elfern finally caught Indigo at a standstill was just another day spent in the library. The Scarabian eel had camped out in the back corner by the older tomes, intent on doing more research for his club activities when suddenly he was ambushed out of nowhere. “Hi there!” Indigo lowered the book he was reading to see a wide-eyed Jasper smiling up at him from across the table. The junior narrowed his icy eyes as they looked the beanpole freshman up and down. “…can I help you?” he asked dryly. “You’re the Oasis Snake, right?? I’ve heard so much about you since my first day and I saw how you used magic to subdue that freshman from Savanaclaw. It was so COOL! I just had to meet you in person-oh I’m Jasper by the way. Jasper Elfern! First year, Heartslabyul.” Indigo huffed and returned to reading, “I know who you are. You’re that weird little first year that’s been asking around about me. You obviously have eyeballs so you can see that I’m busy right now.” “Oh that’s ok! I can wait!” …and so he did. Jasper just sat and watched Indigo read for a solid five minutes before the awkwardness of the whole affair got under Indigo’s skin. The eel glared at the bright-eyed boy as he slammed the book down. “What do you want, you little creep?” he growled. Jasper was unphased by his senior’s gruff attitude, “I wanna know more about you! You’re really interesting! Like what’s it like being the only aquatic type of person in Scarabia? Where did you learn how to fight? How did you get those scars-” “Mind your own business,” Indigo snarled at the boy to get him to back off to no avail. Jasper just tilted his head to the side, “You don’t have many friends, huh? I mean it does make sense,” Jasper laughed, “You’re super cool and handsome so I bet you’re actually very popular but that scary face probably makes you waaay unapproachable right? No wonder you’re usually alone!” Jasper suddenly stopped laughing as soon as he saw the venomous look on Indigo’s face. The eel looked as if he could turn the boy into ice just by looking at him. “The hell did you just say to me?” Indigo snarled, showing his sharp teeth. …and that is how Jasper Elfern got a black eye and how Indigo Cerith was put on rose painting detention. Indigo grumbled as he changed the color of the white rose in front of him. This had to be…actually he stopped counting a while ago. He could hear some sort of party happening deeper in the garden which guaranteed that he’d be alone until the work was done. Good, he thought, the last thing I want is more annoying brat-

“Hello!” Indigo groaned and put his magic pen back in his pocket. He didn’t even have to turn around. He knew that voice. Sure enough…there was Jasper Elfern just as sunshine-y as ever with one heck of a shiner and a plate with some sort of dessert in his hands. Indigo looked at the plate and then back at the boy with a questioning look. “A peace offering!” Jasper excitedly extended the plate toward the older boy, “It’s a strawberry tart! A Heartslabyul delicacy that tastes better when shared with friends!” …Friends? Really? Well, Indigo did feel bad for decking the kid. Really he should have shown more restraint, especially towards an underclassman. The Scarabia junior muttered a thank you and took the plate. One bite made his eyes go wide. Holy hell, this thing was delicious! Jasper beamed up at him, making Indigo feel a bit awkward. He swallowed both the bite of tart and his pride, “Thank you…and I’m sorry for punching you in the face. That was uncalled for.” “Eh, I deserved it,” Jasper chuckled, “Sorry for being so rude. I just find you so fascinating and I guess my enthusiasm overruled my manners.” “….Why?” Indigo couldn’t see the appeal of himself. At all. He was grumpy, stand-offish, kept to himself unless some idiot was challenging him to something, sure he had good grades but he wasn’t particularly charming or friendly with his peers. And apparently, he had a scary face. Great. So when Jasper just stared up at him like he couldn’t believe what Indigo was saying, it only made him feel even more out of place. “What do you mean why?? You’re great with magic, you’re smart and dedicated! Everyone talks about you like you’re a legend or mythical creature! Plus you’re so tall and muscly! You’re just so cool!” ….Cool? Him? Indigo snorted, “If you say so, kid. I don’t really care about all of that. I’m here to learn magic and so I can make something out of myself. So I can go back home and make life better for my family…that’s all that matters to me. What about you?” Jasper swelled with pride, “I’m going to be the next Heartslabyul Dorm Leader and reach for the very top! And someday, I’m going to return home and make some big changes for my country!” “Ahh. So you do have some ambitions aside from sticking your nose in my business,” Indigo smirked, “Good to know.” “Best of luck to you, Indigo-senpai!” Jasper stuck out a confident hand towards his senior with a bright smile on his face. Indigo took the boy’s hand with a half-grin, “You too, kid.”

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @honey-milk-depresso @ladyrosemoon @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @feldya @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @aiimee9

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #sacred crown chronicles #twst ocs #night raven college #bonus material #indigo cerith #jasper elfern #scarabia #heartslabyul #school days #sacred crown one shot

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 1

Hey y'all~ For any/all new readers of the Sacred Crown Chronicles, welcome to the sequel to 'Her Ivory Crown'. Just a heads up, this story runs longer and darker than Reine and Riddle's story - so strap in lol.

Likes, comments, and reblogs are welcome and appreciated!

Ch. 1: Fathoms Above and Below

The salted air brushed through long raven tresses as it carried the musical sound of a flute with it. The only audience she held was the cawing gulls in the sky above and the rush of waves from the sea below the pier she currently sat on all alone. This was the typical summertime scene in Princess Elise Coralette's contradictory personal life. At school, Elise was in a constant state of activity as the Cerulamare Dorm Prefect and found herself center stage more often than not, either pulling the strings or merely attracting attention just by being around. Did she orchestrate it that way? Maybe. No one would ever know and Elise would never tell. But when she was home, or rather bouncing from home to home, life was completely different and often more solitary. And this the summer before her fourth and final year at Sacred Crown, her temporary home was one of many port towns in her father's kingdom, one of her favorites actually. It was a cozy seaside town, not too big nor too small, that Elise had actually spent a lot of her childhood in. Some of the servants in the villa had been there since she was born and practically raised her as a child whenever her father and elder siblings were busy with more important, royal duties.

Elise was now nineteen years old, on the brink of young adulthood, but she was still the youngest of her family and therefore nowhere near inheriting the throne nor being taken seriously. She was still a noble princess by birth but...

Elise ended her song as her roaming thoughts wandered off into the horizon, matching her pale wintergreen gaze. The new school year would start in about two weeks. She and the other fourth years would attend the opening ceremony on Sacred Crown's campus before leaving for their internships, much like the fourth years from both their brother school and their friends at Night Raven. A smile started to form on her face as Elise checked her phone, remembering the festival that introduced her to a certain trio of boys about a year and some months ago. It was a rare day when her phone didn't sound off on all the messages Floyd sent her, whether they be random texts or photos of anything that piqued the strange eel's interest. In a few ways, Floyd reminded the princess of Cowrie but more sporadic. Jade would sometimes message her as well to politely check in with her or respond to her own inquiries about how he was doing. Azul...was more elusive. Elise assumed that he was busy. With how ambitious the lounge manager and dorm prefect was, it was to be expected. The messages they did share were always pleasant, formal, and always a nice surprise when she did receive them. As for her Cerith sisters, Cowrie was, like Floyd, very present and very enthusiastic about an array of different things: excited to be the next Cerulamare Prefect, excited to send photos she took from the coral seas near her home under the sea, curious to know what "Ellie's" home on land was like and wanted pictures, etc. Luna was also a fourth-year and also preparing for her own internship like Elise was...at least, that's the impression the princess got. Their exchanges were actively passed back and forth like clockwork up until a couple of months ago. All of a sudden, Luna Cerith stopped responding and just sort of disappeared. Whenever Elise asked Cowrie, the response was the same.

'Luna's busy. Family job stuff.'

So eventually, the princess just stopped asking. If Cowrie didn't seem bothered by it then why should Elise worry? Surely she and her old friend/vice prefect could and would catch up at Sacred Crown's opening ceremony. Still...today, her phone was completely silent. No photos, no messages, no responses from anyone at all.

Elise sighed as the breeze brushed against her bare legs, making the skirt of her sundress billow about like a flag on a ship. Summertime was so lonely. It had been for years and yet she never quite got used to it. Her best human friends lived in different countries and her best non-human friends lived underwater and rarely came to visit her on the surface because...well...despite the modern age she lived in, not all of Elise's people shared her love and fascination with the merfolk the lived under the sea. At least not the ones with sharp teeth and more animalistic features like the twins and the Cerith sisters. In that light, Elise was a bit of an oddball. Myths and legends talked about the famous mermaid princess that fell in love with a human prince and the people loved the story in all of its romance. Those kinds of mermaids, the 'less scary ones', were nice, of course. But Elise always had a soft spot for her favorite eelmaids. Her father didn't share the same sentiment but that wasn't something that Elise liked to brood on.

"Your Highness!"

Elise turned to see her appointed majordomo walking up the pier towards her, that stern look burning in the gentleman's eye as usual. She already braced herself for a half-baked scolding as she stood up to face the man who constantly reminded her of an austere pelican.

"Young lady, how many times do we have to go through this?"

Elise said nothing but knew for a fact that she could recite verbatim what the man was about to say.

"Why must you insist on wandering off without a proper chaperone?!"

"Because I'm no longer a small child looking to get into mischief, Gerald?" Elise quipped, noting that a bit of mischief actually sounded pretty fun right about now. When the older man raised a brow at her tone, the princess sighed in frustration, "Seriously Gerald, I'm nineteen! Almost twenty, almost out of school and out of my 'wild teen years' as you like to call them. You never made such a fuss over Emily-"

"Your older sister," Gerald cut her off, "never gave me such grey hairs, running about, sneaking onto your father's ships, hoping to stow away on another 'adventure'. Nor did she constantly jump into the ocean, to chase after who knows what sort of creatures!"

"Oh, that was ages ago, Gerald...like I said, I'm no longer a child."

Truth be told, Elise would still sneak out to go for a nightly swim when she was supposed to be sleeping, safe and sound in her bed, but that was no one's business but hers.

"No you are most certainly not. You are a young lady, coming into a certain age-and don't you give me that look!"

Elise's eyes rolled almost on their own accord. Again, she knew this speech by heart. Her oldest brother was the next in line for the throne, but she and her older sister were still very eligible and attractive princesses, that could almost pass as twins save for their differing eye colors, heights, and ages, which meant they needed to be guarded against all ner-do-wells within fifty miles of them at all times and carry themselves with a particular kind of decorum. Proprieties and all that. Her father didn't really ever push her to enter any sort of engagement or courtship but then again, her father was usually too busy ruling the kingdom to give his two cents on anything. Ergo, here was Gerald playing the role of overprotective and overly straight-laced guardian.

"...if I just smile, nod, and follow you back to the villa, can this conversation be over, Gerald?" Elise smiled oh so sweetly and batted her eyes. The older man just sighed and gestured for the princess to walk back to the shore with him. He should have known there was no getting through to her once Elise made up her mind on anything.

"Besides Gerald," Elise continued as they made their way up the steps, "I practically grew up in this town. Everyone knows me and I know them. So why should I be afraid to walk about as I please, on my own? There hasn't been a new face come into port since..."

Elise paused her train of thought as a movement in the water below suddenly caught her eye. Or so she thought? There was nothing there but some smaller fish flitting about but she swore she saw something much bigger only moments before. It must be the summer heat playing tricks on her again. Gerald began to scold her carefree attitude once more but it fell on deaf ears.

The sun was setting as Elise sat at the large dinner table across from Gerald and no one else. Only the chef, the head maid, and few other servants came and went from the room. The princess stared at her plate and mentally ticked off another day passing her by, like clockwork. She asked yet again if any word about her father or siblings possibly coming to visit had been passed on to Gerald or the servants, but the answer was the same:

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness, but your father sends his best wishes to you for the coming school year and your internship with His Majesty's trade ship engineers."

Elise had specifically chosen her internship in her own family's trade fleets and shipping companies for a couple of reasons: 1) working directly with the engineers of said trade ships allowed for travel and also problem-solving in further developing technology that would keep the ocean the ships traveled on clean and 2) it would keep her busy and less likely to get shoved off into some boring political courtship to either maintain good relations with their allies or form stronger ones with potential allies...she'd leave that to her sister, Emily.

She only had to hold on in this seasonal purgatory a couple more weeks. Elise checked her phone once again underneath the table. No responses or new messages. Only the indication was that all of her sent messages have been read, except for the ones she sent to Luna. The tapping of her fork echoed in the large dining hall as the maids attempted to fill the air with small talk about the weather or whatever small event was happening in the town's square in the next day or so. Elise's ears only registered it all as muffled murmurs that were quickly overshadowed by the buzz of her unspoken thoughts.

Nothing was changing aside from her age.

The night rolled by in stifling peace. Elise stood on her balcony, letting the breeze play with her dark hair as she watched the waves catch the moonlight on their ever-moving surface. The beach below was empty. Every once in a while she would hear the buzz of activity come from the ports down the shoreline but otherwise, it was just her thoughts keeping her company tonight. Again.

The silvery sheen on the water was almost hypnotic and served only to stir up more questions in Elise's buzzing brain. What were Luna and Cowrie up to right now? What were the Leech brothers and Azul doing for that matter? She knew that the Coral Sea Kingdom wasn't too far from this port town but where exactly was it? Elise was never sure. Actually...now that she thought about it, Elise wasn't sure where the Cerith sisters even lived in the Coral Sea itself. Cowrie had shown her various uninhabited locations that were - supposedly - close by her 'neighborhood' or other more public areas like the Alantica Memorial Museum, but never anything like her actual home, her favorite hotspots around her area, nothing like that. Both sisters had said something along the lines of their parents being very reserved. The same was true for the Leech brothers and Azul but Elise never thought to really ask because she wasn't as close to the three boys. It was a different story with her two snowflake eelmaids...she had known them for years. So why now did things suddenly seem foggy? And why did she suddenly feel more alone than ever? Elise felt a wave of guilt wash over her and proceeded to wave the questions away.

"Don't be so clingy. Life is very different for everyone and I'm sure they're all just...busy or something."

That had to be it. Right? They were all getting older. They weren't little kids with worry-free days full of fun anymore. The same was true for her best friends Reine and Manari. One was becoming a queen and the other was busy helping with her family's booming silk business. Everyone was focusing on building their futures, surely. So...what was she doing besides just waiting?

Elise felt the air around her suddenly shift as she heard music. No, not music...singing? Her eyes searched the shore but saw nothing. The voice was clear and ethereal as if the singer was right under her nose, serenading her personally. Elise felt her body start to melt into a trance she couldn't fight as the sound caressed her ears, lulling her into a sleepy, foggy state. She slowly inhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes...when she opened them again, Elise was in her bed and it was daytime. She scrambled into a sitting up position and looked around the room.

It was her room.

Nothing had changed at all.

All was as it was every single morning but...

"W-what was that...? When did I...?"

Elise looked down at herself, noting that she was still wearing the nightgown that she had changed into last night before going out on her balcony where she heard the-

The princess jumped to her feet and ran back onto the balcony and quickly scanned the shoreline below. Nothing out of the ordinary. The port in the distance looked the same as well. Clearly...the monotony of her summer break was getting to her. Elise rubbed her temples in frustration before returning to her room. Just as she flopped back onto her very comfortable bed, a knock came to her door, signaling it was time to get properly dressed for breakfast. The princess groaned into her pillow before yanking her blanket back over her head, knowing that resistance was futile. But she'd be damned if she gave in so easily!

Breakfast was served at the usual pace as Gerald reviewed the daily news both in print and by local word of mouth as Elise ate her food in the usual silence as she stared out the large windows at the sea. It wasn't until one of the maids rushed to her side, face aglow with giddy curiosity, as she extended a platter to the princess. On it was an envelope addressed in elegant yet familiar handwriting stating, simply, "Princess Coralette". Elise stared at it curiously for a moment before tentatively grasping it.

"Your Highness, this was delivered just now by a very interesting young man!"

Elise's eyes were glued to the writing, her brain scrambling to answer where exactly she had seen that handwriting before, "Did he leave a name?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. I think he may be a traveler. He didn't say much to be quite honest but he was very handsome with a friendly face and he had the most lovely shade of vibrant red hair. And peculiar clothing..."

Elise's eyes widened, still glued to the envelope in her hand, as her heart nearly burst out of her chest. The princess excused herself from the table without finishing another bite and quickly walked out of the hall. Elise broke out into a full run back to her room as soon she was out of sight of Gerald and her servants. There was only one handsome-faced, red-haired young man in these parts she knew and that knew her. It had to be...!

The envelope was all but torn to bits as soon as Elise was alone, behind locked doors. Her heart pounded as she took a quick breath and began to read the letter in her hands.

My Dearest Princess,

I apologize that I've kept you waiting for so long and that it took me all this time to finally tell you the truth. I'm afraid that if I keep waiting for the right moment to come, I will lose you forever. My sweet angel, I love you. I have loved you for so long. I knew it from the moment we first met. Please forgive me for being so cowardly and hiding in the shadows until now. I must know if you feel the same. Please meet me tonight by the port before the sun sets. I will be waiting for you.

Forever yours,

Rielle

Oh. Great. Triton's. BEARD!! Elise quickly smooshed her face into the closest pillow and let out the biggest, happiest squeal she ever thought possible! This was happening. FINALLY HAPPENING!! After all this time, all the pining, aching, swooning, after every single missed opportunity, Prince Rielle confessed! Elise was over the moon as she bouncing up and down on her bed with the joy of a thousand Christmases and birthdays, trying her best not to scream out loud thus alerting any nearby staff. This was the greatest day of her LIFE!

Her first inclination was to immediately tell everyone in her Favorites Contacts on her phone the news but she halted right as she held her phone in her hand. No. Not yet. The princess instead jumped off of her now messy bed and marched over to her full-length mirror to properly prepare herself.

"You have been waiting for this day to come for so long, Elise Coralette. No, you are going to savor this moment! You are going to tell Rielle how you feel, kiss his beautiful lips, and be so wonderfully, gloriously happy! THEN, you can tell Reine, Manari, Luna, and Cowrie. Definitely tell Manari last or else she'll tell everyone within a hundred Magicam miles and ruin the surprise. Ok. Yes, we have a plan!" Elise squealed giddily to her reflection before immediately throwing up her giant closet to start searching for the quintessential dress to wear to her side of the love confession. It had to be PERFECT and she only had hours to decide!

Elise was hellbent on everything going to plan down to every last detail from her wardrobe to every single word that was going to leave her mouth. Any servant that tried to coax her out of her room was quickly dismissed or ignored as the princess continued to toil away at her strategy. The only time Elise would pause was to check out the window to see how late it had gotten. When she felt fully confident in her mindset and appearance, Elise left the villa in the only way she knew that could guarantee her success: she snuck out the window and climbed down the ivy-covered lattice structures right by her room. It was a wonder no one had figured out this was her go-to exit strategy yet.

The water was painted in an amber glow as Elise reached the port. She felt absolutely electric as she looked about the dwindling crowd for that signature head of red hair. The sailors that recognized her gave her friendly nods and bows as she passed, none of them seemed to know the young man she was looking for, however. Elise was starting to grow frustrated when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him. The princess gasped quietly as she saw Rielle waiting at the end of one of the piers, facing the water, waiting. She took a moment to catch her breath, straightening out her carefully curated blue dress. Sure it was a hand-me-down from her older sister, but it looked amazing on her so of course, Elise had to wear this one!

"This is it," Elise quietly assured herself as she took the first steps onto the long pier, "This is exactly what you have been waiting for, Elise Coralette..."

The pier almost felt too long by the time she finally got close to the mermaid-now human formed prince. He remained facing the sea below them, silently fidgeting with this hands nervously. If she had not been so nervous herself, Elise would have relished how cute the gesture was. Take a breath, she reminded herself before calling out to him.

"Rielle?"

The sun was beginning to dip into the horizon as the eighteen-year-old boy turned to her with expectant deep blue eyes. Elise felt frozen in wonder for a moment. It was really him...Prince Rielle was really here, waiting for her. A big, slightly relieved smile adorned the boy's face as Elise stepped closer, his letter in her hands. Her heart was fluttering inside her chest like a menagerie of butterflies.

"Rielle," her voice said his name with a lovestruck sigh, "I can't believe it's really you. I've waited so long to say these words to you!"

His smile seemed a bit frozen on his wide-eyed face as Elise closed the gap between them happily. All of her preparation was lost amidst the rush of emotions ready to burst out of her. In moments that ticked by too quickly, Elise wrapped her arms around the prince's neck and pressed her pink lips to his in earnest. Rielle's whole body stiffened in shock, his arms moving around her waist just enough to keep Elise from falling too hard against him. Elise could sing she was so happy! She broke the kiss with tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes.

"I love you, Rielle!"

His eyes were as wide as the moon as they locked onto hers. A moment of silence passed between them before a spark of light glowed from Rielle's throat. The sudden burst of magic made him jump away from her, coughing until his words finally returned in an unexpected tone.

"E...Elise???"

Elise gasped at the sound of his voice, happy to hear it but somehow the look he was giving didn't have the same feeling. He looked...lost??

"Yes. Yes Rielle, it's me," Elise sniffled, wiping at her tears.

The boy looked her up and down in shock before his expression morphed into something even worse: a look of guilt.

"Rielle...? W-What's wrong? ...I responded just how you wanted me to in your letter!" Elise's hands were starting to shake.

Rielle looked away from her, grasping his face as if he were in pain, "No...No, no that letter wasn't for you! It was for Emily!"

Elise stood completely frozen. More tears started to spill down her face but now for an entirely different reason. Rielle began to profusely apologize but his words were mute in comparison to the cold pain the princess felt growing in her chest.

"I-I'm so sorry! This wasn't at all how this was supposed to happen! I...Elise, I am so sorry...I-I don't love you."

Elise's mouth slowly opened but no words could come out. The cold pain stabbed and crawled all through her, turning into a blinding heat as another, bigger spark surrounded her, making Rielle jump back with a shout. In mere seconds, the spinning world around Elise sent her tumbling backward as her voice ripped itself from her throat and further spread the unseen fire through her arms and legs. She couldn't tell what happened. Did she fall? Did the pier break underneath her? It all happened too quickly. The last thing she heard before hitting the ice-cold waves below was Rielle's screaming.

The water’s current carried Elise's heavy body deeper and faster into its embrace… Her entire self felt like it was splitting, reforming, under fire as if the ocean was one giant fluid kiln… She couldn’t move…couldn’t speak…

Her eyes barely opened as the blue-green waves washed over her, pushing her down, down, down. Scrambles of voices, thoughts, and heartaches stirred in her brain and ears like phantoms until familiar voices called out in faint echoes accompanied by the two very long serpentine shadows looming around her. Everything turned dark just as Elise felt a pair of arms hold her limp body against what felt like cool, slick skin. One of the voices reached her just before she completely blacked out.

"Ahhh! Starfishie?! ....What happened to you??"

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Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @wysteriadelights @espada188 @feldya @aiimee9 @evieyouknow

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 11

Hey y'all - I'm back to repost the last stretch of 'Her Ivory Crown' after a nice cliff hanger lol. Once again, comments, likes, and reblogs are appreciated! You can read the rest of this finished fic and its sequel on my AO3 page here.

Ch. 11: Open Season, Good Hunting

Luna and Cowrie Cerith, the mermaid and rumored siren sisters of the Cerulamare dorm had reputations that proceeded them. Luna was the cool, collected, and more sensuous of the two always held her cards close enough to her chest until the time to strike like an underwater venus fly trap. Luna was also very proficient in love potions and enchantments which let her name travel through many different circles for various reasons. Cowrie, two years younger, was much more straightforward, seemingly more playful and teasing of the two. Her talents were more physically and stealthily inclined. Sometimes toxin-based as well. But it was her curiosity that motivated Cowrie in her most sly moments. So really, poor Reine should have known better than to have her little tryst in front of a large open underwater tank. Cowrie just happened to be in the mood for a swim right around the time Riddle and Reine decided to break away from the party. And the younger mermaid just happened to notice the two getting comfortable with each other and decided to get a closer look, hiding among the seaweed. Cowrie's bright eyes lit up with excitement when she saw the two suddenly lock lips again and again and internally squealed when she silently made her way back inside.

"Lu, Lu, Lunaaa~"

The elder mersister smiled at her younger sibling's excited face as she sat next to Elise in the same booth, "Cowrie, did you enjoy your swim? I'd like to go next."

The smile on Luna's face grew as her sister leaned in to whisper excitedly in her ear. Cowrie was so cute when she discovered something interesting. "Really," Luna's brow lifted in interest at this juicy information. Her sister just giggled and continued. Elise was still talking to Azul but was distracted by the two sister's suspicious whispers. This was always a sign that they were up to no good.

"And what has you two so entertained?"

Cowrie didn't hesitate despite the fact that Azul and the twins were right there, "I saw Reiny-senpai with the little rose king. Looking rather cozy~" she was practically wagging her tail she no longer had in glee. Elise just frowned and scolded her junior like a disappointed parent.

"Cowrie! It is very rude to spy on people! Especially on Reine who rarely gets privacy as is-"

The mermaid just ignored her dorm leader and blurted out, "And they kissed! And kissed...and kissed...aaaannnd kissssseeedd~" Cowrie giggled wickedly at Elise, Azul, and even Jade's shocked faces. Floyd giggled along with the younger sister, finding this all very interesting.

"Oooooo Goldfish-chan and Mantie-chan? Sneaking off and making out together?! Heheheeeeh~"

Elise ignored Floyd and tried her best to keep order in spite of the internal glee she felt at the news of her best friend and Riddle getting a moment together, "As I said, Cowrie! Rude! And keep your voice down! I doubt Reine would want the entire room knowing about this."

Cowrie pouted as Luna patted her on the head, "Elise has a point, baby sister. It's not nice to pry into our dear friend's private moments like that."

"Ellie-senpai's just grumpy because stupid Rielle had to leave the festival early and now she can't dance with him-mmf!"

Luna covered Cowrie's mouth with her hand but still snorted at her sister's jab at Elise's history of missed opportunities with the mermaid prince. Oooo was this a sore subject! Elise's face glowed bright pink, "Y-You! That is enough out of you, Cowrie!" Azul said nothing but the twins definitely noticed how his furrowed brow twitched at the mention of Prince Rielle's name. Luna saw Riddle leaving the lounge in quite a hurry.

"Ohh? There goes the little rose king now...all alone. My, what could have happened to give him that face?"

Elise quickly motioned for the sisters to move so she could leave the booth, seeing her chance at escaping before these devious sisters could embarrass her further, "Excuse me, Mr. Ashengrotto, Jade, Floyd. I'm going to go check on Reine," her polite sweetness turned sour when she looked at the Cerith sisters, "And you two. Come with me. I can't take you or leave you anywhere!" she huffed before storming off. The sisters just snickered, showing off matching pairs of shiny, sharp teeth that caught Azul's eye.

"Before you go, ladies...what kind of mermaids did you say you were?"

"Snowflake Eels." they chimed in perfect sync, their bright eyes shimmering with mischief, Luna's yellow-gold, and Cowrie's pale blue. "We're a smaller breed of Morays but no less vicious when need be," Luna added melodically, giving the three boys a wink.

Azul had several questions, the first being how and why a human princess came to befriend two eel mermaids. Just sitting across from two more rather devilish eels made him feel both intrigued and nervous. The brothers, however, felt their previous suspicions confirmed and rewarded with a shiver of instinctual excitement running up each of their spines. Floyd gave the girls a toothy smile with the same glint of mischief in his eyes while his brother remained a bit more stoic behind a simple but curious grin.

"Oh...dear."

Reine's eyes were bloodshot and still leaking tears when Elise found her, curled into herself on the cushions in the secluded little area. Elise immediately went into caretaker mode and propped Reine's head onto her lap once she was seated. She gently stroked the sad princess' platinum locks and cooed, "It's alright, my rose, tell me what happened." Sure, Cowrie kind of ruined it but Reine clearly didn't need any more reasons to be upset. For a few minutes, Elise couldn't make out any of the words Reine let out in between soft sobs but she just kept stroking her hair, patiently letting her cry it out. Elise saw the sisters peak around the corner, looking far less amused and spirited now that they saw the state the princess was in. Cowrie and Luna just kept their distance, making sure no one else would come that way and intrude on the two princesses.

"He kissed me...and I k-kissed him...and...everything just got all messed up...a-and he just left-" that was all Reine could get out before another sob hiccuped out of her. Elise sighed softly as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and started to dab her friends' eyes, "Goodness, all this fuss over some kissing? Rosebud, what's wrong with that? You did kiss him back, right? You wouldn't have unless you wanted to and for good reason."

"I told him it shouldn't have happened," she sniffled, "b-but I wanted it to! But...I'm supposed to..."

Elise smiled sadly down at Reine as she looked up at her with teary, searching eyes. Elise had known this girl since Reine was fresh out of kindergarten and she hadn't seen Reine this upset since those days. 'Suppose to' had become part of Reine's everyday life since then and each day following, Elise watched her become more and more obedient and subdued. It never occurred to her to question it, Reine seemed perfectly content and would say so if asked. But now...

"You're supposed to what, Reine? Make yourself absolutely miserable over every little decision you make? Sweet rose, no no..."

Reine couldn't say it out loud because it was so obvious that what she was expected to do wasn't at all what she wanted to do and it hurt too much. Elise just hushed her gently and continued to dry her tears, giving her time to calm down. Once she did, the Cerith sisters came out of hiding to give their dorm leader's best friend a hug from both sides, protectively cooing at her like she was a tiny frightened animal.

"We'll take you back to the dorm. Clearly, today has been a bit rough for you," Elise smiled gently at the princess cuddled in between her girls. Reine appreciated the offer but shook her head.

"You should stay, Elise. You're the biggest reason there's a party to begin with."

Before Elise could argue, Cowrie took Reine's hand, "I'll take her back, Ellie-senpai. You and Luna should stay. Luna promised Floy-Floy a swim anyway~"

Luna pouted at her younger sister's waggling eyebrows and smug grin, "My you have been busy keeping tabs tonight, baby sister, but yes you are right. I don't wanna keep Floyd waiting. He seemed awfully eager..."

Elise decided not to ask, getting enough info from the flirtatious smirk on her vice's face, and just turned to Reine, "Alright, if you're sure. You message me if you need anything though, you hear me?"

Trey was greeted with a loud, miserable groan as he entered Riddle's room. The dorm leader had retreated to his bed where he was completely buried, determined to let himself rot. The vice dorm leader just sighed and borrowed the chair from Riddle's desk where he sat and waiting patiently for Riddle to start talking. It seemed like it was going to be a long wait when Cater and Che'nya also invited themselves in after several minutes of silence passed.

Cater gave Trey a questioning look as Che'nya just waltzed in and sat on the edge of Riddle's bed, gently patting the lump that was Riddle's head, "Heeey RRRiddle! What's wrrrong? Why are you hiding??" No answer came from the mound of blankets except more mumbled groaning that sounded like he didn't want to be disturbed but it was already too late. Cater announced he was going to go make some tea while Riddle's childhood friends kept trying to coax him out of his hiding spot. Eventually, Riddle decided to come out and face his friends. They'd never leave him be if he didn't. Che'nya and Trey both jumped a bit in shock at Riddle's disheveled hair, clothes, and exhausted scowl. Oof, it was far worse than they thought!

"Hey, Riddle..." Trey started out gently as if talking to a cranky child, "What's wrong? You left the party in such a hurry out of nowhere."

A deep sigh fell from Riddle's lips, signaling the beginning of a long story, "...I kissed Miss Reine...a few times...actually." His face grew hotter with each word as they reminded him of the princess' sweet lips and touch. Trey and Che'nya just looked at each other and him with wide eyes until finally, the other shoe dropped. "...and she kissed me back."

"Oooh!! RRRiddle! You and Purrincess RRReine?!" Che'nya's smile couldn't get any bigger as his tail swished at lightspeed, "Hmm hmm!! OH Zehn will be so furriousss hmm hmm hmmm!" He was clearly enjoying himself but as soon Zehn's name was mentioned, Riddle's mood grew even darker.

"Ugh that bastard...I almost forgot about him," Riddle held his head in his hands, "I'm not much better than him now, am I?" NOW his friends were even more confused.

"Hold on, what?! Riddle, what are you saying?"

Riddle told them what happened between him and Reine. Everything. The talking, the flirting, the kisses, and even the awkward, sudden end. The entire time, it was obvious he was sick with guilt and something akin to regret but not quite.

"Ugh what she must think of me now?" Riddle muttered into his palms as he covered his face, "she was just...just right there...being entirely sweet and beautiful. Then I launch myself at her like some kind of brute. After an entire day of having other guys aggressively hovering about her every other second, snapping at each other like feral beasts. Of course, she reacted the way that she did! It was so...it was too much."

Riddle immediately felt worse and confused once Trey, Che'nya, and yes, even Cater who heard the whole thing from the doorway, burst into laughter. His temper practically shot flames out of his ears with how fast it rose through his system, "W-WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?! HOW DARE YOU!"

"Oh Riddle, you are so adorable sometimes," Cater wiped a tear from his eye after he set down the tea tray on the dorm leader's desk, "Ahh young love and all it's high's and low's...ok but seriously, stop with the dramatics and think back to what you said before: she kissed you too yeah? Doesn't sound like it was too much for her to me."

Riddle's temper lost all traction to how obvious those words were. Che'nya giggled and grinned at the redhead knowingly, "And RRReine is not the kind to give lovey-dovey kisses to just anybody. She doesn't even give them to Zehn. She barely holds his hand honestly, heheheeh~" Riddle would never admit it aloud but that last comment gave him a tremendous near intoxicating rush of satisfaction. Still...

"I know I said it was inappropriate. I-I mean it was, I should have asked permission first at the very least! But...ugh I'm so...so confused. It seemed like it was going so well and then the next thing I know, she's getting upset and apologizing... and I'm running out of there like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs." Saying it out loud made Riddle just want to bury himself in the actual ground.

Trey put his hand on Riddle's shoulder and gave him a calm smile, "The real problem doesn't sound like you or Reine. Being the next queen, I'm sure her situation is very complex but...I think you should talk to her."

"Yeah, Dorm Leader! Forget that Zehn guy, the princess doesn't even wanna hold hands with him!" Cater laughed, "So really what chance does he have that you don't?"

Riddle deadpan stared into the void, having thought this through a ridiculous amount of times in the last hour of his life, "The current Queen's favor gives him a pretty big advantage. The last time I checked, the future queen doesn't have to love or even like her king for them to get married. He just needs a pretty, silver-spooned pedigree which is something I've never had. And be tall and handsome or some nonsense..." Good grief, why was he suddenly having flashbacks to that ludicrous ghost wedding incident?!

The three seniors quickly rallied before they completely lost Riddle to this unusual defeatist stance he adopted out of nowhere.

Cater sat on the bed and shoved a cup of herbal tea into Riddle's hands, "Hey hey hey! No! Stop that right now, Riddle Rosehearts! YOU are the King of Heartslabyul! And you took the throne with a vengeance like two seconds after getting here! Common status be damned, you are our amazing dorm leader, one of Night Raven College's best students, and you are the sharpest looking dorm leader we've ever had!"

"That's right, RRRiddle! You and RRReine are a purrfect match: a clever, strong, and determined king for a beautiful, compassionate, and resilient queen. She may be actually rrroyalty but she's sweet on you even though you are not. It's clear as day! A pretty purrigree has never mattered to her and it's her opinion that matters the most, yes?"

Riddle did feel a bit bolstered by his friend's comments. He still didn't know if he really stood a chance but he knew that he really wanted one. Trey handed out the other teacups as the four of them got a bit more comfortable as the atmosphere lightened, "Like I said, you should talk to her. Clear the air and just see where things go. She'll hear you out, I don't doubt it for a second."

"And once you two understand each other, start off with something simple: ask her to the daaaance. You really think she wants to spend another dance with stick-up-his-ass Cavalier?" Riddle gave Cater a questioning gaze, "...what? The Rosabyrine girls like to talk."

"They aren't wrrrong," Che'nya confirmed, "Zehn is very pushy. Reine wanted to go with me for fun to the last dance Royal Sword hosted so his 'frrriends' stomped on my tail and locked me in my dorm room so I couldn't leave," Che'nya growled at the memory, "I wanted to tell her but they threatened to do worse if I did...they get away with all sorts of harassment."

Riddle scoffed, "He threatened me face to face at the music contest today..."

"Whaaaat?" Cater and Trey's faces both fell into wide-eyed shock as Riddle recounted that memory as well. Neither of the Heartslabyul seniors got angry very often but after hearing Che'nya and Riddle's experiences, this...this was the last straw.

"Riddle, surely there is some rule somewhere about defending your lady queen-to-be from scoundrels like Zehn Cavalier. If there isn't one, you should personally make one right now!" Cater huffed. Trey crossed his arms and nodded in stern agreement.

"That won't be necessary..." Riddle set the teacup down on his desk and straightened up his hair, "I've done enough damage for one night. However, come tomorrow, I will set things right. Cavalier can try to get in my way if he wishes but he will fail." The fire in the dorm leader's eyes put the boys' minds at ease. They knew that look and they knew there was no stopping Riddle Rosehearts once he got it.

It had started to downpour on the way back to the dorm, much to girls' dismay. Not only were they soaked to the bones but Reine was currently jogging back to the dorm as fast as she could with a now transformed eel mermaid on her back. Cowrie wouldn't have been that heavy if it weren't for her long tail. Reine managed to lift the mermaid's torso onto her back as she tucked her arms underneath what would be Cowrie's thighs. The mermaid wrapped her arms around Reine's shoulders and part of her tail around the princess' waist to help support her weight.

"I'm sorry, Reiny-senpai...I'm not as good as holding my human form as Luna is yet," Cowrie pouted.

"Don't feel bad, Cowrie. You're still a first year, after all. You have time to grow into it. Hold on tight. I don't want you to slip." Reine still managed to stay smiling even with a giant eel on her back and rain pelting down all around her. She was just thankful this was the one day she didn't wear all white. Of course, as soon as they got to the garden gates, the rain started to let up. Figures...

"There we go. That's better, isn't it? ...sorry it's not as big as the Monstro Lounge tanks."

Cowrie was curled up in one of the dorm's bathtubs but the water felt nice so she didn't seem to mind. Plus one of the ghosts had found a tiny rubber ducky and left it in that same bathroom so she was as happy as a clam. Reine left her a small bucket and towel before heading upstairs to the bathroom next to her own room. The princess practically collapsed into the tub as soon as the warm soapy water hit her skin. The events of the day just pilled up in a jumbled heap of feelings, firing off one after another. Her sigh echoed off of the bathroom walls almost like she was a ghost too. She had already vented out all of her negative feelings, well most of them. But for a moment as she sank further into the warm water, Reine let herself remember the feeling of Riddle's lips on hers, his hands on her back and waist, holding her close to him. It was the most tender of feelings that made her face heat up with a feverish rush. It gave her an equally feverish desire for more kisses, more touches...more everything.

Everything in her life before now had been decided: who she was, who and what she would become, what she would do, whom she would be courted by, etc. and then one step into new territory and suddenly she was tumbling down the rabbit hole, head over heels, breathless at every new turn. Not just with Riddle but with every new day, every new face, every new experience that she encountered since they arrived on Night Raven's campus. Reine's heart fluttered with a rush of happiness remembering all of it. She wanted to hold onto it tightly so she decided that...she would. Tomorrow, Reine could and would fix things so this feeling would never leave. Hopefully. Her confidence in the matter was shaky at best but she didn't want to focus on that feeling too much.

Reine finished her bath and went back downstairs after changing into her nightgown to check on Cowrie. The mermaid managed to dry off and go back to her room where Reine found her sprawled out on her bed like a starfish in oversized pajamas, snoozing away without a care in the world. The princess tried not to laugh too loudly as she tucked her junior into the bed properly. Cowrie curled up in a ball as soon as she was covered and Reine's heart melted, leading her to take a picture and send it to Elise and Luna before turning off the lights and quietly leaving the room. The princess was about to dive into her own bed before she noticed familiar green fireflies floating outside her window. Reine gasped excitedly and wrapped herself in a blanket before running back downstairs. She poked her head out into the chilly evening, looking for Malleus, and spotted his signature horns ways down the path.

"Lord Draconia!" Malleus grinned seeing the porcelain princess waving to him from the front door, "What are you doing? It's cold and wet out!"

It didn't personally bother him but seeing the little rose queen wrapped in a thick blanket made him aware of the potential hazards. He quickly disappeared and reappeared right in front of her so she wouldn't have to chase after him with her bare feet. The princess beamed up at him with a surprised giggle, "Oh hello. I'm so glad you and Master Lilia came today. Did you have fun?"

Malleus gave a nod and chuckle, amused that the princess adopted Sebek's title for Lilia, "It was a very interesting day, indeed. I brought you a thank you present for inviting me," he mused as he pulled something from his pocket.

Reine gave him a teasing smile, "Oh?? And here I thought an alliance with His Highness, the Future King of Thorns was my gift."

The dragon prince chuckled, "Yes but I do hope you like this even more."

Malleus opened his hand to show her a small red briar rose in bloom and encased in a crystal teardrop pendant, hanging from a silver chain, "It's a different kind of little rose from my home. Consider it a talisman for protection against any more problematic interlopers."

Reine's eyes lit up like Malleus just offered her the heavens themselves, "It's beautiful! Oh, thank you so much!"

The princess was practically bouncing as he put the necklace around her neck. The dragon had never seen anyone so pleased with a gift from him before, aside from Sebek. It made his chest warm with a deep sense of pride. She looked up at him suddenly, an idea alight in her eyes, and asked, "Lord Draconia, may I..give you a hug? As a thank you?"

The was literally the first time the dragon prince had ever been asked such a thing and it showed. He blinked his wide green eyes down at Reine's waiting expression in pure disbelief. His eyes soon narrowed in amusement as he laughed, "You dare approach the terrible, Future King of Thorns with such a request, little rose? What a foolhardy queen you are."

Malleus' teasing was cut short as the princess suddenly wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a gentle hug, looking up at him like a rebellious child, "Well it's a good thing you gave me this protective charm then isn't it?"

Humans would never fail to surprise him, of this Malleus Draconia was now certain. He just chuckled and gently placed one hand around Reine's small frame and affectionately patted her head with the other.

"You are in daring high spirits tonight, aren't you? Did something happen, little rose?"

Reine's face warmed as she pulled away from him, "Not really," No one in this conversation believed her, "I just...made one very important decision. But now I have an even more important one to make."

"Are you really so conflicted?" Malleus was giving her that look again, it was like he knew everything in the world and yet was still surprised by so much. The princess just let out a deep breath and wrapped the blanket even tighter around herself.

"I know what I want, Lord Draconia. It's just I'm not entirely sure what the other person wants...yet. I wish this was something more simple like just worrying about who's going to ask me to the dance," she mumbled that last part but Malleus still tilted his head in curiosity.

"Dance...?"

Reined looked up at the prince in shock but lo there he was, looking genuinely lost, "There's a dance in three days to celebrate my coronation, on the last day of the festival...did no one tell you, Lord Draconia?" His disappointed pout said it all, "Well that's unacceptable! I'm the guest of honor and I say you should come! I'm officially inviting you!"

Two invitations and a hug? Would wonders never cease with this princess? Malleus pondered over the prospect of attending a dance. He wasn't too familiar with the experience, unfortunately. Once Reine explained the logistics of said dance, the process of procuring a partner, and any and all other details, it did sound interesting. Even so, it did sound like there were going to be a lot of people there and not in a situation where he could easily blend in like at the music contest. His expression didn't change much but somehow Reine still picked up on a hint of doubt coming from him.

"I understand it can be a bit overwhelming. I've been to several dances and balls and they wear me out too, honestly. So you should come but only if you want to, Lord Draconia."

"...would anyone actually want to dance with me?" Malleus was so used to others giving him a wide berth on the most mundane days. Attending a dance in hopes of not scaring the daylights out of the other guests didn't seem very likely.

Reine's enthusiasm got the better of her and even caught the tall dragon off guard, "Lord Draconia! Of course, they would! Even if you don't ask a specific girl to be your partner, I have no doubt the girls of Sacred Crown would love to meet you and dance with you! And even if they prove me wrong, I will be honored to save a dance for you!"

"...I will consider it, little rose." His smile was a bit shy but Reine was satisfied with his answer nonetheless. He knew a certain red tyrant would try to off his head if Malleus did ask Reine to be his date. As amusing as that would be, Malleus knew better than to step all over another king's courtship so rudely.

"Rise in shine, ladies! Hunting season is officially open!!"

Reine mumbled as Manari's excited shout rang up the stairwell. She had one hell of a headache and seemed to be having trouble getting out of her bed properly. Alyssa, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, let herself into her dorm leader's room with a chipper smile, "Good morning, Reine!"

The princess mumbled a greeting in return while rubbing her eyes. The tiny blonde set a small clear case on Reine's bed for her to inspect, "I finished your boutonnière for you since you've been so busy!"

Reine smiled in tired approval at the two-rosed decoration: one white and one red rose wrapped in a checkered ribbon with a small silver crown pin holding it all together. It was perfect. Alyssa was already wearing hers pinned to the vest on her Rosabyrine uniform. It was a yellow gerbera daisy wrapped in a black bow that resembled the one she wore in her hair with a tiny teacup pin. Nice and simple, cute and sunny: it suited her.

Alyssa helped Reine get ready, putting both red and white roses with black ribbons weaved into her braided hair to match her dorm uniform. Once she was fully prepared, Alyssa pinned the rose boutonnière to her vest lapel, "There. You look perfect. Good Hunting today," the blonde giggled excitedly. Reine couldn't help but catch a bit of it too and she smiled, "Thank you. I hope a certain first-year wins your lovely daisy," the dorm leader gave her second a playful wink. They both knew exactly who she was talking about.

"And what about you? ...will you be going with Zehn Cavalier again?" Alyssa asked hesitantly. Reine didn't seem offended or even bothered by the question as she looked herself over in the mirror one last time.

"No. I don't believe I will," the blonde gasped excitedly as she waiting for further explanation, "Good Hunting, Alyssa." Reine smiled mysteriously and left the room before the blonde who just scurried after her in a huff.

"Reine! You can't just leave me hanging like that!"

It was the day the 4th year students from all three schools came to the campus to present the results of field research or personal study they had been pursuing all year. The lineup of topics was interesting but most of the students who were not involved or attending the presentations were a bit...distracted. Every Sacred Crown girl who had not been asked to the dance already could be seen sporting their homemade boutonnière, pinned to them and waiting to be given away to the boy that won their affections. Honestly, the majority were still waiting. Only a handful had made arrangements beforehand like Adela and a couple of other seasoned third years. Otherwise, it was a beginning day just like every other time the girls' 'hunting season' opened. There always seemed to be this tense feeling in the air like everyone was waiting to see who would be the first brave soul to step up to the plate in hopes of succeeding....granted that was usually with just Royal Sword. How would things go with both Royal Sword and Night Raven in the fray at once? Only time could tell but that didn't stop the excited girls from placing friendly bets. Manari took it upon herself to give the dorm leaders and their vice's code names based on who they had dressed as the day before because why not make things more interesting?

"Alright, so Queenscholar (Adela) already has her date, surprising to no one. My bet is that Mama Snake and Mistress Mushroom are going to be the next ones to go. They're always so stinking popular," Manari was talking about Jinnah and Luna, "What's your call, Deal Maker?"

Elise sipped her drink as they sat in Night Raven's open cafeteria with Charlaine and a few other girls buzzing about, grabbing breakfast, "Our vice dorm leaders do seem to always take the lead don't they, ''Sunshine Royal?" Elise snorted at the ridiculous nicknames Manari had given each of them, herself included, "Luna-excuse me- 'Mistress Mushroom' has a reputation for breaking hearts...and yet the boys just don't stop trying their luck."

Charlaine pouted, "they're both so alluring and beautiful. And tall...and curvy...it's no wonder." Poor Charlaine had developed a complex ever since she became the shortest and most petite of the dorm leaders. She was by no means unattractive just...lacking...in certain areas of her anatomy in comparison to the others. Manari frowned at the tiny songbird's attitude.

"Heeey come on, Beauty Standards! You are absolutely adorable and lovely so hush...granted you are not wrong. I mean we're the dorm leaders and yet it's our second-in-commands that steal the spotlight in these situations. I love our brother school and all but is it just me or are some of those boys kind of...dense?"

Charlaine felt the ice-cold chill of humiliation flood her entire body as she flashed back to the last dance, "...I wrote an entire confession letter to Neige and got up the nerve to read it to his face. He just said thank you and how much he appreciated my support and shook my hands as if I was just another fan at one of his events. I wanted to DIE..."

Both Manari and Elise groaned from second-hand embarrassment, "Wow. That. is. ROUGH. Man, no wonder you didn't seem nearly as smitten as usual at the contest yesterday. But hey! I mean...at least now you can move on right? It's not like you had this big misunderstanding and he thought you were some princess or nobleman's daughter that you clearly weren't and instead of telling him that no, you were just a commoner adopted by some silk merchants out of fear that he would completely ghost you...you just decide to avoid him at all costs, face to face, but keep responding to his messages....with more ambiguous half-truths..."

Elise and Charlaine just stared at Manari who just chugged her drink with an extremely guilty look on her face. Charlaine looked at Elise, starting to mention Prince Rielle but judging from the dark look on the girl's face...

"I don't want to talk about it," Elise said bluntly.

Clearly, not all the SC dorm leaders were having luck in romance lately...

Reine kept laughing at Alyssa's fits of frustration as they were making their way across the campus together. The blonde had been too eager to get more information out of Reine ever since they left the dorm but Reine's lips were sealed tighter than Azul's contract safe. Cowrie was silently following along behind Alyssa as they were classmates and good friends who decided to be each other's wingwoman. Meaning that if any boys who were not Deuce Spade tried to approach Alyssa that day, the mermaid would quickly scare them off. So far four boys found themselves face to face with Cowrie's sharp teeth and glowing eyes. When she wasn't emotionally scaring other freshmen boys, Cowrie was enjoying the outdoor scenery and taking pictures of various plants and bugs they passed with her phone.

"Reeeine, you've been grinning at your phone all morning! And after that half-confession about Zehn, what gives! Tell meeee~"

The princess just giggled, "Oh trust me, the two aren't connected. My favorite cousin - his words not mine - is going to be presenting today and he's been texting me nonstop about getting together. Apparently, he has some 'exciting news'..."

Alyssa's previous concerns were swiftly forgotten, "Jasper's coming today?!" Alyssa was incredibly fond of Reine's cousin, Jasper Elfern. He was from the Red Queen court but he and Reine had always been close. The fact that he had been courting Alyssa's older sister for years didn't hurt either. Hopefully, this 'exciting news' meant that Alyssa was finally getting a brother soon.

The very same Jasper Elfern had also reached out to his old dormmates in Heartslabyul who were unknowingly heading the same direction as the two girls. Riddle was walking tall with perfect posture and purpose in his step. He kept to his schedule like clockwork, given himself an adequate amount of pep talks in the mirror as he prepared for the day ahead, and took extra care to make sure his dorm attire was spotless. It wasn't every day Riddle Rosehearts got to meet the old dorm leader he personally dethroned. There was no bad blood between him and Jasper, though a little honest bragging never hurt, he also wanted to look his best when approaching Reine today...so might as well kill two birds with one stone.

"You're in top form today, Dorm Leader. Go easy on her, wouldn't want Reine to swoon too hard." Cater teased.

"Or maybe he just wants to flex on Jasper a bit as a nice homecoming," Trey smirked.

"You're both being ridiculous," Riddle scoffed and yet a smug smile stayed on his face.

They saw Jasper in his NRC Heartslabyul uniform standing outside the hall where the presentations would be taking place that afternoon, facing the other direction. The tall, dark-haired upperclassman had a bright smile on his face as he was waving to someone coming towards him in the opposite direction. Riddle's eyes widened and he came to a halt when he saw it was Reine.

"Jasper!" she practically skipped right up to him and threw her arms around him looking happier than ever, "Welcome back!"

She let out a high-pitched giggle as the tall boy hugged her tight and twirled her around playfully, "My sweet little cousin! Look at you, when did you get so grown up and beautiful?" he laughed.

Cousin? ...did he hear that right??

COUSIN???

Riddle's brain all but exploded. The same Jasper Elfern that was once the Heartslabyul Dorm Prefect that Riddle challenged and usurped as a first-year was also the crown princess' COUSIN?! Trey and Cater looked just as shocked as their dorm leader.

"Hold on...does this mean he's like a PRINCE or something?!" Cater whisper-yelled to the other two, "...wait...not only did Riddle knock down an actual prince but also his crush's cousin?!"

Riddle Rosehearts suddenly did not feel so confident...why was the world so small and so cruel? Jasper's wine-red eyes caught sight of the three Heartslaybul boys and he waved them over, "Hey! Long time no see, fellas!" Cater didn't waste a second and practically teleported over to his old dorm leader and the girls, "Elfern-senpai, why didn't you tell us you were royalty?! And you're also Reine's cousin?!" The boy's smile didn't waver at all, "Oh so you guys know my cousin already! Great to hear! Not surprising at all though, she's been itching to meet my dormmates ever since I told her about a certain freshman knocking me down a peg." He laughed as Reine's expression turned bright red. More puzzle pieces fell into place as Riddle looked at the pleading wide-eyed look Reine was giving her merciless cousin. "Is that so...?" Riddle asked in a bemused tone. Jasper put an arm around Reine's shoulders and grinned mischievously, "Oh definitely. She couldn't get enough of my stories about living in the dorms with you guys! So how does it feel to finally know the infamous Riddle Rosehearts, cousin? Has he lived up to your expectations?" Poor Reine could only give a muffled reply from behind her hands, "Please stop, Jasper..." The three seniors were momentarily distracted in their reminiscing, giving Riddle a moment to speak one on one with a still very pink Reine. She had a bashful expression he couldn't help but find adorable as she finally came out from hiding, "...I may have been a bit curious and learned about you before we actually met," Reine confessed quietly. Riddle felt a strange sense of power in that moment. It wasn't that his awkward feelings about the night before had suddenly vanished but now knowing that this shy princess had been curious about him before they even crossed paths certainly gave his ego a healthy boost. His smug smile and previous confidence returned as he asked her, "Well? Have I lived up to your expectations...Reine?" Hearing Riddle say her name so straightforwardly without a hint of nervousness threw her for a small loop, taking Reine right back to that moment the night before. What she didn't see was how his heartbeat took off like a racehorse as her eyes shined and she said: "Oh no...you have definitely exceeded them, Riddle Rosehearts."

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