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[crownedincrimson-blog]

@alysewhite

Time had escaped the king for a little while as he moved among the crowd, playing his games where he could. Though he might have been nervous about the ball at first, he found it had been rather productive in the end. But of course, he had to remember one wonderful opportunity that had presented itself in the night. There was still more to do.

“Alyse White?” 

He had been keeping an eye on the girl from a distance for half the night now, so while his voice was inquisitive, he was not.

“I do believe that is you...”

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lucienthemerciful‌:

Oh there was more, so much more. But in terms of things that would let him keep his head firmly attached to his body, he knew he couldn’t say a word. Pity really, the reaction might even just make it all worth it.

“That was all” he said, going back towards the door. That seemed like the safer option to give right now. Just say what was wanted, and bury all emotions, had worked so far. 

“That’s what I thought,” he mumbled, more to himself than the knight. Truly, his bitterness was arising more from his stress than from speaking to the knight, but he wasn’t going to say that. What a miracle it would be if the king ever apologize... It certainly wasn’t going to happen tonight.

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rabbitsrebel‌:

“Well that’s a shame,” Cilla said as the final cadence of the waltz played with a grand flourish. “Well, your majesty,” She said, falling into a curtsy. “It was truly a pleasure dancing with you.”

He could tell she wasn’t getting much more out of their conversation, so he decided not to tease her any longer. “Very well, then. It was an honor for me as well, Miss White.”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

Of course, I want to put as much distance between us as possible. She thought, shaking her head. “No, not at all. Just trying to be helpful.” 

She was trying so hard to be the cat here- to corner him and toy with him until she got what she needed. But she was just a frightened rabbit with the predator dancing her around the room with ease. “Do you still bake? Or do the kitchens simply use your recipes?” She asked, changing the subject.

Yeah, sure you were, he thought, keeping that forced smile on his lips.

“No, I hardly bake myself anymore. That’s what I pay other people for. The Palace chef is a far better cook, anyway. I’m hardly looking to steal his job,” he joked. Though honestly, the chef was kind of a dick.

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rabbitsrebel‌:

By some miracle, a blush crept across her cheeks. It wasn’t actually from flattery, it was more from the fact that it felt like her corset was trying to strangle her and she couldn’t get nearly enough air. But she managed to play it off as a humble farm girl flustered to be getting a compliment from the king.

Her hand resting against his shoulder, she wondered how easy it would be to end it all now. If she had anything useful on her it could have been as simple as the flick of a wrist- a tiny scratch from a poison-laced ring and it all would be over. Of course, she’d probably almost immediately be caught and promptly put to death. Alternatively, she wondered how easy it would be for him to kill her at that moment. The thought of it made her nauseous. “Well, what else can I do for you, your majesty?”

It felt off to see her flustered like that. It wasn’t something he expected from her. Then again, he didn’t really know anything about her. He supposed he was just projecting the image of Whitney onto her. It was possible that this game he was playing was entirely one sided.

But not likely.

“In a rush, are we?”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

She laughed as she twirled around, hopefully giving off a dazzling performance of a lifetime. As at ease as she seemed, internally she was screaming at herself to find an excuse to leave. Smiling and batting her eyelashes at a tyrant was not her idea of a fun time. And yet there she was, giggling coquettishly and hoping to gain some standing or some little tidbit of information she could someday use against him.

“You’re a flatterer. I don’t get nearly enough practice dancing. There aren’t many balls to attend out in Harmony Grove.” Not that she’d want to attend very many. Especially not ones where Gideon was the host. 

Flattery was one of his greatest skills, but he still wasn’t entirely sure it was doing its job here. She was hard to read, and that made him want to try all the more. He would just have to keep looking for better ways. In fact, he may have had the perfect idea...

“No I suppose there aren’t. It doesn’t seem you need them, though,” he continued as he pulled her back to him.

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rabbitsrebel‌:

She grew silent at the last comment. “Believe me, I know all too well about the monstrosities that lie in the woods.” Her gaze grew distant and cold for a moment. Her mother was taken away from her in those woods, and she wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone else- aside, perhaps, from the person who had caused it to become a problem in the first place. 

But as soon as the shift in her expression had come, it was gone again, replaced instead with the same sunny smile she’d worn moments earlier. “I must say, you’re an excellent dancer, your majesty.” She hoped flattery would change the subject, and that the song would end soon so she could go drink away the memory of his hand around her waist. 

There was a sadness that he saw in her only briefly, but it was one that brought out the tiniest bit of sympathy for her. It was a terrible way that Whitney had died. They had had their differences at the time, but he certainly never would have wished such a terrible death on her. 

But he was sure neither of them wanted to get into one another’s emotional business at this point in the game. So instead he put his charming smile back on and gave the girl a spin. “I’m only as good as my partner.”

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lucienthemerciful‌:

He bit down on his tongue, not wanting to point out that it being his problem, meant he had to make sure the room was safe, which is where the original problem had started. No, he knew his place, or more to the point he knew he had to appear to know his place.

“Of course your highness” he replied with a bow. Smile, and just pretend everything was normal. Least he knew how close he could get to the King now without anyone rushing in. 

He was a bit more blatant in his eyeroll now as he moved to his dresser to pick out a watch for the evening. 

“Is that all, or was there more?” he asked, honestly hoping it was the former, as he did not enjoy chatting with his knights in general, especially not this one.

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rabbitsrebel‌:

Cilla gave a lighthearted laugh, though she was scrambling to come up with a convincing enough lie. She knew that some of the best lies had some root in the truth. That was when she knew she might have an idea. She was about to tell a rather spectacular lie.

A coy smile played on her lips. “Well,” She said, drawing the word out, as though she savored the taste of the juicy gossip that was about to leave her lips. “What I’ve heard- mind you, I’ve no idea if it’s actually true or not, but perhaps it’s something you might like to hear. But I heard that a wanderer passed through briefly. Somewhere near Swampscott, I believe. A young boy and a dog is what I was told. They weren’t here very long, but long enough for someone to notice. Either they found their way home or the poor things got snatched up by some beast.” She flicked her curly braid off her shoulder, sizing the king up for a moment. Would it be enough? She hoped so.

A dog Wanderer. Yes, because that was exactly the kind of information he was looking for. Part of him was quick to dismiss the thought as pointless, but perhaps he should sent some men to check it out just in case. After all, Alice had been only six when she killed the Queen of Hearts. At the least, they could try to keep the boy from harm if he wasn’t already dead...

“Well, I suppose that would be awful if the boy got chewed up by Tulgey. I guess that wouldn’t be terrible if that was the worst thing that has happened recently, considering what monstrosities have happened before.”

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lucienthemerciful‌:

Well now would be a perfect time as any, and so easy as well. If it wasn’t for the respect he had for the Welcomer, then he might have done it. Instead he would do what he had to do, play the fool if that was it. In the end, they would win. He had to believe that.

“I don’t know what they might be planning, or who they have snuck in” perhaps that was the easiest way to ensure his own safety, put the idea of their being a traitor out there. 

Oddly enough, while Lucien spoke exactly of the things that he was most worried about, hearing it come from that fool’s mouth made him almost spitefully confident.

As he turned toward the talkative knight, he straightened his shoulders in a way that ought to remind one where their place is. “That is your problem to worry about. Mine is to greet my guests.”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

Cilla understood all at once why he was talking to her. He wanted her to be a little spy for him. Or he thought she would melt like putty and tell him everything, or even worse, that she was stupid enough to blabber information that might get someone killed. That wasn’t likely. 

She smiled, cocking her head to the side slightly as she pretended to think. “Well, they certainly weren’t happy about the lack of rain the past few days, but unless you have magical rain producing abilities, I believe those of us whose families farm will have to water their crops some other way.” She knew that wasn’t the answer he was looking for, but it provided her with enough time to come up with something more clever to whisper to the king, hopefully sending him astray. “Other than that, I know many people in the Grove are pleased with life under your rule. Though I wouldn’t quite know what they’re unhappy about. They’re usually just happy to have their groceries delivered.”

He wanted to roll his eyes at her information. A brief drought, general content... It was all bullshit, and he knew it. She wanted to be a challenge, so be it. Perhaps he just needed to find her weak spot...

“Now, I’m sure you’ve heard more than that... I lived in the Woodland once. I know how easily word spreads. The more I know, the more I can help... For example, I bet it would be a great deal of work, but I could send some of my knights to help with watering those crops. Perhaps they could even dig a few irrigation tunnels. The people need food after all...”

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bluebelleoftheball‌:

Belle glanced around as he did, still mindlessly sipping on her drink until her attention was turned back to him. She gave a small shrug, “Surely someone would. You have a whole kingdom of people who care about you.” She knew that wasn’t entirely true. She’d heard a few opinions of people who hated the king’s guts in the past, but that probably wasn’t a good idea to point out to him.

A kingdom of people who cared about him... What a naive statement. He wasn’t sure there was a single person anymore, truly. He felt like an unappreciated father, only seen for his mistakes by his people rather than all the good he has done the world, and it made him bitter...

“No, darling, I don’t believe they would. But, there’s no need to talk about the kingdom. Today is about me isn’t it?” he asked, jokingly inserted as much narcissism into that sentence as he believed expected of him.

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rabbitsrebel‌:

Whatever tiny flicker of hope that maybe he wasn’t all bad was promptly snuffed out with that simple response. Once you had a taste of power, she imagined, it was impossible to go back. It seemed to be the most addictive of drugs, and all those in the history of Wonderland who had tasted even the tiniest bit of it had all lost their minds with the need for more and more and more of it. So much so, that the need for even more power brought about their own downfall. He’d be just one more in the line to succumb to an overdose of the ever intoxicating power.

His answer to her question hadn’t been what she was expecting, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t pleased. Her mind was abuzz with different ways this could benefit her- could benefit the rebellion. An inside source to report what the king was thinking. She could lead him in the wrong direction and throw him off their scent. “Well, I do hear a fair amount of things while running errands for people. What sort of things are you looking for insight on?”

“Ah, I did pick the right girl then,” he said. Truthfully, he already didn’t trust her. She was clearly more like her mother than her father. Her father was a coward, easily handled with a little manipulation of fear or, in the case of that day all those years ago, a teensy bit of torture. Her mother on the other hand... Well, he always admired Whitney. She was smart and she was stubborn. It was the ‘smart’ part that he was worried about now.

“Well... What are the people happy about? Unhappy about? You choose.”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

He had a point. Sometimes it was hard to remember that the man who had more than likely ordered the assassination of the Savior of Wonderland had at one point been one of them. He had worked beside them, had felt the pain and fear that everyone had felt under previous rulers. Now that he’d taken up the mantle, he was no better than the rest of them. 

“Do you miss it?” She asked, noticing the ever so slight change in his demeanor. “Having a normal life.” She was curious to see just how mad the crown could make a person. He had been normal once. Perhaps part of that was still in there, buried beneath the crown’s maddening tyranny. 

“You didn’t really ask me to dance just to talk baked goods, did you?” She teased. “Don’t get me wrong- I work at a cafe so I can talk pastries for hours. But I doubt that was what you intended.”

Did he miss it? He really had to think on that one, because on one hand, of course he missed it. He missed not having to worry that everyone around him was ready to stab him in the back. He missed being able to trust people, to care about people, without fear of disappointment or regret. He missed not having the entire weight of the kingdom on his shoulders. He missed still being able to love.

What he didn’t miss was being poor, exhausted, and stepped on. He didn’t miss barely being able to survive or listening to weak old men wishing they ruled the world... Because now, he did. He didn’t miss having to answer to those who knew nothing and cared about nothing. 

So he answered in short, “No. Truly, I don’t.”

He had to think for just a moment again when she asked him what he truly wanted out of this conversation. He wasn’t entirely sure how to word it without giving his truest intentions away, while giving her just enough that she might be satisfied in thinking he was telling the truth. 

“Well, you seem like the type of girl who knows all about the things going on on the opposite site of Wonderland. I thought you might be able to give me some insight.”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

Cilla raised a genuinely surprised eyebrow as the king twirled her around the dance floor. His eyes weren’t shifting away from her in the slightest, forcing her to fight the urge to squirm under his gaze. “A king who bakes?” She asked curiously. “That certainly isn’t something you hear about every day.”

“I ought to apologize for earlier,” She said, hoping to save her own neck, at least a little bit. “It probably isn’t often that you have someone talking to you without any sense of decorum.”

Gideon’s features softened just the slightest as he thought about his past. He did still enjoy the task quite a bit when he had the chance, but the fact that so few people even remembered his reputation as the Baker’s Apprentice almost saddened him in some way, as if that part of his history was lost.

“Well, it isn’t often people remember that I was a commoner once, too, with a job and all. I wasn’t born into this.”

His amusement quickly returned at the sound of her apology. “No worries at all, my dear. A normal conversation is nice every so often.”

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rabbitsrebel‌:

She was fairly certain there were numerous young men and women in attendance who would openly throw themselves at the opportunity to dance the night away with the King of Wonderland himself. Cilla was clearly in the minority, as the very idea of it made her want to run off screaming into the night. And yet, there she was, allowing herself to be led to the dance floor. She placed her other hand atop his shoulder as she felt his rest on her waist. 

“Like you said, food and alcohol do help.” She laughed softly. Part of her screamed to be quiet and docile and to say or do nothing that might draw attention to herself. But the other voice creeping through the frantic din was one that told her to stand her ground. She’d said nothing wrong yet. She could use this to her advantage. Stand up, don’t give in to fear. A shiny bejeweled hat does not a ruler make. She met the kings gave with a bright smile as the voice eased her into a more confident state of mind. “There was some sort of cake… I think it had pomegranate in it? It was delicious. Anything, in particular, you suggest I try?”

As they moved together to the music, he kept his eyes strictly on her. He still wasn’t entirely sure that this one didn’t know things about her family that he wanted to know. Either way, she seemed at least the slightest bit interesting. The least he could get out of this conversation was some entertainment.

“I’m glad to hear it,” he replied. “I strongly admire the lemon tarts. Of course, I’m biased, since they are my recipe.”

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bluebelleoftheball‌:

Bluebelle stumbled back slightly as she realized she had run into the king himself. Her first instinct told her to apologize again for bothering him and retreat, but her drunk instincts recalled their last interaction and realized she was stronger than that. Or at least she felt like she was for the time being. “Oh, the birthday king himself,” she greeted him with a warm smile and a slight bow of her head. 

She looked down at her gown, “Oh yes, Mother told me to be particularly careful in this one. She’s quite proud of it.” Perhaps she shouldn’t have gone for that third drink if she wished to guarantee the integrity of her dress. She glanced around, taking another sip from her glass as she realized they were stopped right in the middle of the giant crowd and she felt her anxiety spike slightly. Turning back to him, she made sure to keep the warm smile on her face to disguise her worry, “Quite a party you’ve thrown for yourself, yeah? I feel like you outdo yourself every year.”

Gideon looked around at the ball, only slightly impressed by his own work. He was sure he could do better, still.

“Well, if I don’t, then who would?” he pointed out. It was lonely on the top, after all...