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Betraying the Gods in Three Easy Steps || Malleus Draconia

Step 1: Befriend the Demon King.

Step 2: Fall in love.

Step 3: Quit your hero job.

The first thing you learned upon being chosen as the hero was that the gods were, in fact, morons.

This revelation came to you as you stood in their grand celestial court, bathed in holy light, staring at the pantheon of divine beings who had just bestowed upon you a sword that actively whispered threats into your ear.

"Go forth, O Chosen One," boomed the god of war, his six eyes burning with sacred fire. "You must slay the Demon King who lurks in his cursed lair atop the Black Hills!"

You shifted your weight and cleared your throat. "Okay, so... question. Just a tiny one. What, exactly, has the Demon King done?"

The gods exchanged glances.

"He is evil," the goddess of fate offered.

"Uh-huh. Examples?"

"He... exists," the god of light said, waving a golden hand vaguely.

There was an awkward silence. You rubbed your temples. "Right. But, like, has he pillaged villages? Enslaved kingdoms? Kicked a puppy?"

"He has refused to die despite our many attempts to kill him," the god of judgment said gravely.

You squinted. "So you're mad that he’s alive."

"YES," they all said in unison.

Fantastic. You had been chosen to carry out a divine grudge match.

Still, you weren’t in any position to argue. The gods had given you a bunch of ridiculously overpowered artifacts, including a holy sword, an indestructible shield, and a cloak that supposedly made you invisible but mostly just made you look like a very blurry ghost. They also kind of expected you to die like all the previous heroes, but that was a problem for later.

So here you were, standing at the edge of the Black Hills, staring up at the Demon King’s lair—a suspiciously well-maintained castle that looked less like a fortress of darkness and more like the summer home of someone who enjoyed gardening.

This whole thing reeked of bureaucracy.

With a deep sigh, you tightened your grip on your murderously sentient sword and marched forward, fully prepared to commit deicide if this entire mission turned out to be as dumb as you suspected.

You had braced yourself for a dark, ominous fortress filled with twisted creatures, rivers of lava, and at least one chandelier made of bones. Instead, you walked into what could only be described as a cozy study.

The room was warm, lit by a fireplace that crackled gently in the corner. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled with neatly arranged tomes, some of which looked suspiciously like romance novels. A tea set rested on the table, next to an open book. And sitting in an armchair, casually flipping through the pages, was a man.

A very tall, very elegant man with sharp green eyes and black horns curling from his head.

He blinked at you, clearly just as surprised as you were. "Oh," he said. "Hello."

You stared at him. "Uh. Hi?"

There was a long pause. He looked at your very dramatic hero attire, then at the glimmering, divinely blessed sword in your hand, then back at you. "I assume you’re here for a reason?"

You shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, so, the gods sent me to kill the Demon King, but like… lowkey? I don’t know what he looks like."

The man nodded, as if this was a completely reasonable statement. "I see." He gestured to the chair across from him. "Would you like some tea?"

You squinted at him. "I feel like you’re not taking this whole ‘assassination attempt’ thing very seriously."

"Should I?" he asked, pouring tea into a cup with unnerving grace. "You don't seem particularly invested in it yourself."

You couldn't exactly argue with that, so you sat down, placing your god-blessed weapon awkwardly on your lap. The man slid a cup toward you. The tea smelled… nice. Suspiciously nice. You sniffed it. "This isn’t, like, drugged or cursed, is it?"

He looked amused. "Only if you consider chamomile a powerful sedative."

You took a cautious sip. It was delicious.

"So," he said, leaning his chin on his hand. "Tell me about the outside world. It’s been a while since I last left these hills."

You shrugged. "Nothing much. The gods are idiots, as usual."

His lips curled in interest. "Oh?"

You leaned forward conspiratorially. "Okay, so get this. When they summoned me, they gave me this holy sword, right?" You tapped the weapon resting on your lap. "Only problem? It won’t shut up. The gods literally forgot to turn off its voice function, so now it just screams battle cries at all hours of the day. I had to wrap it in three layers of cloth just to get some sleep."

He let out a chuckle, eyes gleaming. "That is… incredible."

"Right? And that’s not even the worst part. The god of wisdom—actual title, by the way—accidentally set fire to their own temple last year because they miscalculated a lightning spell. They blamed it on ‘mystical forces’ but everyone knows they just got their math wrong."

The man—who, now that you were really looking at him, was ridiculously attractive in a dark-and-mysterious way—laughed. It was a rich, deep sound, the kind of laugh that made you feel like you’d just told the best joke in the world.

You grinned, feeling oddly comfortable. "Oh, and don’t even get me started on the god of fate. She got into a brawl with the god of harvest because she made a prophecy that all the wheat fields would burn down, and then the god of harvest was like, ‘You know that’s literally my job, right?’ and cursed her with hay fever. Now she sneezes every time she tries to predict the future."

Your new tea-drinking companion actually had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter.

You took another sip of tea, feeling very proud of yourself. "Anyway," you said, stretching your arms. "By the way, have you seen the Demon King? Because, like, technically, I’m still supposed to be doing that job."

The man calmly pointed to himself.

You stared at him.

He stared back.

You blinked. "I'm sorry. What."

"Malleus Draconia," he said, setting his teacup down with the kind of elegance that made you feel like an unwashed peasant. "And you are?"

You were still reeling from the realization that you had spent the last half hour drinking tea with the exact person you were supposed to kill, so it took you a second to answer. You introduce yourself. "Hero chosen by the gods. Here to, you know…" You made a vague stabbing motion.

Malleus nodded, completely unfazed. "Ah. Yes. That would explain the weaponry." He glanced at your holy sword, which had mercifully remained silent for the past few minutes. "Though, I must say, you don’t seem particularly enthusiastic about your mission."

You sighed and set your cup down. "Yeah, well. I don’t really get why the gods have it out for you. I mean, do you actually do evil stuff? Are you stealing souls? Raising the dead? Kicking puppies?"

Malleus tilted his head, considering. "No, no, and—well, I suppose there was one incident with a puppy, but in my defense, I was trying to return it to its owner, and it misunderstood my intentions."

"That’s a really vague way to say 'I accidentally terrified it.'"

He sipped his tea, saying nothing.

You squinted at him. "So you’re telling me the gods declared a holy crusade against you for… what? Vibes?"

Malleus shrugged. "I assume so. They don’t seem to like my existence very much."

"Wow. Must be nice not giving a shit."

"It is quite freeing," he agreed. "Would you like a tour?"

You blinked. "A tour? Of your evil lair?"

"My home," he corrected, as if you were the unreasonable one. "I assume you have never seen it before."

"You assume correctly." You rubbed your chin. "Eh. What the hell. Show me around, mighty Demon King."

And so, instead of assassinating him, you spent the next hour wandering through the halls of his "evil lair" (read: very fancy castle), learning about his book collection, admiring the admittedly cool-looking stained-glass windows, and getting distracted by a particularly fluffy cat lounging on one of the rugs.

Somewhere along the way, you had fallen into easy conversation, sharing more absurd stories about the gods’ incompetence while Malleus listened with increasing amusement. You barely even noticed how natural it felt, how quickly you forgot the whole "mortal enemies" thing.

It wasn’t until you were about to leave that you remembered why you had come in the first place.

"Ah, right," you said, gripping the hilt of your holy sword. "The whole… uh, slaying thing."

Malleus lifted an eyebrow.

You exhaled and held the sword out to him. "Here. Take this."

He looked at you, then at the sword, then back at you. "You are giving me your divine weapon?"

"Look, man, I don’t know if you can tell, but I am very bad at this job."

Malleus took the sword, examining it with mild curiosity. The moment his fingers curled around the hilt, the weapon, which had remained blissfully quiet all day, suddenly came to life.

"FOUL BEAST! UNHAND ME AT ONCE—"

Malleus flicked his wrist, and the sword immediately went silent.

You gaped at him. "You can do that?!"

He hummed. "It appears so."

You put your hands on your hips. "You know what? Yeah. You can keep it. I don’t want it anymore."

Malleus smiled. "How generous of you."

You waved him off and turned toward the exit. "Anyway, this has been fun and all, but I should probably get going before the gods smite me for treason. I’ll, uh… I’ll get the job done next time."

Malleus watched you with that same unreadable expression, something like quiet amusement playing at the edges of his lips. "Of course. Next time."

You nodded, totally believing yourself, and left.

The gods were getting suspicious.

You could tell by the way they kept summoning you more frequently, their celestial faces lined with divine skepticism, their glowing, omnipotent eyes narrowing just a little more each time you gave your mission report.

So you did what any responsible, chosen-by-the-heavens hero would do: you doubled down on the lies.

“I’m gathering intel on the enemy.”

A few gods murmured in approval, nodding at your strategic foresight.

(The truth? You had spent the last four days sprawled across an absolutely sinful couch in Malleus’s absurdly cozy castle, debating whether a dragon could, theoretically, play the lute. Malleus had very strong opinions about claw dexterity and string tension. You were just trying to figure out how to smuggle the couch home.)

“I need to study his weaknesses.”

More nods. One god even stroked their beard, looking impressed.

(The reality? You were currently studying how many cookies you could consume before he started looking mildly concerned for your well-being. The number was high. Concerningly high. You were probably committing a sin against your own digestive system, but that was Future You’s problem.)

“He’s probably planning something evil, so I need to keep an eye on him.”

Now the gods were practically glowing with approval. One clapped you on the back, nearly knocking you off your feet.

(Meanwhile, in the demon king’s lair, Malleus was sitting in his massive library, sipping tea like a distinguished nobleman who had never even considered jaywalking, much less world domination. At one point, he sighed dramatically and looked out the window, the very picture of a wistful poet pondering the meaning of life. You had watched him do this for ten whole minutes, waiting for a sign of villainy. Nothing. The man was the least demonic demon king you had ever seen.)

The gods, thoroughly convinced that you were hard at work, dismissed you with a vague warning to “stay vigilant” and “not fall for any demonic tricks.”

You barely made it back to the castle before collapsing onto your new favorite couch with a groan. “They think I’m doing such a good job,” you mumbled, stuffing another cookie into your mouth. “I could probably ask for a raise.”

Malleus looked up from his book, amusement dancing in his emerald eyes. “A raise? What exactly would they be paying you for?”

“For my noble heroism,” you said around a mouthful of cookie. “My unwavering dedication. My strategic mind. My—” You gestured vaguely. “—efforts.”

Malleus hummed, setting his book aside. “Ah, yes. Your valiant efforts. Lounging on my furniture. Eating my desserts. Entertaining me with tales of divine incompetence.”

You wagged a finger at him. “You say that like it isn’t an important job.”

He smirked. “Oh, I quite enjoy your company. But I do wonder how long you plan to keep up this charade.”

“As long as I can,” you said without hesitation, grabbing another cookie. “At this point, I think I deserve an award for Best Hero in the Field of Procrastination.”

Malleus chuckled, resting his chin on his hand as he watched you with what was definitely, absolutely, 100% not fondness. Probably. “Indeed.”

Getting Malleus out of his lair was easier than expected. Getting him to wear the disguise, however, was a battle of wills.

“It is absurd,” he said flatly, staring at the comically large hat in your hands.

“Absurdly effective,” you countered.

“It looks like it belongs to a—”

“Fashion icon?”

“A cursed scarecrow,” he finished, unimpressed.

“Okay, rude. But listen, if you walk into town looking like that—” you gestured vaguely at his horns, “—people will either think you're about to declare war or host a very dramatic poetry reading. The hat helps.”

Malleus gave you a long, contemplative look, then, to your eternal delight, sighed and took the hat. It sat atop his head with the solemn dignity of a royal crown, though the sheer size of it made him look like he was about to start selling potions out of a roadside wagon.

“Very well,” he declared. “Let us proceed.”

Thus began the grand adventure of sneaking the Demon King into town.

Turns out, no one even noticed.

Which, to be fair, was kind of expected. This was a town where a man once tried to pay his taxes in live chickens and where the local bard wore sunglasses at night “because it added to his mystique.” Some guy in a huge hat? Not even in the top ten weirdest things people had seen this week.

Still, you felt an odd sense of pride as you dragged Malleus through the bustling streets. The Demon King, who had spent untold centuries isolated in his ominous gothic estate, was now watching a juggler toss flaming batons while a street vendor tried to sell you “cursed amulets” that were clearly just painted rocks.

He was fascinated.

His first stop was the bakery, where he became personally and spiritually invested in the concept of croissants.

“These are quite remarkable,” he murmured, carefully inspecting the flaky layers. “It is as if the very essence of light and air has been woven into dough.”

“You’re making it sound way fancier than it is,” you snorted. “It’s just bread.”

“A divine bread,” he corrected.

“You’re literally a demon.”

“I can still appreciate divinity when I taste it.”

Next, you took him to the bookstore, where he spent an unreasonable amount of time debating which tomes to purchase. At one point, you caught him flipping through something called One Hundred and One Curses to Ensure Your Enemies Remember You Fondly, which felt both deeply specific and incredibly on-brand.

While he was distracted by a book of poetry so dramatic it might as well have been personally written for him, you slipped away for a moment. A nearby flower stall caught your eye, and on impulse, you picked up a delicate bloom, its color strikingly similar to Malleus’s eyes.

You returned just as he was still deep in thought over which book to buy. Without a second thought, you reached up and tucked the flower behind his ear.

Malleus froze.

His expression didn’t change immediately—he just stared at you, his usual unreadable gaze flickering with something… complicated. His fingers hesitantly brushed against the petals, and for a moment, he looked genuinely baffled, as if no one had ever done something like this before.

You grinned at him. “Looks good on you, Your Evilness.”

Malleus exhaled a short, amused huff. “I must admit, I do not often receive accessories from my sworn enemies.”

“Sounds like a you problem,” you said, already dragging him towards the next store. “Now come on, I still need to introduce you to the single greatest achievement of human civilization.”

He tilted his head, intrigue sparking in his expression. “Oh?”

“Fried food.”

For the first time in centuries, the Demon King of Darkness, Terror of the Gods, Eternal Wielder of Unholy Power… was genuinely excited.

You were not bringing Malleus more books because you liked him. Obviously. That would be ridiculous. You were simply executing a strategic maneuver—an information-gathering mission, if you will. The more books he had, the more he would talk, and the more he talked, the more you learned.

This was all very professional. A tactical decision. Absolutely nothing to do with the way his eyes lit up whenever you brought him something new or the fact that you may or may not have started associating his lair with peace instead of doom.

So, with arms full of books that were definitely not handpicked to match his interests (including one on celestial phenomena, which was coincidental and not an attempt to make him happy), you strolled into his lair like you owned the place.

And that was when you met him.

Lilia Vanrouge.

You knew the name. You’d heard it whispered in the temples, spoken with the kind of reverence usually reserved for plagues and natural disasters. The Scourge of the Battlefield. The War Demon. The Dark General Who Consumed Kingdoms Whole.

You had also heard it from Malleus, who described him as eccentric, mischievous, and one of the few people he respected.

And the moment you laid eyes on him, you realized once again that the gods were complete and utter morons.

Because standing before you was not a nightmarish harbinger of destruction. No, the man currently floating upside down in the air, cheerfully snacking on something, looked more like an impish uncle who would absolutely teach children how to commit tax fraud for fun.

He looked at you. You looked at him. He grinned. You immediately braced for impact.

“Well, well! So you’re the fabled Chosen Hero,” Lilia chirped, righting himself mid-air and landing gracefully before you. “How fascinating! I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“I—” you began.

“I must say, this is not what I expected!” he continued, completely ignoring you. “From what I’ve heard, heroes usually barge in with righteous fury, divine proclamations, and very little self-preservation! Yet here you are, standing in the Demon King’s domain, casually handing him books.”

You turned to Malleus, who looked completely unbothered, still examining the latest tome you had brought him. “You told him?”

Malleus, without looking up: “He asked.”

You turned back to Lilia. “And you’re not freaking out?”

Lilia tilted his head, amused. “Should I be?”

“I don’t know, I just assumed one of Malleus’s generals would take issue with me being, you know, the divinely ordained slayer of your king?”

Lilia snorted. “Oh, please. Do you have any idea how many so-called ‘heroes’ I’ve seen storm in here? You’re already my favorite.”

“…Thanks?”

“Of course! It’s just so refreshing to see one of you actually using your head for once.” He floated up again, upside down, resting his chin on his hands. “Though I must admit, I was expecting something a little more… impressive.”

You blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lilia smirked and gestured to the table where you and Malleus had been previously engaged in very serious discussions. Your stomach dropped. You had left out your papers.

Specifically, the ones where you had been doodling different armor designs and asking Malleus for his fashion advice.

Malleus, the traitor, casually picked one up. “I am partial to this one,” he said, holding up a particularly elaborate sketch. “The embroidery detailing is quite striking.”

Lilia laughed.

You buried your face in your hands as the War Demon, the Living Nightmare of the Battlefield, the Eternal Scourge of Kingdoms—wiped away tears of laughter over the fact that instead of slaying the Demon King, you had apparently made him your personal stylist.

It was, all things considered, not your proudest moment.

It had been months since you first stepped foot into Malleus’s lair, and, well… things had progressed.

Not in the way the gods wanted, obviously. If they had their way, Malleus’s severed head would be mounted on a sacred altar by now. Technically, you were still on your holy mission to vanquish the Demon King. Technically, you were gathering information. Technically, you had every intention of fulfilling your duty.

But, if one were to take a completely unbiased look at your current situation… it might appear that you were just hanging out.

A lot.

Like, a lot, a lot.

Malleus now made your drink exactly the way you liked it—sometimes before you even asked. You didn’t even have to tell him anymore. You’d wander into his lair after a long day of doing absolutely nothing related to demon slaying, and he’d already have your favorite drink ready, at the exact right temperature.

And you? You, the so-called “Divine Champion of Justice,” the god-appointed warrior of destiny? You had, against all logic and reason, started bringing him gifts. It wasn’t even a conscious decision at first. But every time a merchant came through town, you found yourself idly picking up little trinkets or books that looked like they’d interest him.

You told yourself it was just diplomacy. A strategic bribery effort. It had absolutely nothing to do with how much you enjoyed seeing his face light up whenever you presented him with something new.

You weren’t even sure when the shift had happened.

One day, you were the brave hero, standing before the terrifying Demon King with divine orders to smite him. And now? Now, you were practically living in his lair. Casually.

You’d gotten comfortable here, a fact that you refused to acknowledge out loud. Malleus’s lair was peaceful, quiet, and—to your horror—pleasant. The enormous gothic windows, the soft candlelight, the bookshelves stacked high with ancient tomes… It was all just so much nicer than the gods’ temples, which were always cold, sterile, and filled with divine bureaucrats who asked too many questions.

And worse—worse—when you weren’t here, you were usually thinking about what to do for Malleus next.

Should you bring him something from the next merchant caravan? Maybe take him to another festival? He liked those. Maybe introduce him to the weird little bakery in town that sold those oddly-shaped pastries you kept seeing. He might find them amusing.

You were planning surprises for him.

Like a friend.

No. Not just a friend.

A best friend.

You slammed your head onto the nearest table with a thud.

The gods could never find out about this.

You were having an existential crisis. A real one. The kind that made you stare at your reflection in a soup bowl and wonder if you had any meaningful purpose in life beyond being the divine equivalent of a glorified errand runner.

Lilia, of course, noticed. Because he was an agent of chaos and probably fed off emotional turmoil like some sort of tiny, ancient demon bat.

“You seem troubled,” he had said, watching as you slumped dramatically over Malleus’ very fancy dining table, exhaling the world’s most pitiful sigh. “Why don’t you and Malleus spar?”

Your head lifted slightly. “What?”

Lilia smirked, clearly pleased that he had successfully baited you out of your misery. “It’s been months, has it not? If the gods ask, you can tell them you’ve been honing your skills, preparing for the final battle.”

That… actually wasn’t a bad excuse. The gods had been getting nosy again, demanding updates. Maybe you could make this work.

Which was how you ended up here.

Standing in the grand, sprawling courtyard of Malleus’ lair, stretching out your limbs while he calmly removed his cloak, draping it over a bench like he was about to have a casual stroll instead of engaging in combat.

“You sure about this?” you asked, gripping the hilt of your sword.

Malleus tilted his head, looking amused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

You smirked. “Just saying, if I win, I demand tribute.”

Malleus chuckled. “And if I win?”

“… Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Lilia was off to the side, grinning like this was the best form of entertainment he’d seen in centuries.

You inhaled deeply, grounding yourself. Okay. This was it. You were going to fight the Demon King, and it was going to be serious. No more cozy tea parties. No more lighthearted book shopping trips. It was time to—

“Would you like me to go easy on you?” Malleus asked.

You scoffed. “Pfft. No. Give me everything you’ve got.”

Malleus hummed, looking almost pleased at your confidence. “Very well.”

And then, without warning, he disappeared from sight.

You barely had time to register the movement before a gust of wind slammed into you at full force, sending you flying backwards like a poorly thrown ragdoll.

You crashed into a bush.

For a moment, you just lay there, staring at the sky, contemplating every choice that had led you to this moment.

Then, groaning, you rolled out of the shrubbery, shaking off the twigs as you picked up your sword. “Okay,” you muttered, adjusting your grip. “That was just a warm-up round.”

Malleus was still standing in the same spot, looking entirely unbothered.

And his hands were behind his back.

You narrowed your eyes. “Are you—” You took a deep breath. “Are you fighting me with your hands behind your back?"

“Of course,” Malleus said pleasantly. “You told me not to go easy on you.”

You could hear Lilia choking on laughter in the background.

You squinted at Malleus, wondering if you should feel honored or insulted.

Fine. You could work with this. You charged again, ducking low, aiming for his legs. A flicker of green magic intercepted you, sending a harmless but powerful shockwave that knocked your weapon out of your hands.

You stared at your empty hands.

Malleus looked mildly impressed. “Good attempt.”

You retrieved your sword. Tried again. And again. And again.

Malleus never used his hands. Never lifted a finger. He just sidestepped your attacks with casual ease, occasionally flicking his magic at you, like you were a mildly annoying housecat trying to pounce on a much larger, much more powerful predator.

Somewhere along the way, you stopped trying to win and just started having fun.

And then, eventually, your energy gave out. You collapsed onto the ground, spread-eagled, arms outstretched, staring up at the sky as you caught your breath.

Malleus stepped closer, looming over you with an expression you couldn’t quite read.

“I do believe you’re my favorite hero,” he mused.

You groaned and slapped a hand over your face.

The gods were going to kill you if they ever found out about this.

You couldn’t sleep.

Which was fine. Heroes probably weren’t supposed to sleep. Heroes were supposed to lie awake at night, tormented by the burden of their destiny, haunted by the weight of their mission, plagued by—

"What if I let him win?"

You bolted upright so fast you nearly knocked yourself unconscious on your headrest. You slapped a hand over your mouth like you had just spoken a heresy so foul the gods would strike you down immediately.

That was not a normal thought for a hero to have. That was the most absurd, blasphemous, outrageous, morally reprehensible—

"Am I technically dating the Demon King???"

NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO—

Your hands went to your temples. You squeezed your eyes shut. Maybe if you just thought hard enough, you could physically remove this thought from your brain. Or maybe, if you focused, the gods would finally smite you like they had always threatened to do.

You flopped back down onto your mattress, dragging a pillow over your face, as if that would smother the absolute nonsense your mind was generating tonight. But the problem was, now that the thought had entered your brain, it had built a home there. It had a mailbox. It was paying taxes. And now it was decorating with even worse thoughts.

Because now you were remembering the way Malleus had smiled when you let him talk for two whole hours about gargoyles. How his eyes had lit up like you were the first person to ever listen. The way he carefully, deliberately made your tea exactly how you liked it, as if he had memorized it from the very first time. The way he always tilted his head when he listened to you, genuinely fascinated by even the stupidest things you said.

The way he let you exist in his space. Not as an enemy. Not as a hero. But as…

… oh no.

OH NO.

You slapped a hand over your mouth again. Your other hand clenched into the sheets like you were physically trying to hold onto your sanity.

You were NOT—this was NOT—

You rolled over, kicking your legs violently under the covers. Maybe if you shook your entire body hard enough, you could dislodge this thought from existence. Yeet it into the void. Purge it from reality. But all that happened was that you pulled a muscle in your back and now you were lying there, in agony, emotionally and physically, because you were starting to realize something terrible.

You weren’t just fond of Malleus. You didn’t just enjoy his company.

You liked him.

You LIKED him.

YOU LIKED THE DEMON KING.

You sat up again, legs crossed, hands clasped together in front of you. “Dear gods,” you whispered, voice trembling, “please smite me where I sit. I have failed you.”

Nothing happened.

“…Cowards,” you muttered.

You flopped back down, staring at the ceiling in pure despair.

You were going to bed. You were going to sleep, and when you woke up, you would not be in love with the Demon King. You would be normal. You would be reasonable. You would be a good hero.

You closed your eyes.

Five seconds passed.

You opened them again.

Gods help me.

Literally.

You were having the time of your goddamn life.

Malleus' lair—again, as usual. You were halfway draped across his lap, leisurely popping fruit into your mouth while Lilia spun some absolutely deranged tale about the time he tricked a king into believing he was a vengeful forest spirit. Malleus sipped his tea, vaguely amused, and you? You laughed so hard you nearly choked on a grape.

The atmosphere? Immaculate. Life? Good. Everything? Perfection.

And then the door SLAMMED open.

You flinched so hard you nearly tumbled off Malleus’ lap. The tea cups rattled. The room’s easygoing tension evaporated as you stared at the figure in the doorway—some guy, just some guy—storming in with his sword drawn, looking like he was about to say the most dramatic thing you’d ever heard in your life.

“I HAVE COME TO SLAY YOU, DEMON KING—”

He stopped.

Because you—the actual hero—were very much not slaying the Demon King. You were, instead, sprawled across him like a spoiled house cat, eating his fruit and giggling like an idiot.

A horrifically long pause followed as this budget hero—who was not chosen by the gods, by the way—took in the scene.

Scrambling upright, you waved your hands frantically. “This—this is not what it looks like—”

“It is exactly what it looks like,” Lilia corrected, taking a dainty sip of tea. “Please, continue.”

Budget Hero looked insulted. Absolutely offended. “You—you’re supposed to be a hero! You’re supposed to be fighting him, not—” He gestured at you and Malleus with a face of pure betrayal. “—whatever this is!”

Panic surged. “I am fighting him!”

Budget Hero squinted.

You cleared your throat. “It’s just—” A vague gesture at Malleus. “A mental battle.”

Lilia snickered. Malleus lifted a brow, deeply entertained.

Budget Hero wasn’t buying it. His face hardened with righteous fury as he turned his sword back on Malleus. “No matter! If the gods will not choose a proper hero to strike you down, then I shall—”

And that’s when it happened.

Before Malleus could even think about obliterating him, you moved first. Instinctively. Violently. Viscerally.

Budget Hero never saw it coming. His weapon went flying in a single fluid motion, and before he could process it, he was done. Just absolutely demolished.

Silence.

Then:

Lilia. Wheezing. “Oh, that was brutal.”

You stared down at Budget Hero’s crumpled form, still gripping your weapon, stunned.

Because here’s the thing. That wasn’t a calculated attack. It wasn’t self-defense. It wasn’t even to protect Malleus, exactly.

It was pure, unfiltered spite.

Who did this guy think he was? Marching in, sword drawn, acting like he was Malleus’ sworn enemy? That was your job. Your dynamic. The thought of anyone else trying to take that place—trying to take any place in Malleus’ life that wasn’t yours—was so disgusting, so offensive, that your body moved before your brain did.

…Oh no.

Quickly sheathing your weapon, you coughed into your fist. “Welp. That’s enough murder for today! I should get going!”

Malleus blinked at you, unbothered. “You only just arrived.”

Lilia, still recovering from laughter, wiped a tear from his eye. “Stay! We haven’t even finished discussing your new armor—”

“Nope!” You laughed—too forcefully. “Nooope! I just—I have to, uh—cleanse myself. Spiritually. From, um. Today’s events.”

Malleus tilted his head, intrigued. “You’ve killed before, haven’t you?”

You sweat. “Yeah, but this one was just, uh, really emotionally charged. You know how it is.”

Lilia’s grin was so knowing it made you ill. “Do we?”

You needed to leave immediately.

“Anyway, see you later, besties!” Backing toward the door, you threw up a hand. “Malleus, you’re great, Lilia, you’re also great, I’m normal, and definitely not in any sort of crisis! Bye!”

And then you fled. Like a coward.

You had been avoiding him.

Technically speaking, you had only been gone for a week. But considering you usually barged into his lair daily—arms full of books, or pastries, or some weird trinket you thought he’d like—it was an absence that did not go unnoticed.

After all, you had never run before.

Even when you first met him, when you had been sent to kill him, you had walked right up to him and said, "Hey, so the gods told me to kill you, but honestly, I don’t feel like it." And he had smiled, slow and intrigued, and offered you tea. That had been the beginning of everything.

You had stayed. You always stayed.

But yesterday, after that absolute disaster of an encounter with that third-rate hero, after watching yourself cut him down before Malleus could even lift a hand, after realizing with gut-wrenching horror that you had reacted viscerally to the mere idea of someone else claiming that they were destined to fight him, to be his rival, you had fled.

Because what the fuck did that mean?

Because why had your stomach turned in disgust at the thought of someone else standing in your place?

Because you had looked at Malleus, and something inside you had snarled mine, and the weight of that realization had nearly knocked you off your feet.

So you ran.

Cowardly. Embarrassing. You, the so-called chosen hero, the one who had spent months dragging Malleus through town, shoving hats over his horns, feeding him sweet treats, listening to him ramble about gargoyles with the fondest expression on your face—you had panicked and run away like a flustered maiden in a fairytale.

You didn’t even have the excuse of battle wounds. The only wounds were entirely self-inflicted, entirely emotional, and entirely stupid.

So today, after daysof pacing and telling yourself to get it together, you forced yourself to return.

You spent the entire week gaslighting yourself into thinking nothing happened.

That reaction? Not weird. You were just… caught off guard! Maybe a tiny bit possessive. Maybe incredibly deranged about Malleus to the point where you instinctively obliterated someone for even thinking about taking your role as his arch-nemesis—but that was normal. That was just healthy rival dynamics!

So when you walked into Malleus’ lair the next week, it was with the confidence of someone absolutely not having a mental breakdown over their supposed mortal enemy.

“Yo,” you greeted, hands in your pockets, a casual whistle leaving your lips. “What’s up, big guy? Ready for some classic, good old-fashioned, not-at-all suspicious hero vs. villain conflict today?”

No answer.

It was silent. Too silent.

Usually, Lilia was there to greet you with some teasing remark. Usually, Malleus could sense you the moment you entered his territory, and you’d be met with a soft “You’ve returned.” Usually, there was some kind of warmth, a quiet hum of life in these ancient halls.

But today, there was only cold stone.

Your stomach twisted as you searched for him.

You found him by one of the enormous windows, hands clasped behind his back, staring at the sky with an expression you’d never seen before. His shoulders—usually poised with an almost arrogant regality—were slack. His jaw, tight. His eyes, distant.

For the first time since you met him, he looked exhausted.

“…Malleus?”

Your voice came out softer than you expected. Almost hesitant. As if part of you already knew what he was about to say.

He didn’t turn, didn’t shift, didn’t react right away. Just stood there, gazing out at the vast horizon like he was searching for something.

Finally, after a long, slow exhale, he spoke.

“…I thought you weren’t coming back.”

Your breath caught.

You had been gone for a week. You figured skipping a few visits wouldn’t matter much. That you could collect yourself, sort out whatever this was, and return once you weren’t a flustered disaster.

But standing here now, staring at him, it hit you just how much he had felt your absence.

His fingers curled a little tighter behind his back. His voice, barely above a whisper—

“If someone were to kill me,” he murmured, “I think I’d rather it be you than anyone else.”

The breath whooshed out of your lungs.

Because suddenly, you understood.

He wasn’t just speaking in hypotheticals. He wasn’t musing about battle. He wasn’t challenging you, wasn’t provoking you, wasn’t setting the stage for a dramatic clash between hero and demon king.

No.

Malleus had lived centuries watching heroes march to his doorstep, brandishing divine weapons, shouting righteous declarations, vowing to end him. And yet, he had never once fallen. Never once faltered. Never once let a blade even graze his skin.

But yesterday, when you hadn’t returned, he had thought—ah. So this is how it ends.

If he had to be slain, he wanted it to be by your hand.

If he had to see someone for the last time, he had hoped it would be you.

You broke.

Instantaneous. No hesitation. No rational thought. No clever quip or theatrical deflection. No last-minute is this a good idea? self-reflection. Just a sharp inhale, a rapid closing of distance, and then—

You kissed him. Hard.

Not soft, not slow, not gentle. Desperate. Raw. Months of pent-up feelings, of endless late nights spent thinking about him, of hands brushing and shared laughter and quiet understanding and—fuck. You were so gone for him.

Malleus stiffened—but only for a second.

Then he melted into you.

His hands rose—one tangling in your hair, the other curling around your waist, pulling you so close you swore you could feel his heartbeat hammering against your chest. He kissed back just as desperately, just as fiercely, like he’d been waiting just as helplessly as you had.

When you finally pulled away, breathless, he stared like he’d never seen you before. Wide-eyed. Lips parted. His grip on you so tight, like he was terrified you’d vanish if he let go.

“…I suppose that was your way of saying you refuse?” His voice, unsteady.

A breathless, shaky laugh. “Yeah,” you whispered. “Yeah, I refuse.”

His forehead pressed to yours, breath warm against your lips. His hands didn’t loosen their hold.

“…Then don’t ever leave me.”

You closed your eyes. Gripped his shoulders.

Nodded.

“Never.”

The celestial being—divine embodiment of justice and order, an ancient force revered throughout history—descended upon Malleus’ lair in a blinding display of light and holy power.

Wings of pure radiance unfurled. A golden staff crackled with divine energy. A voice, imbued with the might of the cosmos, boomed across the chamber:

“CHOSEN HERO. DEMON KING. IT IS TIME FOR YOUR DESTINED BATTLE.”

You blinked. Looked up from where you were curled against Malleus, sipping tea and reading a book titled 1,001 Architectural Wonders (That Are Not Gargoyles, Please Stop Asking).

Malleus glanced up from the game of chess he was currently losing against Lilia. “Oh?” he said, perfectly unbothered. “Has it truly been that long?”

“Yes, it has been that long!” the celestial being thundered. “You were sent here to vanquish the Demon King, not—” their eye twitched as they took in the scene, “—play house with him.”

You frowned. “Okay, first of all, rude.”

"Rude? RUDE?!" The celestial being practically vibrated with fury. "YOU LIED TO US!"

“I did not lie,” you said, deeply offended. “I gave you very detailed mission updates.”

“‘I’m gathering intel on the enemy’?”

“I was!” you huffed. “Did you know Malleus actually prefers honey in his tea instead of sugar? Crucial information.”

The celestial being sputtered. “You literally wrote, and I quote—” they conjured a glowing scroll and read aloud, “‘I need to study his weaknesses.’”

“Well,” you said, nodding toward Malleus, “he is weak to compliments. Call him ‘awe-inspiring’ and he gets all flustered. It’s very endearing.”

The being looked one breath away from smiting you. “AND ‘HE’S PROBABLY PLANNING SOMETHING EVIL, I NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIM’??”

You pointed at Malleus, who was currently sipping tea with perfect elegance, staring at you like you personally hung the moon in the sky.

“Look at him,” you said dryly. “He’s clearly up to something.”

Malleus delicately set down his teacup. “Indeed,” he mused. “I was just plotting whether to have scones or biscuits with my tea tomorrow.”

The celestial being’s golden aura flickered like a candle in the wind. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KILL HIM!”

Malleus frowned. “That seems excessive for a difference in snack preference.”

The celestial being inhaled sharply, hands trembling. You were pretty sure you just heard them whisper I hate my job.

“Enough!” they roared. “FIGHT! NOW!”

You and Malleus exchanged a long glance.

There was a beat of silence.

Then, with all the excitement of two overworked employees being forced into another useless meeting, you both sighed and reached for the nearest decorative swords.

You lifted your sword. Malleus did the same.

And then, with all the enthusiasm of two toddlers being told to pretend-fight for Grandma’s amusement—

—you both half-heartedly tapped your swords together.

clink.

“There,” you said, monotone. “We fought. Can we go back to cuddling now?”

The celestial being screamed.

The celestial being didn’t so much escort you to the heavens as haul you there like a parent dragging a misbehaving child to a disciplinary hearing. You barely had time to adjust to the blinding light before being unceremoniously dropped onto the cold marble floor.

Above you, the gods loomed from their gilded thrones, their divine radiance pulsing with something that was not quite anger—because gods did not feel anger, only divine disappointment, which was so much worse.

The celestial being, standing smugly beside them, crossed their arms. “I told you they weren’t taking this seriously.”

The first god spoke, voice like rolling thunder. “Chosen hero.”

Another voice, this one like a windstorm, joined in. “You were sent to slay the Demon King.”

A third, calm and cold as deep water. “And yet, you have done nothing.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but the celestial being snapped their fingers, and suddenly, an image materialized before you. A glowing vision of you, fully reclined across Malleus’ lap, popping fruit into his mouth while he read a book.

You stared.

“…Okay,” you admitted, “this looks bad.”

The celestial being glared. “Because it is bad!”

The gods ignored them, their voices deepening into something more final.

“This war against the Demon King has lasted centuries,” one intoned.

“You were our last hope,” another added. “If you do not complete your duty, there will be no other hero for another hundred years.”

“Without a hero,” the celestial being hissed, “there will be no one to protect the world from his inevitable destruction.”

Their words should have shaken you. You should have felt the weight of them pressing into your spine, the consequences of this moment sinking into your bones.

Instead, you just felt tired.

Tired of this war you never understood. Tired of the gods, who sat safe in their gilded heavens, while they sent hero after hero to their deaths.

Tired of pretending that Malleus was something he wasn’t.

You took a slow breath. Then, you reached up and began unbuckling the divine armor. The metal rang loud as it clattered to the ground, reverberating through the silent chamber. You ripped the sacred amulet from around your neck, tossing it aside like an afterthought. The enchanted boots that carried you here? Gone.

The gods watched, speechless, as you stripped away everything that bound you to them.

Then, you stood taller than you ever had before.

“I quit,” you said simply.

The chamber erupted. The celestial being choked. “You can’t just—”

“I can,” you interrupted, stretching your arms, reveling in the freedom of it. “And I am. You want a hero? Find another poor fool. I’m done.”

The gods stared, as if they truly couldn’t comprehend your audacity.

“There will be no other hero for a century,” one god reminded you. “Do you understand what you are forsaking?”

You grinned. “Yeah. Unnecessary slaying.”

And with that, you turned on your heel and walked away, the celestial doors parting effortlessly before you. The gods did not stop you. Perhaps they couldn’t.

You returned to Malleus’ lair lighter than you had ever felt.

He was waiting for you when you arrived, standing near the entrance, his expression unreadable. His eyes—those impossibly green eyes—watched you carefully, searching for something.

“You’re back,” he said softly.

You stepped closer, meeting his gaze. “Of course.”

Something flickered in his expression—something relieved, something like hope.

You exhaled, the weight of everything lifting off your shoulders. “I’m free now, Malleus. No more gods. No more divine duty. Just… me.”

For the first time, you saw it—true joy in his gaze. He stepped forward, closer, until there was nothing between you.

And then he kissed you.

It was not hesitant. Not questioning. It was certain, like he had always known this moment was inevitable, like he had only been waiting for you to realize it too.

When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, his lips curling into a smile.

“I was hoping you’d choose me,” he murmured.

You smiled back, fingers threading through his.

“I always would have.”

It happened over tea, as most of your most life-altering conversations with Malleus tended to.

You had been lounging on his absurdly comfortable sofa, sipping something floral he had brewed just for you, feeling very much like a person who had absolutely no idea that their entire life was about to be rearranged.

Malleus, ever composed, set down his own cup and regarded you with something almost too fond.

“I’ve been thinking,” he began, “about how long we’ve been together.”

You blinked. “How long?”

He hummed, tilting his head. “Since you gave me your sword, of course.”

You continued blinking, because surely, surely you had misheard him.

“…My sword?”

Malleus nodded, utterly serene. “Yes. It was an elegant proposal.”

You made a sound. It wasn’t a word, exactly, but it conveyed your confusion well enough.

Malleus watched you, waiting patiently for what he must have assumed was joyous realization.

You, meanwhile, were still trying to process whatever the hell was happening.

“…Proposal,” you echoed, because maybe if you repeated it, reality would shift into something that made sense.

Malleus offered a rare, knowing smile. “A symbol of devotion. Offering one’s most treasured possession to another—it is an unbreakable vow, a declaration of lifelong commitment. The moment you placed your sword in my hands, you became mine.”

A long pause.

You stared at him. He continued to look pleased.

You, meanwhile, were experiencing an entire existential crisis.

“Hold on,” you said slowly. “So you’re telling me that, in demon culture, giving you my sword meant—”

“A proposal,” Malleus finished, nodding. “It was quite romantic.”

Your brain short-circuited. You thought back to that moment, a year ago, when you had so casually handed him your holy sword, thinking haha, maybe he can make this thing shut up.

In reality, you had apparently gotten engaged like an absolute moron.

You set down your tea with the careful precision of someone trying very, very hard not to spiral. “Malleus,” you said, voice deceptively calm, “why didn’t you tell me?”

He blinked, puzzled. “I thought you knew.”

“Malleus, I’m human.”

He tilted his head, considering. “Ah. I see the problem now.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose, inhaling deeply. “So, in your mind, we’ve been betrothed this whole time?”

“Yes,” he said, utterly unbothered.

You stared at him. He stared back, composed as ever.

And then you just—laughed. Because of course. Of course you had accidentally proposed to the Demon King like an idiot.

“Well,” you said between snickers, wiping at your eyes. “Since we’re apparently already engaged, wanna just go ahead and get hitched?”

Malleus’ grin was blinding.

“Absolutely.”

Masterlist

Okay but hear me out...

An AU in which reader meets Malleus BUT his mother has won the war and he kind of, pretty much, hates/dislikes humans since he was raised by her BUT he slowly warms up to the human - a little too much - causing a conflict to happen.

😳

Malleus who wants to know your name ↓

Mc who knows about folklore ↑

This will be the most intensive staring contest lol

Jesus, it just got sadder after ADecue

I'm curious about the first years' reaction to why can't I be your spouse.

I think it'd be hilarious

part one/part 2

A ha yes, hilarious. I am so sorry.

"Why couldn't I be your spouse?"

Ace is struck mute. The blush starts at the tips of his ears, spreads across his face, and down across his neck. Because you don't want him. That's the reason right? He's your best friend. You're his. That's your dynamic. It keeps you both safe from any complications or unnecessary feelings but god if you're just going to look up at him and bat your eyes trying to hold back tears at the thought of not being his? "Jeez, we're still in school you know? Ask again later." You won't get a chance to do that, Ace wants to be the one to ask. You deserve that much from him with how much he teases you, or so he says.

There are two ways I can see this question going with Deuce. He's oblivious to the nature of his own feelings: "Because you are meant to get married to someone you love?" He's overwhelmed with distress when you start to cry at his words, but he doesn't understand the source of the pain. Love is a heavy word, and sure he does love you, your best buds! But marriage is extremely serious and sure he's had dreams about you guys living together and stuff like that but he's sure that's just a friendship thing. Not that he ever dreams about doing that with Ace...

If he does know he's in love with you that little question will make Deuce start panicking because of how expensive weddings are. He will be very happy for you to be his spouse, just give him some time please <3

"Because you're not staying." Jack has accepted you are the one he's been waiting for, but he's never verbalized it until now. He's a bit disappointed if he's honest, not with who you are but with the circumstances under which you've met. He modeled his dreams of what his spouse would be like off of his parents and grandparents, he would love you and you would love him. You would be together forever and build a little life together. But you are from a different world and will have to go home some day, he doesn't get to keep you and he doesn't have the option of getting over you. His only option is to deny that he wants you as his spouse until his soul prevents him from doing it anymore, no matter how happy hearing you ask to be his make him feel.

Epel is happy to hear you say that, but it's a bittersweet happiness. Epel wants you to be saying that because you think he's cool. Because you think of him as a manly man who you can rely on to provide for you and keep you safe from all of the monsters you've faced so far. But he knows you pretty well at this point, he doesn't think that you rely on him because you think he's cool. Maybe that's a goods thing though, you've never been judgemental of who he is even if the words you use to describe him aren't the exact ones he wants just yet. That doesn't mean "spouse" isn't how he wants to describe you, and he's not shy of letting you know that. Just this once.

Sebek doesn't answer at first. He doesn't yell either, nor does there appear to be a gathering storm on his face. He looks despondent, not the look you would want on the face of someone when you start talking about getting married. "Because I have treated you in a truly abominable manner most unfitting of my rank based on a prejudiced view of your character." Anyone who looks at him can see that he's in love, that he has no objection to you being his spouse. But he can't have that, he's unworthy. Not that you wants you to take this personally, he is used to being inadequate. Just let him savor the happiness he felt from hearing you say you wanted to be his in the first place. It is more than he deserves for how cruel he has been to you.

Grim watching Yuu on a date with a TWST guy: myah hah hah! Premium tuna, here I come!

Ramshackle Ghost A: you know that means Yuu won't pay much attention to you now, right?

Grim: WHAT?! Yuu is my henchman!

Ramshackle Ghost B: oho ho! Looks like you're on your way out!

Grim: Yuu would never leave me!

Ramshackle Ghost C: I don't know...it's gonna get worse if she has children

Grim: CHILDREN!? Not on my watch!

Grim proceeds to try to break Yuu and TWST guy apart Mushu-style

Ace and Yuu are respectively the embodiment of "Mixed Messages" and "Red Flags" by Tom Cardy and no one can convince me otherwise.

And because I can't draw it (yet) I need someone to draw this, it's too perfect and hilarious not to.

Overblot Jamil

(drabble under photo)

If Yandere Jamil were to overblot, I 100% envision him trapping his darling. He would both treat them as royalty and as a slave. Being made to wear the softest of silks and finest jewellery to then serve the new sultan and a mere concubine.

Imagine

You go pick some grapes for Jamil from the bowl that was once made to feed everyone. Your hands tremble a bit at the thought of returning to the once main hall of the neighbouring dorm. Where was Grim to help you out of this one? The now overblotted Jamil laid comfortably spread out on a mountain of soft pillows. His eyes closed and expression calm as he is had finally taken his resting place by force.

You turn back and head to the Sultan's location. The chains around your wrists and chest jiggle as you move. You had been "bestowed the finest of robes by the oh so mighty and powerful yet kindJamil". You roll your eyes at the irony of the portrayal of your new kidnapper. The clothes matched his in an uncanny fashion. Same reds and same chains around the chest piece in the way that made the wearer uncomfortable. Your ankles and wrists had heavy bracelets with tiny bells that resemble what parents often put on their kinds to locate them. Your outfit was not suited fot the cold night in the scarabian dorm and the your crown felt more like a mockery than a symbol of power. Nonetheless the cherry on the cake was of course the golden collar around your neck. It had snakes carved in it and red accents in a way that screams "Jamil's property" without actually putting his name.

Utterly humiliating.

You kneel in front of him and bow your head down, not daring to look at his eyes. You sat a few feet away from him, not really into someone entering your personal space afterall. Personal space that would soon be breached as one of his snakes coiled around your arm. It slid smoothly and soon enough you were yanked rather painfully towards the man himself.

"Sit closer. How would you feed me properly from over there?

Without opening his eyes he chuckled softly, as if you were a mere silly little lamb. You try to stutter a small response but stop talking after the reptile around your arm rests its head on your shoulder. You took the message rather quickly; dont waste my time. Extending your arm toward his mouth, you hang the grape cluster above him. His now sharp teeth pluck a grape and begins to chew it. After an excruciatingly extensive and repetitive course of action, the grapes are now gone and you are left anxious at his future commands.

The worst is expected. Anything from humiliating to painful. It was already pretty embarrassing to wear that outfit but the now unpredictable Jamil was something to fear. You twiddle your fingers. The snakes make soft hissing noise that only adds to your anxiousness. Maybe grabbing more fruit will make them satisfied? You slowly got up from your sitting position, careful not to annoy him, only to be pulled once again downwards. You land rather ungracefully on top of the Sultan. You face explodes pink in embarrassment. Your wrists have been tied by snakes wrapping themselves around them. As the black reptiles squeeze, Jamil opens one of his eyes to look at you are smirks.

"Now where do you think you are going? I want to hear your pretty voice" he coos.

"Now tell me what I want to hear princess~"

(Wow this is my first time writing and it shows goddamn it. I just had this scenario while drawing it)

overblots and rollo with a reader who flirts a lot unknowingly? like they see it as friendly teasing or just genuinely giving someone a compliment they don’t think of it as romantic. (their reaction to you accidentally flirting with them or. someone else and they start seething perhaps?!)

oh... I'm guilty of this (｡- .•)

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ accidental flirting

type of post: headcanons characters: riddle, leona, azul, jamil, vil, idia, malleus, rollo ~☆ additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu

it's not like Riddle's fellow students have never complimented him, but this is different. his academic achievement is not like... what had you said? the color of his eyes?

no one would be so bold as to compliment his physical features, let alone call them "beautiful" ... no one except for you, of course

you seemed rather confused when his whole face turned red. hopefully, you won't think about it too much...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

what was that? Leona looks nice when he dresses up? well, aren't you the flatterer? go on, then, say something else. he's listening!

Leona knows you didn't mean it that way, but that makes it even better. smug bastard. and it gives him the go ahead to flirt back, without you even realizing! if you weren't such a clueless little herbivore, he'd think you were trying to get something out of him... but you're you, so he knows you mean it

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

you're so strange. you're definitely just mirroring Azul's body language and flattery, but you're being genuine, too... you're so socially awkward, it's making you a flirt. he's trying to butter you up for a deal, not a date!

...well... he was, anyway

now he's got to figure out how exactly to flirt back in a way that'll sound genuine coming from him...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

is it unconscious? are you teasing? or have you suddenly become a flirt overnight? Jamil is having a difficult time reading the room, which is unusual for him. the way you've been complimenting him, batting those pretty eyelashes of yours, is... distracting, to say the least

...he could also be reading too much into this. maybe he just needs a nap

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Vil simply can't pass up the opportunity. can you blame him? there you are, looking adorable as per usual, telling him all this nonsense about how lucky his future partner will be, blah, blah...

and you're clueless. it's endearing, really. he'll call you sweet and leave you with a kiss on the cheek

something to think about for later ;3

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

are you trying to send Idia to an early grave??? of course, the one time he lets Ortho drag him outside, there you are, as cutesy and... sunshine-y as ever, telling him you like his hair with a smile. and what does he say?

"uh- um- uh-"

great work, everyone. he'll work on that

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

fae courting is... strange. you know this. you don't know all of it, though. so when you tell Malleus you've planted some Briar Valley flora around Ramshackle for him... he sort of takes it as a vow. it's basically like a promise ring to him

he's all sunshine and rainbows for the rest of the week, much to everyone else's confusion

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Rollo will hit you with the most unamused look you've gotten in your entire life, politely tell you to be decent, thank you, and then leave to lie in bed and think about your future wedding for the rest of the day. that's just the kinda guy he is

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Lilia Vanrouge

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do not interact. Yandere themes. Implied pseudo-incest.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

"Shh.."

A soft chuckle emits somewhere in the unlit room.. Not that you'd know whether or not the room was truly lit or not when your eyes have been blindfolded. He shushes you in hopes that you'll let your guard down. However..

"Khehee. My little fae, why do you seem so scared?" Though he does not outright say it, Lilia enjoys watching how much your body trembles just by hearing his voice. He knows that he was the one to teach you to fear things, but he never anticipated that one day you'd turn his lessons against him. After taking care after you for so many years and this is the result.. He could only sigh if it weren't for the fact that he quite enjoyed being a sadist. And he has to admit, he must have gone wrong somewhere so he is partially at fault.

A wide grin that only a madman such as he could perfect smeared on his face. The sound of chains dragging on the floor sounded in your ears when you shuffle your legs close to you. You bit your lips, refusing to talk to him for as long as you could.

This only spurs him to crouch down to level your eyes and carress your cheek. His hand is slender and cold but that wasn't the reason you shuddered. What made you shiver was the thought of someone who you confide all your problems with and trusted deeply, especially when it came to protecting you, showing their monster and unwanted sinful desires towards you. "Hm~ What's this? Why is my little fae refusing my touch?" He pouts when you turn your head away from his hand.

"Are you perhaps being shy?" He chuckles and shakes his head when he falls trap to his own fantasies. "What a silly little thing."

Having enough of doing all the talking, he decides that it was about time for you to sing him praises. Chains rattle again, this time not because of you but because of him. He grabs your ankles and pulled your entire body close to him.

His cold leather gloves made you gasp which only fueled him on. "Fufufu. I knew I'd like you better this way," he comments, now towering over your form. You try not to cry as he leaves wet kisses on your inner thighs. It felt disgusting and O' how you wished your body didn't betray you at this moment, biting your bottom lip to keep all the noises he so desperately wants to hear from escaping.

He chuckles at your pathetic tries of fighting against the idea of giving up and submitting to him. If he had known years ago that you were going to become like this, maybe he should've discarded the notion of teaching you all those things that he would later have to pay a heavy price of not loving you the way he wants to and greatly resenting it. "Hn..!" Oh? Your legs trembled as he gives a kiss to your clothed sex. You could not see the sadistic smile that stretches his face that shows his fangs.

It was at this moment that he decides to skip all that long foreplay and teasing you. Another time, maybe, but not right now.

He slips off your underwear, feeling a wave of excitement surge through him. Lilia admits, he hasn't always thought of you this way so something must be wrong with him.. "You've put me under your spell, little fae.." His voice sounds deeper; serious.

"So it's time for you to understand the consequences of casting a spell on me."

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✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 4 - Here Comes the Red Prince

Malleus Draconia x fem! reader

Chapter list + Summary [Previous] [Next]

Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

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“Wife, do you want the garnet or sapphire?” It was a peaceful afternoon where you indulge yourself in embroidery moments before Malleus had decided to join you in the drawing room. After the birthday banquet of Marquis Hagen’s wife, Malleus could be found everywhere you looked. He had even started to join you for dinner. It was as if he’d been glued to your side and could not separate from you. It was honestly terrifying to have the fae’s looming build stare at you all day every day, watching every step you took and every air you breathe in. ‘His eyes are terrifying..’

You have also come to learn that he has indeed found a.. Nickname, you guess. It is just a title but it’s a bit better than the last.   

He wanted to do some bonding time with you, you assume, but when you try to initiate conversation at times to keep him entertained, the words would die on your tongue as soon as you make eye contact with him. 

He inspects the gems that are lined up neatly in rows on the table with the jeweller having stood at the side for some time and turned his head slightly to look at you. So far, you haven't shown any reactions to any, probably because you’re mainly caught up in the swirl of anxiety simply being near Malleus, too scared to move your arms that are laid stiffly on your lap. But you had to say something, otherwise nobody could leave this room. “Hm.. Oh!” A particular gem’s gleam caught the attention of your eyes amongst many of the other shiny accessories. Your hand reaches out for the small box containing the jewellery which was a necklace made of gold with two small ruby gems and a single, slightly larger one in the middle all carved to look like roses. If you had to choose a necklace, you guessed that this one would be most fitting. 

“Ah, Princess! You have quite the discerning eyes for true beauty!” The jeweller’s eyes lit up and began rubbing his hands together. “The gem has been the highest rarity ever seen of its own kind; it has been recently mined and brought to our craftsman!” 

Malleus, seeing the satisfied look you had on your face whilst staring at the necklace, nodded towards the jeweller. No words weren’t needed to be exchanged and the jeweller started packing the rest of the jewellery, readying himself to leave soon afterwards. “Are you sure that that is the only one you want, chil— ahem— wife?” He asks, taking a sip of his drink and looking at your form from the corner of his eyes to which you hummed in reassurance that you were indeed satisfied with just having one necklace at the moment. He had assumed that all ladies liked jewellery so he had made sure to have the fae bring in all of their best stocks, no matter the price. “Thank you, Your Highness.” Still, you had agreed to his idea to have the jeweller come in. Surely, he thinks, that this will satisfy the old fae who he knows isn’t too far that had been pestering him to not leave a “weeping princess alone,” or so he said. 

Just outside the door, hurried footsteps could be heard coming towards the room before stopping short right outside and then knocking on the door with composure so as to not offend the person on the other side. Once Malleus beckons them in, an air of urgency filled the room that both of you could sense. “Speak.” Malleus crosses both his legs and his arms and looks on with a serious look— and possibly with a pout, if your eyes aren’t deceiving you. “Your Highness, a human whom calls himself the prince of the Rose Kingdom is asking for your attendance..” Your two eyebrows shot up at the mention of the prince. A hand makes a loose fist on your chest as your heartbeat increases slightly. There was a moment of pause as Malleus stood up, readying to see the prince, and the messenger quickly took a glance past his shoulders and made direct eye contact at you. “Err, and the princess as well.” Both of your curiosity were piqued now. Hearing that the prince of your homeland was here is surprising enough, but to want to see you..? You were curious to why a royal would come all this way unannounced and to see you who has no power in this kingdom but title. If he’s here for something, then surely it is something that you cannot grant.

Nevertheless, you both went to the entrance of the castle. There, a boy with hair red as roses stood, tapping his foot impatiently and idly, careful eyes inspecting what he could and the servant faes who stood quietly on both sides. There was an air of distrust and it laid thickly in the air. “Rosehearts,” Malleus speaks as the both of you entered the scene. You walked behind him but the moment you entered, the red-head had averted his full attention to you. He was silent for a while, grey eyes just staring intently into your own.

Malleus noticed how his eyes weren’t focused on him and looked to where the prince was looking. His eyes narrow for a brief moment and this is not taken to notice by the fellow royal blood. “Tell me, Crown Prince of the Rose Kingdom, what reason did you come here rather unannounced?” Malleus got straight to the point, snapping the prince out of his daze and diverting his attention away. “I heard that you came alone on horseback.” 

The red-head covers his mouth with a fist and clears his throat before facing the fae who stood at a stark difference in height compared to himself. “If I were to bring them along, they’d only slow me down. Besides, it’s nearly impossible for magicless carriages to traverse these lands.” He puts into careful words to which you could agree. When you came here, it took the entire day on normal carriages that took the long— yet safe— route to get to the castle. “Hm. Then I apologize for the arduous journey,” Malleus says with a rather bored tone and crosses his arm. “I would have offered you tea by now and a rest, but I presume that you did not come here for idle chat.” For an unknown reason, he was becoming more restless, his foot tapping just how the rose prince in front of him once did before they entered. There was a tone in his voice that was rather telling; telling the short male to spit it out already and get out of here. 

“.. I will be in charge of the peace treaty from henceforth and wish to discuss certain agreements listed that could be misunderstood.. ” He explains. His eyes wander to you for a brief moment before returning them to stare at Malleus with a certain look as if asking him to a challenge. “Afterwards, I would like to have a conversation with [Name].. Alone.” At his words, Malleus’ pupils retracted into two, thin slits, though this went unnoticed by the both of you. The draconic fae glances at you, wondering how exactly close you were to him. To know of the prince is nothing to boast about since you were once a citizen of the kingdom but the look either of you gave and how you reacted earlier to when that servant said that the prince wanted to see you too suggests that you knew each other on a more intimate level. 

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that.” Malleus does not have any personal grudges against him, don’t get it wrong. In fact, he venerated the prince; he is a human with great prowess and strong affinity towards magic and whilst he has all this, he shows all the best qualities found in man. He is a perfect example of a leader— a future king. However, he will not allow another man to have a conversation with you in private. Who knows what could happen without his supervision? You were naive compared to anybody in the room, this he believes, so there is no doubt in his mind that you do not know the consequences.. A consequence from the rumours that’ll spread. An unmarried man and a married woman, alone in a room. No husband, no servants.. 

“I believe I have the right to see how my people are faring in an unfamiliar place,” Riddle shoots back. Malleus’ jaws tighten and you are sweating buckets at the stiff air that continues to build up. “I sincerely apologize for my rather.. Blunt correction, but she isn’t a person belonging to the Rose Kingdom anymore; she is now the princess of the Valley of Thorns and the creatures here are her future subjects,” Malleus corrected facts in an eerily calm paced tone, his right palm raised in the air while doing so in an open gesture saying to understand where he is coming from. Riddle’s hands turned into fists and his face warped into an ugly look, his eyebrows furrowing as low as it could. 

You have heard of this infamous look the red prince would have whenever something does not go his way and it greatly upsets him. When you look around, the faes in the vicinity— that included the servants as well— could sense hostility and were ready to attack should anything happen to their prince. If this continues, another long war might break out and you definitely do not want that.. “A-ah.. Your Highness..” You look towards the dark prince with a nervous gaze. Malleus turns his head at your call. “It would really make me happy to talk to somebody from my homeland..

“If we can’t have a private conversation, then would one at the garden be alright with you?” You spill out each word rather slowly and softly in hopes he’d relax a bit. You have secretly wanted to also have a chat with the prince so maybe if you persist, he’ll relent. 

His eyes look thoughtful and take your words into careful suggestions. “I’ll allow it..” He sighs and you couldn’t help but smile excitedly. He raises an eyebrow, his silent question is now bubbling up into many more unanswered questions. The look you have really does suggest that there is something more than meets the eye with the two. “But on one condition.” Ah. You should have seen it coming. But surely, it can’t be that bad so you nodded. “One of the guards will be on standby..

“Is that alright with you, Rosehearts?” He looks again towards the short male. “You must understand, it is not that I do not trust you; in the case something happens to my wife, another century of discord might ignite, and let’s not even begin to think of a future between the kingdoms should anything happen to the Rose Kingdom’s only prince..” 

Silver eyes bore deeply into luminescent green ones. He was thinking, but not about his words; rather, he was seeing if he could form more words that would allow the situation to go his way. The prince sighs, knowing that this may be the better condition and probably the only chance to speak with you. 

—

You have always felt that time was a lot slower in the Valley. Even back home, if you just stare outside the window of any of the higher floors, you’d see many citizens walking about and soldiers under the command of the resident baron doing their best to ensure the safety of the people whilst on the land he governs. In the Valley, the faes had all the time a human could ever want and more than not everything needs to be done by a certain date. It makes you feel as if you were the only one in a state of frantic of the little time you have left.

“Are you alright, [Name]?” A voice softly brings you back from your thoughts; you had been staring at your tea this whole time. “Oh, yes! Sorry, I was just thinking of some stuff..” You raise your chin up to meet grey orbs staring into your own. They weren’t any sort of warm colour such as brown, but you nevertheless found tranquillity when staring into them. As of this moment, you feel as if the time you chase so much while being in this place isn’t so important; that you did not mind how faes had time begging for them and were just happy to be there especially now that a familiar face has come to join you. 

“Um, you didn’t say anything important just now, did you, Riddle?” You felt a cold sweat run down the back of your neck and an awkward, lopsided smile was aimed towards him. “Hm..” He narrows his eyes just a bit, carefully taking note of the weird look on your face, an eyebrow raised higher than the other. 

Seeing as he just continues to stare at you in silence, you begin to get nervous and look everywhere else but his eyes and squirm in your seat. It wasn’t long until you heard the soft exhale of a breath and you lifted your head back up carefully. He is leaning back on his seat and crosses his legs over the other. You watch as his complexion relaxes. He closed his eyes and kept quiet for a bit. 

You sat there with a tight-lipped smile, clearly it was forced. “Did.. Did you say something important..?” You say softly and carefully. It really only takes one wrong step before you’d be ensuring his wrath.  His eyelashes flutter slowly like a feather when he opens his eyes to reveal those grey orbs once more. 

“Riddle?” He repeats, crossing his arm and looks at you judgmentally. It took you a while until it clicked. “Ah.. S-sorry! I meant Your Highness!” Your eyes become wide as you correct yourself quickly; your hands flail in front of you. You had started to miss the life you had before deeply. So, when you saw a familiar face from that not-so distant past, it made you think that even for a brief second, you could return to that dream where you’ll be allowed to let down formalities. But, you did not take into account that Riddle would always be someone of higher status than you and that even then, you addressed him with respect.

 He shakes his head, a small smile on his lips that you could not catch. Despite being in a foreign country, Riddle sees that you do not seem to be stricken with the look of fatigue and longing for home and that alone makes him feel much more at ease, knowing that you are okay. “Please, continue to call me Riddle,” his eyes speak of words, but unfortunately, it could not be read. “We have been intimate friends since our youth so I believe it is only right that you address me intimately, [Name].” He had always said your name without adding any title while you couldn’t, so having the opportunity to.. You feel your heart squeeze and a smile of your own comes to form and open your mouth to speak, “I.. Oh, but..” There then comes a realization that another, different rule now stops you. “I can’t..

“I am now a princess of another kingdom.. They will find it suspicious if I address you too casually and rumours might start..” You look over your shoulder to the guard stationed nearby, just as agreed with between him and Malleus.  

Riddle’s eyes directs to the same direction you were looking at. And, with a stern look on his face when your eyes meet, he speaks, “Isn’t the purpose to unite the two kingdoms is for the people to become friends? As friends, I don’t believe formalities are needed.” He made a really good point and you found no fault in that. You nod and smile again. “You’re right, Riddle.” 

His eyes widened. Even though this was something he asked for, he did not quite think of the consequences it would have on him. “Oh..! Did I make you angry?” You panicked, seeing his face turn the colour of red (the same colour when he gets angry). 

No, he isn’t angry. Quite the opposite, but he couldn’t say. The prince was never one to hide his wrath so it is no surprise to see his face also reflecting his flustered mind; a hand flies to his face as if it could hide the ever deepening red colour. 

Seeing you panicking and regretting ever being born, he quickly calms his raising heart. “No..” He coughs into his fist. “Sorry, I was just.. Nevermind.” He dissuades from continuing the topic. His posture corrected itself once more, but his face was still hiding behind his hand and his eyes looked off to the side.

“Anyway, I’m sorry if I have made you wait long.. I’ve been meaning to end the talks with Malleus quickly.” He explains. “No, it’s alright. I hope the meeting went well,” you shook your head, holding your cup between your hands. 

“Oh, right, what did you want to talk to me about?” You asked. He did say that he wanted to speak to you alone. He hums and looks at you dumbfounded briefly but caught up with you in the end. “Ah, I.. When I got back from the academy, I was told that the peace talks were over and then came the agreement, but it wasn’t until later in the castle that I was informed that a baron’s daughter was to be married to..” His eyes tried hard to continue staring at you, but failed; there felt a suffocating feeling in his chest which dried his throat. The thought that he couldn’t be there to stop you from going to the Valley of Thorns was unbearable for him. “That you were the one who..”

The air suddenly became too thick for him and although it did not feel like that for you, the pitiful look on his face made you feel regretful that you did not tell him. You were about to comfort him when a hand slams down on the table along the screeching sound of a chair being pulled back. “Tell me!” Riddle looks at you with eyes that could only say so much about how hurt he is. “You.. Why did you accept? Why didn’t you reject the Queen? Why did you get married to him!?” At every word he says out loud, the louder his voice becomes and all you could do was stare in trepidation. 

However, you know you could not allow this to escalate. You look at the guard stationed nearby and see he was ready to subdue Riddle the moment he crosses that invisible line between you two. 

“Riddle, please calm down..!” You raise your own voice (something that you believe you have never done before) and look crossed at him. He has to calm down otherwise, at this rate, you might never be allowed to talk to him like this again. Luckily, he was quick to see his wrongdoings and the colour on his face returned to normal. He sits down yet does not look at you; he looks at his hands that are laid on his lap. “I’m.. I’m sorry, [Name].” 

You huff a breath. “It’s oka—“ “No, it’s not okay!” His head shots up to look at you and realize once again that he is acting out again. “Please.. Let me apologize sincerely before you say anything.

“I’m sorry for raising my voice at you. It wasn’t right and I take full responsibility for my actions,” he words out carefully. 

The wind was slightly cooler than what it was this morning. You look up to stare at the clouds. Now that you think about it, the skies are a lot darker than it was before Riddle came. It looked like the sky itself was having internal conflict. It appears that it was battling itself to not have a downpour right at this moment. It’s funny, you think, the clouds at that moment seem alive and having split thoughts about what weather they’ll cast. It made you almost chuckle at a made-up thought that a sorcerer could be doing this because they were in a similar state as well.. Maybe it was Riddles’ doing, but he does not have the ability to freely change the weather and you knew that well. 

Tearing your eyes away from the sky, you return to reality at hand and speak with a gentle voice like a mother speaking to her child, “Riddle, look at me.” You would not continue speaking until he looks at you. There was a brief look of hesitation that you could see under the darkness of his bangs. He gulps down a growing lump in his throat before looking at you properly. “There was no other choice; I had to get married—“ “No choice?” He sounded broken when he repeated your words. You bit the bottom of your lips. It’s a long story and you are honestly too tired to tell it.. That fae.. The Queen.. What happened in that throne room finalized your fate. 

You nod your head and outstretch your hand to hold his. You had never held his hands before until today and to no one’s surprise, they were warm. “I had no choice but listen, if it’s to make two kingdoms stop fighting a pointless battle, then I’m happy being the beginning of that newly established peace.”

Riddle looks long at both of your hands. With a look of resolve, he squeezes your hands and meets your eyes with seriousness. “I’ll find a way..” He says and you thought he’d continue on from there but he didn’t. Instead, he lets go of your hands and starts looking for something inside his welted chest pockets. “I have a letter from my mother meant for you; it’s an invitation.” 

Invitation? That’s surely a surprise, you think, taking the closed envelope into your hands and looking at the fancy markings alongside the single red seal of a rose. You open in and read its contents carefully. “Is there anything else mentioned in there..?” Riddle asks curiously. You shook your head. “She just wants to invite me back to join her for tea someday.” 

He hums agreeingly with the letter. “I think you should accept. Think of it as a meeting between a queen and a future queen; I believe it’ll benefit you.” 

Seeing it that way, you nod agreeingly and look at the letter, finding no faults inside it. “Then, I’ll ask His Highness..” You say almost subconsciously. Riddle raises his eyebrows. “His Highness? Is that how you address him?” He crosses his arms over his chest. You nod, “Mhm.. I mean, I don’t think it’d be appropriate to address him as anything but.” 

Unbeknownst to you, a smile was threatening to let slip but he fought it back. “I see.. Then I’ll definitely come for you..” He mutters cryptically. Before you could ask since he had said something similar twice now, he stood up from his seat. “I’m sorry, but I should leave now. I promised my mother I will be back in the castle before the moon rises,” he said. You smiled understandingly and entered back inside the castle to see him off.

“Thank you for allowing me to speak with you, [Name].” He puts a hand over his heart, his back facing the door to the castle. You shook your head and said, “No, I should be thanking you.. It was so good to see you again. I really missed talking to you, Riddle.” 

During you twos parting chatter while waiting for Malleus to see him off, the draconic-fae enters the room. His first sight was you hardly trying to cover a wide smile. He had thought you weren’t capable of a radiant smile like that and a look of perplexity crossed his face as he approached you two. There was no point in trying to be sneaky when his shoes sounded with every step he took. 

“Rosehearts.” You two stopped talking and looked behind you. He was still upset from earlier but he does not show it on his stoic face. You scooted away from Riddle and took your place beside Malleus. “I hope your stay here was alright,” he continues speaking. 

Riddle hums. “It was. [Name] here has been a wonderful host.” He looks at you and you couldn’t help but smile, albeit a small one from trying to hide it. Malleus gives a low, prolonged hum; eyes darting to and fro between you two. “I see.. Then, I'm at ease.” 

The words exchanged between the two were very short and before you knew it, Riddle had gone home. It was thought that it would be that and Malleus was already on his heels to leave the hall. You look off to the direction Riddle took off on his horse just for a second and leave as well. You thought it best to bring up the invitation to Malleus later over dinner.

In the meantime, as you let out a soft sigh, you let your muscle relax. Most of the mornings and part of the afternoon were spent entertaining Malleus and Riddle for the rest; you are determined to have some time for yourself just until dinner. 

Still.. It was the most wonderful visit that you’ve ever received. Seeing Riddle again made you feel as if you’ve gained the strength to continue on with this duty of being wedded to the Valley’s prince.

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Malleus Draconia

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do not interact.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

Malleus thinks you’re cute.

He thinks your especially cute when you give him shy smiles, an angelic giggle, the flirtatious bat of the eyes directed his way.. The list continues and even he himself is not so sure if he can list them all in this lifetime despite his long lifespan.

And in these moments, a low chuckle that comes from deep within his chest will usually be the response to all the little actions. Just like now, as a chuckle reverberates in your ears crystal clear from how close his breath was to your ears. There were no distance between you two. Having said that, your bear back is pressed against his muscular chest and you writhing in his hold. “Hah.. Aren’t you adorable, child of man?” His arms were on both sides of you and planting both of your hands onto the mattress beneath.

You grit your teeth to stop anymore drool from pooling onto the sheets with your eyes rolled as far as it could to the back of your head, but there honestly was no point now that the sheets have been already stained with your cum from the couple of rounds beforehand. It was only ever your cum that stains the sheets. Not once had he cum yet. It was unbelievable, honestly, at the stamina of draconic faes and how his cock is still hard and mercilessly pounding into you all this time.. Or could this just be him? You don’t dwell on it, too focused on getting to your next release, and that wasn’t too far since at every thrust, he penetrates the back of your walls, making your legs tingle with numbness.

“No need to stifle those moans, my love.” Ah, yes, your moans. He finds the cute sounds you make pleasant music to his ears.. Sounds only he could produce from you. No one else. This would be something he should put down at the top of the list of the things he finds so cute about about you.

He turns your head towards him and he inserts his snake-like tongue inside your mouth, tasting the strawberry cake you had with him just early in the afternoon when you joined him for lunch. Without breaking eye contact, he notices the little tears that lie dormant at the corner of your eyes and the wet cheeks. Cute. His little bird is shedding silent tears at the overstimulation he's giving but still so greedily wants more. His hands moves from your hips to your waist in a repeated motion, silent words saying to be patient and that you will soon have your release. He also thinks you're cute even when you cry so no matter what you do, it will be adorable in his eyes.

Malleus Draconia thinks you're cute. But most important of all is that he thinks you’re cuter when you’re in a disheveled state and crying beneath him, begging for more of him.

“I think I like you most like this.”

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Lilia Vanrouge x Fem! reader

Warning(s): NSFW. Minors do no interact.

Just a short drabble.

⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰

There you were, body pressed into the mattress doing your best to stifle a groan with a fae looking over at you with the most devlish smirk plastered on his face.

Lilia getting so hard for you so early in the morning and deciding to stuff that cute little cunny of yours would be the best thing to wake up to but not when you two had but a wink of sleep from last night's fiasco as well.

Your overstimulated body quivers and you hugged tightly on the pillow while he fucks into you while on your side harshly, trying hard not to make so much noises this early in the morning when the others are still sleeping. He raises your leg a bit higher to pound into you just right to feel the walls of your cunt squeeze him everytime he enters. His ragged breathing was close to your ear and you hear an airy chuckle. "Mm~? Is my little fairy crying?" He removes the pillow that you've been shoving your face into to quiet the sounds and felt wonderful to be a sadist at that moment, loving the tears that he is responsible for making from the love that he gave out. He licks the tears at the corner of your eyes and smirks against your face. He engulfs you in his arms and his bare front is pressed against your back. It was radiating warmth like you've never felt before. "You're so cute when you cry~"

His touch is electrifying with one hand groping your breast and the other teasing your body with light touches that trails from your thighs to your hip before going back down to repeat it's motion.

You mewl out his name and beg him. Beg for what, to stop or to help you with your own release that had been building up despite your legs having been numb long before? You're not sure, but you hoped that he would already come inside you already and make you feel full to make him stop numbing your legs. However, you don't think that that will be soon as he continues to tease and rile your body even more. He is clearly enjoying this so there is no way he'd stop now, not when he hasn't put how you contort your face at everytime he hits a certain spot into memory.

"Khehee, you're doing so good, little fairy."

"Just a little more for me~"

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 3.5 - A Step Into the Social Circle

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

It has been a while since you’ve worn something as elegant as the dress that was a deep shade of green that was almost a midnight blue you’re wearing with all the black lace and pearls stitched into it. It was beautiful, that much you can at least honestly say, but there was still a problem.. ‘It’s too heavy..’ You’ve never fancied yourself to such stuffy dresses. The only thing you were quite happy with are the frills at the end of the sleeve that cups your wrists rather loosely. Honestly, you were partially grateful that you hadn’t been going out of the palace for as long as you’ve had, now remembering just how tight dresses could become. When you were but just a noble’s daughter, tea parties and balls were frequent so you had to wear ridiculously suffocating dresses. And it was like tea parties and gossiping were all the things that noble ladies had to think of for entertainment. Well, there were also the croquet games held in the palace of the Queen, but it was an invitation exclusive that you, sadly, were not invited to at all. 

Now that you’re comparing dresses, you don’t recall your wedding dress being as tight compared to the suffocating dress you’re wearing. You wished the same tailor made the dress you’d wear tonight. ‘Or maybe it’s because the atmosphere was much more suffocating that I hadn’t noticed..’ The never prying eyes watched every step you took that day, waiting and wishing for you to trip; make a mistake. Since it was an important day for the kingdom, every noble family attended so you’re sure to meet most nobles at the party tonight too. Despite the scary eyes directed towards you that day, you wonder if you could make friends at the banquet since you haven’t had someone close to talk to in this kingdom. You became rather hopeful.

“Princess.” A bored voice ensues after two, firm knocks on the door. You let the servant come in and before she even said what she was there for, you already knew. “His Highness, the prince, has me come fetch you for the banquet. He is waiting for you downstairs in the foyer.”

“Alright, thank you,” you say and let her escort you. Just as she had told you, Malleus really was waiting downstairs. He stares off at another hallway and if you just strain your ears, you’d hear the faint clacking of heels fade away as it gets further away. After a few seconds, he was fixing the cuffs and now seeming to be in wait but with his brows slightly furrowed. ‘Was he speaking to someone just now?’ 

You interrupted his thoughts when you stepped in his view. “Child of man..” His eyes were slightly wide, showing a look of surprise, though honestly, it shouldn’t be the case since he should be expecting you after telling someone to get you. 

When you look at him carefully, you see that you two were matching— not in the literal way where he was wearing the same dress as you, but it’s complimenting each other quite well. On top of that, on his head, he adorned a tricorne with a dark green lace that trims around it, but it’s customized to accommodate his horns. You hadn’t known that this was how it’ll go so you were truly in for a surprise and you admit, even though he had a scary air about him, you couldn’t deter your thoughts away about how handsome he was— something you didn’t think of on the day of the wedding. 

He clears his throat when he notices you had been staring blankly at his face. “Are you ready to go?” He asks with which you said a quick, meek ‘yes’. Your face is a bit flushed at you getting caught looking at him for a prolonged time. 

You follow him outside where there was a black carriage in wait with the footman having opened the door already. When you moved your eyes slightly to the front of the carriage— to your surprise— what seemed to be normal, black horses that match the theme of the carriage were emitting ominous yet faint golden particles by their hooves. 

When you take a glance to your side where Malleus stood, he does not seem to find it strange at all and in fact, continues walking down the steps of the castle. You followed closely behind.

He stops shortly in front of the door and he swings his body at 120 degrees so that his body is partially facing you and then proceeds to stretch out a hand. Admittedly, you were confused for the first few milliseconds before remembering it was just a formality— something that he should be doing— and that you should accept it. 

Only after getting into the carriage and getting yourselves cozy on the soft and crazily expensive cushions, does the footman close the door and the horses proceed to trot away with the guidance of the coachman.

It must be nice to be outside, you think. Since now, there was an awkward air inside and an intimidating presence just inches from you. You try to get creative in your head and think of nice things to forget reality for a moment just until you arrive at the Marquis’ home. 

You’ve done a bit of your studies before going actually, and based on what you’ve read, he is an outstanding lord who mainly deals with the financial status of the kingdom. There wasn't anything to note about his wife, however, except that she is from another noble family. You were a bit disappointed since it was her birthday that you were attending and you have little to no information about her at all. 

Your thoughts had been interrupted when the road became bumpy, causing you to slightly jump in your seat and lurch forward. ‘What the—‘ When you look out the window out of instinct, you see that the carriage was getting awfully close to the edge of a cliff. 

“We normally don’t use carriages,” Malleus begins with an eerily calm tone despite the situation and you whip your head with a clear look of panic. If he doesn’t use them, how will he know how a carriage is supposed to be used— “Faes generally have the ability to fly, whether it is by wings or magic.

“However, the kingdom has many sorts of creatures who have little magic and thus tire easily when used so they opt to use their legs. There are also faes whose magic capabilities have drained with age.. If they do not have wings, carriages were made to accommodate them since the terrain here consists mainly of cliffs and is unwalkable.” 

You were about to say something— anything— about how if it was unwalkable, how does he expect a carriage to travel when you felt the carriage becoming light.. As if it had been thrown off of the cliff. 

You felt your heart drop and something vile building up in your throat. You were going to die right here, you think, and it hasn’t even been long since you’ve started out your new life. Malleus was still infuriatingly calm as you panic when you could no longer feel the bumps of the pathway and the trees from your peripheral vision— ‘Wait, what? No trees..?’ Finally, you look outside the window and to your bewilderment, the trees were not of eye level anymore and were below you. 

When you pressed yourself against the glass, you could barely see a gold mist just underneath the carriage and you could guess that the source was the horses at the front. Although you were a bit scared at how high you were from the ground, you were in complete awe at the new experience. “Lilia said that humans are afraid of heights so I apologize for the long journey, but I did not want your travel here to frighten you,” Malleus said, eyeing your form that had its back facing him from his peripheral vision. He was referring to the time when a similar carriage came to pick you up at your manor back in the Rose Kingdom. You wanted to say that the fear depends on the situation and person, but you don’t dare imagine what would happen if you correct him. 

‘Lilia?’ There was a look of naivety on your face. ‘Is that someone close to Malleus?’ Deciding not to be too nosy, you decided not to ask. You weren’t close to him anyway to have the right to. In fact, it shouldn’t bother you in the slightest at the thought of him keeping a certain secret from you if he did. And it doesn’t. 

You turn to look outside the window again at the valleys and cliffs underneath you, remaining quiet. At some point, you see small lights gathered together in one place and you already can guess that they are lights from houses. They were all spread out, however, and you recall in your studies that since it’s hard to actually build homes in the Valley, they’re all spread out. Hopefully, you can go out to one of these towns some day, if Malleus permits it. A rule that you had been silently following was to always ask him if you want something or if you want to go somewhere. But, you rarely ask for things because frankly, it’s better if you have little to no interaction with him. 

“Your Highnesses, we’ve arrived at Marquis Hagen’s estate,” one of the men at the front says loud enough for the both of you to hear well inside the carriage. The first hump was felt soon after when the carriage made impact with the ground and then came the sound of the horses’ hooves trotting on the pavement. 

You had to look towards the window closest to Malleus to see the enormous house that is lit with lights from inside. Sure, it wasn’t remotely comparable to the castle, but it was still huge in its own right. 

The carriage drew to a steady halt and a footman came to open the door. He bowed deeply under the presence of Malleus who turned to you and held a hand out for you the same way when he led you into the carriage. There were some nobles still at the front, preparing to head inside, when they caught the glimpse of your arrival.. Or more specifically, Malleus’ arrival. Compared to him, you were just a background character. 

However, you noticed that most— if not, all those present had the look of surprise. Were they surprised to see a human here? But when you look carefully, their eyes were on Malleus. Curious. 

Nevermind, you could not dwell on it anyway since you were busy being escorted into the hall where the banquet is held. “Your Highnesses, welcome.” The doorman at the door greeted you both with a deep bow.  When the door swung open, the banquet was already in full swing. You were in complete awe at the sight of so many faes who all had an individuality to them. 

Ever the curious, their eyes were drawn to who had just recently entered. A gasp could be heard somewhere in the room. Then, “Your Highness!” In unison, the faes all took a respectful bow, with the females doing a curtsy with a hand over their chest. 

“There’s no need for this. I did not come on official business.” With the wave of his hands, the guests returned to their activities prior, now in whispers about your arrival. They must really respect him, you thought. When you look to see his expression, you were quite surprised at the sight you caught. ‘What’s with that look..?’

Amidst your wonder, the sound of heels heading your way caught your attention and thus, you could not ask what was on your mind. “Your Highness.” A woman who had the soft glow of youth dressed herself in a light purple bustle that matched the colour of her eyes and left much room to cover on her collarbones since her sleeves were off the shoulder. Her hair was left in a neat, tight bun with a hairpin holding it together. In contrast to her light garment, her hair was dark. She’s a beauty in the night, you think, completely enamoured by her beauty. “It’s a wonderful surprise to see you  attend one of my banquets at last.”

‘Huh? Does Malleus not regularly attend social gatherings?’ You find reasons for his questionable look earlier. It was akin to a drooling child looking through the patisserie’s windows at the tarts put on display that day— just minus the drooling and shop entirely. But still, it doesn’t completely make sense to you.

“It just so happens that the invitation came my way,” he coolly brushes off the comment. You couldn’t understand the underlying meaning of those words nor did it ever raise questions in you. He turns to you who remained quiet at his side. “Child of man, this is Lady Guinevere. Marquis Hagen’s wife.” He gestures with a hand. 

“It’s an honour to meet you, Lady Guinevere,” you say with a shy smile. A mischievous glint crosses her eyes and she brings a loose fist up to her mouth. “Ah, yes.. Although I’m the one who sent the invitation, it still feels so surreal to have a human in my abode.” She smiles warmly. “The honour is all mine, Princess.”

Her attention on you was brief, returning her focus on Malleus. “The first dance will start soon and I had hoped that Your Highness and the princess would lead the dance,” she picks up a topic to go forth. Your body froze. ‘A dance? With him?’ 

“It would be the best present, you know,” she adds on. Malleus simply nods at her request. A little too quickly, might you note. After a few more exchange of words, she excuses herself to make sure the musicians are ready. When the both of you stepped aside, you took this chance to tug at his sleeve, forgetting for a brief second about your fear toward him since there was a larger fear at hand. He feels this and bends his torso so that you could whisper in his ears, already sensing that you wanted to tell him something in private. 

“Um, Your Highness..” You began, gulping down your nervousness. “I’m not a good dancer.” He faces you with slightly widened eyes at the confession. He had assumed you knew these things since you were a full bred noble and you honestly couldn’t fault him. The start of this ill-fated moment began when you were young. You hated the way your feet would hurt every time you did your dancing lesson and threw quite a fit until your father decided that it would be okay to not do them until later in your years. And frankly, if it doesn’t help you, you wouldn’t do it. Dancing was an opportunity to flirt, that’s what you thought at the time. Even up until recently, not a single man had come asking you for a dance and so you silently watched from the sidelines. There wasn’t any need for you to properly learn how to dance. Who knew that something— your marriage— would have come sooner than you had thought that requires you to dance. You thank your father for cheering you up during your dark era but now, you wished someone had forced you to continue your lessons. 

Safe to say, you were embarrassed as you spoke the words into his ears. How silly you were when you were young. You felt embarrassed for the younger you. Malleus straightens up with the look of thought crossing his features. “Child of man,” he looks at you after having come to a conclusion. “We cannot decline Lady Guinevere’s wish now—“ You felt hopeless. “—so if you’ll allow me, I’ll cast a spell on you.” 

Or maybe there was hope. “What sort of spell..?” You ask, a look of weariness makes your eyebrows scrunch down together. Now, it wasn’t like you don’t trust him, having heard of how powerful he is and how he would be surpassing the strength of the current queen of the Valley of Thorns sooner than most thought, but you were being used as the subject of the spell and you’ve read too many magic mishaps at the sorcerer’s tower to have a reason to be afraid. It was a natural response even though you didn’t have much of a choice. “The gift of dance,” he answers, already readying himself to cast it on you. “It will be temporary so do not worry for any sort of lasting effect.” It wasn’t like you had any choice except resigning yourself to fate. 

When the time came and Lady Guinevere announced that the first dance would be led by the prince, your nerves were now the one hindering you. Before it was your inability to dance, now it was you wanting to chicken out. What if the spell wears off during the dance? What if the others can sense the traces of magic and know that you can’t dance? What if— “Child of man.” 

You were startled out of your thoughts. Malleus stood beside you with a gloved hand waiting for yours. His face was that of calm, contrasting with your panicked one that all but reveals the thoughts coursing through your mind. “O-oh, right..!” You place your hand on his. You feel eyes burning at the back of your skull as Malleus leads you to the middle of the circle that formed. 

You put your left hand on his shoulder. This much you knew how to do. The music started of softly and quietly when you first walked onto the centre but it gradually became louder the moment either one of you took the first step, but not too chaotic sounding with the sound of a cello doing skips. 

There wasn’t even a breathing room before the dance started and it was hard to keep up with Malleus’ steps. With all the spinning and the scrutinizing eyes on you, you were starting to feel dizzy. You weren’t even sure if you were dancing correctly. Maybe the spell didn’t actually work— “Child of man,” Malleus calls for you softly but the vibrations of his voice was still there but only for you to hear. “Keep your eyes on me.” 

At his words, you realized that you had been staring at his shoes, a subconscious action born from your nervousness. “S-sorry..” “Focus on me. Do not worry about them,” he said and that’s what you did. Your brows slightly furrowed as you concentrated hard on him. Even with your tallest heels on so you could come close to his height, you notice that he was hunching forward a bit. You don’t know who's back would hurt more from this though since you were leaning a bit back just so you could properly look at him. 

You both glide across the floor, your dress fluttering as it tries to catch up to you while Malleus leads the dance. He was scary to look at but it was better than having danced with a total stranger.

When the dance concluded, you felt a wave of relief wash over you. You immediately step off to the side with Malleus in tow to let the others dance. “The magic has worn off now,” he states calmly and offers a glass of water that he had somehow managed to get his hand on. You mumbled a quick thank you and downed the water. Honestly, you had been focusing too much with the background noises in your head that you hadn’t really thought of how silly you must have looked. I mean, the height difference is obvious and everybody knows that to nail the best dance, you should have someone close to your height. He was not and you were practically breaking bones just to make eye contact with him. Well, whatever has been done is now in the past.

“Your Highness, that was a wonderful dance,” Lady Guinevere had come back to you both when the banquet was now in full swing with the loud music and dancing. Her fox-shaped eyes were soft and really brought in the definition of a mysterious beauty. “You as well, Princess.” 

You gave a small and shy smile, feeling a bit warm in your cheeks that someone so pretty was complimenting you, even if the dance was a bit fake. “It was an honour to have given the best gift to you, Marchioness,” Malleus says, turning his gaze to you. “Child of man, do you wish to continue to stay here for a bit longer?” 

Hm? You stare at him with the look of cluelessness. Was it not inappropriate to leave so soon when the party has just begun? Before you could give an answer, Lady Guinevere interrupts. “Mm? Your Highness, why is it that you keep referring to the Princess as ‘Child of man’?” She gives an innocent smile that shows her curiousity. “Is she not a human child?” Is the answer he goes with. Though it was a question to a question, it pretty much ends at the same answer. There really was no other explanation to give except that you were human.

“Ah. I just thought it was a cute nickname.” She covers her close-eyed smile with a hand momentarily before dropping it back down. “Hmm. If Your Highness chooses to go now, I must give a proper send off. 

“It was an honour hosting you today, You Highness and Princess. I hope that you’ll attend more of my birthday banquets in the future. Maybe then my husband is not out on one of his business trips.” She does a low curtsy and excuses herself, leaving you the final word on whether or not you should continue to stay. Tonight was fun but you feel that if other men were to approach you to ask for a dance, you’d surely break a toe. Now that the magic is gone, you are left to showcase your horrible skills to fend for dear life. Coming to that conclusion you— “Your Highness!” A man had taken the opportunity to strike up a conversation now that Lady Guinevere had walked away. Well, it doesn’t hurt for Malleus to talk some more. You can wait. “…”

“Huhu, the prince doesn’t really care for the princess, does he?” A quiet murmur in the distance, but you heard it. You wanted to see the face of whoever said that but you didn’t know how to without making it obvious. “This marriage is a joke. Our prince is made a laughing stock at marrying someone so.. Weak.” It seems that there’s a conversation about you just within earshot. You don’t mind people talking about you, but the least they could do is not speak ill of you when you’re literally right there. At this point, they should just say it to your face since it makes no difference. 

“I’m sure the prince feels the same way; have you heard what he calls that thing?” 

“Child of man, was it? Haha! Yes! He doesn’t even refer to her by name.” You had been subconsciously gripping your dress till it wrinkled at that certain spot. The hatred that ran between humans and faes is still fresh in their hearts so it isn’t right for you to speak up, you believe. Both sides were hurt and had lost someone dear so if this talk was an extension of relieving that aching pain in them, you’ll let them. They were just like humans. They feel the same emotions as you. Still, it’s about time you leave. They still don’t like the thought of a human around so maybe you’ll come back once the storms have calmed a bit. Braving up yourself, you tug at the sleeves of Malleus’ clothes that just rested at his side. Again, he leans down to get to a smiliar height as you so you could whisper in his ears. “Your Highness, I’m feeling a bit exhausted..” 

He takes one glance at you and then nods his head to confirm that your wish has been heard. “I’m sorry to cut this conversation short, but it seems that it’s about time for us to leave,” Malleus returns to speaking with the fae that approached earlier and stood idly by until you finished talking with him. “Have yourself send the proposal to the privy council. I am merely but a prince so the Queen will have the final word.”

The fae understood right away and had given way for you both to leave after giving a respectful bow. By the time you two had gotten out of the manor, the carriage was already waiting. You plop down on the soft cushions and kept to yourself, staring out at the window and trees the were underneath your feet.

“…” You bit your lip and fidget with your fingers, contemplating on whether or not you should bring it up to the fae beside you. Malleus sat with his legs crossed over one another with a serene look on his face, his eyes closed as he takes in the peaceful night that contrasted the earlier moments at the ball. It was short but he very much enjoyed it. 

You sigh. You’ve already begun treading the path of danger and risked your life the many times you so much as peep a sound to him so might as well go for it, right? “Your Highness..” “Yes, child of man?” He was at the ready to answer as if he had been waiting for you to speak. “That nickname.. Don’t you find it a bit awkward to say?” You began with careful words. Hopefully he gets the message but if not, you hoped to guide him to the answer. Turns out that the conversation between the whispering nobles had made you insecure. You didn’t mind him calling you whatever he wanted before. “No, it isn’t.” Ah. So you’ll have to go for your second plan after all.

“W-well, I was thinking that if you ever need me urgently, it may be a bit too long of a name.. Don’t you think so?” You cautiously look at him from the side of your eyes to see how he’s reacting. He brings a finger to his chin and thinks about it. Was it really necessary to ponder every scenario over a name, you questioned. “Then, what name do you suggest I should call you?” He asks, meeting your eyes. ‘Why does he word it as if we’re naming a household pet?’ 

“I haven’t thought that far, actually..” You had hope to leave the naming to him since he seems like the expert so you ended the conversation at that until you arrive back at the castle.

You’ve only been gone for what, 4 hours? Still, it felt like you had been gone for much longer that the feeling of missing home weighed in your heart so when you did arrive, you felt so much better. “Then, I’ll go to bed now, Your Highness.” You gave a small smile and a quick bow and excused yourself. It was only after you got to the hall where your room was at did you feel much at ease. Hopefully, you won’t encounter him for a while— just until you recharged yourself at least. You know it’s unavoidable, the meetings with him. 

— 

Nothing beats a warm bath after a day out. You sit on the bed and comb through your damp hair. You were left to your own thoughts, though not much was being thought about so you were basically zoning out for the majority of this nightly routine so when the door opened, snapping you out of that trance, your skin jumped a bit. I mean, even if they didn’t want to come to you willingly, they shouldn’t enter without knocking and announcing— wait, did they call out for you? 

You turn your head slightly just to look at the door, expecting a servant but what caught you unawares is seeing that the one that stepped into the room was a tall fae and not a servant. “Y-your Highness!?” You hastily get onto your feet and turn you body in attention from the side of the bed further from him. He was in nothing but black, silk robes with a slight chest window. You could tell that he had just finished taking a bath with how droplets of water still drop from his hair to the shoulders along with those that trail down his open chest. 

“Is there anything I can help you with..?” Your voice gradually becomes quieter the further the words go and avert your eyes. He hums. “No,” he answers and walks closer to the edge of the bed opposite from yours. He sits down with his back fully facing you and with the towel that was on his shoulders, he begins drying his hair. 

You were expecting for him to start talking after a while but as the second hand begins to tick loudly from a distance, the more awkward it became. “Then.. Is there something you want to talk about..?” Finally, his hands still and you were very sure of it now that he indeed does. However, what he says next surprises you. “No,” he answers, “Is there something you want to tell me?” He reversed the situation so that he was now asking the questions. 

“Uhm.. Didn’t you come here for something?” Now you were very confused as to why this large fae was sitting on the bed, coming in with no reason— or even an excuse— to why he was there. “Hmm..” He looks at you with the look akin to the eyes of a clueless dog. He was dragging this on even if he didn't realize it. ”I came to sleep.” 

Ah. It was then that you remembered that he does have rights to enter this room as casually as he did— despite not having entered it once since your marriage— since it was originally meant for the two of you. “Oh, right..” You awkwardly sat back down on the bed and continued to brush your hair— not because it was still in tangles, but because you honestly don’t think you can sit there and do nothing with the awkward air hanging above you currently. But just for how long will you keep up with that? Is it too awkward for you to just lie down and say your good nights? Malleus seems to not be bothered at all at just how abrupt he came.

Eventually, you had to put your brush down, having your arms grow tired from its monotonous actions. “Then, I’ll go to sleep first, Your Highness..” You turn slightly to look at his form. Even with the robe covering his skin, you could tell that he was keeping in shape with how broad his shoulders were. And the robe really didn’t try to hide the muscles on his arms and in fact, it seems that the piece of clothing wanted all to see it as well. 

“Good night.” He was still drying his hair when he spoke. You can’t see his face so you’re not sure what he’s truly feeling.. And why he decided to join you tonight. Where had he been sleeping anyway? It was a question that wasn’t waiting anxiously for an answer as you try to lull yourself to sleep despite the situation. You honestly don’t think you’d be able to sleep though, you think, when you find yourself staring at the wall in front of you instead but remaining quiet.

At that second the light slowly began to dim. It wasn’t completely turned off like an extinguished flame. In just the short time you’ve been here, you noticed a lot of things that are different from your norms; one obvious fact— other than that the citizens were not human— was that they use magic for basically everything they do. One time, you had happened to stumble upon a broom sweeping the floor by itself. Perplexed and intrigued, you went to touch the broom but at that moment, the broom felt startled and suddenly fell limp on the floor. A fae came from just around the corner hurriedly and began reprimanding you, saying to not touch it or else the magic will diminish. One day led to another and you happened to pass the kitchen and saw a bag of flour fly across your face. To them, magic was wielded with ease that having one doesn’t automatically get you into the wizard’s tower and work there. Back home, there is one such spell caster that could wield it just as easily which had everyone drawing their eyes to.

When soft snores could be heard, Malleus relaxed his shoulders. What you had thought originally turned out to be wrong, the weight of your body being engulfed in such warmth had it melt into it after a night out. “Lilia.” He mutters and suddenly, a red butterfly with the faint glow akin to a firefly flaps its wings towards him. It had always been since the moment Malleus walked in but you hadn’t noticed since it had hidden itself in the walls. Intangible words were passed in hushed tones. The butterfly wasn’t talking but sounds of airy whispers were indeed coming from it. To anybody listening in, it would sound haunting. It made sounds as if thousands of folks were talking at once in a language they do not know at a low volume. The veil of magic on the butterfly made it so that only the intended listener could make out its words.

He was originally going to sleep in the room that he has been staying in, however.. 

"Khehee."

He crosses his arms as he stares disapprovingly at the little butterfly. Just moments earlier Lilia had approached him and prevented him from going to his room. "I had forgotten to tell Sebek that you had gone for the night." Is what the old fae said to him. Apparently Sebek had flipped the entire room and the rooms near it since he hadn't answered the door and became worried that something bad had happened to him. Though he's not sure how much of it is true. It doesn't make sense to him since he is more capable than any guard. He even was denied having another room set for him by none other than the old fae. "The servants must be quite tired by now, hm? Let them have it easy just for tonight." 

The butterfly continues chuckling as if this situation was amusing. He sighs and it was then that Malleus knew that this would be a long night.

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✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 3 - Teas, Cakes, and the Sleeping Beauty

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

“The prince.. Wants to meet me?” This was certainly a surprise and one can guess so at the look on your face as look at the maid who stood by the door. You put down the book that you weren’t even invested in and just read it to kill time on the time period where you were given a break– Yes, you were given a schedule to follow each day. It consisted of all your lessons, break periods, meal time, sleeping time– whatever one could think of. Although, you find the part of them deciding when you should sleep a bit unreasonable.. I mean, you were pretty sure that you are now at that age where no one would need to decide when you should go to sleep. You weren’t sure who had made up this schedule of yours and so could only guess who the mastermind is. 

“Yes. He wishes you could meet him in the garden for lunch.” Although you could tell she does not want to be in the same room as you and in fact, could not even try to bother hiding the scorn on her face, she nevertheless answers you. 

You look off to the window in thought, putting a finger to your chin. Now that I’m thinking about it, it’s now been a few weeks since I’ve seen him.. You had assumed that he’ll never want to cross paths with you after that night, seeing as he has taken great interest in staying clear of your path for this long. 

You closed your eyes in contemplation, not that you were going to refuse the invitation in the first place since he is, after all, the prince. It would be rude to reject him, you believed, and let’s not forget to mention that if word got out that you had rejected his invitation, you have no doubt that this servant girl will spread rumours about how heartless you are to their beloved prince and that the marriage was a mistake. You could not have that now. Besides..

“Alright, I’ll go,” you conclude, turning your gaze to the girl. You had been building up your courage to meet him for a while now– not that you knew where he even was– to come and ask him about a letter you had received two days ago. Shocking as it may be, it was regarded to you. “You may leave now.” She bows her head not out of respect but out of protocols and leaves the room quickly as if she had been waiting for the moment. 

You sighed and returned to looking out the window. You were starting to come to peace with the fact that you’ll be living with a ghost of a husband but with that invitation that you could not reject still looming over your head that had asked that you come with him, it was now impossible to do so. This will be the first time I see him after so many days.. “Urgh..” You felt your stomach turn and you suddenly felt sick. You had almost forgotten how nervous you were when you were around him but now faced with the current reality, you felt yourself break into cold sweats just as you once had during the wedding. Now thinking about it, you’re beginning to wonder if the guests that day saw the sweat drops on your forehead and the slight shake of your hands when you held hands with him for that occasion.

Picking up your cup, you take a sip of your drink and relax as the sweet taste of it melts on your tongue.

Hm.. Maybe I should change my dress beforehand. You looked down at yourself and assessed the current clothing you were wearing. It was a simple, tiffany blue dress with white pearls stitched to it and white lace tracing around the open parts of the dress such as the sleeves. It was not overly flashy since you were just staying in the castle and not going anywhere fancy.

You thought about it. It has been a while since you've even taken a glimpse of the prince and although you both are husband and wife who should not need to impress each other, you weren’t remotely close to having the bonds of a couple. You’d most likely embarrass yourself wearing the plain dress you worse right now..

—

'Uhm.. How exactly do I get to the garden?' You had left your private lounge a few minutes ago since it was nearly time to meet him; however, you found yourself lost and running late to the lunch meetup. Your eyebrows twitch as you swore you had passed the same corridor at least twice now but you couldn’t be too sure since the castle looks the same almost everywhere. The manor back home wasn’t this confusing.. I hate castles.

You should have asked the girl from earlier the directions to the garden before dismissing her. O’ how could you have been so foolish enough to forget that you barely knew the layout of the castle? You wanted to slap yourself but you do not want to make yourself look crazy if someone were to come waltzing past you at that moment. Actually, you were praying– begging– to those higher up to have someone walk this hall so you could ask them for directions. 

Take deep breaths. You can find a way, I know it! You reassure yourself. And besides, right now, you should give yourself a pat on the back since you were certainly making progress through this maze; you were sure that you were on the main floor of the castle. 

Taking just up a few more steps ahead, you see light cascading through an open door. You are certain that it is leading outside since you doubted a chandelier could illuminate that bright still well through the day. A smile appears on your face as you walk towards the door. 

The smile turned to one of more confidence when you stepped out into the sunlight and the cobblestone path that had grass on their sides. Now you were more than halfway to reaching the garden! You just had to walk to the back of the castle– easy peasy! You chuckle, proudly resting your fists on your hips. It was a silly thing to be proud of if you think deeply about it but come on– you had navigated your way in the unfamiliar castle all by yourself! You were pretty proud of that.

You took eager, hasty steps around the castle with a determined look. Garden. Garden. Garde– “Oomph!” Just as you turned a new corner, you didn’t notice the large object in your path and so you clumsily tripped. The fall was not in the slightest soft despite falling on grass.

You slowly sat up on your knees, feeling your chin swelling from the impact. You rubbed your chin and hoped that it didn't look ugly.. In fact, it would be better if you couldn't see it at all. "Ugh.." What the heck did I trip on– oh! 

Your eyes widened as its gaze lands on a man. His eyes were closed and his breathing was soft and steady. He does not seem to have felt the kick when you hit him and the thud when you fell since he did not open his eyes at all– wait. 

Is he unconscious!? Panic sets within you. If he hadn't reacted to all that, he surely must be, right? "H-hey.." You scoot closer to the unconscious male and nudge his shoulder gently. "I didn't knock you out, did I?" There was a slight shake in your voice just thinking of the possibility, but you were sure you had just tripped on his legs and not kicked his head! "Argh..! I don't know what to do!"

As if it was godsent, the male groans amidst his senseless state. Then, "Mm.. So noisy.." He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. O' thank heavens! He really was just asleep..! You clasped your hands together and a wide smile appeared on your face. Maybe there were a few tears of joy at the corner of your eyes threatening to fall, but who knows? You were too relieved that he was okay. In fact, you were too relieved to even question why he was even there in the first place.

"Hm?" After now being fully woken up from his nap, the man notices and cranes his head towards you, the source to his reason being awake. "Who are you?"

Eh– You felt as if you were turned into a stone statue at his bold question. Sure, you were hated on but that reputation of yours is certainly huge. Does he seriously not know who you were? 

"Ah, I'm–" Just as you were about to introduce yourself, he sighs tiredly and cuts you off. "Nevermind, don't answer that.." He says. He rests an arm on his knees and droops his head, closing his eyes. Rude.. Was what you wished to say aloud but you're sure this guy won't care at all. 

"I'm too tired.." He comments, but you're pretty sure he wasn't talking to you. Now there you were, unsure of what to do next. So awkward.. 

A cool, gentle breeze passes you by, causing your hair to be blown by the wind. You hold a hand in your head to make sure your hair doesn't become a mess since it surely would not be presentable when you meet Mal– oh.

AH, that's right! I'm already late..! Panic rises in you once more as it dawns on you that you've been making him wait for far too long now. The food has probably gone cold now, being cooled down by the breeze. "H-hey.." Your voice sounded of urgency but the man does not open his eyes to look at you. In fact.. He looks like he's gone back to sleep!

Urk..

You stare at his side profile long and hard, contemplating if you should nudge him awake again. During your awkward staring, you carefully looked at his complexion. Oh wow.. His eyelashes are pretty.. And it wasn't just his eyelashes that you found alluring; his face was also so smooth! Not a single imperfection on his symmetrical face. I'm kind of envious that a boy could be so much prettier than me. 

"Is there something on my face?" Although his eyes remain closed, he asks you a question, catching you off guard and embarrassed. "A-ah, no.. I just thought you were pretty, is all.." You chuckled guiltily, averting your eyes to nowhere in particular.

Amidst your awkward aversion, his eyelids now flutter open, revealing his equally captivating eyes. "Why are you still here?" He asks you. There wasn't a hint of malice, just a tiny bit of annoyance from having been woken up.

You straighten your posture and move your eyes to look at him again. Although he wasn't scary, he certainly had a commanding voice. Were all the people here this authoritative? Ah, nevermind that, this was the perfect time to ask him for directions, you thought. "I, uh, I was wondering if you could point me to the garden.." You say meekly, fidgeting your fingers on your lap. Gosh we're you having a hard time remaining your eyes on him.

"The garden..?" He repeats and watches as you nod your head. He turns his gaze to the sky in deep thought. "Mm.. Then you're way off the path. This is the castle's barracks; this is on the other side of where you're heading,” he confesses nonchalantly. You felt yourself become a stone statue again but this time, felt it cracking. The confidence you once had just moments before suddenly toppled down at the confession. 

He looks at your stiff posture with the look of a gawker. "Pfft." A smile cracks on his bored face and tries to stifle a laugh and covers it with a fist. When that could not be done, he turned his head away from the silly look you had on in fear of breaking out into loud laughter. 

He clears his throat and calms himself of his silly antics. "Ahem. If you want, I could walk you to the garden?" You were mindlessly staring off into space when he stood up and offered you a hand. You blinked owlishly, looking dumbly at the hand in front of you before it finally clicked in your head. 

You offer him a shy smile and a ‘thank you’ when you reach for his hand. "No problem," he says and takes one look at your dress before commenting, “You should probably dust those dirt off.”

—

“Here we are.” A huge smile crept up on your face as a huge wave of relief washes over you. You scan the area to confirm if you really were in the right place– and you were. Tall hedges acted like walls to enclose the garden and decorated on them were all sorts of colourful flowers sprouted outside of it, albeit the shades of them could be a little brighter..  “Next time you want to go to the garden, turn right twice then left once from the dining hall,” he says, all the while not looking at you. Instead, he stares at the garden entrance with a hand resting on his hips. 

There was a moment of silence with you two standing side by side, just a few steps apart. Oh, right! I should thank– Your thoughts were cut short from another sigh that escaped his lips. “Anyway, I should get going now..” He mumbles which had you thinking if he was saying that to you. Just as he said that, he turned back around and scratched his head, he tiredly spoke again, “Urgh.. So much for my nap.. Now I think father will be catching up to me by now so I can’t go back to sleep..” He yawns loudly, seeming to not care about manners and bothering to cover his mouth. 

“Wait, let me–” You outstretched an arm as if you were going to grab him, but it just remained hovering lazily in the air. Before you could even stop him so you could say a proper thanks, he had turned a corner and vanished from sight. “Ugh.. I didn’t even get his name..”

Nevermind that, you were already running late to the initial lunch meetup and you were sure that Malleus would come to an agreement with the other nobles that you were chosen by mistake. I mean, you don’t recall a princess ever being this sloppy. I really should have just stayed home that day and avoided this situation entirely.. 

Your chest rises and fall as you take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Now feeling like you have collected yourself, you turned around and– “Oh..!” What is with you and running into things? You stopped yourself short, almost running into something or rather.. A someone. And O’ boy was it a situation to be in.

Without even looking up, you already felt cold sweats break loose and your fingers began to run cold. You were well acquainted with this looming figure over you since it had happened twice and you couldn’t help but take a nervous gulp. “Child of man.” Your skin crawled and your body stiffened up. You had almost forgotten the deepness of his voice and so it caught you off guard. 

When you didn't answer him, his eyes narrowed slightly disapprovingly and took his eyes off you to look at the corner where you had just watched your guide turn to leave your sight. Just what were you staring at, he was curious, but he held his tongue. He stares at that corner a minute too long for your frantic mind who still did not dare face him. “My eyes are up here.” He crosses his arms when he returns his full attention to you. “O-oh, yes!” You stutter. At his words you quickly snap your neck up, now nervously staring at him. However, his eyes.. You’ve always found them a frightening shade of green. 

“Ah.. Uhm..” You opened and closed your mouth a few times, trying to find the right words to start with and avert your gaze to just past his arm since you really couldn’t look over his shoulder. It really is hard to look at him for more than five seconds, but you were trying your best. “Your Highness..” You decided on the first words to greet him with and you feel like it was a good choice until you see that his eyes narrow even more to which only further serve to make you feel nervous. He hums. He didn’t look angry or disgusted by you, a human. But still, it was hard to tell if he was even remotely okay with you. 

“I-I’m terribly sorry for running late..” You picked your words carefully but they still came out shaky. When he doesn’t say anything, you start to fidget with your fingers close to your chest. Argh, how am I supposed to keep living like this when my husband is scary? You close your eyes, thinking hard of some flattery words to make him less angry at you. 

He stares at you with unreadable eyes but is certainly assessing you. You were still fearful of him, that much he knows. But after recalling Lilia’s words from that night, he calms down and relaxes his face. He was sure that it was very stern which could be the reason you look at him with fearful wide-eyes. He wants to try.. Try at getting to know you. 

Truthfully, if you had come a minute later, it would be a sure fact that the kingdom would be ravelled in a dark storm cloud. But nevermind that, he should focus on making you be less afraid of him. “It’s fine,” he breathes out and turns on his heels and begins walking deeper into the garden. “You are only late by just.. 45 minutes.” There was a moment’s pause in his voice, emphasizing the time. You were embarrassed since it was clear that he was being sarcastic. 

You stood there with an evident look of a slow-witted person so he had to halt his steps. “Hm? Do you not want to have lunch with me?” He cranes his head just enough to peer over his shoulders. His chartreuse-coloured eyes glazed over you. “Oh.. Yes, I’m coming..!” You blinked your stupified state away and jogged up to him whilst making sure you didn’t trip again. 

—

So awkward.. 

You found yourself sitting under a hooded gazebo that was decorated with a table and two chairs facing each other. The moment you sat down, several servants had come out of nowhere and placed all sorts of food on the table. Even with all the food on the table, your hands remained glued on your lap and focused on trying to not look at him, opting to look at a plate of untouched food in front of you. Malleus does not seem to have taken notice of how uncomfortable you were which made you feel even worse for dwelling on it. In fact, you could see a background of flowers just spinning beside him as he takes a savoury sip of his tea with closed eyes. Well, at least he’s enjoying himself, you thought. 

“Child of man.” Your body straightens up in alert when he calls you by that nickname. He sets down his cup on the saucer with the sound of a clack as it does so. Instead of eating, he felt that you had been eyeing him for some time now but when he looks, you’d look elsewhere. You were a curious little thing, that much he had concluded. Lilia had proposed the idea to invite you for tea when he had asked how to make you be less afraid of him and even offered enthusiastically to bake sweets for you. That, however, was shut down by Malleus since he had a fair amount of those so-called delights of his, and so the kitchen staff had made all the dishes. 

Malleus did still later ask Lilia for what should be served since he has lived long enough to have had interactions with humans before in the short decades without war. “Hm? Kehehee, why, they enjoy sweets of course.” That was what he said so Malleus had the kitchen prepare all sorts of sweets along with a few none-sweet foods. However, looking at you who had not touched a single thing– not even the slice of chocolate cake that had been deliberately placed next to you– he could only assume that you must be unwell. Certainly, Lilia does have the tendency to fool around for someone his age, but he by no means is a liar. 

He takes a dessert plate off the stand and places it right in front of you. “Have a try of this cake,” he says and leans back on his seat, “It’s a favoured recipe here in the kingdom that is well known for its overly sweet taste.” He made sure to emphasize the last few words in hopes that they might make you want to eat it. If you don’t eat it then surely there must be something wrong with you. 

The intense stare he’s giving you is making you more nervous, but he had invited you to eat so you should kindly accept the food he’s offering you. “Mn. Thank you.” You instinctively look up— something you do when thanking someone is to look at them to express sincerity. But alas, you got spooked at his frightening eyes that you flinched away. 

With shaky hands, you reached for the fork at arm’s length meant for dessert. No matter whether you will like it or not, you have to say something nice, you thought, since he did say that it was a loved sweet in the Valley and so must be his favourite as well. 

“Oh..!” The taste melts on your tongue the moment you take the forkful of it in your mouth. It was sweet, yes, but not overly too sweet just as he had said— maybe you just have a sweet tooth. It reminded you of a cloud.

Suddenly, you felt relaxed as if you had totally forgotten whom you sat across. That did not bother the fae, however. Despite the stoic expression painted on his face, he felt relieved that you’re eating and that you weren’t sick at all. He brings his cup to his lips again and watches at the adorable light that flicker across your eyes when you take more bites. You looked exactly as Silver once did when he was a baby, he thinks. 

—

Instead of going for a quiet lunch and then returning to following your schedule down to a T just as you had thought, he invited you further to a walk in the garden. Well, you hadn’t left the palace ever since coming here and this was the most time you have spent outside since your arrival.. You had agreed since it wouldn’t hurt to get to know your way around the palace, even though it’s just the garden. And in the back of your mind, you also thought that it’d be quite selfish of you to only do what is best for you after having made him wait for quite a long time. 

You walked quite some distance behind him and kept quiet and to yourself, admiring the beautifully trimmed bushes and roses that stemmed out of it. You halt in your steps when you find a particular flower that doesn’t look like the rest. It was almost crystal-like with how clear it was and how it shows different colours just as you would see when light is casted on a polished crystal. 

You bend forward slightly, clearly enamoured by the uniqueness of it. Your homeland houses a certain flower and they all come in rich, vibrant colours, but clearly it was nothing like this. “You should be careful of the thorns.” You were drawn back from the sight when a voice speaks close to your ears, its tone low. It wasn’t a whisper of a gentle breeze brushing past your ears, but it sounded of rich silk. 

You didn’t need to turn your body around since just a slight crane of your head to the side reveals Malleus leaning way into your comfort bubble. His face was practically just beside yours! His eyes traverse from the flower to meet your wide-eyed gaze. “Hm?” He blinks at your curious expression. “This flower– although different– is much like a rose with its thorns,” he explains as if that was the reason you were staring at him. 

He straightens up to his full height and it still amazes you how a giant roams this land. He is practically twice your height, you believed, even when you stood at your full height. His towering build and those eyes of his essentially makes him twice as much terrifying. “Have you ever seen this flower, child of man?” His head slightly cocks to the side with a curved finger on his chin as if he’s thinking. “I’ve made sure to replicate your home by having the gardener plant roses– your country’s symbolic flower.” 

“Ah.. N-no, I have not.. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flower like this before,” you answered in earnest, although you stuttered here and there and spoke with a shy voice. It’s true. Although your country had other flowers, none could compare to the abundant red roses that would grow out of the cracks of the ground and traces along the buildings without the care of a gardener. In fact, there was a festival every year at the peak of spring that was all about those flowers. 

"Hm, I see.. So the kingdom really lacks magic.. It amazes me how long humans have survived without magic." He blurts out with no awareness of your pride as a child of that kingdom and capabilities as a human. You felt like you've been stabbed. You can agree with him, but he didn't need to say it so casually to your face. 'Geez. This prince is awfully honest.' He kind of reminds you of a certain someone— that guy with silver hair from earlier. His eyes moves to the flower again. "If a high concentration of magic stays in one place, flowers like these are not a rare occurrence. 

"If you like it, then I'll have someone make it into a floral arrangement and send it to the room for you." He looks at you and you swear you could clearly see an imaginary dog's tail wagging behind him and pleading with his eyes to say 'yes'. "I-If you don't see it as a hassle.." Your tongue let loose before you could catch it, finding yourself surprised.

He hooks his fingers on his collar as if he's going to fix the already neat garment. "I'll have them be sent to you then." He nods, feeling proud of himself. Again, you feel like you might be going mad when you hallucinate little petals spinning behind him.

'Ah! I nearly forgot..!'

"Um, Your Highness.." You start off slow and carefully, unsure if it really is the right time to burst his happy bubble. But this is your opportunity, you think, since you're not sure when or if you'll see him again after this. "I received a letter a few days ago."

He blinks, standing quiet for a hot second before gesturing for you to continue with his eyes. "It's an invitation from Marquis Hagen's wife; she wants to meet me at a banquet she'll be hosting on her birthday," you said. 

He stills. "An invitation?" He repeats carefully. When you nod, his brows furrowed in deep thought and brought a finger to his chin. When he doesn't say anything for a while, you think that it's a 'no' answer from him. A shame, really, since you haven't– "Alright, you can go."

You clasp your hands together excitedly. It's been so long since you've had interactions with somebody outside the castle. "Really? Thank you, Your Highness," you said and adds, just remembering what else the letter wrote, "Ah, she.. She also asked for you to come– if you're not too busy, that is." You drop your hands and watch him with careful eyes. 

"Hm?" A look of a surprise dawns on his face, but only for a second. "Then, I'll go."

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Ch. 2 - The Day I've Been Betrothed

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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You remembered that day.. 

“Mn..” Soft.. The bed, it was soft and warm, making you not want to get up despite the sun having risen hours ago and blaring its light on your face. You buried your face further into the pillow. Ever since the war had come to a halt just shy of six months ago, it had been peaceful and you could sleep easily without a constant nagging thought of enemies breaking down your door in the middle of your sleep. Your home is still situated within the kingdom’s territories, but it was so far out– far from the castle and the main city– that enemies would have no trouble infiltrating it and not alerting the castle of their presence within the land. 

Sure, you had guards situated outside and inside the manor and even had your father who was a commander of one of the Queen’s troupes but still, it did not completely quell your nervous anxiety. You’ve heard what creatures faes were during on one of the tea parties you’ve been invited to and honestly, you didn’t think the kingdom would last against them should the war go on for much longer. Unlike faes who are all natural-born magic users, not many humans possess them, yourself included, so it was not like the citizens could defend themselves while troupes were stretched far and thin across the land. Speaking of, since the war killed many soldiers, your father had to gather some of his from the manor, leaving not many to protect you which only did nothing but raise your alertness especially during nighttime where you’re aware that you could not see anyone past what the light of the lamp posts outside could reach. Those faes.. If they have sharp hearing, surely they have keen eyes, especially at night. You feel a chill crawl up your arms every time you think about it.

You planned to sleep just until a bit before lunchtime, enjoying the peaceful time. “My lady?” A soft knock was at your door, following an equally soft voice of a girl. When you ignored it to continue dreaming, another knock sounded and this time, it was a bit more firm and loud. “My lady, it’s half past eight now.” 

Sighing, you slowly sat up on your bed, the ruffling sound of your silk sheets could just barely be heard on the other side of the door. “Mm.. Come in..” Groggily, you finally answered. You rubbed your eyes tiredly when the servant girl came. “Thank you, my lady,” she said and smiled warmly. 

“What do you need?” You yawned and stretched your arms to shake away what the feeling of sleep remained.  “Yes, of course, my lady. I shall not dawdle longer,” she gets to the point and explained her reason.

“What?” You blinked owlishly after she had finished telling you. “The palace had asked to see me? Today?” You were surprised in all honesty since anything related to the palace is usually your father’s business. Besides that, you were still not of age to be handling matters of the court. 

“Yes, my lady. And the Queen had asked that you arrive on time– exactly 1 in the afternoon sharp,” she answers with immeasurable patience. You turn your head to the window adjacent to your bed and look at the rustling of leaves just past it with two black birds perched on a branch nearest to you. You were silent for a while. It was not as if you planned to decline order’s from Her Majesty, but you were wondering what today was for her to wish an audience with a baron’s daughter who has not made an effort to look worthwhile in banquets. One would assume that there is no chain of hierarchy within nobility, but they were quite wrong. It was a fight of popularity within the circle and you found yourself at the bottom of it.

—

“Huh, it seems that I’m not the only one who the Queen asked for..” You mumbled, looking at the long line of carriages outside, yours included. You peek your head out of the carriage window and find that those who have been invited were young ladies around the same age as you. If I remember correctly, they’re mostly unbetrothed daughters. You say mostly as opposed to all since you were unsure. You grew curious, especially after knowing that if you were told to come alone, it must mean that all these important daughters are without a guard either. 

Finally, your carriage rolls to the front of the castle and someone from the palace opens the door and helps you out. You had informed your father about the situation just before you left in your best dress. Seeing as you were going to meet the queen, you chose a red dress adorned in white pearls and lace. White pearls were also added to your updo to complete the look. 

But I guess the others also thought the same.. You sweatdropped at the number of girls wearing a red dress crowding the front steps of the castle, some flashier than others while some more modest. The questioning look they had on their face and the soft murmurs made you believe that they were in the same boat as you were; not having a single clue why you had been called so abruptly on the most random of days.

“Alright ladies, if I could have your attention.” The man who had been standing at the top of the stairs finally spoke loudly to draw attention after looking satisfied that all were accounted for. “Her Majesty, the Queen, is waiting for you all in the throne room, but I will first escort you to our great hall.” 

The ladies looked at each other with questioning eyes before shyly following after the man. You followed of course since you were one of the invited guests. With all these people, you had expected your audience with Her Majesty to be brief; maybe she just needed to ask you a favour. However, that proved to be wrong when you saw the carefully decorated hall with long tables on each side draped in a white tablecloth. On them were vases of  carefully assorted white and red roses and a few food and drinks. 

Even though you shouldn’t based on your assessment, you were surprised. It was almost like a banquet, if it weren’t for the lack of people. But you were pleased to know that there was something to eat since you had spent the last hour getting to the palace and did not have the time to enjoy lunch. That was one of the many disadvantages to live so far out of the kingdom’s walls. Although, you believed that you weren’t the only one that was famished; the look on the others suggest that they had fretted over what to wear to have eaten. It might have been due to different reasons, but it was certain that the majority had not eaten. 

“I apologize for the short notice,” the man spoke and then gestured to the tables and chairs in the centre of the hall. “I had assumed that you all must have not eaten so we had prepared you all sorts of food to fit your preferences.

“Please enjoy yourselves while I wait for further orders from Her Majesty,” he ends his little speech and exits from a side door tucked further into the room’s corner. There were slight murmurs before you dispersed. Some chose to sit while others stood idly by at the long table, but one thing remained the same: they all looked tense. Surely, seeing all these people must have caught them off guard. 

You wandered off to one of the long tables to see if there was something small you could eat so you wouldn’t be seen as a glutton. Although, despite all of the food laid out that was meant to be eaten, it had been barely touched. No doubt it is because they were too nervous. Understandable since you had this nagging feeling that you were being observed the moment you entered the hall and no, it wasn’t from the servants that came and went. Was this a test of some sort? 

With a small plate in one hand, your eyes scanned the hall for any abnormality, but you were disappointed to see that nothing seemed off. Actually, you should feel relieved if it truly is just you being overly sensitive. 

Still.. 

One thing that your father taught you that he learned while he was still a knight in training was to always trust your gut when you feel a predator’s gaze. Even if you don’t see it, this feeling of being watched that settles in you is not something you should brush aside. 

This time, you subconsciously craned your neck up. To the left side of the room, there was a door leading out to a small balcony that watched over the hall. There, you see it opened and although there were no lights, you squint your eyes at a particular part just past the frame of the door. You swear you can see.. Eyes? But they seemed to contrast the darkness behind it; it was glowing and unlike the shine of normal eyes when light is reflected on them. An abnormality. 

You stare at it long and soon, you see its eyes trailing. Trailing until it lands on you. ‘Oh!’ They really are real and just aren't a glass orb with a similar look of eyes. You should be scared, that much you understand, but when you finally look at it, you feel oddly calm. You didn’t feel relaxed, but you did feel like it meant no harm. 

After having what felt like prolonged minutes of a staring contest, the eyes vanish and you can faintly hear the sound of shoes walking away. Huh.. How odd.

—

You were all now ushered to the throne room just a few minutes after. “Greetings, your Majesty.” You all spoke in unison and curtsied. When you look back up, your attention was drawn to an oddity in the room which just stood beside the queen. There was a man standing there silently. He looks frightening. He was dressed in black head to toe adorned in silver here and there like his shoulder pads and the chain that held his cloak together. Other than that, the only striking features were the red crystal brooch on his cravat and his.. Eyes. 

You blinked owlishly as you stared at him— well, specifically his eyes. They were the same striking deep colour like the one you saw earlier. Was it him? As if to answer your question, when his wandering eyes stop on you, you swear you can see his eyes smiling musingly. Before you could dwell on it, your thoughts were interrupted when the guide spoke. At this point, you believed him to be the Queen’s advisor. 

“If you could please form rows..” He directs, gesturing with his right hand. There were looks of uneasiness passed around but did as told. When you got into formation, you couldn’t help but look towards the throne once more. This time, you see Her Majesty talking with the strange– huh? You blinked a couple times thinking that you might be seeing this but you’re sure you really were looking at pointy ears; not human ears. 

“Wonderful,” the advisor said and then offered the stage to the queen. When your eyes land on her strikingly beautiful figure, you feel your face warm in awe. She’s like a cold beauty.. Her eyebrows were naturally shaped into a high arch so whatever she does— or in most cases, whatever one does, she seems to always look down on people. 

“As you may have heard, today marks the start of proceeding through peaceful treaties with the Valley of Thorns,” she begins and you all couldn’t help but be all captivated by her stunning beauty when she spoke. “To keep the peace going during my reign as monarch, we had agreed to make arrangements so that no matter what, that peace will be unshakable.

“If you will.” She looks to her side—at her advisor— all the while having her nose still pointed high and to the front to show her superiority. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He does a quick bow and does the talking again. "Ahem. For the treaty to happen, the Valley of Thorns' Queen has chosen a representative to come in her stead."  

So he’s a fae, you thought. You’re well learned about the creatures that are at war with your homeland and something notable to know are their ears. You’ve been overly cautious of everyone after learning it and for a while, looked at the side of their head’s first. Silly, I know. 

You know how important this was and that you should listen carefully, but you couldn’t help but be drawn by the strange man who was talking to the queen with words you couldn’t hear from where you were and how low they were speaking. Normally, one would slightly shiver in the presence of the queen, but all he had on was an unreadable expression. 

“Very well..” The advisor looks side-eyeing at the fae just on the other side of the queen. When he looks at him directly, you notice his confidence slightly deterred, now speaking with a slight nervousness in his tone. “Uh– Ahem. These are all the noble ladies that you requested for.. Sir.” 

The fae’s eyes wanders over the heads of many until it lands on you, but you felt like its wandering eyes were just for show. That its true purpose was to spot you. You didn’t realize that you gulped a nervous feeling down. What does he plan to do? You see him now taking slow and elegant steps down the little steps that lead to the throne. 

“And what is your name, my dear?” Before you knew it, he was in front of you and looking with kind eyes. You stiffened up and stuttered out, “I’I’m [Name], sir.. From house–” “I don’t need your family name. To tell me your family name is to give up your life,” he interjects with a serious look on his face that tells you that he was indeed telling you the truth. You stood stone cold. You swear you felt your heart drop. 

He sees the look on your face but continues to talk, this time holding a hand out. “Your hand,” he said, hinting with his eyes. It took a second for you to snap back from your daze, blinking a couple times, and another to understand what he was asking for. While all the ladies look on apprehensively, you hesitantly place a hand on his palm. You had no idea what he planned to do and the cold sweat on your forehead was totally understandable, but it was soon answered rather blindingly. The moment your hand brushes with his, a soft light that seemed to come out of nowhere engulfed the both of you. 

Air gets caught in your lungs as a million images— a million scenes go through your mind. You also felt lighter as if you were floating— or to better describe your situation, drowning. Drowning in a pool of memories. It felt like you were looking back at memories, but you don’t recall having these as yours. Suddenly, you felt afraid. Just what are these..?

Before you could piece what they really were, you were brought back to the present with everyone looking at you worriedly and.. With sympathy? You were confused. Why were they looking at you like that? It was then you noticed that a single tear has cascaded down your cheek. 

There were so many ‘memories’ but one thing stood out to you. ‘They were all..’ You recall one particular memory and it alone gave you massive heartache.

You look at the fae who now stood in front of you with eyes just like the rest of them. And although it’s small, he is finally smiling, but also sympathetically. You wanted to croak out what you’ve been wanting to ask since seeing whatever those things were, but you couldn’t. You felt that the tears that were trying so hard to fight back down will suddenly have a chokehold on you and you didn’t want to cry in front of so many people. You bite your bottom lip as you stare in disbelief at him and that was all you could do.

—

“My lady.” There is a soft knock on the other side of the door with an equal soft voice. Normally, you would grumble incoherently and ignore it until they went away, but here you were, wide awake before the sun could have even greeted you with a proper soft, warm light gently caressing your face. 

“Come in.” Your voice is hoarse but is clear nonetheless. The same servant girl walked inside with a smile that shows how much she doesn’t know from yesterday’s event. Yesterday.. You hadn’t slept a wink when you recalled what you witnessed yesterday and it shows from the dark circles under your eyes. 

“Oh, my lady, you’re awake early,” she points out with a look of cluelessness. “Do you want to have breakfast right now? Your father is about to leave for his duties after breakfast.” 

“…” You stared aimlessly at the blanket that draped over your lap. It was only when she had to repeat herself that you answered with a quiet ‘yes’. 

You went downstairs with your nightgown and tried to have a normal breakfast and by which it meant trying to smile through the entire meal and ask your father about his plans for the day. He had known about the letter that the queen sent yesterday since he was still at the manor to receive the messenger so you had to lie through your teeth that everything was fine. You had told him briefly about what occurred, leaving out the small details such as the fae approaching you and.. ‘Whatever that was.’

‘I have no idea what that was all about yesterday, but I’m sure he meant no harm..’ Now sitting in the great chamber, you were now in a fresh change of clothes. You had no plans to go out today so you wore a simple dress and indulged in reading a book you had randomly picked up from the library’s shelf in your home. 

It was still midday with the sun still way above your head so you shouldn’t have gotten so startled when there was a knock on the front door. You were curious so you placed your book beside you on the sofa and got up to peek around the hall’s corner. One of the maids stationed at the entrance opened the door to reveal a man who dressed in a tabard embroidered with the card suits and a hat to match. Another of the queen’s messengers?

When he had made eye contact with you, you knew it was time to get out of your hiding spot and receive him. “My lady, are you the lady of this house?” The messenger takes his hat off and places it over his chest in respect. “I am.. Is something the matter? If so, my father isn’t here right now..” You said as you walked closer to the door. The servant steps aside for you to fully face the man. “Ah, you’re mistaken, my lady. It is you that I come for,” he explains. “If you will, Her Majesty, the Queen, has asked for your attendance relating to your marriage.” 

Now this is where you became visibly confused. You don’t recall being betrothed to someone and your father had made sure to tell you time and time again that he won’t force you into any proposals and that marriage was free reign for you to decide. You trust him so you earnestly believe that there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. “My lady, the Queen said this to be of urgence so..” “Alright. Just give me a minute to change.” 

—

You didn’t believe that you’d be invited to the palace again and in just a matter of hours. ‘Since the Queen sent the invitation..’ You looked out the window to see if there were carriages from other noble daughters but to your surprise, you pulled right up at the castle’s steps without any delay and got safely escorted down the carriage. 

“Ah, Lady [Name], we have been expecting you here today.” The advisor from yesterday was also in front of the carriage with a kind smile. You weren’t sure if you were growing two heads or something because while people do approach you kindly, it was rare and only happens during parties where you’d be forced to interact and the same goes for the others. It’s hard to believe that you’d be talking to the queen’s advisor. 

“Come, let us go. Her Majesty has been waiting for you for quite some time now,” he said smilingly and began to lead the way up the same very steps and down the familiar halls as yesterday. When you entered the throne room, the queen was sitting on her throne with a perfect posture. 

“Your Majesty, Lady [Name] has arrived.” He does a bow before turning his attention to you and gestures with his hand to go to the throne. You did so, walking across the long room all the while looking at the queen to see her expressions. “Greetings, Your Majesty..” You do a curtsy and stay like that until given the word. 

“You may stand.” You did as told and stared at her, your hands in front of you and fidgeting nervously. “Well then, I congratulate you on your marriage,” she said plainly. You were stone cold like a statue. ‘Marriage? So, it’s really true..?’ Your brows knit together and look at her with dubiety as if you had misheard it. “I.. Uhm.. You’re Majesty, could you have mistaken me for a daughter from another family?” You ask. You could feel your fingers growing cold and your heart slightly quickening. 

“You are the daughter of that baron from the far east of the kingdom, yes?” She asks, although she was mainly just pointing it out. “Ah.. Yes, Your Majesty..” You tried to find some confidence in your tone, but it was already nerve-wracking to be in the presence of such a cold beauty. “Then make no mistake that I have called upon you today,” she said rather coldly. How could this have happened? You were sure that your father hadn’t mentioned anything about you getting married.. And if that were to be the case, why would the crown need to come and congratulate you? Marriages between aristocrats happen all the time and not once had you heard about being congratulated by the queen.

You chose your words carefully.“T-then.. Who am I being wedded off to, Your Majesty?” Every millisecond she doesn’t answer, the more your head starts to spiral until you feel dizzy. “Why, to the prince of the Valley of Thorns,” she answers with a raised brow and adds, “You were there to hear it, yes?” 

Your eyes widened and felt a large, gaping hole in your stomach as if someone had ripped through it. You were frozen on the spot, not believing your ears. It was your fault that you weren’t really paying attention to the advisor yesterday, really. Otherwise, you would have made sure to not let guests come to the house, not even that messenger. You could have prolonged this news or even better, prevented it from not attending yesterday at all. You felt tricked, realizing how brief the explanations were from yesterday.

The queen could see the conflict in your eyes and decided to say something, “Lady [Name], I assure that you will be in good hands. The crown prince is amongst the strongest magic users out of all the rest in the world, which is why we have no choice but to go into a period of peace..” She grumbles lowly at the last part, but you heard it nonetheless. “No matter what happens, it is a sure fact he’ll protect you as written in the agreement.” 

You could only nod in a silent agreement. Before you could leave, she said one more thing, “Do remember that the Rose Kingdom is your home and so it will forever be open to you. I entrust that should anything happen, you will return home, Lady [Name].” 

You had only a week to prepare your belongings after telling your father that night on the same very day before someone from the Valley of Thorns had come to pick you up at your door in a black carriage pulled by equally scary horses. Where did it bring you? Well, to your new forever home of course.

That was the day when your chapter had suddenly taken a turn..

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Ch. 1 - The Beginning of an End

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

[Next]

Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

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He didn’t come to the room last night either..

It’s been six days— yes, just six— since you last saw your husband. Although to you, it felt like it was more than that. No, he hasn’t gone off to anywhere else in this godforsaken world, he’s just.. Well, somewhere in this large castle. You heaved a weak sigh as one single thought came to your head: Malleus Draconia.. Your heart thumps just a tad bit faster. Even without knowing who he was, just the name alone sounds frightening. Fortunately and unfortunately, you were well acquainted with that name and have had many yet brief conversations. 

He was the prince of the Valley of Thorns, the only successor to the throne but most importantly, he was none other than.. “My husband..” You muttered underneath your breath. The clicking of the heels abruptly stop as you shudder on the spot at that name. 

It was honestly unbelievable how you went from a lowly daughter of a combat baron (the lowest rank in nobility) to be the wife of a prince, essentially making you a princess. 

Nevertheless, whether you are now a princess of a very powerful kingdom, your relationship with your husband was essentially.. Nonexistent. Well, other than mere business relationships you both have. In fact, it was strictly business that he did not show up in the chambers the night of your wedding. You can’t fault him, however, since you did not want to be wedded to him either. He must be disgusted with me.. You believed that to be true since once again, you were just a baron’s daughter with probably below average looks. Rarely had noble men would throw themself at you willingly.

Whatever, you should not let those thoughts get into your head and get you into low spirits. You had a history lesson to catch and that’s what you should be focusing on right now. What has been done is done and you can’t sulk about your nonexistent love life and your continued nonexistent relationship with Malleus. 

You sigh and continue in your steps. Looking at the decorated walls of the castle, you would occasionally find portraits. Of whom? You could only presume that it was none other than the royal family and those who came before. There weren’t many new faces within these paintings, that much you noticed. No doubt in your mind that it’s because despite the kingdom being around for so long, they have only a few monarchs because one monarch could reign for centuries on the throne. 

You tried looking for your husband’s portraits but so far, you’ve only managed to find two: one was a stand-alone painting and the other was with his grandmother. In neither portrait was he smiling. Now thinking about it, you don’t recall him smiling on your wedding day too.. Just how cold is this guy? You had a pensive look, bringing a finger to your chin. He doesn’t meet me in the room and he doesn’t even smile.. Is he aloof to everyone around him? You were now doubting if he’d be fit to be king in the future. 

Ah. You probably shouldn’t be thinking that way of your husband. If he knew, you’d most likely be stripped of your title as princess and sent back home where you’ll most likely have to face Her Majesty in the queen’s court back home. “Heh.. I don’t want that..” You itch your cheek, sweat dropping at the mere thought. You've only met her once— when she was congratulating you on your marriage— and just as the rumours had said, she was beautiful, yet held a menacing aura of authority. But I guess that’s normal if she’s queen..

“Princess.” Snapping you out of your continued, meaningless thoughts, a voice from just further down the hall had caught you off guard. You look ahead and see that one of the doors had opened and that somebody was standing there, most of their body seen and what could not be was hidden by the large, oak door. “I had been waiting a while for you. Don’t you understand that my time is precious to be on wait for you?” The person— er, fae— was wearing glasses and had her hair up in a tight bun. Her outfit was almost like that of a butler’s, having a tailcoat, but instead of uniformed pants, it was a pencil skirt. She had an air of authority and seemed to always look down on you. 

“Tch. You humans really are so clueless..” She mumbles under her breath and from the distance you were in, you couldn’t hear her. However, you did see the sharp look of disdain on her face before telling you to hurry up and to get inside the library. It was where you had your history lessons after all. 

“Honestly, what do you take us for?” She speaks her mind once you sit down on your seat across from her. “You will be at the prince’s side; instead of daydreaming, learn about this country’s history and its citizens, will you?” She snaps and slams a heavy book on the table in front of you. You stiffened, heart beating fast at the fright. “Sorry, but I’m only late by 3 minutes..” You sweat dropped at her angry, wide arm gestures as you defend yourself. 

“THREE!? My time is precious. How many—“ At that moment, you learned to tune her out once you’ve ascertained she was going to go on and rant to your face. Since day one, you’ve established that she didn’t like you very much despite you trying your best to be polite and flatter her. She would nitpick every little mistake she had seen in you even though she wasn’t an etiquette teacher. When she does, she’d talk for hours, essentially wasting time that could have been spent on learning. On a good day, she will glare daggers at you and then continue on with the lecture or rant for half an hour.. 

That’s the thing. There was never a good day for her. 

At this point, it was best to drop the flowery words saved for her and just let her rant endlessly. 

—

“Will the prince be joining for dinner today?” You ask to no one in particular, letting either of these maids stationed in the dining hall answer. When there wasn’t an answer, you assumed that it was a no and that they had decided to not answer to the likes of you whenever you asked. You wanted to sigh, honestly, at the lack of a response. 

So there you were, only hearing the sound of your own cutlery as you took small bites of your meal. It wasn’t because you weren’t hungry, but you were sure that these maids will have something to gossip about in scorn later should you make an error. Even if you were new to the country and their customs may be different, you were well learned to know that servants shouldn’t be treating someone of status, especially such as yourself, in such a manner. Alas, you could only resign yourself to just let bygones be bygones. 

If you were to scold them, your name will surely be the talk amongst nobles for a long while, most likely saying how you will be a spiteful queen. Your reputation would only go from bad to worse, seeing as a ‘mere’ human is lecturing creatures like them. 

You kind of miss your home and your father.. Even if it was just you two left, everyday was a cherishable time. Even with these short days that felt like that’s been dragging its seconds a bit too long, you find yourself reminiscing the life you left behind a little bit too much despite only having gone to your new forever home just short of a few days ago. 

… “I’ll be going to my room now.” You dab your mouth with a cloth napkin just in case you had any of the dinner smeared on your face and stood up. Whatever was left of your dinner was promptly cleaned off the table and thrown into the bin. 

I could really use a warm bath today.. You walked the somewhat familiar halls thinking to yourself. Today felt eventful even though the most stressful thing was only dealing with these gossiping faes and the headache they give you. You were excited to dip yourself in a warm tub full of nice smelling body oil and stay in there until the water got cold. Even without anyone being there, a smile forms on your lips with an almost quiet giggle. 

—

“Kufufu, are you sure this is what you’ve decided on doing?” Unbeknownst to you, crimson-coloured eyes bore into your figure. It was dark, that much was true since it was way past the time for the sun to be out, but the moon could outline the silhouette of a man. The only thing that could be comparable to the moon’s light at that moment were the strikingly deep colour of his eyes that illuminated even more in the dark. He stares at you from another window on a higher floor just across yours, breaking out in a smile and a light chuckle. The only thing keeping you two apart other than those walls and windows was the courtyard built in between. “She’s quite cute. I’d hate to leave such a pretty thing alone for so long without her husband.” 

Those same focused eyes break away from your form after speaking to a much taller man beside him that had piercing green eyes that outshined the moon— much like the prior’s. He says nothing to the short male but continues to stare at you. “Hmm, now that I think about it, she’s around Silver’s age, yes?” The shorter one continued on talking, putting a finger on his chin. “Don’t you think they’d be good friends?” 

The one who he was talking to seems to be ignoring him and poor he who has come to a conclusion that his companion is off in his thoughts to be paying attention to him. He sighs. “It’s been almost a week since she’s last seen and talked to you,” he points out carefully, doing a gesture as if he was shrugging but his arms stayed hovering in the air for a bit before dropping it completely to his side, “I know humans have a short lifespan, unlike our kind, but I do not believe that you’ll be able to go all her life not speaking to her just as you had planned. It would do no good to the plan of strengthening our relations with the humans.”

“She’s afraid of me.” At last, his tall companion speaks. “The first meeting.. And the day of the wedding.. When she looked at me, I saw fear in her eyes.”

Again, the short man sighs. “That is to be expected, Malleus. She is, after all, a human. You know how they are– they fear things that are unknown to them but if you’d just try, I’m sure she’ll warm up to you in no time–”

“But what if she doesn’t?” The prince finally tears his eyes away from you. “Lilia, are you certain that she’ll be fine having me as her husband?” He narrows his eyes, a bit of uncertainty was read in them. 

The male could only smile at him. “Do you trust me?” was all he asked, though cryptically. However, that was enough for Malleus to return his gaze, watching you disappear to your shared bedroom. Something swells in his heart, yet he does not know what. 

Once the door closes with a soft thud, he stands there for a while, silently watching at the door where you had just disappeared. He was often silent and staring off into the distance, but that didn’t mean his head was merely filled with air. Just a moment earlier, his heart smiled a bit when he saw the small smile on your lips, happy to think that you might be finding life at the Valley not too hard. 

Only when coming to a silent agreement made in his head, does he now turn his back away from the window. His robe flutters behind him, the sound of it heavy and rich, perfectly displaying his wealth. He walks deeper into the shadows– the unlit parts of the castle that the moon could not reach– and then promptly disappears with only the clacking of his heels making presence. 

Lilia stands by the window, watching as the young prince vanishes from his sight. He looks back at the hall you walked and the door you closed. A smile crosses his lips once more. His eyes became soft at a thought that will not be shared with anyone and for him to simply dwell on it. 

Now alone, he takes a deep breath in and breathing out of his mouth, his heart feeling lighter. He closes his eyes. “Oh my, it seems that age is catching up with me, kufufu,” he softly mutters, still smiling. He takes a bit of time for himself on this serene night before opening his eyes again. The small, yet meaningful smile warps to that of a big one with his eyes lighting up. Suddenly, the visage of a parent disappears from him entirely. 

He turns smoothly on his heels, heading to the same direction where Malleus had gone off too. “Ah, where is Silver? That boy, I hope he hasn’t fallen asleep somewhere unsafe..” With a merry smile, he leaves his spot from the window. 

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

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Hiii I was wondering if you have any time could you write a brother’s friend trope where reader is the little sibling of Kalim and while she’s visiting during the VDC she meets Vil and falls in love with him all while being really shy. Of course if it’s to much trouble you don’t have to

Have a wonderful day <3

║Vil Schoenhit║ Brother, I’m in Love!

Reader: She/her pronouns + titles. 

Warning(s): Slight changes to canon.

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste it anywhere else.

—

“Jaaaamil!” 

The sun is just barely peeking out when Scarabia’s dorm is making a huge ruckus. If the seven dorms were any closer, it’s a sure that Crowley will be receiving noise complaints day in and day out. They were rowdy, sure, but that is just the energy that the dorm always has.

The same, slightly high-pitched voice screams for Jamil further down Scarabia’s dorm hall and by the sounds of it, it was drawing ever the nearer with every second. “Jaaamil!”

The voice stops short right at the entrance of the kitchen. “Oh, Jamil! I knew I’d find you here, hehe.” White hair as bright as the moon and red eyes brighter than the gems who share the same colour skips inside the kitchen with glee, snickering excitedly. “Anyway, Jamil, Jamil—“ 

“Just spit it out, Kalim! Stop screaming my name for Seven’s sake!” Jamil rubs the bridge of his nose, showing how annoyed he was. His head had been ringing all day long but it’s only still early in the morning; just a quarter to seven. This is what was meant when the other dormitories would be annoyed to be hearing ruckus from Scarabia, especially Savanaclaw and their lazy, always-seem-to-be-sleeping dorm leader. Ah, but there’s also Pomfiore. Can’t forget Pomfiore students who prioritize their “beauty” sleep. Maybe Diasomnia will forgive them.. Their dorm leader and vice dorm leader are nocturnal creatures anyway. 

“Have you prepared it? Have you? Have you?” Kalim’s eyes turned into stars as he waited for the answer, his words were vague but nothing that Jamil couldn’t understand. Jamil could only sigh at his master’s silliness, “It’ll come later today, but still today just as requested. The item is particularly rare so delivery is taking a longer route to avoid the item being stolen.” He crossed his arms. 

“Haha, I knew I could count on you, Jamil!” The white-haired male grins and pats Jamil’s back proudly. As annoying he is being right now, Jamil felt that he was slightly restless before. He understands where this is coming from. After all, the one he cherishes the most is coming tomorrow and Jamil knew that Kalim wants nothing but the best of gifts. 

“Hehe, I can’t wait for the VDC tomorrow!”

— 

Both the old and new alike, all sorts of transportation vehicles from modern cars to carriages were entering through the school’s gate one at a time. Of course, there’s those who walked and others who flew (or just straight up teleported there). 

VDC is usually packed with all sorts of people and this year was no different. Giants, faes, humans.. All walks of life were gathered in one place to see what this year has in store for their hunger for some entertainment.. Aaand there were also those agents scouting for talents. 

“Do you see her? Do you? Do you?” Kalim scans over the ocean of heads excitedly, looking for a particular head that he knew O’ so well from one of the school’s balconies. “Calm down. She’ll come so stop yapping, will you?” Jamil crosses his arms and leans back on the wall adjacent to the railings. Kalim looks behind him at his companion and slightly pout. “But what if she doesn’t come?”

“She will. She said in her letter and you know she doesn’t lie,” he says confidently, but secretly still praying anyway that she really does show up and nothing bad has happened along the way. 

… 

“AH!” Kalim slams his hands on the concrete rails which alerted Jamil. “What? Hey, don’t just suddenly scream like that, you idiot!” He uncrosses his arms and lectures him. “Wait, hey— What are you doing!? Hey—!!” Before he knew it, Kalim threw himself over the rails over a height that could kill a person on impact. Jamil runs towards the rails and looks down, stomach churning at the possible thought of seeing his body around a pool of blood and on VDC of all days too! And before anyone knew it, the event would have shut down before it even started all because of this fool—

“Hehe!” Just below, Kalim sits atop a magic carpet and heads in a particular direction. “You idiot!” Jamil’s teeth grinding on each other. He nearly had a heart attack because of him for Seven’s sake! “My life has been shortened..” He says as he feels a part of his soul leaving him.

“[Naaame]!” Kalim shouts from over the heads of many, causing onlookers to look up in curiosity. 

You were standing at one of the stalls, looking on with sparkly eyes just before someone had yelled out your name. You blink, registering that it wasn’t just your head messing with you and wiped away the drool pooling at the corner of your mouth. The aroma of the corndogs is making it too hard to resist for your never satisfied stomach. 

Nevertheless, your head looks around for the source of the voice. 

“[Naaame]!” This time, your heads were drawn to the sky at a speedily approaching figure. “Is that.. EH!? Kalim, wait! You’re going to— BONK!” He collided with you head first and sent both of you toppling down on the ground. 

“Urgh.. Kalim..” You push yourself up with your arms and rub a growing pain on your forehead. “What was—“

“Hehe! [Name], [Name]! You really came!” Kalim pushes himself up (though still on top of you) and grins an all too familiar grin. Seeing him again and that familiar of a smile, whatever lecture you were about to spew died on your tongue.

Even though he was older out of the two of you, he was much like the younger sibling than you did. He acted more excitable like that of a young child rather than a young adult that he is. Nevertheless, you loved him as his sibling. “Of course I’d come,” you say softly, so soft that it could be considered a whisper. “Why, did you think I wouldn’t show up?” 

He got up and extended a hand out for you, that signature grin still smeared on his face. “Hehe, I knew you’d come!” He says cheerfully. You returned a smile of your own. You looked around and over his shoulder, noticing that something was amiss. “Oh, Kalim, where is–” “Kalim!” Before you could proceed with your sentence, a shrieking voice drew ever the near quickly. 

Pushing people aside, Jamil parts a wall of bodies until he got to where you both were. “Do you have any idea how reckless of a stunt that was!? Have you gone mad!!?” There was Jamil with a scolding on his lips. “Hehe, sorry! I saw [Name] so I went up to her!” He laughs. 

“Went up to her, how!? You threw yourself off the balcony and nearly gave me a heart attack!” He had so many things to say which you found it to be something to laugh at; how Jamil acts is like a mother hen to her chicks and you found it endearing. 

“Ah, [Name], it’s good to see you here,” Jamil finally says, now acknowledging your presence. “Sorry about that outburst.” You giggled with a smile, “It’s fine. I’m sure Kalim has given you a handful of problems leading up to today.” 

He rests his hands on his hips and sighs deeply, shaking his head with a defeated look. “You wouldn’t believe..” 

Kalim butts in with an elated look and pumping both of his fists up and down in front of his chest. “Ah! [Name], [Name]! I got you something!” he said and looked toward Jamil with a look of expectancy. “Oh right..” You just now noticed that Jamil had been holding a small, rectangular box when he extended his hand out to you. 

You look at both men– Kalim was bouncing excitedly on the spot and Jamil nodded– before taking the gift. Inside was a necklace with a huge orb and two slightly smaller ones on each side. It had the colour of the desert– a raging, orange fire. There was some gold too that held the entire piece beautifully and would rattle like coins in a pouch. 

“These are the eyes of a queen scorpion that have been torched into glass,” Jamil said. “It was difficult to find but Kalim wouldn’t stop nudging me.” Kalim gives a toothy laugh and you couldn’t help but smile even more. “Thank you both.” 

“Aww, [Name]!!” Kalim sees the adorable smile on your face and couldn’t help but pull you into a bone crushing hug. “See, Jamil! I knew it would be worth it! Did you see how cute she was?” He rubs his cheeks against yours as if he can’t get enough of your physical touch.

It was like that for a while until an announcement came on that the main event would start soon. “Ah! Kalim, hurry up! We have to go or else Vil will have our heads.” 

“Hm? Where are you guys going?” You asked. “Ah, [Name], it was going to be a surprise but you see, Kalim and I are one of the performers,” he quickly explains, already grabbing onto Kalim’s arm to pry him off of you. “Oh, I see! Good luck to you two!” Were the only things you said so that you wouldn’t keep them too long. 

“You’ll come watch us, right, [Name]?” Kalim asks, although probably already knowing the answer. You nod and smile. “Of course, I will!” 

–

Now by yourself in a massive crowd, it was pretty easy to push you around without Jamil or Kalim. “Excuse me.. Excuse– oh!” Amidst the pushing and shoving, you were pushed all the way to an archway that led inside the school building. One more forceful shove and you lost your balance. 

Your eyes closed shut and were expecting pain in your butt that would send straight up your head but however, you didn’t. Your eyes opened and blinked a few times. You were halfway your fall when firm arms hooked underneath your armpits so now you were in that awkward position. 

“Are you alright?” A voice drew your attention over your shoulders and thereupon you felt you’ve been deprived of oxygen as you held your breath at the sigh of a man. The word ‘beautiful’ couldn’t even hold a candle to him. And it seems like he was awe-struck too with how his eyes widened slightly and eyebrows raised a bit, but you didn’t need to know that. 

He asks again if you were okay and this time, you push yourself on your feet, a growing blush dusting your cheeks. “A-ah yes.. I, I’m okay!” You smile awkwardly and hope you didn’t stare too long and eye him like a candy. 

He nods and was about to say something until a voice the became louder as it came closer drew his attention away. “Roi du poison! Oh how I had searched for you, roi du poison!” Now, a blonde man wearing a hat entered the conversation- if it could have been called that. “Roi du poison, i had worried you had been taken or worse, suddenly getting the blue and thus cannot perform anymore!” 

“As if I’d lose the opportunity to outshine Neige,” the beautiful man was now having a full conversion with his friend and you just stood there awkwardly. Just as they began to turn to leave, he stopped and looked back at you, now just remembering he had helped somebody. You straighten your back which he found silly. “Pfft.” He contains a laugh, disguising it as a cough behind a hand. “I hope to see you around.” He smiles one last time before joining his friend that awaited him just a little bit away from you two. 

You were left there in a confused state all the while your face being flushed pink. You were repeating the last thing he said to you and deep down,  you were silently praying that you’d get to meet him. Was it a spell that he casted, to make anyone be enthralled by him? 

The speakers came again, snapping you out of a daze. You once again joined the crowd– that was fortunately and unfortunately less crowded– and sat at the furthest row from the seat since the front rows were very much full. 

Like the rest, you were excited but more so to see Kalim perform. But what you weren’t expecting to see when he did come on was that the man from earlier was also on stage alongside him. “Ah.” Suddenly remembering the moment that just passed, you did recall him wearing the school’s uniform. Well, what were you expecting? It’s not like someone like him who possibly could be a supermodel to not go to such a prestigious school. 

Safe to say that your attention had been diverted away from Kalim. 

–

“[Name], [Name]! Did you like my dance?” Kalim now joins you by the hip after the performances have been finished. Jamil was there too, standing close by. “Hm? Oh, yes, I did!” You smiled and chuckled a bit. You sweatdrop at the thought that he knew that you hadn’t been paying attention to him at all and thus would make him pout. 

“Ah, that performance is making me hungry.. Let’s go eat, [Name]!” Kalim drags you by the wrist and Jamil follows. He sure is energetic despite him being hungry and probably tired from the performance. “Ooh! Look, look! Shawarmas!” Kalim halted in his steps when he was parallel to a food stall selling shawarmas. There were stars in his eyes as he eyes them. 

“Let’s get some, [Name]!” He says and turns his head towards Jamil since he forgot to bring money. Jamil sighs, fishing out a pouch of coins. “Just 2, and some packet of hot sauce,” Jamil says to the vendor. “Hm? You’re not getting any, Jamil?” You ask. He shook his head, saying that he’s not hungry and he doesn’t have a big appetite unlike Kalim. 

“Hehe, these are so good!” After getting your food, Kalim was the first to take a big bite out of his. You look on fondly at his childlike manner before taking a bite out of yours. 

“Hm? Kalim, do you know her?” Just then, a voice steps in to join the small group and you turn your head to see the same person that had saved you from a fall and you began to choke on the food. “[Name]!” Jamil was quick to aid you and grab a bottle of water to down the food. 

“Hm, of course!” Kalim grins and rests an arm around your shoulder. “She’s my little sister, [Name]!” 

“Little sister?” His eyebrows raised but quickly returned to its natural, resting  position. “Roi du poison, isn’t this the little maiden from earlier?” his companion was there too. “I must apologize for not having the chance to introduce myself and swiftly taking him away from you earlier.” He takes off his hat and places it on top of his heart and dips down slightly. So elegant, you thought. 

“Hmm? You know them, [Name]? Your brother looked at you and you nodded. “Well, not really.. He was there when I was about to fall and helped me..” You corrected. 

“In that case, why don’t I introduce you to my friends!” Kalim beams with excitement, so happy that you’d be getting to know more students from NRC. “This is Rook,” he points to the one with the hat first, “And this is Vil!” He points to the one whom you have been enchanted to meet. So his name is Vil, you thought, your face slightly feeling warm.

“Hehe, and this is [Name]!” Kalim hugs you tightly, making you embarrassed how he babies you so much. You were telling Kalim to stop but you overheard the soft mention of your name, drawing your attention to Vil. “[Name].. It’s a beautiful name,” he says and looks at you with soft eyes. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you and I’m sorry to cut this short but I have to go now.”

“O-oh.. Okay..” You were disappointed at just how brief the moment was, but at least you got to know his name.

Later that evening, when you returned home, what you didn’t expect to see on your phone the moment you got to relax was a notification– a notification that Vil had followed your Magicam account. Suddenly remembering him, your cheeks became the colour of a rose. 

You opened the app in order to follow him back but was surprised at the huge number of followers he had. “Oh wow..!” You followed him back and began to stalk his page. The pictures were all well polished as if he was someone super popular. “He might be..” You mumbled. Just then, a notification popped up that someone had messaged you– it was Vil. 

You panicked, not sure what to do but before you could do any of that, you first checked what he even sent. 

I hope to know more about you. Let’s talk some time. It reads. You became giddy that you had possibly gain the attention of someone so beautiful. With a smile that no one could ever see, you began to type away.

~♡~

If you noticed I got lazy at the end, no you didn’t. 

BRO OPPOSITES OF THE WAR WAS SO FUCKING GOODDDDDDDD 💕💕💕✨✨♥️ BRO PLS PART 2 😭😭🥹 (not forcing you though lol ☺️ I vv much enjoyed)

║Lilia Vanrouge║ Opposites of the War 2

Reader: No pronouns or description used. Gender neutral.

Warning(s): None

A/N: Ask and you shall receive. Totally rushed the ending since it was getting too long.

Part 1 is here!

If you like my work, tips would greatly help!

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

Despite his natural talent for collecting lives, he by no means enjoys it. But, he is merely a loyal tool for the monarchy to use however they please. He had no say in this matter.. Not that he had any since he is the right hand man to the Queen and thus, meant that they had his utmost loyalty.

“General!” A soldier runs up to him with a panicked look on his face. “General..” He pants. “The camp in the north has been attacked..!

“We received word from the general stationed there that they request you make haste.” Contrary to his thoughts, he is aware that he is a valuable asset for war and he takes pride that he could be of use. This was, after all, the nature that runs through his blood.

Although.. He does wish it would end soon..

Ah, yes, how many moons ago had he met that.. Person? For a fae, a day means nothing, but for some reason, Lilia felt like he’s lived half a century already waiting for them.

—

“The Briar Kingdom and Valley of Thorns have signed a peace treaty!” Crowds of faes chatter, gathering in the town square to listen to the royal messenger from the castle. “The returning soldiers will march forth from the gates midday. The fallen will also be remembered for their contributions.” With that, the messenger steps off of the stage. And just as the messenger’s words, soldiers entered through the Kingdom’s gates at the sound of a trumpet in the afternoon.

Many walked on foot through the kingdom, taking the praises and cheers coming from both sides of the streets, and there are those on horseback.

Many cheered at the returning soldiers, yes, but more so to the General whom always dressed in black. Everyone knew the great things that General Vanrouge had contributed to the war, especially noting how he alone took down twelve strong human wizards that hold equal magic strength to that of a lower-ranked fae. To him, however, it weighed the same amount as any battle he has fought.

“Vanrouge,” a burly fae with a short beard trots his horse beside the quiet fae. “This is a joyous occasion with many people chanting your name; why that scary look, hm?” Not many are able to approach said fae like this slightly older fae. These faes cannot deny the admiration and respect they hold towards him, yet they are simply too fearful to approach him. It doesn’t help that Lilia could do a 180 in personality at any moment and become unhinged.. Such as on the battlefield.

“General Verne.” Lilia acknowledges the fae but that’s about it. “Hoho, still as quiet as ever; only speaking when needed. I believe that Her Majesty had heard the most words out of ya than even yer mother,” Verne does not seem to be afraid in the slightest as his voice booms with laughter. It was deep, but not intimidating. “Look, Vanrouge, do you see the smiles of the people that’s happy to see ya?” He outstretches a hand towards the people.

“I think a smile would make them even more happy. You are quite popular, you know that, right, Duke?” Verne looks at him with mischief in his eyes, but Lilia does nothing to make himself appear riled. “General Verne, as of the moment, I am a soldier for the Queen, not a duke,” Lilia’s voice went a bit deeper (still not as deep as the burly fae), one he uses to command troupes. This was a nonthreatening reminder, however. “I would appreciate it if you could remember that.”

Verne was silent and stares long and hard at his side profile before breaking out into boisterous laughter, “Haha, alright, alright no more teasing for the terrifying general.” After that, they trot in silence, though not completely as cheers continued all the way to the castle’s entrance.

Nearing the gate to Her Majesty’s home, Verne looks to his side once more, “Still, I’m glad that you’re alive and well,” he admits softly with a smile. “I was worried when I heard that twelve mages tried to off you and you only came back to your camp in the morning but bandaged.”

He pats Lilia’s back. “I wonder how you managed to survive for a night out there looking the way you did. You’re real lucky, Vanrouge.”

Lilia does not indulge in the chatter, to prevent leaking a certain secret he holds. Although, it probably won’t be a secret for far long.

—

“Vanrouge.” A female voice draws his attention away from the window to behind him. It was a window that looked past the kingdom’s housings and the gate further away; he had a look of longing to whatever was out there.

“Your Majesty.” As if on instinct, he knelt on the floor with his head down and a closed fist over his heart. “There’s no need to kneel; I didn’t come to chat as master and familiar,” she said and paused for a moment as if to think of a better way to put her thoughts into words. “Are you perhaps waiting for someone, Vanrouge?”

Ah.. Was it that evident? He was sure he had practiced enough to not let anyone be able to decipher his thoughts; if even the closest of people can’t read him, then enemies won’t be able to know of his plans, or so he thinks.

“It has been seven years.. Instead of merrying with the common folks in the main hall, you are here,” she said. “Something is on your mind and knowing you, it certainly isn’t a something but rather, a someone.” His jaws tightened as what she said was all true. Lilia is not one to dwell on past history so it could only come down to him dwelling on a person. He felt foolish and ashamed to have made the Queen grow concerned for him, but maybe she could help with his selfish wish.

“Your majesty..”

__

In just a few months time, the Valley of Thorns opened up its gates to the Briar Kingdom. The faes were at unrest and questioned the Queen’s actions. Why in the great sevens did she open up to those selfish humans that quick? Let’s not forget to mention how she has a plan already in progress of making a grand festival to officially declare its gates being opened to humans.

“I trust that everything is going smoothly, Vanrouge?” The Queen sits atop her throne, staring at Lilia who knelt before her. “Yes, you’re majesty,” he answers, head pointed to the grown in respect despite the Queen’s wants for him to look at her; that it was okay as he was the most loyal servant to the crown. “Good. I put all my faith and power into your hands. This is, after all, what you wished for.”

There was a moment of contemplation, the Queen carefully putting words together in her head. “This is the first time you have ever requested something from me.. This human, they must be special,” she said. Despite the rest of her face being unreadable and ever the expressionless (much like Lilia), the small curve upward betrays her heart. Like every other monarch, they want nothing but the best for their people. She believes that Lilia had more than deserved this selfish wish of his for always being compliant for the many years she had reigned over the land.

After the short conversation, he was free to leave, but not with a reminder— a warning, “Do remember what you are getting into, Vanrouge.. This is a human you are promising yourself to.”

—

When a fae loves, they love deeply. There’s a famous tale spread in these lands, a tale of one of their kind giving too much of their love to a human.. It’s a tale of regrets that ended in tragedy.

Lilia has heard that tale many times as a young boy; his mother loved to tell him the story and at the end, she’d tell him humans are creatures that are capable of love just as faes. There wasn’t much difference except in how they look.

“Vanrouge!” A gruff, yet jolly voice calls him from behind. “Haha, yer so easy to spot even with this crowd; you should really try wearing different clothes— maybe you’d look better in them than black.” Verne hooks an arm behind his neck and continues walking beside him. “General Verne, I don’t recall you being stationed here,” Lilia states.

“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’ll go back soon; I just wanted to check up on you since I heard you were the one in charge of the preparations,” he said and chuckles cheekily. “Haha, so do I call you General Vanrouge or Duke?”

“Either is fine,” he answers dryly. “Hm? So yer still doing the patrolling, huh?” Verne lets out a hefty chuckle and pats him on the shoulders. “Ya know, Vanrouge, it’s okay to take it easy sometimes.. Go have some time to yourself, mingle with folks— don’t you know how many ladies swoon over yer and have been dying t’ talk to ya? Hahaha!”

His laughter turned abrupt and held still in the air as a thought stirs in his mind. His lips turned into a coy smile, “Unless.. You’re keeping a secret lover..?” His eyebrows wiggles teasingly. The scary general gave him a look that shows how much he isn’t impressed. Lilia was slightly bothered at this point. As much as he respected his colleague, this was all pointless chatter to him.

“General Verne, the celebration is reaching its peak; don’t you suppose that you are required at your post now that there’ll be more guests from afar?” Lilia avoids the topic altogether whilst reminding the fae.

Verne unhooks his arm around him and chuckles, though a bit more on the awkward side. He could feel the annoyance seething through Lilia and knew it would be best to not pester him anymore. “Haha.. I guess I’ve been gone for a long while now,” he said, turning on his heels. “Well then, see ya later, Vanrouge.”

Lilia stood and watched as Verne disappeared amongst the crowd, only leaving once he could no longer see his back.

“Secret lover..?”

The fae’s voice echoes in his head and without even noticing, he picked up his pace. He smoothly- yet swiftly- pushes through the crowd. His pale complexion could not hide the soft pink that grew ever the more noticeable as the word “lover” repeats in his head.

“Have you been to the shop outside the gate? I heard they’ll sell just about anything if you’ve got the madols for it..” Despite the loud crowd, his ears could only overhear 2 ladies chatter at a distance, making him stop on his tracks to hear a bit more.

“Yes, I have! The human is such a darling, let me tell you. They even managed to sell a rare ore to me,” the second spoke. “It’s perfect for a wedding ring that my son will give to his fiancée.” They squeeled at the joyous news, but that is not what Lilia cared about.

“I wonder how they managed to bring an entire house here though.. Do you think it has legs?”

—

“Thank you for coming!” You stood behind the counter with the best customer service smile you could pull.

When the last customer for the afternoon left, you let out a tired sigh. It has been so long since you last had so many people come to you and you were worried that you had gotten rusty at talking to people.

You walked around the counter and put a sign at your door that you’d be back in an hour; you were going to have your lunch break.

“Maybe I should go out and see what the kingdom has.. There’s so many faes and high levels of magic..” You chatted to yourself, going behind the counter again and entering another room behind a curtain to fetch a satchel and stuffing a sandwich that you’ll bring while strolling through the city.

On the other side of the curtain, the bell that hang above the door rang, signalling that someone had walked in. Didn’t I put a sign up..? Your brows furrowed and frowned. Nevertheless, you put on your best smile once more and walked out of the room. “Hello! Welcome to—“ Your breath hitches and you felt like your heart had momentarily stopped.

“Lilia..!” When you called, your voice was soft as if speaking louder might cause the still water to tremble and thus, making him disappear just like a mirage in the water. Even though you knew that the Valley is where he lived, seeing him again after so many years had made you suddenly weak in the knees. He doesn’t look like he had aged a bit (courtesy to him being a fae). Not a single blemish had touched his face.

He doesn’t say anything at first, a small of a smile on his lips. “I didn’t think that you would be here,” he said, approaching your figure that was still behind the counter. He rests a hand on the counter and takes a better look at you. He knew how fast humans age but to him, it didn’t look like you had aged at all. It had been so long since he had seen you, but he could still vividly remember what you had looked like all those years ago.

Your face grew slightly pink at the comment, “Well, you did write in your letter that the Valley of Thorns and Briar Kingdom is holding a celebration..” You scratch your cheeks. He chuckles, “I didn’t think you’d showed up since you hadn’t written back.”

“Eh, I did..?” You blinked owlishly. “Didn’t your bat come back to you?” It was now his turn to look lost. “No, it didn’t..” After a long pause, laughter erupted from you both. “Hehe, surprise..!” You giggle cheekily.

“Hmph. It is quite a pleasant surprise, but I believed that I would have missed you had I not overheard some ladies talking about.. A shop on legs?” He crosses his arms. His lips slightly droop so he looks like he’s pouting.

You chuckle and walked around the counter to stand beside him with no barrier between you two. “I had faith that I was serviceable enough that word would reach you.”

His eyes lingers on you before trailing down to the side of your hips at the peculiar looking satchel. “Hm? Are you going somewhere?” He uncrosses his arms.

“Actually yeah, it’s my break so I wanted to look at your home!” You grinned. He smiles with a suggestion, “Then, may I do the honours of showing you?” He outstretches and arm towards you.

“Yes. Yes, you may.” You hook your arms from under and let him walk you out of the store. “Would it be safe for you to leave the store unintended?” He asks, staring at the house and then back to you.

“Mm.. Yeah, it’ll be fine! It knows when to lock the door when people are around, but sometimes it likes to lock me out when it gets moody..” You mumble the last bit, your mood clearly soured just a bit as you pout. A chuckle erupts from his chest.

How many times had he laughed just moments after meeting you again? The faces that the ongoers make surmises that it’s not often that they get to see the duke smile, let alone laugh.

Before you entered the large gates, you unhook your arms from his. The action was done subconsciously, you still believing that it was inappropriate to blatantly show affection publicly since you are a human not known to them, and especially since you were with the famed General respected by all. It was alright though, with just a bit more time, maybe you’ll reach that dream of yours.

“Do any of these jewelry fancy you?” He asks when you stopped at a particular stall out on the streets. There were some gems native to only the Valley and common to them, but for you, you were in awe at them. You had hoped to be able to obtain some from their mines, but it’ll be an agenda done later. “Hmm.. I’m just looking. They’re all so beautiful though!” You said, but more so to the gems that were used.

You turn your eyes away, “Let’s continue!” He nods and guides you further inside to the heart of the kingdom. At the centre, there was dancing and music playing; it was lively, safe to say.

When you were looking around, Lilia slipped by you without you ever noticing. “Lilia— oh!” You turned your head to the side and was immediately stuffed with something sweet. “It’s a strawberry sando,” he said. You held the sandwich and chewed on the part you bit. Your eyes lit up at the soft texture and the sweet taste that filled your mouth.

Lilia couldn’t help but chuckle softly at your adorable expression.

—

“Where are we going next?” You asked, walking side by side with him. You noticed that you were walking away from the crowd, the voices were growing faint. Lilia does not say anything, but you notice the corner of his lips curled upward just by a bit. Albeit curious, you did not ask anymore.

“Would you care for some tea?” He asks. Suddenly, you were now standing in front of a large estate after passing an extremely large gate. “W-wha—? T, this is where you live!?” You ask in disbelief. You knew that he was some important guy, but you didn’t think he was this important!

He chuckles but doesn't say anything, guiding you to the main hall of his home. “I’ve let everyone have a day off today,” he begins and looks over his shoulder at you while he brews a cup of tea, “Nobody is here but us.”

He walked further inside the house— if you can call it that; it looks more like a castle— and entered a sunroom. If you didn’t know any better, you would have swooned at the thought of him awaiting your arrival.. Maybe that wasn’t far from the truth.

You sat down across from him and drank the first few minutes in a comfortable silence. “Mm, I haven’t had tea like this before..” You muttered, looking at the light purple liquid in your cup. “It’s a local brew here in the kingdom,” he answers, “Do you like it?”

You place the cup back on its saucer. “It’s good!” You grinned. You shift your posture and look at him with excitement. “How have you been?”

He chuckles. “Kufufu, don’t you ask that every letter?” You became flustered. It was true that you were not the best with words and can’t think of ways to start a normal conversation, especially since you have been by yourself most of the time due to travelling. “Eh.. It’s just that it’s different saying it and then hearing your answer right in front of me,” you say, “At least this way, I can actually see that you’re okay..”

He lets out a breathy chuckle. “Then I have been well, aside for the days where I had been longing for a certain someone,” he says and his eyes narrow playfully.

Your face heats up and look around the room frantically to avoid eye contact with him. “Ah..”

“Hm? What happened to you being so bubbly?” He tilts his head teasingly and crosses his arms. “Well, it’s just that.. You’re a lot different from when I first met you!” You answered honestly. Lilia Vanrouge, the one who’s feared and respected by many— if not, all— was usually the reserved type. But after confessing his wish of wanting to court you, it felt like he’s shown more expressions that you were sure you’d not get the opportunity to witness.

“Oh? I suppose you are correct..” He smiles softly. You were the only one who could make his heart flutter like this.

Still, this was fine. Fine with him and fine with you. Breathing in, you fixed your posture and return a smile of your own. “I missed you too.”

~♡~

I would love to continue this but I’m sure it’d be boring by then and becoming too long.

--

Tags:

@anonima-2

Is it possible to ask for a part 2 of that Riddle Roseheart x reader you made The Queen’s Favourite Rose? It was SO good!

║Riddle Rosehearts║ The Queen’s Favourite Rose 2

Reader: Female (tying to previous request)

Warning(s): None

You do not need to read part 1 to understand. Part 1 here.

This takes place during the Magift tournament. Slight changes to canon.

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

“Maaan, this sucks..” Deuce grumbles. A small, dark cloud looms over his hunched posture that drags his body to keep walking. The sun was well high above everybody’s head and beaming at them with a bright glow when the Magift tournament had already been half-way through completion.

Right now, there was an intermission so anyone who needed to use the restroom or grab a bite, righrt now is the perfect time to do so. The next part of the games are the semifinals with Diasomnia taking the lead (and most likely the trophy for this season yet again, especially since the only worthy competition- Savanaclaw- is out of the picture).

“I always thought that he was a sore loser,” he says out loud, not caring if there were people eyeing him. “Still not married; they’re just engaged,” Yuu corrects and this makes Ace give a ‘are-you-kidding-me?’ stare with a raised brow. “Geez, what is he doing making her wait that long? If I was him, I'd be already married.”

“Ace, shh..! If Riddle heard you, he’ll off your head,” Yuu said, putting a finger over their mouth, creating the shushing gesture. “What, I only said what is obvious—“

“Ah!” Deuce- who was busy moping around by himself just moments before- suddenly shouts which made Ace also shout. “What the heck? What is it this time?” Deuce remained in an upright, uptight posture now with his back still facing his friends. Ace brows furrows and points at the bluenette. “You can’t just scare the crap outta me and not say anything, you know!”

Then, in a blink of a second, he was right up in the Ace’s face which startled him. “He isn’t married, right?” Deuce puts both hands on the ginger’s shoulders. “Yeeeah..?” He answers awkwardly and looks side to side to avoid direct eye contact.

Deuce’s face lights up and a wide grin appears on his face. “Do you know what that means!?” He shakes his friend roughly, making his head jerk back and forth and making him dizzy. “I still have a chance!”

This made Ace snapped back, eyes wide and looking at his friend as if he was crazy— well, he clearly is at this point. “Woah, woah, that’s where we stop right there! Do you wanna be a homewrecker!?” It was now his turn to put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from shaking him. “What I said was a joke and he’s been betrothed to her for so long! Don’t do this man.”

The words he spew were honest and the cruellest truth that Deuce had ever heard, Deuce goes back to sulking and creating a gloom cloud once more. Ace clicks his tongue at the pitiful sight of someone who he considered a comrade. He was thinking of how much of a loser Deuce was being right now, After a prolonged stare at this sorry state of a man with a face all contorted, he walks up to him and kick him on his behind. “Stop sulking and c’mon— the games are ‘boutta start. I heard it’s Diasomnia and Piofiore going next. Heh, can’t wait to see how strong they are.”

Ace couldn’t deny that Riddle’s fiancée is a beauty but he isn’t going to ruin the happiness and safe haven for Riddle. After all, you were the few people to ever make him be able to relax and even let a laugh or two.

—

“My rose, why don’t you take a rest? You must be tired..” Riddle’s hands were intertwined with yours and watches as you merrily bounced with each step you took beside him. “It’s alright, Riddle, I’m completely fine.

“And if I take a rest, then we’ll waste the day because of me.. I want you to have fun and all that and create memories with me since it’s not often we get to meet up,” was your answer to his proposal. Ever the caring one, that’s one of the many things he loves about you. If he was any younger (even just 2 years younger), he would be adamant to have you sit down while he makes you tea. But, it should have been much earlier than that for him to realize that you are very stubborn. Very. “Mn. If that is your wish, my rose, but please tell me whenever you feel tired.”

A small force tugs at the corner of his lips upwards. “So, what do you wish to do?” He tilts his head to the side all the while looking at your side profile. When you both were younger, he would always avoid looking at you like this, too embarrassed whenever he catches himself staring and then you, who merely smiles at him. He also quite believed that he would be shamed for looking at you the way he did.

However, that is not the case anymore and anyone staring can just be envious of how lucky he is. He will happily tell the world how much he adores you if he could so this public display of affection was nothing worth being embarrassed about. He 100% believes that no love is purer than a man treasuring the love of his life and treating her with so much care; this was love at its prime. He loves you and that’s a fact.

“I do want to try some of the games they’ve put up!” You answer eagerly. You have been eyeing at the stalls while you were heading to the coliseum and you find that each stalls were eye-catching in its own way. The school has really pulled all strings to make this year a good one.

“If that is what you wish for, my rose.” Riddle agrees and walks up to a game stall that he had been eyeing the moment you said that you wanted to try the games.

“Just one round, kind sir,” Riddle tells the man behind the stall and places the right amount of madol on the counter. In front of him was a toy gun that could still shoot, though not actual bullets— just some corks that were shaped to be like one. He turns his body to face you, “Which prize do you want, my love?”

You were carefully eyeing the prizes that were hanging on the wall behind the stall keeper until your eyes landed on a big plush (not overly humongous that would be impossible to carry, just a 20cm plush that’s huggable). It was a pink fox that had a white sakura flower on its forehead, situated perfectly between the eyes. The eyes were shut and looked like it was sleeping.

“Hoho, you want the grand prize, do you?” The stall keep looks from the plush to Riddle. “You can get the grand prize by simply hitting the bullseye 3 times,” he said, giving Riddle the loaded gun of exactly 3 bullets. “Of course, if you lose, you can try again but your progress resets.”

One thing that all these game stalls had in common was that they were all rigged someway or another. Riddle knew this, but he was confident that he would win. This is a game with precision, after all. “The gun is imbued with a spell that will deactivate the holder’s magic,” the man adds.

“Very well then, that is quite alright.” Riddle holds the shotgun-like toy. It had no sight which would prove to be challenging to many.

At first glance, Riddle appears to be a delicate boy who is frail in body and weak in physical strength. For the most part, that is true, but he has his wits to cover where he can not achieve. He puts his theory into practice rather than going into things blindly.

He brought the gun close to his face and closed one eye to better his aim. The world around him suddenly felt still as he drowns out the noise with him standing in the middle on a platform of water. He was the single drop of water that would make the water ripple. He is the first cause.

Inhaling a sharp breath, he pulls the trigger and then again and then one more for the last time. All three made a small ‘pop’ sound as he hit all bullseye of the three targets.

The machine sounded, bringing attention that there is a winner at the stall. The stall keeper was shocked— his mouth hung well close to the ground and his eyes unnervingly large.

You were amazed as well, too speechless to say anything at first. “Oh wow, Riddle! I didn’t know you were so good at guns!” You exclaim with a smile on your face after the period of surprise has passed. Your eyes followed his movements as he accepted the desired plush from the man.

Riddle approaches you with the fox, all red in the face out what you assumed to be out of self awareness. “Ah.. N-no, I’m not.. It’s because of the times I had to cast my unique magic..” He corrects, eyes wandering to something on the ground to the side. He gently pushes the fox forward to you which you happily took and hug.

“Still, you looked very handsome just now!” You giggled, bringing the plush closer to you. He chuckles and a soft pink tints his face when he takes his hand to hold yours.

It was all for you, he wanted to say, but he thought it to be too shallow; he wanted to express his love for you, to convey what his heart desires. He wanted to impress you and prove to you that he is someone capable and reliable so should you need anything, you can always come to him. He hopefully wants you to think that he would be worthy of a husband for you. He believes that he is not yet worthy of the receiving end of your affection, but he is grateful that he is and no one else.

“What shall we do next, my rose?”

~♡~

Oh, hello! this is my first time requesting anything- but i’d like to see Lilia Vanrouge x Reader (set in the past) but, Reader is on the opposite side of the war and finds him badly injured And takes care of him.

║Lilia Vanrouge║ Opposites of the War

Reader: No pronouns or description used. Gender neutral.

Warning(s): None

—

No one could imagine what it was like to be caught in between the human-fae war. It was a time of bloodshed. Cries from both elderly and children alike who weren’t spared from death. Many lives were lost and many villages crumbled down that only inhabited ruins would remain today.

“Sir Vanrouge!” A young fae called out towards a slightly taller male from the distance, his voice sounding urgent and panting by the sounds of it. In the distance, the man whom the fae called halts at the name. He was dressed in nothing but a black battle dress head to toe, a colour that came from and praised from the night skies that also matches the colour of his hair. It is also adorned in silver shoulder plates, a few chains that- for the most part- held his uniform and the cape that drapes over his back and of course, badges. Hard earned badges he had been rewarded from the amount of lives he’s taken and overall contribution he had partaken in.

The taller fae remained at a standstill, but it was still very clear that he was listening. The younger one stuttered the first word and had to take a moment to gulp down the nervousness that built up in his voice as well as straighten himself to be a more proper soldier. It was only to be expected. The fae before him had an overwhelming aura. Be it newcomers or long time soldiers of the same ranking as the dark fae, they would all tremble under the presence of his. This was a charm only the Lilia Vanrouge could have and no one else.

“Sir, the Queen would like to speak with you in the throne room..” He says. Despite the moment he had taken to breathe, his voice became softer towards the end.

There was silence once he finished speaking and he became nervous once more, thinking that he had upset the fae. “S-sir..? I-it’s an urgent— Eep!” The older fae turned his head over his shoulders and when he did, the young fae was spooked to be met with two, crimson eyes that glowed faintly.

“I-I’m sorry, sir!” Whatever courage the young fae had for war were all spent upon realizing that the fae was approaching him. He closes his eyes and stood still as a statue with his hands glued to his sides. He’s done for. He has upsetted a high-ranked official. He’ll surely—

A pale hand placed itself on his shoulders which made him flinch. He gulps back a lump and awaits for his impending death.

“General.”

Huh? He looks to his right to face the tall fae, a perplexed look evident on his face. The fae stares back with those alluring eyes and repeats himself but with more detail, “Address me as General.”

“O-oh, yes, Si— Uhm, General..” Satisfied, the general continues his walk to meet the Queen. The clacking of heels on the marble floor was all that could be heard before it stopped momentarily when large, creaking doors opened and then resuming, fading as soon as the doors closed.

“Your Majesty.” Lilia kneeled down on one knee and his right hand was closed into a fist over his heart while the other was fist closed on the ground. “Vanrouge.”

In front of him, the Queen of the Valley sits upon a throne adorned in thorns. If one trembles before the general, then they couldn’t even dare to even dream of being in the same room as the Queen if she ever permits an audience with her, that is. A great magician such as herself requires no more than one strong soldier such as Lilia and thus, would relay her wishes through him and him alone.

“I take it that your troops will be the one to lead the fight tomorrow?” She begins, her voice echoes in the huge room that was basically empty aside for the throne and a few, small items. “Yes, your majesty.”

“Very well. Then, you must take precaution as it seems that a few high-ranked sorcerers are amongst them,” she says and motions towards her familiar— a raven. “They appear to be doing their due diligence to hide them from our informants.”

“Your majesty, are you perhaps concerned for my wellbeing?” He asks, looking up to meet the eyes of the mother of all dark faes. Her face remained stoic and her eyes glowed a vibrant emerald green. “That, I am. I can’t have you dying.”

“Then set aside your worries, your majesty. It brings me shame that I have been held at such a high regard by you, yet is treated with pitiful thoughts,” Lilia confesses. “This can not do as I am merely a servant.”

The Queen remains silent and studies his face. His eyes, the colour of blood.. It almost seemed too perfect to the Queen. A weapon for war, a harbinger of death.. Born within her kingdom at the perfect time.

“.. Forgive my imprudence,” she says, her head still held high with the pride of a monarch. “I believe there is a mistake, your majesty. It is I who should ask for forgiveness for I seem to be lacking somewhere to have you worry. I will correct it.”

Knowing how the general will continue lowering himself, she heaves a sigh of defeat and even closes her eyes for a moment. “Very well.. I will await news once you return. You may leave.”

The door to the throne room opens once more and the sound of heels echoes down the hall once again.

Lilia Vanrouge, the Queen’s right hand man, is a terrifying creature.

—

“There is at least one, capable human sorcerer among them.. Their locations are unknown and they could very well be capable of teleportation.” Around Lilia, soldiers gather and listen in silence to the general’s words. “General, they are merehuman, aren’t they? Why do we need to be concerned?” One fae raises a hand and speaks, drawing the attention of both his comrades and the general.

This one is new, that much is evident by how cocky he presents himself. This, however, was quickly received with the most frightening glare from Lilia. “Eep!” The soldier was immediately humbled down, scared for his life. But, it wasn’t just them, those who saw his face also flinched and avoided looking at him.

There were only two facial expressions the fae would make; one being his usual, blank look and the second one was what this cocky fae received. It is clear that most opts to have the expressionless general.

“You seem rather new..” Lilia says calculatingly and in an eerily calm tone that was a stark difference to his face just a few seconds ago. “You must not have experience on the field or what these men have seen.

“If it were simply mere humans, why do you think that many of our men fell?” He repeats words from the young soldier in a sarcastic tone. The soldier bit the bottom of his lips, embarrassed and scared. “S-sorry, General Vanrouge..”

Lilia resumes talking about strategies and ways to counter attacks from the opposing team and as soon as the sun reached high above in the sky, both made their moves.

Who would have thought that things would go south for the General..

—

Hours went by and soon, his army of hundreds were stretched far and wide, being lured away with war. He is very much capable by himself so he ordered that if things should go as unplanned, that they were to leave him.

However, this would be critical when he finds himself facing off six human sorcerers whose faces were shadowed by their cloak. How clever, he thinks. He could tell that this was planned from the very beginning; to stretch his army thin and to take the head of their commander first. They did not care whether other of their soldiers died for they saw his head as a good reward for it.

Humans can be such a two-faced creature.. Boosting morale of their men without telling the real reason for the plan. He presumes that it was the doing of those higher than them.

Out of the six, only 3 seem to be high-ranked magic users. No worries, he’ll just take care of these—

“Guhk—!” He let his guard down and realized that there was one more hiding somewhere who made sure to mask their presence. He stumbles forward but still held his ground. “The General got hit!” One of them shouts and now before him, reveals six more other sorcerers including the one earlier.

These ones were weaker and used the bloodlust of the stronger ones to hide theirs, initially hiding from Lilia.

“Bind!” One of the three stronger ones, casts a spell and chains sprouts front the ground and binds his ankles to the soils.

He tilts his head to the ever darkening sky and slowly closes his eyes. Your majesty, do forgive me for overlooking your concerns.

“It’s over for you, monster!” One charges at him with a longsword with the intent to cleanly detach his head from his body.

—

Trekking through the now dark forest in silence, Lilia was obviously injured. Those humans were truly something. He was badly wounded with a hand over his stomach and was exhausted.

I must return to the camp..

But how could he at this rate when he is limping and his magic spent? He dares not try to push himself further in fear of an overblot. It’s alright. He has given orders to the lieutenant on what to do and practically lead the army in his absence.

That being said.. A rest wouldn’t hurt, right?

After looking at his surroundings to make sure there was no one in sight, he sits and leans against a tree. He only needs half a day— no, less than that— to be able to heal a bit of himself. However, the blow to his right shoulder by a spear— from the first ambusher— is bleeding a lot.

Whatever.. He’ll fix— Crack.

His eyebrows perks up and his ears sharpened. There was someone here. But where?

That was soon answered when he felt a slight tremble on the Earth’s surface. This thing.. It must have been at least ten feet. Could it be a giant? What would it be doing in this territory? Perhaps a monster has wandered in.. That’s no good.

Cautiously, he stands up and looks around. Thankfully, his kind allowed him to see better in the dark by ten folds than that of a human’s. He walks towards the booming sound and as soon as he was merely metres away, his eyes widen in disbelief and surprise. In front of him was—

“Alrighty!”

A voice could be heard just a few steps away and in the distance, he sees a house.. Walking. This wasn’t a sight he got to see everyday.. Nor had he seen such a thing in his entire life for that matter.

“Slow it down, you buffoon!” The same voice shouts from inside the house. “Okay, just stop. Stop, stop, stop!”

On command, the house lowers itself to the ground with the legs being tucked away underneath just as a cat would when it’s getting comfortable.

He watches on in silence as a short figure exits through the front door of the house. “Waah! Finally, a breath of fresh air!” The person stretches their arms above their head and bends backwards slightly.

This person.. What are they doing here? Wait.. Upon closer inspection, he could very well see that they were not a fae. In fact, they had human ears and their aura alone could verify that.

His jaw clenches at the dreaded thought of confronting yet another enemy. He must erase them or—

“Hm?” Before he could realize that he wasn’t even hiding, the human is now staring at him with curiosity in their eyes. “Hey, what are you doing out there?” They shout from their house. The light from the house emits a warm glow that faintly traces their outline.

“Why don’t you come here? It’s scary when it’s dark, you know?” They cup a hand over their mouth and wave the other, signaling for him to come. However, instead of doing just that, Lilia thinks it’s wise to just spare them for now and flee the field so he turns back around.

This does not slip past them as footsteps hurried to catch up to him. “Hey, hey! What are you doing?” They say and reach out to grab ahold of his shoulder, his bloodied shoulder. “You’re welcome in my house. And I promise I won't bite— oh!”

Lilia roughly shoves them out of instinct from the pain upon contact. He watches as realization hits them— that their hands are covered in blood. “Oh dear..! This is a call for concern..” Their brows furrow at the sight. They remain like that for a while then looks at him with focused eyes. “Please, come inside and let me treat you.”

—

“It’s not the strongest magic.. But this is my unique magic.” Before Lilia could realize, he was now sitting on a bed and being tended to. At first, he didn’t understand why he obeyed, but upon confession, it all made sense. “It can make people obey me, but it’s only limited to coming inside the house and— oh! I probably shouldn’t be telling you that, am I?” They laugh but that quickly dies down as he was not indulging in conversation.

They sat on a wooden stool that faces him and diligently wraps his right arm that connects to the first wound. Their eyelashes were long and from his perspective, it looked very alluring how it hides bits of their eyes.

“Ah! I haven’t introduced myself, have I?” They stop their movements and look at him with a beaming smile. “I’m [Name].”

***

You introduce yourself and hope that he, too, would do the same. But, he remains unfocused as something else brought his mind somewhere else. “Uhm.. Could I get your name?” You ask, careful of your words. This brought his attention back to you. A name exchange between two people on opposite sides of the war? Now that was something dangerous.

“Do you not know who I am?” Were the words he answered with, his crimson eyes boring into you. “U-Uhm.. Sorry, I don’t believe I do..” You sweatdrop. Was this guy important? You lived in isolation majority of the time and travel a lot so you couldn’t sit down and read the recent newspaper.

At the lack of an answer, he sighs and closes his eyes and rephrased his words, “Do you know what I am?” This made you actually look at him carefully. He is dressed— well, was, since you asked him to remove his clothing earlier— in all black and adorned in silver and badges. “Are you a soldier?” You ask.

He squinted his eyes and raised a brow. Were you this.. Oblivious? “I see you are not afraid of faes,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone. This time, you look at his ears since those were a very obvious trait for a fae. “O-oh.. I guess you are..” However, you still remain dumb to the situation and wonder where this is going.

“Well anyway, let me go get more bandages and after that, I’ll cook you something to eat.” You stood up from your seat and mumbled to yourself that was still very audible, “I didn’t think that your wounds would run all over..

“I’m sorry that I can’t heal you faster and properly.. I don’t often use magic..”

—

As promised, after you bandaged him up, you gave him food. He thought that would be it and he would be forced outside, but you surprised him by insisting he stays inside until he was well. Otherwise, you would just follow him.

Based on your appearance and behaviour, you were a normal civilian and had not a clue about the war that surrounded you. He rather not bring an innocent into this matter so he couldn’t have you following him into war. This was fine with him since he needed to rest and your house a perfect resting stop.

However, it was very much out in the open.. What if someone were to come? Be it fae or human, it would not end well.

He believes that he has gained a bit of his strength back so he sets up a barrier. It wasn’t so strong that it’ll prevent anyone from getting in if they so wish it— it just alters an outsider’s thoughts and makes them turn around. They also can’t see the house until they’re inside.

“You can sleep here.” You motioned to the recently changed sheets that he previously sat on and then moved towards a closet to take out a blanket. “I’ll go sleep on the couch and no refusing; you are my guest and an injured one at that.”

You gave him one last smile over your shoulder and prepared to turn the knob but he stops you, “Are you really unaware of the war?” He was vague unless you were informed of the current news. This peaks your interest and you turn your body to properly face him. “The war?”

“One with your kind and mine,” he answers and crosses his arms. You were now very much confused and it was clear to him as well with how your face warps to that of hard pondering. “Wasn’t that over seven years ago?”

He shook his head. “Your kind had taken advantage of the peace to attack the kingdom.” You bit your bottom lip and look down. You weren’t aware, but you were hugging the folded blanket a little too tightly.

“You really know nothing?” He asks once more. You closed your eyes and let out a deep sigh that you didn’t know you had been holding in and carefully put your thoughts into words, “I do not care what is happening.

“I am merely a travelling merchant but because of that, I rarely receive news.” You opened your eyes after speaking and smiled. “Frankly, I find that war is pointless and that it unnecessarily costs hundreds of lives.”

To you, you were just voicing your honest thoughts but to Lilia, it cause something in him to stir. He didn’t think that there was a human out there that had thought the things you do.

“A-anyway, I should let you rest..” Once again, you turn to open the door.

“Lilia..” Your ears barely heard it yet you glanced at him. “My name is Lilia Vanrouge.” This made you smile and turn to face him again.

“Nice to meet you, Lilia Vanrouge.”

~♡~

Should I make a part 2?

║Lilia Vanrouge║ I Can’t Love You for an Eternity

Reader: No pronouns or description used. Gender neutral. 

Warning(s): None

—

Who would believe that this short fae with a frail-looking body and a doll-like face is the terrifying general that history books speaks of? It was hard to imagine just by that alone, but seeing him become putty in your hands? No one would have even brush the surface of that topic.

So here he was, the Lilia Vanrouge whose name alone would have made history quiver in fear, submitting himself to your love, answering to your beck and call whenever. 

“My dear, would you care to accompany this old fae for a stroll in the botanical garden?” He looks on in expectancy with that smile you love so much. That smile that would make you go against the heavens should they take it away. So with that said, you nod without needing a moment to think. 

The school’s garden was really breathtaking and the flora grown in them were nothing like what you’ve seen back home. You enjoy these walks with Lilia because you’d have the opportunity to take a break from your work and simply relax with him and admire the flowers. 

“My dear, I don’t suppose you know what this flower is?” Lilia points to a flower that has a deep shade of red whose petals look like it is made out of crystals. The light was bouncing off of it and revealed beautiful rainbow colours hidden within them. 

To no one’s surprise, you shook your head. “Kufufu, then it would be my pleasure to tell you that it is poisonous for humans,” he muses and takes a mischievous glance at you. You sweatdrop. Who knew that a pretty flower could be so dangerous? “But do not worry, it is only if you hold it for long periods of time and handle it without care.

“I do believe that the students of Pomfiore quite prefer using this since its petals offer both medicinal properties from the stems and poisonous traits from its petals that becomes more potent when its crushed,” he says with the knowledge of an ancient. “It’s quite the deadly flower for they are a backstabbing bunch. They prefer to watch the slow process of death and for a long time, households could not find an answer as to why their family is dying one by one, kufufu.” A closed fist covers his smile as he laughs. Without even knowing it yourself, you couldn’t contain a smile of your own. Yes, with him, it was like a never ending dream. Everything he told you would make you smile, even the weird things he would say. It could just be because spending time with him was everything you could ever ask for. 

You hope that it will be like this for eternity.

— 

“Let’s breakup.”

You could hear a pen drop somewhere further down the halls in one of the classrooms as you felt your heart drop. That was how silent it was in the room. 

When the words finally finish processing inside your head, your eyes became frantic as it enlarges. So many questions pops up into your head but you couldn’t even find it in you to voice them orderly when all you want right now is him, “.. Why?” Your mouth hunts ajar when a single tear slips down your cheek. 

Lilia bit the inside of his cheek yet his face remain unreadable to you, a shadow casting over his eyes that made him look heartless and cold. In fact he turns his face to the side so you couldn’t read his face at all. He was not the Lilia you were so familiar with. “Why, why, why?” You sobbed, “I-is it something about me that you don’t like? Am I too loud? Too quiet?

“Is it because I don’t know many things about this world? I-I’ll study hard so I can k-keep up a conversation with you..! I’ll change, please!” You push yourself to his chest and curled your fists into his uniform, crumpling it and ruining his prestige image of an NRC student. “Please, I’ll do anything you ask! Ju-just don’t leave me..” 

You stare pleadingly at him. One tear turned to two and two to three and so on. His jaws tightened and he couldn’t help but turn slightly to look at you. However, this only made him flinch and turn away. He couldn’t stand tears. His nose crinkles and his brows furrowed all the while he keeps his mouth shut. 

For just a moment, you saw how much he was in pain so why was he doing this to himself? To you? “Please, you have to talk to me..” Your head hangs low, still gripping onto his shirt tightly, afraid that he will walk away and leave you if you let go or relax just a bit. 

You hear him let out a shaky breath and hold onto both of your wrist, but just for a short second until he forces you to detach yourself from him so seamlessly. Your eyes widened but now, you could properly see his eyes. It was dull and looked like it belonged to a heartless murderer out on the field. What scared you most about it was that it was a fitting look on him. It was as if he had this on for a long time that it became natural. Moreover, it hides so many thoughts and mixed feelings from you such as the pain he feels just by doing this. You were unable to decipher any of it. 

“There is nothing wrong with you so please do not degrade yourself..” He says coldly and smoothies out his uniform. “So why..?” Your voice croaks. He goes back to staring at the ground beside you but still answers, “I simply cannot love you for an eternity.”

—

So that was that, one supposes. It took some time for you to get out of bed each day and talk to your friends as if nothing was wrong, but humans are fickle creatures whose hearts can easily be molded and find it in them to open them to others once more. Over time, you healed. To be more accurate, you put your heart together again, but once broken will always be broken. There were cracks that would obviously never heal. 

This was good. After all, he hated the way you look during those days where you looked hopeless, when the eyes the held a promise to the world looked so lifeless. 

Two orbs with deep shades of red- that one can say to be crimson- watches a certain someone from the shadows. It watches as they approach a taller male. 

There was some inaudible chatter as words were being passed along. Then there it was, a laugh. It was a laughter that it was most familiar with. The sound of a past history that it wishes to relive again but knows that it shouldn’t dream of such a thing. The laughter from someone who it cannot hold in its arms any longer. 

“[Name], do you want to walk in the garden with me?” Ah. Just the mention of your name already has this old fae’s heart beating rapidly, but it was a name he can no longer say so lovingly. The male with you has a deep and velvety tone that could just possibly woo anyone. His smile can be considered charming in its own way. 

He wears the uniform of Octavinelle, the fae ponders from behind a tree. “I believe that this is the twin named Jade..” He mumbles, cross examining the description that matches the correct Leech twin. 

He sees your head slightly nods. Could it be that you are hesitant to go into the garden? He found it hard to go in there himself as well. It does bring melancholic memories.

Jade offers a hand to which you take and allow yourself to be swept away. 

This is fine, Lilia thinks. Jade, he knows- despite the rumours about the eels- is dependable and honest. He is protective when it comes to his loved ones, especially his brother whom he does his best to make sure he doesn’t get into too much trouble. He is organized and a good influence. What’s more, he has a lifespan similar to that of a human.

“Do you know what this flower is, [Name]?” Jade points towards a flower whose colour was a deep blue; a royal blue. “It has a pleasant smell that is used in perfumes or tea to have a fragrant smell.

“More importantly..” Jade plucks the flower from its soil carefully and faces you properly. “It symbolizes deep admiration.”

This is fine.. This is good. 

You can finally have that wish you’ve had where you can grow old with somebody you love fulfilled. A wish that is shared by many humans. 

—

A nightmare.

In the midst of the ever peaceful night, the old fae was rudely awoken by a nightmare. Even as he gulped down a hefty amount of water in the Diasomnia kitchen to calm his nerves, he couldn’t stop the shaky breath that his lips slips out as he recalls that dream. 

This dream, that dream.. He’s been having the same nightmare. Death. Death. Death. Death.

It’s inevitable, he knows that. He should know that very well. But when it’s about you.. 

“Father?” 

A familiar voice that was evident that it is still going through adolescence drew his attention behind him. The light of the moon could faintly trace the outline of his son standing by the entryway to the kitchen. “Silver..” He takes a deep breath in and straightens his posture to properly greet him. 

“What are you doing up so late?” He lets out a quivering breath. “You do know that it’s wrong to stay up late since it will take a toll on your body. 

“This can’t do since you need an able body to protect Malleus.” His eyes pierces through the dim room and takes in the worried face that was on his son’s face.

“I woke up when I heard your door open and close,” Silver answers honestly. “Ah, then my apologies.. You must be tired so why don’t you go to back to bed?” 

“I’m worried about you, father..” He confesses and walks closer so he could take a proper look at the way his face contorts in pain, totally disregarding the words his father said. 

Lilia stares back at him with owlish eyes, the expressions he had earlier was nowhere to be seen. It was as if it wasn’t there at all. This should be something to be praised— how easy he can change his expressions to one that enemies would have a hard time reading— but it wasn’t. Not to the worries of Silver especially who awoke each night at the sound of a door open and closed, knowing that it was Lilia who came out. 

“I think you should talk to [Name] about this..” He voices once he finds the right words and way to put his thoughts to light. “I do not know the suffering’s extent from this nightmare is, but talking it out might help.” 

“Silver.” Lilia’s voice was stern as he looked at him with a serious look. Seriousness was hard to tie in with the current Lilia but Silver knows full well that he had reverted back to his general days at this moment. 

The silver-haired boy gulps the lump in his throat and knows it was time to stop the chatter. “I’ll go to bed now.. Have a good rest, father,” with that, the young boy returns to his room with a faint click on his door, confirming that he has gone inside. 

Death was not merely an acquaintance with the fae. He has seen lives taken away from the innocent and he took some himself. Even now, he is expecting that another life will slip through his fingers, knowing that Silver is human. However, when it came to you, it was hard. 

In his long years, he had never had someone give him this fluttering feeling inside his chest. It was as if a thirsty flower being watered for the first time in so long suddenly blossom in glee. You make him feel like that. 

However, a flower can’t have the same gardener for so long as they will perish while it is at a standstill and the only thing it could do is watch the world around them change. 

I’m sorry I can’t grow old with you, my dear.. 

It is the first time he is feeling like this and so he’s confused— afraid. He is afraid. He is scared that if he loves you too much, he’ll be the one to turn the heavens upside down— tear it apart— should it be your time to part from the realm of the living. 

But.. Maybe that was too late.  

—

Watching over your sleeping figure, Lilia couldn’t help but think all these sorry thoughts. Thoughts of how he is a coward and a bad fae who could not grant you one, beautiful wish of wanting to grow old with him. 

“I have failed you, my dear,” he whispers and caresses your face softly and carefully as if you were made of crystals. “I am the one to hurt you and make you shed tears, yet it is I who feels regret for allowing it to end the way it did..” 

A tear. A single tear escapes through your shut lids, but you had this bittersweet smile. Could you have been dreaming of him? Are you dreaming— replaying— the sweet times that you two once shared? 

Even now, when he is no longer a general, it was hard for Lilia to cry. But this heart of his cries. Cries out for your love that it knows is forbidden to it. 

“Oh look, I seem to have made you cry even in the land of dreams where it should be happy..” He smiles bitterly. His hand halts its actions and then a faint glow emits from his palms. 

“I, Lilia Vanrouge, present you the gift of love.. May you find it in your heart to love as big as you once did and hopefully find that very same love in whom you wish to spend the rest of eternity with..” After he said those words, the light gradually dims until it was dark in the room once more, save for the light of the moon. 

It is only after seeing your face relax, did he part ways with you. “May you also never shed tears again and have beautiful dreams.” 

He turns on his heels so that his back faces you. It was close to morning dawn and he had to retire back to his dorm to freshen up. This would be the last time he visits, he says a silent promise to himself, though it was half convincing. After all, you had found that someone and thus have no need for him anymore. 

Before he leaves your room, he takes one more look at you and under his breath, he speaks with an aching heart, “Please forget how this unworthy old fae has taken your love for granted..” 

~♡~

║Lilia Vanrouge║ Sweet and Naive / “True Ending”

Terrifying General, Lilia Vanrouge.

Reader: No pronouns or description used. Gender neutral.

You don't need to read part 1 or other versions to understand. ^^

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

–

What would come of a fairytale, if one could rewrite it?

Would it try to go back to its correct course of path as written by fate itself?

Would it just be a repeat of the things already done and dealt with as in the course written by fate?

What would the characters in a story be like today, if one could rewrite it?

Would their virtues and everything that they believe in change?

Would their behaviours– the way they treat life– be any different in effect to their beliefs being changed? Can it be changed?

…

My child, do you wish to go back to the past and rewrite your story?

–

What would come of a fairytale, if one could rewrite it?

Would it try to go back to its correct course of path as written by fate itself?

Would it just be a repeat of the things already done and dealt with as in the course written by fate?

What would the characters in a story be like today, if one could rewrite it?

Would their virtues and everything that they believe in change?

Would their behaviours– the way they treat life– be any different in effect to their beliefs being changed? Can it be changed?

…

My child, do you wish to go back to the past and rewrite your story?

–

The streets of a no-name, small town village was bustling with a crowd of locals going to and fro from point A to point B then shortly returning back to point A– which, if you did not catch on– is their home. Despite being out in the wilderness– isolated– the people were full of energy and chattering away with neighbours or a stall’s keeper. All was as it should be.

Everything one could ever need or want can all be found inside their safe haven and so, one never had the reason to go outside of their realm. In fact, because of these reasons, tales passed around by locals since birth arose: Never go into the forest. There are monsters far terrifying than you and I who see the outside world as its playground.

You’d live by that saying religiously all your childhood up until you're now considered a mature fae. But since then, you got bored of your village. You were very much still a young fae, but a fae has many, many years ahead of them so in perspective, eventually you would grow tired of seeing the same thing and talking to the same people over and over again. Other faes could say otherwise– preferring the peace that their haven provides– but you, for one, have already gone restless doing the same chores in your short existence as a fae. 

It does not matter to you what your neighbour is doing so in hindsight, they would not have a care in the world of what you have been up to. But, regardless of race, people talk. You have been warned time and time again not to step outside the village as the sages– as they like to call themselves– can’t keep you protected from danger when you step outside. Did you listen? No. But, you did make sure to not stray too far away from the eyes of the village guards so that you won’t worry your nosy, elderly neighbour. When you tried to pry stories of the world from them, all they did was shake their head with a warning of the creatures out there. For you see, this village is only just a few thousand years old and the first of its villagers were the faes that were starting to lose touch of themselves. You concluded that if it is recent, then surely they come from somewhere not from here. 

In your early days of youth, you went to school and learned that there were more to faes than what you were lead to believe. Some of those things that you learned was that your kind, although stronger by a hair than humans, were far down below the pyramid. However, you did learn that there were more than one type of fae just as how humans and sea species were much different from each other. There is more to this world than what meets the eye and you want to discover it all. 

When you were in your adolescent years, did others come to know you as the curious fae, with each step taking you further out in the forests but never too far away from the watch of the village guards. There, you found a small pond with water as blue as crystal diamonds with a bit of the sun’s rays through the thick trees, casting an alluring light upon it. It was an enchanting sight to behold. You wanted your friends to come along with you to this pond, but they refused once they knew that it meant taking a step outside the village. After a while, you did earn yourself a title, so to say, of being a troubled fae. You even had the honour of meeting one of the Sages- elder faes that maintain the protective barrier- (or so they’d like to call themselves) who came with a lecture. 

They left defeatedly since you only negotiated not to wander far away rather than listen and stay inside the protection zone. Still, it was better than one of their own being killed far out there, and it’s not like you go out every day since you had students to plan a lesson for. 

–

One day, when you were cozying inside your home, baking apple pie for lunch, did you feel something outside the window tug at you. Since you were closer to the gates, you could feel more of this overbearing aura.

Just as you were thinking what it could be, a scroll magically appears before you. It’s from the Sages, warning everyone not to go outside the gates. You figured that they could feel it too, this aura. It was threatening, but you feel a familiar, fuzzy feeling from it. 

You tried to ignore it, but being the curious one, you eventually sighed in defeat and sneaked past the guards who were now very much on edge. The villagers, despite not needing to, all went inside their homes. 

This feeling became more known and as you continued to go deeper into the forest– in the direction of the pond you had discovered in your youth– did you feel as if gravity was weighing on you more. 

When you got to the pond, you were stopped short at the sight of someone lying on the field of grass just a few feet away from you. Are they the cause of this? Cautiously, you approached the person and discovered the blood and scratches all over the parts that were visible (which wasn’t much since they were dressed in black, military clothing and adorned with silver ornaments from head to and left only the face and hands bare). 

It was then that the anxiousness set in when you realized that someone was injured– possibly bleeding to death– in front of you. “H, hey.. Are you alive? Well, I mean, you clearly are since you’re still breathing, but what I meant was if you are awake?” You rambled, getting onto your knees and tapping lightly on the shoulders. Nothing. They weren’t responsive.

Turn away.

You didn’t know what to do. You could go back and forget about everything you’ve seen, but then you’ll live your entire, long life in guilt that you had knowingly killed someone. But, you hadn’t seen this person before and based on the way they dress hinted that they are not someone from the village.. They could be dangerous for all you knew. Like, just look at the way they dressed! It’s like nothing you’ve seen before with dark, scary colours. 

You bite your lower lip before making the decision to do the good thing by carrying the person to your home through the back door since, well, alarms will sound if one were to see a suspicious person entering the village with you, the troubled fae known to run amok in the dangerous forest. 

–

You had laid the person down on your couch and plopped on the floor beside it. You were exhausted. Who would have thought that they were so heavy? It could be because of the clothing.. After a short rest, you went to work, stripping the person of their shirt but that is when you had a startling realization that they were a man. His stomach was very much defined by muscles. Blood rushes to your face at the sight of seeing a man bare in front of you. Sure, you had seen men- especially those who worked at the smithery- bare, but this was completely different! You had thought that he was a she- a woman- because of their long, silky hair and fair complexion free of imperfection. Let’s not also forget that you had stripped the man who is very much unconscious. 

Shaking the filthy thoughts away, you went back to doing what you were supposed to do, emitting a faint, green from your palms. Although, you didn’t think it’ll heal fully since the cuts this man sustained were much deeper than you had thought. When you were taking his clothes off, you didn’t think that he had so many wounds.. Just where did he come from? At that thought, your eyes wandered towards the side of his face. You hadn’t noticed before, but he also had ears much like yours. You’ve read books of human anatomy and you can confirm that just like every other species in your books, humans, too, had very different physical appearance, one obvious part were their ears.  

So, he’s a fae.. But you had never seen him in the village before, and seeing his military uniform, you would assume that he was a fighter and someone who protects his village. Still, the uniform was nothing like even the captains in the village. Could it be.. That he isn’t a fae from here? Could he be those other types of faes you read about in books? You recalled reading of a very prominent kingdom ruled by the strongest fae alive. What was it called? You remembered it going something like Sally.. Valley..? O’ how you wished you could recall it!

–

The stranger was still asleep by the time sunset came. You were in the kitchen, preparing dinner for yourself and the man– if he ever wakes up today, that is. 

For some reason, you felt that he was familiar to you, but you couldn’t recall when– if you had ever– met him. But you hadn’t gone anywhere else but the village. It’s where you’ve been all your life, but you can’t shake this feeling no matter how much you try. 

Just then, your ears slightly rose at the sound of movement from the living room. Is he awake? You turned down the heat of the stove, initially letting the stew sit, and went to check on the man. 

His eyes were still shut but his facial features contorted in pain. Seeing that his wounds were opening again (what can you say? Your magic wasn’t all that powerful) and bleeding through the bandages, you rush to quickly sedate his pain. 

It was only when his face relaxed that you, too, relaxed. If only you were a mage working for the Sages, you wouldn’t be feeling so drained. You had never used this much magic until today. You noted that maybe you should start training your body more to help with the lack of magic stamina. 

When you opened your eyes, you were staring at your hands on your lap and then towards the sleeping man. His chest raised and fell at a set pace. 

Turn away.

Other than the sounds of a clock ticking and his steady breathing, it was quiet. 

Your eyes never averts from his face and upon closer look, you were mesmerized at his long lashes. Pretty. Subconsciously, a hand reaches out to touch his face, noticing that there were strands of his hair on his face that obscures his full beauty. But why do you feel familiar..? 

Before you could even come close to touching his face, his eyes shot open. In one swift motion, you were underneath him with a bone-crushing hold on your wrist that dared to try to touch a forbidden fruit. “Who are you?” He growls with the look of alertness painted on his face. When an answer wasn’t given in milliseconds, his grip tightens, making you wince and stutter out, “I, I found you outside the village and b-brought you here to receive treatment.” 

Who would have thought that this man was capable of such strength? Sure, he does dress in scary uniform but with his face, you had thought he was not all that of a strong fae. 

At your true and honest statement, he relaxes a bit his grip, yet it remains holding your wrist until he could analyze your face- specifically your eyes- to decide whether or not he should kill you right here and right now before you could attempt to harm him. “L, look, I even bandaged you up and healed you a bit..” Nudging your head towards his torso, he looks down to see it carefully wrapped up, though it did not look like it was done by someone who had thorough knowledge of bandages.

After a dragged out moment of silence with you trembling underneath the fae, he cautiously lets you go, trained eyes still boring into you. You sat up and sat awkwardly beside him, trying to keep your eyes from wandering anywhere but your trembling hands. 

No one said a word which you couldn’t bare at all. What could you ask or say? Tell him that there’s food that you made? He must be hungry after all.. “U, um, I ma–” Before the sentence could even be finished, you were brought to attention when he stood up and scanned the living room before looking down to you. “I will be leaving now so it would be duly noted that you return my clothes,” he says once he has ascertained that his clothes were not in the room with him.

“Oh, about that.. They’re still being dried; I washed it because of the blood..” It was an awful smell that could attract the other faes to your house and that was definitely not something you would want, seeing as there is a fae who is clearly not from here. The clothes were not hung outside either for a faster dry and were, instead, hung above your bathtub. If anyone did come after smelling blood from earlier when you brought him here, the most certain spot they could see it would be at the back, out in the open. It was a man’s clothes and it is known that you were not housing a male. Other than that fact, it was clothing that is very foreign. 

His face was unreadable but you could tell that he was not having it. “T-they’ll be ready by tomorrow morning, I promise!” You quickly mention and carefully, “In.. In the meantime, why don’t you eat something? I cooked dinner..” 

—

He accepts and after dinner– Well, there wasn’t much going on really. It was much harder to talk to him- a stranger- than those Sages. After showing him to your spare bedroom and the bathroom, you went to look for clothes for him to change into, which was something hard to come by since he was extremely tall and huge. In fact, you had to go out and buy clothes for him to change into. Luckily, the store lady had not questioned you nor give you her look of suspicion. 

“If you need anything, I’ll be in the room beside yours.” Making sure he was comfortable and that all his needs were met, you turned on your heels to retire to your own bedroom. However, you did not manage to reach the door when he called for you again with a question on his tongue, “Before you leave, could you tell me where I am?

It is clear that you and I are of different breeds but nonetheless faes.” His question was to be expected and you answered honestly and with nothing more to speak of, you went to bed. The man with black locks remains awake past midnight and after regaining a bit of his strength, he emits a warm green from his palms. “An uncharted village far off the Kingdom but nonetheless still within territory..” His ruby eyes narrow. Who could have thought that a quaint little village is flourishing without the knowledge of the queen? Although, he could tell that just by you, this village was weak. “Illusionary magic..” He mumbles some more, words incoherent to tell exactly just what he was thinking. 

“This village.. Will be destroyed.” 

—

“H-how.. How was your sleep?” You greet him with the best of your smiles, though the slight twitch at the corner of your lips did not go unnoticed by the man. “I made breakfast so–” Before the sentence could have been finished, the dark-haired fae spoke with an air that would belong to that of a general in war, “It would be best that I leave now.” 

“Ah..” That’s right. He wants to go home badly, wherever that is. He looked like he was not even finished with whatever he was attending to before you had found him. But his wounds.. “Do not concern yourself with me. I am very much capable of healing myself,” he said plainly as if he had just read your mind. It was true, but with his spent power, it would be a while. Nevertheless, it will be fine and he is confident that it will replenish quickly. 

“Okay.. I'll bring your clothes down.” It was a short meaning and you honestly shouldn’t feel this.. Emotion of sadness swirling right at the centre of your heart, but for some reason you do. You had hoped that he would be able to chat with you for a while, seeing as he is from the outside. 

Just as he threw on his long war coat, there was a firm, three knocks on the door. You both stared at each other and you only opened the door when he gave you a nod of approval. 

Outside the door, a few soldiers and a sage greeted you. “Oh! Hello.. How may I help you, Sage?” “We came to you personally to check up on you and warn you to not step outside the barrier,” the old fae says. “There have been sightings of high grade monsters circling the village.”

What? Monsters? The barrier’s extra spells should have deterred them away and the only way for them to even get close was– Your eyes widened. Do they know that a village lies here? To break the illusion is to be aware of the illusion and you prayed that that would never happen.  

“The mysterious aura from yesterday had vanished but now monsters had come.. It is believed that those monsters had been led here.” 

The aura? Isn’t that.. 

—

After they had left, the man came out of hiding, “By the sounds of it, it seems that there will be heavy patrol..” Was the first thing he said. This gravely concerns him. With his power still weak, it would be hard to fight off those monsters. 

He was in deep thought about whether or not he could make it back to the kingdom in his current state and with those things outside when his ears perked at low mumbling which drew his attention to look up. “Um, I know you want to go home and I am aware that you are very capable but..” Playing with the hem of your shirt, you tried to find it within yourself to complete your words. 

Turn away. Let him go.

Let him go.

It could be because of this nurturing instinct that you had developed during your career or it could be this overwhelming sense of wanting to know him further that you selfishly want to make him stay just for a few more days. “Please, it is far too dangerous outside, even for you in your current state.” This was true. Before you found him yesterday, he had used a last resort and a bit more of his strength to get himself away from the field otherwise, he would have overblot, and it was because of this that he fell into a slumber to recuperate. 

“Alright.”

–

A week. It has been now a week since he had been under your care. He has been a great help around the house even though you were very persistent that he rested. Be that as it may, his wounds vanished in just a week. No, it wasn’t thanks to your weak spells; in just 4 days, he had managed to regain all the strength he had lost. You had surmised that it would have taken a month for him to be well again but you were wrong. Not even a scar was left to be found. You truly found wonder and awe in his type of species, but also found just how wide the gap of power truly was. 

Every night, he would go outside to clear out the monsters that were surrounding the village, and of course without alerting the village of his presence. He said something about the smell of an oncoming overblot could have lured them to where he is. You had briefly heard of this overblot when you were young and remembered fearing it so much so that you refused to use magic for a while. It answered a lot of questions about his appearance when he was found. 

“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” you called out from the kitchen, “Will you.. Be going out again?” When he entered the kitchen, he shook his head. “They have been cleared.” 

“Oh.. I see,” you smiled. You were thankful that now, the place was safe again for weak faes such as yourself. “Thank you.” Again, he shook his head, “It was my fault that they had come and so they were my responsibility.” 

Your eyes softened but quickly returned them to the stove. Nothing much is spoken about during dinner, finding that he enjoys his meal in silence. Well, that was until now. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.” 

His words had the spoon stop half way to your mouth. So, it has finally come. You look up to meet his eyes yet there still was yet to be any signs of expression in them. “Ah.. Okay.. I’ll see you out tomorrow then..” Were the only words that you were able to throatily say. 

It had been fun having company, especially his, so it was saddening news. For the rest of the night, things moved quietly. 

–

Honestly, you still don’t understand why this aching feeling inside you was a hundred times worse than you had thought farewells would be, not even as you walked close to him to the spot where you first met him and would just be a few short seconds away before you never see him again. Ah, yes.. You’ll never see him after this.. He has, after all, a home somewhere just like how you have. He must have felt homesick by now. His family might be too!

You had only realized that he had stopped walking when you bumped into his back. This was it.. The time where words of parting will be said.

“I’ll be going now,” he said, his voice still that same monotonous tone. 

He stares into your eyes and you do the same. His eyes were much like crystals, you noticed. It also has a beautiful shade of red that matches well with his mysterious existence. 

His beautiful long locks looked lighter in the sun. And even though he dresses himself in full black clothing, to you, he looked ethereal. Like a god. 

“Mn.. I pray for your travels to be safe.” And so, with no further words being exchanged, he turned on his heels towards you and began walking the opposite direction from you. 

Was this truly the end..? 

Let him go.

You can’t let him go. There was this feeling that had a hold grasp of your heart that you felt would tighten once he’s out of your sight. 

Let him go. 

Turn away. 

You will never see him again after this, right? That should be fine.. You don’t know him well enough anyway. You’ll go back to living your life of loneliness and things will be normal again. And this feeling..? It will probably subside too.

You hadn’t realized that your lower lip was bleeding until you tasted that metallic taste that it has. 

No. No, you can’t just leave it at this. You wanted to travel the world and he was your ticket out of this place as well as a guide to the unfamiliar world. 

“Wait, please!” Before you could even catch up to your thoughts, you had already called out to the man adorned in dark. He stops a few short metres away and looks over his shoulders silently. Oh, right.. You don’t even know his name. 

Turn away. 

Upon realization, you became bashful from such an uncouth manner, biting the inside of your cheeks. But, now was the time to say what was on your mind. 

Don’t tell. Don’t speak. 

Shakily letting out a nervous breath that you found the confidence you needed, although not much, “[Name]..” Your nervousness is now evident through the shakiness that could be heard. 

“Hm?” He turns his body so that he could properly look at you. Your face felt even warmer and you’re pretty sure that he could see how this situation was making you so red in the face. “My name..” The clenched fist that holds onto the hem of your shirt tightens even more so the folds on your shirt become prominent. 

Monster.

Turn away.

Too dangerous!

“My name.. It’s [Name].”

His pupils were blown wide but just for a moment before he narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid there must be a mistake.. You must not tell me your name to a monster.” His tone was cold but his eyes.. They were not the blank ones you were so familiar with. They were.. Shaking? It was a showcase of his thoughts.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” You continue to speak, “This sense of familiarity?

“So please, I want to know your name.” Your heart was practically banging against its cage as if it wanted to be let out. But then, you see the corner of his lips curl upwards. For the first time, you finally had the chance to see the fae smile. “Lilia Vanrouge. It has been a pleasure meeting you, [Name].” With that, he turned on his heels and walked away, leaving you no time to say anything else

Your heart was aflutter and you held your hands over it in hopes to calm it down. He will be back after he finished what he needed to do. It was an unsaid promise.

This is it. This is what you wanted. No matter how much you try, it would be impossible to change one’s nature. All that was left to do is to pray to a high being that your future wouldn’t turn out to be the same.

~♡~

TLDR; It's all just a repeat of history.

Lilia Vanrouge x reader 

DM Requester: @kimura-uzuri

Reader: Intended female audience but no use of pronouns nor description.

Warning(s): Yandere themes. Overuse of words. 

Word count: 6.9k 

You don't need to read part 1 or other versions to understand. ^^

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

–

║Lilia Vanrouge║ Sweet and Naive Pt 2. / “Our” Happily Ever After

Being the oldest kingdom in existence, there were bound to have many legends and myths. One such tale was of the popular ones which entails a sleeping princess awoken by a charming prince whom had slayed the mighty dragon. The lesser known ones consist of a tale which was estimated to be at least a hundred or two years old that started off as a rumour.. That rumour involves a prestigious and most respected old noble house.. Vanrouge.

It is said that a beauty with an angelic voice could be heard in the far west side of the Vanrouge’s estate where those who had worked for the family before years ago had reported to have never been allowed in that area before they all simultaneously were fired one day by the lord of the house, Lord Vanrouge. 

When pressed about it, they revealed that the lord used to have a lover who occupied the entire west side of the house. When the lord had reported that they had gone on an adventure for who knows how long, he said that the west side won’t be needing servants to keep going to and fro from one side to the other for a while and thus, dismissed them. They are willing to bet that the west side of the building is much dustier than any other part of the house. 

From that stems questions from the common folks of the Valley of Thorns whom didn’t have any lesson of proper etiquette and who didn’t know any better, though the nobles at that time were curious as to the rumour spread around about the great general as well– but being nobility, they kept their mouth shut; not a single word uttered regarding the rumour of their beloved general whom lead the kingdom to many, many victories.. Even questions such as why couldn’t the lord keep it clean until his lover returned? Why did he suddenly tell everyone to keep away from the west side of the house where even when his lover went on a trip, they could now hear sobbing from that area instead of singing now that no one occupied that area?

Though many have reported this, they could easily be chalked up as the lord being saddened from the decision of his lover to go travelling and leaving him alone in such a big and lonesome house for who knows how many years and wanted to preserve the memories until he can create new ones when the love of his life returns.

Yes. Surely this must be the case. However, the lord had not said a single word regarding the rumours to edge it on further; adding more fuel to the fire, and remained completely stoned-faced as his reputation lived up to be so quickly, many thought of the whole rumour to be just that– a rumour and quickly left the minds of many people. Yes, many and not all. After all, what makes the world unique is that not everyone will completely agree on one thought. There are always those who would like to be the abnormality and firmly believe the rumour, even going as far as to tell a tale of them sneaking inside the estate and hearing sobs on the west side of the house. However, they couldn’t be too sure who’s tears were shed– if it were even crying that they heard– since they could not get any closer to the manor without alerting the lord of the place. 

And so, the rumour started to dwindle like a candle at its last few moments. It will be there but won’t be really brought up. 

This was good for Lilia as now, he wouldn’t have to deal with those pesky flies that lurked around the walls of his place and focus on taking care of his beloved. Ah yes, his beloved whom he told left to go on an adventure as it was her favourite thing to do.. The same lover who he is keeping well hidden in the west part of the house. 

Heels clicking against the stone cold floor, he made his presence known to you well before he opened the door. It had been a good few years since he left you in isolation up in your chambers, though that was not his choice and felt a little guilty about leaving you up there by yourself. He had duties that needed him to be at the castle at all times– which was raising the future king to be the best ruler that he and the people would accept and greatly respect .

“Little fairy, I’m back~!” His voice chirped the moment the doors opened. It has truly been so long that he is suddenly hit with the feeling of nostalgia the moment he sees your form from behind, remembering how much he missed and thought of you while at the castle. However, he doesn’t get a reply from you. 

Your head was pointed downwards, eyes obscured by the strands of hair in front of your face. Lilia rounds you until he is in front of you. “Hm?” Upon closer inspection, he sees that your eyes were closed and face very relaxed as if you were sleeping. 

He draws close and bends slightly, holding up your face by the chin, his long black– and highlighted strands– of hair brushes your skin. With his expression neutral, he looks upon your features, noting all the things that remained the same about you and the nothing that changed from the you in his memories before he left.

He smiles. O’ how his eyes soften every time his ruby-like eyes gaze upon your form and how his heart slightly accelerates when his fingers brush lightly on your soft face, a tinge of excitement passing through him. How are you able to bring out this side of him, a side that even he, himself, wasn’t aware of until he met you? 

He held your face as if it was a prized gemstone that would crack at any moment if held by careless hands. “Please wake up soon, little fairy,” he breathly says, lips closely brushing against your own, “It must be lonely in that little world of dreams of yours.” 

He chuckles. How stubborn could you possibly be? He has known you far longer than anyone, yet some things remain unknown to him such as your relentless pride. Even though it has been years of isolation, you not once look at him and seek comfort in another's warmth– of his embrace. 

—

You can feel it. The sudden shift of the air around you. The already still world of yours suddenly felt as if time had been forcibly stopped by a force far greater than it. You knew what this meant and just as you were starting to have a growing friendship with the mice that would occasionally come in through means you aren’t privy to. 

He was coming and every part of what was left of you suddenly felt heavy as if you’ve suddenly been turned to a statue; it grew stiff. Lilia Vanrouge– a name you loathe uttering aloud, yet feared at the same time– has returned. Great. Just great, you thought grumbly, just when life was going wonderful for you. 

How long has it been anyway, since you were sensory deprived of sight and touch– two important things that you need in order to know the world around you? You couldn’t walk either so what else were there to touch besides the floor and your shackles that bound your wrists and ankles? 

All that was left to know that you weren’t just an empty shell– something hollow with nothing residing inside– were your hearing and taste, and not to forget, your ability to smell things, though that was useless as there was nothing to smell except the dust that would accumulate over time if he didn’t come regularly to clean up your cell. 

He specifically left hearing just so he could chat away with you, though you don’t answer often but when you do, it would be snide remarks. He would chuckle and call you and your remark adorable with a tone you would use when talking to a child, despite you being hundreds of years old.  

You hear the clicking of his shoes draw to a halt right in front of your door momentarily before the doors make a loud, exhausted creak. It has been a while since those doors were open. The last time, you remember, was after he said his goodbyes with a peck on your lips. He said he would be away for a while and couldn’t bring you along, much to his dismay but very much to your delight– if it weren't for the fact that you were once again bound to the ground by chains that could only barely reach the door before pulling you back further into the room.

A warm breath fanned against your cool cheeks yet you remained still, pretending to be asleep. You didn’t want to face him, let alone talk to him. He hasn’t done anything to you since your captivity that would make him be deemed cruel and not worth talking to, but he was the reason you were shackled in the first place. 

He holds your face so he could take a look at you, cool touches sending shivers down your spine. He held your face so gently that if you didn’t know any better, you would have thought that it was just the wind gently brushing cupping your face. It’s eerily frightening how his touches can one moment be filled with a caring warmth as if you meant the world to become cold and covered in blood– your blood– smearing blood on your face when he holds you when you once almost perfectly escaped him. “Kufufu, you almost had me, little fairy.” The way he looked then scared you and since then, you hadn’t tried to escape. 

You hear shuffling around and the next thing you knew, you were lifted up. You could hear the beating of his heart, slow and rhythmic. With you in his arms, he makes his way to the door and leaves the room altogether– the room that you familiarize yourself with these past years he had to forcibly lock you in yet again. 

After a while of walking, he yet again opens another door. You aren’t sure where you are now despite counting the steps he took and corners you felt he turned. You felt like an outsider to this manor you once called home, not remembering the layout of the place. 

Carefully, he lies you down on a comfy mattress with your head propped up on some pillows. Afterwards, there was a long silence and some more. You wanted to take a peek, wondering if he was still standing beside you, but you were afraid. You became hyper aware of whenever he would draw near to your cellar or when he would stare at you so you didn’t need to look around to look for him. Not that you could even see him. 

Just then, another sound was made and you can feel the side of the bed where he stood slowly pressed downwards from whatever weight caused it. “Little fairy.” You can feel his breath on your lips again. He reaches a hand and cups your face and leans down so that your foreheads are pressing against each other. 

Your lips slightly quiver and you prayed that he hadn’t noticed so you can keep this act of sleeping for just a bit longer. Your already sharpened senses sharpened more as you could hear the rapid heartbeat of yours quicken and drum against your ears loudly. 

Why isn’t he saying anything more? What did he want? You just wanted him gone. 

A breathy half-chuckle reverberates from his throat before saying, “My dear, as much as I find your sleeping face adorable, this one doesn’t look so much as cute as the others.” Your jaws clench. He couldn’t have known– “You need to try to relax your face a bit more if you want to make me believe you.” 

There it is.

He chuckles in amusement when you still weren’t opening your eyes. “My dear, you can open your eyes now that I’m here.” There was no more pretending, in other words. 

Slowly, a pair of beautiful orbs stare back at him, Lilia Vanrouge, the Valley of Thorns’ beloved general. His smile widens. He could feel his heart quickening at the sight of those two eyes that he loves dearly as they were a part of you. 

You can see again..

Of course you can now that he was here, but you would rather go permanently blind if it meant you didn’t have to be greeted by his smile every time you opened them. That soft smile that holds so much love to you. That smile that deceives people– even yourself– and makes them think that you two were a match made in heaven, a cut in those red strings never severing your bond with each other.  

“Good morning, my love.” Something inside you feels like it wants to crawl up and out your mouth. It was sickening. He caresses the top of your head. You shot him a glare and shooed his hand away, though this did not result in any anger from him. “Kufufu, aren’t you adorable? Are you surprised to see me still looking the same, hm~?” 

He pulls back and straightens his posture, eyes still glued on your form that sat up slowly, bewildered at how your wrists were once more freed from the chains that bled in with your skin. You can move them again.. You can feel again. “It’s only been a short while, but it certainly has  felt like a millennia since I have seen you.” 

You look up into those blood-coloured eyes (you wonder if they were like that because of the amount of people he has killed) filled with adoration for you only. “Why are you back here?” You croaked, trying your best to voice your spite with the unused vocal cord. You don’t understand how someone who kills could have it in them to love. Just the thought that a monster was running amok in the disguise of a noble fae sends shivers down your spine. “Why? Kufufu, little fairy, this is my home. Of course I should be returning once in a while.” You wanted to say something but you didn’t know what so you continued to glare at him.

“You have been behaving well while I was gone, I presume, hm?” He smiles. You don’t answer, but once again, he doesn’t take it to heart and merely shrugs his shoulders. “You must be hungry, hm?” He stands up and dusts away the non-existent dirt on him then looking at you with that cheeky smile that you used to love. “Kufufu. Come, my dear, I wish to dine with you.” 

__

He has made you a favourite dish– or, tried to at least. At times like this when it comes to dining, you would often take the  however, you were not in the mood to entertain him nor to eat so you sat there, poking at the.. Questionable mush. 

“My dear..” The clanking of utensils halted when Lilia saw that you hadn’t eaten a single bite. “Is the food not good?” You wanted to say yes, but you weren’t sure how he would react. He’d always been unpredictable and during those times before you took on cooking duty, you would swallow hard at his cooking but never outright said it was the most disgusting thing that you have ever tasted. 

If he would just spend more time learning to cook rather than swordsmanship.. You wouldn’t have to endure this painstakingly crafted inedible food. 

“I’m–” You cleared your throat. It’s been a while since you’ve used your voice that it sounds so foreign to you. But you will never forget his voice that haunts your sleep at night. “I’m just not hungry right now..” You lied– err, half-lied. You were somewhat hungry but after looking at the food, you’d rather just starve yourself. 

“Hm~ Very well then,” he shrugs. “Now, you must have been curious as to what I was doing while I was away, yes?” No, not really, you wanted to say. In fact, life had been better than ever before during the times he was gone. “Kufufu, it has been.. A century now, yes? The young prince has grown to become quite the handsome young boy. Who would have thought that it would only take a century for a little fae to become so big.” He chuckles amusingly to himself. “In just about a few more decades, he’ll be able to attend Night Raven College–” You drowned him out. 

There was not much to think of, seeing as you’ve had little to explore and worry about, so you blanked out. “Ah! But don’t worry, little fairy, I have thought of you every day for the past century. I have told the young prince all about you as I could not help but miss you so,” he said, concluding the one-sided conversation. 

—

Spring came and went. Now, the fluffy, white ball that comes every winter covers the ground that flowers once sprouted happily. Those flowers, dead. How many years ago was it when he had come back? You did not know, but since then, he hasn’t left the house to go anywhere. “Fufu, the young prince had granted me the blessings of being able to go home to see you,” is all he said. 

Blinking away from staring off into space again, you avert your gaze from the window. If you had the choice to do embroidery or exploring, you would choose the latter without giving it a second to think. Sadly, you don’t so to pass time, you were doing, you guessed it, embroidery. 

“My dear, why don’t we go on a walk?” Lilia spoke from beside you on the sofa. “Fine,” you nod. 

And so, you were now bundled up with a winter cloak that protected you from head to toe from the sheer cold brought from the north, walking side-by-side with Lilia in the garden. “It’s a good thing that those pesky flies have long gone bored of those tales,” Lilia said suddenly. “Who knows what they might do to you if they had gotten their hands on you.” He once again reminds you that you belonged here– in this home– with him. But you knew better than to believe those lies that he whispers o’ so sweetly. If you had been a bit younger when he met you, you would have believed him to a fault, but luckily you weren’t. 

So now, you were waiting for an opportunity to escape his clutches. Was it a mistake on his part for you to be roaming around? Perhaps. But you aren’t going to use this bit of freedom to sit idly by and be his trophy. 

Slowly, you’ve gathered things you thought you might need in order to leave and survive outside all without his knowing. You weren’t a child anymore, you knew that the world is not as magical as those written in books, but you also know that there are still good in the world. Though you had only had a few centuries to yourself before you had met Lilia, you were old enough to know things. 

“Little fairy, what seems to be occupying your mind, hm?” Lilia asks when he had noticed you were awfully quiet and not trying to pick a fight with him. In fact, you’ve been keeping to yourself a lot these past few days. “Nothing,” you answered snappingly. For appearance sake, you occasionally threw tantrums. “I don’t want to walk with you anymore.”

With a huff, you turned on your heels to return inside the manor. Lilia sighs defeatedly. He admires how you’re so relentless in being cold towards him. It was cute in a way. But a few centuries had passed and so you had grown (though not physically– you were as youthful as you were those years ago), yet not matured. You were still acting very much like a spoiled child. It was tiring the old fae. “I suppose this is my fault for giving her the world..” He mumbles, watching your back retreat inside. But, a smile soon after tugged at his lips lightly, “No matter.” If this is the price for keeping you caged, he does not mind. 

You’ll be his and his alone. 

—

The first day of spring was drawing nearer by the day. You could tell by the early spring flowers that were slowly sprouting in the garden as well as the mushy snow that were beginning to melt away It would be spring, you decided, to make your escape. And one night, when you believe that Lilia is fast asleep beside you, you quietly climb out of bed, carefully moving his arms on your hips and putting a pillow underneath it. 

Not wasting time as you feared for the sun rising soon, you walked out of your shared bedroom to a random door somewhere down the halls. It was so random that Lilia would not have bothered to look inside. But, just in case, you did hide your stuff inside a large vase of flowers in a far off corner of the room. 

There it was. Your satchel with everything you’ve managed to gather as well as light clothing– not those frilly, heavy clothes that he’d dress you up in– to change into and boots that you used to wear for horse riding. If you changed in the room, you were sure he would hear the ruckus you were making and wake up. 

To leave no trace of your escape route, you took your nightgown– it was thin enough to be small when folded– and put it inside your satchel. You took the kitchen window to escape, sure that the doors would have traps laid out for you should you dare try anything at night. He always had believed you were gullible but you let him think so anyway. Sure, he had the thinking of a long-time general, but he had not the mind of yours. He relied too much on his strength and magic whereas you were stripped of magic and lacked the other. He had nothing to fear since he is aware of his abilities to capture you, but because of that, he did not use his head too often.  

The kitchen window was a small fit, but you managed to fit through. 

Not looking back at the house, you covered your hair with your cloak. With the black colour of your cloak and the darkness of the night, you slipped away seamlessly. 

You were not going to stop walking until you made it outside the gates of the Valley of Thorns. No way. This entire kingdom was his domain where he had the most power and puppets to dispose of to search for you. It would also be easy to catch you here since you had an accent of a fae that’s not from the kingdom.  

Once you were outside, he could do nothing to chase after you since by morning, he would have to go back to the kingdom. Yes, you watched many seasons come and go knowing that one day, he’ll have to go back to his prince. You remembered once where you were sitting across Lilia and rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest, thinking that this prince was probably as no good as his guardian since it was him raising the prince. You pitied the boy since it was Lilia who was taking care of him. He would have been a great king if he was under someone else’s care. 

—

The sun was high above you when you were two villages away. You were a bit tired. You hadn’t stopped walking until you knew you were far, but it was nothing too draining for a fae such as yourself who had plenty of energy set aside due to not having anything to do. 

Soon, you were standing in front of the gates to– Rose Kingdom? Now, where had you heard of that name before? As if on cue, you suddenly recalled a fairytale that you read in Lilia’s library when you were younger and curious of the other places outside your little world. It was a story of a girl who fell into a hole where she met all sorts of strange creatures before meeting the Queen dressed in red. What was the story called again? Something Wanderland? Wonderland? It went along those lines, you shrug. 

This is one of the many kingdoms that humans built for people like them just as how the Valley of Thorns created theirs for faes like them. 

You looked around you, amazed at the lively and bright atmosphere. There were humans conversing with each other with smiles on their faces. They dressed differently than faes of the Valley, their colours more vibrant– or could it be just you? Everything seems much brighter here. Everywhere you went, every turn you turn, there were humans and not an ounce of violent tendency hinted at in them. 

Walking further inside the kingdom, you were too engrossed to notice that a little boy was running in your direction, unaware of you since it seemed as if he was running away smilingly, presumably playing a game with children his age. Small as he might be, he had caused you to fall on your bottom. 

“Ow..” The boy rubs his head, looking up at what he had run into and lets out a loud. “Oh! S-sorry! I didn’t see you, I’m sorry!” He had stood up and walk to be at your side with worries eyes. 

“It’s okay,” you said, dropping a hand down from your head. The racking had stopped and you were unharmed. 

The boy watches you before letting out another– this time, loud– gasp that draws attention to some people. “Your ears..!” Your eyes wandered to your ears and in an instant, you felt your heart drop into your stomach. Your hood fell off and your ears were out on full display.  You shot up quickly and covered your ears with the hood, but it was too late. “You’re a fae!” He shrieks. At that, the crowded streets that were full of chatter stilled and all the people stared at you. There were looks of fear, panic, and outrage. 

“What..” You gulped. “What about them..?” 

“You’re a disgusting fae! You ruined us!” A burly man shouts. “N-no! I, I didn’t! I’m harmless, I promise–” “That’s what they all say! We had a peace treaty but your kind attacked us!”

“What are we waiting for? Capture that filthy creature!” Another shouts. 

“Let’s teach it a lesson!”

“Hang it!”

You begin to back up as they close in on you. You tried to look for a way out but there was a wall behind you and you didn’t have any magic to defend yourself, not that you have it in your heart to harm magicless, innocent humans even if you were a bit stronger in brute strength. 

“DIsgusting fae!” 

The man who hurled the first insult was at your back and hooked his arms under yours so you could do nothing but wait for the oncoming punches and kicks thrown to you. You lurch forward at the sudden impact of a fist to your stomach. 

They did not give you time to understand what happened to you before the man who held you pushed you harshly and with a kick to the middle of your back, you fell on the ground. Instinctively, you had shielded your head with your arms as they continued to stomp on you, probably hoping you’d die.

“Hurry up and let’s burn it at the stakes!” One of them shouted aloud and to which many others voiced their agreements. “This is what it gets for creatures like them who burned our old village!” 

You were hoisted up and dragged hershey by the arm. You have to escape, you think. You can’t be here.

With the strength of a fae, you managed to pry yourself from the clutches of these monsters and ran. Where? You did not know, but as long as you kept running, you will be safe from these people. 

It was only when you grew weary, did you stop to take a breather somewhere deep into the woods. By now, it was evening and probably time for supper. At just the thought of dinner, your stomach growled. If I was still in the manor.. You would have dinner served fresh and warm and won’t have a single thing to worry about hunger.

Luckily, you did pack bread and cookies for times like this. But, not right now. You had to preserve what little food you brought and continued walking. Just a bit more, you see warm hues of orange and yellow.. A light. 

You drew closer to it and saw that there was a small house deep in the woods. It looks warm.. You rested a hand on a tree, mesmerised at the alluring colours of the light.. And the smell of food? 

Before you could do anything, you heard a click behind you and then something cold pressed behind the back of your head. “You, who are you?” A man’s voice said from behind. “You better have a good reason to be lurking in the dark or I’ll blow your brains out.”

“I.. I’m lost..” you answered. “That’s what they all say,” the man said and pressed the item closer to your head. “I, I swear, sir.. I really am lost.” 

“Oh my sevens! Dan, what are you doing!?” A woman’s voice drew yours and the man– who’s probably the owner of that name. The woman hurriedly walked towards you two and assessed the situation and noticed your young features and panicked. “Goodness, Dan, you can’t just put a gun to someone’s head like this. This here is a child!” 

“I’m..” “Not right now,” she shoots the man a glare. “Sweetie, why are you here?” 

“I’m lost,” you repeated the same answer. And once again, your stomach growls. “Oh dear.. You must have been lost for quite a while..” The woman guesses, “Come inside; it’s getting dark and cold– I don’t want you wandering around after dark. There are things that love to play after dusk..” She says cryptically. You didn’t notice the darkness that loomed over her eyes for just a second. 

Inside, you were sat down at a dining table and the woman– who introduced herself as Lilith– prepared dinner for all three of you. Well, four if you counted the baby growing in her stomach. She had told you of the baby and you would have never guessed that she was pregnant if she hadn’t told you. 

She mostly leads the conversion with you while her husband mainly listens as he eats. “Where are you from?” She asks. “I’m from a faraway village..” you answered. If you were to tell her of the village of faes where you were born and raised, she might freak out too. At that thought, you subconsciously pull your hood to hide your ears. “Oh? Then what brought you all the way here?” She pushes about your motives. “I wanted to travel..” 

“Hmm, it’s quite dangerous around this time to travel,” she says with a concerned look on her face. “I heard from the people of the kingdom that a war might break out soon.. And if you’re travelling by foot, then you might run into some monsters. It’s dangerous for a child such as yourself.”

“It’s fine..” you say, not sounding reassuring. 

After dinner, Lilith had told you of the room that you’ll stay in. It wasn’t even comparable to that of the rooms in the manor– it was smaller than that of a servant’s room. Nonetheless, you were grateful. 

“Oh, but dear, don’t you want to remove that cloak of yours?” Lilith asks as she passes you something to change into for the night. Your body stiffened. “N, no.. It’s okay..” 

She eyed you concerningly but let it go. “Alright..” And so, you went your way and washed yourself up before sitting on the bed, drying your hair. There was bruising from the man who had gripped you earlier but you should heal in no time. 

It was peaceful here, you thought. These people don’t mind being so far out here, isolated by everything else. 

You imagined the warmth of your bed and how comfy it would be right now.. 

Before you could sulk anymore, you hear the sound of shoes clicking against the floorboards coming closer. “Is there, [Name], is there anything else–” The voice of Lilith drew closer and before you could even reach for your cloak, she had already opened the door. You felt your heart drop as the world stilled. The wide-eyed look that Lilith gave you could only mean one thing.. 

“Oh dear.. Where was I?” she asked, blinking a couple of times. “Sorry, I was just surprised by how pretty your hair is.. And those ears..” Her eyes trail to the side of your face. “You must be a fae.” 

You waited for her to shriek or become hateful and throw punches at you, but none of those came. “Anyway, I was wanted to know if you needed anything?” Surprised, you couldn’t utter a sound so you shook your head. With a nod, she smiled and was about to leave until you stopped her, “You’re.. You’re not going to hit me?” 

Once again, her eyes widened. “Goodness, no! Why would i?” she asks, her brows drawing closer to each other. “Because you’re a fae? Goodness, no.” She moves gracefully across the room to sit with you and hold your hands in hers. “I don’t care what you are– be it a human or a fae. To me, we are all equal.”

She strokes your hands with her thumbs. “Dan and I moved all the way out here to live in tranquillity because honestly, this war that’s about to break is all pointless and silly.. I don’t want my baby to grow up fearing and hating people.”

At the end of her words, the tears that were threatening to fall, broke loose. You cried for the first time that night and in a long time. She hugs you and soothes your back. Afterwards, you went to sleep soundly, grateful to know that not all creatures outside are evil. 

—

Later that night, your ears sharpened and yourself, alerted. You heard the sound of the wood underneath you creak. A bit more slow creaking sounded and now, your eyes shot open and in one swift motion you sat up and looked over your shoulder.  

There he was, Dan, his face illuminated by the moon’s light. In his hands was.. A gun. “W, what are you doing?” You stammered. “You’re a fae. He said, eyes holding onto anger. You stuttered to say anything.

“You’re a filthy fae!” He said, this time, louder. “Please, don’t shoot! Lilith would–”

“Oh? What about me?” Just at the door, Lilith stood leaning on the frame. You could feel your stomach churn and your head dizzy. “Lilith.. I thought you–” 

“I what? That you don't actually despise your kind, do you?” She laughed. “I thought you all were smart. I guess not.”

She walks to you, the moon showing her in all her glory. “Creatures like you are destructive, manipulative.. You used that silver tongue of yours to kill my father and my friends!” She grabs a handful of your hair, making you wince. “It was just Dan and I who survived that nightmare..” She pressed her forehead against yours and it was then that you noticed the malice that hid within them. Her eyes were hateful like Dan’s but held crazed. 

“No.. No, no please.. I didn’t, I didn’t do anything–” You were crying and pleading to them, on your knees on the bed and hands clenched into a prayer. You can’t just die right here just when you have finally.. Ran away from home. 

She held you like that before roughly pushing you back. She steps back before motioning towards Dan. “Go on. Shoot this creature.”

He was right..

Lilia was right all along about the outside world.. 

It’s honestly laughable how you were acting so coldly towards Lilia and held so much resentment when in truth, he really was just shielding you away from the truth of reality– that the reality will come and hurt you and be too much for you to handle. 

These people– these monsters, are what he was protecting you from and you thought of it as him being controlling. 

“Lilia..” You sobbed.

Just as you said his name, the window behind you– on the other side of the bed where Lilith and Dan stood– was smashed and the glass pieces fell onto the floor. “What the–”

“Kufufu. I’ve found you, my little fairy.” At the familiar sound of a chuckle, you whip your head to the side and just over your shoulders, Lilia stood in his full height with a dark glint in his eyes. “Lil.. Lilia..!” You stood up from the bed and went to hug him, burying your face into his chest. The sobs that you let out were incomparable to when you were pleading for mercy. 

“Shh, hush now, my dear,” he strokes your head lovingly as if there was no imminent danger. “You’re safe.”  

The click of a gun drew Lilia to stop his actions and let his eyes wander to the couple who were in the room with you. “You..!” Lilith shrieks, a look of horror and familiarity dawns on her face. “Oh? Do you know me?” Lilia blinks owlishly. 

“How dare you show yourself here, you murderer!” “Me? A murderer? Oh dear, you must clarify for me, for you see, I am getting quite old,” he says amusingly. 

“You–” “Ah-ah.. Not a step closer. One step and this house will go down,” he warns. Lilith looks towards her husband who got the memo. In one swift motion, he raises his shotgun once more and aims it towards the fae, pulling the trigger. But nothing. No fire was sounded nor cries of agony. 

“Kufufu, you must have forgotten that we faes possess great power. Your weapon has long been disarmed of any bullets.” The two look at the gun in disbelief. When? How? 

“My dear, have they harmed you in anyway?” He cups your face and makes you look up at him so he could check. You shook your head but he inspected anyway and found your face to be slightly bruised from the kicking your face dealt with earlier at the Kingdom of Roses. He frowns. “Then what is this? You can’t be suggesting to lie to me to save these humans who tried to kill you?” You shook your head, “This was.. From other humans.. At a nearby Kingdom..” Yes, you’re telling everything that has happened, finding a boost of confidence. Now that Lilia is here, he’ll surely do everything in his power to cast judgement for you. 

Lilia’s eyes narrow a bit and a frown casts upon his lips. He was upset, but he tries his best to act calm in your presence. I mean, he has just earned your good graces; there’s no way he’ll lash out and become a monster to you once more. 

He lets out a deep breath and returns to the current problem at hand. “Anyway, do pardon me and my little fairy here, but we have to be returning home now,” Lilia shrugs and lifts you up into his arms bridal style and coolly walks past the two and out of the house through the front door. 

When you two got to a safe distance, a snap throughout the forest like a droplet in the still water echoed and just as you were going to wonder, Lilia spoke in that velvety voice of his, “My dear, do not look. Come, wrap your arms around me and sleep.” Obeying his words for the first time in a long time, you relaxed in his arms, too tired to refute. But, you did hear something.. Like a crackling of wood in a fireplace and further drowned out by the flames, screams. Still, you did not look back as Lilia whisks you away. 

“I love you, Lilia.” With that, you bury your face into his chest and fall asleep. 

Unbeknownst to you, Lilia smiles wildly– crazily. In the far distance, the house burns. You did not look back, you did not ask questions, nor did you throw a tantrum and run away from him. “Once you’re truly awake, you’ll be at home and on your bed, not questioning the reality before you..” Lilia says when he has ascertained that you are in deep slumber. Not once had you questioned how he got to you.

In the distance, the once bright flames that roared as it burns the house disappear into the dark. The cries of anguish stopped and the two couples left their suit in dark matter. The house itself and the surrounding area turned into shadow-like particles and broke away from the scene. 

Lilia laughs maniacally before he finds himself again and calms down. He looks down at you, loving eyes tracing every part of your face with a smile that hid everything that just happened.

“I love you too, little fairy.”

~♡~ 

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

Can I request a Riddle Rosehearts x fem reader that they are betrothed but also childhood friends?

║Riddle Rosehearts║ The Queen’s Favourite Rose

Reader: Female

Warning(s): None

Word count: 1.9k

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

–

The Magift tournament was just around the corner once again. Night Raven College’s students were all very much excited for the possible chance of being on television and getting offers to bigger leagues as seen with the fiery burst of energy that had suddenly come from nowhere.

The rest of Twisted Wonderland was just as much hyped for the tournament and that included you. It was a rare occasion to be able to step inside the prestigious, all-boy school so events like the Magift tournament were the only times where you could go in.

As always, you waited for an invitation to be delivered to you and accepted it when you did, departing on the day of the tournament by carriage.

Though you knew which team was probably going to win this year, you still went. You confess that you weren’t really going there for the game and for another completely different reason– A reason that you felt was much more important that you decided to skip a day of school just to be where you are as of the current moment, lost in a crowd, being shoved around effortlessly like a ragdoll.

It has always been like that but it never ceases to make you feel irritated as you try to squeeze between gaps of people and safely land at the end of it. You had departed much earlier than you did in previous years, but you seem to have underestimated how much others were just as excited for the game as you were excited for the reason of you being there.

Once at the entrance to the colosseum, you took a moment to breathe before going to one of the people monitoring and guiding people inside in an orderly fashion. This was the only moment where you could relax since this is where you would part from the more rowdy bunch of individuals. Since you’ve gotten an invite exclusively for families of big names, you were escorted to a seat reserved just for you.

You waited in your seat for the game to start, though you care naught of such things. It was simply a means to pass time but when it did start, to your interest, you were at the edge of your seat when a cat with blue flames entered the field. It was an oddity since there was nothing like it in the years since the school’s grand opening but you found yourself laughing when the famed Savanaclaw was challenging what obviously were new students with the cat.

After what you assumed was the opening game (it was poorly coordinated to be one), you waited for the team you rooted for most– Heartslabyul. Ah, yes. The law-abiding students with their amazing dorm leader! Your heart rate increases by a bit when you see the members on the field. If there were fanclubs of each dormitory, you were sure to be the head of the Heartslabyul dorm’s fanclub. Growing up in the Rose Kingdom, you were a bit biased towards those who abide by the law and Heartslabyul was nothing but that! And you were very familiar with the dorm leader, seeing as he had made quite a name for himself as a Night Raven College’s student.

You noticed that a certain someone on the field was scanning the benches carefully and when your eyes met, he was quick to avert his face altogether. You didn’t notice it at that time, but a small smile crept up your lips.

–

“Man, that was a bit embarrassing.. There’s no way anyone would want us even if we could get to join the team next year..” A certain ginger and his friends were making their way down the many stalls, talking about the game that they thought had a chance at, seeing as the events before the game– which was kept undisclosed– left the Savanaclaw a bit weaker than they normally were.

“Well– Hm?” A boy with a spade on his right eye was just about to say something when his eyes noticed a figure that was blocking their path. There stood a lone beauty, clearly lost and searching for something or someone, eyes darting around longingly. His pupils went wide and made an audible ‘woah’ which drew the rest of the group’s attention up ahead, all except the ginger. For him, when he turned, it was already too late. “Hey, Ace! Watch out!” The sudden shout made you turn behind and eyes widened. When Ace turned to look ahead, he had collided with you and the both of you tumbled down. Ace did his best to make sure your head didn’t hit the ground, his quick reflexes putting a hand behind your head and pushed your head right into his chest while his free arm supported the soft impact of your head.

“Ace, you idiot!” One of his friends’ called out. You two stayed like that for a few seconds until all his friends were surrounding the two of you by which at that time, his hold on you loosened. He stares down at you, wide-eyed and still in quite a shock. “W, woah. I’m sorry!” He apologizes, a noticeably light pink dusted his face. “It’s uh–”

“Deuce! Ace! What is the meaning of this?” Another person further down from the group made themselves known with an upset and demanding tone of voice. You looked up ahead and see a familiar red-head, though he was upside down for you. “What are you doing, Ace? Let go of her immediately!” The now fuming with red red-head glares angrily at the ginger. He immediately scrambles up to his feet, bringing you up with him.

“This is [Name], Riddle’s fiancee,” a voice familiar to you speaks just behind Riddle. “Oh, that’s– WHAAAT!?” The first years’ eyes went wide with shock. Riddle, the once tyrant of Heartslabyul, has a fiancee? Since when? Questions filled their minds, but were still in a shock to part their lips.

As Ace tries to explain himself, you dusted your clothes from any dirt that had stuck on you from the ground. “D, dorm leader! I wasn’t–” His dorm leader made a quick, angry look at him before dismissing him entirely. He walks up to you with an obvious look of worry which went unnoticed. It drew a confused side-eye glance to each other from the first years. Did their dorm leader know the beauty?

“My rose, are you okay? You aren’t hurt, are you? No scratches?” He asks questions after questions. “No, I’m okay,” you reassure him with a smile, though it did not make Riddle’s worries from dispelling completely. This drew some even more confusion by the first years and they whispered amongst themselves.

“Trey.. Out of all the words you could have chosen, you decided that ‘fiancee’ was the better choice?” Riddle, now giving them half his attention, pouts. “Is it not right?” Trey smirks, eyes daring to challenge Riddle. The dorm leader frowned a bit more before giving in with a sigh and closed his eyes. “You’re right..” The first years once again made an audible sound of surprise at the confirmation. You giggled at how chaotic they seemed. Riddle clears his throat, a closed hand over his mouth. “I suppose I should give you a proper introduction,” he crosses his arms over his chest and stares at his juniors seriously. “This is [Name], a childhood friend of mine and whom I've also been betrothed to since birth. She attends another school of magic, but one only for girls.”

“Wait, since birth?” Deuce was the one to ask what the rest were wondering. “Correct.” Riddle says it nonchalantly and it made the first years wonder if he truly loved you by choice or that it was a sense of duty to protect you since you two were engaged. They know a bit of Riddle’s past now and know that if it was his mother’s choice for the two to be engaged, that he won’t refute it.

You notice their unease and odd look towards you. You were quick to realize what they were asking you with their eyes and you smiled to reassure them. “Don’t worry, Riddle treats me very nicely out of his own accord,” you said. “We used to have many playdates without knowing we would be wedded together, and during which he promised that he would marry me when the time comes, even if his mother didn’t agree!”

“Rose! Did you really have the need to say that?” Riddle’s face turned red, but not out of anger. You chuckled and clasped one of his hands between yours. “Oh you’re so cute, Riddle.” Your comment just made his face turn as red as his hair and it also looked as if you had broken him. Poor boy, he sometimes doesn’t know what to do with you when you embarrass him.

He clears his throat and faces the first years, especially Ace. “Anyway, since [Name] does not seem to be hurt– and is chipper as usual– I will let the heavy punishment go,” Riddle declares, which was a relief to hear. “But don’t think you’re off the hook, Ace. I will have a talk with you after the festivities have concluded.”

“Now, my rose, why don’t we go on a walk– just the two of us, of course.” His facial expression completely changes from an angry one to a softer one in a nick of time as soon as his eyes return to you. You nodded and bid the Heartslabyul first years. You took Riddle’s hand– which still makes him flustered– and distanced away from the group.

“So she’s taken..” Deuce sighs disappointedly the moment you two were far from their earshot. “Hey, that’s your concern? Riddle will have my head after this!” Ace said, staring at him in disbelief. “And why didn’t you warn me earlier that I was gonna bump into someone?”

“It’s your fault for not looking ahead of you,” Deuce gave him a bored look and turned around to walk away from the raging ginger.

–

“Are you sure you’re okay, my rose? You know that I get angry should you lie to me. Honestly, just tell the truth and I’ll go–” You squeezed his hands softly and turned to look at him. “I’m fine! Really. And besides, that first year protected my head from hitting the ground too hard. I owe it to him.”

“Well, maybe if he watched where he was going, you wouldn’t have fallen..” He mumbled under his breath and squeezed your hand, though it was still loud and clear for you to hear. You smiled. “You’ll have a talk with him later, right? So let’s forget about it for now and spend the rest of the time doing fun stuff! You know how limited our time is together now, don’t you?” Silver eyes stare at you– analyzing your features– before they turn to focus on something else up ahead. “Very well then. If that is what my rose wants, then I’ll be more than happy to oblige.” Hearing him say that made your smile grow wider and pressed yourself closer to him that your sides were touching.

“Yay! Okay, dorm leader, where shall we go first?” Riddle blushed once again at the mention of his title. “Rose!” You laughed. “Sorry! I can’t help calling you ‘dorm leader’ when basically all students call you that.” You weren’t really sorry and Riddle knew that. However, he can’t get mad at you. You were, after all, his favourite.

The queen’s favourite rose.

~♡~

I’m sure you noticed it, but I got lazy at the end to the point that my word choices weren’t the best. I hope this was okay though!

I am the anon of Yan Diasomnia's last request (Tumblr does not allow me to put URL). I'm sorry if I confused it with my request, I promise to be more specific and pay more attention next time. It's fine if you want it to be a one-shot, whichever is more comfortable for you^^ I have a favoritism toward Lilia, so it's fine if you just want to write about him

Lilia Vanrouge x reader

Reader: Female pronounce/titles used.

Warning(s): Yandere themes. Overuse of words.

Word count: 3.9k

Additional Note: This is before current-day Lilia and thus, will have no resemblance to the Lilia we know today.

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

Message to requester: Hello! Oh, no, you're good! In fact, I am feeling ashamed that I lack the brain to do your headcanon as well as future ones.. If you want the other Diasomnia members as well, you can go ahead and request them. I don’t mind!

Edit: Sorry that this took too long! I really wanted to give it my all on this one. ^^

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║Lilia Vanrouge║ Sweet and Naive

It was no question that faes were powerful, dominant beings. No matter what size, shape, or form they take, they're terrifying creatures of the dark that one could even call a monster.. Though I suppose that name is reserved for faes in the Valley of Thorns.

There are indeed faes- though few and far between- that lay low outside the ever-dark kingdom. Weaker creatures, they were, compared to those inside the kingdom, but nevertheless, were faes in the end. Much were these creatures pure and rid of sins of war and bloodshed, though this meant they did nothing but cower in hiding of their own little world built just for faes like them.

But that just meant they were much naive to just how terrifying the monsters that lurked outside their abode. Pure.. Naive.. And vulnerable. You were all that and much more.

Though you know how to fear those of a higher standing than you– those of stronger power than you– you couldn’t help but want to explore the surrounding areas of your little village that you were all so familiar with by now. The areas where the stronger faes run amok. But you were sure that you wouldn’t be encountering any faes from the Valley of Thorns and it held true for a while until one fateful encounter when you did your daily exploration.

You went a little further this time and stopped short, out of breath from a moment of awestruck as you stared upon the crystal waters of a lake. Your voice was stuck in your throat when you walked around the lake, looking at it at every angle so that you could preserve such a sight in your memories and confirm your doubts of it not actually looking so magical.

“Oh!” You were stopped when you felt your foot hit something which also made you tear your eyes away from the lake. You look down and gasp at the sight of a man with long black hair with pink streaks, covered in blood.

Panic kicked in and you looked at your surroundings frantically. What were you supposed to do? Was this man dead? If he’s not, you should bring him back to the village and get him treated! But wait, how did he end up here? Was there someone looking for him, worried about his safety? Or worse, was there someone out to finish him? Then, you can’t just leave him here where he’d be found soon enough!

Hurriedly, you got the man’s arm around your shoulder and dragged him, though it wasn’t an easy task since he was much heavier than you had originally thought and that you had to take a longer route home to avoid the people and children. You didn’t want to be seen carrying a bloodied man.

When you finally closed the door behind you, you slumped the man on your couch. You stared long and hard at his unconscious state. What to do now? “Oh! Right..” You crouched down by the couch and extended your hands out, a faint glow followed by warmth emitted from your hands. Though your kind was that of a weaker fae, you were still a fae nonetheless and strong power was something that courses through you naturally (although you did have to learn the fundamentals of using magic).

While you sat there in silence, the sun’s light cascaded upon him, and if there wasn’t any blood on him, it would make him look like a beauty simply in deep slumber. He’s pretty, you thought, and your heart raced at the sight of his face. Where did he come from anyway?

Your eyes then caught something glinting and averted your attention to his collar area. There was a beautiful red broach with silver linings around it with bat wings at the side. That was when it hit you; your eyes widened at the realization that this man probably wasn’t someone from the village based on his attire. It looked a little luxurious despite it being covered in dried blood. Your village didn’t tailor clothing like that. But if they did, it would be for those of important status. And his face! You were sure to recognize such a well-kept, porcelain-like face that was free of blemishes in your village. His face practically glowed and anyone passing by would have him etched into their minds.

Your heart now raced for another reason. You were in fear. Was he a fae from the Valley of Thorns? Your hands began to shake. What was he doing near your village? You gulped. Was he sent here to wipe the village out?

As you began to ask questions in your head, you didn’t realize that the man had woken up. Normally, he would have grabbed the person in question and break their arms immediately, but the warmth– from what he knew was magic– gave him a sense of comfort and it was as if it was telling him that whomever was beside him meant no harm.. That was until he noticed that the magic was wavering a little.

He grabbed your hand. A little bit on the harsher side, but he couldn’t help it as it was nature to him. You jolted a bit, snapping back to reality and looked at the man. He was awake. He sat up and and scanned your home until they returned back to you. His crimson eyes were unreadable to you but it felt as if he was piercing right through your very skull.

“A, ah..!” You felt your throat run dry. What should you do? Should you knock him out and drag him back to where you found him? No. That probably wouldn’t be possible and even if you did manage to knock him out and return him to where you found him, he’s sure to find this village. It wasn’t that hidden away after all.

You two were basked in silence as one– him– stared at the other with a terrifying look while the other– you– looked back in fear.

He let’s go of your wrist.“Have I scared you, my lady? My apologies.” When he spoke, it sounded as if it was laced with velvet. He is not sure where he is, but he should act in accordance of noble etiquette, and as politely as he can so that he doesn’t terrify you to the point you can’t answer his questions.

“O, oh! No, not at all! I was just surprised you had woken up so quickly!” You stammered, going quiet right after. There was another silence. You looked down at your hands that lie on top of your lap. As beautiful as his eyes were– like gems– it was a bit terrifying. Was he not a fan of talking? Well, you weren’t the best at coming up with things to talk about.. But what if he is expecting something from you? You’ve heard how scary faes from the Valley are. “Um, I’m sure you must be exhausted.. Is there something you’d like to drink or perhaps eat? I’ll prepare you a bath too!” You looked back at him. If he is being waited upon for long, you feared that he’ll have your head.

“I neither need any of those.. Though could you answer my question instead?” he asks patiently. His face showed no change from the moment he woke up; it was void of any expression. “Of course!” You nod your head readily. “Is this the Valley of Thorns?”

Last he remembered, he was in the middle of a battlefield. He was sent out alone to clear a small camp of enemies– presumably an ambush team. It was nothing he couldn’t handle by himself, but they certainly fought back till their last breath. He closed his eyes and recalled the men’s faces that he’s sure to forget soon enough. They managed to put a scratch on him but it wasn’t enough to make him kneel. At the end of it, he stood victor, the blood on his clothes weren’t his and it proof that he had finished his task.

Shortly afterwards, he stumbled upon a lake a few metres away from the camp. It drew his attention and that was where he decided to rest, closing his eyes.

You shook your head. “I see.. Then I assume that this is that village of faes..” He said, mumbling the last part to himself, though you could hear it clearly enough. This confirmed that he was a fae from the Valley.

While he was thinking to himself, you scanned him with your eyes. Though you knew he was a fae of the Valley and that he was much more stronger than you and have been taught to fear them, you couldn’t help but be a bit curious of him and the world outside the village.

You were ever the curious one who always got scolded for going even a metre away from the village as a child. “Um, if I could ask you a question as well..” You weakly speak, almost in a whisper. He looks at you side-eyed. Though he said nothing, you knew he was waiting. You looked at your hands briefly. They were beginning to become clammy. You took a deep breath. “What.. What is it like outside?” When your eyes returned to look at him, he momentarily forgot how to breathe. Your eyes swirled of stars who yearned to step outside their galaxy that they’ve known all through their life. It was a look that newborn children would have. So curious and hopeful of the world before them, not knowing the dark reality of it.

He can’t help but be a bit bitter. O’ how wonderful it is to remain oblivious. It makes him recall his childhood days. The days where there was never a day where he truly felt like he had the childish curiosity. He was a child who knew too much for his age. A child born in a household trained to be at the right-hand side of the throne.

You saw the conflicting look on his face that finally morphed from something from being blanked and panicked. “Oh! Y, you don’t have to tell me!” you quickly said, flailing your hand in front of your face. He nodded and remained quiet. You were a bit disappointed that you couldn’t get an answer, but it seemed that he didn’t have an answer to your question anyway.

“Anyway, why don’t you rest here for today? You look a little pale and unwell..” You suggest with careful words and changing the topic. “I’ll make you dinner since it’s about that time already.”

The rest of that day blurred past. You cooked him a meal and prepared him a bath, which during that time, you washed his clothes and offered clothes from your late father which barely fitted his muscular build.

–

“Thank you for allowing me to have stayed the night, my lady,” he said, now standing in front of the lake where you had found him unconscious the day before. “It’s no problem!” You smiled, though both of you knew it was forced. Not because you feared him, but because there was a tad bit of emptiness. You stayed up late into the night, wondering what is out there that the world had to offer. You knew of the monsters that lurked out there but you were a fae! Faes are strong beings and you are confident in your abilities. Though you were a weaker fae, you were a fae in the end.

He noticed the longing in your eyes. He felt a little pitiful, but he knew that it was best for you to remain where you are. Though your village might not know of it, faes of the Valley of Thorns know of your village and have protected it along with theirs. A bit laughable seeing as they’ve allowed you to live free of sins and carry the burden of war, yet you were taught to fear them.

He was about to turn and leave without a word but was stopped short when he heard you whisper out to him. He looks at you and you said it louder this time. “[Name]..” You said. He was confused so you speak again. “My name.. It’s [Name].” You said it with a bit more confidence as you stared right into his eyes.

His eyes widened momentarily and then narrowed. “My lady, don’t you know not to give a monster your name?” he asked. “But you aren’t a monster. You’re like me– a fae,” you said which caught him by surprise.

He stood there for a moment. Your heart raced, feeling a bit anxious. But then you see the corner of his lips curl upwards. “Lilia Vanrouge. It has been a pleasure meeting you, my lady.” He turned on his heels and walked away, leaving you no time to say anything else.

You knew what it meant by giving your name away and it was precisely what you wanted.

Or what you wanted at that time.

–

"A much curious little fairy, you are.” A deep voice makes its way to your ears. You couldn’t see where the owner of the voice was, but you knew he was behind you not too far away. Lilia Vanrouge. That name used to make your heart flutter and take you to the skies, but now your heart beats rapidly out of fear.

Before he came, you were quietly sobbing, locked away in some dark room. You couldn’t see anything but darkness. You were scared of the dark just as you have been taught to be afraid of the dark that the monsters outside your village lurk. You didn’t hear him come in so you stiffened when you realized that you were no longer alone.

“Do you regret it now, my little fairy?” He said, staring at your back, your ankles and wrists were chained to the cold stone floor. You remained silent and prayed that you didn’t make a peep. “Fufufu, always the shy one..” He sounded much more childish than what you remembered all those years ago and more carefree. However, he hadn’t changed his mind one bit with you after locking you up somewhere in the Valley of Thorns.

You said nothing and closed your eyes and tried to tune out his voice. “Come now, there is no need to be so shy, little fairy. We’ve known each other for a good hundred years now after all.” A hundred years? You doubt that it had been that short, but your judgement was clouded as you haven’t seen light for so long. You didn’t know how long the sun had risen and set to know.

Lilia went silent and his smile dropped. The next thing you knew, his breath was right against your ears, his chest pressing against your back. “Little fairy, why don’t you talk, hm?” When you persist in staying mute, he roughly grabs your cheeks and turns it towards him. He audibly clicked his tongue. “I’ve been gone for so long and you have nothing to say to me? I can’t say that I am not a bit hurt by that.”

He wants you to say something? Fine then. “I hate you.” You muttered under your breath angrily. You can’t see him, but you did your best to show a look of disgust for the fae. “Oh? You hate me? How curious..” He blinked owlishly. “You were the one that threw themselves at a stranger shamelessly for hope to see the outside world. You were the one that gave their name out so willingly.”

You bit the bottom of your lips. If you knew what he would have become, you wouldn’t have given out your name. “Weren’t you taught to fear the monsters that lurked in the darkness? And didn’t I say that I was a monster? Do you regret it now?”

You forcefully pried your face from his grasp and remained silent once more. He was annoyed, you were sure of it but you couldn’t care less. But he was right with what he said and you were very much regretful. “Insisting on playing mute with me, I see. Hmph. Very well then.. But,” he sighs as if he was disappointed. You knew he wasn’t really. “I was going to give you your sight back.. But that was only if you cooperated with me.”

“I also wanted to reverse the paralysis spell on your legs so that I could stroll with you in the garden.. You do need to work your legs once in a while..” He mumbled. “Oh, but I suppose that is not needed since I am sure to put the spell back on you. I can’t fully trust you yet to use your legs without me around.”

“A shame, truly,” he said and sighs deeply once more. “Oh! Before I could forget, I was maybe also thinking of reversing the paralysis spell on your hands. Sweet little Silver has never been once carried by his mother.. Oh, but don’t get me twisted. I don’t plan to return your magic to you. After all, you haven’t apologized for burning my hair.”

“Hm~ That reminds me, the young prince did the same thing to me when he was young. To do such a thing at a young age? Ah, I do still feel proud.” He waits with you in silence for a while before giving up. “Very well then. I suppose that you need some more time.”

As soon as he leaves the room, you begin to sob. Where did everything go wrong? You recalled the days of you waiting eagerly for him to return after parting with him that fateful day and when he did, you gained a bit of confidence to start a conversation with him. He soon opened up and told you stories that you’ve never heard before.

He took you to visit his home, Valley of Thorns. You remembered being fearful of the other faes but wasn’t as terrified knowing that you had Lilia with you. All was well so where did things go wrong? Your sobs broke out into loud cries. Your broken cries that were laced with sadness. Where was the man you later fell in love with secretly?

–

“Lilia, I want to go outside..” you said one normal day. The fae with crimson eyes looked up from his book and looked at you questioningly. Aren’t you already outside, he silently asked himself. Your eyes were glued to something outside, your chin resting on top of your palm. Well, perhaps it wasn’t something outside the window that you were looking at, rather, looking past the Valley and at the vast land outside of it.

He had taken you out of the village after the war and promised to protect you during those times. You must have gotten too relaxed since he was protecting you and have forgotten this world was not welcoming to children like you. “I’ve already seen enough of your home and I want to know what else is out there.” Your eyes tear away from the window and face him with a hopeful gleam in your eyes. “It’s too dangerous for you.” O’ how he hates the stars that danced in your eyes. Haven’t you learned enough? “Haven’t you seen me covered in blood? Do you think you can face what is out there?” He was starting to become forceful with his tone.

“W, well I am still a fae–” “[Name].” Though he did not yell, his eyes stared at you with a terrifying, glow of red. He was angry. You noticed that he never liked it when you brought up about travelling to other places but never knew why. “T, then why don’t you come with me? That way, I’ll be safe!” He sighs at your persistence. It was starting to get annoying, frankly. “You know that I can’t do that. The queen and king need me and so will the newborn prince.”

You huffed and crossed your arms. You went silent and he assumed that you were finally done so he returned to reading his book. “This is not fair, Lilia! You promised me that you’d take me to see outside!” You said after a while, your brows knitting together in anger. “Not fair?” He stops at a word and looks at you. “Didn’t I already give you your wish?”

“But I want to see what outside is like!” His eyes narrow. “Didn’t you say the same thing back when you were in your village? So what, you will go to another place and demand to see ‘outside’ as well?” He stands up and walks over to you with a hint of anger in his face. He places his hands on both sides of the chair’s armrest, trapping you like a caged bird. “Do you wish to see ‘outside’? Then, I’ll give you a taste of what ‘outside’ is like.”

After he said those words, he teleports the both of you to a place unknown. You two were surrounded by trees from all sides and up ahead was what you assumed to be the remains of a village. “If you can last here until dinner then I’ll allow you to travel.” You were about to ask what he meant but when you turned to look behind you, he was gone.

It was like it was a perfect timing for him since not a moment too soon, you heard uncontrolled growls. When you look back, you see many eyes staring at you just beyond the entrance of the rundown village.

“Li, Lilia..!” You called out his name but there was no response. Had he truly left you there and returned home? You couldn’t face these monsters– there were too many of them!

You quickly found yourself stumbling as you ran from the beasts that chased you. You were overexerting your body’s limit from both stamina and magic power. You collapsed, your legs giving out. You were sure he left you to die because you angered him. You cried out for his name once more, ugly tears flowing down your muddied cheeks.

“You couldn’t manage to last 15 minutes by yourself. My, and to think you wanted to travel.” You looked up and see the fae look down at you with a feigned pitiful look. He kneels down and grabs your chin. “Do you see now, little fairy? You are no match for this twisted world.”

The next thing you knew, you were chained in the very room that you were in now with your vision gone and having both hands and legs paralyzed. But before it all happened, you did try to run back home. It was a fight you never had a chance of winning really. “This is for your safety.” He once said to you when you woke up one day in sheer panic and fear when you couldn’t see or move.

–

On the other side of the door, stood Lilia. He hadn’t simply walked away after closing the door, no. It truly aches his heart to see you broken like that. But now you know that the world wasn’t so nice, especially to those who don’t know a thing about the real truth of it.

“There are monsters who can disguise themselves, little fairy, and giving out your name is equivalent to selling your soul to them.. I’m sure you were taught that back home, no? Fufufu. Ever the naive one, I see.”

~♡~

Pspspsp. I don't really like the ending, but it was getting a bit too long.

Could you write down Malleus reaction to their loved (Fem) one who was the victim of an accident of a lot of shrinkage? now she has to live a week in pocket size? • Fuffs please

║Malleus Draconia║ A Tiny Predicament

Reader: Pronounce not mentioned. Only use the title “Prefect” and the like.

Word count: 2.3k

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

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Note: Hi! Sorry for the long wait. I had to rewrite this because I didn't like the first version.

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Small was an understatement.. Tiny? Yeah, that’s more like it.

“[N-Name]..! Y, you’re–” Ace looks down at your extremely small form in both amazement and fear.

“Waah!? Henchman–!!” Grim exclaims right beside you. When the smoke from a brewing explosion has gone and passed, and all of the coughing fit has stopped, you, the Adeuce duo, and your furball of a dorm mate came to a tiny surprise.

You were the size of those pop figures you’d get from a vending machine and those things are so small that you could step on them if you let it be thrown on the ground somewhere.

“Prefect, you’re tiny!” Deuce finally said what the other two couldn’t utter out of shock. You were the last to open your eyes and when you did, the first thing you looked at was at yourself, on your bottom, and then up to your friends.

“Oh shoot! What should we do!?” Ace said in a panic state and practically pulling his hair out. “We can’t ask Professor Crewel for help or else he knows that we snuck inside his class and messed around with his potions!”

“This is your fault, Grim, so what is your plan now?” Ace points at your dorm mate accusingly. “EH!? My fault!?” Grim frowns. “You know it is! If you just didn’t have to go finding ways of making yourself great, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“Hey, hey! You’re the one who wanted to try mixing stuff! You’re no better than me!” The furball snaps back. “Guys, enough. If you guys continue to fight, someone is bound to hear us and come to check. We won't be able to return the prefect to normal,” Deuce intervenes, stopping their bickering. "Let's see if there's a book here with a reverse potion. He's bound to have one." Is what he said right after and the two nodded in agreement, though they didn't go far.

"Uh, it doesn't look like there's much books here.." Ace scratches his head and looks down at the only desk with books, which was the teacher's desk situated right at the front of the class. "And these don't look like they have what we need."

"Let's try looking at the library then," Deuce suggests. They were all about to head out but was stopped short of an all too familiar voice.

“What do we have here?” Crewel asked, peeking through the classroom door. "Professional Crewel!!" The three boys shrieked as a dooming dread filled their bodies.

Thinking quickly on his feet, Ace hid you from the professor's view, though it didn't go under Crewel's suspicious radar. "Hmm? What are you boys doing here?" He asks. "You boys had better not been bad puppies, have you?"

"N-no! We, we were just..!!" Grim was quick to answer but stopped abruptly, which only made Crewel's frown deepen.

"You were making potions, weren't you?" he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "No! We–" "Yes, we did," Deuce speaks up, interrupting Grim and stopping him from making the situation look worse for them. "We're sorry, Professor Crewel."

Crewel was very much still upset but admired the fact that they– well, Deuce, stepped forward to confess and apologized for their fault, even staring him right in the eyes as he said so. He sighs, relaxing his facial muscles. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped that first years would be curious.." He says, unsure if it was intended for them to hear or a slip of the tongue.

He looks at the three. "But you boys must wait. It is not yet your time," he said. "Yes! We understand now, sir!" They all said in unison, posture stiff as stones.

"Very good. It doesn't look like you have been harmed so that is well," he said. "I will let you off with a warning. Off you go now and be good little puppies."

Ace quick snatches you and makes sure that Crewel couldn't see you as they passed by him.

"Isn't this great?" Ace lets out a deep sigh the moment you all are far from the classroom. "Even if we do find a reverse potion, we can't go back in there," he said, tucking you in his breast pocket. "Any ideas of what we should do now?"

He looks over at his fellow Heartslabyul friend, but Deuce was clearly in his own world, eyes fixed on the ground as they walked and a curled finger to his lips. "Hey, are you listening?" Ace's eyes narrow at him but there was no word from him, confirming his words.

Just then, Deuce eyes widened as if a lightbulb turned on in his head. "Ah!!" "AHH!! W, what!?" Grim shrieks, spooked at the sudden scare. "What is it? You thought of something?" Ace asks, wide-eyed from Deuce's sudden spark.

"Isn't Diasomnia's dorm leader super strong? And aren't you close to him, [Name]? Maybe Malleus can help!" He smiles. "Oh, yeah! Nice thinking, Deuce! Let's go." Ace grins.

When they stepped foot on Diasomnia territory, the three's newfound motivation quickly crumpled away like a dried up rose petal. "H, hey.. Maybe we should ask someone from Pomefiore instead.. They're supposed to be really good at potions, right?" Ace suggests, lips quivering at the sight of Diasomnia's dormitory that loomed over them.

"Vil is out of school right now and who knows if Rook would give the Prefect some other options to try.." Deuce said. "This is our only option, and I doubt anything can go wrong with Malleus since he's skilled at magic."

"Oh? What do we have here?" A new voice stepped in from behind and the three turns around to see who the eerie voice came from.

There, upside down, crimson eyes looked at them from the dark, seeming to pierce their very soul. "AHHHH!!!" All of you screamed– Grim being the loudest.

"Fufufu, fret nought. It is just me," Lilia emerges from the darkness that surrounded the dorm, now right side up.

"Lilia!" Ace and Deuce says in unison. "Oh thank the seven.. But I can't take these scares anymore," Grim said, clutching his chest as he tries to calm his heart. "I think I might pass out."

"Hm? Why, [Name], what happened to you?" Lilia asks, noticing your tiny form in Ace's pocket.

"Something happened when we were making potions.." You confessed. "Oh? Aren't you still in your first year to be making potions?"

"Yeah. But Grim wanted to go mess around," Ace said. "Like I said, you're no better than me!" Grim furrowed his brows.

"Is that so? Fufufu. So now I'm assuming you're here to look for help?" You nod at Lilia's words. "If it's potions we're dealing with, Pomefiore would be your best option, though I suppose we can help you."

"We've already thought of that," Deuce said. Lilia looks at him as he says so and then looks back at you. "Hm.. I'm sure Malleus can do something about that.." Lilia half-said to you four and to himself.

"But if I could add a word beforehand, I'm sure the potion would wear out soon enough," Lilia states. "Potions that alter one's form don't often last. That is why you have to keep drinking them."

"Lilia, you speak as if you've tried it before," Deuce said. "Do I now?" Lilia chuckles. "Anyway, it can be dangerous to quickly alter forms once you've changed so I suggest you wait a bit before making another potion to change forms."

"Dangerous how?" Grim asks, an eyebrow raised and arms crossed. "Well, for one thing, altering your body plays around with your insides, making it so that they fit nicely with your current body. You're lucky that you didn't die since usually the first time would kill you."

"What!? Man, isn't that terrifying!?" Ace said. "Indeed it is. Though after a couple of times, your body will get used to it and or alter without problems."

"So, how long should we wait?" Ace asks. "Hm.. You have to wait for a while so that the potion finally settles and the body's system is well enough to digest another potion.. About a week should be enough." Lilia gives a close-eyed smile.

"A week!? But we still have classes!" Deuce said out loud, nearly shouting. "[Name] can still very much learn. I don't believe that the potion would slow the brain," Lilia said, wide-eyed from the sudden raise of voice.

"Ah.. But then Professor Crewel would find out if we were to show up with [Name] so tiny.." Deuce brows furrowed. "Oh, yes, I believe you told me that you all snuck inside the classroom to make potions."

"Don't say it like that. We were just curious," Ace said. "I'm sure Crewel would just give you a little lecture." "Eh, no thanks. Professor Crewel talks weirdly that it gives me goosebumps." The orange-haired Heartslabyul shrugs his shoulders, earning a laugh from Lilia.

"It can't be helped. You'll sooner have to face him. In the meantime, why don't you leave [Name] here with me?" Lilia proposes. "It would be much safer to be left at the hands of someone strong. And I'm sure Malleus wouldn't mind being that someone?"

The three of your friends look at each other before eventually agreeing with the idea. Ace carefully takes you out from his pocket and places you in Lilia's hands.

"O' how much cuter you are so tiny," Lilia smiles, his fangs showing. Your friends watched him poke your cheeks and such, not knowing what else to do now, before Deuce suddenly had thought of something. "Oh, right, Lilia, how come you were out here?" he asked. "I felt that someone has stepped foot in the area and came to check.. Turns out it was just you, fufufu."

"Now, you three run along now~" He directs to your friends, pausing briefly before opening his eyes to reveal his eyes seeming to glow a faint red. "Unless you want to be eaten by our members here, that is?"

"Ah, we, we'll get going now! See ya later, [Name]!" The three waves at you and steps back inside the the mirror that leads them back to the light, opposite of Diasomnia's dark setting.

"Now, why don't we go see Malleus, [Name]? I'm sure he can't wait for your nightly stroll together so I'm sure he'll be surprised to see you here!"

He takes light skips to the dorm, passing by fellow Diasomnia members and Silver who fell asleep on the couch and to Malleus' room.

"Malleus~ Look who has come to visit?" Lilia knocks on Malleus' door. There was a few seconds of silence before you could hear hurried footsteps drawing closer before stopping short to open the door. The door flung open and there stood Malleus, with an expectant, excited look.

His face turned to that of perplexed as he was instead staring at Lilia instead. "Fufufu, we have a tiny visitor who'll join us for a while." He raises his hands higher so that you were much closer to his face.

He pries his eyes away from his guardian and retainer to you who sat on his hands, looking up at the dragon-fae with a smile. "Hello, Malleus," you chuckled awkwardly.

"Child of man? What happened?" He asked what anyone would ask first the moment they see you. "Long story short, it's due to a potion."

"Hm, I see.." "Yep! Fufufu, how silly your friends are, [Name]," Lilia makes a quick comment before turning to Malleus. "Now, Malleus, I trust that you will take care of [Name], yes?" He nods. "Very good. I'm leaving the task to you then~"

He places you in Malleus' hands and turns around to skip down the hall. "Now, I have to wake up Silver so he can move to his room."

You two watched as Lilia disappeared from sight before Malleus brought the two of you inside his room. “Hm, how curious, child of man. How exactly had you found yourself taking a shrinkage potion?” he asks as soon as he sat you down on his desk. You told him the story right from the beginning and even what happened leading up to now. “I see. Yes, Lilia is indeed right with what he said, though I have never tried it before. I merely observed.”

He chuckles. “You are an abnormality in this world and a curious one at that. You are fascinating, child of man.” You couldn’t tell whether or not he meant that in a negative way or not, but you think the latter. Malleus would never mean anything in offense, especially to you. “I don’t believe that this will hinder our walk tonight as I will be holding you, so if you’d still like, would you join me for the walk? Ah, but if you are tired, I will allow you to sleep on my bed.”

You shook your head. “I would very much enjoy that walk after what just happened.” Your words brought a smile to Malleus. “I am glad.” He rests his face on his hands and stares at you in a fond manner.

“Do you think I look cute like this?” You ask cheekily after a while of silence. He was caught off guard but quickly gave a reply. “While I do admit that you are adorable, I very much like your original form. It is hard to hold your hands while you are like this as I do not wish to crush you.” He chuckles and you do the same. You grab his free hand and hug his index finger. “Well, I can do this,” you said.

“I suppose you can,” he says and gives a deep laugh, amused at how you could still be cheerful in your current state, though he doesn’t think that altering forms would change your attitude towards things. “Hm, I believe you said you'd be like that for a week, yes? Then, I’ll make sure to keep you safe until then, my precious treasure.”

~♡~

I’m kinda imagining that for Diasomnia chapter, Sebek will be the one to overblot because “wAKasAMa!!” Like, he would overblot because of the MC/Yuu or someone else not worshipping enough/praising/bowing down/listening to orders from Malleus. 😂

I'd like to request some yandere-themed fluff if possible, yandere Lilia x reader. It would be something like Lilia scaring the reader to the point of making her cry, only to later be the one to comfort her.

Lilia Vanrouge x reader

Reader: Suggestion of afab reader. No mention of pronounce (I couldn't find a place to put one).

Warning(s): Yandere themes

Word count: 900+

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

Note: I’ve realized that I added Japanese honorifics midway writing this.. Please just ignore that. ^^;;

—

How cute you were.. So young.. Naive.. And awfully too trusting of others for your own good. But maybe– just maybe– that’s what made him so fond of you. It would be too boring, really, to have someone buy in every word you say but Lilia didn’t think so; you were just O’ so fun to be around with. Could you being magicless and from another world be a factor? That, he doesn’t know. But, why fret the details? All one really needs to know is how crazy he is for you.

If you’re unfortunate enough, you might have accidentally looked over at the ancient fae unknowingly and be met terror-stricken at just how his eyes seem to swirl in unrecoverable madness.

You were heavily dependent on your friends when it came to protection so trust and without them, he noticed, you were just a helpless bunny stuck in a cage full of wolves. Though, admittedly, there really was just one wolf out to get you.. But if it turns out that there is another, well.. Now there was one.

Ah, why should he compare you to a helpless bunny? You weren’t truly that naive and oblivious like one, no. He can see that in you when you trech through the dark hallways– presumably kept up in the library studying– of Night Raven and kept your guard up and intune with your senses. Unlike a bunny, at least you know of the dangers being alone at night.

What are you so defensive about, my dear? Oh? Looking over your shoulder? Is someone.. Or something following you? Ah, that shouldn’t be the case. After all, he was there watching your every move and your surroundings.

With deep crimson-coloured eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness, he would be able to see if anyone was around you and right now, he can confidently say it was just you.. And him of course.

Watching you from a far off branch of a tree– protecting you– this dead of the night where not a single, weary soul lies awake.. See how wonderful he is? He’s up because he’s worried about you!

Oh! What was that? Did you hear something? Perhaps.. A purposely dropped object? Fufufu, that sudden fright must have seriously gotten to you. Now look at how you’re mumbling to yourself about just being overly sensitive and paranoid. You are just so cute! He was almost about to snatch you up right then and there and lock you up in a tower in the Valley of Thorns.

But, alas, he couldn’t do it right now. After all, his prince must finish his years in Night Raven and since he was his guardian, he must see it through. It wasn’t that long of a wait though, and when it was time to go back to the kingdom, he’s sure to take you with him.

He would really love to create a family with you once he gets back home– and he’s sure you’ll love the idea as well! Just imagine how much joy it would be to see both of your half-fae children running around in the manor!

Amidst his daydreaming– or night dreaming, you could say– he hasn’t realized how his heels clacking on the hard, cold floor have gotten rather loudly and obvious that you weren’t alone.

You called out for him– anyone– in the dark, tears pricking your eyes. You were completely frozen on the spot once you realized that there was no way of outrunning him.

Now you were looking like a helpless bunny. He almost felt bad for scaring you so– almost. Ah, but he doesn’t want you to cry because of him..

“[Name]-chan?” A familiar voice draws your attention behind you and not at the monster in front of you. Well, if it was still there. “L, Lilia..”

Oh dear. He must have truly scared you out of your wits this time. Your tears were now freely trickling down your cheeks as you ran up to hug him– seek comfort in him. “There, there.. No need to cry now,” he said, stroking your head lovingly as if he didn’t find a sickening joy in scarring you. “There’s no one here but us here, so dry your tears and let me see you smile.”

He moves slightly back to take a proper look at your tear-stained face that he found beautiful on you and cups your face between his hands. It was at this point that you noticed that the monster’s gaze seemed to vanish and relax, giving your senior a smile.

“Why are you here, Lilia-san?” you asked and wiped your face from the tears. “I was taking a stroll around the place and noticed that someone was inside so I came to check what they were up to.. I must say, I really am a curious one, huh?” He chuckles, eyes close as he continues to stroke the top of your head.

You gave a dry laugh of your own, heart feeling lighter unlike a few moments ago where you felt your heart thumping against your chest– frantic and screaming for you to hurry up and leave the building.

“Hehe.. Next time that you are alone or wish for a different company, don’t hesitate to call for me,” Lilia said. He opened his eyes, a dark shadow was cast over them but was pierced by his glowing orbs. He darkly said something just below an acceptable normal voice that you also heard and made alarm bells go off, “Though, I’m all you need anyway.”

~♡~

This is interesting (✿☉｡☉) I saw your Leona x reader, it's beautiful! ( ꈍᴗꈍ) May I request Leona x reader too? It's just I want to see his reaction when he found out the reader write/draw NSFW. The story/one-shot can be SFW/NSFW, it's up to you! (◍•ᴗ•◍) Thank you! (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)

Leona x reader

Reader: Gender-neutral/not mentioned

Warning(s): Slight NSFW. Minors do not interact.

Word count: 800+

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

Note: Sorry that this was too short (and late)!

—

It really was an avoidable situation, should you have been more aware of whose presence you were in. But alas, you didn’t and the consequence would be soon followed right afterwards.

Leona wasn’t one to usually pry into one’s personal matters out of respect– well, mainly because he’s too lazy to get himself involved in someone’s problems should one arise. However, he couldn’t help but be a bit curious about your matters. Lazy as he may be, he is nevertheless very observant and keen to his senses. And he’s more so when it comes to you, his cute little herbivore who’s just perfect to be his pillow.

Back in the present and current situation, you were sitting on the well dry grass with your lion snoozing off as always– or so you thought– right beside you, both under the shade where the sun’s heat wouldn’t be too much of an issue.

You were heavily invested on the tiny screen you have in your hands, thumbs gliding on the small keyboard of your phone and typing out words swiftly. One would think you were having a heated argument with how focused you were and how fast you were typing, but of course, that wasn’t the case.

Leona would have been asleep, not caring of what you are doing on your phone, should he not have sensed the air around you both to be slightly.. Different. It wasn’t enough to have him sit up straight immediately, but his eyes were already on you, trying to figure out what was off– not just with you but also him.

You smelled.. Sweet. It was barely noticeable, but since he was much closer, he could pick it up. A sweet smell mixed in with your natural scent.. A sweet smell he was sure he hadn’t smelled from you before.

It was at that moment that Leona’s mind clicked and that once tired eyes turned into something.. Lustful, and his lips parted a bit as a sly smirk crept up his face, showing part of his sharp, pearly white teeth. Ohoho, how dangerous, herbivore.

Your attention was placed fully on your phone, thinking that once Leona closes his eyes, he wouldn’t be opening them for a while.

He sat up and looked over your shoulder to see what was causing you to make this sweet smell. Oh? What was this? Who knew his little herbivore could be this– “How naughty~” You felt his breath on your neck, causing you to squeak and be aware. He was now awfully close to you, his chest pressing against your back as he spoke in a voice octaves lower huskily.

Your eyes widened in terror and mouth slightly agape as your finger froze and nearly dropping your phone. “Oh? We wouldn’t want your phone breaking now,” he said, holding your hands– and the phone.

When words returned to you, you managed to push them out. “Y, you weren’t asleep?” you asked, paled face. “Not when someone was so expressively telling the world of how much they needed to mate,” he said, resting his face on your shoulder and resumes to read what was on your phone, eyes narrowing and smirk growing wider by the second. “I didn’t know my little herbivore wanted to be a writer.. And writes these kinds of stories.”

“I–”

“But there could be some improvements..” he critiques. “It doesn’t seem real enough.” His head moves away from their resting place– your shoulder– and bore his emerald-coloured eyes on you.

It was then that you noticed that his eyes seemed lost in something– lust. He leans closer to your ears and whispers, “Why don’t we play out what you wrote and add parts where needed, hm?” You gulped, but excited tingles ran down your back.

He went for your neck when he knew that you wouldn’t be talking and earned a moan– from surprise and the feeling it brought you. After making a few marks on you, he went for your lips, not allowing you to take a few breaths as his tongue forcibly pushed its way into your mouth where your tongue submitted defeatedly.

You let out another moan. Your hands reach for his collar, dropping your phone in a soft thud on the ground, and allow your fingers to comb through his hair.

He growls– turned on even more– and pressed himself closer to you. The makeout went on for a while before parts away from you, a string of saliva connecting both of your tongues. “Heh, that smell of yours could make any beast turn their heads your way.. How dangerous.” He smirks, panting slightly– opposite from your heavy breathing. “Though that should be a problem.”

He pushes you down and hovers above you, all the while smirking. Though it was bright out, his eyes seemed to glow more greener– most likely having the assistance of the shade.

“I’ll make sure they know that you’ve already been claimed.”

~♡~

Would you be willing to do a NSFW for Lilia where he gives a strip tease BAHAHDVBGHJD btw I’m 18+

Lilia Vanrouge x reader

Reader: Gender-neutral/not mentioned

Word count: 1.6k

All rights reserved. Do not steal/copy and paste and upload it anywhere.

—

Note: Pspspspps, I love Lilia-san so much. DX I’m happy that he will officially be the first for NSFW request.

Sorry that it is late! My internet decided to cut out when I started writing it. >.< And sorry that this sounded rushed. I am also bad at writing sm*t so I'm sorry for the terrible writing.

Might edit it a little better later.

—

Hot..

.. It was hot. The room was hot– you were hot.

It was dark with the exception of the moon’s light emitting from the room through what little gaps it could go through of the curtain. There was silence, saved for the loud, shallow breaths. You were in a daze, eyes hazy from what was happening to you and mouth hanging open slightly.

Hot and unsteady pants came from the person above you and a low chuckle could be heard soon after. “Fufufu, I haven’t done anything yet but you are completely under my submission..” Crimson eyes looked at you past the darkness, almost glowing. “But..” He draws closer to your ears, nose almost burying into your neck. “I don’t mind.”

A pleasant shiver ran down your bones and your heart tightened in delight as Lilia’s breaths tickled your skin. Slowly, Lilia’s hands reach up to your neck and- starting from there- trace down to your collarbone and stop at your uniform’s tie.

Your body tensed and your heartbeat raced a tad bit faster than what it already was as you waited for Lilia’s next move. Then, as if he was making it agonizingly slow on purpose, your tie came loose. His next moves were to unbutton your uniform, pressing light kissing on your neck. You groaned, half wanting him to speed up and half liking this slow pace.

With the last button undone, Lilia moves away from your neck and kisses your lips instead. His kiss contradicted his teasing actions not too long ago; his kisses were that of hunger and with immense lust. You kissed back, arms wrapping around his neck to bring him closer and deepen the kiss. Tongue swirled and fought around both of your mouths, but you both knew that Lilia was one with control.

A hand places itself at your abdomen and slowly crept upwards. His hand stopped at your neck and he pressed his thumb lightly on your neck, earning a moan from you. You felt warmth building up down below and you wished that Lilia would just forgo the foreplay.

Sensing the urgency, Lilia parts away from you, a thin string of saliva connecting both tongues. He smirks. “Fufufu, impatient now, are we, my dear?” His eyes narrowed and the corners crinkled in amusement. “Patience, my sweet. Amuse me with my foreplay, hm?” he said and chuckles when he sees you pout and practically begging him with your eyes.

He continues his little act, but this time, teasing you with a little show. “Now.. Why don’t I put on a show for you? Just one.” He was smirking devilishly when a puff of smoke came from nowhere and began to surround him. You were confused and felt a bit uneasy. What type of show was this? Your heart begins to pick up its pace when strands of hair brush your cheeks. You notice that they were much longer and the hands that rested at the sides of your head were much larger. When the smoke cleared you were faced with a much more masculine face. Your eyes widened in surprise, mouth hanging ajar.

“Surprised to see me like this? Fufufu, what a truly amusing look you have,” Lilia said. Seeing that you weren’t responding, he whispers into your ears. “If you continue to look at me like that, I might just eat you up, fufufu.” He gently bites your neck, snapping you out of your previous state and you moan. “Lilia..” you moaned out.

“There we go,” he whispers into your neck, just loud enough for you to hear. His tone was a few octaves lower and you swear that you could die at that moment.

He continues to leave love bites on your skin, making what looks like a necklace of love bites. His hands teased your body once more to build up that warmth just below your abdomen once again. His hands, not bothering to pull down your pants, slid in and teasingly stroke your sex. “Mm..! L, Lilia..!” You bit your lip subconsciously and instinctively moved closer to his fingers. “Fufufu, you’re already dripping..” He chuckles darkly. “See~ I knew you’d love the foreplay, fufufu.”

He continues to play with your sex but the pace gradually begins to quicken and, with the help of his trained hands, you were close to your orgasm. “Lilia..!!” Getting the hint, Lilia helped you reach pure ecstasy, not slowing down his pace until you did so.

“Quiet now, my dear,” he said, “I don’t want any of the children to wake up and know what we’re doing..” You collapsed your mouth, embarrassed that you had totally forgotten that it was past the time for anyone to be up and to be in someone’s room.

He smiles, thinking how adorable you are to try to quiet your moans. Even though he says this, he wouldn’t mind if someone had heard the two of you. In fact, just the thought of getting caught doing something dirty late at night just turns him on.

You were panting with cum tainting your pants and Lilia’s hand. He looks at his cum-covered hand. You were about to apologize, a bit embarrassed but before you could open your mouth, he brought it close to his lips and licked cum off of one of his fingers, eyes narrowingly looking at you. Your cheeks warmed at the hot sight.

Once he cleaned his hand off, you felt that the orgasm you had simply wasn’t enough and felt your body react so. “Did you enjoy that, my dear? I can see it in your eyes, fufufu,” he said. “My, you’re truly naughty~ And I’m sure that that wasn’t enough for you, is it?”

He places his lips on yours and you could taste the bitterness of your cum from his lips. It was disgusting and embarrassing to think about, but at that moment, it only fueled the building heat below you.

The kiss was passionate and hungry like the one before but this time, the kiss was cut short when Lilia moved back like before. You wondered what he was about to do this time as he hovered above you and eyed you like prey.

Now, instead of playing with you further, he decided that he would tease you with himself. Large hand moved to his tie and took his time to take it off. Your eyes dilate, earning a chuckle from the fae.

He let his tie hand around his neck and worked on undoing any and all buttons on his uniform– first, his vest. A bit impatient, you watched and noticed that in this state, not only were his hair longer, he seemed a lot taller. You see how he had much well-toned muscles in this form and how they threatened to rip through the fabrics that constrict it. It was a shame that it didn’t though.

He was purposefully making it agonizingly slow for you and you whined, throwing your arms around his neck. “Ah, ah, ah.. I told you to be patient,” he reminded and tittered when you desperately begged him with your best attempted puppy eyes and a deep frown.

Still hanging on to him, he continued his little show and unbuttoned the first button of his collared shirt. “Lilia..” you whined, moving a bit to show how much he was killing you with this. Still, he stood his ground this time and did not listen to you.

When the last button was finally unclasped, you couldn’t take it anymore and reached for his lips, tongue diving straight for his mouth and fingers tangling between his long strands. You felt him smile in the kill and a low gutteral chuckle escaped his cords. Nonetheless, he allowed you to have your way.

His hands rested on your hips before going up and down your sides. Deciding to end his teasing, he makes due with your pants, pulling it down and throwing it somewhere in the room before unzipping his pants and pulling it down along with his boxer– just enough to free his cock from its restraints. You reach for his half-erect cock and stroke it a few times until it is fully hardened and guide it close to your hole. He pushes your legs to your chest and without any more wait, thrust his cock into you.

You moaned into the kiss and he moaned back, feeling his cock fit snugly inside you. His pace was consistent and each earned more moans from you. “Lilia..” You say his name on his lips between the chances you could.

He grunts and you could tell that he was about to cum, hands on your knees pushing it further when he leans forward and putting his weight on you. “I’m going to cum,” he said through gritted teeth when his mouth moves away from you.

He looks at where you two were both connected and soon releases, his pace becoming more and more sluggish until he stops moving, his cock still buried deep inside your hole to prevent any more of his love juices from flowing out. He lets go of your legs- allowing it to relax- and collapses on you, panting in an unsteady rhythm.

He does this for a while and when his breaths become a tad bit better, he moves to shadow you just a bit so his hands could go and finish you off and cover yourself in your own cum.

When both of your hearts calmed from the excitement, Lilia pries his head away from your chest and gives you a quick, yet sweet peck on the cheeks. “Thank you for indulging me, my sweet.” He gives a short chuckle and closes his eyes, listening to your heartbeat to lull him to sleep.

Your hand moved to his hair, playing with it until you fell asleep, but not before reminding yourself to ask Lilia about his new form tomorrow. And after this night, you were sure to be a bit more patient and go with his little act.

~♡~