Warning : Violence against reader 😞 hitting with mirrors, not written well
・・・
As my heart beats faster at the sound of the approaching footsteps of the hunter, I grab my clock resting on my hip and wince at the time.
This stupid match has gone on for too long, and unfortunately I know why. The hunter, Lady in Red, wants to show me her love.
It's stupid really, all I did was dance with her for the entirety of the event the manor had going on. The dance… It was intimate enough to make my heart feel light and warm, but it wasn't enough to convince me that Mary, the Lady in Red, was my soulmate.
In contrast Mary had different ideas, as she kept visiting me every day on the survivor side of the mansion despite hunters not allowed to regularly visit unless certain special events occur - I still find myself in her arms as she finds me while I idly walk and dust things off.
Mary kept at her attempts to court me, whether through quality time, gifts, physical affection, or even befriending my friends. I just had enough of it, I had to tell Mary I just wasn't interested, better yet I told her I wasn't ever planning on seeing her as my lover.
Things with the Lady in Red are just never simple, are they?
The Lady in Red was rather simple with her love, it was either I took it or I fell victim to it. It was clear that's what she was trying to convey to me as my current suffering is at her hands, the lady in red had fought a hard battle against my teammates only to save me for last…
・・・
A lady full of love for herself laughed softly as we danced together, “I will share my love with you.” Without understanding the depth of her words I took the words she said with all her heart as a joke, only sharing a warm smile with her and intertwining our fingers more.
The dress the Lady wore made sure to enhance her beauty and charm, the gems she had chosen to wear in her hair and on her neck seemed to also do the same. Very proudly, the Lady caught me staring and asked, “Do you think the gems I chose are beautiful?"
Looking into the Lady’s eyes, I find her eyes full of dark clouds to be beautiful too.
“Yes, they are just as beautiful as you.”
The prideful smile of the Lady became smaller as she slowly stopped dancing and instead gave me a kiss as she firmly held my hand. The Lady and I shared a sweet moment.
・・・
The memory comes to me differently as I feel sour over the situation I'm stuck in now. I've been coughing ever since my skin felt how cold the snow is in this place.
Feeling desperate to warm up, I slowly move the boxes out of my way and rush over to the nearest fire.
The joy I feel as I rub my hands together near the fire is so great, I forget the reason I was hiding in the first place. My back slowly bleeds as a mirror cuts through my skin, my clothes now ruined by the sudden attack.
Then a cold hand pushes me to the ground as I hiss at the pain on my muscles, “You fool." She whispers with venom.
I get on my back and stare at Mary in the face, her eyes look more scary than usual. Maybe it's because of what I said to her.
Feeling small compared to hunters is normal since they are two times our size, but now, with Mary’s intense expression on her face, I feel even smaller than I usually do.
I'm sure she notices my trembling from both the cold and my fear, but she ignores it as she glares. “Hiding away this entire match, is this the coward I've fallen for?” Her grip on her mirror shard tightens, I feel as if I can't breathe as she approaches closer.
I slowly breathe to calm down my shaking heart, but the air is soon taken out of my lungs as Mary lifts me up effortlessly. Staring into her dark eyes, she softens her glare and brings her head closer to mine. “Oh, but how I love this coward.” She says almost smiling, finally feeling air coming back to me properly I whisper a question. “You're still mad aren't you? Please..”
She scoffs and interrupts, “Of course I'm still mad, but seeing you so weak below me reminds me I shouldn't be too harsh on you.”
I try to push my body away from Mary as the closed space between us makes me feel uncomfortable, but her grip on my waist is too strong. “Can this end more quickly? Everyone's already gone back.” I plainly speak, not noticing a smile finally making its way to Mary’s face.
“That was the plan my dear.” She laughs, “I didn't want to suffer the consequences from the Duke from not doing what I'm supposed to, so I've decided to just corner you.”
My confusion becomes anger as I realize why she's done what she did.
“You did all that.. just to carry me into your arms as another request for my hand?” My expression becomes tense as I feel Mary’s grip tighten even more.
“Request? No dear, this is an order for you to give me your heart and everything of yourself.” She chuckles innocently, as if she didn't just talk about removing my freedom.
“You can't do that, it's not possible in any way.” I try to reason, but it doesn't seem to work as Mary just grows smug. “I know that, but there's a reason why I'm here now. For this moment in time, you are mine. Now dance with me, no worries, I'll let you take a breather.”
I stare up in surprise as I'm gently put down onto the snowy grass to relax, words echoing in my head. A dance, and only a dance, with the red queen who wishes for my entire heart? Is this her way of convincing me I'm truly meant to be her’s? In a way - my heart does feel a little shy at the idea.
My legs slowly recover as if nothing hit me prior, and I grab onto Mary’s cold hands with sharp nails that never seem to scratch me.
“If the queen can offer me mercy after this, I'd enjoy it with my heart and… a new dance for another day?” Mary’s eyes practically light with determination at the idea, I've enticed her well enough with just a few words. It makes me smile at how her expression lifts as we dance.
“Well, only if you can make me feel as special as you did before. I won't bleed you out then.” She smirks as she leads, I struggle a little due to the new setting and my wounds but I lean in close enough to tease the idea of our lips touching. Our noses centimeters apart before I part and dip Mary deeply in my arms, hearing her giggles I know I'm doing at least one thing right.
Safe to say, the red queen might have taken my heart well into her hands when I'm delivered back to the manor with a big, red smudged kiss on my forehead.
・・・
Extra
Mary(Queen of Hearts ver) : I knew you'd be willing to do this with me
*She cheers happily*
(Y/N)(King of Hearts ver) : It's not as bad as this other ideas you've wanted me to try, my queen
Mary : You're just so adorable, drowning in those velvet robes to match my grand dress. Don't forget your little crown, my king
*She puts on a overwhelmingly large crown over your head*
The waves crashing around calms down most people, said people including me. But it seems my dear friend, Helena isn't one of those people.
It sounds weird, but being stuck in the land of childish dreams and hopes is an idea I've become familiar with. After all, I have been here with a few others who managed to drift away from reality by pure accident. I can name them all since we are a small group of people, but I have to focus more on my restless friend as we walk along a lightened stone path.
“Y/N?” Helena's soft voice calls my name, making my head snap up quickly, “Why do you feel so calm by the sound of ocean waves? Aren't you scared of how harsh they sound sometimes?"
Still holding Helena’s arm as we walk along the path, her glittering lantern making sure we don't fall off path.
“Well, no matter how harsh the waves sound, they still have a sense of calmness to them." I answer, hoping my reply was enough for Helena. Which soon proves my explanation went over her head by her confused expression.
“Let me explain it more," my eyes stare at my shoes hitting the ground, watching each step as we soon step over the rocky hills and towards another path I explain again.
“It's like how when instruments play together, they sort of.. clash! But at the same time, they still form a melody. That's how I view the ocean and its moods."
Helena silently nods but quickly replies to my explanation, “That makes sense, but I still can't see why you enjoy the ocean and its quirks. The ocean is just so.. much bigger than us. I'm afraid one day it'll swallow us whole.” She mutters tiredly, handing me her bright lantern for me to lead the way.
“Hm, I can understand that reasoning too, but really.. Do you think the ocean in the land of dreams would harm us?" I sigh, “We've been here for quite a while, but no matter what the ocean hasn't done much except show its beauty." Without me noticing, Helena puts her head onto my shoulder as a yawn comes from her.
“Beauty..? You mean like mermaids?” Her eyes look like they're having trouble staying up as she speaks to me, I chuckle softly.
“Don't strain yourself, save your energy so we can make it back to the house." I tell her, only now noticing her head leaning fully on my shoulder.
Feeling her head nodding, I quicken our pace down the bright path.
Maybe our conversation could continue when we wake up? But when could we wake up? Ah.. Helena must be anxious, maybe that's why she sees the ocean as overwhelming and scary, can't really blame her. Especially not now in this situation..
A small but dimly lit house comes into view, I can already see Michiko, Patricia, and Aesop sleeping just from the window. They always fall asleep while Helena and I take walks along the paths. Actually thinking about the nightly walks me and Helena take, it reminds me of how Michiko always wakes up way earlier than all of us.
Sometimes she wakes me up to walk along with her, just like Helena. Even then, Michiko shows her concerns about the land we live on just as Helena does during the night walks.
Hopefully, we all can wake up and leave this dreamy land one day. Although this place is peaceful, we all want to go home. Michiko says she has a lover back home she wants to return to, Aesop has a job and hobby he has to fill his time, Patricia wants to return to her foster mother.. Everyone here just seems to be stuck in a place that is supposedly our “dream world”.
Even Helena wants to return to her own home, she especially said to me that she had wanted to go to those fancy schools with the crazy smart people, which fits the description of Helena. Meanwhile I want to return to my Mom. I really do hope that if there are some deities or even Gods watching this land- I do hope they'll help us go back home.
・・・
“No matter how hard we try, we'll never escape the land of dreams.."
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