Hellooo i'm Reyliinx or just Rey for short .✦ ݁˖ 19 . she/her⊹ ࣪ ˖
Important┈➤ !Non-native English speaker. Sorry for any typos!
ᝰ.ᐟ I draw & post something every now and then—at least I try to be as active as possible... (I have a real life, and unfortunately it demands almost all of my attention, besides, I don’t want to treat drawing like a job it’s just my hobby)
ᝰ.ᐟ I draw whatever I feel like—I guess that’s logical •𐃷•. Lately, l've been hyperfixated on drawing characters from twst… can’t help it I’m just a weird girl who likes fictional men WAY too much (¬_¬").
Fandoms: I’m in a few twst,starrial,toh,blackbutler etc...and I switch between them faster than I can keep up with myself haaah..
Art rules: જ⁀➴
NO REPOSTS WITHOUT PERMISSION! if you want to use it for something else, please ask first!
please tag @reyliinx if you use or share my work.
REQUESTS : Closed / I don’t plan on taking any for now, maybe in the future. If i end up doing it, i'll let you know.
Where else can you find me?:
twitter:
I think that’s everything for now, thanks for stopping by! I hope you like my work!
warnings : fem reader, marriage of convenience/arranged marriage, malleus is kind of an ass at the beginning, sebek shit talks you for a bit, reader is referred to as "my lady" and "princess", numbers are written.. ?, english is not my first language, nothing else i hope
w/c : 8.3k
it all started with a promise, long before you were even born. your kingdom was small, quite unremarkable, really – the only notable feat to its name was that your ancestors were “friends” with the draconias.
this “friendship” served as a basis for trade and to maintain positive political relations throughout history, all thanks to an established deal. the heirs of the families would be wed whenever it was deemed politically necessary (read: convenient).
relations between the fae and humans were beginning to go awry a couple of months before you were to be born. and as fate had it, the draconias were also expecting an heir. the families and ministers sat down for a lengthy discussion about the next course of action, and it was then decided – you and the draconia heir would be wed when you turned eighteen.
“i don’t have to do anything if you can’t catch me!”
“lady [name]! return here at once, your carriage is waiting for you!”
your melodious laughter rang out throughout the palace, accompanied by the erratic click-clack of the heels leading your escape. you masterfully navigated the palace hallways, dodging the staff and the maid hot on your dress trail, freedom being the only thing on your mind.
last night you had your farewell ball, which means today you’re leaving for briar valley. from childhood, you kept hearing stories about how you’d marry the neighboring prince, malleus, after you turned eighteen. initially, it was all you’d ever dream and talk about – for what princess wouldn’t want to marry a kind prince?
then, stories about him came around.
turns out, he wasn’t kind.
in every new story about him, the source described him worse than in the previous ones. according to them, he was ruthless and terrifying, uncaring and unkind, instilling fear into the hearts of everyone he encountered. but, if that were true, how was briar valley prospering so?
you didn’t understand the controversies tied to the situation – you just knew you weren’t exactly thrilled at the prospect of marrying someone described with such words. it wouldn’t do much good for your image, or for the image of your kingdom, for which you’re supposed to tie the marriage in the first place.
However, as you were now nearly nineteen and the doomsday clock had long finished ticking, you realized you couldn’t keep stalling the inevitable – your escape was then cut short by your personal knights, trappola and spade, blocking your route. “traitors,” you muttered under your breath before swerving around in a desperate attempt to continue fleeing, unfortunately your maid has caught up and was now cornering you like a wild animal. that’s when you knew you had lost this battle.
“lady [name], it is high time for your departure. they are expecting you at castle blackscale tomorrow afternoon. please, board the carriage. you as well, sirs.”
once seated with your knights on either side, the horses neighed and off you went – to your doom.
“are you nervous, princess?”
you looked to your left, making eye contact with the raven-haired knight you’ve known since you were eight, and upon seeing the genuine concern in his eyes, you stopped fidgeting with your hands for now.
“a little, i’m afraid. i have never met the prince before, so the situation is quite nerve-wracking, you understand.”
deuce nods at that, and with one final glance towards your hands, chooses to gaze out the window instead.
“do not fret, my lady, i am almost certain everything will turn out alright. the stories may have just been overexaggerated speculations.”
“i pray you are right, ace.”
castle blackscale loomed over the hills in the distance, and as your eyes wandered over its silhouette, you found your hands fidgeting once more. the trip was filled with conversation with either one or both of your loyal knights, but you had a feeling none of ace’s horrible jokes or deuce’s oblivious questions would distract you from the reality settling in this time.
you were grateful they could come along with you – you weren’t sure how you would survive this without them.
the two morons have been knights in training under their fathers and the leader of the guards when you were a child, you’ve known both of them since they were seven and could barely spell ‘swordsmith’ – you were there for their failures and successes, watched them grow from weak little boys to the strong and dependable knights they are today. when the time came for you to choose a pair of knights as your personal guard, the choice wasn’t a hard one; it was a certainty set in stone the moment you befriended them. though there were attempts to talk you into different options, such as sir trey clover or cater diamond, the stars dictated that your life was to go like this, and who were you to disobey fate, when obeying was of no drastic consequence?
ace and deuce held a greater level of your trust than nearly anyone in your palace – they were much like your eyes and ears, always standing on your sides, alert and on guard. you could rely on them to protect you, but also to keep you entertained when there were no noteworthy matters for you to attend to.
as the carriage neared the palace gates, you found yourself hoping they wouldn’t be forced to put their skills to use quite yet.
“welcome, princess [name], we’ve been expecting your arrival.”
you curtsied to the retainer who welcomed you, thanking him politely for the hospitality. the dark throne room was lit up only by the sunlight filtering in through the painted glass windows and the green flames in the hanging goblets. your husband-to-be sat perched on his throne, looking mildly uninterested in the entire situation.
“prince malleus currently has certain pressing matters to attend to, but i assure you, you will have time to get better acquainted at dinner. for now, zigvolt will guide you to your chambers. if you need anything at all, do not hesitate to call upon any of the staff – they will be entirely at your service. the princes’ knights, zigvolt and vanrouge, included, granted they are not with his highness.”
you nod curtly, glancing toward malleus, who was already getting up to leave the room, then to the green-haired knight you now knew to be ‘zigvolt’ waiting for you by a door on the left side of the room. ace gently nudges you forward, and your feet slowly carry you on this new adventure you’re not entirely sure you even want to take part in.
“here you have the kitchen, though i am certain you do not necessarily care about that. that is the door to the gardens, to the left is the training ground for the royal guard. the castle staff's chambers are situated on the first floor of the eastern wing of the castle, while the knights are located on the second floor. the prince has reserved rooms for the two knights accompanying your highness, but if you so wish, it can be arranged that they stay nearer to your chambers,” as you walked through the castle with the knight in black, his tone of voice never once changed – it always kept its steady and flat tone, as if he was about as uninterested as his prince – and the only sound heard other than his monotone voice were your footsteps echoing in the black brick walls, “further up in the eastern wing are the princes’ retainers. the west wing, where we are currently, holds the castle library, just down this hall. a large collection of books in various genres is housed in it, and you are welcome to use it. the top of the west wing holds the princes’ chambers.”
zigvolt suddenly turns a corner after the seemingly endless flights of stairs, leading you down yet another endless hallway, until he stops outside a room with looming double doors of intricate design, which he pushes open once you stand behind him.
“directly under which are your temporary ones. prince malleus decorated and picked this room himself; he hopes it is to your highness’s liking.”
the room is.. certainly something. the design is entirely gothic, decorated with some grotesques near the ceiling, beautiful in an almost haunting way. no matter what terrible things people say about malleus, they certainly cannot state his taste is lacking.
“It is wonderful, thank you, sir ..?” you paused, looking at him expectantly. while you did know his name was zigvolt, it seemed uncouth for you to refer to him by it when he hadn’t directly introduced himself to you yet – he had to be given a chance to pick how he wanted to be referred to. you were the outsider here; you couldn’t afford to assume.
he bowed at a precise ninety-degree angle, then straightened up immediately, “zigvolt. sebek zigvolt, prince malleus’s personal knight, at your service, your highness.”
you smiled, hoping to ease his.. awkward politeness. you weren’t used to being held at arm’s length by the staff, everyone at your palace called you ‘lady’. “thank you, sir zigvolt. but you need not refer to me that way, ‘lady’ is enough – i would prefer it so, truthfully.”
ace startled at that. he knew where you were coming from, but this was not your home territory. you’ve barely been here an hour, it was much too soon to make these requests. at the odd look he saw ‘sebek’ send you, he shared a glance with deuce, who, based on his expression, was probably having the same doubts as ace, “my lady–”
you raised a hand to stop him, and he was silenced immediately.
“it is quite alright, ace. i have merely stated my preference. whether sir zigvolt abides by it is entirely up to him. thank you again for guiding us, sir zigvolt. i would like to take you up on the offer of having their chambers moved to a closer proximity, if that is alright. i just know they couldn’t stand being far from me, isn’t that right, deuce?”
deuce straightens like a wooden sword, smile bright and cheeks pink, “yes, princess. it would be quite terrible.”
as your melodious laugh rings out through the dark hallways – without you running from a maid this time around – you fail to notice the way ace is studying the knight in black armor, and how said knight looks between you and deuce in bewilderment at your interaction. how could you be so friendly with the staff meant to serve you? how could you ask him to refer to you less politely? have you no shame, no class? is this how all human royals behave? it was vile. but he remembers what sir lilia vanrouge told him – be polite and fulfill every request of the princess. so he does.
“yes, i will inform the staff and have it arranged. if you have no further questions, i must return to my duties. i hope you enjoy your stay, your high– .. lady [name].”
though he stumbled through it, he has fulfilled your request, and you found yourself smiling at him in gratitude.
perhaps your stay here wouldn’t be so miserable, after all.
you were quickly proven wrong.
sitting at the long dinner table face-to-face with your soon-to-be husband, you found yourself fidgeting with your hands once more.
initially, you thought it wouldn’t be so bad – perhaps ace was right, perhaps the scary stories really were just overexaggerated speculations, perhaps he genuinely was a kind man – but sitting here, trying desperately to curl in on yourself under his scrutinizing stare, you realized you were still terrified. terrified of what this meant for you, for your kingdom, for him, of him.
every attempt you made at striking up conversation was quickly shot down by dry and monotone answers, or completely ignored, and it was starting to seem like aloofness was painted into the walls of the castle and fused with the air they breathed in here with how everyone you’ve come across seemed to have it as a personality trait.
“you are scared.”
you nearly dropped your cutlery. his voice suddenly entering your ears while you were distracted was the last thing you needed – and unfortunately, the way you practically jumped upon hearing him seemed to confirm his suspicions without you needing to say anything.
“you need not be. i bear no ill intentions towards you, the queendom of roses, or humans. this is merely business to me – a deal neither of us signed off on, yet unfortunately, must carry out. we need not spend time with each other if you do not wish; it is enough if we feign the image of a happy marriage for the people and ministers. are you able to do that?”
as you stare at him, you realize you were, once again, right. he genuinely was entirely uninterested in this entire situation, so much so that he doesn’t even want to see you when he doesn’t have to.
still, you once swore to yourself that if you were to be married to a stranger, you’d want to, at the very least, be his friend. you wouldn’t let yourself be deterred by the fear in your bones, tremble in your hands, and the coldness in his eyes.
“yes. despite that, i would like to at least be on positive terms. get to know you. i cannot pretend to love someone i do not even know.”
he stared at you in complete silence for a moment – even sebek’s body went rigid behind malleus – then shook his head.
“that will not be necessary.”
then he got up and left you alone at the table, without looking back.
to his credit, the silver-haired knight you now knew to be ‘silver vanrouge’ shot you a sympathetic look over his shoulder. if everyone else at this castle was against you, at least he seemed to feel sorry for your predicament.
that night, after ace and deuce escorted you to your chambers before turning to retire to their own, you sat at your intricately designed vanity. the woman in the mirror was not you – at least, you didn’t recognize her as you. you were way more cheerful and bright, but this woman was exhausted. then, as you reached for your hairbrush with a sigh, there were three gentle raps against the door. you startled momentarily, but brushed it off. perhaps ace or deuce forgot to relay some information from home.
“come in.”
one side of the double doors opens, but the person who walks in isn’t either of your knights, no – it’s the one you recognize as silver.
“i apologize for bothering you so late, your high– lady [name]. i came to apologize in place of the prince, and to, perhaps.. explain his earlier behavior.”
he stood in the doorway, one hand behind his back and the other hanging loose at his side. silver looked like the very image of a knight, back straight and poised in quiet confidence, but not smug. he seemed almost as if he wanted to shuffle his feet in embarrassment – coming to a lady's chambers in the middle of the night was sure to raise some alarms.
despite the situation, you found yourself giggling and turning in your seat, ready to hear him out properly. since he put in the effort to come here so late, he deserves that much, at least.
“it is quite alright, sir vanrouge. i wasn’t expecting the prince to welcome me with open arms – i am not particularly enthusiastic about this arrangement, either. i am merely here to fulfill the promise i made to my parents and my kingdom. i just wish his highness made it easier to like him.”
the last part slipped out unintentionally, and your hand immediately shot up to cover your mouth, ready to apologize a thousand times over until the man opposite you let out a quiet chuckle, “i understand. that is what i came here for – the prince hasn’t always been that way. When I was just a knight in training, he was the kindest prince this kingdom could have, and they referred to him as a real treasure. then the.. rumors started to spread. about how briar valley was filled with evil people, the royal family at the center of it all, about the prince being ruthless and evil. the fae were looked down upon, the scum of this land. then the queen passed, and the king disappeared, so prince malleus was left to shoulder the responsibilities of leading and protecting the kingdom on his own. if he couldn’t prevent invasions by being loved, he would do so by being feared.”
silver then looked from you to the marble floors, which suddenly seemed quite interesting, “he’s.. the prince is a kind man, beyond the veil of cruelty he hides behind. i am certain if you keep trying to reach him, he will let you. the prince has not had a single relatively friendly interaction with anyone from outside the castle walls in many years – and even within them, the staff does not exactly.. treat him as a friend, i am sure you have already taken notice. i beg of you not to give up on him just yet, my lady,” you watch as he bows at a pristine ninety-degree angle, much like sebek had done earlier in the day, except silver's bow feels more genuine.
my lady. he had referred to you as ‘my lady’. though initially he stumbled over ‘lady [name]’ as if it were a foreign concept, he has now assumed you as one of his own, and it lit a small spark of pride in your heart.
“you need not bow, sir silver, please,” he straightened with wide eyes, looking at you as if you had just told him to perform sword tricks blindfolded, “thank you for telling me that. i will continue trying to get through to the prince.”
he smiles at you – almost beaming – and you realize that, even if it was not malleus, at least you still managed to make one friend tonight.
the next day, you woke up practically glowing.
after the conversation with silver, you had brushed your hair while thinking up several plans on how to convince your husband-to-be to grant you some of his time and attention – ways to soften him up, if you will.
that's how you found yourself in the library shortly after breakfast, which malleus had not attended, unsurprisingly. you had later learned from silver that he takes his breakfast much earlier. as such, you chose to start your day by browsing multiple books in the ‘romance’ genre. ace and deuce, ever the loyal helpers, decided to assist you in this endeavor until they were called off to attend training with the blackscale knights. you had by then written more than enough notes on ways to romance a man in your humble opinion, but you decided to stick around a tad longer. the library was absolutely breathtaking; it would be a waste not to take a moment to explore it entirely. and that is how you came across malleus. he was sitting in one of the quieter corners, intently reading a book on grotesque architecture, looking like a black rose – hauntingly beautiful, and incredibly rare to find.
you stared at him in silence, torn between turning around and pretending you never saw him or joining him, until he sighed and closed the book, now looking up at you as if you were the single greatest bane of his existence.
“how may i help you.”
“i did not.. know you had an interest in.. architecture.”
“you know nothing about me.”
you shuffled your feet in embarrassment – he was right about that, what you said was foolish, but you didn’t know how else to begin a conversation at that given moment.
he sighed once more, placed his book on the dark wooden table near which he had previously sat with much remorse, as if leaving it would physically harm him, and left the library.
when you approached the table, you found he had left a page marked in the book, and upon opening it, learned he was not exactly studying architecture – he was studying grotesques and gargoyles.
an idea struck you almost immediately.
when you first arrived at the castle yesterday, you had noticed the exterior walls were decorated with several gargoyles. as you walked around them now, you paused under every one of them to study them in depth – from their design and special features to where they're located, as if that held any significance. you were not an expert on gargoyles, but you had a feeling malleus might be.
“my lady, might i inquire as to what it is you are doing?”
your heels had caught in the soil while you hastily turned around, and you would have fallen flat on your behind had it not been for the knightly reflexes of the silver-haired man in black armor, who caught you just in the nick of time.
“.. thank you, sir silver, that would have been quite the.. embarrassing fall, to say the least. i am studying the gargoyles of castle blackscale in an attempt to get a better understanding of them.”
he bows, not as deeply as he had last night, but instead as a way to say ‘you’re welcome’. “the gargoyles..? do you have any at your palace, my lady?” one arm steady behind his back in knightly fashion, while he points the other to the right, inviting you to walk with him; or rather to lead the way to your next destination while he follows close behind. you take him up on the offer with a smile.
“oh, no, i fear i do not. our palace walls were mostly decorated by the family crest, roses, vines, and card soldier statues. .. i suppose those would count as a type of grotesque, no?” you glance back at him, taking notice of the way his eyes don’t leave you, even when he’s thinking. “hard to say, my lady, i am not much of an expert on this subject. you would do better discussing it with the prince,” there’s a moment when realization flashes across his features and you grin, “.. is that why you are studying the gargoyles?”
“quite right, sir silver. i accidentally interrupted him while studying a book about grotesque architecture this morning, so i will attempt to use it to begin a conversation with him at dinner.”
he nods in understanding, supporting your idea without directly letting you know. silver believes it might work – malleus does quite enjoy talking about gargoyles. you stop under the next one, gazing up at it in wonder while the knight stands behind you.
“is that a goat? with wings? .. fascinating. i can understand why the prince would enjoy these. does the character have mythological importance? .. i believe that is a grotesque; i do not see a water spout anywhere. do you?” silver observes as you half-circle the statue on the castle wall, thoroughly intrigued, and before he can form a response, someone else answers in his stead.
“that is a gargoyle. the water spout is in its mouth.”
you freeze and silver bows on instinct, his body reacting before his mind has even caught up to the situation. then you observe the goat-gargoyle once more – malleus was right, there truly was a water spout.
“oh, i see it now. thank you, prince malleus. these are quite intriguing creatures, i can see why you are fascinated by them.”
“i am not fascinated by them. i merely enjoy looking at them.”
you gaze at him with a near blank stare, were it not for the eyebrow lifted in amusement, “that is almost entirely the same thing,” silver fears you had just dug your own grave, but then malleus chuckles – genuinely chuckles – and he has to take a moment to consider whether perhaps his prince had been kidnapped and replaced with an impostor.
“you might be right. there are some more fascinating gargoyles near the turret, if that interests you. however, i must ask you not to kidnap my knights off duty the next chance you take to explore the castle.”
silver's face lights up in shades of pink and red, strongly resembling the roses you grow at home. unfortunately, you only catch a glimpse of it before he hides his face behind his hair while he bows, precisely ninety degrees once more. you giggle behind your hand and look at malleus, now far less scared than you were before, “i will have you know i kidnapped no knight of yours, sir silver offered to be my escort on this adventure.”
malleus’ face scrunches up in confusion, looking between you and his knight, “.. sir silver?”
before he can look into it much further, silver straightens up in a rush only to bow once more, this time to you, “it was a pleasure escorting you, my lady, i must now return to my duties. i wish you a pleasant day.” and off he goes, knightly confidence thrown directly into the dungeons as you watch him nearly trip over his feet twice.
“.. my lady?”
a week had passed since your arrival at castle blackscale, and with each day, you found your room looking more and more like you. on the first day, it had been terribly dark – beautiful, but dark. now, there were books scattered all over the marble floors, the curtains were open, and flowers in vases littered every clean shelf you could find.
you’ve been doing extensive research on romance, gargoyles, and grotesque architecture just to keep conversations between you and malleus flowing. instead of that, however, you seemed to attract the attention of everyone but him. many of the flowers around your room were from the castle staff, ace, deuce, and to your surprise, even silver.
how did everyone but your husband like you?
the castle staff were all so kind to you. it had shocked all of them when you requested they call you ‘lady’, but much like sebek and silver, they all obliged. it had become like second nature to them now – they all greeted you with a pleasant ‘good day, lady [name]’ and a smile. you had begun to feel right at home. deuce had never once strayed from calling you ‘princess’, and ace had always referred to you as ‘my lady’ – those names were like their telltale signs; after all, they were the only two people to refer to you as such. ace, however, had competition now – silver.
out of every staff member at the castle, silver had been the kindest to you. escorting you when your knights couldn’t, keeping you company on your spontaneous adventures, doing his best to assist you with the malleus matter. you didn’t particularly understand why he’d taken such a liking to you, but you didn’t quite mind it, either. his partner seemed to like you the least out of everyone.
well, after malleus. malleus seemed to dislike you the most.
that didn’t mean you’d give up, though. you would continue in your efforts to befriend or court him. whichever happens first.
that is why you are currently in the castle garden, picking the most beautiful flowers you can find in an attempt to arrange a bouquet for your husband-to-be. you had made sure to ask the gardeners which flowers you could pick from beforehand; it would be a shame to ruin their centerpiece if you just picked carelessly.
Just before you were about to leave the garden, content with the bouquet you put together, you noticed a mop of black hair glistening in the sun, peeking out from behind the wooden fences of the gazebo. upon approach, you found malleus sitting inside, with yet another book in his lap.
“not grotesque architecture this time?”
his head snapped up, startled by your sudden appearance. He may have been too engrossed, as he hadn’t heard you approach at all. he opens his mouth to reply, but the words are caught in his throat when he notices the flowers in your arms.
you follow his gaze in confusion until you remember why you came here in the first place, “oh! yes, apologies, these are for you. .. though, now that i think about it, it might be slightly unsuitable to give you flowers from your own garden..” you feel your cheeks heat up a little, opting to instead look at the toes of your heels rather than his face. by the seven, he must think you’re absolutely witless.
thanks to that, you miss the way malleus’ eyes widen and his ears turn red, scolding words over you disrupting his reading time repeatedly stuck in his throat. “no- i-” he clears his throat, acting as if the thoughtful gesture didn’t just send his pulse racing, “thank you. i will cherish them.”
you look at him with stars in your eyes and a smile so bright it could rival the sun, and malleus seems to understand why all of his staff members seem to gravitate towards you instead of him a little better. speaking of staff members…
“is vanrouge not with you today?” he asks after taking a quick look around.
“no, your highness. should he be?”
you invite yourself to sit on the bench opposite him, and he has to physically suppress a sigh. “no. i was merely surprised, since you seem to have spent much time together since your arrival,” there's a pause as he looks at you, where he considers why he’s the only one you’re seemingly keeping at arms' length. still, he chooses not to address it quite yet.
“oh, sir silver has been helping me come up with ways to talk to your highness, that is all.”
you laugh a little before realizing your mistake, hand immediately shooting up to cover your mouth again. you’ll dig your grave before you get a chance to befriend him at this rate. his eyebrows shot up in time with your hand, mildly shocked at this revelation, “why would you need help from vanrouge to talk to me?”
“because.. your highness has.. um, not been entirely welcoming..? i was getting turned away at every opportunity, so he offered to.. um, assist me.. haha..”
he’s been turning you away because he’d assumed you wouldn’t want to talk to him. and now you’re telling him it was the other way around? is that why he’s the only one with a brick wall between you?
he heaves an exasperated sigh, informing you of his side of the matter, and now it all seems clear. the situation is so utterly ridiculous, you find yourself laughing with no restraint – etiquette classes thrown out the windows – and it’s the most freeing feeling you’ve ever felt.
and to the surprise of even the birds flying about, malleus laughs with you.
“i conversed with him! first in the garden, and now over dinner! all my hard work was not in vain! can you believe it?!”
“congratulations, princess!”
“it went surprisingly well, my lady! even the princes’ side of the table was astonished. zigvolts’ expression was hilarious, if i do say so myself.”
“i quite agree with you, ace – his expression read something between astonished and horrified. i will never forget it,” you share a laugh as you walk down the winding hallways of the castle, slowing down when you hear voices in the distance. you were never one to eavesdrop, but one of the voices you recognized as sebeks’, and you were curious as to what he was saying – it sounded like a post-dinner debrief.
“she’s horrible.”
“sebek,” that one you recognized as silver, “watch your mouth.”
“what? i don’t like her. she’s too giddy and sunshine-full for prince malleus. it’s vile.”
“sebek.”
“she treats all the staff members as if they were equal to her, it’s like she’s looking down on everyone without it being direct. ‘please refer to me as lady [name], i prefer it that way.’ who does she think she is?! she’s not at home here!”
“sebek.”
“she’s so picky with her food, she’s most definitely spoiled. and her two knights are- are absolute buffoons, they can’t even hold their swords right! she’s so clumsy and oblivious and–”
“zigvolt. what is it you are talking about?”
there's a sudden clattering sound, and you can only assume he'd dropped something, but you can’t quite hear it over the sound of your heart pumping in your ears. is that what he thinks of you? is that what everyone secretly thinks of you? you turn to glance at ace and deuce, and by the deep frowns, furrows in their brows, and clenched jaws, you can tell they are way more angry than they’re letting you see. whether it was over what he’d said about them or you, you weren’t certain.
“p-prince malleus! um, we were just–”
“who is ‘we’? i did not say a single thing other than warn you to watch your mouth. you alone were speaking of lady [name] in such a way, i would never do that. do not drag me down with you,” silver was.. defending you?
“thank you, silver. zigvolt – i strongly advise you to keep my wife’s name out of your mouth for future convenience, she has been nothing but kind to everyone in the castle, even you. if you disagree, you should perhaps spend some more time with her instead of slandering her in her absence. in fact, i am officially cleaning you of duty tomorrow – you will spend the day with my wife. as her escort. you will attend to all her needs and fulfill her every request. is that clear?”
“... yes, your highness.”
“splendid. silver, i hear lilia has been looking for you.”
his footsteps echoed down the hallway as he took his leave, leaving your group and the other two knights in stunned silence. his wife. he had referred to you as his wife. well – that is what you are to be, on paper, but you’ve never heard him say it, or even acknowledge it.
“... since when does he call you ‘silver’?”
“.. i have no idea.”
the next day, as promised, sebek followed you around everywhere, much like your shadow. he goes with you to the library to return some of the books you’ve finished, then to the kitchen to greet the staff and ask for some frozen peas you could have – even though he had no clue what you’d want them for, he still carried them when you handed the bag to him – and then finally, to the back of the garden. you’ve been spending the greater part of your days here since you discovered the duck pond, hidden behind many weeping willows and thorny bushes.
sebek had lived at the castle his whole life, and he’s never once seen it before.
you sit down on the grass and he looms behind you like a statue, staring at the poor ducks as if they’ve personally offended him. you reach behind, expecting him to hand you the bag of peas, but he doesn’t. he continues staring.
“.. sir sebek? the peas, please?”
he’s knocked out of his trance then, hastily handing you the peas he watches as you open the bag and throw some of its contents to the ducks. upon realizing its food, they race to see who can get to it first, and suddenly, there’s an all-out water-splashing, pea-destroying duck war happening right before his eyes. your laughter rings out, and you throw more peas in, then turn your head back to look at him over your shoulder.
“you may sit down as well, i do not bite – at least, i am not aware.”
he hesitates for a moment. does this count as a request? you turn back to the ducks, and he realizes that no, that was not a request, you were giving him a choice. you don’t want to force him to interact with you if he doesn’t want to; you were giving him the place to decide. and so with mild awkwardness, he sits on your right side, a polite distance away. you smile and hand him the pea bag, out of which he takes a generous handful, and copies your throwing motions. the ducks move to destroy the peas thrown by him, much like they destroyed yours.
“how long have you lived at castle blackscale, sir sebek?”
“my whole life. my family has served the draconias for generations, being a knight in the blackscale guard was my birthright.”
you hum thoughtfully, “i see. do you enjoy being a knight?”
“i do. it’s my life's calling, and to me, there is no greater honor than protecting the royal family of briar valley.”
“what about the people?”
he turns to you, brows furrowed in confusion, “what about the people, lady [name]?”
“do you not also consider it a great honor to protect the people of briar valley? the loyal subjects of the draconias?”
when you look at him, there’s a shadow of conflict flickering in his eyes, and you can tell he’s never really thought about it before. you find yourself a little disappointed. he’s as much of a knight as silver when it comes to strength, confidence, and poise, that you cannot deny. silver is more of a knight with his mindset than the current sebek, however – where sebek hesitates to answer, silver’s first thought was the people.
“you are a very strong and brave knight, sir sebek, i cannot deny that. but on questions like those, you cannot hesitate. the royal family would not exist without the people. the people here would not exist without the royal family. the current times are tough on both sides, and peace is balanced on a scale,” you turn back to the ducks, throwing them the last of the peas from the bag in your lap, “i am not telling you to choose one or the other, that is impossible in theory, but you must decide where you stand, what is important. you are not only part of the blackscale royal guard, you are also part of the blackscale guard. who will protect the people if not the knights they chose?”
on that day, for the first time since he was ten, the sun shone brighter, and sebek zigvolts’ heart felt lighter.
for the rest of the day, he continued following you around on your adventures, but he no longer loomed like a shadow behind you. he stood on your side, walked barely a step behind, participated in idle conversation, observed how you interacted with the things and people around you, and he realized he was wrong.
you were not spoiled, nor oblivious – you were kind. you didn’t secretly look down on the people around you; you genuinely believed they were your equals. you were patient. you waited while he explained his view on certain matters before stating your own. you were considerate. whenever you asked for something, you reassured the staff ‘not to rush’ as you had more than enough time – yet they rushed anyway. you always thanked everyone, you didn’t expect things naturally. you showed him how you transformed one of the old and dusty spare rooms into a fully functioning art room of your own, and sebek learned you were also talented. you were intelligent.
and he was wrong.
when he admitted to his mistake and bowed, begging for your forgiveness, you merely told him to straighten up and smiled, accepted his apology, and asked if he’d like a cup of tea. he sat down on one of the many chairs in the art room, the others soon occupied by your knights, silver, and you, and he realized you had somehow transformed this cold and dark castle into a ‘home’.
later that night, he had gone to apologize to prince malleus also, for slandering his wife without fully knowing her beforehand, and the prince smiled at him, much like you had.
“as long as you have learned from your mistake, your transgression is forgiven, sebek.”
sebek. not zigvolt, simply sebek.
the following days, malleus waited for you with breakfast. and lunch. and dinner. when he had a free moment, he chose to spend it with you, and if not him, then he would send silver or sebek to accompany you. ace and deuce were growing increasingly jealous of how much of your time the blackscale knights were taking up, so they also started taking turns following you around.
you were now either seen with sebek and ace, silver and deuce, or malleus by your side at all times.
it was incredibly amusing – to the castle staff as much as to you.
“i’ve heard you grow certain rare rose breeds at your palace, is that right?”
“oh, yes, it is. we are particularly proud of our roses, amongst other things. i believe you would love the rose gardens, they are the perfect place for reading.”
malleus hums in thought, as if taking your suggestion into deep consideration, “then we shall visit when they next bloom.”
he took a sip of his tea, eyes returning to the book in his hand while you mixed your paints not far from him. the thought of him wanting to visit your homeland warmed your heart – you could already imagine him strolling around the rose gardens, the very picture of beauty and grace.
“what are you painting today?”
you grin, gazing over at him momentarily, “the very rose garden i just told you about.”
“from memory?”
“i will try my best.”
“i wish you luck on this experiment.”
all recent afternoons have been spent like this – him, occupying a chair in your art room with a book while you painted anything that came to mind – conversation flowing freely over shared tea and classical music from the record player you found in the room while you were cleaning it out. it was pleasant and comfortable, and it wouldn’t be hard to imagine spending your life like this.
then there was only one month left until the wedding.
and suddenly, all your free time was taken over by dress fittings, consultations with the retainers regarding the dishes, decorations, music, and color scheme. you were thankful malleus was also present for most of it; you might’ve had at least fifteen panic attacks otherwise.
every night, you returned to your room more exhausted than the last, and your beloved art room collected dust in the silence, frozen in time exactly how you last left it.
“well.. what do you think?”
the room was shrouded in stunned silence, even the clock on the wall stopped ticking in fear of breaking the moment – the dress was finished.
“it is… wow.. my lady, you have.. never looked more beautiful than you do now..” your ginger haired knight said, voice somehow hesitant to leave his throat yet his words were filled with conviction. he dropped to his knee, right hand on his heart, as if swearing loyalty until his final breath to you once more, like he had done years ago.
deuce mirrored his actions, though his eyes never once left you.
“excuse me, is lady [name] here? prince malleus is– oh.”
you turn towards the voice, startled out of your mind, until you recognize the silver mop of hair and black armor, “sir silver! what do you think? should i have some more taken off the trail? is it not too.. obnoxious?”
he shoots you the softest, kindest smile you have ever seen, “no, my lady, you are the most beautiful bride briar valley will ever have.”
he stares for a moment longer before realizing what he came here for, but before he can warn you, disaster is already stirring behind him.
“silver, what is taking you so long?”
eyes wide as saucers, he practically jumps his prince to prevent him from seeing you, immediately turning him around and leading him away from the door before he even has the chance to step through it.
“prince malleus! yes, she is in there, but you must wait a couple of moments before you can talk to her. i fear it is.. quite important.”
the night before your wedding, you were, understandably, incredibly nervous.
what if you tripped during your walk? what if your veil got caught on something? what if malleus said no? your relatives and his, the ministers, two entire nations will be watching this wedding – you cannot embarrass yourself.
before you could overthink the situation any longer, two gentle raps sounded against the door, and you sat up straight on your bed.
“come in.”
no matter who you expected to open the door, you would be wrong, and you were stunned into silence when malleus stepped into your room.
“i apologize for coming here so late, i just.. i could not sleep, and by the looks of it, you could not, either.”
you nod, still clearly dazed as he makes himself comfortable at the foot of your bed. he looks around your room once, then twice to really take it all in, and nods, “i like how you decorated it here. could you bring a touch of this to my– our chambers also, once you move there?”
“yes, of course. .. wait, what?”
he looks at you, head tilted to the side, as if not understanding what about that you find so odd, “yes? oh, were you not aware of the move? .. or is that not something you want? it can be arranged for you to stay here, if that is what you would prefer..”
“no! no, that’s alright, i don’t mind. i just wasn’t.. told,” you were so exhausted you didn’t even notice your speech becoming impolite, but malleus didn’t seem to care, either – rather, he was smiling.
“great. .. just to make sure, you are not.. going to say no during the ceremony.. are you?”
you sit up straighter, suddenly very aware of the conversation currently happening, “no! .. are you?”
“no, i was not planning to. i have begun to quite enjoy your presence as of late.”
you return his smile, one of your many worries lifted. malleus didn’t seem ready to leave just yet, neither were you tired enough to sleep, so you chose to do the one thing you do best: talk.
“have i ever told you about the time ace nearly beheaded another knight during training?”
his eyebrows shoot up, amusement glistening in his eyes as he stares at you, moving closer so the conversation can happen in hushed whispers – a secret shared between nearly-newlyweds, “no, you have not.”
the church bells ring out through briar valley as you make your way down the aisle, veil sliding over the carpeted floor like a shadow behind the sun, shimmering along with your dress, akin to stars left in your wake.
this was your big day, one you’ve been waiting for since you were informed it would happen – a promise to be fulfilled, nearly twenty years in the making.
your loyal knights with tear-filled eyes escort you to this adventure, much like they have to many other ones since you were eight with dirt-stained dresses and scraped up heels; except this time, you were the very image of nobility and elegance. a swan taking flight from a pond with water lilies, a new star coming to life, creating a brand new constellation with its neighbors, which serve as the veil you pull behind you. you have burned a brand new image into the sky, and it is entirely in your name – it lives solely for you.
as you finally reach malleus, hands intertwined, his constellation connects with yours. somewhere to his right, you notice silver and sebek, also on the verge of tears.
“you look beautiful.”
it's a quiet whisper amid ceremonial chaos, but you heard it loud and clear, and now you were crying, too.
“you don’t look so bad yourself, malleus.”
the minister performs the wedding speech special for the royal family, you nod when you’re addressed and smile when you should, you say your vows without much struggle – but you can feel the finale breathing down your neck and despite malleus assuring you he wasn’t planning to say no, you find yourself doubting, wondering, whether he was telling the truth.
“do you, prince malleus draconia, take this woman, princess [name] hearts, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and heath, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?”
there's a silence so loud it makes you want to rip your hair out, as if time itself has paused just to keep you on your toes, but then malleus grins while squeezing your hand, “i do.”.
that’s all it takes for you to breathe again.
the minister smiles, “and do you, princess [name] hearts, take this man, prince malleus draconia, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live?”
“i do.”
you exchange the rings you chose not even that long ago, silver bands of gothic designs with briar rose stones and inner inscriptions only you two know about, and the minister speaks once more, “by the authority vested in me by the kingdom of briar valley, i now pronounce you husband and wife and what the seven hath joined together, let no man nor woman put asunder. you may now kiss the bride.”
before he even finishes speaking, malleus’ hands are already on your cheeks, lips connected as if he’s been living and breathing for this very moment his entire life.
perhaps he has been – and perhaps, so have you.
your rings glisten in the sunlight, and two nations cheer, as for the first time in over a century, the people they forced to marry seem genuinely happy with the decision.
it all started with a star, long before you were born, and even longer before the promise was made. the constellations in your names have long existed in the sky – they were merely waiting for you to acknowledge them.
who were you to disobey fate, if obeying was of no dire consequence?
ੈ✩₊˚TAGLIST : @lunavixia @gabirii @solxima @erigaur @pomegranateboba @meigalaxy @krisvslove // ask/comment or fill form to be added/removed! (if you're in bold i can't tag you)
tags/warnings ༻♱༺ lilia v x reader, general lilia vanrouge, gender neutral reader, mentions of prostitution, ambiguous ending, no beta we die like maleanor, opposite of slow burn, angst
a/n - i was hoping to get this out before i hit 100 followers so i could give you all a proper 100 followers celebration post, but i hit it last week (thank you guys so much WAHH T_T) so I hope this suffices as my mini celebration <33 this fic has been a major pain because my file got corrupted and my edits got messed up, so I’m sorry if I didn’t fix it perfectly on the second round.
word count - 12k+ words
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
A place where there was no war- anyone would assume that meant it was the most peaceful place on the planet. No battles late into the night, no soldiers hiding in the crooks and crannies of the world.
A haven, wasn’t it?
A strained yelp of pain echoed through the building, and all you could do was clutch your blanket closer to your chest, closing your eyes as tightly as you could. In a world full of this noise, full of bumps in the night, you’d anticipate someone inventing something to drown out the nauseating sounds.
There was no war, after all, Artemn was a nation of peace. A nation that took no sides, a nation that had no government. All were welcome. Artemn was the epitome of a perfect place.
Or, better known as a pleasure district.
Artemn wasn’t always given such a name; it was once a beautiful place. In some lighting, you can still see the flowers reaching out of the ground, desperate for a hint of light. Yet ever since Lady Maleanor’s lightning struck upon soil, nothing real has grown since.
“…Scuse me…” Nearly jumping out of your skin, you flipped over in bed, prepared to make a break for it. Yet no such evil stood before you.
Your heart thudding slowed, offering a small smile, “Alina…” Your quiet voice made the small girl perk up, rushing forward. Even as her feet hit the floor, they barely made a sound, a trait most of the workers had.
To not disturb.
“Lady Opal… she's worrying me,” Alina frowned, crawling onto bed with you. The young girl didn’t know the truth about what took place in the depths of the night, but she knew it wasn’t pleasant. “I know Madame requested we don’t disturb the clients' rituals, but…”
Alina.
A servant girl.
She was barely in the double digits, her baby teeth still filled with chips and gaps. It made her smile all the more cute, and her lisp didn’t concern you during lessons.
Patting her head, you held back a contented sigh as she leaned into you. The warmth of the girl provided a simple comfort for yourself, something you very much needed at the moment. “I know you’re worried, but don’t go up there. There’s nothing you need to fix or dally on now.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, staring up at you with the slightest disapproval. “…It’s my job to help you guys when you get hurt! She sounds hurt!”
“You’ll be there to help her in the morning, no?” You hummed, causing her to glance off to the side.
Under her breath, she mumbled a small, “I guess…”
“For now, we should just sleep,” your suggestion led to a shy nod from her, curling up next to you when you fell back into the bed. Wrapping your arm around her, pulling her in towards your chest, your hand ever so gently over her ear.
Ever so slightly that the pained sounds from the other room were muffled.
Such a peaceful place, no war to keep the children up.
At least, that’s what everyone whispered about outside the walls of Artemn.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“So many people are willing to spend their money on one person? The madam must be crazy not to send them off this instant!”
“..That courtesan…”
Your eyes drifted over, lips pursed. If people were brazenly going to talk about you, why not just ask the questions directly? You had rehearsed your answers to a T. You heard the story so often that it was ingrained in the back of your mind, the cursed words written for eternity.
“…Their mother was famous. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her before!” The customer chuckled, his hand to his mouth as he did so. “Lady..-“
You blanked out, not wanting to hear another boring recitation of your mother’s life, to her tragic death. You had heard many tales through the grapevine, but it all summed up to one thing.
Your mother was the most beautiful courtesan, perhaps that’s why your father fell for her so easily- why he was so easily driven to bring a knife into her personal quarters and lay her to rest. Now that nobody could buy her, they let their eyes lie upon the next best thing.
Her child.
Perhaps you would inherit her beauty as you grew older, her charm, her voice, her wit- a woman of so many talents. The reputation you had to uphold made your stomach churn, especially how harshly it was enforced on you.
You were only a child when the requests began- grown men, even women, trying to purchase the next best investment. Thankfully, the Madame wasn’t willing to sell a child (her cash pig) because she cared incredibly about your safety (her trust fund).
On one hand, you were grateful. You didn’t have to worry about being sold off to a random creep at any moment. Playing board games, dancing with the people around you, and serving drinks… it was far better than what the others dealt with. You could smell the envy in the air each time they spotted you, not that you could blame them.
Nepotism really has come a long way.
The only thing that connected all of you stayed the same though, the only reason all of you stayed so tightly knit through your differences. You all had the same fate.
At 27, you would be sold, just like any other worker.
Similarly, if you lost a bet to a client, Madame’s dedication to preserving you (and your worth) would go down the drain. An enticing bet- Win a single game against a high-ranking courtesan, get to be their beloved for one night!
Yet everyone here was foolish.
Serve them a few drinks, distract them with a smile, and they’d never win. Even when sober, they’d forever lose. You had spent your life perfecting your craft, 21 years dedicated to being the very best at everything.
That way, you’d never have to worry about your value tanki…-
“…H..Hello?”
What a pitiful sound that was.
You had never stuttered at a potential customer, not once lost your cool, but…. What the hell was wrong with this guy?!
Sure, Artemn was considered a place where all were welcome- fae and human alike. Despite the war that tore through major kingdoms, the small haven of Artemn steered clear of being directly involved. Though... that didn’t mean prejudice didn’t embed itself deep into the souls of everyone who lived there.
The land King Henrick ruled over was a place that would deeply frown upon the crude acts that took place in Artemn, however, in each person's soul, they truly desire the impurities they claim to hate.
After all, Ironclads filled the establishment day in and day out.
Everyone knew. You could only assume that’s why a group of Fae stood before you. Did they want information?
Your eyes narrowed as you stared at the man at the front, of rather short stature. Clearing your throat, you forced a smile, "Can I help you, sir? If you're looking for the nearest Inn it's-“
"No."
Yikes.
There goes any hope of shoving him off to the next person.
"Well then... I'm sure...." You trailed off, so desperately wanting to drop this responsibility on another courtesan, or one of the servants. Yet, in your soul, something tugged on your heartstrings and refused to bestow that fate on them. "Ahem. I'm sure I can find you some nice seating! Follow me, if you will?"
You were untouchable.
Even a 𝗆̶𝗈̶𝗇̶𝗌̶𝗍̶𝖾̶𝗋̶ fae like himself must accept the rules of this house...
The steps behind you were heavy, for some reason, each soldier following in perfect unison. Glancing to the side, you noticed the piercing gaze of opposing human soldiers. Whether they were cursing you for being near their sworn enemy or planning out a murder plot, you were unsure.
Your gaze finally fell on a nearby table, offering the group a seat. "Some of our best workers will be up and about today! The show starts at..-“
“Not here for the show.”
Your finger twitched against your thigh at his interruption, holding back a frustrated grumble. “..R..right?” You tilted your head, “Then what are you here for?”
Was he a pervert? Here for one of the girls… your lips pursed as you watched him, unable to see his reactions through his detailed mask.
“A game.”
You perked up, holding your hands behind your back as your head tilted, “A game..?”
“I heard if I wanted a challenging game, I should come here,” he said, pointing directly at you, “And I believe you fit the description, of who I’m looking for, no?”
“I, ok-“
“You guys do hold games here, right?” His constant interruptions were beginning to make you want to strangle him.
"Well... yes," your voice shrunk to a whisper, you oh so desperately did not want to be near this guy much longer, much less play a game with him. Yet, a man like himself, one who lived centuries longer than you, he would have more tricks up his sleeve than any other of the workers knew how to deal with. "Though, games are held on the upper level. I'm afraid you can't bring any dangerous items near personal quarters."
You gestured to his weapon, rather pleased with your excuse. What kind of war general would be willing to leave his previous weapon in a room full of his greatest foe?
“General! You can’t just…-!”
The shorter man had no response to the green-haired soldier's cry, dumping his expensive-looking weapon directly onto the table. All the soldiers who had found their way to their seats awkwardly stared at it, too wary to go anywhere near the object.
Maybe this guy was insane.
“…We… we are not to be held responsible for any lost items,” a girl beside you mumbled, Amia, if you recalled correctly. She was sent here in exchange for her parents’ debts to the house being paid.
The fae simply shrugged, brushing past the two of you, wandering throughout the house. Normally, nobody would allow a customer to get that far without proof of payment, but nobody dared to speak out against a creature of the night.
Clearing your throat, you turned on your heel, canine digging into your lower lip. You watched as his pace slowed, cocking his head back- clearly waiting for you to catch up, to lead him.
Hesitantly, you put one foot in front of the other, closing your eyes to zone out the pounding echoing in your chest.
"Wait!" Amia grabbed onto your arm, her eyes filled with panic. The others in this house were at times confused by why you of all people received social treatment- but you all still held a bond. The same bond that compelled you not to dump the General on the younger girls, the same reason Amia was trifling through her mind for any excuse to keep you away from him.
“Ug... uh... Madam said you have a performance later, won't you be too tired if you go off to play now?”
What a sweet girl.
Your hand was shaking, you were sure she could feel it against her own. Her eyebrows furrowed, a desperate look in her eyes. She already had so much to worry about…
“No worries,” you smiled oh so gently, her eyes widening ever so slightly. “I’m sure it’ll be quick. I’m the best at this after all, aren’t I?”
Sure, you were the top player in this house. Yet even your joking tone didn't change the real fear you felt. You had never played against someone of such high status, especially not one of a different race. You sped up, quick to meet the fae's steps, holding out your hand.
Flirtation, drinks, any sort of distraction- Even a fae wasn't immune to it, no? As long as he followed after you like every other person who longed for a chance, you would be set. Human and fae... they truly aren't that different, why else would they both be here?
His hand was cold, a sharp contrast to your warm ones, the blood pumping through your body making his ear twitch, eyes wandering down. Your chest was rising and falling, betraying the anxiety you were so desperately trying to hide- your hand trembling, against his.
You so willfully ignored his gaze, dragging him up the stairs, pretending- maybe even trying to convince yourself, that he was any other customer.
Letting go of his hand, the fae quickly sat down on one of the cushions, a nice ruby red. His arms were crossed over his chest as he sat less than graceful. You sat across from him, in a much more dignified manner, mind you.
His eyes darted around the entirety of your setup, from the neatly spot, to the decorations that filled the area. He stared at you… dissecting each part of how you sat, how you stared- you could only pray he couldn’t see the nervous sweat dribbling down your face.
Finger drawing along the edge of a drawer, he made a self-assured sound, tapping directly on a box. “This.”
"Chess... really?" You stared over at him in confusion, before grinning ear to ear. “Well, if that’s what suits you best, but I need to warn you- I am a master at this one!"
To be frank, you were a master at every game the brothel had to offer- you had even learned some tactics from other kingdoms, other cultures; to ensure you never faltered. The look on people's faces when you catch their tricks would never grow old.
Though, ever since the war between the Ironclads and the Fae broke out... the creatures of the night were rather tight-lipped. You were plenty grateful the General compromised, not suggesting some strange game from his homeland.
Chess is a simple game, despite all the methods that came along with it; the basics were all anyone truly needed- that, and the ability to think a few moves ahead. Although you wouldn't compare it to gambling, getting a read on your opponent was just as important as understanding what each piece meant, each twitch in their hand, the way their breath hitches, a simple scrunch of their eyebrows... all signs they're struggling, all signs it's the perfect chance to push them into a corner and win the game.
Perhaps going against a masked man was far more difficult because of that.
Every move you made, he matched perfectly, and you were suddenly entirely grateful you went first. A move that took you a good minute to play out was immediately countered by a simple slide of his hand. You took a pawn, and he was quick, immediately getting revenge- though he didn't seem to be making any offensive moves, much to your confusion.
Your hand trembled ever so slightly as you brought it to your chin, desperate not to find yourself trapped in a corner. Even if you didn't win this, you surely could bring it to a draw, right? A smug smile crept onto your face as you quickly executed your move, capturing his knight. With that- you could back him into a corner, and force him to surrender... All he had to do was move his king...
Plop.
For the first time in the whole game, the General did an offensive move, catching you off guard. Moving his last knight...? What good could that possibly do, leaving his king perfectly open like this? There’s no way anyone would take such an irrational risk, especially not someone of his caliber. His knight only had one spot to go though it wasn't much of a threat at all, but it would be much better to squash any future worry of it now, right? You moved your rook, blocking the knight's position.
And for the first time today, you swore- you could hear him chuckle under his breath. If there was any expression under that mask, it would be a cocky smile, you would desperately want to smack it straight off his face. You were so used to being the one playing mind games on your clients, so used to having them second-guess themselves, but you had yet to experience that firsthand, not since you were a child.
Every move you made to avoid his attack, he could easily counter- perhaps a regular client wouldn’t notice that, but this was a man who commanded men in the same way he was now doing to your game pieces. He had purposely set the board up in such a way that you couldn’t escape, in a way that guaranteed your fate would be sealed.
Leaning forward, the general picked up a pawn, easily snatching up the tower you had moved to block his knight. There was no reasonable plan of attack you had left, you could move a pawn around, a hopeless attempt at blocking him from your king. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you just prayed the distraught look on your face wasn't too evident.
Was this seriously how you lost your streak? How do you lose it all??
You had rarely considered the truth of your destiny that you had been set up for, the moment everything you had worked for crumpled around you. You always believed that maybe, by some wonderful twist of fate- you would run away, or be rescued before you could be sold off. Yet today, there was no need for that thought. The moment you lost this, the moment you lost everything you had been slaving away for.
The reputation, the pristine person everyone paid for a chance to meet, it would all fall to the ground. The sound of him placing a piece on the board was deafening; now, you really didn’t want to look.
Though, there were no gasps, no sounds made, although you were certain people were watching. You glanced around, nearly giving yourself whiplash from the sudden movement.
"Seems you trapped me,” the General sounded ever so slightly different. “I guess they were right. You are good. For a human, at least.”
He stood up, and your mind screamed to follow him, to do your job and escort him out with a smile and a promise for another game. Yet, you could only stare at the board, legs too weak to even fathom standing. He had moved two pieces, one so slightly that someone outside wouldn't notice.
He had thrown the game, leaving his king completely open.
The general patted his armor ever so slightly, working out joints all too stiff. “Now, where was that Inn you spoke of earlier?”
Staring at him in utter bewilderment, your eyebrow twitched- “Are.. Are you mocking me?” Despite the accusation, your voice stayed small, feeling like a mouse under his gaze.
The general brought his hand to his mouth, breathing in heavily. "Kufufufu..."
He's... laughing? Seriously laughing?
"We should play again soon. Next time I'll be sure to beat you.”
Turning on his heel, he descended the stairs, asking another courtesan for directions. With that, he gathered his men, and his weapon, leaving the house without another word.
“Woo… that looked pretty intense!” Alina seemed to appear from nowhere, nearly making you jump out of your skin. “Madam was pretty worked up over this… she said we should bathe immediately so you're ready for tonight!”
“Alina…” you trailed off, your hand moving from your thudding chest, up to your face. “..I think I'll need to cancel the event tonight… I- I think I’m sick.”
Besides the tremors shaking up your body, and the pounding of your heart… your face suddenly felt like it was on fire.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Such a foolish mistake he made. It was normal, even the best players would trip over their own feet sometimes, but you had never seen someone fail so obviously. Someone like him… There's no way he lost on purpose. What good would that serve him?
“Perhappsss he wanted to save you?” The chipper voice from beside you questioned, the much younger girl who served the house.
Your body relaxed when you noticed her, offering a sweet smile, the food in her hand made it obvious it was already time for dinner. How had so much time passed? Better yet, how didn’t you notice you were rambling out loud? “Aha..” your forced smile wasn’t unnoticed. For such a young girl, Alina was truly perceptive. Ignoring the way her head cocked to the side, you cleared your throat, “He’s a fae. I don’t think any of them have that sort of… emotional drive.”
Her lips pursed, deflating ever so slightly in disappointment. “Well, yeah… but he didn’t look so scary… Madam always said that fae were these creepy crawlers in caves!” She held her hand up into claws, mimicking a monster. “Hehe… he looked like Prince Charming!”
“Isn’t Prince Charming meant to be taller than his princess?”
“Hey! He’s super tall!” Alina pouted, placing the food down, “He was likeee UP TO HERE!” She jumped with her hand raised high, trying to match the General’s height.
“Mmm.. I’m sure he is tall.. to a mouse,” leaning forward, you ignored the food, grabbing up the girl, spinning her around.
She didn’t even have time to retaliate, if she even processed your jokey insult, you were unsure. Her giggles were all that filled the room as you spun.
That childish innocence, it’s something you truly wished for her to keep forever. To believe everyone was full of kindness, and compassion.
To protect her from evil, from the people who came to this house time and time again; to protect her from the future any girl born into this house would face.
That’s all that felt important anymore.
Your spins slowed, her legs dangling in the air, clinging to your shoulders. “..Are you hungry, Alina?” Lowering your head to nuzzle the top of hers, you felt her nod. Staring at the minimal amount of food on your plate, your lips tugged into a frown.
“Well, I still feel pretty sick,” you sighed dramatically, setting her down in front of your plate. “You’d be doing me a huge favor if you ate my portion, so I don't waste it!”
The younger girl stared up at you for a good while, before flashing you a toothy grin. “Sounds good!”
Growing up in the midst of a war only led to travesty. You had experienced it yourself, only knowing how the world looked through tales and paintings handed down to you from those before.
If you could wish for anything, it would be for Alina to live in the world they cheered about, a world where she could play with all the animals she wanted, to pick all the flowers in a real garden…
To experience real joy, beyond everything fake that had been shoved in her face her whole life.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Whirling a game piece around on the table in front of you, your eyes danced over each customer awaiting below. The other workers were swamped today, you could see the way the edges of their lips twitched from strain, the slight stumble in their steps.
Your movements halted as a commotion made its way to your ears, an all too common occurrence. It wasn’t a rarity to see people drink just a bit more than they could handle, their voices raising ever so slightly, their movements becoming so violent.
It was around that same time they also realized, in a drunken stupor, they had spent all their money on booze, and couldn't afford to stay the night, even with a low-ranking girl.
A man's hand was tight around a courtesans wrist, if you recall, a relatively new addition to the house. You still weren't certain of her name… something exotic, you remember. Being a beginner must be tricky, especially when you can barely speak the common language. If you were right, she was only half human.
You perked up as her panicked voice pierced through the air, trying to get the man to back up. Everything in your mind screamed at you to stay seated- not get involved.
Though.. you really weren’t in your right mind since yesterday.
Rushing down the stairs, you skidded to a halt, “Aha, hey, hey!” Putting your hands up in front of you, your words distracted the man for a moment. “I think I dropped one of my chess pieces around here, do you think you could help me find it?“
“Fuck off.”
“Oh, uh,” ok, to be fair- you weren’t expecting that. “It’ll only take a moment, right? I’m sure you’ll find it.. much quicker than anyone else would…” You tried so very hard to deflect, to make him feel praised, anything to calm him down.
He stumbled forward, and you backed up, a feeling of dread settling in your stomach. His hand went up, and he pointed at your chest, much akin to how someone scolds a child. “If I help you, how about you pay me back with a little something?”
Glancing behind you, the girl from earlier had backed up, finding safety in one of your fellow older girls’ arms. “…Ahah, sorry… I guess I’ll just find it on my own. Have a good day though, sir!” You closed your eyes to smile, the most polite look you could manage.
You didn’t even get the chance to open your eyes again, hearing the air as his hand pulled back, and the loud thump as it connected with your face.
“Hck!..” your own hand immediately made its way to the now aching skin, feeling warmth as blood pooled, your nose stinging as the sensation. Your eyes grew watery at the feeling, leaving you unable to see anything but a blob as his hand raised for another strike.
Thwump!
You blinked, watching as the blob fell to the ground. A drunken fatigue..? Wiping your eyes, you cleared your vision, flinching back at a sudden face in your vision. You yelped, bringing your arm up to your face, your long sleeve covering the unsightly look of your bruising skin.
Pretty red eyes met yours, complimented by skin so pale you’d think it belonged to a corpse. Frozen in place, you looked the person up and down, your brain slowly processing everything. Hair tied neatly into a ponytail, a mixture of black and red- a color scheme you recognized from a few days prior.
A ragged cloak accompanied by a sleek suit of armor.
“..General..” you mumbled, closing your eyes and bowing your head down. “Thank you for saving me, sir.”
You shot up, ready to move back out of the customer's view, seeing the blood dribble down from your nose, over your lips… before you could dart off, his hand shot forward, snatching your arm. A bit rougher than he intended, but he slowly peeled away your concealment, revealing the mess tattering your face.
His tongue clicked in displeasure, gesturing for a green-haired man to come closer- you recognized him… “Baur. Attend to the human’s injury.”
“Ah! There’s no need!” You snatched your arm away, waving your hands in the air, ignoring the way the blood made you ever so slightly dizzy. “It’s just a small thing, I can fix it myself.”
“Yeah, see? General, the human doesn’t need my..-“
“No,” the shorter man shook his head, completely cutting off his soldier. “Baur holds talents with treating wounds that even astonish me at times, besides, Fae treatments are much better. You need to be in tip-top shape for our game, no?”
Your finger twitched, wanting to continue this oh so heated debate- but ultimately, there was no point. Sighing, you slowly sat down at a nearby table, avoiding eye contact as the green-haired soldier, Baur, approached you. Grabbing your chin a bit roughly, he stared down at your face, scoffing and muttering something about how easily humans were beaten down.
He was surprisingly gentle as he dabbed your face with some mysterious liquid, but you could feel the tenseness in his fingers, see it in his jaw… he really did not enjoy this order. As time went on, the cool liquid felt nice against your skin, your eyes drooping ever so slightly at the feeling.
“See, Lilia, they’re literally asleep from the smallest dosage of…-“ Baur was cut off as he was hit in the back by his general, his jolt waking you back up fully, blinking at the sudden awkward eye contact.
A part of you wanted to tug his hand down, to dismiss the medicine that seemed to be entering your bloodstream. “The medicine… it isn’t… bad right?”
In other words, you were ensuring you weren’t being drugged. There’s no way they’d be this rash in a public spot- and who was Lilia? Was that the General's name..?
“Nothing bad,” the long-haired fae shook his head, his arms crossing over his chest. “It’s simply made for fae. The effects on humans must be more intense, interesting, right, Baur?” He leaned forward, his tone teasing towards his soldier.
“Because they’re feeble.”
A part of you wanted to argue, but considering your eyes were drooping, your chest growing heavy as the need for sleep trickled through your body. Perhaps he wasn’t too far off…
Falling asleep on the job… probably wasn’t good…
“Are you sure your daughter would be happy hearing that? Isn’t she quite fond of humans?”
“She’s a child. I’m sure she’ll form a rational opinion as she grows older.”
Their voices blurred together as they bantered, your head slowly falling forward. “…Hm.. well you’d be surprised.”
“Lilia!” The more gruff of the two called out, disgruntled as he was shoved back, your head finally fell forward, resting against a much softer stomach than you expected. You wanted to will your eyes open, but nothing you did would convince your body to move.
A small hum, a hand ever so slightly reaching up to play with your hair, running nimble fingers through it. “Some humans are pretty cute, I can’t blame her.”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Mm..” You rolled over in your bed, burying your face into your thin blankets, curling in on yourself in an attempt to preserve any warmth. The winters had been much harsher in the past years- well, at least that’s what you were told. You weren’t even born when the small kingdom had pleasurable things and cool falls. Now there were only two choices: burning heat, or freezing cold.
Your hands clenched in front of you, canine digging into your bottom lip. If only that dragon hadn’t…-
…
Hand twitching, your eyes squinted open, your nails stopping their devastation into your palm. In front of you, a man sat in a chair, ever so slightly slouched over. His long hair covered the majority of his face, his shut eyes ever so slightly showing through the gaps.
You hadn’t gotten a good look at his face earlier, with everything going on. You remembered his piercing red eyes, but seeing him at complete peace was… new.
How were his eyelashes so long?
Your eyebrows narrowed, trying to remember what happened. Slowly, you moved to sit up. Your body was still adorned by beautiful fabrics, indicating you had fallen asleep on the job. Glancing down, you fixed up your uniform, not wanting to look a complete fool. Trying to be quiet, you lowered your feet to the ground, flinching at the freezing temperature. Just where had your socks gone? Was that the one thing he felt was important to change you out of?
The moment you fully stood up, Lilia awoke- if he was ever asleep an even more pressing matter. You stared down at him as he watched you, shivering ever so slightly as a cocky grin crossed his face. “Falling asleep during your job? Is that what’s considered top-level nowadays?”
You froze, clearing your throat, “You’re the one who gave me…” trailing off, your eyes sought out the cracks in the floor for comfort. “I… apologize, sir.”
A breathy laugh left his mouth, stretching out his limbs as he got up. Taking a step forward, watching as you took one back… “I think I’m owed some reparations? I did spend so very long coming down here.”
Your movements continued, like a dance… except the dance was you getting cornered against a wall. For a man of his stature, you never imagined you’d get intimidated to the point your knees were about to give out. “..I.. um..” stumbling over your words now. Classy.
He leaned in, “Youuu… uh?” He mockingly tilted his head, finding amusement in the way you scurried around your words, switching from excuse to excuse, eyes shutting tightly as you trembled under his gaze.
Breathing in heavily, you nodded. You could do so much… call for an attendant, throw him right out of your room. Though, something in your chest screamed at you not to take such an action. Your face flushed, staring down at his shoes. “What is it that you want?”
He grinned, pleased by your appeasement. His hand reached forward, grabbing your wrist, lurching you forward. You yelped, stumbling over your feet. “Hey! What are..-“
“I can have anything, right?”
“..Er.. uh.. I guess?”
As your words left your mouth, he pushed your window open, pulling you straight into his arms. Is this how you die? You owe a debt to a fae and he decides to murder you???
You squealed as he lifted you up, your hands clinging around his neck, burying your face into his shoulder as he took off, jumping straight out the window. You felt his hair lift under your hands, your clothes flailing in the air. Yet, the familiar feeling of misery in your stomach never hit, the way you felt as a carriage drooped down too harshly, or when you fell down a hill as a kid… whoops.
Your arms trembled, eyes slowly peeking open. You could still see the window of your room as you slowly drifted away from it, the wind rustling through your hair, stinging your cheeks with its harsh chill. Yet the warmth of another person, or more so his clothes… (he himself was just as cold,) brought you mild comfort. The barren trees below you, the houses and inn nearby only lit by a dim glow of their fireplaces.
“.. Whoa..” Your hands drifted from his shoulders, too immersed in the sight around you to concern yourself with the fear of falling to your death. A dull sparkle of magic surrounded both of you, but something else new was there. A strange pair of limbs now jutted from his back, what you recognized as wings. They looked leathery, but more delicate compared to the portrayals of monsters filling the courtesan house.
Your hand wandered down, gentle circles rubbing near his shoulder blades, the base of his wings. You felt him shiver under your touch, fingers digging ever so slightly into your skin. “Careful, there.”
Immediately flinching away from your hand placement, you whispered a small apology, awkwardly moving back to your original stance.
You enjoyed the silence that consumed the tw of you. Usually at this time of night, you would be kept awake by the distraught sounds of your coworkers, or the scared cries and breaths of the children. Staring at the house, you stiffened, “Ah, wait.. what about…” you trailed off, realizing he wouldn’t know who Alina was. “..I.. there’s a young servant girl… she usually comes to my room at night. If I’m not there, she…”
“Miss Alina?” Lilia questioned, and you froze. How did he…? “She’s quite a nice young lady, had quite a good conversation while you were getting your beauty sleep.”
Your face grew red at that comment, choking on your own spit. “Ack-! Well, I…” you shook your head, no point arguing. “..I just.. don’t want her to be worried.”
“No need to fret,” The wind around you stilled, and you looked down. The world had grown darker, and his wings slowed, as the two of you drifted down. “I left Baur with strict orders. One of those was to entertain the young lady,” the general chuckled to himself, imagining the bulky man being forced to have his makeup by someone who had barely hit double digits.
His feet gently hit the ground, and you moved your head from his shoulder, staring at him. “Baur? Doesn’t he hate humans? What if he…”
“He would never hurt a child, even if she is a human,” he let you down, balancing you as you readjusted to being on earth. Staring down at the ground, you felt the cool grass under your bare feet. “Baur has quite a soft spot for children, after all, he’s a father himself.”
You glanced at him in shock, hand covering your mouth. “A father?? Really?”
The fae nodded, holding out a hand, beginning to lead you through the forest. It was dim, but even so… nature surrounded you. Vines curling up the trees, bushes filled with berries and flowers surrounding you. Everything you were so… not used to. “Where are we?”
He hummed, releasing your hand and bending forward, rummaging through the bushes. Those berries were definitely not edible, at least not to your kind. “We’re near the entrance to Briar Valley.”
His blunt reply made you flinch, staring at him in confusion. “..What? Are you serious??”
Your questioning tone made him perk up, waving a mask in the air. It looked familiar to what he had worn before, when you first met him… but slightly less scary. It was less detailed, with jewels adorning it. “Don’t fret, nobody will realize you’re human. As long as you stay by my side.”
He handed you the mask, and you accepted, staring down at it silently. Was a mask seriously all it took to blend in with fae? If that were the case, you could probably win the war for the ironclads here and now.
…Not that you would. You hated them.
Lifting the mask to your face, it was surprisingly breathable, and you were able to wrap it around your head with ease. It only covered your eyes and nose, more similar to a masquerade mask than anything. “Will the others not be confused seeing someone like me wearing this? I’m clearly not a soldier.”
He stared at you, before huffing out a laugh, putting on his own mask, the one you had seen before. “That bejeweled thing? Anyone with common sense would see that you’re not wearing a soldier's mask.”
…
“Ye..yeah.. right..” you trailed off, glancing to the side.
“Besides, it’s festival week. Everyone will be wearing their own creations,” he started to walk again, making you speed up to meet the steps of the general. “In my years, I’ve seen some insane masks. I guarantee nobody will even spare a glance your way- while, besides the fact you’re walking with me.”
“So… you’re gonna be hogging all the attention?” You mumbled, watching as the dark forest thinned, making way to a brighter environment. You could hear the chatter of people, the laughter of children.
He shrugged, his hands behind his back as he walked, following the winding path towards the celebration. You didn’t mind the attention not being entirely on you for once, if anything… it felt nice.
Lanterns filled the sky, and you tilted your head as you watched them float higher and higher. Pointing up, you questioned their existence, “What are those for? Decorations?”
Each one looked so unique, with different colors, different symbols cut and drawn into them. Lilia was ever so slightly slouched, “Not quite. Each one represents a wish.”
A wish..?
“It’s mostly for the children, but everyone takes part nowadays,” his eyes drifted from the lanterns to you, “You write your wish on the inside, and by the time it reaches the moon it burns up, its essence is to be read by the old Queen Maleficent.”
Silence consumed both of you for a moment, before he shifted, “Would you like to partake?”
Your eyes widened, lips tugging up ever so slightly, “Can we? Even if I’m not a fae?”
Lilia nodded, “Of course, why couldn’t you? Lady Maleficent wouldn’t discriminate against someone’s wishes.”
You joyfully smiled, nodding your head rapidly. Quickly following his steps, eyes drifting over every person’s mask, their exquisite outfits, to the interesting food and accessories they held. Now and then, someone would stop Lilia in his tracks- greeting him, thanking him for his heroics, small glances shot your way, and teasing comments made to the war hero.
Well he was occupied with his conversation, your eyes wandered around, jumping backwards as a man jumped into your field of vision.
“Hello! Could I help you to some treats?” He was chipper, perhaps the most upbeat you had seen from a person who was sober. He held a stick of something in his hand, a red food coated in brown and white.
You cracked an awkward smile, staring at it… “S..sorry.. what is that?” You tilted your head, pointing at the foreign food.
He smiled smugly to himself, waving it in the air, “Chocolate-covered strawberries, one of my specialties.”
Your nose twitched, scrunching up. You had never seen a strawberry before, but something that colorful had to be suspicious. And chocolate… staring at the man uncomfortably, you weren’t sure what to say.
A breath of relief left your mouth was Lilia jumped in, his interactions with these people were a sharp contrast to how he was when you first met him.
“Ahah! The general in the flesh!” The vendor nearly grabbed Lilia into a hug, if not for the shorter man’s quick dodge. Though, somehow the jolly fellow didn’t seem the slightest bit impacted by the rejection. “Have two sticks on the house, anything for you and your companion!”
The man hummed to himself as he wandered away, prepared to get more people to try his treats. You blinked, facing whiplash from the encounter.
“Er..”
Your gaze moved, staring at the treat he was holding. You pointed at it, “..So.. what exactly is a strawberry?”
Lilia glanced back at you, offering one of the treats to you. “You’ve seriously never had a…” he trailed off, recalling where you lived. “It’s a fruit. It grows nicely within our forests.”
You nodded as he spoke, “And.. this?” You pointed at the hardened coating. “He said it was chocolate, but isn’t that made from cocoa?”
“Mhmm,” he nodded his head, lifting his mask ever so slightly to chow down. Cocoa was incredibly expensive, and the only time you had tried it was from a richer client.
Staring at the treat curiously, you gave in, biting into the treat. The sweet crunch followed by a juicy flow into your mouth caused you to perk up, hand tightening around it. You licked your lips, covering your mouth as you had to hold back a giddy smile.
“You like it, hm?” He questioned, even though your enjoyment was evident. You quickly nodded your head, and he leaned forward, reaching his gloved hand to wipe a bit of excess red from your lip. “We can try more fruits, if you’d like.”
You opened your mouth, clearly about to reject his offer, but he beat you to it. “I’m sure your friends at the bro… ahem.. at your home, would love to try, no?”
Drats. He got you.
“Yeah.. I’m sure they would.”
From peaches to plums, oranges, and apples- each one was a new experience. Your arms grew ever so strained by the bag digging into your skin, stomach full of desserts and treats. As the night grew darker and darker, you found yourself more and more content to shut your eyes and fall asleep.
Around you, children were excitedly scribbling on thin paper, older fae hastily sewing the pieces together to create the beautiful lanterns you had seen earlier. Your lips pursed, accepting a brush from Lilia, working on your own paper.
You had painted many pieces in your time, it was something many customers adored- the artistic touch. Yet something like this is never considered. Your hand froze at the top of your paper, head lolling to the side.
What did you wish for?
Alina; to grow up safe? Your fellow workers to willver have to suffer again? You wanted so badly to wish for something selfless, especially if someone as magnificent as one of the seven were to bless you.
Yet truthfully, all that echoed in your mind was how you wanted life to be happy. How you didn’t want to be sold off like an object in someone’s plan…
Your eyebrows furrowed, before you had tensed, jotting something down quickly. A quick swirl following it, an artistic addition as you folded your note up, placing it in the lantern.
“Sooo… how do we make them fly?” You asked, watching as he shuffled closer, grabbed his own, and put it next to yours.
Lilia glanced around, leaning closer to whisper, “Usually, this is a way for the children to show off the basic magic they’ve been learning and light the fires themself, but…” he looked you up and down, “I presume you don’t have any of those powers, no?”
You sighed, shaking your head. How come they don’t just have a darn fire pit for inexperienced people like yourself?
He leaned back, debating for a moment, before grabbing his lantern. A small flash of light emitted from his hand, and you felt warmth just near the small fire. The pit in the middle lit with a bright flame, beginning its ascent into the air. You watched in amazement, mesmerized by the act. Your distraction led you to jump as Lilia grabbed your hands, which still gently held the delicate piece.
Lifting your hands into the air, he lowered one hand, leaving it under the opening of your lantern. The same warmth danced on your skin, and you watched as your own creation flew into the sky.
“..What did you wish for?” Lilia tilted his head as he stared at you, watching as your eyes shone from the fire. Your lantern drifted into the air with his, meeting everyone else’s.
You stiffened, staring at him as if he had just committed a crime. “I can’t tell you! Or it won’t come true!”
He stared at you in bewilderment, before bursting out in a fit of laughter. “What? Seriously?”
“Yeah! Seriously… if you tell someone the magic will break!”
“You humans and your superstitions…”
“It’s super serious,” you grumbled, pulling your knees up to your chest. “…But… I’ll tell you if it comes true later.”
He simply nodded, his hair flowing in front of your face as he flopped onto the ground, lying down to watch the sky. You stared at him, resting your head on your knees as he relaxed.
“..Thank you.. for taking me out today,” you mumbled, the chirping of bugs, and the giggles of everyone around you filling your ears. You could hear the crackle of makeshift firecrackers, the celebrations all around you.
He shifted, moving to his side to look back up at you. “Well, you’re doing me a favor. Getting a break from the war to do this.”
Your eyes danced over him, nodding, “Right… It's nice that you guys get to experience this still.”
“Hm… It’s a nice distraction. Though, I never will truly forget what’s at stake, what they have taken,” he grumbled, fingers digging ever so slightly into his hand.
They being ironclads… they being humans.
“..Don’t you hate humans, then?” You questioned, staring back at him. The wind blew through both of your hair, relaxing your mind and body.
He hesitated, staring into the sky- the moon shone across the dark blue so beautifully. “No. Who am I to hate someone simply for the species they were born?”
Your lips pursed, feeling ever so guilty for your earlier thoughts on him, simply because he was a fae.
“Do you hate fae?”
Freezing in place, you held your legs closer to your chest, swallowing the lump in your throat. “..No,” shaking your head, moving to rest it on your knees. “I don’t hate you.”
The grass shifted as his hand pressed into it, sitting up, leaning closer. “I didn’t ask if you hated me, I asked if you hate fae.”
The silence between you both was tense, and your finger twitched. Did you hate fae? Did you think so negatively of him and his men because of their existence, or…
“..No.”
You leaned closer to him as well, “I think I just hate anyone who enters that house… fae or not,” a dry laugh left your mouth, trying to make light of the crappy day-to-day life you worked.
Seeing a man of his caliber get flustered was amusing, his ears perked up, and if he didn’t have a mask, you were certain he’d be blushing. “Ahem.. I just wanted to play a game, nothing improper,” his eyes darted away, hiding his face from you as he crossed his arms.
“Pff,” you snickered under your breath, heart racing as you leaned into him. Acting brave was never quite your thing, but despite the pounding in your chest, the anxiety in your stomach- resting against his shoulder felt so very right. More right than the money put into your hand after every completed game, after every flirty remark filled with insincerity. “I guess you’re the exception then.”
Your eyes closed ever so slightly, feeling exhausted under the cool air. “That day… why did you lose the game?”
“..I-“ He paused, clearly about to make up an excuse, say he didn’t lose on purpose. He wasn’t soft. That was idiotic. “You looked terrified. I heard rumors that those who won against you could get whatever they wanted, but I doubted that was true. Until I saw your reaction.”
“Yeah,” your voice was quiet as you spoke, “Even though the games themself don’t cost money, the madame makes more than enough through the customers’ betting pools and drinks. Wagering such a reward is what keeps the money flowing.”
He was about to speak, but you kept talking, “I’m glad I have such a family. The other workers… and that I have a home to sleep in every night, but…”
“Sometimes you wish things were different?” He interjected, and hummed as you nodded. “..I’m honored to fight for my Queen, and the Princess of Briar Valley… but what I would give for there to be peace, no more bloodshed.”
Silence consumed you both, and you clutched the top of your outfit tightly. Your heart raced in your chest, and you sat up, feeling him turn his head to look at you. The dancing, the singing, the laughter… joy.
Peace.
Leaning forward, you weren’t sure what possessed you. The racing of your heart, the tremble in your hand as you reached out and placed it against his shoulder. Smiling gently, you moved your free hand, moving his mask up just enough.
Everything seemed to go silent just for a moment, the chatter dying down, your blood pumping the only thing filling your ears. Finally moving your head forward, you were slightly surprised- his lips were warmer than the rest of his body, almost human.
He froze, his body completely stiff against you, before he relaxed into the kiss. Lifting his hand, tangling it within your hair, pulling you forward, and deepening the action.
The warmth in your heart, the fog in your mind- much accompanied by the lanterns emitting particles into the air, as each filled the sky, going somewhere nobody was quite sure of.
A wish for freedom, a wish for snacks later on.
A wish to see Lilia again.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Ow..” You whined to yourself as you got out of bed, your feet aching like they never had before. Walking around barefoot in new terrain was definitely not for everyone…
The room was chilly as always, but you were more upbeat than ever. Quickly getting dressed into your robes, a slight hop in your step as you fixed your hair, your tongue stuck out as you put in a hairpiece. The tunes from the night before still played in your head, the flutes- the violins, everything now just a small hum leaving your mouth as you prepared.
“Uhh.. hello?”
You jumped up, awkwardly smiling at a girl. The half fae you had helped just the day before stood in front of you, nicely dressed, her hair tied up behind her. Her cheeks were ever so slightly flushed as she tapped her foot against the ground, hands behind her back.
“I um…” she struggled to find her words, avoiding eye contact. “Wanted… I wanted to thank you…”
Her hesitance made you smile ever so slightly, so shy- even when she was expressing gratitude. Her bangs fell in front of her face, shadowing her eyes.
“It’s no worries,” you chirped back, walking up towards her. “I know it’s scary, but please try not to let those guys get to you. It’s worth it to ask for help, rather than sit there and let them…” you trailed off, your silence speaking for itself.
She may not know who you were per se- but she knew the tales all too well. What happened to your mother… it wasn’t only her. Countless courtesans were treated as if their own wants didn’t matter in the world, as if they deserved to be treated like trash simply because a few coins were shoved their way.
The half-fae nodded, her pointy ears and the scales riding up her neck a bit more evident with her hair tied back. “I know, but… the Madame will never listen to me. They all look down on me for being what I am.”
Despite her anger, her voice was hushed, not wanting anyone else to hear.
“Oh…” your eyes widened, and you stared down at the ground. There wasn’t much you could say; after all, she wasn’t entirely wrong with her statement. “..I can’t talk on the Madame, but the other workers here, I can guarantee they don’t feel poorly about you. You might be a different species from us, but that doesn’t change anything, we’re all still trapped in this damn place, aren’t we?”
Your dry laugh perked her up, and she smiled softly, “..Yeah. I guess that’s true.”
“Now! Let’s go!” You grabbed her hand, making her stiffen at the contact, “We gotta make our money's worth tonight, right?”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Like every fifth day of the week, Lilia appeared in the doorway. At this point, even the human soldiers stopped reacting to his presence, knowing there was nothing that could be done in a place like this. After all, it would just result in them getting kicked out, not worth it for an ass-whooping either way.
You smiled at him and felt a rush of wind as Alina ran past you, tackling the green-haired man beside Lilia. “Mr. Boar!!!”
…
Maybe she wasn’t the best at pronouncing names still.
Opening your hand, you dragged Lilia away from the group, walking backwards. “Yknow… today is a celebration.”
“For what?” He questioned, leaning in towards you as you stopped in front of a stage.
“Today’s the day Lady Molifa is getting married, she’s a few years older than me,” you explained, pointing towards the well-dressed woman, beautifully adorned in a white dress and headdress. “She’s pretty excited, to get out of here.”
Lilia watched as you spoke, the way you stared at her, the slight distance in your gaze. “Really?” He hummed, bringing his hand to his chin. “Are you also excited to get away?”
You froze, lip twitching… “Ahah.. well-“ trailing off, your hands clasped behind your back. “Who wouldn’t be? I just hope it’s with someone nice.”
“Why don't you-“
He was cut off as your name was called, and your attention drifted away, moving away ever so slightly to discuss with another worker. His hand twitched, a part of him wanting to reach forward and drag you back, to finish his statement, to ask you to run away and be with him, to stay with him as he left for the next battle.
But…
“Sorry, sorry! What were you saying, Lilia?” You smiled ever so gently, genuinely happy, genuinely at peace.
“…Nothing of importance.”
Looking him up and down, you debated pressing further, but shook your head. “Right…” Even now, he was awkward towards you, “W..well, whenever a courtesan leaves, we celebrate. I was wondering if you’d be willing to be my dance partner?”
Before he could even answer you backed up, face hot, “It’s okay if not of course! I mean I can dance with another worker ahah.. It’s no big deal.”
His hand rubbed the back of his neck “Hm.. well… I’m not very used to your way of dancing, but why not?”
Grinning ever so slightly to yourself, you grabbed his wrist, dragging him to the stage- and as the music began to play, beautiful violin and singing, you slowed your movements, giving him the chance to follow your feet as you moved.
Twirling the two of you around in circles, he eventually found his rhythm, a content look on his face. If life could freeze like this forever, both back in Briar Valley and here, he could die a happy man.
Your hands drifted away from him, spinning on your foot, the long droopy sleeves of your attire creating a hypnotic illusion- your arm reached up, holding out to the moon, and then twirling it, reaching out towards Molifa, who stood with her newfound husband.
Your eyes were on her, shutting ever so slightly in contentment, but even then, Lilia stayed still. Molifa was behind him, and for a moment, it felt like you were watching him, your hand out stretched for his, for him.
For a brief moment, he wanted to believe this goodbye dance was all for him. That you were wishing him well on his journey, but as you came back, meeting his hands again to continue your duo dance, his heart ached. Why couldn’t he bring himself to tell you the truth? To tell you he couldn’t come back for a month at the least…
Would you be heartbroken? Could you ever find it in your heart to forgive him for his cowardice in simply telling you the truth?
All he could hope was that you would smile when he returned, when he saw you again, that you would bless him with your faint laugh and a gentle hug.
..Perhaps he should bring back some fruit as well.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Checkmate.”
Your voice was filled with confidence as you smiled smugly, watching as the man in front of you leaned back in defeat, wandering off to sulk alone with his buddies. You rested your hand on your chin, watching as everyone talked… waiting, and waiting.
Yet the one competitor you were truly after never came.
Fiddling with the chess piece, you recounted each passing day, you knew for sure yesterday was the fourth of the week, so today he was certainly meant to come. Your lip jutted out, feeling disappointment swell in your chest.
It had been ages since you felt that despair, the sting in your eyes, the bile in your throat. Your hands clenched, before dashing up and stumbling down the stairwell. You weren’t mad at him, you couldn’t possibly will yourself to be. Yet this day was all you looked forward to for the past week, the only thing that kept you going through the harsh ridicule and curses from your clients.
“Aha, hey pretty,” you stiffened as you were pulled back, a man’s arm snug around your neck, pulling you into a hug. He leaned down, whispering into your ear, “How bout we have some drinks together? Hm?”
You stared at the group that was watching him like a hawk, from the patch stitched into their shirts you knew who they were. Ironclad soldiers.
You rarely drank with customers, much less those you despised more than anything, those who started the war. Yet, at the moment, you couldn’t care less about who was buying you a drink, as long as it did its job.
One drink quickly turned into two, two into three- something people of their stature could handle. Not something someone who rarely drank could. Your body trembled at the feeling, your mind hazy as the liquid did its magic. Everything was blurry, as you leaned against the wall.
The man approached, mumbling something you couldn’t make out, his hand trailing from your face down to your chest. You felt a mess, and your mind screamed for you to tell him off, but all you could do was lift your hand up- and slap him directly across the face.
“Ow, fucker!” He cried out, his hand darting out to hold the reddening spot on his cheek.
You stepped back, staring at your palm as it began to sting. You had never done that before, standing up for yourself in such a way truly felt good.
His hand lifted, “Crazy bitch!” And then it came down upon you, and your world went dim.
When you awoke, all you could see was the disapproving face of Madame leaning above you. Her lips pursed, plopping down in a chair beside your bed as you sat up.
“I truly thought you could have been something special,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.
You stared back at her, “He had it coming.”
The Madame shook her head, grumbling, “It’s not just this. Ever since you met that damn monster you’ve been nothing but a nuisance.”
You froze at the mention of Lilia, hands clenching in your lap. “He’s not a…” You trailed off, fiddling with the cloth near your legs.
“He doesn’t matter, you’ve become a burden here,” she said, standing up, “This will be your last week working under me. You’re lucky some people were still offering a hefty price for your hand in marriage, otherwise you would’ve been left with the other girls.”
…
You stared down at your lap, and despite how much you wanted to retaliate, to get up and scream at her, all you could do was furrow your eyebrows, trying to hold back the tears prickling in your eyes. The door slammed shut as she left, and you stared at the homemade paper sitting next to your bed, sniffing as you reached forward for a pen.
Lilia Vanrouge…
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“The war general… he came around here often, no?” The man leaned forward, and you blankly stared back up at him. Your heart ached at the mere mention of him, nose scrunching up in disdain.
When you opened your door to rapid knocking early in the morning, you hadn’t expected an Ironclad to greet you. It was so early, the sky outside was still dim.
Despite your inner turmoil, you nodded, staying silent. You were certain you looked terrible, eyebags heavy, red, cheeks rubbed raw.
“Do you have any idea where he is?”
You shook your head.
“Is it true that fae live here?”
…
You hesitated that time, staring up at him. Finally inspecting his armour, you noted the sword he clung to desperately, and the bag slung over his shoulder.
“You’re not supposed to bring weapons up here,” you murmured, too tired to do anything but recite the rules you had constantly given out. He let out an annoyed huff, stepping closer. Your nose twitched, smelling something strange coming from him, or his bag.
It smelled akin to gunpowder, a metallic and smoky scent. “Now tell me, is it true that fae live here?”
From the heavy footsteps surrounding the building, you were certain that there were more soldiers in the building. It was only a matter of time before they came across the half-fae courtesan living within your walls. “Yes.”
“You’re aware that’s illegal, right? Hiding fae within your walls in the midst of a war?”
“Artemn doesn’t follow the rules of King Henrick,” you mumbled, fingers drumming against your stomach. “We’re our own kingdom.”
He snickered, “You really think a place so barren as this can even be considered a kingdom?” His taunts echoed in your ears, and all you could do was watch as he lifted his sword from his hip. “Besides, isn’t it practically treason for any human to fraternize with those monsters?”
Pressing it against your neck, all you could do was look him directly in his eyes, “This place will be burnt down, along with everything and everyone in it. So won’t you cooperate and follow me out? It’s technically not your fault your boss took in a freak.”
Slowly blinking, you stared back at his smug face. If you could kill him yourself, you honestly might have.
Soldiers like this weren’t good people, were they? You always tried to avoid them, and you always pitied when a courtesan was forced to work with one.
“They’re not…” youYouailed off, earning a small confused sound from the man. “They’re not monsters.”
“What are you on about? Obviously they are!”
“..They’re just like us…” You were quiet, before forcing a smile, even as your voice broke, “Or maybe… that makes us monsters too?”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Llia walked among the wreckage of a once proud kingdom. One that had now fallen twice.
Artemn, a place which was filled with beauty and nature, was struck down by the lightning of his late Princess, and then burnt to the ground in the midst of the war, reduced to nothing but rubble.
Despite everything having turned to ash and broken down bricks, his footsteps sounded as he walked, he remembered the path distinctly. For the first time, he was not accompanied by a surplus of men, only his right hand- Baur stood by his side as he stopped.
“…”
Artemn had one colorful place in all of its land, a house for the courtesans. The one place where soldiers could come to relax, the one place where anyone was welcome- perhaps not accepted, but welcome, for sure.
His hand reached out, brushing against a standing piece of wood, char and ash leaving a residue on his thumb. With no trees or buildings to protect him, the wind left him feeling sick as it pricked at his skin.
He walked forward, trying to ignore the constant sound of clutter under his shoes, nearly stumbling as he tried to reach his destination. The stairs were far from safe to climb up, each step broken and splintered… instead, his wings unfurled behind his back, slowly lifting him into the air.
“Uff..” he landed roughly, and he could hear Baur call out in concern. Lilia unintentionally tuned him out, and as he slowly walked, he accidentally kicked a chess piece- one of the many that someone he once knew had owned. His hand clenched into a fist as he bent down to pick it up, it was of rich material, withstanding the fire just enough.
His teeth dug into his cheek as he stared at it, the piece leading his eye to a drawer. He leaned forward, opening it up. Within, there was a wooden box, tightly wrapped in some sort of cloth. Lifting it up, he sniffed at the item.
Although it was clearly a bit charred, the cloth seemed to be coated with a protectant, something to prevent it from being destroyed in the fire. His hands trembled as he worked through the tightly tied cloth, trying his best not to rip it apart.
The box fell open in a swift motion, and he struggled to catch it before it fell. Within, old and tattered papers lay in a heavy stack, everything written in an all too familiar writing.
Dearest Lilia,
Soldiers at the Brothel have begun to talk, warning of the war's drastic turn. I’m left to wonder how you are, after missing our last few meetings. Are you stuck there, fighting for your people? Are you even alive?
How I wish you are.
I don’t know what I would do if I heard you had passed, would Mister Baur be kind enough to inform me?
Alina misses you.
I̶ ̶m̶i̶s̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶.̶ ̶
Each letter he read through filled his heart with a heavier pain. His hands clutched the papers so hard that they began to crumple within his grasp.
Lilia,
I don’t have much time to write this, so I must apologize for my poor handwriting. The walls of Artemn are crumbling in on itself, if we are not killed by the soldiers, I’m certain the people within will lead to all of our despair.
I can hear the soldiers pounding at our door, and I only hope they can stall long enough for me to protect these messages.
There’s so much I wish to say to you, so much I have left I want to do. Yet I know I don’t have the time to do so. Thank you for showing me your world, for introducing me to fruit, to the amazing traditions of your people. I will forever cherish all of these moments we shared.
The one thing I have always wanted to share with you as ise wish I made that day. Perhaps you were right, it is simply superstition to believe speaking a wish dispels magic, nevertheless, I doubt it’ll come true, even if Lady Maleficent wills it.
He flipped the page onto its back, watching as your handwriting became more jumbled as you rushed through your final words.
I wish that you were the one I am made to marry; even if the people disapprove. If we could run away together, if I could follow you for the rest of eternity… then, my wish would come true.
Is it silly to say I love you to someone I only knew for a few months? Is it a disgrace to my own kind to feel such a way about a fae?
Perhaps.
Yet it is all I can believe- that I love you, Lilia.
With love,
▋█▋▆▀▜▁▎ ▜
Your name was blurred.
An unusual noise left Lilia’s mouth as he stared blankly at the paper, your name left a blob as water fell upon it- his own tears, a sensation he had felt all too much recently.
Lilia was not one to cry, he hadn’t even teared up since Maleanor fell- not since he had been left alone in a kingdom once full of friends.
He shoved the paper into the box, a disgruntled cry leaving his mouth as he slammed his fist down into the destroyed wood next to him, the material easily shattering from the impact.
Two kingdoms once filled with life, now only left with silence.
Lilia had won the war, the Ironclads were gone- Briar Valley was safe. Yet the world around him was torn to the ground, his attempt at silencing his cries was pitiful, the only thing heard being his muffled sniffles. Hearing the pathetic sound echoing through the barren land, Baur stiffened, before finding his way next to his general, kneeling beside him, his hand on his back.
Everyone had lost something.
But they won.
A Pyrrhic victory.
A victory that anyone should be overjoyed about, but they had lost so much, that the question of whether everything was worth it is all that is left in their hearts.
The children of Briar Valley would run around safely now, the lanterns would light as they had that night he and you were together. Strawberries would grow within the forest, masks would be painted, songs would be sung, and he would never again see the way your eyes lit up as the lanterns rose, never again would he hear your voice, feel your lips against his, have you curled up to him as he flew…
For a man who had won the war deciding everything, Lilia had never felt so alone.
—
rip maleanor you wouldve loved evanescence
༻♱༺ alternative confirmed happy ending will be linked here when I finish it!!
tags/warnings ༻♱༺ lilia v x reader, general lilia vanrouge, gender neutral reader, mentions of prostitution, ambiguous ending, no beta we die like maleanor, opposite of slow burn, angst
a/n - i was hoping to get this out before i hit 100 followers so i could give you all a proper 100 followers celebration post, but i hit it last week (thank you guys so much WAHH T_T) so I hope this suffices as my mini celebration <33 this fic has been a major pain because my file got corrupted and my edits got messed up, so I’m sorry if I didn’t fix it perfectly on the second round.
word count - 12k+ words
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
A place where there was no war- anyone would assume that meant it was the most peaceful place on the planet. No battles late into the night, no soldiers hiding in the crooks and crannies of the world.
A haven, wasn’t it?
A strained yelp of pain echoed through the building, and all you could do was clutch your blanket closer to your chest, closing your eyes as tightly as you could. In a world full of this noise, full of bumps in the night, you’d anticipate someone inventing something to drown out the nauseating sounds.
There was no war, after all, Artemn was a nation of peace. A nation that took no sides, a nation that had no government. All were welcome. Artemn was the epitome of a perfect place.
Or, better known as a pleasure district.
Artemn wasn’t always given such a name; it was once a beautiful place. In some lighting, you can still see the flowers reaching out of the ground, desperate for a hint of light. Yet ever since Lady Maleanor’s lightning struck upon soil, nothing real has grown since.
“…Scuse me…” Nearly jumping out of your skin, you flipped over in bed, prepared to make a break for it. Yet no such evil stood before you.
Your heart thudding slowed, offering a small smile, “Alina…” Your quiet voice made the small girl perk up, rushing forward. Even as her feet hit the floor, they barely made a sound, a trait most of the workers had.
To not disturb.
“Lady Opal… she's worrying me,” Alina frowned, crawling onto bed with you. The young girl didn’t know the truth about what took place in the depths of the night, but she knew it wasn’t pleasant. “I know Madame requested we don’t disturb the clients' rituals, but…”
Alina.
A servant girl.
She was barely in the double digits, her baby teeth still filled with chips and gaps. It made her smile all the more cute, and her lisp didn’t concern you during lessons.
Patting her head, you held back a contented sigh as she leaned into you. The warmth of the girl provided a simple comfort for yourself, something you very much needed at the moment. “I know you’re worried, but don’t go up there. There’s nothing you need to fix or dally on now.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, staring up at you with the slightest disapproval. “…It’s my job to help you guys when you get hurt! She sounds hurt!”
“You’ll be there to help her in the morning, no?” You hummed, causing her to glance off to the side.
Under her breath, she mumbled a small, “I guess…”
“For now, we should just sleep,” your suggestion led to a shy nod from her, curling up next to you when you fell back into the bed. Wrapping your arm around her, pulling her in towards your chest, your hand ever so gently over her ear.
Ever so slightly that the pained sounds from the other room were muffled.
Such a peaceful place, no war to keep the children up.
At least, that’s what everyone whispered about outside the walls of Artemn.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“So many people are willing to spend their money on one person? The madam must be crazy not to send them off this instant!”
“..That courtesan…”
Your eyes drifted over, lips pursed. If people were brazenly going to talk about you, why not just ask the questions directly? You had rehearsed your answers to a T. You heard the story so often that it was ingrained in the back of your mind, the cursed words written for eternity.
“…Their mother was famous. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her before!” The customer chuckled, his hand to his mouth as he did so. “Lady..-“
You blanked out, not wanting to hear another boring recitation of your mother’s life, to her tragic death. You had heard many tales through the grapevine, but it all summed up to one thing.
Your mother was the most beautiful courtesan, perhaps that’s why your father fell for her so easily- why he was so easily driven to bring a knife into her personal quarters and lay her to rest. Now that nobody could buy her, they let their eyes lie upon the next best thing.
Her child.
Perhaps you would inherit her beauty as you grew older, her charm, her voice, her wit- a woman of so many talents. The reputation you had to uphold made your stomach churn, especially how harshly it was enforced on you.
You were only a child when the requests began- grown men, even women, trying to purchase the next best investment. Thankfully, the Madame wasn’t willing to sell a child (her cash pig) because she cared incredibly about your safety (her trust fund).
On one hand, you were grateful. You didn’t have to worry about being sold off to a random creep at any moment. Playing board games, dancing with the people around you, and serving drinks… it was far better than what the others dealt with. You could smell the envy in the air each time they spotted you, not that you could blame them.
Nepotism really has come a long way.
The only thing that connected all of you stayed the same though, the only reason all of you stayed so tightly knit through your differences. You all had the same fate.
At 27, you would be sold, just like any other worker.
Similarly, if you lost a bet to a client, Madame’s dedication to preserving you (and your worth) would go down the drain. An enticing bet- Win a single game against a high-ranking courtesan, get to be their beloved for one night!
Yet everyone here was foolish.
Serve them a few drinks, distract them with a smile, and they’d never win. Even when sober, they’d forever lose. You had spent your life perfecting your craft, 21 years dedicated to being the very best at everything.
That way, you’d never have to worry about your value tanki…-
“…H..Hello?”
What a pitiful sound that was.
You had never stuttered at a potential customer, not once lost your cool, but…. What the hell was wrong with this guy?!
Sure, Artemn was considered a place where all were welcome- fae and human alike. Despite the war that tore through major kingdoms, the small haven of Artemn steered clear of being directly involved. Though... that didn’t mean prejudice didn’t embed itself deep into the souls of everyone who lived there.
The land King Henrick ruled over was a place that would deeply frown upon the crude acts that took place in Artemn, however, in each person's soul, they truly desire the impurities they claim to hate.
After all, Ironclads filled the establishment day in and day out.
Everyone knew. You could only assume that’s why a group of Fae stood before you. Did they want information?
Your eyes narrowed as you stared at the man at the front, of rather short stature. Clearing your throat, you forced a smile, "Can I help you, sir? If you're looking for the nearest Inn it's-“
"No."
Yikes.
There goes any hope of shoving him off to the next person.
"Well then... I'm sure...." You trailed off, so desperately wanting to drop this responsibility on another courtesan, or one of the servants. Yet, in your soul, something tugged on your heartstrings and refused to bestow that fate on them. "Ahem. I'm sure I can find you some nice seating! Follow me, if you will?"
You were untouchable.
Even a 𝗆̶𝗈̶𝗇̶𝗌̶𝗍̶𝖾̶𝗋̶ fae like himself must accept the rules of this house...
The steps behind you were heavy, for some reason, each soldier following in perfect unison. Glancing to the side, you noticed the piercing gaze of opposing human soldiers. Whether they were cursing you for being near their sworn enemy or planning out a murder plot, you were unsure.
Your gaze finally fell on a nearby table, offering the group a seat. "Some of our best workers will be up and about today! The show starts at..-“
“Not here for the show.”
Your finger twitched against your thigh at his interruption, holding back a frustrated grumble. “..R..right?” You tilted your head, “Then what are you here for?”
Was he a pervert? Here for one of the girls… your lips pursed as you watched him, unable to see his reactions through his detailed mask.
“A game.”
You perked up, holding your hands behind your back as your head tilted, “A game..?”
“I heard if I wanted a challenging game, I should come here,” he said, pointing directly at you, “And I believe you fit the description, of who I’m looking for, no?”
“I, ok-“
“You guys do hold games here, right?” His constant interruptions were beginning to make you want to strangle him.
"Well... yes," your voice shrunk to a whisper, you oh so desperately did not want to be near this guy much longer, much less play a game with him. Yet, a man like himself, one who lived centuries longer than you, he would have more tricks up his sleeve than any other of the workers knew how to deal with. "Though, games are held on the upper level. I'm afraid you can't bring any dangerous items near personal quarters."
You gestured to his weapon, rather pleased with your excuse. What kind of war general would be willing to leave his previous weapon in a room full of his greatest foe?
“General! You can’t just…-!”
The shorter man had no response to the green-haired soldier's cry, dumping his expensive-looking weapon directly onto the table. All the soldiers who had found their way to their seats awkwardly stared at it, too wary to go anywhere near the object.
Maybe this guy was insane.
“…We… we are not to be held responsible for any lost items,” a girl beside you mumbled, Amia, if you recalled correctly. She was sent here in exchange for her parents’ debts to the house being paid.
The fae simply shrugged, brushing past the two of you, wandering throughout the house. Normally, nobody would allow a customer to get that far without proof of payment, but nobody dared to speak out against a creature of the night.
Clearing your throat, you turned on your heel, canine digging into your lower lip. You watched as his pace slowed, cocking his head back- clearly waiting for you to catch up, to lead him.
Hesitantly, you put one foot in front of the other, closing your eyes to zone out the pounding echoing in your chest.
"Wait!" Amia grabbed onto your arm, her eyes filled with panic. The others in this house were at times confused by why you of all people received social treatment- but you all still held a bond. The same bond that compelled you not to dump the General on the younger girls, the same reason Amia was trifling through her mind for any excuse to keep you away from him.
“Ug... uh... Madam said you have a performance later, won't you be too tired if you go off to play now?”
What a sweet girl.
Your hand was shaking, you were sure she could feel it against her own. Her eyebrows furrowed, a desperate look in her eyes. She already had so much to worry about…
“No worries,” you smiled oh so gently, her eyes widening ever so slightly. “I’m sure it’ll be quick. I’m the best at this after all, aren’t I?”
Sure, you were the top player in this house. Yet even your joking tone didn't change the real fear you felt. You had never played against someone of such high status, especially not one of a different race. You sped up, quick to meet the fae's steps, holding out your hand.
Flirtation, drinks, any sort of distraction- Even a fae wasn't immune to it, no? As long as he followed after you like every other person who longed for a chance, you would be set. Human and fae... they truly aren't that different, why else would they both be here?
His hand was cold, a sharp contrast to your warm ones, the blood pumping through your body making his ear twitch, eyes wandering down. Your chest was rising and falling, betraying the anxiety you were so desperately trying to hide- your hand trembling, against his.
You so willfully ignored his gaze, dragging him up the stairs, pretending- maybe even trying to convince yourself, that he was any other customer.
Letting go of his hand, the fae quickly sat down on one of the cushions, a nice ruby red. His arms were crossed over his chest as he sat less than graceful. You sat across from him, in a much more dignified manner, mind you.
His eyes darted around the entirety of your setup, from the neatly spot, to the decorations that filled the area. He stared at you… dissecting each part of how you sat, how you stared- you could only pray he couldn’t see the nervous sweat dribbling down your face.
Finger drawing along the edge of a drawer, he made a self-assured sound, tapping directly on a box. “This.”
"Chess... really?" You stared over at him in confusion, before grinning ear to ear. “Well, if that’s what suits you best, but I need to warn you- I am a master at this one!"
To be frank, you were a master at every game the brothel had to offer- you had even learned some tactics from other kingdoms, other cultures; to ensure you never faltered. The look on people's faces when you catch their tricks would never grow old.
Though, ever since the war between the Ironclads and the Fae broke out... the creatures of the night were rather tight-lipped. You were plenty grateful the General compromised, not suggesting some strange game from his homeland.
Chess is a simple game, despite all the methods that came along with it; the basics were all anyone truly needed- that, and the ability to think a few moves ahead. Although you wouldn't compare it to gambling, getting a read on your opponent was just as important as understanding what each piece meant, each twitch in their hand, the way their breath hitches, a simple scrunch of their eyebrows... all signs they're struggling, all signs it's the perfect chance to push them into a corner and win the game.
Perhaps going against a masked man was far more difficult because of that.
Every move you made, he matched perfectly, and you were suddenly entirely grateful you went first. A move that took you a good minute to play out was immediately countered by a simple slide of his hand. You took a pawn, and he was quick, immediately getting revenge- though he didn't seem to be making any offensive moves, much to your confusion.
Your hand trembled ever so slightly as you brought it to your chin, desperate not to find yourself trapped in a corner. Even if you didn't win this, you surely could bring it to a draw, right? A smug smile crept onto your face as you quickly executed your move, capturing his knight. With that- you could back him into a corner, and force him to surrender... All he had to do was move his king...
Plop.
For the first time in the whole game, the General did an offensive move, catching you off guard. Moving his last knight...? What good could that possibly do, leaving his king perfectly open like this? There’s no way anyone would take such an irrational risk, especially not someone of his caliber. His knight only had one spot to go though it wasn't much of a threat at all, but it would be much better to squash any future worry of it now, right? You moved your rook, blocking the knight's position.
And for the first time today, you swore- you could hear him chuckle under his breath. If there was any expression under that mask, it would be a cocky smile, you would desperately want to smack it straight off his face. You were so used to being the one playing mind games on your clients, so used to having them second-guess themselves, but you had yet to experience that firsthand, not since you were a child.
Every move you made to avoid his attack, he could easily counter- perhaps a regular client wouldn’t notice that, but this was a man who commanded men in the same way he was now doing to your game pieces. He had purposely set the board up in such a way that you couldn’t escape, in a way that guaranteed your fate would be sealed.
Leaning forward, the general picked up a pawn, easily snatching up the tower you had moved to block his knight. There was no reasonable plan of attack you had left, you could move a pawn around, a hopeless attempt at blocking him from your king. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you just prayed the distraught look on your face wasn't too evident.
Was this seriously how you lost your streak? How do you lose it all??
You had rarely considered the truth of your destiny that you had been set up for, the moment everything you had worked for crumpled around you. You always believed that maybe, by some wonderful twist of fate- you would run away, or be rescued before you could be sold off. Yet today, there was no need for that thought. The moment you lost this, the moment you lost everything you had been slaving away for.
The reputation, the pristine person everyone paid for a chance to meet, it would all fall to the ground. The sound of him placing a piece on the board was deafening; now, you really didn’t want to look.
Though, there were no gasps, no sounds made, although you were certain people were watching. You glanced around, nearly giving yourself whiplash from the sudden movement.
"Seems you trapped me,” the General sounded ever so slightly different. “I guess they were right. You are good. For a human, at least.”
He stood up, and your mind screamed to follow him, to do your job and escort him out with a smile and a promise for another game. Yet, you could only stare at the board, legs too weak to even fathom standing. He had moved two pieces, one so slightly that someone outside wouldn't notice.
He had thrown the game, leaving his king completely open.
The general patted his armor ever so slightly, working out joints all too stiff. “Now, where was that Inn you spoke of earlier?”
Staring at him in utter bewilderment, your eyebrow twitched- “Are.. Are you mocking me?” Despite the accusation, your voice stayed small, feeling like a mouse under his gaze.
The general brought his hand to his mouth, breathing in heavily. "Kufufufu..."
He's... laughing? Seriously laughing?
"We should play again soon. Next time I'll be sure to beat you.”
Turning on his heel, he descended the stairs, asking another courtesan for directions. With that, he gathered his men, and his weapon, leaving the house without another word.
“Woo… that looked pretty intense!” Alina seemed to appear from nowhere, nearly making you jump out of your skin. “Madam was pretty worked up over this… she said we should bathe immediately so you're ready for tonight!”
“Alina…” you trailed off, your hand moving from your thudding chest, up to your face. “..I think I'll need to cancel the event tonight… I- I think I’m sick.”
Besides the tremors shaking up your body, and the pounding of your heart… your face suddenly felt like it was on fire.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Such a foolish mistake he made. It was normal, even the best players would trip over their own feet sometimes, but you had never seen someone fail so obviously. Someone like him… There's no way he lost on purpose. What good would that serve him?
“Perhappsss he wanted to save you?” The chipper voice from beside you questioned, the much younger girl who served the house.
Your body relaxed when you noticed her, offering a sweet smile, the food in her hand made it obvious it was already time for dinner. How had so much time passed? Better yet, how didn’t you notice you were rambling out loud? “Aha..” your forced smile wasn’t unnoticed. For such a young girl, Alina was truly perceptive. Ignoring the way her head cocked to the side, you cleared your throat, “He’s a fae. I don’t think any of them have that sort of… emotional drive.”
Her lips pursed, deflating ever so slightly in disappointment. “Well, yeah… but he didn’t look so scary… Madam always said that fae were these creepy crawlers in caves!” She held her hand up into claws, mimicking a monster. “Hehe… he looked like Prince Charming!”
“Isn’t Prince Charming meant to be taller than his princess?”
“Hey! He’s super tall!” Alina pouted, placing the food down, “He was likeee UP TO HERE!” She jumped with her hand raised high, trying to match the General’s height.
“Mmm.. I’m sure he is tall.. to a mouse,” leaning forward, you ignored the food, grabbing up the girl, spinning her around.
She didn’t even have time to retaliate, if she even processed your jokey insult, you were unsure. Her giggles were all that filled the room as you spun.
That childish innocence, it’s something you truly wished for her to keep forever. To believe everyone was full of kindness, and compassion.
To protect her from evil, from the people who came to this house time and time again; to protect her from the future any girl born into this house would face.
That’s all that felt important anymore.
Your spins slowed, her legs dangling in the air, clinging to your shoulders. “..Are you hungry, Alina?” Lowering your head to nuzzle the top of hers, you felt her nod. Staring at the minimal amount of food on your plate, your lips tugged into a frown.
“Well, I still feel pretty sick,” you sighed dramatically, setting her down in front of your plate. “You’d be doing me a huge favor if you ate my portion, so I don't waste it!”
The younger girl stared up at you for a good while, before flashing you a toothy grin. “Sounds good!”
Growing up in the midst of a war only led to travesty. You had experienced it yourself, only knowing how the world looked through tales and paintings handed down to you from those before.
If you could wish for anything, it would be for Alina to live in the world they cheered about, a world where she could play with all the animals she wanted, to pick all the flowers in a real garden…
To experience real joy, beyond everything fake that had been shoved in her face her whole life.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Whirling a game piece around on the table in front of you, your eyes danced over each customer awaiting below. The other workers were swamped today, you could see the way the edges of their lips twitched from strain, the slight stumble in their steps.
Your movements halted as a commotion made its way to your ears, an all too common occurrence. It wasn’t a rarity to see people drink just a bit more than they could handle, their voices raising ever so slightly, their movements becoming so violent.
It was around that same time they also realized, in a drunken stupor, they had spent all their money on booze, and couldn't afford to stay the night, even with a low-ranking girl.
A man's hand was tight around a courtesans wrist, if you recall, a relatively new addition to the house. You still weren't certain of her name… something exotic, you remember. Being a beginner must be tricky, especially when you can barely speak the common language. If you were right, she was only half human.
You perked up as her panicked voice pierced through the air, trying to get the man to back up. Everything in your mind screamed at you to stay seated- not get involved.
Though.. you really weren’t in your right mind since yesterday.
Rushing down the stairs, you skidded to a halt, “Aha, hey, hey!” Putting your hands up in front of you, your words distracted the man for a moment. “I think I dropped one of my chess pieces around here, do you think you could help me find it?“
“Fuck off.”
“Oh, uh,” ok, to be fair- you weren’t expecting that. “It’ll only take a moment, right? I’m sure you’ll find it.. much quicker than anyone else would…” You tried so very hard to deflect, to make him feel praised, anything to calm him down.
He stumbled forward, and you backed up, a feeling of dread settling in your stomach. His hand went up, and he pointed at your chest, much akin to how someone scolds a child. “If I help you, how about you pay me back with a little something?”
Glancing behind you, the girl from earlier had backed up, finding safety in one of your fellow older girls’ arms. “…Ahah, sorry… I guess I’ll just find it on my own. Have a good day though, sir!” You closed your eyes to smile, the most polite look you could manage.
You didn’t even get the chance to open your eyes again, hearing the air as his hand pulled back, and the loud thump as it connected with your face.
“Hck!..” your own hand immediately made its way to the now aching skin, feeling warmth as blood pooled, your nose stinging as the sensation. Your eyes grew watery at the feeling, leaving you unable to see anything but a blob as his hand raised for another strike.
Thwump!
You blinked, watching as the blob fell to the ground. A drunken fatigue..? Wiping your eyes, you cleared your vision, flinching back at a sudden face in your vision. You yelped, bringing your arm up to your face, your long sleeve covering the unsightly look of your bruising skin.
Pretty red eyes met yours, complimented by skin so pale you’d think it belonged to a corpse. Frozen in place, you looked the person up and down, your brain slowly processing everything. Hair tied neatly into a ponytail, a mixture of black and red- a color scheme you recognized from a few days prior.
A ragged cloak accompanied by a sleek suit of armor.
“..General..” you mumbled, closing your eyes and bowing your head down. “Thank you for saving me, sir.”
You shot up, ready to move back out of the customer's view, seeing the blood dribble down from your nose, over your lips… before you could dart off, his hand shot forward, snatching your arm. A bit rougher than he intended, but he slowly peeled away your concealment, revealing the mess tattering your face.
His tongue clicked in displeasure, gesturing for a green-haired man to come closer- you recognized him… “Baur. Attend to the human’s injury.”
“Ah! There’s no need!” You snatched your arm away, waving your hands in the air, ignoring the way the blood made you ever so slightly dizzy. “It’s just a small thing, I can fix it myself.”
“Yeah, see? General, the human doesn’t need my..-“
“No,” the shorter man shook his head, completely cutting off his soldier. “Baur holds talents with treating wounds that even astonish me at times, besides, Fae treatments are much better. You need to be in tip-top shape for our game, no?”
Your finger twitched, wanting to continue this oh so heated debate- but ultimately, there was no point. Sighing, you slowly sat down at a nearby table, avoiding eye contact as the green-haired soldier, Baur, approached you. Grabbing your chin a bit roughly, he stared down at your face, scoffing and muttering something about how easily humans were beaten down.
He was surprisingly gentle as he dabbed your face with some mysterious liquid, but you could feel the tenseness in his fingers, see it in his jaw… he really did not enjoy this order. As time went on, the cool liquid felt nice against your skin, your eyes drooping ever so slightly at the feeling.
“See, Lilia, they’re literally asleep from the smallest dosage of…-“ Baur was cut off as he was hit in the back by his general, his jolt waking you back up fully, blinking at the sudden awkward eye contact.
A part of you wanted to tug his hand down, to dismiss the medicine that seemed to be entering your bloodstream. “The medicine… it isn’t… bad right?”
In other words, you were ensuring you weren’t being drugged. There’s no way they’d be this rash in a public spot- and who was Lilia? Was that the General's name..?
“Nothing bad,” the long-haired fae shook his head, his arms crossing over his chest. “It’s simply made for fae. The effects on humans must be more intense, interesting, right, Baur?” He leaned forward, his tone teasing towards his soldier.
“Because they’re feeble.”
A part of you wanted to argue, but considering your eyes were drooping, your chest growing heavy as the need for sleep trickled through your body. Perhaps he wasn’t too far off…
Falling asleep on the job… probably wasn’t good…
“Are you sure your daughter would be happy hearing that? Isn’t she quite fond of humans?”
“She’s a child. I’m sure she’ll form a rational opinion as she grows older.”
Their voices blurred together as they bantered, your head slowly falling forward. “…Hm.. well you’d be surprised.”
“Lilia!” The more gruff of the two called out, disgruntled as he was shoved back, your head finally fell forward, resting against a much softer stomach than you expected. You wanted to will your eyes open, but nothing you did would convince your body to move.
A small hum, a hand ever so slightly reaching up to play with your hair, running nimble fingers through it. “Some humans are pretty cute, I can’t blame her.”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Mm..” You rolled over in your bed, burying your face into your thin blankets, curling in on yourself in an attempt to preserve any warmth. The winters had been much harsher in the past years- well, at least that’s what you were told. You weren’t even born when the small kingdom had pleasurable things and cool falls. Now there were only two choices: burning heat, or freezing cold.
Your hands clenched in front of you, canine digging into your bottom lip. If only that dragon hadn’t…-
…
Hand twitching, your eyes squinted open, your nails stopping their devastation into your palm. In front of you, a man sat in a chair, ever so slightly slouched over. His long hair covered the majority of his face, his shut eyes ever so slightly showing through the gaps.
You hadn’t gotten a good look at his face earlier, with everything going on. You remembered his piercing red eyes, but seeing him at complete peace was… new.
How were his eyelashes so long?
Your eyebrows narrowed, trying to remember what happened. Slowly, you moved to sit up. Your body was still adorned by beautiful fabrics, indicating you had fallen asleep on the job. Glancing down, you fixed up your uniform, not wanting to look a complete fool. Trying to be quiet, you lowered your feet to the ground, flinching at the freezing temperature. Just where had your socks gone? Was that the one thing he felt was important to change you out of?
The moment you fully stood up, Lilia awoke- if he was ever asleep an even more pressing matter. You stared down at him as he watched you, shivering ever so slightly as a cocky grin crossed his face. “Falling asleep during your job? Is that what’s considered top-level nowadays?”
You froze, clearing your throat, “You’re the one who gave me…” trailing off, your eyes sought out the cracks in the floor for comfort. “I… apologize, sir.”
A breathy laugh left his mouth, stretching out his limbs as he got up. Taking a step forward, watching as you took one back… “I think I’m owed some reparations? I did spend so very long coming down here.”
Your movements continued, like a dance… except the dance was you getting cornered against a wall. For a man of his stature, you never imagined you’d get intimidated to the point your knees were about to give out. “..I.. um..” stumbling over your words now. Classy.
He leaned in, “Youuu… uh?” He mockingly tilted his head, finding amusement in the way you scurried around your words, switching from excuse to excuse, eyes shutting tightly as you trembled under his gaze.
Breathing in heavily, you nodded. You could do so much… call for an attendant, throw him right out of your room. Though, something in your chest screamed at you not to take such an action. Your face flushed, staring down at his shoes. “What is it that you want?”
He grinned, pleased by your appeasement. His hand reached forward, grabbing your wrist, lurching you forward. You yelped, stumbling over your feet. “Hey! What are..-“
“I can have anything, right?”
“..Er.. uh.. I guess?”
As your words left your mouth, he pushed your window open, pulling you straight into his arms. Is this how you die? You owe a debt to a fae and he decides to murder you???
You squealed as he lifted you up, your hands clinging around his neck, burying your face into his shoulder as he took off, jumping straight out the window. You felt his hair lift under your hands, your clothes flailing in the air. Yet, the familiar feeling of misery in your stomach never hit, the way you felt as a carriage drooped down too harshly, or when you fell down a hill as a kid… whoops.
Your arms trembled, eyes slowly peeking open. You could still see the window of your room as you slowly drifted away from it, the wind rustling through your hair, stinging your cheeks with its harsh chill. Yet the warmth of another person, or more so his clothes… (he himself was just as cold,) brought you mild comfort. The barren trees below you, the houses and inn nearby only lit by a dim glow of their fireplaces.
“.. Whoa..” Your hands drifted from his shoulders, too immersed in the sight around you to concern yourself with the fear of falling to your death. A dull sparkle of magic surrounded both of you, but something else new was there. A strange pair of limbs now jutted from his back, what you recognized as wings. They looked leathery, but more delicate compared to the portrayals of monsters filling the courtesan house.
Your hand wandered down, gentle circles rubbing near his shoulder blades, the base of his wings. You felt him shiver under your touch, fingers digging ever so slightly into your skin. “Careful, there.”
Immediately flinching away from your hand placement, you whispered a small apology, awkwardly moving back to your original stance.
You enjoyed the silence that consumed the tw of you. Usually at this time of night, you would be kept awake by the distraught sounds of your coworkers, or the scared cries and breaths of the children. Staring at the house, you stiffened, “Ah, wait.. what about…” you trailed off, realizing he wouldn’t know who Alina was. “..I.. there’s a young servant girl… she usually comes to my room at night. If I’m not there, she…”
“Miss Alina?” Lilia questioned, and you froze. How did he…? “She’s quite a nice young lady, had quite a good conversation while you were getting your beauty sleep.”
Your face grew red at that comment, choking on your own spit. “Ack-! Well, I…” you shook your head, no point arguing. “..I just.. don’t want her to be worried.”
“No need to fret,” The wind around you stilled, and you looked down. The world had grown darker, and his wings slowed, as the two of you drifted down. “I left Baur with strict orders. One of those was to entertain the young lady,” the general chuckled to himself, imagining the bulky man being forced to have his makeup by someone who had barely hit double digits.
His feet gently hit the ground, and you moved your head from his shoulder, staring at him. “Baur? Doesn’t he hate humans? What if he…”
“He would never hurt a child, even if she is a human,” he let you down, balancing you as you readjusted to being on earth. Staring down at the ground, you felt the cool grass under your bare feet. “Baur has quite a soft spot for children, after all, he’s a father himself.”
You glanced at him in shock, hand covering your mouth. “A father?? Really?”
The fae nodded, holding out a hand, beginning to lead you through the forest. It was dim, but even so… nature surrounded you. Vines curling up the trees, bushes filled with berries and flowers surrounding you. Everything you were so… not used to. “Where are we?”
He hummed, releasing your hand and bending forward, rummaging through the bushes. Those berries were definitely not edible, at least not to your kind. “We’re near the entrance to Briar Valley.”
His blunt reply made you flinch, staring at him in confusion. “..What? Are you serious??”
Your questioning tone made him perk up, waving a mask in the air. It looked familiar to what he had worn before, when you first met him… but slightly less scary. It was less detailed, with jewels adorning it. “Don’t fret, nobody will realize you’re human. As long as you stay by my side.”
He handed you the mask, and you accepted, staring down at it silently. Was a mask seriously all it took to blend in with fae? If that were the case, you could probably win the war for the ironclads here and now.
…Not that you would. You hated them.
Lifting the mask to your face, it was surprisingly breathable, and you were able to wrap it around your head with ease. It only covered your eyes and nose, more similar to a masquerade mask than anything. “Will the others not be confused seeing someone like me wearing this? I’m clearly not a soldier.”
He stared at you, before huffing out a laugh, putting on his own mask, the one you had seen before. “That bejeweled thing? Anyone with common sense would see that you’re not wearing a soldier's mask.”
…
“Ye..yeah.. right..” you trailed off, glancing to the side.
“Besides, it’s festival week. Everyone will be wearing their own creations,” he started to walk again, making you speed up to meet the steps of the general. “In my years, I’ve seen some insane masks. I guarantee nobody will even spare a glance your way- while, besides the fact you’re walking with me.”
“So… you’re gonna be hogging all the attention?” You mumbled, watching as the dark forest thinned, making way to a brighter environment. You could hear the chatter of people, the laughter of children.
He shrugged, his hands behind his back as he walked, following the winding path towards the celebration. You didn’t mind the attention not being entirely on you for once, if anything… it felt nice.
Lanterns filled the sky, and you tilted your head as you watched them float higher and higher. Pointing up, you questioned their existence, “What are those for? Decorations?”
Each one looked so unique, with different colors, different symbols cut and drawn into them. Lilia was ever so slightly slouched, “Not quite. Each one represents a wish.”
A wish..?
“It’s mostly for the children, but everyone takes part nowadays,” his eyes drifted from the lanterns to you, “You write your wish on the inside, and by the time it reaches the moon it burns up, its essence is to be read by the old Queen Maleficent.”
Silence consumed both of you for a moment, before he shifted, “Would you like to partake?”
Your eyes widened, lips tugging up ever so slightly, “Can we? Even if I’m not a fae?”
Lilia nodded, “Of course, why couldn’t you? Lady Maleficent wouldn’t discriminate against someone’s wishes.”
You joyfully smiled, nodding your head rapidly. Quickly following his steps, eyes drifting over every person’s mask, their exquisite outfits, to the interesting food and accessories they held. Now and then, someone would stop Lilia in his tracks- greeting him, thanking him for his heroics, small glances shot your way, and teasing comments made to the war hero.
Well he was occupied with his conversation, your eyes wandered around, jumping backwards as a man jumped into your field of vision.
“Hello! Could I help you to some treats?” He was chipper, perhaps the most upbeat you had seen from a person who was sober. He held a stick of something in his hand, a red food coated in brown and white.
You cracked an awkward smile, staring at it… “S..sorry.. what is that?” You tilted your head, pointing at the foreign food.
He smiled smugly to himself, waving it in the air, “Chocolate-covered strawberries, one of my specialties.”
Your nose twitched, scrunching up. You had never seen a strawberry before, but something that colorful had to be suspicious. And chocolate… staring at the man uncomfortably, you weren’t sure what to say.
A breath of relief left your mouth was Lilia jumped in, his interactions with these people were a sharp contrast to how he was when you first met him.
“Ahah! The general in the flesh!” The vendor nearly grabbed Lilia into a hug, if not for the shorter man’s quick dodge. Though, somehow the jolly fellow didn’t seem the slightest bit impacted by the rejection. “Have two sticks on the house, anything for you and your companion!”
The man hummed to himself as he wandered away, prepared to get more people to try his treats. You blinked, facing whiplash from the encounter.
“Er..”
Your gaze moved, staring at the treat he was holding. You pointed at it, “..So.. what exactly is a strawberry?”
Lilia glanced back at you, offering one of the treats to you. “You’ve seriously never had a…” he trailed off, recalling where you lived. “It’s a fruit. It grows nicely within our forests.”
You nodded as he spoke, “And.. this?” You pointed at the hardened coating. “He said it was chocolate, but isn’t that made from cocoa?”
“Mhmm,” he nodded his head, lifting his mask ever so slightly to chow down. Cocoa was incredibly expensive, and the only time you had tried it was from a richer client.
Staring at the treat curiously, you gave in, biting into the treat. The sweet crunch followed by a juicy flow into your mouth caused you to perk up, hand tightening around it. You licked your lips, covering your mouth as you had to hold back a giddy smile.
“You like it, hm?” He questioned, even though your enjoyment was evident. You quickly nodded your head, and he leaned forward, reaching his gloved hand to wipe a bit of excess red from your lip. “We can try more fruits, if you’d like.”
You opened your mouth, clearly about to reject his offer, but he beat you to it. “I’m sure your friends at the bro… ahem.. at your home, would love to try, no?”
Drats. He got you.
“Yeah.. I’m sure they would.”
From peaches to plums, oranges, and apples- each one was a new experience. Your arms grew ever so strained by the bag digging into your skin, stomach full of desserts and treats. As the night grew darker and darker, you found yourself more and more content to shut your eyes and fall asleep.
Around you, children were excitedly scribbling on thin paper, older fae hastily sewing the pieces together to create the beautiful lanterns you had seen earlier. Your lips pursed, accepting a brush from Lilia, working on your own paper.
You had painted many pieces in your time, it was something many customers adored- the artistic touch. Yet something like this is never considered. Your hand froze at the top of your paper, head lolling to the side.
What did you wish for?
Alina; to grow up safe? Your fellow workers to willver have to suffer again? You wanted so badly to wish for something selfless, especially if someone as magnificent as one of the seven were to bless you.
Yet truthfully, all that echoed in your mind was how you wanted life to be happy. How you didn’t want to be sold off like an object in someone’s plan…
Your eyebrows furrowed, before you had tensed, jotting something down quickly. A quick swirl following it, an artistic addition as you folded your note up, placing it in the lantern.
“Sooo… how do we make them fly?” You asked, watching as he shuffled closer, grabbed his own, and put it next to yours.
Lilia glanced around, leaning closer to whisper, “Usually, this is a way for the children to show off the basic magic they’ve been learning and light the fires themself, but…” he looked you up and down, “I presume you don’t have any of those powers, no?”
You sighed, shaking your head. How come they don’t just have a darn fire pit for inexperienced people like yourself?
He leaned back, debating for a moment, before grabbing his lantern. A small flash of light emitted from his hand, and you felt warmth just near the small fire. The pit in the middle lit with a bright flame, beginning its ascent into the air. You watched in amazement, mesmerized by the act. Your distraction led you to jump as Lilia grabbed your hands, which still gently held the delicate piece.
Lifting your hands into the air, he lowered one hand, leaving it under the opening of your lantern. The same warmth danced on your skin, and you watched as your own creation flew into the sky.
“..What did you wish for?” Lilia tilted his head as he stared at you, watching as your eyes shone from the fire. Your lantern drifted into the air with his, meeting everyone else’s.
You stiffened, staring at him as if he had just committed a crime. “I can’t tell you! Or it won’t come true!”
He stared at you in bewilderment, before bursting out in a fit of laughter. “What? Seriously?”
“Yeah! Seriously… if you tell someone the magic will break!”
“You humans and your superstitions…”
“It’s super serious,” you grumbled, pulling your knees up to your chest. “…But… I’ll tell you if it comes true later.”
He simply nodded, his hair flowing in front of your face as he flopped onto the ground, lying down to watch the sky. You stared at him, resting your head on your knees as he relaxed.
“..Thank you.. for taking me out today,” you mumbled, the chirping of bugs, and the giggles of everyone around you filling your ears. You could hear the crackle of makeshift firecrackers, the celebrations all around you.
He shifted, moving to his side to look back up at you. “Well, you’re doing me a favor. Getting a break from the war to do this.”
Your eyes danced over him, nodding, “Right… It's nice that you guys get to experience this still.”
“Hm… It’s a nice distraction. Though, I never will truly forget what’s at stake, what they have taken,” he grumbled, fingers digging ever so slightly into his hand.
They being ironclads… they being humans.
“..Don’t you hate humans, then?” You questioned, staring back at him. The wind blew through both of your hair, relaxing your mind and body.
He hesitated, staring into the sky- the moon shone across the dark blue so beautifully. “No. Who am I to hate someone simply for the species they were born?”
Your lips pursed, feeling ever so guilty for your earlier thoughts on him, simply because he was a fae.
“Do you hate fae?”
Freezing in place, you held your legs closer to your chest, swallowing the lump in your throat. “..No,” shaking your head, moving to rest it on your knees. “I don’t hate you.”
The grass shifted as his hand pressed into it, sitting up, leaning closer. “I didn’t ask if you hated me, I asked if you hate fae.”
The silence between you both was tense, and your finger twitched. Did you hate fae? Did you think so negatively of him and his men because of their existence, or…
“..No.”
You leaned closer to him as well, “I think I just hate anyone who enters that house… fae or not,” a dry laugh left your mouth, trying to make light of the crappy day-to-day life you worked.
Seeing a man of his caliber get flustered was amusing, his ears perked up, and if he didn’t have a mask, you were certain he’d be blushing. “Ahem.. I just wanted to play a game, nothing improper,” his eyes darted away, hiding his face from you as he crossed his arms.
“Pff,” you snickered under your breath, heart racing as you leaned into him. Acting brave was never quite your thing, but despite the pounding in your chest, the anxiety in your stomach- resting against his shoulder felt so very right. More right than the money put into your hand after every completed game, after every flirty remark filled with insincerity. “I guess you’re the exception then.”
Your eyes closed ever so slightly, feeling exhausted under the cool air. “That day… why did you lose the game?”
“..I-“ He paused, clearly about to make up an excuse, say he didn’t lose on purpose. He wasn’t soft. That was idiotic. “You looked terrified. I heard rumors that those who won against you could get whatever they wanted, but I doubted that was true. Until I saw your reaction.”
“Yeah,” your voice was quiet as you spoke, “Even though the games themself don’t cost money, the madame makes more than enough through the customers’ betting pools and drinks. Wagering such a reward is what keeps the money flowing.”
He was about to speak, but you kept talking, “I’m glad I have such a family. The other workers… and that I have a home to sleep in every night, but…”
“Sometimes you wish things were different?” He interjected, and hummed as you nodded. “..I’m honored to fight for my Queen, and the Princess of Briar Valley… but what I would give for there to be peace, no more bloodshed.”
Silence consumed you both, and you clutched the top of your outfit tightly. Your heart raced in your chest, and you sat up, feeling him turn his head to look at you. The dancing, the singing, the laughter… joy.
Peace.
Leaning forward, you weren’t sure what possessed you. The racing of your heart, the tremble in your hand as you reached out and placed it against his shoulder. Smiling gently, you moved your free hand, moving his mask up just enough.
Everything seemed to go silent just for a moment, the chatter dying down, your blood pumping the only thing filling your ears. Finally moving your head forward, you were slightly surprised- his lips were warmer than the rest of his body, almost human.
He froze, his body completely stiff against you, before he relaxed into the kiss. Lifting his hand, tangling it within your hair, pulling you forward, and deepening the action.
The warmth in your heart, the fog in your mind- much accompanied by the lanterns emitting particles into the air, as each filled the sky, going somewhere nobody was quite sure of.
A wish for freedom, a wish for snacks later on.
A wish to see Lilia again.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Ow..” You whined to yourself as you got out of bed, your feet aching like they never had before. Walking around barefoot in new terrain was definitely not for everyone…
The room was chilly as always, but you were more upbeat than ever. Quickly getting dressed into your robes, a slight hop in your step as you fixed your hair, your tongue stuck out as you put in a hairpiece. The tunes from the night before still played in your head, the flutes- the violins, everything now just a small hum leaving your mouth as you prepared.
“Uhh.. hello?”
You jumped up, awkwardly smiling at a girl. The half fae you had helped just the day before stood in front of you, nicely dressed, her hair tied up behind her. Her cheeks were ever so slightly flushed as she tapped her foot against the ground, hands behind her back.
“I um…” she struggled to find her words, avoiding eye contact. “Wanted… I wanted to thank you…”
Her hesitance made you smile ever so slightly, so shy- even when she was expressing gratitude. Her bangs fell in front of her face, shadowing her eyes.
“It’s no worries,” you chirped back, walking up towards her. “I know it’s scary, but please try not to let those guys get to you. It’s worth it to ask for help, rather than sit there and let them…” you trailed off, your silence speaking for itself.
She may not know who you were per se- but she knew the tales all too well. What happened to your mother… it wasn’t only her. Countless courtesans were treated as if their own wants didn’t matter in the world, as if they deserved to be treated like trash simply because a few coins were shoved their way.
The half-fae nodded, her pointy ears and the scales riding up her neck a bit more evident with her hair tied back. “I know, but… the Madame will never listen to me. They all look down on me for being what I am.”
Despite her anger, her voice was hushed, not wanting anyone else to hear.
“Oh…” your eyes widened, and you stared down at the ground. There wasn’t much you could say; after all, she wasn’t entirely wrong with her statement. “..I can’t talk on the Madame, but the other workers here, I can guarantee they don’t feel poorly about you. You might be a different species from us, but that doesn’t change anything, we’re all still trapped in this damn place, aren’t we?”
Your dry laugh perked her up, and she smiled softly, “..Yeah. I guess that’s true.”
“Now! Let’s go!” You grabbed her hand, making her stiffen at the contact, “We gotta make our money's worth tonight, right?”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Like every fifth day of the week, Lilia appeared in the doorway. At this point, even the human soldiers stopped reacting to his presence, knowing there was nothing that could be done in a place like this. After all, it would just result in them getting kicked out, not worth it for an ass-whooping either way.
You smiled at him and felt a rush of wind as Alina ran past you, tackling the green-haired man beside Lilia. “Mr. Boar!!!”
…
Maybe she wasn’t the best at pronouncing names still.
Opening your hand, you dragged Lilia away from the group, walking backwards. “Yknow… today is a celebration.”
“For what?” He questioned, leaning in towards you as you stopped in front of a stage.
“Today’s the day Lady Molifa is getting married, she’s a few years older than me,” you explained, pointing towards the well-dressed woman, beautifully adorned in a white dress and headdress. “She’s pretty excited, to get out of here.”
Lilia watched as you spoke, the way you stared at her, the slight distance in your gaze. “Really?” He hummed, bringing his hand to his chin. “Are you also excited to get away?”
You froze, lip twitching… “Ahah.. well-“ trailing off, your hands clasped behind your back. “Who wouldn’t be? I just hope it’s with someone nice.”
“Why don't you-“
He was cut off as your name was called, and your attention drifted away, moving away ever so slightly to discuss with another worker. His hand twitched, a part of him wanting to reach forward and drag you back, to finish his statement, to ask you to run away and be with him, to stay with him as he left for the next battle.
But…
“Sorry, sorry! What were you saying, Lilia?” You smiled ever so gently, genuinely happy, genuinely at peace.
“…Nothing of importance.”
Looking him up and down, you debated pressing further, but shook your head. “Right…” Even now, he was awkward towards you, “W..well, whenever a courtesan leaves, we celebrate. I was wondering if you’d be willing to be my dance partner?”
Before he could even answer you backed up, face hot, “It’s okay if not of course! I mean I can dance with another worker ahah.. It’s no big deal.”
His hand rubbed the back of his neck “Hm.. well… I’m not very used to your way of dancing, but why not?”
Grinning ever so slightly to yourself, you grabbed his wrist, dragging him to the stage- and as the music began to play, beautiful violin and singing, you slowed your movements, giving him the chance to follow your feet as you moved.
Twirling the two of you around in circles, he eventually found his rhythm, a content look on his face. If life could freeze like this forever, both back in Briar Valley and here, he could die a happy man.
Your hands drifted away from him, spinning on your foot, the long droopy sleeves of your attire creating a hypnotic illusion- your arm reached up, holding out to the moon, and then twirling it, reaching out towards Molifa, who stood with her newfound husband.
Your eyes were on her, shutting ever so slightly in contentment, but even then, Lilia stayed still. Molifa was behind him, and for a moment, it felt like you were watching him, your hand out stretched for his, for him.
For a brief moment, he wanted to believe this goodbye dance was all for him. That you were wishing him well on his journey, but as you came back, meeting his hands again to continue your duo dance, his heart ached. Why couldn’t he bring himself to tell you the truth? To tell you he couldn’t come back for a month at the least…
Would you be heartbroken? Could you ever find it in your heart to forgive him for his cowardice in simply telling you the truth?
All he could hope was that you would smile when he returned, when he saw you again, that you would bless him with your faint laugh and a gentle hug.
..Perhaps he should bring back some fruit as well.
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“Checkmate.”
Your voice was filled with confidence as you smiled smugly, watching as the man in front of you leaned back in defeat, wandering off to sulk alone with his buddies. You rested your hand on your chin, watching as everyone talked… waiting, and waiting.
Yet the one competitor you were truly after never came.
Fiddling with the chess piece, you recounted each passing day, you knew for sure yesterday was the fourth of the week, so today he was certainly meant to come. Your lip jutted out, feeling disappointment swell in your chest.
It had been ages since you felt that despair, the sting in your eyes, the bile in your throat. Your hands clenched, before dashing up and stumbling down the stairwell. You weren’t mad at him, you couldn’t possibly will yourself to be. Yet this day was all you looked forward to for the past week, the only thing that kept you going through the harsh ridicule and curses from your clients.
“Aha, hey pretty,” you stiffened as you were pulled back, a man’s arm snug around your neck, pulling you into a hug. He leaned down, whispering into your ear, “How bout we have some drinks together? Hm?”
You stared at the group that was watching him like a hawk, from the patch stitched into their shirts you knew who they were. Ironclad soldiers.
You rarely drank with customers, much less those you despised more than anything, those who started the war. Yet, at the moment, you couldn’t care less about who was buying you a drink, as long as it did its job.
One drink quickly turned into two, two into three- something people of their stature could handle. Not something someone who rarely drank could. Your body trembled at the feeling, your mind hazy as the liquid did its magic. Everything was blurry, as you leaned against the wall.
The man approached, mumbling something you couldn’t make out, his hand trailing from your face down to your chest. You felt a mess, and your mind screamed for you to tell him off, but all you could do was lift your hand up- and slap him directly across the face.
“Ow, fucker!” He cried out, his hand darting out to hold the reddening spot on his cheek.
You stepped back, staring at your palm as it began to sting. You had never done that before, standing up for yourself in such a way truly felt good.
His hand lifted, “Crazy bitch!” And then it came down upon you, and your world went dim.
When you awoke, all you could see was the disapproving face of Madame leaning above you. Her lips pursed, plopping down in a chair beside your bed as you sat up.
“I truly thought you could have been something special,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.
You stared back at her, “He had it coming.”
The Madame shook her head, grumbling, “It’s not just this. Ever since you met that damn monster you’ve been nothing but a nuisance.”
You froze at the mention of Lilia, hands clenching in your lap. “He’s not a…” You trailed off, fiddling with the cloth near your legs.
“He doesn’t matter, you’ve become a burden here,” she said, standing up, “This will be your last week working under me. You’re lucky some people were still offering a hefty price for your hand in marriage, otherwise you would’ve been left with the other girls.”
…
You stared down at your lap, and despite how much you wanted to retaliate, to get up and scream at her, all you could do was furrow your eyebrows, trying to hold back the tears prickling in your eyes. The door slammed shut as she left, and you stared at the homemade paper sitting next to your bed, sniffing as you reached forward for a pen.
Lilia Vanrouge…
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
“The war general… he came around here often, no?” The man leaned forward, and you blankly stared back up at him. Your heart ached at the mere mention of him, nose scrunching up in disdain.
When you opened your door to rapid knocking early in the morning, you hadn’t expected an Ironclad to greet you. It was so early, the sky outside was still dim.
Despite your inner turmoil, you nodded, staying silent. You were certain you looked terrible, eyebags heavy, red, cheeks rubbed raw.
“Do you have any idea where he is?”
You shook your head.
“Is it true that fae live here?”
…
You hesitated that time, staring up at him. Finally inspecting his armour, you noted the sword he clung to desperately, and the bag slung over his shoulder.
“You’re not supposed to bring weapons up here,” you murmured, too tired to do anything but recite the rules you had constantly given out. He let out an annoyed huff, stepping closer. Your nose twitched, smelling something strange coming from him, or his bag.
It smelled akin to gunpowder, a metallic and smoky scent. “Now tell me, is it true that fae live here?”
From the heavy footsteps surrounding the building, you were certain that there were more soldiers in the building. It was only a matter of time before they came across the half-fae courtesan living within your walls. “Yes.”
“You’re aware that’s illegal, right? Hiding fae within your walls in the midst of a war?”
“Artemn doesn’t follow the rules of King Henrick,” you mumbled, fingers drumming against your stomach. “We’re our own kingdom.”
He snickered, “You really think a place so barren as this can even be considered a kingdom?” His taunts echoed in your ears, and all you could do was watch as he lifted his sword from his hip. “Besides, isn’t it practically treason for any human to fraternize with those monsters?”
Pressing it against your neck, all you could do was look him directly in his eyes, “This place will be burnt down, along with everything and everyone in it. So won’t you cooperate and follow me out? It’s technically not your fault your boss took in a freak.”
Slowly blinking, you stared back at his smug face. If you could kill him yourself, you honestly might have.
Soldiers like this weren’t good people, were they? You always tried to avoid them, and you always pitied when a courtesan was forced to work with one.
“They’re not…” youYouailed off, earning a small confused sound from the man. “They’re not monsters.”
“What are you on about? Obviously they are!”
“..They’re just like us…” You were quiet, before forcing a smile, even as your voice broke, “Or maybe… that makes us monsters too?”
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ
Llia walked among the wreckage of a once proud kingdom. One that had now fallen twice.
Artemn, a place which was filled with beauty and nature, was struck down by the lightning of his late Princess, and then burnt to the ground in the midst of the war, reduced to nothing but rubble.
Despite everything having turned to ash and broken down bricks, his footsteps sounded as he walked, he remembered the path distinctly. For the first time, he was not accompanied by a surplus of men, only his right hand- Baur stood by his side as he stopped.
“…”
Artemn had one colorful place in all of its land, a house for the courtesans. The one place where soldiers could come to relax, the one place where anyone was welcome- perhaps not accepted, but welcome, for sure.
His hand reached out, brushing against a standing piece of wood, char and ash leaving a residue on his thumb. With no trees or buildings to protect him, the wind left him feeling sick as it pricked at his skin.
He walked forward, trying to ignore the constant sound of clutter under his shoes, nearly stumbling as he tried to reach his destination. The stairs were far from safe to climb up, each step broken and splintered… instead, his wings unfurled behind his back, slowly lifting him into the air.
“Uff..” he landed roughly, and he could hear Baur call out in concern. Lilia unintentionally tuned him out, and as he slowly walked, he accidentally kicked a chess piece- one of the many that someone he once knew had owned. His hand clenched into a fist as he bent down to pick it up, it was of rich material, withstanding the fire just enough.
His teeth dug into his cheek as he stared at it, the piece leading his eye to a drawer. He leaned forward, opening it up. Within, there was a wooden box, tightly wrapped in some sort of cloth. Lifting it up, he sniffed at the item.
Although it was clearly a bit charred, the cloth seemed to be coated with a protectant, something to prevent it from being destroyed in the fire. His hands trembled as he worked through the tightly tied cloth, trying his best not to rip it apart.
The box fell open in a swift motion, and he struggled to catch it before it fell. Within, old and tattered papers lay in a heavy stack, everything written in an all too familiar writing.
Dearest Lilia,
Soldiers at the Brothel have begun to talk, warning of the war's drastic turn. I’m left to wonder how you are, after missing our last few meetings. Are you stuck there, fighting for your people? Are you even alive?
How I wish you are.
I don’t know what I would do if I heard you had passed, would Mister Baur be kind enough to inform me?
Alina misses you.
I̶ ̶m̶i̶s̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶.̶ ̶
Each letter he read through filled his heart with a heavier pain. His hands clutched the papers so hard that they began to crumple within his grasp.
Lilia,
I don’t have much time to write this, so I must apologize for my poor handwriting. The walls of Artemn are crumbling in on itself, if we are not killed by the soldiers, I’m certain the people within will lead to all of our despair.
I can hear the soldiers pounding at our door, and I only hope they can stall long enough for me to protect these messages.
There’s so much I wish to say to you, so much I have left I want to do. Yet I know I don’t have the time to do so. Thank you for showing me your world, for introducing me to fruit, to the amazing traditions of your people. I will forever cherish all of these moments we shared.
The one thing I have always wanted to share with you as ise wish I made that day. Perhaps you were right, it is simply superstition to believe speaking a wish dispels magic, nevertheless, I doubt it’ll come true, even if Lady Maleficent wills it.
He flipped the page onto its back, watching as your handwriting became more jumbled as you rushed through your final words.
I wish that you were the one I am made to marry; even if the people disapprove. If we could run away together, if I could follow you for the rest of eternity… then, my wish would come true.
Is it silly to say I love you to someone I only knew for a few months? Is it a disgrace to my own kind to feel such a way about a fae?
Perhaps.
Yet it is all I can believe- that I love you, Lilia.
With love,
▋█▋▆▀▜▁▎ ▜
Your name was blurred.
An unusual noise left Lilia’s mouth as he stared blankly at the paper, your name left a blob as water fell upon it- his own tears, a sensation he had felt all too much recently.
Lilia was not one to cry, he hadn’t even teared up since Maleanor fell- not since he had been left alone in a kingdom once full of friends.
He shoved the paper into the box, a disgruntled cry leaving his mouth as he slammed his fist down into the destroyed wood next to him, the material easily shattering from the impact.
Two kingdoms once filled with life, now only left with silence.
Lilia had won the war, the Ironclads were gone- Briar Valley was safe. Yet the world around him was torn to the ground, his attempt at silencing his cries was pitiful, the only thing heard being his muffled sniffles. Hearing the pathetic sound echoing through the barren land, Baur stiffened, before finding his way next to his general, kneeling beside him, his hand on his back.
Everyone had lost something.
But they won.
A Pyrrhic victory.
A victory that anyone should be overjoyed about, but they had lost so much, that the question of whether everything was worth it is all that is left in their hearts.
The children of Briar Valley would run around safely now, the lanterns would light as they had that night he and you were together. Strawberries would grow within the forest, masks would be painted, songs would be sung, and he would never again see the way your eyes lit up as the lanterns rose, never again would he hear your voice, feel your lips against his, have you curled up to him as he flew…
For a man who had won the war deciding everything, Lilia had never felt so alone.
—
rip maleanor you wouldve loved evanescence
༻♱༺ alternative confirmed happy ending will be linked here when I finish it!!
To be honest, I legit thought I’d never finish this (mostly because I’m lazy as hell, but it is what it is.) THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT I FINISHED IT OKAY???
Anyway... the whole idea behind this comic is that Malleus gets some sunflowers for helping us out with our studies. I just really needed to draw some cute nonsense with him, and I think I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Plus, I loved the contrast between him being all serious and this whole evil overlord dude and those bright, warm sunflowers.
SUMMARY: you were just trying to get some food when you are suddenly faced with a child who is freezing the cafeteria. but the most surprising thing was that he called you mother and has an undeniable resemblance to both yourself and malleus.
PAIRING: malleus draconia x reader
WARNINGS: biological children are implied and the usage of mother
It was time you put your foot down and stop your food from being stolen. Well, you didn't really put your foot down. You just told your friends that you would eat later in the cafeteria when they all went. It was a drastic measure, but you couldn't continue living like that.
Every time you, Deuce, Ace, and Grim ate together, you never got nearly enough food in your stomach, because Ace and Grim seemed to believe that your food was also their food.
So now you were on your way to have lunch on your own. Hopefully, someone you knew is also still there. Otherwise, it will be super awkward to sit at a table with a bunch of strangers. It will make you self-conscious of how you eat...
But it seems you didn't need to worry about eating right now.
A group of students came frantically running from the cafeteria, nearly knocking you over in the process. You barely got out of the way in time by stepping between two statues in the hallway.
One of your fellow students seemed to have the same idea, because he squeezed himself beside you, so he could catch his breath for a moment.
"What is going on? Why is everyone running?" you asked him, seizing the opportunity to get answers without needing to possibly get involved in the chaos.
The unknown student took a few heavy breaths before answering. "An attack! Someone is freezing the cafeteria. I think some students even got frozen."
"What?" You were in disbelief that it was really that bad. "Are you sure it's not just a prank from a few mischievous students or ghosts?"
"I know what I saw. That definitely wasn't a prank!" the student said, clearly offended you’d even suggest it.
You turned to the entrance of the cafeteria when you felt the temperature in the hallway drop. You couldn't see anything from your place. But you could feel the pressure of magic in the air. It felt powerful. So it must be true what the student said. But there were only a handful of things that could charge the air with this amount of magic.
"Was it an Overblot?" you asked the student, now sharing his panic.
"I don't know. Do you think I stayed long enough to check?" he snapped at you, before his voice returned to a more civilized tone. "I don't think I saw blot ink or a phantom anywhere... But does it even matter? We should get outta here and let someone else deal with whatever is in the cafeteria."
The student didn't wait for you and instead sprinted off. You wanted to follow, but stopped when you suddenly heard what sounded like the hysterical cry of a child.
Your breath hitched as the temperature dipped again, cold nipping at your cheeks and frosting the edges of the hallway tiles. The crack of ice spreading echoed faintly from the cafeteria doors. And then that cry came again.
Who would bring a child to Night Raven College? And why would they be alone?
The impulse to run warred with your instincts. But something about the sound rooted you in place. A chill that had nothing to do with ice crept up your spine.
So once again, throwing any sense of self-preservation out the window, you decided to investigate the cafeteria.
As you approached the entrance, a thin layer of ice curled and crept across the floor beneath your feet. The temperature was dropping as if the air itself recoiled with sadness.
And then you saw it.
The cafeteria doors were open, hanging slightly ajar, frost spiderwebbing from their hinges. The cafeteria was a frozen winter scene. Tables were rimmed with rime. Plates of forgotten lunches sat frozen mid-bite. Students who hadn’t escaped in time were partially encased in thick magical ice. Thankfully, it didn't seem like they were injured. They are just trapped.
And in the center of it all, curled up and trembling within a growing circle of frost, was a boy.
He couldn’t have been older than five or six. His hands covered his face as sobs wracked his tiny frame. You were struck by the sight of such a young child in this place. A child who seemed so out of place amidst the suffering he unintentionally caused.
The ice creeped outward with each of his hiccupping sobs, the magic surging with raw, unchecked emotion. His hair shared the same color as yours. Small horns peeked out from beneath the tousled locks. They were curved, and unmistakably draconic.
Your breath hitched.
Horns.
The resemblance to Malleus was impossible to ignore. Not just the horns, but also the gentle curve of the boy’s brow, and the elegant bone structure of his tear-stained face. But there was something in his eyes, when he finally looked up at you. They were wide, watery, and impossibly green. But lacking the sharp edge Malleus would have had. The boy's eyes were softer and his nose cute. That hit deeper.
Not like Malleus. Like... you.
You looked at the boy in silence for a few moments, not sure what to say. "Eh... Are you hurt?" you asked eventually your tone of voice awkward, as you tried to smile reassuringly at him.
The boy's big, round eyes were staring at you. He blinked a few times. "M-mother...?"
Huh?
Before you could ask or clarify anything, the boy ran toward you and launched himself into your arms. His tiny frame seemed to hide an impossible strength, because you felt like he would actually snap your spine if he hugged you any tighter. "Mother!!"
You were as frozen in place as the unfortunate students, who didn't get away in time. You didn't know how to handle this situation. You were pretty sure you didn't spawn a child in your time in Twisted Wonderland. The only thing coming close to a child you took care of was your ever-hungry cat-weasel companion. Certainly not a real breathing kid.
Despite your inexperience with children, you could tell that explaining to this traumatized, and very much powerful little boy, that you can't be his mother, wasn't a smart idea. So you just told yourself that he just called every woman 'mother'. That's something children do, right?
You patted the boys back in hopes his crushing grip on you would loosen at least a little. "There, there. Everything is fine."
Well, actually, nothing was fine, but you also needed the reassurance of your own words.
You gently pried his arms away enough to kneel down in front of him. "Can you tell me what happened here?"
"Everything was different and strange. Not like home. I was here, and there were so many people and-" His words were interrupted by a wrenching sob. "I was scared, and I didn’t mean to! I just wanted you, but-b-but you weren’t there, and then everyone started running and they yelled at me, and, and-"
As the coldness in the air heightens again, you rub the boy's shoulders gently, despite feeling slightly panicked that he might freeze the entire school. "It's fine. It's fine. You were just scared. No one will get angry with you," you smiled at him. "Do you maybe know a way to fix this?"
He shook his head. "No. Father always does."
"Well, it's not that important anyway. The Headmage will figure something out... Probably," you say when you saw his face twisting with guilt. Although you could feel the stare of a frozen student nearby, who definitely does not agree with you.
The boy nodded at your words.
You paused. You didn’t even know his name. Just calling him 'boy' is certainly weird. "Say, do you remember your name?"
He looked at you in silence before suddenly beginning to cry again, leaving you very confused. "Why are you acting like you don’t know me? I don’t like this game!"
Someone seemed to be sensitive. While you had no experiments with children, Grim certainly taught you how to deal with sudden mood swings and tantrums. Although using tuna as a distraction probably won't work.
"But how can I be sure you are the real you and not a spy, if you won't tell me the right answer?" you replied playfully, poking his stomach. "So? What's your name?"
He giggled when you poked him and stopped crying. "You are being silly, Mother," he said. "My name is Maledor, of course!"
You nodded, as if you knew that as well. Hoping that he didn't turn the tables on you to test you, and said the wrong name. But certainly a child wouldn't do that, right?
"Aha! Maledor. That’s a perfectly real name. You’re clear. No spy here."
You think about what you should do next. Seeing that no help or rescue had come in all this time, you could assume that none of the students who got away actually told the staff. You shouldn’t be surprised by that. After all, this was a school full of self-centered and mischievous students.
You couldn’t leave Maledor alone. And you had little faith that going to Crowley for help would do anything. He would end up dumping the work on you anyway, so you might as well search for a solution on your own, before Ramshackle gets a new member.
By Maledor's pointy ears and little horns, it wasn’t hard to tell that he must be a fae. So, going to Diasomnia is probably the best course of action. Maybe someone there knew who this little boy belonged to. And maybe Malleus or Lilia can defreeze the cafeteria.
You took Maledor by the hand as you led him to the Diasomnia Dorm. Every so often, his grip would tighten, like he was making sure you wouldn’t suddenly disappear. As soon as you went through the mirror and arrived on the bridge that led to the castle, which was the dorm, you could feel Maledor visibly relaxing.
"This is better! I like it here. It looks like home," he said with a cheerful voice. Seemed like you did good by bringing him here.
Right when you were about to enter the dorm, Sebek suddenly crossed your path. His sharp eyes fell upon Maledor. "Human! Why do you have a fae child with you?!" he demanded. Then somehow jumped to: "Have you kidnapped him?! Hand over the child at once!"
"When do you think I kidnapped a magical fae child, from its magical parents?" you shot back. "Do you think I walked to Briar Valley and back in an afternoon?"
Sebek didn’t listen to your words to hung up on the idea that you kidnapped a child. Like that wasn’t something faes usually did to humans, right?
"I said hand over the child!" he shouted, before trying to grab Maledor.
You didn’t know why, but a sudden protective streak came over you, and you stepped in front of Maledor, blocking Sebeks' hand. "Don’t just grab a child!"
Sebek recoiled, shock flickering across his face at your boldness. "Are you impeding one of Lord Malleus' loyal knights, human?"
Sebek tried to grab Maledor again, not listening to you. Maledor, on the other hand, obviously did not want to be grabbed by Sebek and was hiding further behind you, grabbing your jacket. "Mother, I don’t want to go…!"
When Maledor said that, Sebek paused. "M-Mother..?" he repeated, shocked. For a second, you think Sebek might actually let you explain the situation, but he immediately began shouting again. "How dare you steal away a fae child and then confuse it so much?! What wicked human trickery have you used?!"
You grit your teeth, trying hard not to let Sebek's ear-splitting accusations break your patience or your eardrums. "I didn’t do anything to him! And can you not yell? You’re scaring him." You glance at Maledor, who is now peeking nervously from behind your leg, clutching your jacket tightly.
Sebek falters only a split-second before putting himself between you and the entryway. This standoff would be comical if it weren’t so tense. "I will not allow a potential kidnapper entrance to Prince Malleus’s domain!"
"Look, I didn’t kidnap anyone," you said. "He appeared in the cafeteria, scared, and accidentally froze half the room. I thought someone in Diasomnia might recognize him or help fix the mess."
Sebek’s eyes darted from you to Maledor and back. "You expect me to take the word of a human? Of Night Raven’s resident troublemaker?"
Sebek's next rant was kept short when suddenly Lilia appeared swinging between the two of you. You screamed. Then Sebek screamed. And Maledor giggled.
Lilia landed lightly between you and Sebek, his eyes glinting mischievously as always, although there was a subtle alertness there. "My, my. Such excitement at the gates! Am I crashing a secret meeting?" he laughed.
You tried to catch your breath. How did Lilia always manage to appear exactly when you least expected it? "Lilia! Don’t sneak up like that," you gasped, half-laughing but mostly frazzled.
Sebek, who was embarrassed for also screaming, now tried to act as if he didn’t. "L-Lilia! The Prefect has procured a fae child and refuses to answer for it!"
"Oh? My, what an adorable little visitor we have…" Lilia said, studying Maledor’s face with recognition. He seemed to be delighted by Maledor.
"Uncle Lilia!" Maledor said, before coming out from behind you.
"Uncle?" you repeated, flabbergasted as you watched Maledor and Lilia interact as if they were long-lost family. "Do you know Maledor, Lilia?"
Lilia’s smile widened, a spark of mischief glittering in his eyes as he knelt down to Maledor’s level. "Of course I know this one," he said. "It’s been some time since we’ve had such a precious visitor from, shall we say, afar."
Maledor’s worry seemed to melt under Lilia’s reassurance. "Uncle Lilia, where’s Father?" he sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. "Everything’s scary and cold."
You blinked, looking between the two of them, feeling very much like you’d accidentally walked into someone else’s family reunion in the middle of things. "Wait, you really do know him?" you asked Lilia, carefully keeping your voice level.
Meanwhile, Sebek had gone uncharacteristically quiet, torn between his usual outrage and a suspicion that something much bigger than an abduction was happening.
Lilia stood up. His gaze softened as he addressed Maledor. "Don’t worry, Maledor. Your father is very busy today, as are all great kings-in-training. Why don’t you stay with your-" Lilia’s eyes danced over to you, and the corners of his mouth twitched as if privately amused by some secret. "beloved caretaker for now? I’m sure they’ll keep you safe."
Sebek straightened, suspicion not quite dispelled. "Are you certain, Sir, that the Prefect has not enchanted this child into believing-"
"Sebek," Lilia interjected. "Surely you would not accuse our dear Prefect of such underhanded magic?"
Sebek’s mouth opened and closed, before he replied. "I…I would never dare suggest you are incapable of seeing through such tricks, Sir! But this situation is most unusual. We must consider the safety of Prince Malleus. And yet the Prefect is still refusing to offer a proper explanation!"
Sebek puffed out his chest but glanced uneasily at Maledor, who peeked from behind you, still clutching your jacket. Despite his horns and emerald eyes, Maledor looked anything but menacing. Nevertheless, Sebek clung to the role of vigilant sentinel.
You took a deep breath, trying not to get annoyed. "I already told you that I found Maledor in the cafeteria, scared and alone. I don’t know anything else. And anyway, if he were out to get Malleus, freezing the cafeteria wouldn’t exactly be subtle, right? And who would send a child in the first place?"
Sebek seemed ready to continue his barrage of suspicions, but Lilia only chuckled. He bent down, gently patting Maledor’s shoulder while casting a reassuring glance your way. "I think what we all need right now is some warmth and a calm mind. The hallway is no place for important discussions or guests. Why not bring our little visitor and the prefect inside? Come, let’s have tea. We can sort out facts and fancies over something sweet, hm?"
Maledor’s eyes brightened at the mention of sweets. He nodded, tugging lightly at your sleeve as if afraid you’d vanish again.
All of you headed inside. When Lilia offered to brew the tea and bring some sweets, you immediately volunteered to do it instead. After all, the first rule to surviving a visit to Diasomnia was: Never eat or drink something Lilia made.
"I’ll handle the tea," you say quickly before Lilia’s hand can get anywhere near the kettle. Your voice is a bit brighter than usual, and you offer a smile to Lilia that’s ninety percent nerves and ten percent sincere gratitude.
"Oh, are you sure? I was hoping to try a new blend…" Lilia said.
"I insist," you reply, perhaps more quickly than you mean to. "It’s the least I can do after all the chaos."
After returning to the lounge room with the tea and sweets, you all sit down. Maledor is quick to take a seat beside you, while Lilia has to urge Sebek to sit down as well instead of standing guard by the windows.
Steam rose from the cups you carefully poured. Maledor watched you, swinging his little feet under the chair, his misery momentarily forgotten in anticipation of sweets.
As you sit down as well, Maledor asked. "Can I take a cookie, Mother?"
The repeated use of the title 'mother' still caught you off guard every time, as did Maledor asking you if he was allowed to eat a cookie. You nodded eventually. "Yeah, sure."
Maledor’s face lit up as you granted him permission. He snatched a cookie with both hands and promptly stuffed half of it into his mouth, crumbs dotting his cheeks as he beamed triumphantly.
"Say, Maledor," Lilia began, tone filled with curiosity. "it must have been quite an adventure to find yourself here, hm? Do you remember anything? Anything at all about how you arrived at the cafeteria, or where you were before?"
Maledor looked down, chewing his cookie with squirrel-like intensity. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he swung his legs and frowned in concentration. "I… I was in the castle. Not this one… my home. Father was teaching me magic because I wanted to be big! Like him. And then…There was this bright green light, all swirly. It was so pretty, but it got really loud and windy. I called for you." he looked up at you. "But I couldn’t find you or Father, and then I was here. It was scary. I didn’t like it. I just wanted to go home."
You picked up a napkin when you saw that Maledor had finished eating. You cleaned his chocolate-covered fingers and mouth. To which Maledor reacted with a 'Thank you, mother,' after you were done.
Sebek, in the meantime, asked. "Who is your father? Can you say his name?"
Maledor brightened, as if relieved to be asked something simple. "My Father is Malleus! Malleus Draconia."
You barely had time to process Maledor’s answer before the tea caught in your throat, a cough sputtering out of you in disbelief. You blinked hard, as if somehow the world would flicker and correct itself. Instead, the bright-eyed boy just looked up at you, awaiting your response with absolute trust.
Lilia’s eyes sparkled with a private, knowing delight, a sly grin playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched the chaos unfold with all the satisfaction of someone who had seen the punchline coming a mile away.
Sebek, on the other hand, was completely stunned. The rigid guard posture dissolved into total shock. His mouth dropped open, then snapped shut in a series of fishlike gasps. He gripped his teacup so tightly it threatened to snap in half. He blinked, then searched Maledor’s face. His gaze darted between the delicate, unmistakable horns and those deep, green eyes. For a second, you wondered if Sebek was about to faint. "Malleus… Draconia?" he finally choked out. "Impossible! The Young Master has no offspring! There must be a mistake. Some… imposter trickery!"
"Wait, wait," you managed, gesturing rapidly between Maledor and Sebek. "Hold on, Maledor. You said your father is Malleus Draconia. You mean, the Malleus? Diasomnia’s Malleus? Tall, horns, kind of brooding, makes storms when he’s in a mood: Malleus?"
Maledor blinked up at you. His head cocked with innocent confusion, as if he couldn’t comprehend why you were asking something so obvious. "Of course, Father is Malleus Draconia!" he said, the words sounding so simple, so certain, as if you’d just asked him whether he liked cookies. "You know that, Mother… Why are you pretending?"
You sat, frozen in your seat, Maledor’s certainty striking through you more powerfully than any ice he could have summoned. Your brain scrambled wildly for any logical explanation. Was this a trick? A dream? Did the world flip upside down when you weren’t looking?
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Sebek barked, jumping up so quickly his chair almost fell. "You must be mistaken! The Young Master does not have, could not have, a child without telling his loyal knights!" He pointed a finger at you. "And you, Prefect! What have you done to this child?!"
"I swear, I’m not lying!" you answered, finally finding your voice. "I didn’t do anything to Maledor. He called me mother from the start. Before I even knew his name!"
Sebek, torn between devotion and confusion, snapped. "This cannot be! The Young Master would never keep such secrets. And…" His mind worked frantically. "The time makes no sense! My Liege and the Prefect… you… are not even married!"
You flushed, mortified and indignant. "Excuse you! We’re not anything." You glanced at Maledor, lowering your voice. "Not like that. Just friends, really."
Lilia clapped his hands softly, his voice clear and sure in the commotion. "No need for dramatics. You know, Sebek, sometimes the wind brings secrets from times yet to come. Briar Valley holds many old mysteries, does it not?"
Sebek bristled, trying to regain composure. "Sir Lilia, with all respect, how can we trust-"
Lilia cut him off with a gentle but authoritative voice. "Sebek, look at the child." Lilia turned to Maledor. "You were frightened, weren’t you? Do you remember any enchantments or trickery? Did anyone put strange ideas in your head?"
Maledor shook his head. "No. I just wanted Mother. And Father." He glanced sidewise at you, hope flickering in his green eyes. "I’m not lying. I promise."
Lilia patted his shoulder. "Of course you’re not. Sometimes things happen that even us grown-ups do not immediately understand. Time, magic, fate. I think our little prince here is simply… lost between stories."
"But what does that mean, Lilia?" you asked for clarification, not being able to wrap your head around this situation. "Is Maledor truly Malleus... And my…" You didn't finish your sentence with 'child'. It just sounded too weird.
"Sometimes, the river of time chooses curious eddies," Lilia mused with a gentle smile. "A leaf from tomorrow might find itself drifting among the branches of today. If it’s not a trick, not a spell, and not a child’s tale, perhaps we must accept that sometimes, the world permits a riddle to live before its answer."
You stared, mouth poised between laughter and a plea for sanity. "Are you saying… he’s from the future?" The words felt ridiculous as they left your lips.
Lilia shrugged lightly. "Magic has never cared much for clocks or calendars. Wouldn’t be the first time something important arrived a little ahead of schedule."
While you were still trying to wrap your head around this, Sebek seemed to accept Lilias' words in a split second. "My Lieges…" Sebek’s voice faltered, then swelled with fervor. "My Liege's heir! Of course! There can be no other explanation befitting Prince Malleus’s unparalleled greatness! Only Prince Malleus, scion of the glorious Draconia line, could sire such a prodigy! Such strength, such majesty, even at such a young age. Freezing the entire cafeteria! Behold, the testament of our great lord’s power!"
"You are the proof of Prince Malleus’s supremacy. Even time itself cannot contain his legacy!" he gushed. "A scion born of unmatched power and noble heritage! To think, I am in the presence of my Liege's heir -his magnificent progeny!"
"Forgive me, young prince!" He dropped to one knee before Maledor, completely ignoring you now, and offered a bow so deep it was a miracle he didn’t hit his head on the floor. "Forgive me for doubting your identity for even a second. I, Sebek Zigvolt, am at your service, just like I am at your glorious father's service!"
Sebek’s 180-degree turn gave you mental whiplash. Two minutes ago, he was about to lock you up for kidnapping a child. And now he was praising Maledor as if he was the second coming of Jesus. And anyway, where was your praise? After all, if Maledor was yours and Malleus's child, you had also contributed half to this cute little boy.
No, on a second thought, you'd rather not be the subject of Sebek’s loud and lavish praise. You were still in denial about all of this. Honestly, you were just surprised by Sebek’s sudden turn. Like, wasn’t he super concerned that Malleus and you weren’t even married a second ago? As if Sebek thinks children could only be conceived if their parents really love each other and wish for one. He was so innocent.
"This must be announced at once! The other knights deserve to weep at this glory. Everyone in Diasomnia needs to know. No, the entire College must know. Briar Valley must be informed. And the Young Master!"
Sebek’s words left you even more mortified than the entire situation already did. You are vaguely wishing the frosted cafeteria had swallowed you whole. You couldn’t face Malleus right now. What were you supposed to say? You rather die than face that embarrassment.
"No! We can’t tell anyone! Especially not Malleus," you interrupted in a voice that could rival Sebeks, before clearing your throat and continuing in a normal voice. "What I mean is, how are we going to explain this? Like, no one is going to believe that a child just showed up from the future, right? They will think Malleus had a secret love child or something."
"I can’t keep the Young Master in the dark about his own flesh and blood. It is my knightly duty to inform him about everything that is happening in his absence!"
Sebek, as always, did not listen, and Lilia was just enjoying the drama for now. In a burst of desperation, you grabbed a cupcake and threw it across the table at Sebek. He stood there, utterly stunned. A thick glob of icing clung to his cheek and crumbs slided down his jacket. He blinked, still processing your audacious cupcake attack. Meanwhile, Maledor, not understanding anything, laughed at that.
"Seems like you can’t go to Malleus now. You wouldn’t stand before your Liege covered in icing, right?" you said, trying to buy time.
"H-How dare you assault one of Prince Malleus’s loyal knights with pastries, human!" he barked.
The feeling that you brought the situation under control immediately vanished when the door opened. There, calmly and tall, stood the regal figure of Malleus, as if the universe liked seeing your misery. Those sharp green eyes found you immediately and lingered for a breath before shifting to Maledor.
"Father!" Maledor’s cry rang bright and clear. His little legs scrambed down from the chair. He rushed to Malleus with unerring speed, arms stretched wide open.
Malleus knelt smoothly. His regal composure melting enough to open his arms and receive the child -his child- into a gentle embrace. "So it was you I sensed. A presence so like my own, yet unlike any I have felt before."
Heat flooded your face as the initial shock passed. Your first instinct was to bolt from sheer embarrassment. Somehow, you managed to find your voice. "You’re not surprised, Malleus?"
"Surprised?" he repeated "No, not at all. I recognized the resonance of my own magic the moment Maledor appeared." He regarded you calmly. "You seem greatly unsettled. Is it so shocking to you?"
"I mean, yeah! Everyone would be shocked," you replied honestly.
"You truly cannot feel it?" Malleus asekd. "Even now, the air shimmers with our blood intertwined. A melody only you and I could create."
You thought about his words for a moment. Putting it like that, you suppose you did feel something. Although definitely not as clear as Malleus did. "Still, shouldn’t we be more concerned?"
"Concern is natural. But you underestimate the strength of the Draconia blood. And your own as well. Our child would never be so easily lost to time without reason. He will return," Malleus said, voice absolute. "The magic that called him here is already unraveling."
"So the problem will fix itself?" you question. That sounded like better circumstances than most problems you have run into in Twisted Wonderland. "Everything will go back to normal soon?"
Malleus nodded. "Yes. This visit, while precious, is unintended. The magic that summoned him here is unstable and will not last much longer. The world has its ways of correcting itself."
Some of the tension in your chest loosened at his certainty.
Lilia, barely restraining a wide grin, chimed in. "It seems time itself favors your union, hmm?"
Your face went hot again, just as your flustered heart was about to calm down a little. "Y-You can’t just say something like that out of nowhere…!" you stuttered. Your voice sounded more like a nervous squeak.
"But it's a wonderful thing, isn't it?" Lilia replied. Beneath his light tone, you could sense the sincerity in his eyes. Like a guardian who is relieved to see his forsterling in good hands.
Malleus regarded Lilia for a moment, then turned back to you, his emerald gaze gentle but searching. "Does it trouble you?" he asked. "If such a future would come to pass would it be so unwelcome?"
Despite your flustered state it didn’t take long for you to shook your head. "No… It wouldn't be unwelcome."
Maledor, oblivious to the tension and simply happy to be near both his parents, studied your face. He shuffled over from Malleus’s embrace and returned to your side, hugging you tightly enough to drive the air from your lungs. "Your face is all red, Mother! When Sebek gets red he gets loud. When Mother gets red she gets quiet," he commented, which made you only more flustered. "I think ice cream makes everything better. Can we eat ice cream?"
You softly pinch Maledor's cheek. "I think someone already had enough sugar for a day with all the cookies and cupcakes."
Maledor’s smile faltered for half a second, his wide eyes shimmering with a betrayed kind of innocence that only a child could muster. Then, with all the cunning of someone who’d clearly inherited far too much of Malleus’s intelligence and dramatic tendencies, he turned slowly toward his father.
Malleus tilted his head. His expression was calm and unreadable. Maledor’s lip trembled just enough to be convincing. "Father..." he began, voice so heart-wrenchingly sweet it could’ve earned him ten free sundaes anywhere in Twisted Wonderland. "Mother said no to ice cream."
The underlying message was clear: Mother rejected me. Only you can right this cruel injustice, Father.
"A most tragic betrayal," Malleus said solemnly. "To be denied joy by one’s own mother. This is indeed a grievous matter."
"Are you siding with him?" you asked, eyes darting from dragon fae to dragon fae. "He’s a little sugar gremlin who just weaponized his cuteness!"
"I am merely acknowledging his diplomatic tact," Malleus replied with a perfectly neutral expression, though the slight twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. He patted Maledor’s hair, then gently guided him back to your side. "A future prince must know how to plead his case with grace and strategic flair."
"Don’t encourage him," you grumbled, though your lips tugged up in spite of yourself. This entire situation defied logic and physics, maybe even sanity, but somehow... it wasn't as terrifying as it first seemed, not with the way Malleus stood beside you like an unwavering anchor in a storm, and how Maledor leaned against you like he had always belonged there.
"He encourages me," Maledor beamed up at his father.
"I do," Malleus agreed without hesitation.
"I manipulate Mother."
"You do," Malleus affirmed with serene approval.
"You are literally both saying the scheme out loud while I’m right here!" you pointed out. "You’re not supposed to straight-up say it’s manipulation!"
"Don’t worry, Father. Mother always forgives you when you hug her from behind. You do that a lot in the future," Maledor said to comfort Malleus after seeing your grumpy reaction.
Your soul nearly left your body.
Malleus blinked. Then turned to look at you intensely.
You snapped your head toward the child in horror. "Maledor!"
"What?" he asked, blinking up at you with wide, guileless eyes. "It’s true. When you get all ‘grumpy-grumbly’ and tell Father to leave you alone, Father just hugs you from behind, really slow and gentle, and you get all red and mutter something like, 'You know I can’t stay mad at you.'"
"Slow and gentle, you say," Malleus repeated. His expression was thoughtful, as if he was memorizing every word Maledor said. "Hmm. So gentle physical affection dissolves your irritation. I will need to remember that approach."
"That is not the takeaway here!" you interrupted.
"I am merely collecting useful knowledge of what pleases my future consort," Malleus responded smoothly. With almost academic intrigue. "Maledor’s insights are quite enlightening."
Sebek’s complexion was caught somewhere between ghostly pale and tomato red. "Y-Young Prince! This is hardly appropriate information to share in a public setting!"
Maledor blinked at Sebek, completely unbothered. "But Sebek, you said it’s a knight’s duty to speak the truth and uphold honor. I’m just being helpful."
"Yes, but there are degrees of helpfulness...! Some truths are best kept private, especially when discussing the... the subtle... the-" Sebek finally broke eye contact and wheezed, "hugging techniques."
"I agree! We should just stop talking about this," you agreed, hoping the embarrassment would be over now, but then something came to your mind. "No, wait. It is only fair if you also share embarrassing things about Malle- Eh, your Father, Maledor."
Sebek, still recovering from the previous exchange, audibly gasped. "Y-young prince! The Young Master is above embarrassment!"
"No, he’s not," you said flatly.
"Well, Mother says it’s fair," Maledor chirped. "So. When you’re not around, Father gets really weird."
"Weird?" Malleus repeated. His tone remained level, but one graceful brow arched inquisitively.
"Mhmm. Sometimes he just stands in the hallway. Just... standing. Staring out a window. All dramatic and sad," Maledor said before adding brightly. "Oh, and when you come back, even if it’s just from the bathroom, he teleports to your side and says 'Ah, as I suspected, the world only feels whole in your presence again.'"
Malleus remained unshaken, which somehow made it worse. "There is no shame in expressing adoration," he said. "Is it so strange, to long for the presence of the one who stirs your soul?"
Somehow, your idea backfired on you. Not only was Malleus not the least bothered by Maledor's revelations, you are even more flustered now. You didn’t even know what to say, but thankfully Maledor filled the silence again.
"And one time. Mother kissed Father’s cheek right before a council meeting, and he smiled the whole time. The old scary ministers freaked out and thought Father was about to declare war because he never smiles like that during council."
"Alright, that's enough glimpses into the future!" you interrupted hastily, cutting off any further soul-exposing anecdotes. "Didn’t you say you wanted ice cream, Maledor?"
"Yes, ice cream!" Maledor shouted excitedly.
"If it pleases the young prince, I shall fetch the finest ice cream the college kitchens offer," Sebek declared utterly serious, though his face was still visibly red from the "inappropriate" things Maledor revealed.
Lilia, who looked like he was thriving in this chaos, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "This might be the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in a hundred years. And I fought a manticore while wearing a tutu once."
"...Why?" you couldn’t help asking.
"There was a wager. Long story." He winked.
You just accepted what Lilia said without further questions. In a room together with your future child, that just appeared out of thin air, Lilia might still be the biggest enigma.
You all find your seats at the table again. It didn’t take long for Sebek to arrive with the ice cream. Maledor’s eyes sparkled as he eyed the huge bowl full of brightly-colored ice cream that you placed in front of him. Despite his eagerness, he still waited quietly until you gave him permission to begin eating. Seated beside him, Malleus also seemed to enjoy his bowl of ice cream with quiet contentment. You had the suspicion that he also wanted one from the beginning.
As you also began eating your ice cream, you began to really process what was happening. Does this encounter mean that your future was now predestined? Does this mean you will stay in Twisted Wonderland and never find a way back home to your world? Will you become the consort of one of the most powerful mages in the whole world, reigning beside him? They were all worthy, existential questions, but one in particular rose above the rest in your mind.
"Wait. Isn’t it a thing that dragon faes hatch from eggs? So… does that mean I'm going to lay an egg someday? Or is this a seahorse type of situation, and Malleus will lay the egg?"
The room was silent for a moment, but before anyone could answer that very crucial question, Sebek raised his voice. "Seahorse? How dare you compare the Great Malleus Draconia with an unremarkable creature such as a seahorse?!"
While a new round of chaos broke out on the table, Silver probably just woke up wondering why Sebek never came to wake him up for his guard duty. And the frozen students are till waiting for help.
thx for stopping by @reyliinx - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
