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#oc x canon rp
honeyedboneset · 18 days
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hello! i'm boneset (or bone). thanks for stopping by my super-specific search thread! if interested, please leave a reply or dm me!
a bit about myself: she/her. I'm currently in my late 20's and have been writing/roleplaying in some shape or form for 12+ years. i'm in grad school (and will be for awhile) and work full time in mental healthcare. occasionally, days are wild. 
when it comes to writing, i generally write somewhere between 500-1k words a post. the shorter the post, the faster i can write. i definitely value someone who's writing fits with mine over length or anything like that. i'm also super flexible when it comes to post rate. if it takes a little bit, that's totally fine! especially if we do build a rapport. i want this to stay as something that's fun for both of us. it's a hobby, so it comes after everything else.
doubling. i play a canon for you, you play one for me, and i love every character as my own. OR we both play two ocs who fall in love against their will. Idc.
m!canon x f!oc preferred (or m!oc x f!oc). I know who I am. I have no shame. I’m so super cautious about m// and f// after years of running into folks treating it as a fetish.
ooc chatting. for the rps that have survived my hiatuses, it's been because we made friends, or at least friendly. i like talking, sharing head canons, all that stupid crap. tldr: i need someone to send memes to.
ooc over discord, please, after we’ve graduated to that. DMs first if you don’t mind.
email, discord, gdocs, and tumblr in order of preference for the roleplay but I'm open to any.
i am a sap for romance. less so for super slow burns. sue me. I can barely read slow burn much less write it.
500-1000 words is my sweet spot for responses, but i'm not that fast of a writer, depending on what's going on. see: why i like ooc.
hard limits: be 18+ (21+ preferred) | will not write with people who identify as male (he/him) | incest | fetish stuff | abo | pwp | pedophilia | furries/beastiality | explicitly written sexual assault | abusive relationship dynamics between main characters | heavy substance abuse | main settings being medical | most highschool settings/underage characters | genuine love triangles or infidelity between main characters
pairings and all below the break!
for fandoms, I’m going to list what I’m looking to play the oc in. I am super duper happy to play nearly any canon character for you.
the walking dead:  *i haven't seen the spin-off series. super comfortable going as AU as we want. *looking for: glenn (pls pls pls), daryl *will play: rick, daryl, shane, negan, others probably *some vibes: people who knew each other prior to the zombies meeting each other again after, dead rising vibes, traveling through the wilderness, overgrown and rundown towns and cities, towns that have gone mad, human enemies, natural threats, fluff, megamalls, amusement parks, adventure, horror, fluff, uneasiness in the calm, found family, hesitant allies
resident evil: *i like it all, okay? welcome to racoon city, all the games, the animated films...even the live action netflix put out! it's just FUN. *looking for: leon, piers, carlos *will play: chris, albert, luis, piers, etc. *some vibes: hurt/comfort extreme, international adventures, partners in life and in work, idk absolute insanity. vacation? what's a vacation, there's always zombies, basically the evil of capitalism, embrace the weird of the game universes (i mean really. there's werewolves)
the last of us: *i've played both games and watched the show *looking for: tommy miller, m!oc *will play: joel, ellie, others, m!oc *some vibes: FIX IT JESUS, protecting family, human enemies, natural threats, antagonistic towns, lost in the wild, weird periods of domestic easiness followed by hurt/comfort hell red dead redemption: *i've played rdr and rdr2. kind of familiar with revolver. *looking for: charles smith *will play: arthur, john, dutch, others (but not micah) *some vibes: railroad turmoil, dutch has lots of plans (very little outcomes), high society meets the old west, running from the law, causing problems, adventures in the big city, trying to leave old lives behind, forbidden love, enemies to lovers
fallout: *i've played 1, 2, 3, 4, 76 & NV. mainly looking for nv. *looking for: m!oc *will play: ask for canons, m!oc *some vibes: causing chaos in the wastes, embracing the local cryptid status of the player character, toxic people everywhere, attempting to survive, mercenaries, prostitutes, salt of the earth managing to do some good against their will, traveling to other locations avatar the last airbender *i've seen the show several times, live action, and korra, but haven't read comics. *looking for: adult!sokka *will play: adult!zuko, ask for other canons! *some vibes: post series feeling out their new roles in society, rebuilding following war, uprisings from unhappy sections, earth kingdom is just as big of a mess as firenation please help, 'forbidden' relationships, political drama, festival romance
original(ish) story vibes:
zombies! please zombies. love it. media inspo: l4d, deadrising, resident evil, twd, george romero
fantasy. royalty, pirates, mermaids, adventures, curses, and extra doses of romance. some assassins? hiding from responsibility? childhood friends to lovers and enemies finding common ground. media inspo: ACOTAR, lord of the rings, ever king, damsel, fire emblem, (for modern of these vibes) new protectorate by abigail kelly
urban fantasy vibes. witches and monsters, and romance and weirdness. maybe some monsters. eldritch beings. small town, rural america? media inspo: x-files, teen wolf, supernatural, stay a spell by juliette cross, scooby doo, being human, folk haven by lauren connolly, old gods of appalachia
cowboys! Modern? Traditional? I do not care i love cowboys and the south, just minus all of those….you know, issues. media inspo: red dead redemption, man from snowy river, yellow stone, lyla sage books
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rp-partnerfinder · 1 month
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Hello! I have not posted a search for the LONGEST time but I have had an itching to add some new roleplays as of late. I am a 25 year old female from the UK and I am looking to write with people who are 21+ though 18+ is okay.
I can write anything from semi-literate (2-3 paragraphs) to novella (10+ paragraphs) but I am always a quality>quantity type of girl! I love making friends OOC and I try to be as communicative about my schedule as possible and similarly, I am super patient - the worst you'll get is an activity check after 6-8 weeks from me.
I write via Discord as I prefer the server option but I may be swayed to stay on Tumblr. I can write as both male and female and enjoy doubling especially in canon/OC pairings. I would prefer my side to be mxf however I am happy to write anything for your side!
I am open to NSFW however I do not want it to be the entire plot - I do enjoy story too. We can discuss our limits and I will respect yours (as I hope you will respect mine).
Bolded is my preferred role.
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫
Draco Malfoy x my OC Canon x your OC
𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬
I have seen everything except the final season - no spoilers please!
Michael Grey x my OC Canon x your OC
𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭
This is a very niche fandom but if anybody is willing to do this, I am more than happy to look into a fandom of your choosing if you'd like for a double up even if I haven't seen it before!
Erich Blunt x my OC Canon x your OC
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡
I have only seen this intermittently for the first three seasons so it would have to be massively AU based or I would require a lot of patience.
Dr. Julian Albert x my OC Canon x your OC
𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭
Another semi-popular fandom, I think, but I have seen the entire series (to date) and recently begun to play the mobile game which revived my interest for the series as a whole.
Denver x my OC Canon x your OC
𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬
I am open to some fandomless ideas depending however my main focus right now is fandom plots. If you are not familiar with any of these fandoms but would still like to write with me, please do not let this put you off! 
If you are interested, please give this a like or message me directly and we can figure something out 💗
.
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kawaiimxchi · 5 months
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Twilight RP Search!
Hello! I am 20+ F currently on a search for some rp partners who are interested in doing a twilight rp and 18+ preferred. I am currently looking for cc x oc ships with me being the oc. If you also want to play an oc as well, I am open to doing doubles. This rp will be on discord. I can also do email as well, but so far have the most experience with discord.
As for the characters, I am looking for someone to play as Seth for my oc. I am open to playing as anyone except for the volturi.
Please like this both and I’ll get back to you if interested!
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creativeroleplay-ads · 6 months
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Hi there! You can call me Sabella! I’m in my 30’s and I’ve been RPing since I was a teenager. I’m open to all types, and in regards to length, I do my best to match my partner. I will not RP with anyone under the age of 21, and I prefer to write in third person, past tense. NSFW themes are fine, but please don’t make them the focus.
I RP both fandoms and fandomless. I do not RP celebrities, though. In fandoms, I ask that we double if you want OCxCanon, where I play a canon for you and you play a canon for me as well. On that same note, I am also open to playing multiple characters! Romance is not a requirement, but it is also welcome. DISCLAIMER: Any underage characters in an RP featuring NSFW themes will be aged to at least 18.
Fandoms I RP:
Marvel
Supernatural
Devil May Cry
Teen Titans (The only DC I know well enough)
Several 90’s and 2000’s anime (Ask me about an anime and I’ll let you know if I know it!)
Tales Of games (Berseria, Vesperia, Symphonia)
Resident Evil (Games or Movies)
Fandomless ideas:
High fantasy is my favorite
Shoot me some ideas! I’ll let you know if it interests me.
I am not a huge fan of slice of life, but I can be persuaded with the right story!
If you decide to message me, please let me know which idea you’re interested in and which characters if it’s from a fandom! You can also like this post and I will message you! Limits, story, and such can be discussed. I do have some plot ideas, but there are too many to list here. I hope to hear from you!
You can also add me on Discord, my preferred platform: sabelthewitch
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falloutmelodyroleplay · 11 months
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𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐂 𝐗 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐑𝐏𝐒
hi! i’m melody [24f, she/her] and, as the title of this advert says, i’m seeking some descriptive oc x canon criminal minds roleplays!! i would also like to double up, as that’s just how i’m used to roleplaying!! if you’re interested, literally all i ask is that you read the rest of the post fully before reaching out, just to ensure we’ll both be compatible!!
✦ so as mentioned, i would like to do oc x canon, doubling up, as that’s what i’m most familiar with! also, because of my age, please only reach out if you’re above eighteen!!
✦ i would like david rossi as the romantic interest for my oc, i assure you my oc is age appropriate for him! i can play anyone for your romantic interest! i have seen every single episode of the show multiple times, including all of the revival season, and i have also seen the beyond borders and suspect behaviour spin-offs in their entirety, so truly, i can play anyone you’d like! the only characters i won’t play as romantic interests are any unsubs! my pairing will be male x female, but i am 100% open to doing any kind of gender pairing on your side!
✦ preferred platform is google docs, but discord is absolutely okay with me too!! just as long as you’re okay with some spam because i will probably end up going over the character limit!!
✦ as mentioned at the start, i’m looking for someone who’s descriptive! my minimum is typically about 500 words a response? i have no max though, and typically just match however much my partner writes! so if you only write a few sentences per reply, i’m very sorry, but i don’t think we’d be compatible rp partners!
✦ nsfw scenes/content is fine, but it’s not a requirement at all!!
✦ also please be patient with replies and stuff!! i live in a weird timezone and my mental health isn’t great, so if you’re looking for someone who replies every day, i am not your girl. i always aim to reply as quickly as possible though! as a result, i’d like to ask that you only reach out if you’re happy to plot/discuss headcanons/stuff like that so it’s not complete silence in-between replies! i wanna get to know your character, and want you to get to know mine!! it’ll be more fun that way!!
think that’s everything! if you’re interested, please send me a chat message and i’ll get back to you!! thank you!
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bloody-psycho-love · 1 year
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In the Midst of Conflict
Summary For “In the Midst of Conflict”: Five to six years have passed since the five of them have attended Night Raven College. Lilia Vanrouge and Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia had changed their friendship into a romantic relationship. But how will they navigate said romance when Malleus takes the throne after his grandmother disappears? How will Alex deal with being an outsider in the Briar Valley? Will their romance survive and flourish or will it wilt and crumble from their hands?
Co written by @eternity-forevermore and myself, @bloody-psycho-love!
Night Two
Alexandria knelt down on one knee and bowed to show Malleus Draconia the respect that he very much deserved. Her right hand was on her heart. It was the way that she was taught to respect, honor, and show her loyalty to the King of Spain at the time. But this time, it felt proper. It felt right. "My allegiance and my loyalty are with you. And only to this group. No one else shall receive it unless they are welcomed by you and Lilia."  Malleus felt as if he were the luckiest fae in all of Twisted Wonderland with how many people (humans and fae alike) were willing to be by his side until the end of their fighting days. With their honest and sincere words, their expressions of twinkling eyes and expressions of seriousness, the Prince's worries evaporated. Gone. It was as if they were never there to begin with. "Thank you. For your allegiance and for your kind words. You may all stand up now." Seeing them like that was oddly fitting. But he wouldn't want to do that to him while in the throne room. This was something that was supposed to be for his eyes only. No one else was worthy of this but this group, Yuu and a few select others.
Being helped up by her lover, Alex wordlessly pushed off any kind of particle that flew in the air. "What should we do now?"
Lilia pondered for a moment, humming out loud, until he glanced outside, noting just how dark it had become.
"Perhaps we should go to bed?" He suggested, "It will become rather late, soon. And we have to leave in the morning, I do believe."
"I do think that is a good idea," Sebek answered, "So that we can have enough energy to move. After all, we're on the edge of Briar Valley, so it would take a good while to reach the capital where Her Highness resides."
Silver nodded, "Yeah, and so we can be better prepared for any surprises that may come our way."  "But it's not too terribly late," Lilia says, "We can fit in another game," a devilish smile, "Should Malleus and Sebek like to join us. But only if they want to- if not, I suppose we should turn in early for the night."
Inwardly sighing, Alex did her best to keep her inner thoughts... well, inner thoughts. "I do like Lilia's idea. Playing a new game. But perhaps we shall take shifts in watching over the cottage just in case?" Until someone else agrees on this, it would hang up in the air. There was complete silence until Malleus had nodded, voicing his agreement. "Yes. I agree with the human. However, who should go first?" Were there going to be any volunteers? If there were, it would most likely be Sebek if they knew him at all. Then again it could change. After all, who knew what was going to happen tonight? If it was an awful idea, they could just do something else.
"I can go first," Lilia offers, "I've been without sleep for many hours before, so it shouldn't be hard."
"I can take the second shift," Silver says, nodding. 
"I'll take it with you, Silver," Sebek replies, "Otherwise your narcolepsy could leave you vulnerable."
Silver didn't comment on it, instead of nodding. He disliked the fact that he would randomly fall asleep at times without warning, but it would be a good idea to have Sebek there. Plus it could help keep him awake, and make it less dull.  "That works," Lilia says, "Off to bed with you all. I'll wake you both," a glance to Silver and Sebek, "when the time comes."
After hearing of her lover being awake for long periods of time without any sleep, Alexandria became worried. What did he mean by that and why was he saying that in a peppy tone? Should she accompany him just in case he ends up passing out? No. She needed to trust him on this. Lilia Vanrouge knew his way around a patrol. He wouldn't have become a general without knowing this. Nodding, she would only take her leave after leaning down and giving Lilia a peck on the cheek. "Please stay safe, mi tesoro," She said as she left the room to go up to one of the guest rooms. Would she be allowed to go sleep in his room? If she wasn't, she was going to do it anyway.
Malleus Draconia nodded as he turned his heel and trusted the two knights and general with the patrols. They're experts in this, so there was no worry or concern from him whatsoever. Going to his room, he closed the door behind him gently. Nothing and no one was going to get passed those three for certain. There was a reason that Lilia Vanrouge was his guardian. His grandmother was not one for flawed judgment when it came to his protection.
"No worries, my love," Lilia responds in kind, "I will make sure nothing shall befall on this family, that I do swear."
He looked over at Silver and Sebek, "Now hurry on along now, children," a smile, "Otherwise when it's your turn, you'll be terribly tired."
Silver and Sebek made blank faces, nodded, and then left for their respective rooms. They may have been adults, but they still consider Lilia to be a father figure.  Lilia looked to Malleus and Alex, and tilted his head to the side, "If you need anything, I shall be right outside. Please do get enough sleep, my kindred."
Both Malleus and Alex turned their heads in the tilting fae's direction and nodded their heads in unison and confirmation that they heard him. When they had left the room and went into their respective rooms, both had the opposite thoughts. Malleus Draconia entrusted the protection and safety of the home to him while Alexandria was worried about his lack of sleep. But he could pull it off. General Vanrouge has pulled off many things that would have been impossible for others to even process, let alone comprehend and react to. There was no wonder that the Queen had entrusted him with the lives of many others. If they were to have met during his days as a war general, she most likely would have been imprisoned by him or worse. Going to Lilia's room, she closed the door behind her gently. Undressing, she was now in her underwear and nothing else. His clothes would have been too small for her to wear and Alex didn't quite know Malleus well enough (nor Silver nor Sebek) in order to ask him to borrow his clothing.
Malleus simply closed the door behind him (yes, he is in his own room) and changed into some nighttime clothing with the snap of his fingers. As he went to lie down in his bed, his eyes closed. However, his ears were open to any and all noise that would be in the cottage. Being on the edge of Briar Valley was a fool's errand for most if not nearly all.
Once everyone had left, Lilia made a quick trip upstairs. He didn't take too long- simply grabbing the surveillance items. In a few minutes, he was outside.... At the top of the cottage. Lilia didn't think he would ever have to walk through the door at the end of the hallway of the hidden stairway, but then again he didn't think he would ever be in this situation- bringing his entire family back to the cottage and then staying there for the night. 
He had a bird's eye view, especially with the aid of the magic stones.  Old habits kicked in, and soon Lilia was in tune to his surroundings, from every little pixies and fae that flew and roamed around these parts, to every doe, fawn, and bear that made their home. This part of the forest was always quiet, thankfully, but one can never know when it will be the day that someone dares to venture out in the area. 
And Lilia prayed that he would never have to end another being again, if he could help it. 
-
The hours passed, and soon enough the sky was starting to become brighter- but only ever so slightly. It was still dark out, and the sun would likely not come out for another two hours. He supposed it was time to wake up Silver and Sebek, so he did. He went through the door, and down the stairs, until he came upon their rooms, waking them up individually.
Once the two were out and awake, Lilia led the two (albeit sleepy) men towards the hidden staircase, through the hall and then up to the rooftop, where the platform was. 
"Alright boys, here are the items. I'll leave you to it."
And without any further elaboration, Lilia left. 
Silver and Sebek looked at each other, and furrowed their brows. 
"What even is this place?" Silver asks, as he looks around, "Was this hidden passage always here?"
"Don't know," Sebek replied, "Malleus only showed me the hidden passage yesterday- before he announced his succession to the crown."
"...Well then."
The two took a seat, looking over the things left for them.
Soon enough, Alexandria had fallen into a deep slumber. Within her dreams, there was her and Lilia. The lovers were peacefully dancing in formal and pure white (wedding dress, white and green suit and all!), laughing at each other's whispered jokes after they had spoken their vows of undying love to each other. Sharing a passionate kiss between one another all the while being celebrated for their marriage. Malleus, Sebek, Silver, and two women were there to celebrate with them. A general would want a huge celebration, right? But not General Vanrouge. That was what the reception was for! Right now, it was just family and friends. Dancing with the few others at the wedding, cutting a cake together. What more did a woman her age want besides safety and security? 
At the same time, Malleus barely dreamed. Yet when he would do so, he would dream of his childhood. Of all of the happy times with baby Silver, small Sebek, and Lilia as his guardian. As his father figure. Warmhearted, loving, compassionate. Yet he was stern and strict when he needed to be. What more could a child of his stature and age ask for? Sure, Lilia's cooking was as abysmal as ever. But it was nutritious and healthy for growing boys such as themselves, at least according to Lilia. Although he was dreaming such a lovely, heartfelt dream, his ears had kept out any unfamiliar noises that were indicative of a stranger in the cottage.
Hours passed, and soon the sun rose. Silver and Sebek spent the majority of the time talking about the past and whatever else they could come up  with, while keeping an eye on the things. 
"Do you remember how we leave?" Sebek asked, unsure of how to get down, "I think Lilia had us climb the tree," Silver replied, "I don't understand why they never built a ladder- ah, wait. I found the ladder."
And lo and behold, there was a ladder at the edge. 
"Why did-"
"Let's not question it, Silver." 
The two got down, and entered the passage, curiously glancing at the walls. 
"You said Malleus allowed you inside?" Silver asks, once taking note of the doors, "What were they?"
"Just offices, nothing much to them. There were a few magical artifacts- they looked expensive. "
"Ah, I suppose that makes sense now... Why they didn't let us up here."
"...What do you mean?"
"Sebek, you broke the window once."
"...Right."
The conversation dwindled down as they came to the end of the staircase, Sebek casting the magic that Malleus had shown him earlier.
They then entered the living room, the house still as quiet, save for the noise coming from the kitchen, the waft of coffee permeating throughout the room. The two decide to enter the kitchen to see who it was.
Having woken up a couple of hours before sunrise, Alexandria had gotten dressed in the bedroom where her and Lilia were resting. Having found some eggs, a few potatoes, olive oil, and tomatoes, she had decided to make a hearty breakfast to help them all feel rested. The coffee was already hot and ready in cute coffee cups on the dining room table for everyone should they wish to drink some. Coffee that had some dollops of cream and milk in at least one or two of them with the cream and milk chilled a little bit so that it didn't go bad. The sizzling and sauteing of the vegetables was adorned with the cracking of the eggshells as the hearty smell of pan-fried potatoes had filled the kitchen and dining room. As they were being cooked in the pan, she had decided to add some salt and pepper for taste as well as some olive oil. Because she was making a big pan full of pan-fried potatoes, vegetables, and eggs, she decided to add some sliced tomatoes as well. The more vegetables to balance it out, the better. If Alex had more time, she would have also made some chocolate fried churros as well! But they would have had to head out in the early morning. While doing all of this, she was singing a lullaby to herself: Cielito Lindo. It always soothed her and put her mind at ease when she was focusing on cooking. Her long mane of midnight black hair was in a higher bun so as to not get any in the food. It was good to know what to do with a few hair clips, hair ties, and an old fashioned hairbrush. It could be used as a curler if need be! Yes, she was wearing the clothes from yesterday. But it wasn't as if she had brought anything else to wear. 
Malleus was still asleep in his bedroom, but would slowly rouse from it as soon as he smelled something being made. Was he out of his room yet? Not by a long shot. But he was fully dressed with just a snap of his fingers. Normally he would have only used it to assist him. But they were in a bit of a time crunch. Taking a book from the shelf, he turned on the magical lamp that he had used when he was younger and began to read.
Silver and Sebek entered into the kitchen, the full scent of food activating their hungry stomach. As if on cue, their stomachs growled. They glanced at each other, then back to Alex, slowly walking over to her to see what she was making. They made sure to make their footsteps loud and heard, as to warn Alex that they were no- as to not completely surprise her. 
"What are you making?" Silver asked, curiously. He stood right next to Alex, watching how she sauteed the vegetables, his mouth nearly watering as the sight of cooked food. Usually Silver would forgo breakfast, but he'd already been awake for hours, alongside Sebek, so naturally they craved food.  "You made coffee?" Sebek asks, glancing at the cups, "May I have one?" A cup of coffee might do him some good, especially after the shift of surveillance. And truth be told, Sebek liked coffee, although contrary to what one may think, Sebek liked his coffee on the sweeter side. Not too obscenely sweet, just enough to rid the bitterness of coffee.
Alexandria answered, "Oh, this? This is called huevos rotos. It's a hearty breakfast back in my home country on Earth that helps us wake up for the morning." That was when she had begun to describe the process of how it was made, where it was first made and how to properly make it along with the cream and the coffee. The milk was an essential ingredient to help lighten the color of the coffee so that it could be enjoyed without the harsh bitterness. Of course if they preferred it to be bitter, then they wouldn't need to add cream or milk. "Of course! Both of you go grab your coffee el leche! It'll help you both wake up for the journey to Briar Valley." Alex instructed, putting some more olive oil in there to help the pan-fried potatoes, vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and caramelized onions), and eggs don't burn on her. "Grab your pans as well from the dining room table! I'll give you your serving here in the kitchen!" 
By the time she was ready to serve, Malleus had put his own book away. Walking towards the door, he had opened it with a gentle hand, softly pushing it out of the way. Making his way downstairs, he could only follow his nose for the scent of breakfast that was being made. Once he had made his way into the dining room and the kitchen, he had to admit to himself that his mouth was watering. Internally, he was relieved that another day could go by without the wasteland that was Lilia's cuisine.
The two nodded, grabbing the necessary items and bringing it over to Alex so that they may get served. Once they received a good amount of food, they took their place at the kitchen table, Sebek helping himself to some of the coffee, adding more milk and sugar to it to achieve a tan color. 
Silver took a bite of the food, surprised at the taste. He's eaten similar back in Night Raven, but home cooked meals often were better than what's made in a cafeteria. He glanced at Alex, and once having caught her attention, he simply gave her a thumbs up and nodded.
When Malleus entered the room, Silver and Sebek gave a small bow, with Sebek saying, "Good morning, young master. I do hope you had a pleasant sleep."
She smiled and nodded when Silver had grabbed her attention. It always felt good to her heart when someone liked her cooking. After all, food was one of the main sources of life. What was the point of eating it if it didn't taste good at least? When was the vampiric fae going to be here? Was he going to sleep in today? Was he still up and about in some secret part of the cottage? Oh well. He'll come when he wants to eat. Turning the knob off, she would go ahead and get her own coffee, going to sit down at the table next to Silver.  "Greetings, Silver and Sebek," Malleus replied, picking up his pan. Going into the kitchen, he was given his bigger portion of food before giving her his thanks. Sitting down in the end chair, he had then proceeded to drink his coffee with a bit of creamer and milk. What was the flavor of this creamer? Was it regular cream? What some would call vanilla or hazelnut? Either way, it was a unique sweet taste to him that he enjoyed. Not too overpowering, but sweet enough to smell and dissuade the original bitterness.
"Father is a bit late, isn't he?" Silver speaks up, halfway through his meal. 
"He is," Sebek realizes, "I don't think he's often this late. Perhaps he slept in?"
Silver sighed- it could have been possible. He didn't know when was the last time his father had gone to sleep before this. "I'll go check up on him, then."
And so he left, Sebek eating his food. Faintly he could hear Silver's voice from the hallway, straining his ear to hear them- but from the sound of it, it looked like the fae hadn't gotten enough sleep these past few days.  "Belated morning, everyone," Lilia says, as he emerged into the kitchen, his voice husky and low, "I hope everyone is well." Lilia looked around, and saw Alex and the food, so he walked over to her, getting as close as he could, and said in a whisper, "Ah, this breakfast looks delightful."
Malleus had wondered if his guardian had grown too comfortable with life at Night Raven College. Perhaps that was why he was getting up late. Then again, the sleep fatigue could have finally gotten to him. He nodded at Silver as he continued to eat his breakfast. Who knew that human food could be this delicious? The tomatoes added a certain flavor that he couldn't describe. It also made for great coloring!  Alex almost leapt from her spot as she was in the middle of scooping up her portion with the spatula as she squeaked out, "Lilia, mi amor, you almost scared me out of my wits!" She exclaimed, barely managing to get the portion into her pan. "Please grab a pan from the dining room table. I need to get you your portion..." As she had gotten done with getting her own portion, the immortal went to give her lover his portion and the last bit of the huevos rotos so that it wouldn't get wasted. It was then that they thanked him for the compliment on the food.
"Apologies, love," Lilia says, receiving the food with grace.  "Though I'm always appreciative of the food you make, please do be aware."
Lilia took his seat, making sure to choose one where there would be an empty seat for his beloved next to him. 
The breakfast was dealt in comfortable silence. The food that Alex ate was eaten quickly, almost none left over by the time that breakfast was done. Once everyone was done, Silver and Sebek excused themselves, going to their rooms to finish packing.  "We ought to finish up preparation too," Lilia suggests, "Though I think we're fine, but it couldn't hurt."
"I'll do my best to be more aware in the future," She muttered, kicking herself for not being more careful of Lilia's surprise. Of course he was doing that as a way to test if you could anticipate someone coming at you. This time, she was too preoccupied. Therefore they had failed at their task. What was relieving was that not an ounce of food was not wasted and the coffee was mostly drunk. Putting their dishes in the sink, she then turned on the faucet to rinse out the dishes. Going back for the others, their speed walking had proven to be effective. Once the dishes were rinsed out and washed to the best of her abilities, they grabbed a rag to dry them off with. When that chore was done, it was then that she sped walked to Lilia's room. As he had said, preparations were needed for the trip to Briar Valley. 
Malleus had already finished with his packing since he had mostly done so manually with little magic for assistance. The more magic he used, the more blotted his stone became. They didn't need an overblot at a time like this. Everything from his wardrobe, drawers (mostly souvenirs that reminded him of the magicless child of man that wandered into his life one day) and night stand. So there wasn't all that much for him to have packed. Well except for all of the books as well as some of his paperwork. Nobody besides his family must know about it. His broom was standing on the side of his bedroom wall, waiting to be taken. Taking both his luggage and his broom, the Prince made his way out of the room and would wait in the living room.
Sebek and Silver went to the living room once they were done, only bringing a small pack or two for the journey- everything in the cottage was made for them when they were teenagers- not grown men. So all they could bring were merely the items that they had brought with them to the cottage. 
They saw Malleus in the living room, the two bowed their heads to him in deference. 
"Young master," Sebek says, "I hope you're prepared for the journey."
"It'll be brief, but nonetheless, it will be best to be prepared as much as one can be," Silver replies. 
Lilia walks into the room, carrying a sizable suitcase- its contents couldn't have been much more than anyone else's. Lilia never needed to have much, after all, and his short stature meant he could have more space for other items- like snacks.
"I am." Only two words had come out of his lips as he addressed the two young knights. His only hope was that the people would welcome him back into the capital. But he knew the truth. Most were too afraid of even approaching him, let alone speak to him. Everything should be alright now. There were no worries or concerns to be had... Well, the Prince (soon to be King) shouldn't be worrying about that at this second. What was to be thought about was the journey. Hopefully the winds have calmed down now. 
Alexandria was the last one to come out with two small suitcases since she didn't pack much as all. This was going to be her new life now since she had been a nomad for most of it. Though it would be strange settling into Briar Valley, they were sure that they were going to meet new people and possibly be friends with them, yes? Snacks? Well those were almost nonexistent. Her diaries and journals? All of those were there along with her spells, potions, and other alchemical formulas. Simple hygienic items? Yes. Hair products? Check! Razor? Also check! The immortal had already double and triple checked to see if she had brought her dagger and crystal ball before coming out of the room.
Lilia looked around, and once he made the mental note that everything was in order, he began, "Alright, it looks like we should depart now. I know a clearing where we can take off, so follow me."
The old fae led everyone out of the house, making sure that it was all locked and secure. He then led everyone on a faded trail (though when was a trail never faded?), and after a few minutes of walking, there was a clearing. 
Though it wasn't a clearing per se, as wild flowers have begun to sprout, making the area akin to a field, it was still a suitable place to take off.  "Here, it should be good," Lilia says, preparing his broom.
Alex and Malleus nodded as they would follow Lilia out of the cottage and onto the worn trail. It truly felt as if they were going on a journey after their first pitstop. The wild flowers in the small clearing field filled her with a sense of calm as she sauntered over to go get ready onto Lilia's broom. Alexandria could fly just as easily as the rest could. So why did she never bring a broom? Simple. She didn't have a need for one for the longest time. Her two legs and feet were all that was needed for her previous life. Also her broom broke for some mysterious reason, but we don't need to talk about that- But now they would need one for this place. For the first time, she was going to be visiting this mystical place. Where she would be living for a long time. Her heart raced at all of the opportunities and possibilities of someone that she knew being her tour guide. 
His stomach had billions of microscopic butterflies stuck as a wave of anxiety gradually grew before dissipating once more. What were these sudden floods of emotions? Besides from him becoming King. Maybe he was just nervous about going back. That was all. Of course! That's all it was! However his face would never betray him in the most vital of times. His aloof nature was always front and center and so it shall remain. Preparing himself, he had gotten onto his broom and went into position to sit on it.
Soon, everyone was air-bound. It was a rocky start, but the ride became smoother as time went on, with the occasional turbulence. It didn't take terribly long to get to the castle, but it was not like it was a short ride either. At some point Lilia dispersed some of the snacks around in order to keep everyone's energy. 
By the time they arrived on castle grounds, it was only barely past noon.
"Finally, our feet have landed," Sebek sighed, "I don't know how much longer I would've been able to endure." 
Silver looked at his blot stone, noting how dark it was becoming, "Indeed. We should take it easy for some time before we use some magic, in case." "Welcome to the palace, love," Lilia says to Alex, with a smile on his face.
The turbulence was expected at this point. But her instincts had told her to hold onto her lover's waist still. Who knew how bad the winds could get in this place? When they had made the short pitstop, the tall immortal woman almost devoured her snacks within several bites. Did her own breakfast not satiate her hunger? It wasn't as if any of the group was going to criticize or judge them for it. Once they were back in the air again, their body almost leaned onto Lilia's. But they knew that he was strong enough to be able to handle their weight. The next thing they knew, the castle of Draconia was in bird's eye view. Her gray eyes widened as they glistened, almost wanting to cry at the beauty of its' gothic architecture. Landing on the ground, they shook off their tears by blinking them again. Digging out their wand, they took a look at the stone. Luckily for them, theirs was fine. A bigger smile had spread on their face, a joyful smile, as they thanked Lilia for the ride. "It's beautiful here," They whispered, musing about life in the castle.
At the same time, Malleus had looked at his wand after being the last to land on the ground. His lime green gemstone had darkened some, making him glare at it. Within a millisecond, that darkened expression has gone away into his original aloof expression. He sauntered towards the group, keeping quiet about his wand. Malleus had too much on his mind to worry about what might happen. Putting his wand back in its proper place, his strides helped him catch up with the group in no time. Leading the group alongside Lilia, they had made their way to the front entrance, opening themselves up to the world of the royal court.
"Be prepared," Lilia warns, a hand on the handle, "The court may not be so welcoming to newcomers."
With that, he pushed the door  open, the hinges creaking loudly the more and more they were pushed. 
"Come right on in, kindred," Lilia calls out. 
The group did, and upon entering, they realized they entered from a side entrance- fae and human servants out and about doing, doing their tasks for the day. They were in the ballroom it seemed, from the looks of it. Tables and chairs were being set up, and none of the workers glanced at the group, likely too focused on their task. 
There were a few glances here and there, but no one dared come up to the group nor acknowledge them fully. 
"Should we head for Her Highness' personal quarters?" Sebek asks, looking around. While not his first time in the castle, it was the first he'd ever had to consider talking to the ruling Queen. 
"No," Lilia replied, taking the lead, "Her Majesty should be aware that we're here at a moment's notice. First we should prioritize getting our bearings, then meet with Her Majesty, should she ask for it."
"I see," Silver replies, curiously looking around as well, though he stood tall. 
"Come along now- the faster we get our bearings, the faster we can get to the heart of the matter," Lilia says, taking the group further into the castle. 
It didn't take long for them to find a servant in high enough ranking to escort them to their rooms,  though it did take long to find said rooms.  Silver and Sebek went off to their respective rooms, as did Malleus. 
"Would you want to share a room, beloved?" Lilia asks, in front of one of the doors. There was a vacant room next to his- should Alex prefer to have one by herself.
She nodded in understanding as she braced herself for the future onslaught. Entering with the group, she ended up being behind by only a little bit since she still wanted to look at the architecture. Whoever designed and built this place was a master at it! Not to be distracted by that, she ended up pinching herself. After the pinch, their attention switched back to the group. They were just grateful that they had entered from the side entrance instead of the main entrance. Although these doors looked all the same to her, she'd have to memorize the building. Despite the glances, she managed to press on. Just blend in and everything will be fine. Well... Blend in as much as they could since they kind of stick out with their cape of black hair, gray eyes, human blood, modern day clothing and ochre skin much like the mellow-brown that had bathed the forests at the cottage. As soon as they were led to their rooms, she saw that Malleus had immediately gone into his own bedroom. Looking back at the kindred soul that was her beloved, her unpainted lips parted to speak, "I would prefer to do that, yes." Not only was she unfamiliar with this building and this land, but it would have been safer in the long run just in case someone were to hunt her down for being something that she couldn't control. Going inside, she set her belongings down before sitting down in the first available chair. The building was massive and that was just putting it lightly. Due to all of the walking that she had to do just in this building alone (and keeping up pace with the others), her feet had ached in her boots. Perhaps they weren't the right kind of show to wear. Then again, she went through worse in her own childhood. So this was a childish thing for her to complain about.
"Very well," Lilia responds, opening the door and allowing his beloved in. 
The room was rather basic- the walls were a dark shade of green, the bedding as well. In fact, the entire room was in shades of dark green, black, and gold, and some slight purple- in the colors of the queen.
"Looks like there is a lot of natural light in here," Lilia comments, setting his baggage in the ground, now exploring the place.  "Do you wish to rest up, love?" Lilia then asks, taking a seat on the bed, "I think Her Highness would like to check in, but whether or not you want to attend with me is entirely up to you."
Although the room was basic, it still had this aura of mystery and safety. That was all she needed in order to stay here. The natural lighting helped with making this space a comforting sight. "Do you know if this castle has a garden? I would very much love to go see it." For some reason, flowers had always filled her with a sense of serenity. Especially if they were roses. The colors of the room represented the Queen well. It was to be made obvious even if she had not met her yet. The colors somehow came together well. The greens, black, gold with a touch of dark purple. Alex was still trying to process all of this. Her physical body was here. In a castle. In the Draconia castle no less! Was she meant to meet the Queen of Briar Valley? That was only an honor that was bestowed to only the most powerful and elite of individuals. But if Lilia considered her as such as his lover, then who was she to deny him? Eagerly, she stood up from the chair and took the place on the bed right next to him. So what if her feet had hurt? It was worth it. It was worth being right beside him... Her treasure, her beloved. Her everything, her world. "I can rest later. If I'm to be more competent as your kindred, then I must meet her and make a good impression."
Lilia smiled, "I see. We should go meet her once I finish packing."
Lilia didn't elaborate, but with the use of magic, he opened both of their suitcases up, taking out its contents. He opened the drawers, and organized everything in- clothing in one drawing, while items in the other. He did it with such finesse that his blot stone did not noticeably get much darker. 
 He then walked over to Alex, and grabbed her hand, "Do be careful when meeting her- the woman is lovely, but you need to show that you're trustworthy first."
It looked like he didn't want Alex to be worried about the use of magic, especially after such a long trip via broom.
With his help, she was pulled from the bed with dignity. Their hands being interlocked together were two puzzle pieces that were meant to be put together. "Of our manners...," She murmured, repeating after him. In her brain, it quickly became a mantra to keep her focused on the task at hand. The reassurance that Lilia was quick to give her had always had a hold on her. She firmly believed that no one except for his family and friends were allowed to be able to feel this kind of warmth from him. Selfish? Yes. She knew that very well and wouldn't delude herself into thinking otherwise. The fact that the halls were more barren only enhanced her focus as her grip became slightly tighter. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was to ground herself. That was the main task at hand right now. Everything was going to be okay. As they walked closer and closer to the Queen's quarters, her confidence would gradually reach its peak. However it was in a cool, sensible fashion.
Soon enough, after many twists and turns, they arrived right in front of the Queen's door. 
Knocking in a pattern, Lilia allowed himself in, as if he knew the Queen would let him in regardless. 
Lilia brought Alex in and guided her to the front of the desk, whereupon the Queen looked up from her paperwork, her golden eyes staring at the two of them. Her expression remained blank, but her hands moved ever so slowly, as if she was taking note of every little detail. 
"General Vanrouge," she begins, in a low voice, "Introduce us."
With a smile, Lilia did. 
"Your highness," a bow, "This is my beloved, Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia, an immortal human."
At the word of immortal, the Queen's demeanor shifted, her face softening. 
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia."
She brought her hand in front of Alex, as if waiting for her to take it and shake it.
Upon raising her hand to shake the Queen's hand, she internally gulped. ...Has anyone else besides her gotten to shake the Queen's hand? Well, there would have been a few that could do so realistically. Her justification was that her brain was going haywire from seeing the Queen of Briar Valley face to face. However her neutral, polite expression had held it all in. Her grip was firm, but gentle so as to not offend the Queen. In her experiences, offending royalty had never gone well. There were no exceptions to be had for that. It was a hard rule that everyone had to abide by no matter their rank in society. Was she allowed to look into her golden eyes as she was now? Was she the type who wanted her to bow before her? "Your Highness, it is an honor and a privilege to meet you." Okay, so far so good. This was the first step and they weren't even done with that. She was sure of it. Being a daughter of a noble family herself, Alexandria knew a couple of things about etiquette and manners.
"And an honor to meet you," The Queen says cooly, removing her hand, "Lilia has told me little about you, all praise however."
The cold facade that the Queen upheld was slowly melting away, as she looked at Alex more keenly, then to Lilia, "I was told that you two, Malleus, and the boys just recently arrived."
"That is so," Lilia replied, nodding. 
"You came rather quickly to my office too," The Queen drawled, leaning back into her chair, "Not even Malleus has come to see me yet."
"Apologies about that, your highness," Lilia says, "I'm sure he'll want to meet you soon. He does care a lot about you, after all."
"I sure do quite hope so," she sighs, but regains her composure, "Certainly, the two of you must be famished after such a trip from- what I take it- the cottage? Would the two  of you like to join me for lunch here?"
"I wouldn't want to impose-" "You're not imposing, General Lilia," the Queen then glanced over to Alex, "Besides, I do wish to learn more about your beloved. It is not often that I meet an immortal human. What say you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia?"
As she saw the queen remove her hand, so too did she as it laid upon her side. However intimidating the Queen was, it would have been more disrespectful to look away from her gaze. Her charcoal gray eyes followed the regal woman as she then spoke to her beloved. "If you wish for it, then I shall make it happen, Your Highness." Alexandria agreed, a smile easing itself onto her mature features. Dimples were shown as well as slight crinkles at the edge of her eyes. This was an opportunity of a lifetime and she wasn't about to waste it! She was fortunate enough to have remembered to bring her golden glass eye along with her so that she could change out her smoky gray one. Perhaps the Queen wished to know about her life? Even if it was a little bit? To be truthful, she was thrilled to have someone care so much about finding out more about her as Lilia was when they had first met. Vil and Jamil were curious about her, yes. But they never quite went the distance such as her lover did.
"Take a seat, then, dear," the Queen says, gesturing to the seats in front of her. 
Lilia did as he was told, and once Alex did the same, the Queen called for someone over. It was a simple servant, and in foreign tongue, she talked to the servant, who understood it all and left. 
"I've let them know to bring more food for the two of you here," The Queen says, "Now, Alex, I'm quite curious- how did you meet the likes of Lilia?"
The Queen brought her hands together, looking expectantly at Alex, hiding her smile behind her hands. 
"I could-" "General Vanrouge, I would appreciate to hear Miss Gonzalez-Garcia's version of events. You," a glance to Lilia, "Have only given me the barest of bare bones. I want a full story- for it can't be so simple as you claim, General."
As if on cue, her stomach had growled. Apparently she was more hungry than she had thought. No matter. The Queen already had someone bring over some food. The food that was brought over for a simple lunch was quite delectable! The servants in this castle really knew what they were doing when they made this traditional dish. However, her story had to come first. Clearing her throat, Alexandria parted her lips to speak of her version of events.
"From the beginning...," Her husky, deep voice reverberated in the room as she would begin her story from when she had come to Twisted Wonderland. Before that, she briefly spoke about her background, detailing how the fae that promised and gave her the immortality she had now told her that she could never see her family again. Not her parents, not her younger brother. Nor any of her descendants. If that were to be broken, her immortality would be gone and she would die. But at least her family was saved from those who persecuted them. Before then, her family were a noble family back on Earth in the late 1500's (in the early 1570's up until the early 1590's) when her family were wrongfully accused of witchcraft and then were persecuted by the crown as well as the people of Spain. 
From then, she had to develop her magic in order to survive as well as forage and lead a nomadic life. Traveling everywhere on foot or by broom in the dead of night so as to not be spotted. There were times where she was on the brink of death from being stung and poisoned. Ironically, being stung for as many times as she did helped her body build a resistance (and eventually an immunity) towards poison. Throughout that time, she had also refined her sword fighting skills to offer herself some way of being able to fight back. Meanwhile she would periodically check on her family via following them to make sure that they were still living in the best of conditions. Well, in the best way that they could. Her diaries and journals even documented her own alchemical discoveries along with making some formulas and potions to help her have more versatility in her inventory. 
As for meeting the likes of Lilia, there was a magical stone that she had interacted with while she was being chased from the town that once welcomed her for her fortune-telling and health potions. Out of desperation, she had grasped it. Suddenly she was no longer on Earth, but in twisted Wonderland. In order to blend in and protect herself, she had to come up with a new identity and move to the Land of Pyroxene. Since her magic had become powerful enough to sustain her through finesse and practice, she would look for some kind of magical school to shelter her. She had never heard of Night Raven College before. Falling asleep, Alexandria had awoken out of a coffin and into the school of Night Raven College. 
Giving the headmaster her fake identity of Athanasia Vita (Eternal Life), she was then assigned to the Scarabia dorm by the Mirror. It was day one of her classes that she was to meet Lilia Vanrouge. 
At first, they would just be acquaintances. However, their relationship quickly grew into something more once they found that they both had common ground with each other referring to age. Signing up for the Pop Music Club (Light Music Club) and taking over the part of the drummer when Kalim (a boy that was a part of a powerful merchant family back in the Scalding Sands) ended up being sick, their bond had strengthened. It was when he had saved her from the likes of two students who wished to court (and possibly use for their own selfish gain) her. Lilia Vanrouge had even taught her how to properly play video games as well as introduced her to more board games than she could ever hope to have seen in her life.
There were pauses in her story as she had to stop in order to catch her breath to stop herself from breaking. The earlier parts of her background were almost too much for her to say as she had never spoken of it to anyone other than a few people at Night Raven College, Vil and Jamil included. The images of people howling, screaming, and yelling out for their family members would always be in the back of her mind no matter what she tried to do. Once she was calm, Alex would go through with telling her of her life story and how Lilia had met. Had she told him about this? To an extent, yes. But for the Queen, they felt as if they had to tell them just about everything. But not about the glass eye that she seemed to have silently caught onto when she had looked at her lover. The glass eye hadn't moved one bit or a natural glow to it unlike the human eye that was intact.
The Queen listened intently, taking a sip every so often from the tea that was brought in. She made only a slight facial expression- a hint of sorrow once she found out how she had obtained her immortality, but softened upon hearing how Lilia and Alex truly met.
When Alex finished speaking, the Queen spoke up, "Thank you for telling me your story- I can't imagine how difficult it was to recall the tragedies that you had to go through, but I'm glad things have gone for the better."
The Queen then moves back, moving so that she could open one of her drawers. 
"Take this, dear," she pulls out a small pouch, clearly having an item within it, "It's a hair clip, but it will change into a small weapon the moment you press the small button on the side. It'll take some magic, only a small amount, to take the shape of a suitable weapon. Lilia has told me about the brooms- so hopefully this hairpin shall not break, but worry not if it does." 
"Ah, right," Lilia says, glancing over to Alex, "I've talked about your situation about the brooms with Her Majesty, I do hope you'll forgive me."
"I am rather curious though," The Queen speaks up, "You did not remain as Athanasia Vita- why is that so? I'd assume it would have been better to integrate into this world as Vita since the records are created." She glanced at some paperwork to the side, "Though I suppose I understand the sentiment of your true name, say- if you wish, I can conjure some documents for you if you have not done so?" 
She looked expectantly at Alex, hiding her face behind her hands, her golden eyes intimidating.
Hearing the Queen's voice and having her sympathize with them was all that mattered at that moment. She quirked up an eyebrow at the drawer, wanting to see what the Queen had to offer her. Once a pouch had been taken out of the drawer by the Queen, her curiosity had reached its peak. What was-? Her eyebrows rose as their eyes widened. Their lips parted, but no words came out. Closing them, Alex swallowed their saliva before attempting to speak once more. What came out was, "I- Thank you." She was shocked. Almost overwhelmed by the kindness of the fae Queen. If people feared her, then they were fools for doing so. Then again, the Queen didn't have to do this at all. The only thing they wished for was to have this done far sooner. Looking over at Lilia now, she could only grin and chuckle breathily. "...Love. You don't have to apologize for everything," She leaned over as her hand touched and gently gripped his hand as she continued, "It's a good thing that you've told her. Otherwise, you would have had to use up some of your magic taking me everywhere on your broom." As the Queen of the fae addressed her once more, the human turned her attention towards her once more. Speaking of documents, it would be lovely if she could have some as Athanasia Vita. As much as she preferred her original name, the false identity was put into place in order to protect herself from any perceived threats. As for why they didn't remain as Vita? "That was due to me being more comfortable with being out in the open due to certain supportive people. But for the future, yes. I would prefer some documents as Athanasia Vita." In private, her original name would be used. But out in public, the false identity would be used since there were going to be threats that would persecute their loved ones if their true name came out.
"Alright then," The Queen says, "I'll talk to the headmaster of Night Raven- he would surely have some documents remaining, and I'll supplement the rest, but if he does not, I'll make everything from scratch. It will make you an official resident of Briar Valley as well, so residing here with General Vanrouge should not pose a problem." The Queen then pushes the pouch towards Alex, and then says, "Are there any more questions that you would like to ask of me? I'm afraid I would not have much time left in the near future," a glance to the side, "...Considering the circumstances and such. Though you can always leave a letter, and I will be sure to send a correspondence in return during my free time, if need be.”
Alex readily accepted the pouch that was pushed towards her, grabbing it from the desk. She needed to be sure to thank her for her generosity and kindness. So many questions, so little time. "I do have one," They said, sitting up straighter, "Would you be watching us even if you've run out of time?" A peculiar question indeed. But given the circumstances in which the Queen was in, Alexandria thought that it was fair to ask. After all, she could feel her own family watching over her at her time of need. Right now, Malleus needed that more than ever.  After unpacking everything and enjoying his leisurely time outside in the garden with a book, his thoughts lingered to his Grandmother. Was she still here? If so, then he must seek her out. Putting a bookmark in his book, he then closed it, standing up as he called over a servant. "Lead me to my Grandmother," He commanded in a stoic tone. However, what was underneath that voice was something calling out to reunite with his family. He didn't know how much time she had left and he truly wanted to spend some time with her. The time that it took them to go there was not but a few minutes. The Prince was let in by a high ranking servant. Nodding at them, the servant had left to attend to their duties. "Am I interrupting something, Grandmother?" The younger horned fae inquired, only wishing to meet with her for what may seem like the last time.
The Queen, who was just about to answer Alex's attention, shifted her attention to her grandson, a smile breaking out on her face. 
"My dear, you're not interrupting anything," She said in a soft voice, "I was just merely chatting with General Vanrouge and his beloved Alexandria. How have you been, dear?" She looks over at the seats nearby, and gestures to it, "Take a seat, child. You just had a long journey after all."
Lilia smiled, "Always so caring for your grandson, Your Highness. It is a blessing that only we bear witness to such kindness." "Is that so?" She tilted her head, "No matter. There are some things of importance I need to discuss with Malleus, but if I'm correct to assume that both you General Vanrouge and Miss Gonzalez-Garcia are close confidants, then you may be allowed to be here to listen, and give console if appropriate."
Unable to resist such an expression from his Grandmother, he smiled back softly as he silently took the seat beside his Grandmother. "It was a restless, yet tiring journey, Grandmother. Lilia had guided us to the castle with finesse and ease," He answered with the confidence of one who knew the General well. As far as he knew, Lilia had responded appropriately. No matter. The fae Queen's grandson confirmed that they were indeed close confidants. "General Vanrouge would never settle for anything less than the best for himself and for us all." 
This conversation so far has answered the immortal's question. Perhaps there was more to it in their culture. It wouldn't hurt to take a listen into their conversation. Her left hand was still on Lilia's right as she kept quiet, careful not to interrupt the Queen and her grandchild.
Malleus Draconia had a tendency to hyperfocus and listen to his elders. This was no exception, especially with his own relatives. His Grandmother was the highest authority in all of Briar Valley. So her words always held deep meaning to him with the topics that were at hand. The coronation. The issues with the economy and the nobility. Of course the nobility always had something to complain about when they were bored out of their minds.
Now about the coronation, he already had some foods in mind such as the main course. "Venison steaks. This kind of meat would be popular with the elite and nobility. The pairings of fruits such as our forest berries would be good with them as well as rich sauces. Next would be a dish that is stuffed with foods from our own kitchens, of course. A roasted bird with stuffing." As he continued to list the foods, Malleus had begun to note the reasons behind why he had wanted these foods to be at the coronation. These were foods that he was personally fascinated with along with the cuisine from the Scalding Sands. The aroma and spiciness would give it a new and refreshing flavor never seen and heard of. For the desserts, there were going to be fruit-based pies that were served with some custard and sweetened cream along with some puddings. His personal favorite, ice cream, would also be there. It was something that the children of men had called "sorbets''. The beverages were already set in stone like the red wines, fruit wines, coffee, teas from all over Twisted Wonderland. 
Lastly would be the flowers. His personal favorite was one that was an uncommon flower but had meant so much to him. The White Amaryllis. The selection of flowers included green roses, white amaryllises, succulents, olives, hidden lilies, and the green lisianthus. While they would blend into the environment, they also represented him and his personality as well as his past, current situation, and his future. The last flowers that would be in the middle would be the Dracaena Fragans. It represented financial and career success along with peace and good fortune.
From Alex's perspective, there was only amazement and awe. In her own family, they had never planned this far out with special occasions. Malleus must have read about these while at Night Raven College or while speaking to one of the three members that always accompanied him. Then again, these all could be traditional dishes that are native to the Briar Valley. She unconsciously caressed her kindred's hand while listening in on the conversation between Malleus and his Grandmother. Once in a while, they would give the General side glances and small, almost sheepish smiles. Although he wasn't that much older than them, they still had a long way to go with expanding their knowledge.
The Queen smiled, her fangs now noticeable. "My, you had considered this all before, haven't you? Either way, this is good. I'll see what we can do here in the comfort of our kingdom, and see what we may need to import from the neighboring nations and lands. And I'm assuming you already have flowers in mind, so I'll gather a florist and have them talk to you about it. I do believe we have a party coordinator on hand, though I do urge you to keep in mind the costs. Should it be too expensive and full of glamor, the nobility may see it negatively and think you're out to deplete the treasury, but should you do the  bare minimum, they may think that you're rather cheap." She adjusted her posture, sitting up straighter, "This will be like a test, my dear. After all, it is the nobility who are hard to please yet they are the ones who are the pillars of this nation. They may be a nuisance, but they play a role in our society, so we need to strike balance. So, I do hope you'll be able to find that sweet spot."
The most important flowers and foods were going to be the venison, sorbets, and the flowers that represented the family well. But there was one problem. How was Malleus supposed to find that sweet spot to appease the nobility and elite of the Briar Valley? This was a difficult task to accomplish seeing as they would scrutinize just about everything he did to begin with all because of their reputation. He didn't want to drain their treasury or insult them by only bringing the bare minimum. If this was a test, then it was a stressful one. However, it was most likely surmised that it was to see whether he was worthy of the throne or not when she ended up passing. With that, he could take out some of the flowers and small desserts that would be there. The sorbets would be staying as well as the main course. When it came to balancing funds and budgeting, Lilia happened to be better at that than he would. Turning to the elder vampire fae, he asked, "What would be your input on this? My Grandmother and I wish for this coronation to go well with the elite so that they may continue to support the Draconia family." His gaze darted between the General and his betrothed, gauging what their answers would be.
"Hm," Lilia hummed as he thought about it, "It would be a good idea to, in fact, have two options for both dessert and main course, that way they don't feel limited in their choices, even though it's limited. Decoration, I believe that minimal decoration would be optimal- since there is the saying "less is more"- each table can have a small vase of flowers, and for around the ballroom, a large vase of the larger flower types would be a good idea. Banners as well- I believe we still have the ones during Her Majesty's coronation, we would just need to hire seamstresses to repair whatever need be.”
Lilia looked straight at Malleus, "After all, there are many nobles, so the prioritization would lay with the food. We need to ensure that we have enough food to feed them twice, and should there be any food leftover, the servants may have it." He then paused, as if another thing came to mind, titling his head and stroking his chin, "There is also entertainment. We need musicians and bards to come play, and we may only commission the expert players. Hiring newcomers may prove to be damaging to both us and them should they make any mistake during their performance." Though as a light bulb went off in his head, "Oh, but then in that case, perhaps Jazz players would be best. Granted, we may need to hire out of kingdom, but jazz music is rather well at concealing any mistakes," a frown, "but since many do not know the wonders of jazz music, they may not welcome it."
It seemed that there was much more thought to put into a coronation other than food and flowers. Honestly, this was a bit exhausting. But this wasn't the worst he's had to endure. So he would rather take this over whatever happened with Grim at the college. His left hand curled into a fist, his gloved knuckles almost turning white. Furrowing his eyebrows, Malleus was deep in thought about what he wanted and trying to balance out both the Queen's and Lilia's suggestions. 
After a few minutes of pure silence after Lilia's response, he suddenly spoke up while looking in the direction of his supervisor, "Yes. I will agree with Lilia. For now, we will only commission the experts. A small vase of flowers will do and the banners and be repaired by the seamstresses. Some of the desserts may be put back as they will only add excess to the coronation. The sorbets and custards will stay as well as the venison and roasted bird," Malleus cleared his throat politely before continuing, "The expert musicians and bards may come up with something new and original in order to keep with our traditions as well as, as the humans say, mix it up. Such as new renditions of some of our folk songs for example." 
Now that his caretaker mentioned it, jazz would be good. Perhaps they could do their best to compose new pieces that incorporated some of those instruments? But what would they say to this? That he had no taste in music?
During this entire time, Alex had been in deep thought herself, keeping silent as to let the others speak on matters that were unfamiliar to her. An epiphany had just come to her! What if she sang for the coronation? While not having as much experience as someone from here, she still had a soothing voice! If she could learn the pieces with a tutor and freshen up on her singing, then it was possible that she could do it!
"Love," Lilia turns to Alex, "What do you think?  New eyes and perspective may offer valuable input. You came from a nation that worked similarly- have you ever witnessed a coronation?" 
After all, humans had more coronations than the fae did, since they lived far shorter lifespans. It would make sense that the humans traded out their kings often, as death came easily for all. But then again, there was a chance Alex didn't get to see one due to her circumstances.  "I do agree," comments the Queen, "New eyes offer new wisdom."
Malleus spoke once more, agreeing with the two. 
When all eyes were on her, she felt the pressure. However she was used to this kind of thing. "What if I was the one to provide a voice while at the coronation? I could sing both types of genres just as long as I freshen up my skills with a tutor. The ancient languages will take a while, so I would have to sing in the languages that I know. The coronation would have to have a balance of being well-prepared without being too garish. Too minimal is no good either. It would be insulting to their status and it would be a waste of time. The less support you have, the more likely it is that you'll be overthrown. We would need blacks, greens, purples, gold, and red to flourish as well as to represent the family colors." The music would have to be the right mix of upbeat and mellow in order to delight, amuse, and entertain the elite while they talked to each other about whatever they wished to speak about as well.
In between these topics, she would tell of examples where the nobility had thrown tantrums and rebelled against the royal families for not providing them with whatever they wished during their parties. Accusing them of insulting their family name and of wasting their time with fools. There were plenty of examples that she could go off of just based on her parents' stories of their time at these lavish parties. Gossip was the hobby of the day and rumors ran amuck between the elite. Almost no one could truly be trusted unless you scoured for them yourself. Balancing the food, flowers, music, decorations, and the atmosphere were some of the most important things to do when it came to a coronation since it sends the nobles and the elite a message saying that you take them and their opinions seriously. 
At the end of the discussion, Malleus, to say the least, was amazed at the knowledge that she had about coronations and about the nobility in general. Then again, the Prince didn't know her as well as Lilia did.
"Thank you for your wisdom, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia." The Queen then looked to her grandson, and then Lilia, "What do you think of her voice, General? I believe you're the only one who could've heard her range to the fullest extent, am I correct to assume?"
Lilia nodded, "I can attest to her voice. She adapted pretty well to Common as well, and sounds identical to a native. I don't believe it would pose too much of a problem for the singing to be done in Common, as long as she is properly trained to sing the way we do." "Thank you, General," she looked back to Alex, "Are you sure you would want to do this? I'm sure the musicians would like to meet with you in order to practice for Coronation- which will eat away at whatever free time you would have."
After a moment of careful consideration, she replied, "...Only if you are confident in my ability to sing. But yes, I would like to do this." It was official. Alexandria was going to be a part of the entertainment at Malleus' coronation. Although everyone in the room had approved of this, they had a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping into their heart and into their body. Their heart was practically pounding with how hard it was beating. It had been a long while since she had sung in front of a crowd. Five to six years ago to be exact. If everyone believed in her, then it'll be a success, right? Possibly. Still, she had stood up tall and made her decision as clearly as any who were determined to help their loved one succeed in their career. His expression had long since gone back to its' neutral state of aloofness.
"I believe that those are all the matters, then," The Queen says, getting up."Business is done here, for you lot. I'll be taking a break, and after this, I won't be able to talk to any of you, except Malleus, until after the coronation. Do be well. " 
Lilia, Malleus, and Alex gave their farewells and left, the Queen slumping over her desk. The coronation was going to be a big deal, after all. She needed to make sure all went well. 
And so began the preparations. 
--
It had been a few days, and it was Coronation day. The day began early, preparations coming to completion. Then the actual coronation came- Malleus walking down the long walk, nobility on both sides of the ballroom, eyeing and scrutinizing every move that Malleus made, until he finally came up to the throne, wherein the Queen took of the crown off her head, Malleus kneeling down, the crown then being placed on his head. 
Cheers were heard, and the festivities began. When it came for Alex to sing, everyone was enchanted by her voice, whispers amongst the fae about the particular human.  Even more whispers came about when Lilia came to hold her hands at the end of her act, when the festivities were coming to a close. 
At the end of it all, it looked like the nobles were satisfied with the Coronation, many introducing themselves to now King Malleus. 
It had been a long day indeed, and it wasn't until late night did anyone get to sleep. 
-- 
A week had passed, and things were running smoothly, Lilia in the guestroom with Silver and Alex- with Sebek and Malleus missing. 
"I wonder why they're missing," Lilia says openly, "It worries me. Do you have any idea, Silver?"
Silver shook his head, "It was as sudden to me as to you, father. I don't have the faintest idea why he and Malleus would be gone together. Sebek didn't have time to tell me of the matters either." 
Lilia glanced over to Alex, "What say you, love? Any theories about their whereabouts?"
"Ah, you may be right. Her Majesty was unable to produce more heirs, as the same for Malleus' parents. It would devastate Briar Valley should Malleus pass with no heir- the entire court would be in shambles trying to crown another king." Lilia huffs, grabbing one of the scones off the platter, "There is only a few other dragon fae out there, and the materalis no longer exist to provide their aid." 
"The materalis?" Silver asks, glancing over to Alex to see if she knew. 
"Ah," Lilia begins, "On record, they're supposedly a race of demons that gained holy powers, and had a particular way of reproduction. Only firstborns were materalis, and any following children would be the same race of the other parent. But due to an incident with one of them, they're pretty much dead to this world. Not much else is known about them, so it's possible some are alive, but I wouldn't count on it." 
"But you said aid?"
Lilia nodded, "It was said that they only needed the blood of another to reproduce- so marriage or even close contact is not necessary." 
"I see."
"There aren't many marriageable candidates," Lilia sighed, eating another scone, "There is a small kingdom west of here that have many great witches, though wealthy, they do not carry  much influence. I hear their Queen is mad, too."
"There aren't many fae here that are also dragon fae- either too old or too young, and fae in general have a hard time reproducing with each other," Silver comments, grabbing the cup of tea.
"Indeed," Lilia then looked to Alex, "Say, what were the customs with your nobility in regards to marriage? I'd imagine they were similar, no?"
--"There are only a few candidates," the former Queen says, showing Malleus a small thin folder, "There is the Aiza family to the West- they offer their firstborn daughter. Then we have the Cervantes, their offer similar. And lastly the Zorras and Raine families, both fae here. They're young, but old enough to be wed. Not many options, unfortunately."
She felt the gaze of the human man bore into her with confusion. All she responded with was a shake of her head. In her world, they were merely called demons and nothing else. Of course, that was the result of Christianity having to fit everything into a neat little box of good vs. evil. Especially when that was not how the world worked at all. A wealthy family full of witches who had a Mad Queen. Was that familiar to her at all? No. Although there were plenty of Mad Kings, Mad Queens were rare on Earth, only referenced in a negative light. Not discussed with an iota of respect of humanity like the kings were. Hearing Lilia and Silver speak of this only made her more concerned for him in his older age as well as Malleus and Sebek's family. What were they going to do about this? These materalis... They sounded even more mind-bendingly powerful than the demons from Earth. How was that even possible? This topic had her so twisted up and befuddled that she hadn't dared to touch the scones and the tea until now.  Malleus frowned as his eyebrows furrowed. He expected there to be few and far between for eligible candidates and he was right. The pressure was mounting on his shoulders with each passing second and it would only get worse for him here. "If I may have the folder, Grandmother?" He needed to look at these for himself and decipher them to see whether they had meant well with their marriage proposals. Whichever were more likely to benefit them, he would choose. For his own sake. For his Grandmother's sake. For the sake of his people and Briar Valley itself.
Lilia noted her look of confusion, "I suppose there is no materalis where you're from? I'm not surprised, though at the same time, I am. The only thing we know about them is that, a reason for their decline, was that this world was rejecting them, because they were outsiders to this world. Perhaps they never made it to your world, or the same fate befell them." Lilia waved his hand left and right, "In either case, it would be futile to speak of them any further, as they no longer walk on this world." 
"Is that so?" Silver quietly comments, "They sound like an interesting sort.  A shame that they couldn't really live here. Night Raven would look different if they could."
Lilia only shrugged, "If there were any alive, they would likely be very different from their predecessors."
--
Sebek peered over Malleus' shoulder as he opened up the folders, showcasing all the marriage candidates. 
There was Cyrille Aiza- two photos were included in her folder. A detailed picture of her as a child, and a messy sketch of her as an adult- as if the sketch was done in a hurry. There wasn't much information about her, other than the basics- such as that she is 25 years old, knows a decent amount of magic, and that she has her own personal knight. The sketch wasn't even colored- only did the portrait as a child showcase her tan skin and blonde- almost white- hair, and sparkling blue eyes. Sebek faintly remembered that the Aiza family had divine right, and the proof of it was their bejeweled eyes. The only notable difference was what may have been tattoos on Cyrille- oddly looking like those that belonged to a particular tribe of snake beastmen that had their territory between the Briar Valley and Aiza Domain.
The second profile was that of Lamia Cervantes- Sebek remembered her- him? It was Jack's roommate back in Night Raven, the clearest difference being that Cervantes was a man in Night Raven, whereas here they were a woman. Other than that, they looked exactly the same. "Cervantes," Sebek mutters out loud, "They were a classmate of ours."
"Is that so?" The former Queen questions, "The Cervantes family is a notable cheetah family from the Sunset Savanna- usually they have their daughters be guards in the Kingscholar family, but it seems like they had too many daughters this time around." She leaned back in her chair, and wondered out loud, "I wonder what a child of a cheetah beastkin and fae parentage would look like...?"
Sebek ignored the comment, and continued to peer over Malleus' shoulder- the remaining two being the  Zorra and Raine. Both candidates were fae. 
The Zorra family presented Silvia Zorra, a fox fae. The most notable thing about her was her fiery red hair, and how old she was- only 30 years old. 
The Raine family had Aurora Raine, a fae with blonde hair and green eyes. She was only a few years younger than Silvia. 
Sebek wasn't surprised though- many fae often married young, usually in their 20s, though with the exception of soldiers and generals, since it was likely that soldiers and generals would die, so there wasn't much pressure on them to marry young. Though, as often as fae married, they also divorced, usually after a few children have been conceived. 
It was a peculiar tradition.
King Draconia had indeed recognized Cervantes from just her photos alone. He may have not seen her much, but he had an excellent memory just like his Grandmother. Indeed they may have had many offspring this time to offer them up to a powerful suitor in the future. But that was his own train of thought. The Zorras and the Raines had not had a glimmer of a thought in his head as their applications were looked at thoroughly. 
Finally after a considerable amount of time in silence from Malleus, he had chosen. But what was this? Two applications? Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes? That was quite peculiar. Uncommon, but hey, it's happened before. "These two would be most beneficial to the crown, Grandmother. Especially Cyrille Aiza," He remarked, pointing his left index finger down at the photo. "Cervantes is also a consideration. In the case of the Draconia family's numbers being low, I will pick these two to marry." Both at the same time? Malleus, you-you sly dog! (No, no. Just joking. Or was I?) He also didn't need to have the court in an uproar over fae divorcing fae. Malleus preferred if his mates stayed with him for the rest of their lives. Dragons were naturally possessive that way. Also desperate times called for desperate measures. His Grandmother would understand this situation.  At the same time, Alexandria had looked over to her lover now, confirming his answer. "Yes. They would be called demons in my world. Chased out, persecuted. Hunted for sport. Just as I was for being a witch." Their willful ignorance was going to be the death of them someday. There would have been calls to exterminate their kind just because of their species due to religious extremism. Unfortunately Earth has had that problem ever since the word was conceived many eons ago. Her frown had only deepened as her eyebrows furrowed, anger flashing in her eyes for a mere moment before snapping out of it.
"Is that so?" The Queen's mouth curved to a smile, "Taking after your ancestors, aren't you?" With a hearty laugh, she took the two. "We could have a Crown Princess selection, if you only want to choose one and see which one is better fit, but if you intend to marry both, or have one as a concubine, that is a different matter entirely."
"Human and Beast-kin don't live as long, though," Sebek replied, "You would end up a widow at some point, young master. You will have successors, surely- for they will inherit your longevity, but your wife or wives will need magic to extend their lifespan, despite already being mages themselves. The Draconia lineage will live on, but at what cost sir?" 
Sebek only spoke up because he saw the same thing happening to his parents already. Sure, he didn't see them often due to their occupation, but whenever he had the chance to see his parents, his mother was still full of life, while his father was aging and becoming frail. At best, Sebek's own father had only a few more decades in him, more should they employ the aid of magic. And what then? His mother greatly loves his father- no doubt, she will never marry unless she manages to find his reincarnation. 
"That is a good point," The Queen responds, "And I was almost in such a relationship- but this I will say- for if Malleus truly loves them, then these women will go to their grave loved. But if not, then it shall be no one's loss except for these children. And it is often the children who will bury their parents- not the other way around." 
"I suppose," Sebek replies, but still worried. 
--
"A pity," Silver replies. 
"Indeed it is," Lilia replies, his hand reaching for Alex's gently, "Wars and hunts because they're different. Such fights have been fought on these lands for similar reasons, but we're closer to peace than before." 
Silver took a sip of his tea, "I wonder whom the young master will marry. Hopefully she will be an exceptional woman."
"One can only hope."
"I choose them both." Was Malleus just being selfish and wanting more and more? Yes. Did he deserve to be so? Why, yes. Yes, he did. His ancestors were correct in breeding with other species to have their family line survive. He wouldn't be here if not for them. "I would have to have Lilia's assistance. If they need magic to live longer lives, then so be it," Malleus declared, his lime green eyes fiery with determination, steadfast in his decision. 
He has chosen, therefore it was absolute. If he and Lilia had to make an immortality potion to have them drink, then so be it. His future children will be having their parents either way. There will be no burying anyone in his family. Not anymore. Malleus had already lost so much without knowing it as a child. Besides from Lilia, he had no parents and he had gotten to visit his own Grandmother only twice. Twice before now. Even then, he felt as though his Grandmother didn't have much time left. Inside this dragon was a scared young man only wanting the warmth, the love, the touch of a family. Silver, Sebek and Lilia were all wonderful. There was no replacing them. She agreed with the father and son, gripping Lilia's hand almost impossibly tight. Alright, breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. As she performed some breathing exercises, her grip had become looser, turning rough into gentle.
"I'll let both families know, then," Maleficent says, pulling out some paper and ink, "We'll have to arrange rooms and somehow invent these immortality potions to ensure their longevity. We would also have to discuss the marriage ceremonies and such, and child rearing, since their main purpose is to further the Draconia line." She paused, and let out a sigh, "We would also have to tutor them so that they may take over some duties afforded to the crown. The Aiza child may be knowledgeable, but I've heard questionable things about that one. The Cervantes child may be knowledgeable due to her association with the Kingscholar family, but she is not royalty, at least  not yet."
"They're of age, your highness?" Sebek says, confused. 
"Ah," Maleficent nods, "Indeed they are, but compared to my age, they are just small things. The same goes for you Sebek- since you're the same age as the Aiza child."
"I see, your highness." 
--
"We're here, love," Lilia whispers, "We're here for you. Say," a small pause, an attempt to see if Alex was calming down, "We can walk through the garden later on and smell the flora. Would that be pleasing?"
Silver just sat there, unsure of what to do. All he could do was see his father comfort Alex to the best of his ability.
"...I-I would like very much. Please...," She murmured back to Lilia. That conversation had triggered memories that were unpleasant to say the least. There was no intention of her becoming angry like that. What if she hurt her kindred by accident? What would she do if that happened? He may be strong, but he was also older than her by 250 years. Well, 2 years in terms of human age. So it wasn't that much of a gap. But that shouldn't matter. "...Silver may come along too. If... he wishes to," She continued, swallowing her saliva in an attempt to wet her throat.  After seeing Sebek's and Maleficent's expression of worry and fatigue, he now wondered if it was a good idea to marry the two of them at once. It would cost them a lot in educating them as to catch them up with the laws, traditions, and culture of the fae in Briar Valley.  The goal was to further the Draconia line, yes. But at what cost? Maybe Sebek was right. But the fae had a strange and confusing tradition regarding divorce and his heart wouldn't be able to take that kind of heartbreak. In terms of the age gap, there was practically none since he would have only been about a decade older. Well, that age gap was a bit of a stretch. Were they even mature enough to be eligible to marry him? "I-I apologize for this, Grandmother. I did not mean to make this complicated for you."
"Alright," Silver says, "The garden is nearby." He gets up, Lilia following suit. Lilia gently pulled Alex from the couch, attempting to guide her to the door. It was going to be a slow process, but it is certain that a fresh breath of air was greatly needed. 
--
"No worries, my dear," Maleficent replied, "It would not be complicated. They can be taught at the same time. You mentioned that Cervantes was there at NRC, correct, Sebek?"
"Indeed, I did. She was a year older than us. I don't remember much as to what Jack said of her- but I do remember that she was a smart person, one who could negotiate very well. In fact, she was a competitor to Ashengrotto, who was known for his contracts."
"A smart woman then," she says, pleased, "I would assume the same for Aiza. If not, well, she would already know of her duty, being a royal just like us. No doubt, Aiza would have been sent to another bachelor, Malleus. We're her best option. As for Cervantes," a pause,  a moment to think, "Well, who knows. She would have been considered to become a guard, soldier, or perhaps a close knight for the Kingscholar family. Life for her would have been greatly different, in her case. Even then, you likely would have seen her in the school halls- she's a familiar face." 
"She's right, young master," Sebek exclaims, "If they are not mature, then pray tell, what would that make me? They are the same age or older!"
Maleficent raised a brow at him, but remained silent.
Malleus now looked at Sebek with a raised eyebrow. Was he implying that due to their age, they were not mature? Anyone could be mature at any age. It all came down to perspective, emotional and social maturity as well as the development of their brains. Age never meant much once you had become someone of age to do anything you desired. There were barriers kept when you were younger for a reason. 
Looking over at his Grandmother, his eyebrow went back to its original state as he nodded, "Yes, I remember Cervantes. I trust your judgment for both of them, Grandmother and Sebek."
They had let themself be pulled off from the couch, almost dragging their feet while being led by father and son out of the room. Being inside that room with that topic of discussion was more likely to deteriorate their mental state than it already was at the moment. Due to them dragging their feet, it had taken them up to fifteen minutes in order to get out of that room and to the garden. The only reason it didn't go for any longer was due to Alex picking up the pace while holding onto Silver and Lilia tightly. Looking up after having gazed at her feet for fifteen minutes was a transition of stone to one from a new world. Her eyes widened as they twinkled, her brain temporarily wiping any bad memories that she ever had. What spell was there to make those disappear??
"I'll make haste in calling for them. Aiza should arrive first, and Cervantes will take a few days up to a week, depending on the mode of transportation," Maleficent says, already drafting up the letters for both families, "There is also the knighting ceremony to do, but I trust you and your personal knights to handle that." 
"Knighting ceremony?!" Sebek nearly jumps out from his chair, "No worries, your majesty, I will handle this graciously alongside Silver!" 
Maleficent stared at Sebek before breaking out into a smile, "I'm sure you will, Zigvolt." 
-
"We're here," Lilia says slowly, "At the gardens." 
"There's various types of flowers," Silver says softly, looking around, "Dahlias, Lilies, Poppies, Marigolds- any and all sorts."
The two waited with worry and angst, hoping that Alex's condition would improve. 
The nearby pixies flew in close, curious to what the trouble was. The slight bell chimes of their voices indicated they intended to do something, only Lilia knowing what they had said. Whatever it was, it was clear they were trying to help.
"Yes, Grandmother. I shall perform the knighting ceremony without error," Malleus declared as he rose from his chair. Aiza was going to be quick to arrive while Cervantes would only take up to a week. That was fortunate. It was almost as if they were going to be here in their time of need. "Sebek. Could you go retrieve Silver? He will be needed for the knighting ceremony," His deep voice resonated from within the room without him needing to project. Turning to his Grandmother now, he then asked, "Is there anything else you would need from me before I go?” He would need to get everything that was required such as the sword.
Blinking in and out of reality, Alex's head felt foggy, almost as if she were in another plane of existence. Her chest came up and down with every breath she took, quietly inhaling and exhaling. It was suddenly that pixies had flown to examine her face. As they spoke to Lilia about what they were intending to do, she blinked away some tears as her head shook. Shit, shit, shit! She had to snap out of it! She couldn't be doing this right now! Not with her now living with Lilia and the others! This was supposed to be a good day! As her stomach lurched and she felt as if she were to spiral, her eyes opened. Were those... bells that she heard? What could be chiming those at this time? In her confusion, the pixies took this as a chance to go scour for some flowers. In their quickness, they had picked out some marigolds, poppies, and lilies for her to have in her hair. But wait! Why not all of them?? Won't that make them happy again? As the pixies came back, they had begun to pick up strands of Alex's hair, accidentally brushing up against her skin and scalp. Her body flinched as her lips quivered. That wasn't the sound of someone crying. That was the sound of someone holding in their laughter!
"I'll take care of the tutoring and rooming for the women," Maleficent waved off, "The knighting ceremony shall be done tomorrow. It'll only include the knights. Nobility and lower class are free to view, but that is all. We need not to worry about food or entertainment, only the decoration is all." 
She then looked up at them, and said, "That is all. You are free to leave, the both of you." 
Sebek nodded and got up, waiting for Malleus. Once he got up, the two left. 
-
Lilia smiled, noticing her stifled laughter, "I'm glad you're well now, love." 
Silver smiled as well, though kept mum. 
The pixies all cheered in glee when they noted the positive shift in demeanor, now chattering more, the sound of bells increasing more. They fluttered around Alex more freely now.
Malleus only nodded as confirmation for him hearing what his Grandmother told him. As he was leaving his Grandmother's quarters, his thoughts were at a standstill. All he could think about right now were the candidates that he had chosen. Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes... He only knew of Lamia, but he had never met her in person. The Aiza royal family were heard of by his Grandmother for certain. But by him? No. All that mattered now was that they were to be betrothed to him and him only. After all, he was their best option into having a life of power, luxury, and security.  After getting her stifled laughter out of the way, Alex had to take a few breaths to calm herself down. "...What had happened to me," She asked, slightly worried about his choice of words. That she was well now? What was going on that made him concerned for her wellbeing? Did she do something wrong?
"Say, where would Silver, Lilia, and his beloved be?" Sebek wondered out loud, walking right next to Malleus. 
It wasn't until he walked by one of the grand windows that showcased the garden nearby did he see Silver, Lilia and Alex outside. 
"Young Master," He stops walking, "They're outside- should we join them? Her Majesty did say we needed to discuss the knighting ceremony with Silver, after all, and it would be a good idea to hear the opinion of Lilia and his beloved."
--
"You were unwell," Lilia explains, "As if something was tormenting your soul. Silver and I were worried about your well-being, and thought it would have been a good idea to get you outside for a fresh breath of air." "Indeed," Silver inputs, "Your face looked pale, and you were clenching your fists rather tightly. It seems like the pixies were able to improve your mood."
Looking in Sebek's direction, he followed directly behind to see what was outside of the window. "So it would," He muttered, leading the way to the garden. Although it seemed as if from their body language alone, the immortal woman had been through something terrible. Was it a good idea to bother them right now? Malleus was concerned after all. Perhaps it would be better to check on them first before asking about the knighting ceremony. Meanwhile outside, Alexandria nodded her head in understanding. So she was going through whatever that was due to what had happened. "I see. I'll have to thank you two for bringing me out here and to the pixies for helping me out of my dark state." A weak smile accompanied with her slumped shoulders meant that she was a bit fatigued. But sometimes that was life. It hits you with those bad thoughts and pixies have to help you out of that dark place.
Sebek walked over the trio, hearing the last part of Alex's sentence. 
"Are you alright, Miss Alex?" He asks, looking around, realizing the pixies that were nearby. The pixies replied, and Sebek understood.
Lilia supplemented more info, "Alex was feeling unwell in the guest room, so Silver and I decided to take her outside for some fresh air."
"Good to know," Sebek replies, "I don't know what I'd do should Lilia be overtly worried for your being. I'm not very good at consoling people, you see."
"Where have you been?" Silver asks, trying to change the topic- it probably would be best to change the focus from Alex to something else. 
"Oh, we have a knight ceremony, Silver," Sebek says, "We have to do it tomorrow, and have to organize all the decorations and such." "Was that all?" Lilia asks, gently grabbing ahold of Alex's hand, "I don't think you two would be gone for so long just for the knighting ceremony."
The King was silent during the conversation. There was nothing to say when all was already said and done. The pixies had already told Sebek as well as Lilia. So saying anything would be all for naught. There were times when Sebek had meant well, but he would end up unknowingly touching a sensitive subject and that was right now. Luckily for him, Silver was there to change the subject. He was sure that the lady would've rather not have been a focus of attention for such a touchy discussion. However, the young knight was doing his best to not do it so much, so he had to give credit where credit was due. Chuckling, Malleus offered a small smile to his supervisor. "I will do my best to see that it's not too long." 
The immortal human was grateful for the change of topic. Anymore talk about it and her mind would have gone back to that dark place, rendering the pixies' treatment all for naught. The touch of her lover was all it took (plus the pixies' help) to help her pull it together again completely. The caress of his thumb against the back of her hand filled her with the warmth of that of someone that was safe and secure.
"Should we walk through the garden?" Lilia asks, "The sun is still high up, and it would be a waste to not walk through the garden on a lovely day like this."
"Indeed," Silver replies, "The flowers are in full bloom, and it is only during this time that the pixies are the most active. We can talk about the knighting ceremony after dinner, how does that sound?" Sebek refrained from pouting, but nonetheless agreed, "I suppose that's a good idea. A moment to rest is always good. Who knows when the next moment of tranquility will be."
"Agreed," Malleus said, having stood there listening to the conversation the whole time while thinking about the women that were coming. Was it a good time to speak of that? Probably not. So he would do what he did best and keep that to himself. The pixies were also fun to talk to.  "Please. There's much more to explore here than just the flowers," She spoke up faintly, getting herself up. Stretching her legs would do her some good. Perhaps a training session with her sword? That was what the dagger basically was that was handed down to her from her ancestors. Kneeling down, she gazed at a peculiar looking black flower. What species of flower was this? The petals were as delicate as glass with the sprouting middle a gold and white. Was it native to this particular part of the world or was it imported here?
"Perhaps there is more to explore than just the flowers, but that doesn't mean we can appreciate it less so," Lilia replied, looking at Alex. He followed her line of sight and noted the black flowers, "Oh, I haven't seen these sorts before. I wonder if the Queen brought them in from  other lands."
Lilia kneels down, taking a closer look at the flower, "It doesn't seem to be dangerous."
"I don't think it would be a good idea if we pluck flowers from the Queen's garden, father," Silver says, "It's already enough that the pixies gathered some to ease Alex. Besides, just because it doesn't seem to be dangerous doesn't mean it may not be so." "It reminds me of hollyhock," Sebek says, glancing at the flower, "Though I've never seen them in black."
Silver may have been right. Just because she was curious about this flower didn't mean that she was going to be plucking it out of the garden. The pixies already did so much for her and she didn't want to have them do it anymore. Plus the former Queen would be a bit irritated with them if they touched the flowers. Getting up from her kneeling position, she turned to face the vines that covered the stone walls. Was that the former Queen's doing or was that nature taking over? "Hm... This is new...," Muttering to herself, she sauntered over to the thorny vines to have a good look at them. Were these rose vines perhaps? 
That black flower wasn't there earlier when he had gone out to the garden. Perhaps his Grandmother had it imported from some foreign land because she adored it. What if it had some kind of rare ability that was unheard of from this species of flower? An ingredient needed for a special kind of potion? He would have to ask his Grandmother about the black flower that was in her garden. Going ahead of the group, his gaze was faced towards the animals that were in the bushes. The squirrels that were from the forest were now here. How lovely, how cute. They were brave enough to leave the forest. Did they know that he was the new ruler of Briar Valley?
"Could be that the land finally realizes there is a new rule," Lilia comments, getting back up, "At  least, that is what it's said through the ancient times. That the land knows change has happened, and will react accordingly- I think I read somewhere that coronation often brought bountiful harvests for some time. Whether that is because of the coronation or just a placebo, I don't know." 
"We should begin exploring the garden, should we want to do anything else later on," Silver suggests, looking around, "I feel like we have little time on our hands, for some reason."
"You felt it too?" Sebek asks, "I wonder if it's because we just got here."
Silver shrugs, "Who knows." "Very well," Lilia steps forward, "Let us explore the garden for a small bit. Once we're satisfied, we can go look elsewhere to entertain ourselves."
The natural order was changing because of the coronation... If that were true, then that meant that it was the beginning of a new era. Placebo or not, the passage of time always meant that change was inevitable. A bountiful harvest would do some good for the people of Briar Valley right now. The food shortage had taken a toll on their economy and it needed to be brought back up. 
But what else should he do to bring back up the economy for his people? There was a matter of foreign affairs as well. He already knew about the nobility and the elite secretly ruling the Valley. Going to sit down on the ground, Malleus began muttering to himself. There were to be no shortcuts in life and his career as a new ruler was proof of how far he had gotten in life. Of course, he had an immense amount of privilege in his position considering that he was born as a royal. 
When curious little Alexandria's hand hesitantly touched the vine, her index finger was poked. Hissing in pain, she quickly pulled away from the vine. Bringing her finger to her mouth, she began sucking away at the blood that had dripped from the finger and onto the ground. After moments of sucking the blood out of her wound, she brought it out to see that it was still bleeding. Bleeding but slightly less so. Bringing it to her lips once more, she sucked out the rest of the blood until it had stopped bleeding. 
Once it stopped bleeding, she would look elsewhere and find some exotic berries in a special bush. They were a dark purple, small and round with a noticeably hard and smooth surface. These berries looked as if they could be fake somehow. Were these too from a distant land unknown to them at this very moment? Or were they just some berries that she hadn't seen in a while? There were some like this back in the Land of Pyroxene when she had first lived there under her false identity.
"Love, are you alright?" Lilia asks when he saw that Alex pricked her finger on the vines. 
He followed her line of sight to the dark berries, "Ah, those berries.  I think these are merely common berries." He picks one of them, examining it, "Well, they're rare here, hard to cultivate because of weather and such, so they grow more commonly elsewhere. I suppose the environment here in the castle grounds is just suitable enough to grow them." 
Sebek took a closer look, confirming what he said, "I believe Jack once mentioned these berries. I forget their name, but apparently they're rather popular from where he's from. They make many products that mimic its flavor, from what I recall."  "Is that so?" Lilia mused, eating one of them, "On the sweeter side, but I can see why it'd be popular."
"Yes, mi tesoro. I'm alright. I just pricked my finger on a thorn...," She replied, still staring at the berries whilst casually fanning her finger. Her fingertips' nerves were screaming at her for her stupidity, thus it had begun to bleed once more. Damn it! Now she would have to go inside in order to get supplies to disinfect and dress the wound. This was just after she sucked on it to make sure that it stopped bleeding! Curse this moment! Trying to ignore it to the best of her abilities, she observed the berries some more. "I was wondering where these were from.. I've seen them before in the Land of Pyroxene. Just when I was moving there from another town," She mused, half speaking to herself while the other half was replying to the three men that were with her at the moment.
"I see. I understand," Lilia grabs ahold of her hand, using a bit of magic to heal the minor wound, "I wouldn't be surprised if Pyroxene was the ideal environment for them to grow and thrive in. Rather different from here, our Briar Valley." 
"Should we head inside..?" Silver hesitantly asks, not sure of the next course of action. Alex's wound was better, but should they remain outside longer or head back inside?  "You lot can head back," Lilia responds, "I'll stay here with Alex should they wish it so."
Malleus had gotten up by then from his spot on the grass of the garden in order to head back inside. He may need Silver and Sebek in a moment to speak about the knighting ceremony. They needed to know what to do about the decorations and what colors they needed them to be. What kind of flowers (if at all) needed to be present during that time. If the young knights wanted to follow, then they would be doing so already.  As she felt the wound heal, the nerves had stopped aching and yelling at her. Thank goodness for that abundant magic. Well, not exactly abundant. But it was quite the vast amount of magic that Lilia had. "Yes. Don't you two have to speak to Malleus about something important?" They questioned, now looking in their direction.
Silver and Sebek followed Malleus, with the intention of discussing the knighting ceremony. After all, it will be a public display of their undying loyalty to the crown, so they need to perfect it as much as they can. 
"Something important? Do you mean the knighting ceremony?" Lilia questions, looking at Malleus' figure as it was leaving, "Or perhaps the matters we mentioned in the lounge? About marriage?  He hadn't brought it up, though."
"Both. Though primarily, I was speaking of the knighting ceremony.", She grinned at him, now relishing (a little bit) about how they were all alone. A little shaken up from the incident in the guest room, the group in the garden all at once had made her anxious. She was still good at masking it so that the others couldn't detect it as easily. But now that she was alone with Lilia, Alex felt more comfortable letting down her guard a bit more. The incident was as unavoidable as it was humiliating for her. But there was nothing they could do. So the best thing to do was to move on.  As Malleus heard the steps of two pairs of feet, he kept his steady pace into his bedroom, letting the two knights in first. As he came in and closed the door behind him, he gestured to the bed. "Please sit. We need to speak about the knighting ceremony for you two." He sat down in the chair that was facing the bed, gazing at the two of them. Almost boring into their souls.
"The knighting ceremony," Lilia's voice softened, "I can't believe my sons are about to become royal knights. It's as if it was only yesterday that they were children, prancing around in the fields." Lilia dramatically touched his forehead with the back of his head, exhaling loudly to exaggerate the passage of time. The act didn't last long, for he then asked, "Ah well, what did you wish to speak about in regards to the knighting ceremony?"
--
Sebek straightened his back the moment Malleus stared right at him, feeling his heart race, as if he was going to be caught in a web.  Silver on the other hand remains nonchalant.  "The knighting ceremony," Silver says, "Right.  What do we need to do for it?"
A light fit of laughter trailed from her chest and ripped out of her lips. It reverberated in the air as she clutched her sides. This melodramatic fae... If she truly thought about it, she would have done (somewhat) the same if her brother had been able to grow up in a better environment. "Y-You don't...," She breathed in between fits of girlish giggling and chuckling, "...need to be so dramatic about it...!" It took her a moment to truly come back from the tears she had to blink away from her deep bellied chortling. Still holding her sides, she cleared her throat, "How exactly does this knighting ceremony work exactly? What is involved in it? What will the men have to do after the ceremony? What duties do they have to fulfill?" She had so many questions that Lilia could answer. However it just wasn't in her best interest to ask them all at the same time.  "Decorations as Grandmother said. We do not have to worry about anything else. The nobility and lower classes will be there to watch. Food and entertainment is not needed," Malleus listed. What should the colors be? Black, green, gold, and purple? Should they spruce it up with different colors this time? But different colors had different meanings attached to them and in Briar Valley, colors in nature truly mattered.
Lilia smiled, "I am glad my exaggeration brought you a smile, beloved. As for the ceremony," he thought about it, eventually coming to an answer, "It is where Malleus will stand before the throne, and the knights will swear their loyalty before him. Silver and Sebek both swore their loyalty before him, so I would assume that they will lead his personal guard. Others will have to be accepted into the personal guard, though I'd imagine the majority shall be the knights that once belonged to her Majesty."
He thought about it more, trying to recall the last time the knighting ceremony happened- it only occurred every so often, and the last few ones Lilia had missed since he wasn't able to attend them. 
"So what exactly happens is that the knights present themselves, and Malleus swears them in. Only a small number of guards are chosen, so perhaps only 10 individuals will be present to be knighted, excluding Sebek and Silver. Once all is said and done, the new personal guard shall take official residence somewhere in the palace, close to the King's quarters as extra precaution. The ceremony itself finishes, and people are free to intermingle- regardless of status, though people remain in their circle nonetheless."
Lilia gave a smile, "I do hope that answered your questions, love."
-
"Shades of green, obviously," Sebek answers, "They're the colors of our nation."
"Purple and gold may do well," Silver replies, "They compliment the previous Queen well, and surely they will suit you as well, Young Master."
"Oh!" Sebek clasps his hands, "As for decoration, perhaps swords with flowers at their handle? I do think that would look elegant." Silver nodded, "We can also hang up shields that showcase Briar Valley's emblem."
Nodding along with their answers slowly, Malleus had thought of what the throne room would look like with those kinds of decorations. It would look elegant, sophisticated, classy, and most importantly, significant. These two had good taste, he'll admit that. "Excellent. We will have it done by tonight," Malleus replied, his expression one of satisfaction, a small smile appearing in his features. "Would it be too gauche to add extra flowers to the frames of the door?"
They nodded, their smile intact. In fact, her brain had managed to spin such an image as to almost embellish the visage of Malleus knighting both Sebek and Silver in a room full of Briar Valley residents. "Thank you for the brilliant visuals, mi alma. I have been to only one in my life," Confessing this was a bit embarrassing. However, doing that in front of Lilia Vanrouge felt a little bit worse. But why was that? She needed to give herself some room to make some mistakes. Perhaps her age was getting to her after all. Over 400 years of nonstop running truly exhausts the brain. "...I believe it was when a relative of mine was being knighted by the King of Spain himself." Her left hand's index finger and thumb cupped her chin as her right hand laid as a prop on her left arm.
Seeing that he had held himself back, her heart couldn't help but beat a little bit faster. If only her family were still alive... If only they could meet him and see how loving and considerate he was... "Mi amor, please. Come closer. You're not going to hurt me." She held out her right hand to invite him to close the distance between them both. Seeing his hesitancy, Alexandria would be the one to close the distance, getting closer to him. Once she had closed the space between them, they felt comfortable enough to speak once more, beginning the story. 
"My father told me of him and my mother attending the knighting ceremony with me in her arms. I was in between trying to sleep and trying to see what the fuss was about," She cleared her throat, "Anyway, let me continue. It was either one of my uncles or older cousins being knighted. My family was honored to be a part of the crowd that were seeing this. Due to this, my family were elevated to high ranking nobles. We had authority. Respect.  It was a lovely time for my family and I. It was as if we had been blessed by Yahweh himself..." Her eyes shined in the sun, a blissful smile on her face with her teeth showing. "A few years later, my baby brother was born. He was named Alfonso..." 
Her father was an honored and respected man of his caliber and in his field of expertise as a Knight himself and her mother a Countess of the royal court. They were granted those ranks by the King and Queen themselves after their family's services in the wars that had come before she was born. 
During Silver and Sebek's discussion on whether the nobles would stand a chance against him and them, Malleus was silent. He had taken all of this information in like a sponge. Only if that sponge had an excellent memory and could memorize just about everything said as well as the body language, tone, fluctuation of said tone, etc. Then it was agreed that the minimal amount of flowers would be on the frames of the door. No more, no less. He was still trying to please his people after all.
"Yahweh," Lilia softly whispered, "I suppose that is the name of a higher entity of yours?"
In the world of Twisted Wonderland, there was not much need for many gods- they existed, but their followers were few and in between. Many looked up to the Great Seven, but not the same way as a god to follower- more similar to an idol to a fan, in any case. 
-
"Is that all then?" Sebek says, "If so, we should probably tell the coordinators about it- so that they may quickly set the preparations."
"Though, isn't it a bit too soon?" Silver inquires, furrowing his brows, "I feel like only one day of preparation is too little time."
"Nonsense," Sebek replies, "We should not underestimate the former Queen- if she says we can make the preparations quickly, then we can."
"I suppose, but nonetheless..." Silver's voice trailed off, still unsure, but he no longer objected. 
Perhaps there was a small ounce to Silver's words, but in either case, Sebek was right- perhaps the former Queen had something in mind or perhaps she had the most efficient coordinators- whichever was more true, was yet to be seen.
She nodded, going on to describe who, what, and how he works as a higher entity. Yahweh was the Jewish people's version of God and what it meant was literally, "He Brings into Existence Whatever Exists." The Jewish people had preferred the Old Testament over the New one since it was more faithful to what their belief system was. He had led the Israelites to paradise and thus he was worshiped as their God. 
The topic changed from Yahweh from if he had ever met her family. If he thought about it just a little bit, then they would surely accept him based on his rank alone! "They would have loved you so much after seeing how well you treat me! You would've already been a part of the family! A big celebration would have been held in your honor... My younger brother would have looked up to you as a big brother. Would've wanted to be just like you. An honorable general serving the needs of others in the name of your kingdom..." Her voice had a more dreamy tone to it, almost blissfully unaware of the reality that she was in at this moment. 
Perhaps it was better than the bad memories she had after she had such precious ones of her family.  Malleus understood Silver's worries about the time crunch. But he had faith in his Grandmother. She knew how to pull off last minute events from what Lilia had told him. If he didn't have such faith in his supervisor or in his grandmother, then he would have never been here. There was no respect to be had with a lack of trust. With no trust, there is no love. "We shall see. For now, we follow the words of my Grandmother. That is all." For now, the conversation was over. There was nothing else to talk about with the decorations. Though he had thought that it would've taken longer to decide what the decorations were going to be. It was a bit... unnerving just how easy this was. His Grandmother would have never made it this easy without a catch. Neither would Lilia.
Lilia smiled at her words, "I would've liked to meet your family, love. I'm sure we could have gotten along just well." He didn't dare break her out of the daydream. 
Gently, he guided her back into the castle, "The sun will begin to set soon, so let's head back inside, alright?"
--
Silver and Sebek nodded at Malleus' words. Once Malleus indicated the end of the conversation, Silver and Sebek both got up and gave their farewells. 
It was about to be supper soon, and the two knights could not afford to miss a meal. 
Neither could the King, for that matter, which is why the two beckoned for their King to follow them. 
Before they were King and knights, they were friends and family. 
--
The day went by quickly, the coordinator doing everything in their power to make sure that the event goes without a hitch. Servants shuffled around, Sebek and Silver giving a hand. Within hours, many humans and fae alike managed to make the throne room come to life with all the lovely flowers of various shades, the shields and swords, and the chairs for the knights that were to be sworn in. 
Since there was no food nor consideration of entertainment, it went easier than thought, as Silver and Sebek managed to go to bed on time without much trouble. 
The next day came, the sun now high up in the sky, and now it was the day. 
Lilia dressed himself in his general attire, having to stand next to Malleus throughout the ceremony. Silver and Sebek wore the traditional knight attire typical for the Briar Valley, in the shade of dark green with golden accents. All three had their swords to their sides, though the same could be said for the new knights that were to be sworn in. There were many of them, perhaps around 15 men in total- both fae and human, though mostly fae. It did them well to come in early. 
Though, that did mean that nobles and commoners were beginning to notice, gathering in early by the few, their numbers only growing as time went on. 
By the time the ceremony was to start, the room was full, the only space available being the only space around the throne where the King and his knights were. 
Truly, it was a great sight to behold- the sun peeking through the throne room with enough light, the flora practically glowing despite its deep shades, and the glistening of the swords and shields that were polished for such an event.
Alexandria was guided back into the castle by her lover as she daydreamed some more about the predicament she would have had if her family were still alive and well. The dreams that she would have during that night were more than enough for her to wake up rested the next day. That daydream truly did wonders. Well, so did telling Lilia a little bit about her family. 
When the sun had risen, peeking through the curtains, she was already up and was getting dressed. Since she didn't have any formal clothing that wouldn't make her stand out, she had asked some of the maids and servants if they knew of anyone that would let her borrow or rent any clothing.
After that escapade, she was in a Victorian dress. It had a minimal amount of ruffles with the outer layer being black while the under layer was more of a dark berry. Simple, yet oh so elegant. Having a little gold and black hat that accompanied it, she only had to put on her corset and white linen. Putting them all on in order (as she remembered it), next came the stockings. These were the more old fashioned ones with a garter and hose. Finally, there was the light makeup. When everything was done and ready for her, she had a small breakfast. Arriving at the throne room and being one of the first ones, she had a front row stand to everything that was about to happen.
Malleus had observed the coordinators doing their best with the time crunch that they had. From what it was going to look like, they were doing well. With the preparations done within the night, he told them all to take a rest and head to bed. 
The next morning, Malleus was in his royal clothing accompanied with his crown and a few rings that were small and slender in nature. Obsidian jewels were the highlight of the outfit as well as amethysts and emeralds with the bands being a clear golden. Black was customary for the knighting ceremony as well as to show his status as the King of Briar Valley. His royal outfit was mostly black with golden outlines, dark green, and purple adorning his royal outfit. The shields that were placed on the wall just above the throne, the flowers on the door frame and hanging on the bases, the banners that his own Grandmother had used (pristine and pressed to look as new as possible)... They were all going to be a part of his legacy. 
At last when enough people were there to witness the Knighting Ceremony, it had begun. With the sword in his right hand, he would make his speech of how these two were by his side ever since he was a young fae, protecting him when times called for it. Of how they had gone above and beyond just protecting him as bodyguards, but of how they had earned his trust and respect as fellow people of Briar Valley. He would then dub both Silver and Sebek, touching the sword to both of their shoulders, now declaring them Royal Knights of the King's forces.
It didn't take long to knight the others- 15 men in total, a few minutes at most for each. Every single one declared their loyalty with the most sincerity that they could muster.
It quickly finished, Malleus giving a small bow towards the kneeling knights, and then sitting on his throne, dismissing them. 
The families of the knights rushed forward to their family members, crying out in joy that they were selected. Other knights got together and cheered. 
Lilia stood proud, wiping away a nonexistent tear. Truly, his boys have grown up so much.
But something felt amiss. 
Lilia glanced around, looking, searching whatever could it have been. Everything seemed to be in order, until he noticed the dark shades of blue in the back. 
A foreigner. 
Lilia walked over to Sebek and Silver, and said, "Say, boys, do you recognize them?" Pointing with his chin towards the person. 
It took a moment, but only Sebek recognized them, realization dawning upon his face. 
"I do believe that is the betrothed of Malleus, sir Lilia." 
Silver glanced back at Sebek, "Betrothed? You never mentioned this. You knew she was to come?" 
Sebek nodded, "Indeed, though I expected her arrival later." 
Lilia sighed, "We should let Malleus know- he'd want to know either way. Quick, or else she may change her mind." 
Sebek nodded, and went over to Malleus with the news. 
Lilia shook his head, "I'll be returning to Alex. I wish Sebek and Malleus told us sooner about this." 
"Agreed." 
"You should escort the woman to the king in any case. I think Malleus would like to meet them soon." 
"Understood, father." 
So he did, Silver spotted the same dark blues and approached the woman. He walked with stride and confidence, at least until a figure stopped him in his tracks right before he was about to talk to the betrothed. 
"I am Rosamund," the knight says, "And you are?" 
"Silver," he replies, "Knighted to the king as you saw."
Rosamund nodded, "Then you're aware?" 
"Yes."
"Very well," the woman scowled, but she pulled the other woman close. She too was in a bad mood, but didn't comment on anything. 
"She is Cyrille Arbolis," Rosamund states, "Though you may recognize her as Aiza."
Silver gave a small bow, "Allow me to take you to our King." 
"Alright." 
Silver began to walk, the two women in blue following closely behind him, until they were in the line of sight of the King. 
"Sir, I do believe this is them," Silver gestured to the women, Cyrille walking forward and pulling her hood down, her blue eyes staring intently at Malleus.  "...Your majesty," was all Cyrille said.
Malleus's lime green irises had almost glowed in the throne room although there was light from within the curtains. The beautiful blue eyed girl with blonde hair from the application that her family had sent his Grandmother was the princess due to her eye color. Or at least that was what she had told him. Then there was the knight. Rosamund Cervantes... The both of them looked quite exquisite in his eyes. But he was curious about something. Weren't they supposed to arrive a few days later? "How did you two come to be early?" The King asked, his voice even with amusement. He swore that he sensed someone from within the crowd that was a foreigner besides Lilia's betrothed. At the same time, his heart threatened to burst from his chest. Oh, yes. They were destined to be together forever. However, that did not mean that he could force them to marry him right this instant. Ethically and morally speaking.  When their General approached them, they grasped his hand softly, keeping a firm grip. Leaning over, she whispered, "Should we leave? It seems as if the brides have arrived earlier than expected..." It was a bit awkward to be peeking in at them when this felt more like a private moment between the King, the Princess, and the Knight. The Knight was a cheetah beastman... How interesting to note. She'd never seen one like her before. Then the princess... There were plenty of attractive blonde haired, blue eyed ladies in the court of the King of Spain. However, Cyrille was strikingly exceptional, even compared to the ladies of back then. There was just something about her that made Alex want to comfort and embrace her tightly. To tell her that everything was going to be alright. The princess must have been anxious standing in front of Malleus like this.
Rosamund's mouth twisted into a smirk, almost laughing but didn't. 
"The Queen of Aiza," Cyrille begins, "Was rather confident that you would accept the proposal, so she sent us a day after the letter was sent." 
Sebek looked at Cyrille harder- the sketch shown didn't showcase  the complexity of the white  tattoos that contrasted against her tan skin. Her arms were littered with many tattoos, and Sebek faintly recalled the tribe nearby, middle of Briar Valley and Aiza domain. 
Last time he heard of them, they had called themselves People of Arbol. 
But... Surely, the people of Arbol wouldn't dare take in a princess, would they? 
Rosamund stepped next to her, "I am Rosamund Cervantes, of the Soldati Famiglia. I'm sure you heard of us." She gave a little bow to Malleus, feeling his gaze on her, "I am Cyrille's knight, have been for more than a decade. Should you take her hand in marriage, I'll extend the same courtesy to you, your majesty."
Rosamund's amber eyes stared right at Malleus' own eyes, and she only smiled. She took a step back, right behind Cyrille, dutifully. 
"Would it be the best time to know your answer, your highness?" Cyrille asks, "Or have you already sent a letter to... the Queen of Aiza?" 
-Lilia shook his head, "It's fine, love. Besides, everyone else is watching." He gestured to the rest of the crowd, who all were whispering about the ordeal.
Raising an eyebrow at Rosamund, he stayed silent as the Knight spoke. A smirk. Something must have been truly hilarious if she were to do that. What that was he wasn't about to find out right now. None of this was remotely entertaining for him. Not at all. 
The white tattoos seemed familiar to him since he had studied them before in a book that Lilia had wanted him to read for some kind of test. But it sounded like this Queen had some guts if she was that confident that he would have accepted her proposal so soon. She was lucky that he had done so or else she wouldn't have had an alliance with Briar Valley. "I have heard," Malleus replied. In a way, it was insulting to him that the Queen had the audacity to think of him as an easy target.
Somehow there was some tension between him and the Knight. However, being King was never going to be that easy. He would just have to accept that some would never approve of him. Especially those among the nobility. It was just their pesky fear speaking.
Looking directly at Cyrille now, he would give her his direct answer. "I have already done so, yes," So he had already accepted her hand in marriage just by approving the application. Sending it was just the nail in the coffin. There would be one more that should arrive within a week. 
Miss Gonzalez-Garcia was uncertain about what was transpiring right now. Everyone here seemed a little too entertained by this fiasco. She placed her right hand upon his as her fingers on her left hand were intertwined with his. But all she could do was watch.
"Is that so?" Cyrille says, disappointment apparent in her tone, "I suppose I'll have to get settled in then." 
"Looks like it, your highness," Rosamund replied- the honorific clearly foreign to her mouth. 
"Then all I ask is for your hospitality, King Malleus," Cyrille ignored Rosamund's words, "And hopefully all ends well for the both of us." 
It was rather clear that Cyrille didn't quite want to be here. 
Rosamund butted in, "Your Highness, if you could, please do escort... Princess Cyrille to a room, where she may rest. We had arrived early in the morning, you see." She looked over to Cyrille, who only glared at Rosamund. 
"Ah," she looked back to Malleus, "That is, if it wouldn't trouble you at all, your highness." 
Silver stepped up, "I can be of service. King Malleus, if I may?" 
--
Lilia carressed Alex's fingers, watching the scene unfold. 
He was privy to more information- the Soldati Famiglia. An underground organization that dealt with illegal dealings, especially with the ore that made the Aiza Domain prosperous. 
Thus, Cryille Arbolis of Aiza and Rosamund Cervantes of Soldati belonged to different factions that were the enemy of each other. 
An odd duo indeed.
So far, this Queen sounded as if she were rude and incompetent to boot. It was expected that some sniveling royal would offend the Briar Valley's Draconia family. But to have this done to him on the first day of his ruling was nothing but aggravating. On the outside, Malleus was calm, stoic. Composed. But on the inside, he was seething. Did this foolish Queen not know just how much of a gift her daughter and the Knight she had pushed out of the door were? "Yes, Silver. If you would please." His voice never betrayed his emotions, but the feeling of screaming was tempting. This test was turning out to be a challenge so far. Was he making his Grandmother proud with this? Only time will tell...
Their throat tightened, swallowing their saliva to make their mouth and throat wet still. The silence from their end as well as Lilia's were deafening. The audience whispering, giggling, and pointing were not helping matters at all. Nothing about this was good at all. Was the Queen this desperate to have an alliance with Briar Valley that she would push these women out of the door? Perhaps it was the best choice for that kingdom, but this Queen sounded so...so...cruel. The poor princess didn't even look like she wanted to be here!
Silver nodded, and gestured to the women to follow him. 
They complied, and left the throne room. Silver didn't know where their rooms would be- though it shouldn't be hard to find since Cyrille was to be Malleus' betrothed. 
Once they were out of earshot from the throne room, Cyrille and Rosamund finally began talking. 
"A shame he didn't reject," Cyrille says, sighing rather loudly, "I didn't want that horrid woman to get her way."
"Indeed," Rosamund replied, "Perhaps we shouldn't have agreed to-"
"Rose, do not finish that."
"Alright, Cy." 
"Besides," Cyrille huffed, "You would have done the same if it was Isidore."
Rosamund kept mum, looking away from Cyrille. 
"Be like that, then," Cyrille huffs, walking faster to catch up with Silver, "Say, where are the escape routes here?"
Silver was taken aback, and glanced at her curiously. "I beg your pardon?"
"The escape routes."
"I'm afraid I know of none," Silver replied, pausing once he reached the hallway where everyone was, "Besides, our rooms are here. I believe yours will be right next to Malleus' room."
"And what about Rosamund's?"
"Hers will be next to mine."
Cyrille didn't look to please, but knew better than to say anything else. 
"Alright then," she walked over to her supposed room, only giving a brief look to Malleus door, making a sour face, "Rosa, come here. We'll be in my room for the meanwhile."
Cyrille headed right in, leaving Rosamund out. 
"Don't mind her," the cheetah beast-man says. "She's been having a hard time adjusting- it was only a week ago that we were within the territory of Arbol, content with our lives, when the official heir to the Aiza domain came in, demanding Cy's presence." She had a small smile, and continued, "It was her sister, who needed her aid. The moment we entered Aiza territory, their mother's forces came upon us and forced a deal."
All Silver could do was nod, now having  a better understanding of the situation. 
"I'll leave you to it, good day, Silver."
Silver took his leave the moment the door closed behind Rosamund, returning to the throne room. 
He noticed Malleus' foul mood, but didn't comment on it, instead just standing next to Sebek. He didn't want to add fire to the flame. 
-- 
Lilia saw the entire debacle, and while he would have liked more drama, he decided it was enough. 
"Pardon me, love," he calmly says to Alex, giving her a small peek on her cheeks, "I shall divert attention away from them, so be prepared."
He moved away from Alex as gently as he could, and sauntered up to Malleus, and as loudly as he could, "Your highness, I do have but one question to make- when and where will the hunting games take place?"
Lilia smiled even more when the topic changed so quickly amongst the nobles- there hasn't been a hunting game since the coronation of Maleficent. And with the new changes within the land, there was bound to be many prey roaming around and about, taking advantage of the abundant flora.
Was his foul mood that easy to detect? Then again, Silver had known him for many years. If it wasn't obvious to him by now, then it was a lost cause. The moment they were away from the throne room, his mood had only worsened until his supervisor had mentioned the Hunting Games. Turning his focus away from the sudden arrival of his betrotheds, the atmosphere in the room had become lighter. As to where the Hunting Games will take place... "They will take place in the near deep forests of Briar Valley in seven days time," King Malleus announced, almost staring down at his supervisor from his throne. But this was not out of superiority. He's just that tall. So tall that one would make the mistake of it looking like he's trying to intimidate Lilia. 
Alex had let go of the General, entrusting him to divert attention. It worked effectively, seeing as how the nobles amongst the crowd had reacted. The whispers became louder as they discussed amongst themselves as to how to properly prepare for the Hunting Games coming up. While she wouldn't participate, she would just watch from the sides. Maybe then she could work on her sparring skills with her dagger/sword. 
But one would not partake in the Games. One that was more massive in both physique and in height, intimidating and almost unapproachable in his demeanor. Anyone could point him out by his height, dark (almost night) blue hair, pale ivory skin and startling golden eyes. The horns and ears had made it apparent to the others that he was only half fae, but that the other half was that of a demon. The people of Briar Valley had thought of the doctor as being a kind soul for taking this delinquent in when he was young. But the amount of scars on his body would tell you a different story. The only way he had made it to being a part of the Royal Court was due to his father being a famous surgeon within the Court. At least, that's what the people of Briar Valley will tell you. He was well-known and well-respected for his accomplishments and the amount of lives saved within the Briar Valley. But he was only known by the name Dr. Zima.
Sebek and Silver finally took note of the presence that seemed to cause tension, their eyes landing on Celeste Zima. The two of them never quite formally met him, but they've heard rumors about him and how he once was. Yet, seeing how Malleus hadn't done anything, neither did the two knights. 
Lilia also took note, "Ah, there he is. Celeste Zima, the Chief Inspector," he turned to Alex, "If I may caution you, do be wary around him." Lilia cast another glance at Celeste, "He was always the troublesome sort- whether he is naturally like this or because of his environment, I don't know, but he can be a dangerous individual if he wanted to be."
Lilia gathered that perhaps Celeste wouldn't do anything to cause much trouble, but that would only be a given should the lad have grown out of his ways- and Lilia didn't have enough knowledge to say that he did or not, so Celeste remained an enigma that he needed to figure out.
What would someone do when there were eyes on them? Normally they would slink back into the corner like a weak little worm. But Celeste? Oh, he revels in these kinds of situations. The more mayhem he causes, the better the outcome for him and the more embarrassing it is for their father figure. Was it childish? Yes. Was it absolutely foolish to make the new King of Briar Valley furious at him? Yes. But would it be worth it? It's possible. So when about four to five pairs- no... even more pairs of eyes were on him, he could only grin. Finally, he would speak in his deep voice, "Aw, what's this? Am I displeasing everyone here?~ Tut, tut. And I thought this was an event in which everyone could be an audience..." His voice naturally projected, thus echoing off of the stone walls. His grin vanished, his expression almost sad. But all he was doing was mocking the others for gazing at him as if he were a beast.
Alexandria hastily turned their gaze away when the half demon grinned. For a moment, she thought she had seen the elongated canines in that dark grin of his. Instead, they had preferred to look upon their lover's stern expression. Hearing Celeste speak for the first time was...haunting. But it was so in the most malicious of ways. It was as if it was an indicator of how aggravated the soul was for having to be around the fae populous in general. What did this person have against fae anyway? 
As for King Draconia, his frown only deepened as his eyebrows furrowed, his gaze almost glaring daggers into the half demon's soul. If he were to cause any sort of fuss, his royal knights would be the first to escort him out of the event. No one should have to endure this from anyone. There was no exception to him or from him. Whether they were in the royal court, a noble, a commoner, or a foreigner, this harassment was uncalled for. Leaning towards Sebek and then Silver, he whispered for them to watch for Celeste. Should he do anything as simple as breathing, he is to be escorted out of the throne room.
Sebek and Silver nodded their heads. While they didn't think to escort Celeste out for simple breathing, they did agree in silence to escort him the moment he would become a nuisance to others. It didn't help that his presence alone was already so aggravating towards the others in the room, even to Malleus himself. 
Lilia glanced over to Malleus, a tad worried as to how he was acting. But he stayed with Alex- Malleus had Silver and Sebek with him, but should something happen in general, Lilia hoped that it was within his power to prevent or act upon. 
--
"Cy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry."
"...."
"Very hungry."
"Go outside then. A few hours by myself won't kill me. If I need you, I'll summon you."
"Thanks, Cy."
Alex had the temptation just to cover her own ears due to how progressively provocative and antagonistic Celeste had become. Was he pushing these people to their limits to get attention? What exactly was his motive? Was there something going on in the background of his life?
"Is this because of my presence? Or merely the fact that I'm half fae? We all know that the fae despise breeding with other species..." That smug, menacing grin had never left his face. The whispers only became louder amongst the nobles as they spectated this interaction between them and the Chief Inspector. Good. Get these people stirred up in their despicable shoes. When the King had scolded him, his hands went up with him being in a surrendering position. "I do apologize for the inconvenience, my liege." With that, his mayhem had come to an abrupt end. However, this was only the beginning... Malleus's foul mood had come back with a bitter vengeance, his hands gripping the arms of the throne as if he were going to rip them off. "Celeste. This is your only warning. Quiet down or you will be escorted out," His tone was even, collected. Authoritative as a proper King should be. When he saw that Celeste had sat back down in his seat and apologized, his mood had fluctuated back to one that was more calm. When they said that he was a troublemaker, they definitely meant it.
Sebek felt uncomfortable- he was half fae, and hearing Celeste's words packed a punch. He looked over to Malleus nonetheless. Sebek may not seem bright, but he was smarter than he let on (though unintentionally). 
After all, Cyrille was human. Any children born from a union between Malleus and Cyrille would be like him- half fae and human. If Celeste had said that in mind, then Sebek supposed that he did a good job at choosing his insults. 
Nonetheless, he stood tall and on guard, as did Silver. They kept a close eye on the half demon, worried as to what he'd do, now that all the attention is on him, despite the promise that he would calm down. 
Lilia, on the other hand, only held his beloved's hands. He wanted to jump in, escort the troublemaker himself, but he shouldn't- couldn't- for if he did, it may seem like he was ignoring Malleus' authority, which would not bode well for Malleus in the future. 
He was pleased that Malleus had it under control. 
-- 
Meanwhile, Rosamund took it upon herself to explore the palace grounds, keeping to the walls in an attempt to stay out of sight. If anyone would see her, they would assume the worst- think that she's a proper demon of sorts. The best case scenario would be mistaken for being a distant relative to the Draconia line, but Rosamund doubted that. 
She eventually found the garden with all the plants, pleased to have found an area with lots of sunlight.  "Food from the sun god," she says quietly, settling down in an open area. Her entire being took on a green hue as closed her eyes, basking in the sun.
While Celeste had seen the spectacle that was the King's supposed bride(s) coming in to introduce themselves, that insult was not targeted towards them. If anything, he didn't know much about the identities of said bride(s) at all. One of the few (many?) good things about Celeste was that he didn't make many assumptions offhand when someone was a different species than him. Unless they were faes. Then he was absolutely a bully about it. That insult was more so directed at himself as opposed to other half-faes. He knew that they despised him partially because of that. His reputation covered a large part of that, but still. The implications were there. The attention was still on him, which was good enough for him. His father always did tell him that he was a bit of an attention-seeking little rat after all. Might as well keep up with it. 
When Alex had turned back to see the half-demon, he was sitting back down in the chair. The chair creaked a little under the half-fae's weight, but that was alright. As long as Celeste stayed far away from her found family and her beloved, then it was going to be fine. Turning to Malleus, Silver, Sebek, and then finally at her lover, she worried for them all. Sebek because that insult being slung at someone could potentially harm them in various ways. Psychologically, mentally, spiritually. Squeezing Lilia's hand, they hadn't realized until now that they hadn't taken a single breathe out. Exhaling quietly, they had to make sure that they were breathing by placing their right hand upon their chest. Feeling that their heart was still beating, they relaxed their shoulders. 
Since Celeste had sat down and made his "promise", Malleus had made sure to have guards keep a watchful eye on the half-demon to make sure that everything was still right in the world. His reputation had perceived him well and it looked like his troublemaking ways hadn't gone away. Not entirely. There were rumors that he used to be much worse than before with the potion incident. It involved sending his instructors to the infirmary with some of the students being scarred temporarily. The whispers had continued for a little while until Malleus had determined that the event was finally over. After all, the main event had been done for a little while now. He needed to tend to some matters that his Grandmother left behind.
The rest of the ceremony went without a hitch, thankfully. Sebek and Silver didn't need to do anything other than stand guard- no doubt a large part due to Malleus' rather imposing figure. 
And thus, the next course of action was dinner, or more aptly, a small dinner party to celebrate the arrival of Cyrille and her knight. 
This time, it was Sebek who had to call upon the two, as everyone was already situated in the dinner room, waiting for them. 
He came to the door, and knocked. Once. Twice. Then thrice. 
It took a moment, but then finally Cyrille opened the door- albeit only partly. 
"What is it?"
"We're celebrating your arrival, Princess Cyrille," Sebek replies, "So your attendance is mandatory."
"Tsk," Cyrille glances to the side, "Need I to dress up?"
"That would be best, please."
"...Alright. Just a moment."
Cyrille closed the door, and Sebek could faintly hear the conversation between the two women, followed by a disgruntled groan. A few minutes passed, and finally the two came out from the room. 
Cyrille came out, adorning a plain green dress. It was still in Aiza fashion,  but the green seemed to compliment her much more than the blues of her kingdom. And her eyes even seem to take on a more green hue... 
Rosamund came out dressed all in black, attire befitting more of an assassin than a knight. Otherwise she didn't seem much different from before- though Sebek swore her eyes looked a tad different. Perhaps it was just his imagination..?
Nonetheless, Sebek guided the two into the dinner room, where everyone was at. There were a few chairs empty, notably those right next to Malleus- which meant that the two would have to separate for the time being.
They took their places, and it was all quiet. Until Lilia spoke up. 
"Say, Rosamund was it?"
A nod. 
"How is it that someone from the Soldati family came to be acquainted with the Aiza?"
"Ah," Rosamund glanced at Cyrille, "We both ran away from home."
"Oh?" This piqued Lilia's interest.
Rosamund gave another glance to Cyrille, who only nodded, as if giving her permission to continue. 
"I'm only a few years older than.... Princess Cyrille. We both had run away from home for personal reasons, and ended up in a chance encounter in the Arbol territory, where we were both taken in."
"Is that so? And you remained there?" Lilia questioned. 
"We did," Rosamund admitted, "We only returned to the Aiza domain upon request from Princess Sarai."
That was news. There was only ever one daughter publicly announced. 
"Princess Sarai?" Sebek asked, "I thought there was only one princess?"
It was Cyrille who spoke up, "The Queen didn't approve of me- hence why I left home. She took advantage of my sister's plea for help. If not for her plea, then no one would have been sent."
Cyrille looked at Malleus head on, staring right at his eyes, "So please do forgive me if I act out of place, because I am. I was not raised like royalty for a considerable amount of time, I hope you understand. Rosamund much less so, considering her history with the Soldati family."
"No worries," Lilia spoke again, "It is a great opportunity to get to know the two of you better, is it not?" Lilia glanced around, waiting for a response. 
Just before anyone could reply however, the servants brought out the food, the smell absolutely heavenly- it was a soup from a foreign land, a zuppa toscana. Though, it was clearly just an appetizer, something before the big meal that was yet to come.
When the dinner party was getting started, Celeste had already left to go back to his duties. He surveyed the garden beforehand to make sure that everything was in order before his duties as Chief Inspector would continue. Inspecting the hospital rooms, equipment, the workers and many other things for major discrepancies. Making sure that everything was prepped and set up to properly perform surgeries. 
Once everything had been ready with everything being clean to its fullest, then the doctors and nurses (as well as residents) could begin working on their patients. The workers that had cleaned the equipment themselves were under the careful, scrutinizing eye of Celeste Zima whom they were all scared of. And for good reason.
While the dinner party was getting prepped up, he had watched over everyone in the throne room to make sure that no more people were going to be a nuisance. While the dinner party was getting set up, King Draconia would take his place at the end of the long table. Of course, his brides were to sit on both sides of him which was to be expected. But for now, those seats would be empty. It was then that everyone would become situated at the table with him, sitting in their assigned seats.
Once Sebek had come back out with the two guests (well, not really, but you do get what I mean, right?) of honor. Cyrille had clearly looked disgruntled with this, which had made his heart sink a bit. Did she not already like him? Was there something wrong with him? Did he do something wrong by accepting the application? Had he made a mistake? 
The silence was rather deafening, but luckily, Lilia had broken it once more. Always the conversation starter and always the more extroverted one. He observed the conversation, studying Rosamund's and Cyrille's facial expressions. What did they think of all of this besides the obvious? There was more to it than this after all. 
The more he listened to their story about running away from home, the more he had felt terrible for the both of them. Her mother had thrown away someone who was truly a marvel of a living being. But when he had heard about there being two princesses, his eyebrows shot up. Two princesses? So did the Queen lie to him about Cyrille being the only child in her application? Shortly after he felt Cyrille staring right at him, his expression turned neutral as he turned his head to face her. Understanding the situation much better now, he nodded his head. 
Before he could speak any further, the appetizer had arrived from the kitchen and onto the table.
Rosamund was the first to dig into the soup, as if she was like a starving dog.  She finished long before anyone else could finish their soup- even Cyrille, who was just as famished as the knight. 
"'I take it, you enjoyed the soup?" Sebek asks, only halfway done with his. He truly didn't know what to say, but felt obligated to say something. 
"Hm?" Rosamund looked up, finally setting the spoon down, "Oh, yes. It's pretty good." 
Cyrille only glanced at Rosamund, as if she was disappointed in her. 
"What was your reason for leaving home, Rosamund?" Lilia asks, looking right at her. Perhaps he had picked up the fact that Rosamund wasn't all that she had seen. 
"Oh, I got tired of hiding," Rosamund nonchalantly replies, "I was good at what I did, but what's the point if I can't show it?"
"And what is it that you do, besides being a knight?"
"One, I'm no knight," Rosamund scoffed, "and two, pray that you never have to know."
"...Rose, it's not very hard to say that you were trained in the Soldati family." Cyrille looked at her with a blank expression, as if such conversation was normal. 
"But that takes away from the mystery, doesn't it?"
"Rose." 
"Fine, fine."
Whatever tension there was, it left as quickly as it had come. Despite being older of the two, Rosamund wasn't as serious nor did she try to be- in fact, it seemed to be the opposite.  It was clear that Rosamund intended to lift Cyrille's mood, and it worked. 
"The issue is more complex than that, but," Rosamund leaned back into her chair, "There is no use telling it. It's been more than a decade and half since they had transpired, and I would rather not relive it, if I can help it."
There was another lull in the conversation, allowing everyone to finish up their soup. The servants took note of this, then brought out the next meal. 
Pork chops with rice on the side.
Alex was taken aback a bit when she saw Rosamund eating as if she hadn't ate good food before. What did they feed them at that palace? Or were they not fed at all? They had only ate a little bit of the soup as she was taught to do many centuries ago. After all, there were still many courses to go and she wanted to save enough space for this. How was Lilia able to make conversation with just about everyone that he had met? Goodness knows that they wouldn't have been able to do this as easily. Not even with the skills that they were taught as the daughter of a Countess and a Knight. As for the pork chops, they would only take a few bites of that as well. Better to eat a little bit than to not eat at all. Her stomach wouldn’t have been able to finish all five courses. Not without having some sort of issues with it afterwards. 
Malleus couldn't help but smile at the sight of one of his brides enjoying the cooking made by the servants. There was hope yet that the two of them might get used to living here for now on. But there was something that contradicted the first thought in his mind. What if Cyrille had run away from the castle? What if, what if, what if? Was that all he could think about? Why not let himself dine on the cooking done by the faithful servants?
Cyrille notably ate a small amount of food, eating slowly to enjoy the flavor much longer. Yet, again, Rosamund  finished through the food quickly, as if there was a void in her stomach. It didn't help that there was no more sunlight, otherwise the need for human food wouldn't have been so great. 
Again, it was Lilia who posed another question, "Princess Cyrille, do you intend to stay here?"
Cyrille only stared at Lilia for a moment, pondering what to say. 
"For the meanwhile, yes. Though I do request that I can take a leave soon- or at the very least, send a letter to my guardian in Arbol. He was not made aware of the arrangements, and I would like to let him know that I'm not dead."
"I'm sure Malleus can come up with an agreement," Lilia smiled to Malleus, "What is your guardian's name?"
"Noé," Cyrille responded, "He raised me for a decade. I consider him my father, if anything. I have a brother through him- Isidore. Rosamund is rather fond of him, you see. I think she'd like to return as well."
"Interesting," Lilia replies, "Well, I do wish you luck in regards to that."
"Thank you, sir...?"
"Just call me Lilia, Princess Cyrille."
"Then you should just call me Cyrille. I'm no princess, anyways."
"Alright then, Cyrille."
The tension was still here, but notably had lessened. Perhaps things were working out...?
The tension in the room was quite palpable with Cyrille and her beloved. Again, they had noticed that the General had a tendency to prod and poke at some peoples' personal details. It would make just about anyone uncomfortable to have to witness this. In the end, Lilia was doing something while everyone else was sitting here like ducks. Sitting ducks. However Cyrille had brought up something significant having to do with her circumstances. She had a guardian named Noé and he wasn't notified at all. Good God, he must have been worried to death about her! If she were in her shoes, she would have looked for a way out as well! 
Malleus nodded as Lilia had smiled at him. He was levelheaded enough as a person of his stature in order to agree to Cyrille's terms. They were fair and reasonable. Being stuck in an unfamiliar place and being trapped in an unwanted arrangement would make anyone want to escape the castle. 
The more he heard the conversation and Cyrille divulge details about her situation, the more he understood. "I will allow you to write the letter to your guardian and have us send it to him. In due time, you will be here in the castle, safeguarded by the Royal Knights and the Draconia family." 
So she was not a princess and the Queen had lied to him. While not the main focus of discussion, it should be addressed at some point. The penalty for lying in a state of affairs like this was lethal for anyone due to how much power and influence the Draconia family had in Twisted Wonderland.
Cyrille almost wanted to jump from her chair in glee, but kept her composure. 
"Really?" She says, her mouth nearly twitching into a smile, "Then thank you, Your Majesty. You're far more accommodating than my blood kin."
Rosamund nearly wanted to laugh, but held it in. Despite her carefree nature from earlier, she kept a neutral expression- only possible from her training in the Soldati family. 
A shame she couldn't be allowed to remain in the family. 
The dinner went without much interruption this time- perhaps Lilia was done with his round of questions and was satisfied, but that didn't mean that Silver and Sebek, and perhaps everyone else for that matter, were satisfied. 
But it was clear that Cyrille and Rosamund were done with their conversation, not wishing to expose more of themselves than need be- the rest of the dinner went with an awkward silence. 
At the very least, Cyrille and Rosamund were now a tad more comfortable in this strange and unfamiliar place.
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Lightsaberandblaster's 1x1 RP Partner Search
So hi! I know this isn't one of my usual posts, but I've been using this blog like it's my main one so it's going here! Welcome to my RP Partner search.
About Me/How I Roleplay:
Hello! I'm known as lightsabersandblaster on this blog but I also use SoulFlameSketches, but you're free to call me Soul or Drake. I'm 21 years old, turning 22 soon and I use she/her pronouns!
▶ I only roleplay with those 18+. But NSFW will only be included if my partner is comfortable with it as well. Smut to plot ratio varies, usually dependent on RP Partner.
▶ I typically write Advanced Lit to Novella in 3rd person perspective and past tense. I do my best to be grammatically correct, but I'm human so there's bound to be a mistake or two. Here's my writing samples! (All my samples are star wars at the moment I'm sorry!)
▶ I roleplay on Discord in private servers cause I love organized servers.
▶ I love OOC Chatter with my rp partner! Headcanons, gushing, crying together about the fandom or our RP is the lifeblood of these for me.
▶ I roleplay OC x Canon pairings, always doubling up! I play my Oc and your love interest and vice versa. Most of my pairings are MxF, but I'm happy playing AxA!
▶ I do my best to reply weekly, but life can get hectic and there's likely to be more time between replies. I will do my best to communicate if that's the case.
▶ Messing with canon is one of my favourite things to do, often adding my OC Species into certain fandoms, but I also love discussing AUs especially fix-its
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My Fandoms
Sorry for any delay in RPs cause I'm still writing OCs. Feel free to ask about it anyway, it's likely that discussing with someone will be motivating.
Star Wars ▶ Prequel Era (Including Clone Wars, Bad Batch & Tales of The Jedi), Original Trilogy Era (Including Kenobi), Mandalorian (Currently watching season 3) and Book of Boba Fett.​ I have 4 OCs (Brainstorming a fifth) and they have various love interests ​
The Orville ▶ Seen all 3 seasons, currently writing my OC who's paired with Ed Mercer.
My Hero Academia ▶ Currently catching up on the series. If I roleplay this, I would most likely change it to a college/university setting to age up characters. The OC I am currently writing can be paired with Eraserhead, Fatgum or Hawks. ​
Marvel Cinematic Universe ▶ Infinity Saga with a few Phase 4 additions, like What If..?, No Way Home and Moon Knight.​ My OC can either be paired with Dr Strange or Bucky Barnes. I will need to rewatch some of the movies if someone wants to roleplay.
Other Fandoms Not Currently Looking for: Primeval Team Fortress 2 DBZ Red Dead Redemption 2
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If you're interested in roleplaying, please message me directly with a little introduction including what you're looking to RP!
Have a lovely day! Happy RP Hunting!
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roleplayexplorer · 1 year
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🌱 Hi hello 👋 I’m Lumina, I’m 23, use she/her pronouns and am looking for some fandom role plays today!
Some of the requirements I have for writing with me are as follows:
- be 18+. I will not write with minors!!
- be comfortable with smut
- be comfortable with fxm ships and ocxcanon
- be comfortable with chatting ooc, sharing headcanons, art, playlists, all that fun stuff!!
- No one liners, please be literate!!
So some fandoms and their characters I’m looking for include:
- the last of us: Joel miller (🥰)
- star wars: Anakin skywalker (🥰), Ben solo/Kylo Ren, Obi-wan Kenobi
- Haikyuu!!: Atsumu Miya (🥰), Bokuto Koutaro, Kuroo Tetsurou, Tsukishima Kei
- Genshin Impact: Kaeya (🥰), Childe/Tartaglia, Diluc
- Ensemble Stars: Koga Oogami (🥰), Kaoru Hakaze, Rei Sakuma, Mika Kagehira, Rinne Amagi
- BBCs Merlin: Gwaine (🥰), Lancelot, Leon, Percival
- Stranger things: Billy Hargrove (🥰), Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson (🥰)
I’m cool with using irl or anime faceclaims depending on the verse!!
I only write on discord!!
Please like this post or directly message me on tumblr if you’re interested! 💋
Interact or dm them if interested!
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museagerie · 1 year
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LUNE'S 1x1 ROLEPLAY SEARCH
hello !! my name is lune, i'm 21, my pronouns are xe/they, and i'm looking for other 21+, fairly active, and semi-lit to lit (2 para. min.) muns!
i am looking for mainly tokyo revengers muses and i don't mind either oc x canon (preferred) or canon x canon as well as doubling-up. my preferred writing medium as of right now is a private discord server which i will make once we settle on things. please note that OOC talk and interaction is a must for me. i highly prefer an informal setting where i can relax and banter with you and plot without feeling like roleplay is a job with you. i do not mind fade to blacks when it comes to nsfw, nor do i mind roleplaying nsfw. i have no triggers but please let me know if you have any.
here are the muses i'd like to write against the most!:
rindou haitani
hanma shuji
baji keisuke
as for canon x canon. . .
ask me about any ship and i will likely write it with you as i am multiship. just don't ask about any ships involving any of the characters listed below.
i, on the other hand, can write anyone but smiley, angry, takemichi, peh yan, pah, benkei, or kazutora for you.
please DM me if interested or reach out to me on discord!: la lune#7373
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rpmatchmake · 1 year
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Pinned 📌
Hello and welcome to RP Match Make, a new 18+ roleplay advertisement blog! Original and fandom content welcome, dead dove friendly. Ads will be released daily through the queue starting February 18th.
Blogs Rules
Ad Rules
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findroleplay · 7 months
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Heya! I am a female seeking anyone playing a male character. Keep in mind that I am 17 years old, so I am still a minor. Anyway, I am currently fixated on writing for My Hero Academia! I'm one to love the villains more than the heroes, so keep that in mind when it comes to characters!
I do prefer doubling up more than anything! But if you do not have an OC, I'm willing to do a singular OC x Canon roleplay as long as I'm playing the OC.
Discord would be my preferred platform when it comes to roleplaying, and I also prefer if you are advanced literate, at least. Depending on how invested I am with the roleplay, I can write around three messages of text. But most of the time, I tend to mirror the length of my partner's literacy.
If you are interested, leave a comment or message me! I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible! 💕
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rp-partnerfinder · 2 months
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Hihi I'm an 20 y/o female writer looking for any 18+ writing partners that would be down for small to medium group roleplays on discord for these fandoms(with all characters being 18+)
•Attack on Titan, university/college AU
•Haikyuu
•My Hero Academia
•Demon Slayer
•Danganronpa
•DC Comics
All I ask is again, be 18+ to join. These are OC friendly with an OC x Canon lean but other pairings are accepted. No timezone requirements or submissions/auditions, literate(para, multipara, etc) writers are wanted. These are all LGBTQ+ friendly and meant to be play as you go and laid back so don't feel pressured to be around all the time.
If interested just like this or comment on this post and I'll reach out to you to ask with what group(s) you'd be interested in!
.
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kawaiimxchi · 4 months
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Hogwarts Legacy Rp Search!
Hello! I am 20+ F looking for some 18+ partners to rp with me for Hogwarts Legacy. This rp will be on discord, since that's where most of my experience is from.
Currently looking for cc x oc ships with me playing as the oc. If you are also wanting to play an oc to pair up with a cc, I prefer to double up then. I have the most experience with m x f and f x f, but I am open to other pairings as well.
Looking for someone to play as Sebastian against my oc. I can play as any character you like. I also have already finished the game since I played it on the pc, so I am open to being creative or even following the storyline too if that's what you want to do. I do have some plot ideas in mind as well.
If you're interested, please leave a like on this post and I'll get back to you!
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Looking for RP partners!
Hi there, I'm a 18+, literate /novella, on Discord looking for a long-term RP with a 18+ partner who likes to chat ooc and share stuff and ideas.
I like angst, drama, whump but also comfort and fluff. I prefer when there's romance and I'm totally okay with NSFW, but only if all characters involved are 18+, and I only RP as bottoms/subs. All pairings are MxM.
Pairings, no double ups:
❤️ Cod: Simon Ghost Riley (you) X OC (me)
❤️ Guardians of the Galaxy : Canon [Rocket is awesome, others too] X Halfworlder OC
❤️ The Boys: Canon [Butcher, Frenchie, Hughie] (you) X OC (me)
❤️ Hazbin Hotel: Sinner OC (me) X M canon (you)
Moon knight : OC (me) x Moon knight system (you)
Avatar 1 & 2 : Cano Recom (you) x Native! OC (me)
Across the Spiderverse: Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Punk (you) x Anomaly OC (me)
John Wick : Canon M (you) X OC (me)
And that's it, leave a note or PM if you're interested!
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leafquillwriting · 11 months
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Writing Sample #4 - Partitio
Reckless, dumb silly ole me, getting sick after a few drinks. The Shu male looked like hell warmed over– practically a puddle before his sharpshooter friend. It wasn't unusual to Partitio, the soft glimmer in Jesper's stormy grey eyes; he was well aware of his effect on people. While his problem solving and hard-working attitude came from his devote father– the dark haired man was practically a reflection of his Squaller mother.
"You're so stubborn chickadee, and you got my skills of talking kid. But you're good, always stay good, okay Partitio?" He remembered the conversation like it was yesterday; seven years old sitting on a peer with his toes just touching the surface of the vast ocean splitting most of the continent from Novyi Zem. His mother's long walnut colored hair flowing in the coastal breeze while the two watched the sun set, a routine habit the pair had fallen into. In his memories, he had been eating some sort of treat– a honey or molasses candy his mother had purchased off the market for him. At that time, his father was practically enslaved to his occupation, leaving his wife to pick up the slack.
        She spent hours training him– though half of the time Partitio was too busy trying to make friends with the bunnies and frogs they found during their long walks or runs. Yet, as he aged he molded into the charismatic speaker, proving her instruction was actually heard despite his inattentiveness in his first few years. Not only was he adept with his powers and keeping them hidden, the young adult also made sure no matter how many shady characters he came across that he did exactly what she had asked of him. To stay good.
        Certainly his definition of staying virtuous happened to come across in a different manner than his ma would have preferred– especially considering he worked among Kaz Brekker, better known as Dirty Hands in the streets of Ketterdam. Yet, most people who had come into contact with the tanned skin male were well aware that he wouldn't harm a fly; even being likened to that of Robin Hood if determined a criminal at all. Partitio doubted he deserved such an honorable title, humbly acknowledging he was no more than a man who enjoyed his work and company. 
        "A few days? I think this large water skiff is going to lead me to an early grave." The dark haired male enjoyed traveling by skiff– hell he didn't mind carriages on a bustling road. It must have been the sloshing sea along with his gurgling stomach, angry at his careless indulgence from the night prior. He was grumbling, looking akin to a pouting child. "No, I'll recover. Can't let you lot have all the fun." It was a jest as he shot a short grin towards Jesper before cringing at the sight of the flask. 
        After his suspicion was subdued by his friend, he allowed his fingers to grasp the sturdy metal, flicking it up and enjoying the cool contents as they eased his throat. Partitio listened as the Zemeni spoke of sleep, his head throbbing as if it was agreeing. "Shoot– rest sounds like a nice reprieve." His Ravkan roots showed through his accent as he watched Jesper stretch, his breath slightly hitching in his throat as the darker skinned male's muscles shifted; the end of his shirt crinkling up to show his toned muscles. 
        Quickly looking away– almost feeling as if he had witnessed the man indecently, his cheeks flushing a light pink as they always managed to do when the sharpshooter did just about anything. It was rash, the feelings that bubbled for someone who had barely known him– yet he couldn't escape them no matter how much he tried. When he heard the male's velvety voice he nearly jumped before sputtering. "Yeah! Uh you know, I feel a little better since our talk last night. Just nerves and uh– alcohol." Smooth, his inner voice teased him as his hand flew up to his dark curls, staring at his lap while awkwardly chuckling. 
        Gathering his feelings; he raised his eyes to the comforting grey of his companion. "Are you okay?" He returned the question, wanting to make sure he also was able to provide his shoulder– even as his stomach grumbled.
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DISCLAIMER: I do not own the gif listed above nor do I own most of Partitio, he is an original character made mirrored to the Octopath Traveler II character Partitio due to my great enjoyment of his personality and habits.
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bloody-psycho-love · 1 year
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In the Midst of Conflict
Summary For “In the Midst of Conflict”: Five to six years have passed since the five of them have attended Night Raven College. Lilia Vanrouge and Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia had changed their friendship into a romantic relationship. But how will they navigate said romance when Malleus takes the throne after his grandmother disappears? How will Alex deal with being an outsider in the Briar Valley? Will their romance survive and flourish or will it wilt and crumble from their hands?
Co written by @eternity-forevermore and myself, @bloody-psycho-love!
Night One
The breeze flowing through the cape of long, glossy, straight ebony hair was enough to lift up even the hardest to find baby hairs. The back of this person's neck was now exposed, sending a violent shiver down their spine. Even so, they had held on tight to the ancient pointy eared  being's waist. During the trip to the group's homeland (save for the human woman), her grip on the short being's waist became tighter and tighter. It was, in fact, so tight that she felt her muscles being flexed to their limit.
The leader of said group was an ancient fae, a renowned general of Maleficent's army that spilled enough blood to drown himself endlessly in it. Yet he looked as if he had invented the E-boy trend that had transpired onto social media with his hot pink and black hair, uneven bangs that somehow fitted him well. Instead of his uniform that he would wear to Night Raven College (when they had all attended it, of course), he had worn clothes that were akin to a Victorian vampire. Her long, even duo bangs didn't help her somewhat obscured vision either as they had only fluttered every so often in front of her glasses. The crimson lenses (complimented by pure silver, of course) obscured cloudy gray eyes. Those eyes… They had seen many untold horrors that humanity has committed. Things that were truly unspeakable. Things that should never be mentioned in civil conversation. Taboos that were inflicted upon her vision. Those memories of long ago were behind her and were to be left there.
After several hours of flying via broomstick (which made her sun-kissed skin become riddled with goosebumps), the shock of arriving at the Valley of Thorns for the first time had finally hit the immortal human. The evasiveness of this nostalgia trip was something that she could never predict. A raspy gasp had finally burst out from her lips as she saw that they were landing on the ground. So they were finally here... The fae in front of her had hardly been tense at all! Were they used to the violent winds of this land and in the wild forests of the Valley of Thorns?
"Welcome to the Valley of Thorns," Lilia cheerfully says, looking up at Alex, a shine in his eyes. He smiled at her, glee all too apparent on his face. 
He didn't dare mention the disheveled hair as a result of the harsh winds, nor did he dare mention how cold the immortal woman had become, instead, he opted to say:
"It's been a while, hasn't it? Perhaps I should've given you a better warning for how it was going to be, apologies about that."
Blinking once. Blinking twice. Blinking thrice now. Yet there was not a single word that came from her lips. Instead she nodded her head, silently thanking the ancient being. Just how did she end up with someone as chaotic and vivacious as Lilia Vanrouge? Well, Alex wasn't about to tell anyone any time soon. Wetting her lips with her tongue, their lips parted to speak at last. "If I knew the wind was going to be this violent, I would have worn something for my hair." Her (usually) husky and mature voice was raspy, almost hoarse from the wind taking her breath away. The brutal winds here were nothing to compare to Night Raven College's bright, more sunny and even-tempered weather with the light, refreshing breeze it had offered before.
Lilia turned his head, raising a hand to cover his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laugh. It worked for the most part, but it was rather obvious. After a moment, he regained his composure and turned to Alex, "I'm sure there is something in my home that could be a remedy.”
Lilia glanced back at the horizon, his eyes darting from side to side, "It shouldn't take too long now, perhaps a mere ten minutes or so to find my dwelling. I'm sure it'll be to your liking, love."
She couldn't bring herself to get annoyed at Lilia's stifled laughter. If she were in his shoes, the same would have been done by her. So there wasn't any point in getting upset. Perhaps it was a memory that they could both chuckle at in the future. When Lilia had spoken about having a remedy in his home, her heart had skipped a beat. This was the first time that she would be approaching his abode. Alex didn't think that it would be so soon, but she and her lover had waited long enough. Her thoughts had wandered off as usual while they were now walking on foot. After that unpredictable ride, her feet and legs could use the movement. The blood flowing back in them should help her keep warm, right? What kind of remedies did Lilia have in his home? The moment of silence that surrounded the dreary, misty valley had finally made her speak out in an attempt to somehow circumvent the anxiety that was clutching her heart with an iron fist. "I almost forgot to thank you for flying me here. You, Malleus, Silver, and Sebek… You didn't have to do that for me... Please remind me to pay you back sometime..."
"Oh, it's no worries," Lilia responds casually, "I'm rather happy that you'll be here." 
Lilia moves forward, a faint trail now in sight. It appeared as if it was once used commonly, but not any more. 
"The dwelling is hidden," Lilia gestures towards a direction, "It's more on the smaller side but still comfortable.  It's where we raised Silver." He smiled fondly at the memory, but didn't continue to speak of it. 
He walks a few feet and stops, looking back at Alex, waiting expectantly.
Alex hugged herself, feverishly doing her best to circulate her body for warmth as she sped walked to be next to Lilia. Normally her leather jacket along with skinny, leather pants, and boots would help her. But no. The Valley of Thorns just had to be a freakish abomination when it came to its weather. Hopefully this dwelling had some kind of heat source because she never did well in colder, harsher conditions. Her eyes twinkled once Lilia brought up having raised Silver there. "Do you think that once we get there, we could talk some about our memories? I don't know why, but it's a natural topic to speak to you about..." A big part of why she fell so hard for the elder fae was his fatherly nature. That warmth, compassion, and familial love reminded her of home back on Earth. The immortal had made peace long ago that she could never return to that dimension. She would stick out too much and that was not something she wanted to deal with. 
While she and the fae spoke to each other (once she had caught up once more with him), the heir of the throne, Malleus Draconia was deep in thought while simultaneously following along with the rest of the group. The draconic fae was deeply worried. If his grandmother was no longer on the throne, then he was the next in line. Was he ready for that kind of challenge? He was eternally grateful for the company of the students at Night Raven College for helping him overcome many challenges. But most of all, it was his dearest friend that had approached him first. Yuu... Were they happy back in their world? Did they miss him and the others? His lime green eyes almost glowed in the foggy mist as a lantern to guide the way. But that was all to identify the prince and those eyes were almost down at the ground. Maybe it was done on purpose? Lilia was powerful enough to control the weather. To an extent. Yet again, the valley has a mind of its own.
Lilia pondered for a moment, but then replied to Alex's question, albeit belatedly, "Sure, we can talk about our memories. We both have several hundred years worth of memories, so it would be quite the deep dive."
"That's right!" Sebek interjects, eyes shining, "We can hear Young Master's precious memories!"
"If that is what he wishes, what say you, Malleus?" Lilia asks, walking over right between Alex and Malleus.
To be honest, Malleus was reluctant to return to the Valley of Thorns. It didn't feel as though he was ready to take over as King. Was he scared? Most likely. Was he about to admit that to anyone? Unless he wanted to bring an uprising of riots and violent destruction, it would be in his best option to not say anything related to his fears. When he heard Lilia's footsteps, Malleus snapped out of his train of thought.
A faint smile graced his midnight violet lips as he nodded, "It would be a pleasure to retell some of my childhood memories with you all." It would also be interesting to hear more about their other immortal guest. The fact that she was human and immortal... Maybe some of his questions about her would finally be answered. Since it was a short trek from the hiking trail to the abode, it was only a few minutes later when they had approached the building.
"Wonderful," Lilia exclaims, "I'll be sure to make some tea so that we may tell our tales in comfort." 
Upon seeing the cottage, Lilia demeanor brightened up, as he looked over to Alex, "Look, love, the humble abode where it all happened," a glance to Silver, who only nodded, "and where much time was spent here," a glance to Malleus. 
It was a sizable cottage, hidden by the large trees surrounding it, its bricks painted to be the same shade as the bark. There were glass windows, though aged and opaque. There was a front porch, in which there was a small table and two chairs beside it, and a painter's easel in the corner, with a forgotten sketch of the nearby scenery.
"Looks like it hasn't been attended to in a while," Silver comments as he glances around, eyes drawing up to the door.
Ah, tea... Some lavender or earl gray tea would be good right now. It was always useful as a way to warm up the body heat so that she didn't feel cold. The corners of her partially made up pouty lips curled up into a soft smile as her charcoal gray eyes laid upon the abode. The aged windows made the home look more grimy, but that was what gave it character. the fact that there were already so many memories of love, companionship, and unconditional familial care made it have a warm atmosphere around it. Whenever she had dreamed in her slumber, she dreamed of taking care of her younger brother whilst making potions to better the health of others within the community. If only... There was nothing she could have done to prevent what had happened next. Moving from place to place in hiding, it was all Alexandria could do to keep from screaming at the top of her lungs. Once she had snapped out of her thoughts, she was already going up the stairs of the porch. 
Malleus turned his gaze slightly to his guardian to nod at him. Turning back to look upon the slightly dilapidated home, the Prince was reminded of Sebek clinging onto his leg for ever-loving life as Silver was roused from his sleep by the ancient fae. They were both good children and that was all that was one of the things that mattered to Malleus (even if he didn't know how to raise children at the time). Helping Lilia read folk tales and sing lullabies to help the two sleep were just some of the peaks of those days. Back when his grandmother was still on the throne... No, he shouldn't think about that right now. It would just ruin this peaceful moment altogether. His feet walked to the abode and stepped foot on it first. What was it like inside? Would it look the same as it once did?
Lilia takes the first steps, materializing the key. The door opened with a creek, as darkness hung inside the cottage. 
Sebek was the one to make the first step, and upon entering, the candles lit up, and everything came into view. 
It was certainly not a simple cottage, but it wasn't too extravagant either. The couch and chairs were a deep shade of green, with golden wines embroidered into them. There was the mahogany  table, with a matching green tablecloth and flowers that somehow never wilted. There was an opening to the kitchen, though the wall obscured most of the view- all that could be seen from the doorway was just another table with a green table cloth, with wooden chairs and black cushions in them, and another window that had small lace curtains. Despite how detailed the furnishings were, there was no decoration on the walls, the only thing adorning them being just the candle-held lamps, and a single mirror above the fireplace. 
"My, no one has taken care of the place?" Lilia quietly comments, who now stood over the table, looking at his fingers. There were clear prints of his fingers on the table, where the dust was cleaned off. 
"We did leave for a good amount of time, father," Silver replies-  his appearance evidence of the passage of time. He was no longer the young first year, just about to enter Night Raven, but a young man and capable knight.
Malleus came in second to last as Sebek and Silver had gone in. Inspecting with his eyes, the cobwebs seem to have invaded the door frames. He casually swiped the webs away from his horns as he ducked to come inside. Fortunately he didn't forget just how long it had been since he was in this house. As he saw the old and worn mahogany table, that soft smile (that he normally reserved for his family and Yuu) had sprung about once more, warming his heart. To him, the spider webs just make the place more cherished. Though it is a disgrace that no one kept the place clean. If one were to be optimistic, this meant that it was time to clean the place as a family. "Lilia. Sebek. Silver. Shall we clean once we're settled or should we start now?" His voice resonated in the mostly empty cottage, deep, yet melodic and haunting. Anyone could become entranced by it if he wanted them to. But he never cared to do so, preferring them to come of their volition. "Hm. Whatever suits you, Malleus...," Silver piped up, walking some to get himself going. He didn't want to pass out while standing up. Once the fae, half-fae, and human (who was taller than her by an inch and a half; good for him) had gone inside of the once abandoned building, she had finally stepped inside. The wood creaked underneath her boots, but it wouldn't give. Not by a long shot. The architect must have made sure that it was sturdy enough to withstand a lot of people if it was this big. The thickets of the foggy forest had covered the cottage well enough to where nobody but Lilia and the others could seek it out. Even if it were easily visible, only her darling held the key. With her left hand behind her, she clutched the doorknob. As she was shutting it behind her, a spider almost as big as her palm would come out of hiding. The door clicked just as the spider had crawled, now on the back of Alex's hand. Charcoal gray eyes widened as she froze for just a moment before screaming out, "AY DIOS, ARAÑA! QUITALO, QUITALO!!"* She yanked her hand off of the doorknob as she flailed her hand, trying to fling the spider off of her. Instead it ended up crawling onto her leather jacket.
Lilia was the one to Alex's rescue- appearing right in front of Alex and gently picking up the spider. 
"Now, you shouldn't frighten the guests here," Lilia scolds the spider, walking over to the windows and opening them, hanging his hand out. The spider took the hint and dropped out into the outdoors. 
"That ought to do it," Lilia glances over to Alex, "Are you alright, love? I know such creatures are rather unpleasant. Hopefully they will no longer be a bother." "Their webs are a nuisance," Sebek huffs out, interrupting, "It is not fitting for a place to accommodate the Young Master to have such things. I'll see to it at once!"  He storms away into the kitchen, the sound of items shuffling around until an "Aha!" was heard, followed by "This should work!"
She nodded, breathing a bit ragged once more. This time it was from a silly little spider! "Thank you, Lilia... Should've expected a spider or multiple to be here," She muttered just loud enough for the love of her life to hear. They shouldn't be angry at themself. Well, they weren't, but they sure were irritated. The unpleasant tingling sensation of the spider's hairy legs was enough to send her into a panic.
A feather duster. Such a simple tool was used before to clean up spider webs and it shall be used again. The silver haired young man shuffled through the cleaning supplies, taking out a half filled spray bottle, a sponge, a mop, and a bucket. His boisterousness and vibrating voice kept him awake. There were benefits from being around such a loud person. Silver had gone ahead with Sebek in order to find the cleaning supplies in the kitchen. If they were going to sit anywhere, the spider webs needed to be cleaned up. 
Meanwhile, Malleus had already gone ahead (before the incident with the spider, mind you) and snapped his fingers, using a tiny percentage of his magic to clean the furniture properly. After all, no one should have to hear the young, pastel green haired knight bust out a lung over him touching the dusty furniture. Sometimes his overbearing devotion to him grated at him. But no one could blame him. Sebek Zigvolt took his duties seriously and you never knew when you needed someone as loyal and competent as him.
"No worries," Lilia replies, glancing around. "Looks like everyone is off to complete their tasks and such," a small pause, "I think we should head up-stairs. It seems like everyone is focused here, and the second floor is smaller than the first." 
At first glance, there didn't seem to be a set of stairs, but when Lilia walked over to the wall, using a small spark of magic against a nearby candle, the wall in front of him disappeared. 
Lo and behold, the passage was a set of stairs, the hall illuminating one by one with candles, though dim. 
"Malleus and I were the only ones to really utilize the upper two rooms. I believe they should have a little bit of magic to reduce the amount of dust, but who knows if the magic will last long enough." 
Lilia offers a small gleeful smile as he turns to Alex, "Shall we, love?"
She nodded, following the ancient vampiric (fruit bat?) fae. Her heart fluttered as her cheeks turned a soft pink. The thought of them going up a floor in order to clean and get some alone time... It would certainly give them some room to breathe for a little bit! Every time they were alone with the vampiric(?) fae, her mind wandered to all of the romantic bedtime stories that her mother used to tell her before going to bed. However she knew that they wouldn't be able to do so for long. The trio downstairs would have been waiting for them by then. At this moment, her mind wandered. She has always been a bit of a daydreamer, but not like this. How would her family react to seeing her with someone like Lilia Vanrouge?
Was it possible for her to-? No. It was far more likely that they would fear for her and their own lives. They wouldn't know about mythical beings such as the ancient fae existing. Even if they did, her parents would forcibly drag her away from him. That wasn't something she wanted to think about. Again, the snap of Lilia's fingers had helped her snap out of her thoughts.
Once she saw what he had done in front of her eyes, those charcoal grays widened in surprise. It was confounding just how Lilia was able to make those stairs appear seemingly out of nowhere! His magical prowess was exceptional even for a fae! No mortal man could comprehend or understand this if they tried. It was almost as if the wall had been a trap door this entire time! In her 450 years of existing, her magic wasn't even this encompassing. To an extent, this made her a bit envious. Envy could make way for perseverance and determination though. But now she had a question to ask of her darling. "What would you and Malleus do while upstairs? ...Why was this hidden from Silver and Sebek?"
Lilia hums quietly, entering the passage, staring straight ahead. 
"I wouldn't say we hid it per se- more like Silver and Sebek never quite realized it existed. The rooms were seldom used throughout the child-rearing years. Not to say the times were peaceful, but I am not the only knight or general with great prowess, so rarely were my services requested for whatever reason." 
Lilia looked back at Alex, and smiled, "Though I wouldn't be surprised if the two, especially Silver, realized something was amiss. Magic flows freely here, but ever so slightly concentrated in this area- so to fully answer your question, dear, these rooms were offices. They contain everything that an office would require, and magical items that oversee the land. Items that shouldn't be dealt by inexperienced hands, to be exact, hence the need for their relative secrecy."
"No worries, everyone makes assumptions. Kind of hard not to," Lilia chuckles, "Silver was quite close to figuring out, but didn't know how to unlock the mechanism. Sebek could probably unlock it, as he seems to have a slight affinity for electricity, but he hasn't come close to figuring it out. Sooner or later they'll find out about the offices, but not now, not yet." 
Lilia walked for a bit more, when the stairs ended. There was a hallway, though not particularly big nor small- with a door on each wall- making three doors in total. The first two doors were a mere few feet away from the staircase, parallel to each other, with golden nameplates on them. The language was clearly foreign, but no doubt it contained the names of Lilia and Malleus on them. In contrast, the door at the end of the hallway simply had a sun and flowers on them.
"This is my office," Lilia says as he opens the door, "The other belongs to Malleus. The door at the end leads to a small patio- though no one ever used it." 
Lilia's office was cluttered, yet there was still a degree of organization to it. Shelves upon shelves lined two of the walls, while paintings decorated the other two. There was a window, albeit hidden by a shelf- its presence only noticeable due to the natural light pouring in from that area. 
There was a large desk to the far back, pens and papers scattered, a small candle at the corner. There was a box on the desk with a glowing symbol, which Lilia recognized immediately. 
"Ah, I had forgotten about that. Surprised it still has magic. It monitors the nearby area, want to see?"
A full smile (without showing her teeth) slithered upon her features with her eyebrows raised. Good on them for getting that far. Lilia obviously raised them well if they were able to be that observant and inquisitive. It was only natural for children to be curious of their surroundings. Her younger brother was no exception with him running off. For all of the anxiety and worry that he caused them, he was very much loved. The hallway that they had walked upon (at the end of the stairs) was a bit smaller than she had imagined it would have been. Alexandria may have had an affinity for earthly languages, but the fae language was outside of her expertise. By a long shot. "Of course. Would this be a surveillance camera of sorts then?," She asked, quirking an eyebrow up in question. If it was, then it may have done its job. How well it did would depend very much on how many intruders were chased off and the extra security measures needed. After all, it was just one part in a grand scheme of keeping others safe. Walking over to it slowly, she then leaned in a little bit to inspect it.
"Indeed, it would be a surveillance camera. We utilize magic stones and small crystals to make them work. Though, as to how exactly they work, I don't know."
Lilia picks up the box, and opens it. Inside were four bags, all of different colors -red, yellow, blue, and green- and he took out the red one. He  takes out its contents, four pink stones and places them onto the table, making a square with them. Placing a finger on the table, there was another spark of magic from the tip of his finger, activating the devices. The stones flew up and created a sort of screen, a second later an image pops up of the forest. Movement can be seen in the trees as birds fly away, a feral large cat in the distance, and small fae buzzing out and about amongst the blooms of the trees. 
Serene and tranquil, it was. 
"I had kept them on my person, tied to my belt at all times. I've placed a small thread that can detect malice, so the stones begin to heat up when set off. Rarely did I have to fully utilize these things though, as not many know that we're here- only the previous Queen and Sebek's relatives, is all."
Lilia grabbed another bag- blue this time- and did the same thing. This time it was focused on a nearby river, its water transparent and its fish large. There was a bear, too, fishing for its next meal.  "Seems like our absence has invited more of the wildlife to wander into its territory," the fae mused, "The last time I saw a bear was when I had gone hunting."
Not many people would have figured it out as fast as she had just based on what the artifact had looked like. But one with good deduction skills would have deduced that it was exactly what it was on the fae's words alone. If they didn't, then it was unfortunate. Could she blame them? Not if they weren't of this world. At this point in time, her body had already felt warmth from the heat radiating from the magical item. To see a fae playing in the forest was a peaceful sight and relieved her. Nature was a beautiful, yet dangerous thing. Seeing all of this in person was truly an honor. No one besides a few (The trio downstairs, Sebek's relatives, and (of course) the Queen) had ever seen this before. "A bear? Back on Earth, they are notoriously hard to hunt down without many injuries. Most hunters would rather die trying to get a bear fur decoration in their homes than just leave it be," She mused, not having an ounce of sympathy or empathy for those idiots. Then again, when have humans truly learned their lesson?
"I suppose the bear is a common creature then," Lilia smiled, "Most of the bears here are few and in between. The lands are vast, and the majority of our citizens remain within the limits of the cities and towns that they reside in, and bears don't particularly like our presence, hence why they can be rather obscure in these parts. Perhaps they're no longer frightened of our presence, if they dare be near while we're here. Or perhaps..." A pause, and a glance to Alex, "They've realized we have a new ruler."
Lilia removes his finger, and both screens collapse gently onto the desk. Lilia placed them back into their original bags, and took out the remaining two. 
Repeating his actions, the two new screens were much different from the previous two. One showcased a small clearing, abundant with flowers and more of the small fae, whereas the second screen showed more of the woods, the only difference being the faded trail. 
"Looks like nothing seems out of place, which is good to know. Though those flowers do seem to be rather new..."
"Yes. Bears are more common creatures where I'm from. Some species are endangered however. So some humans are doing whatever they can to preserve them so that they may thrive." Just like with any species of being, humans had their good apples and their rotten apples. The next thing that the vampire fae said stopped her in her tracks. Wait... New ruler? Was the Queen dead? Her eyes widened as she out a silent gasp. No wonder Malleus seemed distracted while on the way here. Did he already know about this or not? To lose a loved one so early in his life... Alexandria knew that feeling all too well. When the fae that granted her immortality told her that she could never see her family again, her heart broke into a million pieces. Back then, her family was all that mattered to her and more. What would she have done without them?? Alex could only look at Lilia, her brain unfortunately comprehending this with ease. Most of the things that were revealed through the device were left unseen by the immortal human in favor of the new flowers. Blinking thrice, Alexandria was not fully shaken out of her shock. That kind of news was never easy to shake for most.
"Indeed, new ruler," Lilia replied, "The Queen retired, and handed her crown to Malleus, you see. I don't quite know how it works, as the crown is much older than I, and the Queen has ruled for several more centuries than I've been alive for. Though I did hear whispers and rumors from the other fae," a glance to the window, "that the crown is connected to the land, so changes within the crown are physically felt all across. It's only a matter of time before his coronation is publicly announced." Lilia then noticed Alex's expression, and frowns with worry, "Ah, I should've clarified right from the start," he reaches out to Alex's hand, though only just barely touching it, "The Queen has ruled for far too long, and thought it was time to pass down her crown."
Nodding as a sign that she was listening, a voice in the back of her head only shook their head. Of course there would be rumors floating around about this. It was huge news to the communities that resided in the Valley of Thorns. She even thought that she had died when she first heard Lilia speak of a new ruler. The breath that she had held in for a moment too long was exhaled, her tense body visibly relaxing. So she didn't die. It would be impossible to kill off the Queen as she was too powerful to get rid of. Maleficent would have had them permanently banished to another realm of existence. Or killed off. "Thank goodness... Should we tell Malleus or no? He may think differently due to the rumors..." Her thumb gently caressed Lilia's as he barely touched hers. The subtle signals of their love was more than enough to keep her happiness in check.
"Malleus knows he's to be king," Lilia responds, "Though, I doubt he is aware of the rumors. Just like the Queen, fae and humans alike are afraid of him, even if he may show an ounce of kindness. They dare not utter a word in front of him unless they had to."
"We can take a moment if need be," the fae continued, his voice now much lower, just above a whisper, "I doubt the three downstairs will miss us that terribly. They'll probably assume I'm out and about, doing something befitting for someone like me."
What a miserable life... While he must have been used to it, it would take a major hit on anyone's social skills and happiness. If only Yuu were allowed to stay in this world like she was. "At least he has us to care for him and love him as he should be..." If she could, she would pull Malleus into her embrace and comfort him to the best of her abilities. In many ways, Twisted Wonderland was far better than Earth ever was. But it was in her most vulnerable moments that she missed being on that planet. This cheeky fae... This time, she giggled like a schoolgirl as her smile showed her teeth. Her voice became deeper and huskier as she whispered, "What do you plan on doing, Lilia?", taking a step closer and closer.
"Me?" Lilia replies, with a smile of his own, "Oh nothing. Though you seem to be planning something, love." Lilia has to look up in order to face Alex properly, giving her a cheeky grin, "What is on your mind? Surely you must have something, otherwise you wouldn't have asked me, isn't that so?"
"Me? Something planned?," The purr in her voice could be heard faintly. "Possibly. It has been a little while since we've done something like that, you know...~" Grey eyes peer down at crimson-magenta eyes with glazed euphoria. What was this? Two adults planning to get away from the others? It was only natural that they do so! After all, it wasn't as if they had anything to be worried about! Now her fingers brushed against his hand and up his arm, barely grazing his clothing. Getting onto one knee, she leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Only if you desire it, my General~"
"My, my, quite the vixen aren't you?" Lilia chuckles, "How can I say no to that? I suppose I'll have to take you up on that offer. Alas, it seems like cleaning will have to wait." With a flick of his finger, the lock of the door clicking could be heard, and a flick of the wrist dimmed the lighting, followed by the sound of fabric hitting the floor, likely from the curtains that now covered the window.
As they both embraced, their lips had collided with one another in a hot, fiery bliss that only one could acquire through deep, true love. It was as if everything had faded into black for the both of them. Time was irrelevant at the moment. It was a lovely, salacious, and ravishing moment for them both as they had danced, fought, and ultimately shown the true form of their twisted love. It had gone on for as long as the both of them needed in order to be satisfied to the finish. As usual, Lilia Vanrouge was correct. None of the trio even knew to come looking for them. Panting and sweating, her muscles were almost at their limit as she let out a breathy chuckle. "You're quite the savage beast when you want to be... A beautiful thing about you...," Her voice was hoarse, only being able to whisper out her words. Keeping up with him was quite the challenge, but she managed. But in return, her body screamed in agony as bruises, bite marks, scratches, and kisses littered her body.
Lilia was all disheveled, sweaty, but most important of all- satisfied.
"We've made it a bigger mess," he laughs, as he began to redress himself properly again, "Unfortunately the bedroom is downstairs, otherwise we could have a better chance of fixing our appearance. Hopefully the three won't take notice of the small details that went awry."
Lilia looked around, face still tinged pink, "At the very least, the magic has kept it dust free."
Silence was the only thing greeting Lilia's words for a moment as she began to get dressed once again. With the hairband that she brought with her (on her wrist), she hastily did a small portion of her hair into a bun once more. Looking around, she nodded in affirmation, all of the stress in her body gone. "Magic has its perks...," She murmured to herself. "We should make sure to do this in the bedroom next time...," Her voice was still a bit shaky as she straightened herself out. "...Now. Do you know where the cleaning supplies are for up here? Or would we need any for this floor?"
"There's none up here," Lilia sighs, standing up now, "Though, I do have some rags, though they were for mostly when my tea had spilt or ink." He then goes over to the other side of the drawer and pulls one out, "This one should be relatively clean, should you want to use it."
He leaves a rag in the front of the desk, while he uses another rag to clean up his 'mess'.
"Thank you, mi tesoro," With that, she began to clean something on Malleus' desk. Items that had been left untouched for many years were now being cleaned up. Becoming more organized. If the new King wanted to reorganize it, then he would have to come up here himself to do so. While being hard at work, she ended up becoming hyper focused on the task. Due to doing so, she ended up cleaning everything and organizing it to her liking. Every paper, ink bottle, quill, red stamp and liquid in their proper places.
Lilia followed suit, cleaning up his own desk and office. It didn't take very long though, as he simply placed things where they originally were, finally giving his office a neat and tidy feel to it. He even went as far as properly organizing his books, as he had often a terrible habit of putting them out of place depending on the order when he had read them. 
Sooner or later, he finished. 
"That took longer than expected," he finally says, "Should we head down now, now that we're done up here? Or do you wish to explore the rest of the second floor?"
By the time she was finished, her aching arms howled in pain. They could go yell at the wind for all she cared. "We should, yes. We can come up here later to explore." Perhaps Sebek and Silver could finally come see what was up here? Unless the other two thought of them as still being inexperienced. But they still had much to do and it wouldn't be an activity without the trio downstairs. In the case of sharing memories, that is.
"Sounds like a good idea." 
Lilia then led the two of them down the stairs and into the staircase, where once again the fae had to activate the mechanism. 
The end of the stairs, expectedly, disappeared to show the living room, empty and desolate. 
Lilia looked around, tilting his head, "Wonder where everyone went. Perhaps they went to their rooms..?" 
He looked back to Alex and asked, "Want a small tour of the rest of the house, love?"
Was this now their home or was the castle? Of course, she was just kidding. Traveling downstairs right behind the smaller fae, she saw that the downstairs had disappeared. Looking around the living room, she had thought for a moment that the three of them would have been waiting for them there. If it meant that she got to spend more time with her beloved, then so be it. The trio were probably getting some much needed rest after the ride here. "I would love to. Anything to be with you, mi amor," There was nothing but love and adoration in her voice.
"Alright then- I will warn though, that the rooms are not as spacious as the offices upstairs."
Lilia led the way, leading her through the kitchen, where the hallway to all the rooms were.
"The first door belongs to Silver," he quietly says, pushing the door open. The door creaked, but Silver didn't wake up- the knight having fallen asleep on his bed, sitting up, against a rather large pillow. "Must've fallen due to his narcolepsy again..."
Silver's room was a time capsule of a younger Silver-  a small desk for teenagers was in the corner, with a chair now too small for him. There were a few swords scattered around, some of them hung on the walls.  At his window sill, there was a bird nest, the ones where the back was removed and pressed against the window itself, so you could see the birds within the house. There were a few eggs in it, and the only evidence that they're still alive is the still green leaf that looks like it had fallen recently. 
Lilia closed the door, and headed on to the next room. The door was already slightly ajar, and you could hear shuffling from inside. Lilia lightly knocked on the door, and entered. 
Sebek looked up from underneath his desk, nearly hitting his head against it. 
"Sir Lilia," he begins, frowning, "It seems like a few rodents have made their home here!" He raises up his hand, which holds a mouse with large ears and small eyes. It only made a squeak, but remained calm. It had beige fur, and seemed to be in perfect health.  "It's rather cute, isn't it?" He looked over to Alex, then back to Sebek, "And Sebek, I did tell you to clean up your room before we had left, I can practically see the remains of your snacks hidden here and there." Upon closer inspection, right where Sebek was, one could see a few bags and crumbs. If what Lilia said was true, the food that was left there is the reason for the mice.
Though the fae had warned her just then, Alex had no worries about it. If she were younger back in her time, there would have been some hesitation-no. The proper word is reluctance. Reluctance to go downstairs. However, time had been hard on her and that meant that she had to strengthen her mental fortitude to become more humble. Although there were many things that went wrong in her life, Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia still had privileges that many others in her time could not afford. Sauntering down the stairs with the general, she was led into the kitchen then to the hallway. Seeing this many bedrooms in a cottage like this almost felt like a luxury compared to her nomadic lifestyle. That was about to end soon. Peering inside of Silver's room, she had expected it to have some more birds. But it suited him to have a minimalistic approach. Her eyes softened upon seeing the bird eggs. There were things still alive in here which brought the slightest bit of joy to her heart. Moving on to Sebek's room with Lilia, the door opened just a crack. Her hand almost slapped her mouth in order to stifle some laughter when she saw Sebek bonk his head on the table. Blinking away some tears, she had to take some breaths in order to calm down. Hearing Lilia comment on the mouse, she looked over. Looking at the mouse, it had already won over her heart as a pet. Flashbacks of her and her younger brother stealing some cheese to feed the rats came to mind. Whenever she was lonely, she could always rely on the rats and mice for good company. Inspecting the room from her view, the snacks seemed to be the cause of the rodents getting in. "Sebek, if I may ask. Would you like some assistance in cleaning your room?"
"Eh-" Sebek was caught off guard, but quickly got his composure back, "Ah, yes. I would like some assistance, Lady Alex."
Lilia entered the room, allowing room for Alex to enter, "Really, Sebek," Lilia sighed, "I hope your room in your relative's house is not like this. You may have stayed here on occasion, but that does not permit you to sully your room and leave it sullied. I do believe I have given you plenty of time to clean in advance, too." Lilia paused, and with a smirk, "I wonder what Malleus would say..?"
Sebek's face paled slightly, and the knight looked to the side, "I never sullied my dorm room- that I swear. I would never purposely bring dishonor to the young master." The mouse only squeaked in disapproval, to which earned a scowl from the knight. "What do you know, small rodent?" Sebek stared at the mouse intensely. Another squeak. “Tsk," Sebek looked away from the mouse.  "If you're done with the mouse, we ought to clean your room up. The passage of time had worsened its conditions." Lilia grabbed a broom, and started to clean.
While she was tempted to tell Sebek not to call her "Lady Alex", she surmised early on that he was raised to call someone that in his culture. As someone who had an unique culture that had been stomped on repeatedly, she would never wish that upon anyone else. Her eyebrows rose as she witnessed the younger half-fae squirm under Lilia's smirk. She would have already been cleaning under the scrutinizing gaze of her own mother and father in silence if this were her. Grabbing some cleaning tools, she too had begun to help clean up the mess of the snacks here and there on the floor. A high-pitched squeak could be heard from the hole in which one had come from as it came out, crawling towards the chip bag. "No, little one. This has to be cleaned up..." She murmured to the young mouse.
"Great Seven, how many mice are there?" Sebek asks, kneeling and searching for the other mouse, still keeping a firm grip for the one in his hand. 
"Probably a family's worth, considering how long it's been," Lilia comments, finishing up the sweeping. "Probably doesn't help that Silver's room is right next door, considering how well he is with fauna." 
Sebek could only sigh in disappointment as he continued his search. 
Though, to his great dismay, numerous squeaks can be heard throughout the room, and Sebek's frown deepened. 
"Looks like it's worse than originally thought," Lilia says, giving a small laugh, "Oh dear boy, it seems like you have your work cut out for you." 
Sebek didn't say anything- couldn't really. All he could do was huff- no doubt, if he was with Silver, perhaps he would've been more expressive with his words.
As the mouse crawled onto Alex's hand, she had just picked up most of the mess that her area had. Looking over at her hand, she saw that the mouse had now crawled up her arm and was on top of her shoulder. "Cheeky little thing. You should be given something more nutritious than just a bagged snack. Perhaps if we lead you and your family back outside, then you may leave these people be," The immortal mused. Stepping out of the room, she had then found a bin to put the trash in. Putting it in, the mouse squeaked in protest. "I know, young mouse. But there are better things to eat." She walked back into the room and kneeled down, continuing to clean.
Next door, one had managed to begin scurrying around the floor for a millisecond before Malleus picked it up. Amused by the sight, the young soon to be King turned the doorknob and stepped out of his room. It most likely came from either Sebek or Silver's room. He had first knocked on Silver's door, before taking a small peek inside. "Hm..." He must have fallen victim to his narcolepsy again. Gently closing the door, Malleus sauntered to the only room left on this floor that was unchecked. Knock, knock, knock. Three soft knocks should get their attention, yes?
"Come in," Sebek says, grabbing another of the mice, filling up both of his hands. At this point he would have to fill up his arms instead, with how many mice were left. 
"It's probably Malleus," Lilia mused, "Probably just got out of his room."
"Ah- I'm coming right over, young master!" Sebek quickly made his way to the door, opening it,  "Pardon for my latency, young master." "Hello Malleus," Lilia greets, "I suppose you're checking in on us?"
Coming into Sebek's room, Malleus's lime green eyes had laid upon the young knight. So this was where the source of the mice were coming from. "No need to apologize, Sebek," he replied in a respectful tone. At the corner of his eye, he gazed upon his mentor and caretaker. "Yes. I was wondering what the fuss was about when a mouse scurried into my room," The soon to be King peered at the young knight once more, this time raising his eyebrows with a scrutinizing gaze.
Sebek looked down at his feet, and in a low voice, just barely enough to hear him, "I'm afraid that the mice are my fault."
Lilia only laughed, "Sebek left his snacks and is now reaping the consequences." "I hadn't thought that my actions would lead to this," Sebek muttered, raising his hands to show the mice, "It's rather troublesome to deal with, young master. But I will deal with it!" As if he was invigorated by Malleus' presence, Sebek managed to pull out a container and dump its contents onto his bed, and placed the mice in it. He closed the lid, but the lid conveniently had a flap, to which Sebek left open. "It's not a very big container, but we should be able to keep the mice in here, even if temporarily."
Malleus nodded as his eyebrows lowered, his lips curling up into a smile. "I can imagine," He replied, silently chuckling. How he imagined the scenario going down versus how it went down in real life was pretty amusing. It was a little bit reassuring to see Sebek become motivated by his presence in the room and come up with a quick plan. The mouse on Alex's shoulder was let down by the immortal human as it scurried to go back into the hole in the owner's bedroom. As it did so, it was inevitably scooped up by a large hand and placed into the container, squeaking again in disapproval and protest. "Excellent work, Sebek," The Prince commented, complimenting the young half-fae.
Sebek brightened up at the compliment, "Thank you, young master!"
The compliment gave him even more motivation, getting one mouse right after the other. Lilia stood back and watched, amusement in his eyes as he looked at the young man hunting the mice. It reminded him when he went hunting with the humans once, how they eagerly yet strategically managed to find their game, somehow obtaining numerous trophies by the end of the hunt.
Lilia could only smile- for at least Sebek was doing his job properly. He looked over to the side, glancing at Alex, "Should we leave him to his devices? I believe all that remains is just my room and Malleus'."
Malleus Draconia silently took it upon himself to watch over Sebek as the half-fae cleaned as if it were the last thing he would ever do before his death. The game that Lilia had brought home back in his youth only served to become part of the cesspool that was his cooking. The soon to be King felt sorry for anyone who had to eat it. Sometimes, he thought of it being worse than some of the discipline he had received for being a little brat. That was punishment enough to where it could be used as a torture method if called for. Leaving the tall half-fae to his devices, the Prince of the Valley of Thorns turned heel to leave back to his room. Perhaps he could clean up a little bit more.
Her smoky gray eyes gazed down at her lover now as she spoke. "I believe so. After all, Sebek seems to have this under control." With that, she turned to leave the room. When they were out of the room, they had to wait for Lilia.
Lilia heads on out, leading Alex further down the hall, until a door with Lilia's name imprinted on it is seen. Right next to Lilia's door was Malleus' room, his name also imprinted on the hardwood. Lilia opened the door to his room, and unlike the unorganized mess that was Lilia's office, his room was neater and emptier. All he had was a dresser, his bed, and a nightstand. Despite the few furniture, similar to his office, paintings adorned the walls, of all various types- from still life, to natural views of what may have been the vast forests of the Briar Valley (?), and portraits of various, and likely notable, fae and humans. "It's not much, but this is my room," Lilia mused. "I think Malleus just returned to his room, if you want to check it out."
The imprinted name felt very sophisticated and fancy, almost as if she were entering the master's quarters. Lilia's bedroom felt desolate, yet safer than outside. The nature was nothing to worry about. But if there were some kind of storm, she would hide out in her lover's room first. If given the chance, of course. There was also something so whimsical about the pictures that were hung on his wall. "I don't feel the need to at this moment. Now... the simplicity of the room contrasts deeply with your office. I quite like it," Her voice took on a more relaxed tone as she continued, "The pictures give it some room to shine and breathe. Quite beautiful, these still life pictures." As for Malleus's room, she would just have to see what he had in there. If he had more gargoyles, she wouldn't be surprised.
"Well, I do think it's because of the existence of the office that I was able to have such a simple room," Lilia chuckled, "If not Malleus' room, would you like to check the garden? I do believe it should be in good condition, since all that was planted was the native flora." If one looked out the window, one could already see that trail end of numerous flowers of all sorts, of various shades of yellow to white, from small flowers to big, all of different shapes from stars to the typical rose pattern. Lilia continued once again, "I think Malleus took care of the garden, even though it didn't quite need help. I think there should be hints of Malleus' interests there."
"The garden would be nice, yes." Hopefully it is a bit warmer now. Through the window, she could see a slit of natural light through the curtains in Lilia's room. Looking out of the slit, she saw the trail of white and various shades of yellow flowers that were perfectly healthy. They were even blooming! Smokey gray eyes twinkled in delight as her lips parted into an 'o'. If someone were to take a look at her, they would remark that she looked as if she were a person excited to see such beauty. Mystified and almost hypnotized by them even. "The garden first and then his room...," Her voice was barely above a whisper as she continued to look out the window.
"Wonderful," Lilia smiled at Alex's reaction, "The garden is in the back. It's not contained, so if the weather has been kind, I suppose we should expect an abundance of flora." Lilia led Alex out from his room, and towards the back. He opened the door, which, for whatever reason, was difficult to do at first, the hinges having rusted shut. But the rusted hinges were no match against the magic that Lilia used, the door opening loudly, slamming against the wall. The first thing was the smell- the smell of flowers and pollen was strong, even though it wasn't the peak of spring just yet. Scattered around, there were small gray statues- the gargoyles- and fluttering about were the small fae- pixies?- whose voices chimed like bells. The flowers, as seen earlier, were of different shapes, size, and colors, all so vibrant and bold. "This is the garden," Lilia says, breaking the silence, "Looks like there are more flowers than expected."
The flowers were calling her name at this point. They wanted her to come out and see them as they were. In all of their splendor. Beautiful. Vibrant. Bold. Quickly, she followed the elder fae out of his bedroom and towards the back. The "spell" had been temporarily broken when she had heard the hinges almost being broken off by the vampire bat fae's magic. The creaking and slamming of the door had startled her awake from her daydream, one that she was reluctant to leave. The smell of pollen had almost hit her like a gust of wind, immediately invading her nostrils. Her nostrils flared as she grimaced, looking like a silly creature from a children's storybook while trying to hold in her sneezing. Alex was lucky enough to have not made much noise to disturb the silence. Shaking off her sneezes, Alex continued to follow until they had finally reached the garden. Up close, it was even more fantastical than from the window view... If only she were allowed to touch them. "So much more...," Murmuring to herself, she knelt down to take a closer look. The pixies that could be heard sung as if they were songbirds happily going about their day.
"Quite the sight, isn't it?" Lilia quietly says, "I don't recall the last time I saw the pixies visiting our garden of all things. I suppose this is one of the few things that the passage of time gave us." Despite how quiet Lilia was, the pixies seem to have taken notice, and flew on over to him, when they had noticed Alex. Curious, they flew around her, taking in her appearance. They tilted their head, but ultimately smiled at her, seeming to have found her presence pleasing. "It looks like these pixies are becoming fond of you, love," Lilia says, still in a whisper. "They say that a positive judgment from the pixie is an auspicious one."
The pixies were pretty, almost too pretty. As long as they didn't have any malicious intentions, then everything was going to be okay. When they had smiled at her, Alex smiled back as to show them that she meant no harm to them. In a way, they reminded her of fairytale pixies that she had read in many fantasy books. They were kind, curious, yet knowledgeable in the way of intuition. "Is that so? Then I'm lucky that they smiled at me." To be around these pixies was to take part in something that soothed her mind and soul.
"Indeed," Lilia replies, "We may be here for a while, should these pixies continue to stare at you. Come," Lilia moves forward, earning a few curious glances from the pixies, "I do believe there is more to the garden than meets the eye." There didn't seem to be more to it, until Lilia led Alex even further down into the field, where behind the large bushes of flowers, there was a lazing fawn, fast asleep.  It was a small little thing, all brown with its white spots. There was no sign of its mother, however. "The doe and their fawn quite like to stay here, since predators know to stay away."
Nodding, she then stood up and slowly walked behind the fae. What more to the garden was there? How big was this garden anyway? The roses, daffodils, and the daisies were in the spotlight so far. The pixies were probably befuddled to see the human that they approved of leaving them after a short time. Speeding up to join his side, her charcoal gray eyes had spotted a large bush full of yellow and white flowers. More daisies? No. They must be... Well, what were they? Not sunflowers. Roses? Shaking off her blurriness, the immortal marched on forward. What was behind this bush was one of the most precious scenes that she had the honor of laying her eyes upon. A fawn laying in a spot of flowers. But... Where was its mother? Where was she? Was she in the forest trying to find food for her child? Upon hearing that predators stayed away from this spot, the immortal already felt much safer here. In a soft voice, she remarked to Lilia, "I can see why. I would want to stay here too."
"That's good to know," Lilia responds, "I wouldn't have it any other way, if I could help it.” He looked to the side, and exhaled loudly, "I do believe that should be it for the garden, though considering how long it's been since we were here last, there may be some surprises that I may not have considered." The sun was still up in the sky, though it was well past its peak. "But, I think it would be a good time for lunch or supper, don't you think?"
The sun was beginning to set over the horizon as the forest trees had blocked parts of it, allowing for the rays to shine partially. The sky with its pink, blue, yellow, and purple hues had made the both of them look as if they were looking at a piece of art that was masterfully crafted by a passionate artist. A pair of lovers that had stuck out like a sore thumb, yet oddly belonged in the throw of flowers. But alas, it was time to leave as General Vanrouge had said. Her stomach growled as if on cue when her darling asked. "Perhaps we should go and eat supper. There's always time to visit the garden, yes?"
"That's fair," Lilia then brightened up, "Oh! Perhaps I can try out this new recipe I've been meaning to try." There was a faint smoke in the air, suggesting that someone was using the stove- but Lilia didn't notice, for it was so faint that his nose couldn't detect it. "Is there anything you would like to try, love?" Lilia asks eagerly, almost determined to cook something.
Smiling widely for once in a blue moon whilst showing her teeth, Alexandria parted her lips to suggest, "How about some fish soup? Or roasted fish with sweet peppers? Perhaps some recipe that originates from the Briar Valley?" The immortal woman was always fond of sampling some of the foods that the servants had made in the kitchen back in her time. If there was some kind of recipe that her beloved wished to try, then perhaps she could help with it! However, even with the faintness of the smell, she could sense that someone was using the stove. "Shall we go inside? I believe that someone's in the kitchen."
Lilia frowned, "Someone is already using the stove? Goodness... I hope that there will still be the chance that we can make something ourselves then." Lilia started walking back to the cottage, "There's a river nearby, and considering the only one doing any real fishing is the bear that we had seen earlier, there still should be some fish left to fish." Lilia opened the door, the strong smell of potatoes permeating all throughout. "I wonder if Silver helped out with the food," Lilia pondered, "Potato-based dishes are usually his favorite."
The moment she saw her lover frown, her wide and bright-eyed smile had dissipated into nothingness. It was replaced with a frown, index finger and thumb wrapped around  her chin. Her left hand hoisted up her right arm just a little bit to balance it out as she went to follow him back into the cottage. Now fishing sounded like a good idea. But when was the last time she fished for her own food? Most likely years. So some refresher tips on how to fish would be good. The smell of the spices and the potatoes being cooked on the stove almost made her mouth salivate. "What if he's cooking risotto? Didn't you tell me once that it was his favorite food?"
"Good point," Lilia replied, his frown lessening but still there, "Though I wish they would've consulted me- I would've come up with ideas if they wanted to do the cooking." Lilia led both of them into the kitchen, where the trio were making food. It looked like Silver was handling the main meal, while Sebek and Malleus aided in the side dishes. "How is everyone?" Lilia asked, masking the displeasure of being unable to cook.
"I understand." Her smile came a little bit late, but it was a little sad that they didn't get to be included in the cooking. To be a part of the cooking process was essential for her lover as it meant that he got to perform one of his many fatherly duties for his family. She surmised that it made him feel important somehow. Stepping inside, she saw the union and cooperativeness of the trio as they handled the meal for tonight. However when Lilia had asked the question, she had almost winced from hearing the displeasure from his voice.
Malleus had just been whisking the sauce when he heard the elder fae's voice. He calmly answered his question, knowing his tone was less than recommended, "We are doing alright. I hope you enjoyed giving Alexandria a tour of the garden." He had kept whisking to make sure that it was not overflowing out of the pot.
"Indeed, giving my dear Alex a tour was of utmost joy... However, do you need any help?" Lilia asked, in an almost helpful tone, "I can help sauté some of the vegetables, if need be?" He stepped closer to assess the situation- but it was difficult with his short stature, so he ended up shifting his position- to that of being upside down. Silver and Sebek seem to have anticipated this however, so they reacted calmly when Lilia glanced downwards towards their cooking. 
"We're well, father," Silver said, as he continued cooking the risotto. "Indeed, sir," Sebek replied, though there was a hint of nervousness in his voice, "Silver is a pretty good cook."
Seeing that the gravy was done, Malleus used a little bit of his magic to lower the temperature and then turn it off with a snap of his fingers. The gravy was beefy and dark brown in nature since he had felt the urge to satiate his cravings with some meat. Chiming in, Malleus had then asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice, "Lilia, is there a reason that you wish to help?" Deep down, he knew that there was some kind of motive behind him peering in on them in the kitchen. No, he did not wish to eat the toxic sludge that Lilia calls cooking again. He was fortunate that he had proposed the idea of having the trio cook for the family this time.
"Of course there is a reason why I wish to help!" Lilia says, "I have always cooked for you three, so it is rather odd that you lot do the cooking. I like to cook!"
Silver stealthily hid his cough, "Father, you have cooked for us for many years. I do believe it is time that we repay the favor, no?"
Sebek was quick to agree, "Indeed. You always feed us no matter what, so I think we should show our appreciation!" It was clear that there was a lie of some sort, but Lilia didn't pursue it, instead only sighing, "Well, if that is how you feel. But!" He says louder, "You ought to let me know the next time, so that we all may cook as a family."
"Very well," Silver replied, finishing up with his cooking. The risotto appeared to have a nice texture and it smelled heavenly. "Just about done. Perhaps you could set the table for us, please father?" "Oh, alright..." With a huff, Lilia resumed a normal position, and did as he was asked, laying out the plates and utensils.  "Alex, would you like some water?" He inquired, once he was done
Seeing the teal cup of water, they had sat down and had gotten their portion of the food. Sitting next to Lilia and Malleus, they had observed the way that their lover had set up the silverware. It was rearranged from largest to smallest. Basic, yet effective on Lilia's part. Since she was taller (as well as Malleus), she had grabbed just an average portion for herself. After all, there was plenty to go around just in case anyone wanted to get seconds. As for Malleus, he would get the most since he was (obviously) the tallest one in the cottage. However, he had gotten slightly less than he would normally get. It was not because he wasn't hungry. Something was just on his mind so he didn't want to spend all of his time eating. Once Lilia had given the word to dig in, silverware had sliced and dug into the food by their owners. Alex would try each of the dishes before deciding which dish she would like to finish first. Amazingly enough, it would be the risotto since she normally loved chicken to begin with.
It took a while for dinner to be completed, Lilia taking the lead of the conversation. It ranged from small topics from about the knight training that both Sebek and Silver had to endure, in order to be guards for Malleus, to bigger ones in regards to the politics about the Fae Court- but nothing too major- just simply gossip, such as how  one family had obtained some of the human technology, and how another family had been vying for the newest fashion trends. 
Perhaps an hour had passed when it was all said and done, Silver and Sebek taking it upon themselves to clean the kitchen of its dishes and the table.  "There is no technology here," Lilia said, almost rather melancholy, "A shame. But we do have books and board games, should  you want to play, love." The time would have been good for him to play his video games- regardless of how good he was. It was one of the few things he had missed from attending Night Raven.
Throughout the dinner, Alexandria found that she was out of touch with the topics of discussion. The only thing she could do was silently eat her dinner. Besides, the chicken was baked to perfection with a slight hint of sourness from the lemon and the risotto was a bit cheesy and creamy. Both of those were perfect for her. Light, yet so savory and filling. However, the topic of a family vying for the latest fashions, another one getting human technology, and the politics had intrigued her. So much so that she planned on asking Lilia about this during their time alone. If Malleus wished to join them, then she wouldn't mind. Pushing her chair back, she then stood up to give the knights her dishes. Now following them, she went into the kitchen herself to get some more water for herself. With no technology, she finally felt like she was at home! Well, almost. "We could play a board games with each other. If they wish, Silver, Sebek or Malleus could join us. It would be fun after all to see what they have to show," She suggested, wanting to see just how much skill Lilia had retained during his time at Night Raven.
"That is a good idea," Lilia responds, "I'll have to check to see what we have in store, just a moment." Lilia disappeared, and after a few minutes he reappeared with numerous boxes, some having the Briar Valley feel, while others were notably not from here. The foreign ones  had titles-  some  oddly titled "Unopoly" or "Snakes and Slides", while there were recognizable ones from Briar Valley- those being the deck of cards, and what seemed to be chess and mancala. "We have many options, as you can see," Lilia says as he sets the boxes onto the living room table, "There wasn't much to do during free time so we went and bought  a variety of board games, some evidently not from here- I think they're from the Pyroxene."
"We should've bought more when we were in Night Raven," Silver comments, "I think Sam's shop had all sorts from all over. I think I saw one from the Sunset Savana- something about lions exploding things? I can't quite remember."
"I think that was Bombtastic Felines," Sebek replies, "I played it once with Ruggie when the teacher allowed for free time. I recall that, while it was created in Sunset Savana, the Crown over there didn't take too kindly about it, so they're forced to sell outside." "Interesting," Lilia says, "A shame we didn't get the game." He looks over to Alex, and asks, "Which game would you like to play, love?"
Some of these board games were recognizable to them, but some weren't. Snakes and Slides was a classic one that she had managed to win a few times before a certain someone obliterated her record. Alex was still a bit pouty over that shattering defeat. But all's fair in love and war, yes? Looking over her shoulder, she then asked the Prince if he would like to play some board games with them. "I'm afraid not. I have some things to think over unfortunately. I will have to do so another time." His rejection was swift as the wind, his heel turned to leave the living room. There would be too much noise for him to think properly in the living room. So he had to settle for his bedroom. Turning her head back towards Lilia, she sighed. "Malleus will not be joining us tonight," Her voice held concern within it. Ever since the elder fae had told her about Malleus having to take the throne and crown as the King of the Valley of Thorns, the back of her mind was occupied with nothing but endless possibilities with nothing in sight. How was that going to go? Whatever his destiny may be after becoming King, they would all be there for him. Just... Never mind. It was too soon to be thinking about that. His question had snapped her out of her thoughts once again. It was rather alarming with the amount of times that she let her mind wander astray now. "Oh.. Well, I'd personally like to see us play Snakes and Slides. I still have to beat your record, Lilia."
"Snakes and Slides," Lilia repeats, "Silver, Sebek, will you join us?"
"I think I'll pass, sir," Sebek replies, glancing at Malleus as the Prince left, "I would like to attend to other matters. Should I have time, and you guys are still playing, then I'll reconsider."
"I'll play," Silver says, "It's been awhile since I've last played Snakes and Slides, especially against Father." There was a gleam in his eye, a silent determination. 
"Alright then," Lilia replies, "Good luck with your matters, Sebek. Silver, I do expect you to give your all."
Sebek nods, and takes his leave, likely going towards Malleus' room to see if he could be of any aid. Silver, on the other hand, took a seat on the chair, picking out Snakes and Slides from the various amount of board games  With all the other games now off the table with only Snakes and Slides remaining, Silver only says, "Let's begin."
Meanwhile, Malleus had approached his room, his mind in a state of worry. Ever since coming back to the Valley of thorns, his anxiety with taking the crown was all he could think about. Even if it wasn't in the front of his mind, it was somewhere in the back. The draconic fae knew that the time drew near for him to take the throne as his birthright. But he didn't anticipate that it was going to be this soon. It was... It was too early for him to be taking the throne like this. His grandmother had rules for several centuries beforehand and ruled the land as well as she could have. Her legacy... It was expansive to say the least. What was he going to do with that? Was he going to go down in history as some tyrant who ruled with an iron fist? A ruler that the people of Briar Valley feared and openly scorned? They were already afraid of him and he didn't want to push it any further. Gripping the doorknob, he soon opened the door and let himself in, leaving a crack to let the room ventilate. Malleus Draconia had studied for many years, learning about the laws of his homeland and the history behind it. At times, it was almost too much for him. But he managed to push through it and become something more. Hell, he was one of the most powerful mages in all of Twisted Wonderland! That just meant that there was so much at stake... What was he to do? For the first time, he struggled slightly to swallow his saliva as he made his way to his bookshelf to grab one of the books that Lilia had gifted to him long ago. Maybe now it would come in handy.
It took Sebek a few minutes to catch up to Malleus. He knocked quietly on his dorm, unsure if Malleus would even allow him it, should he want to be completely alone. If he could, Sebek wanted to provide some aid to Malleus, no matter how small.  "Young Master?" Sebek quietly says, not sure if his voice could be carried through the hardwood, "It's Sebek. May I enter, for just a moment?"
Meanwhile, with the trio in the living room, the game was well underway, already bringing out the competitive nature of its participants.
Just as he was about to open the book, he heard a quiet knock on his door. The person announced themself as Sebek. Recognizing the voice, he spoke up, "You may come in, Sebek." No matter who came in tonight, the Prince appreciated them nonetheless. It was times like this where he did need to have someone help him with his worries. "What do you need," The Prince asked, furrowing an eyebrow at the young knight. Sebek wasn't known to come into his room without a rhyme or reason.
At the same time, Alexandria became stumped almost immediately. That was the consequence of not having played the game in a while. Once she ended up losing, she asked Silver to "avenge her".
"I simply wanted to check up on you, young master," Sebek says, as he enters the room. "You seemed deep in thought, so I thought that perhaps it would be best if I checked in on you.  It is always easier to share the burden, sir. It's what Sir Lilia taught us, was it not?" Sebek was nervous- he didn't know if his words would bring any ease of mind to Malleus, but surely it wouldn't hurt.... right?
In the meanwhile, Silver replied to Alex's request of revenge with a simple nod, and doubled down on his efforts against his foster father.
"Yes, that is true, Sebek," Malleus replied to the young knight. Clearing his throat, he then continued, "There's no need to be nervous, Sebek. You may have a seat if you wish," He finished, gesturing to a chair he had in his room. In the background, he could hear the game becoming more serious as the lady in the group easily lost to his caretaker. Lilia was always a professional when it came to these types of games. To be frank, he never knew how he managed it.
Sebek took a seat on Malleus' chair, and asked again, "So, is everything alright, young master?" Sebek realized that he may be pushing it, so he backtracks, "If you don't want to share, then so be it. I just think it was a good idea, that's all."  In the meanwhile, Lilia felt triumphant, pleased that he won another game. He felt a slight pity that his beloved and his foster son couldn't win, but that feeling went away quickly enough. "Another game?" He asks, with a slight smirk. Silver let out a slight groan.
The horned fae understood Sebek's nervousness when communicating with him. But sometimes he wished that the young knight would just relax a little bit. All there was for the next two minutes was complete and utter silence. Malleus just needed to get his thoughts together so that he could speak about them in a concise manner to Sebek. There was nothing wrong with him asking. Clearing his throat, his lips parted to speak, "It is... It is of great importance to me and I wish not to speak of it while the others are on this floor with us. Come," With that, he marched out of the room and into the hallway to the left of the kitchen. There was something that he thought Sebek was now ready to see. After all, it was a part of why he had been so deep in thought. 
Alex sighed deeply as she had resigned to playing another board game with her treasure and Silver. However she would set this condition, "Only if Silver and I get to pick the next games and go first." The game that would be chosen was Unopoly. Tedious? Yes. Time consuming? Also yes. Winnable? Possibly. She was willing to take the risk in order to see Lilia Vanrouge finally lose at a game.
"Alright," Sebek quietly said, following Malleus. He pondered whatever it could be that Malleus wanted to show him- a bubbling excitement in his stomach- wondering what may lay in store for him. It seemed like whatever it was that Malleus was both going to tell and show him was of utmost importance, which meant that it would require his utmost attention to the matter. Sebek just hoped that he would be the best man to listen to the young master's worries. 
-
"Unopoly?" Lilia smiled with glee, knowing it was a game that he has never lost once in, "What a great choice. I do hope you'll be able to defeat me, kindred."
"It will be a long game, father," Silver replies, "I am your son, so therefore I know your moves." "But is that enough?" Lilia replies, "Either way, this will be an enjoyable game."
It was finally time. After so long of hiding his office from Silver and Sebek, one of them was going to accompany him upstairs. After reaching a particular spot in the hallway, he began mumbling a spell while performing it with his fingers. A little bit later, the hallway wall had disappeared, instead revealing stairs in its place. "Follow me," Malleus almost commanded, walking upstairs while expecting the young knight to do as he said. If he were to know what was truly going on, then he would need to go back to the time when the Queen first ruled.  Downstairs, she was filled with a newfound determination as she declared, "I believe that either Silver or I will be able to defeat you, mi amor. Are you ready to taste it, Lilia?"
Sebek stared in awe- taking note of the spell and location of the hidden passage. Had he been an observant lad, perhaps he would have noticed how the wall was ever so slightly different in that area, or how the wall was ever so slightly pushed more to the front than the rest of the wall. Sebek followed Malleus through the staircase. It was odd going through it- he had resided and visited this particular cottage for so long, and yet, he never knew such a place existed in the cottage. It must have been the work of powerful magic artifacts and items- for there was no way such an assuming cottage would contain all this hidden space. Sebek always questioned location and reasoning for the cottage, but he always pushed them to the back of his mind, in favor of playing with Silver and training to be a Knight of good standing- after all, only the best of the best could stand next to the young master.
-
"I'm ever so ready to taste defeat," Lilia smugly replied, "But I doubt I'll be tasting it sometime soon." Silver pulled out Unopoly, replacing Snakes and Slides. In a low tone, staring right at his father, he says, "Let us begin this new match. May the best player win."
Once he was at the top of the stairs with the young knight behind him, Malleus sauntered straight to the office door with his name imprinted in the ancient fae language. Opening the door, he had gone inside first and sat in his office chair before letting Sebek in. The chair was made of fine leather, polished to a shine and easy to sit in and relax. His desk was fully polished to a T and was organized as if he had left it like that to begin with. He reached for the book, grabbing it and then opening it. "Sebek. What you are about to see here is the history of the Queen and when she had first ruled. Are you truly ready to begin?" The horned dragon fae asked, staring holes into the toxic green haired half-fae's soul. 
While downstairs, the trio were getting everything set up with them putting the bills into the appropriate slots, setting the decks in their proper place and then choosing their miniature that they would play as. She saw that Silver had picked an animal one as she picked a thimble. What would Lilia pick? Who knows? Once they had picked their characters, the dice was rolled to see who went first. Alex had rolled a 4 while Silver rolled a 5.
"I am ready," Sebek replied, his breath starting to shake. He was realizing just how quite serious this was the moment he entered Malleus' room. Sebek had never really gotten the chance to delve into the detailed parts of the Queen's current rule and history, only enough to know the general and most important of events. 
-
Lilia did his roll, earning a measly 3. But he didn't let that deter him, however, eyeing as to how his beloved Alex and Silver reacted. Even if Lilia had a belated start, he will catch up in the end, and ultimately win. For that is how fate intends it to be.
Malleus Draconia nodded as he had turned the pages, leaving no detail unturned to Sebek. This lesson was going to be intense and long. It was of the Queen's early life, her teen years, and then when she had ascended the throne. The laws that were being put into place had benefited many of the citizens, fae and humans alike along with other minorities of the Briar Valley. For many years, there had been peace and prosperity until something horrid had triggered the ire of the humans. With that, came the war of faes against humans. From there, there was an extensive and detailed history of the Queen's life after the war. After the lessons that covered several books into one, Malleus had finally closed it and put it back on the table. "The reason I brought you up here and told you of this is because... I have to ascend the throne. My Grandmother is no longer the ruler. I have to go back to Briar Valley soon and ascend the throne as the next ruler. I am, as the children of men would put it, afraid. Afraid of having to carry on my Grandmother's legacy." 
Even though he had gotten a terrible roll at the start, she knew of Lilia's luck and how legendary it was when it came to this. So Alex wasn't about to let her guard down. Silver was a little bit more confident, judging by the twinkle in his eyes. But he was good at masking his emotions, so almost no one would guess his true feelings. Once she had taken her long and bought the property associated with the spot she was on, it was Silver's turn. He ended up getting a chance card that had granted about $20 of extra currency.
"Is that so?" Sebek says, unsure of what to say, "I cannot imagine the weight  of responsibility sir." He carefully thought out his next words, "Young master, should you ever need anything, you only need to ask of us. I don't think Sir Lilia or Silver would mind much. Also, I do believe you're going to be a capable ruler like your grandmother, and that she and Lilia will be proud of you no matter what. At the very least, that is my opinion." 
-
But Lilia's good luck always won in the end, no matter what- after all, it is what aided him during the wars. Lilia managed to get a few properties, earning money from them. Once the ball got rolling, it was difficult to stop it.
A small smile graced his painted lips as he uttered his thanks, grateful to have his family with him. "You truly do not know just how much that makes me happy. Thank you again, Sebek." Now standing up from his chair, he asked the young knight if he was still willing to be a guard of his until the end of his days. From now on, it was going to be more difficult and even deadly to be a knight now that he was going to soon ascend the throne. Answer or no answer, this was going to be the first and only time he asked him this. Malleus needed to know who he could trust to remain loyal to him if he were ever to get hurt in the future or now. His grandmother was quite legendary in the history of Twisted Wonderland for her intimidating demeanor and mysterious demeanor. He was no different from her in that aspect. 
Soon enough, it had become a few monopolies. Alex was becoming more desperate as Silver was still dead set on defeating his father. Even as they were on the losing end, they would not go down without a fight. But all was for naught as Lilia Vanrouge won yet again with both Silver and Alex scraping up all that was left. However, not even a crumb of those properties were to belong to them. Silver sighed through his nostrils, head bowed in defeat as the immortal human huffed and pouted at her kindred. "I feel as though you cheat. How else would you win so many times," Alex huffed and puffed in a half joking manner, annoyed that she had lost another game. It was just in her nature to be competitive.
"I will be there for you, young master. I will not have it any other way," Sebek got up and kneels, as a knight would. "I shall be your knight until my body can no longer fight, and should you outlast me, I'll make sure that someone suitable will take my place." There was no sword, so it wasn't an official knighting ceremony, but with the conviction in Sebek's voice, it may as well have been. 
-Lilia could barely stifle his laugh, "Me? Cheat? Never- and you know the fae cannot outright lie." The old fae exhaled, calming himself down from the adrenaline of victory- no matter how many times he wins, the taste of victory is always so sweet and welcomed. "It is simply Fate that allows me to win so many times," he says so smugly- though whether or not that's true, no one knows. Only the old fae knew why he won so many times- but perhaps he did not- for it really was just anyone's guess at this point as to how he obtains victory so easily.
Nodding, Malleus turned his heel and began to leave the room. Sebek's words have reinvigorated some of his self-confidence. Hearing the young knight's steps behind him, the Prince had left the room and headed for the stairs. He just hoped that Sebek would retain all of this information in his mind. It was quite a considerably long lesson. Once he had reached the last step, the long horned fae had stopped to wait on Sebek. 
Alexandria knew well that the fae were never able to lie. But her trivial annoyance and pettiness at him winning every single game was justified. At least in her mind. All Silver could do was sigh softly, fingertips on his forehead at them suffering utter defeat at the hands of his father. He swore that they would win and yet the exact opposite happened. Him laughing at their loss was bruising to the ego as well. "There's no need to rub salt in the wound, Lilia..." She remarked upon seeing him catch his breath.
It didn't take Sebek too long to reach Malleus, considering how close in height he was to the draconic fae. He was still processing all the information in- the entire history of the current queen's life, the most important parts of it- but the most important, being the fact that Malleus was soon going to inherit the throne. Sebek already gave Malleus his undying loyalty and fealty, but sooner or later, he will have to follow through the customs of a true knighting ceremony in order to publicly display his loyalty. 
And Sebek was prepared for that- he was not a liar, much less a traitor. 
-
"Apologies, love," Lilia, "Perhaps things would be different should there be teams, instead of one versus one." He glances at the other games, and as much as he would have liked to continue playing and winning, he would only bring the morale down of his kindred.  "Should we end it here?" Silver asks, hiding how disappointed in himself. The only sign that betrayed his otherwise calm exterior was his clenched fists, his knuckles turning white.
It was absolutely silly of her to be irritated with the vampiric fae for winning so many board games in a row (it was only two, but still!), but it was her own fault in the end for betting this on herself and Silver. Looking over at Silver, she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We probably should," She replied, overhearing two pairs of feet coming downstairs. The pairs of feet had gotten closer and closer as they approached the living room. With Malleus in front and Sebek at tow, the pair had entered the living room looking a bit exhausted. However, Malleus looked more relieved to have at least told someone of his troubles and that it was a family member he told them to. It would be about time to tell Silver of this as well so that he was in the loop about everything. 
Just by clearing his throat, Malleus had commanded that the room go silent. An announcement? Once the room had fallen into complete and utter silence, Malleus began to speak, "As we all know, the Queen is gone. I, Malleus Draconia, will be ascending the throne as the new King of the Valley of Thorns. I just ask one thing from all of you. That you swear your allegiance and your loyalty to me until the very end of your days." He just needed to know who all he could trust in these trying times. After all, there were going to be many attempts on his life from now on. His Grandmother did all she could to protect her family as well as the heir. But with only him left to take up the throne, it was his duty to uphold the traditions, culture, and laws of the land. To hear his peoples' struggles. To make things right.
"Of course," Lilia immediately replied, "I have always been loyal to you Malleus, and to your grandmother. I still have some time left, and should the Great Seven will it, perhaps I'll last long enough until the end of your days, dear Malleus."
Silver stood up, and bowed, "I, too, swear my loyalty. I may not live as long as the others, but as the others, I do promise that I shall be in your care until my last breath."
Sebek stood behind Malleus, standing straight and proper, with a serious face. His eyes glowed however, betraying how sentimental he was getting.  "We," Lilia gestured to everyone in the room, "Shall always support you, Malleus. King or not."
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