my-blessed-prince

[my-blessed-prince]

My spy x family AU

Emily (lee): I’m the perfect widdle child !!!!!! (Knows all your secrets and can blackmail you any second)

Ray: I am 7 years old and I am a threat.

Juni: nothing can go wrong in my plans to adopt these children. I’ve saved the queen’s life 27 times what can children do to me <<<<is very misinformed

[my-blessed-prince]

Love how I forgot a whole ass wip and then today Sam was like banging his fists on the windows of my mindscape like

HEY I EXIST. YOU’RE CHILLIN’ BUT IM STILL BEING HARASSED BY THIS GHOST. HELP.

And I was like ooooh yah. The client that never sleeps. Yes, yes.

[my-blessed-prince]

Ya know if I did more sketches that aren’t WLOS or like even did my silly notes in my silly notebook—I think I would be more motivated to work on those stories.

Because.

That’s how I built up characterizations/lore for WLOS and then that’s what’s made me more motivated to continuously write their story.

[my-blessed-prince]

And a new line:

 “Not all men have to like kids, but no need to be an ass. Excuse my language, but I’ll help you find the rocks and pretty colors, but I’m telling you kid. There’s a real possibility that Lord Rian has a stick up his butt. I wouldn’t hit a man, it wouldn’t be proper, but if he keeps on giving you trouble, let me know. I’m not afraid to talk some sense into him. No one gets these gardens as good as you and I, huh, kiddo?”

BREAKING NEWS IM OPENING THE PRINCE SNOW WHITE DOC

[my-blessed-prince]

WHEEZING

“Bah. I don’t want to be caught as a woman picking flowers.”

BREAKING NEWS IM OPENING THE PRINCE SNOW WHITE DOC

[my-blessed-prince]

“Well…uh…kid. Rotten luck. I suppose not all men are gifted with children. Nothing like your own father’s love, huh?”

oh the satire begins :))))))

BREAKING NEWS IM OPENING THE PRINCE SNOW WHITE DOC

[my-blessed-prince]

to keep myself accountable: a string of lines that I fine funny from the doc. here is the opening line.

Today was the day that I was to appear as a perfectly beautiful prince before my new stepfather. My hair fell back in long black curls that fell all the way down my back, and I was robed in a crystal blue dress that my birth father said made my red lips stand out.

BREAKING NEWS IM OPENING THE PRINCE SNOW WHITE DOC

[my-blessed-prince]

BREAKING NEWS IM OPENING THE PRINCE SNOW WHITE DOC

[my-blessed-prince]

RANDOM OC QUESTIONS:

👶 - How many siblings do they have ? If they have any, what's their relationship ?

✍️ - What hand do they write w/ ?

⁉️ - Most scared & confused they've ever felt

💫 - Biggest dream/goal in life ?

💭 - If they went to the world of one of your other WIPs, how would they react to the environment ? Would they like the other cast ?

🤒 - Do they have any allergies ? Do they hate something so much they would [or actively do] lie about having one ?

🤞 - How often do they lie ? When they lie is it only about big things, or do they lie about small things ?

🎃 - What is [or would be] their go to Halloween costume ?

📖 - Whats your OCs favorite book [either in our world or theirs, whichever] ? Would they like the boom they're in ?

🚩 - Their biggest red flag ?

🍳 - When it comes to cooking, what's their best dish ? Are they a good cook or is this dish a one off ?

🌈 - If they had to choose their death out of these options, would they rather die by: Drowning, burning alive, freezing to death, or electrocution ?

😛 - If given the option, would they rather know WHEN they die, or HOW they die ? Why would they lick that option & not the other ? How would they react in each scenario ?

🏀 - Do they play any sports ? If so, what do they play & are they any good ? If not, which sport would they enjoy playing the most ?

💯 - They're in the last book you read. How would they fair in that world ? Would they like the main cast ?

[my-blessed-prince]

not me writing fanfiction of my own book before the book is even finished, and liking it more than the book.

[my-blessed-prince]

@sleepyowlwrites this is how they are doing (your ask inspired art)

Text:

Ray: stupid Lion. I’m not stupid. I can knit

Lee: I might need to steal more yarn :(

Note pointing to “bridge” Ray is knitting: doesn’t know how to knit. Lee doing most of the work

Note pointing to basket of yarn: stolen yarn to knit said “bridge”

Note on stray book on String Theory: Book on String Theory to knit bridge to Narnia.

(Hi they are idiots, I mean 8 and 6 years old)

[my-blessed-prince]

i really should start my Prince Snow White story again.

[my-blessed-prince]

Sunday Excerpts, Home in Narnia, Ch. 1, Verity POV, pt. I

@vsnotresponding @olive-riggzey

It was the holidays, and Verity was home from her dreadfully boring all-girls boarding school. She wasn’t terribly excited to see her parents, they never liked to talk since her sister had disappeared, but she was excited to see her Lao!

Both she and Lao had tried to convince their caregivers to let them go to a public school that had boys and girls, but this had been turned down. Lao, Lee, and Ray all got to have fun at school together, and she was stuck all alone. Not even Aiko and Alina to cheer her up. They had disappeared a year ago. No one knew where they were, and Verity didn’t think that most people cared to ask.

With her luggage, Verity got out of the taxi that her parents had paid for her to come home. Most parents picked up their kids, but not hers. 

In a letter, Lao had promised to be home when she got there. She was dragging her suitcase, when she saw his familiar braided hair in the distance.

Verity dropped her suitcase in the dirt, and she ran to greet Lao. “Lao!” She cried, tears coming down her cheeks. He turned around, and she saw a smile creep onto his face.

Her arms wrapped around him, and he hugged her back. “I missed you.” Lao whispered.

Verity wrapped her arms around him tighter. “Not as much as I missed you.” She said. Finally pulling out of the hug, she added “It’s completely unfair. You have Ray and Lee.”

“It’s unfair that I single-handedly have to keep them out of trouble. Lee is docile until Ray gets involved, and he always finds a way to get involved.”

“I bet it’s been worse since…” Verity’s voice trailed off.

“Yeah.” Lao said, but then changed the subject, as he often did when Ray’s rebellion got brought up. She hoped the boy wasn’t too hard on Lao, but she was too afraid to ask. “How was school without them?”

“Boring.” Verity said, and she blew a piece of hair out of her face. “Aiko wasn’t there to make fun of the teachers. Leia didn’t gossip about the popular girls with me. Alina wasn’t there to give people disappointed looks when they’re being rude.”

“She was quite good at that.” Lao said.

Verity’s face fell. “Where did they go?”

Lao paused, and she tried very hard to read his expression. He gave no hints to what he was thinking, so Verity waited. Perhaps his silence was better, because she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer of where her lost sister and friends could be. A chill crawled up her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

“I don’t know.” Lao said after being quiet for far too long. “Do you want help with your luggage?”

“Sure.” Verity said, her spirits slightly deflated. Lao had a habit of keeping tight lips on his theories. She had asked Lee about it once, and he said that it was probably because Lao had dark thoughts that he didn’t want to worry her with. He did that a lot, it was why he didn’t talk about his deceased parents.

Lao picked up Verity’s small suitcase from the dirt. It was the only suitcase she had, and it didn’t carry much at all. Just a week’s worth of clothes, a notebook, and her stuffed bear that Alina had given her.

“I lied to Lee and Ray about when you were coming back.” Lao said.

“How come?” Verity asked, her head tilted.

A blush flitted across his cheeks. “I…um…I thought you know…”

“What?” She asked, not sure what Lao was going on about.

“Um…you’re…you’re tired, right?” Lao asked.

“Yes.”

“Ray is um…hyper. So I thought you might want a few hours alone.”

“I don’t mind–” Verity said.

“I can call him.” Lao said. “Unless…you don’t want me to, and then we can be alone.”

“What would we do alone?” 

“Just…” His cheeks were getting redder by the minute. Excitement bubbled in Verity. Each time she made Lao blush made her toes curl. “Be together. Catch up. Like how friends do.”

Her arms swung around his neck, and he lost balance, nearly dropping her things. “You are my best friend.”

“Best friend. Right.”

She kissed his cheek, and his eyes widened, the blush becoming ever deeper on his brown cheeks. “I don’t mind being alone.”

[my-blessed-prince]

Sunday Excerpts, Home in Narnia, Ch. 1, Verity POV, pt. III

@vsnotresponding @olive-riggzey

It had every imaginable and unimaginable chore on it. Dishes, dusting, shoveling the driveway, cooking, and much more. 

“Mother, when do you want this done?” Verity asked.

“That’s for tonight. There’s more for tomorrow.”

Lao’s eyes bugged. She was certain that they were sharing the same thoughts. This would take far longer than five hours. 

“Stop staring, and get working.”

“It’s so long, it’ll take time to read.” Lao said in a monotone voice.

“Then read faster. I’ll be in my room. When I come out, I better find two busy-bees.”

Her mother left the two of them in their shock. The door shut a little too loudly, and the anxieties poured out of Verity. “She wants me to be her slave.” She said in a frantic whisper.

“Not even the boarding masters give this many chores to delinquent students.” Lao said with a glare. “We couldn’t finish this by midnight!”

“Do you think I could pass as a boy? Be Veros?”

“Might be hard when you get…breasts….” Lao said, and she noticed his eyes remained precisely on her face and nowhere else. In another situation, it would be rather funny to see Lao be so awkward about her budding breasts.

“The authorities will say that it is her right.” Verity said with folded arms.

“There’s a boy at our school that I’m pretty sure is abused.” Lao said. “A teacher reported to an authority, and they didn’t do anything. Said it was a private matter. He has bruises.”

“And he’s a boy. I’m a girl.” 

“A stupid notion. Boys should do house chores too. Who wants to be an unpaid maid for the rest of their life?”

“No one.” Verity said in a monotone voice.

After a slight pause, Lao asked. “Should we get started? I can take on most of these, if you want to do the easier chores.”

“Do you really mind–”

“I’m not the one stuck here.” Lao said.

“Thanks.” Verity said, and she kissed his cheek again.

Lao’s whole body went stiff, and he cleared his throat. “Alright, for starters–”

The two of them went over the list, and Lao took the most demanding chores. With some exploration they realized that the kitchen appeared like it hadn’t been cleaned the whole time Verity had been gone. There were cockroaches, and she saw a mouse run across the tiled floor. 

“Yeah, I can do the kitchen.”

“I really can do it–”

“No.” Lao said.

They went around the house more, determining which rooms were dirtiest. The bathroom’s were wretched, and Lao offered to take those too. The cleanest room was the main room, and that would be the one that Verity would do. The backyard was full of weeds, but it wasn’t the same nastiness that permeated the rest of the house, so she offered to do that as well.

The two of them took on their separate chores, and Verity’s mind spun while she scrubbed away grime on the coffee table, vacuumed the dusty carpet, and wiped off the sitting chairs at least three times for each chair.

These were the easy chores, and she was getting tired. Lao was doing the more difficult ones, but he wouldn’t be here forever. No, in a matter of two weeks, he would be going off to school with the others.

She would be staying behind here, working away. Her mother periodically came to check on her, and her fingers tightened around the rag she used to clean. Verity would never see anyone, but that dreadful woman for months and months on end.

It was unthinkable. 

She finished cleaning the main room, and she went to check on Lao. His hair, which almost always was in a long black braid, was currently tied up in a high bun. He had pink rubber gloves on, and he was ferociously scrubbing at a stain on a plate that looked like it had crusted over months prior.

He had yet to notice that she was in the same room as him. Lao had been in here for at least two hours, and hardly a dent had been made in the dishes.

An unutterable idea flitted across her mind. She could run away. Live somewhere else. Pretend to have no records, and be an orphan. Their world wasn’t kind to orphans or little girls, and it stayed stuck in her mouth.

Leaving Lao, she went back to do her other chores. She probably should have started with the outside, but it was cold. She was to get rid of icicles, shovel the driveway full of snow, and do much more.

She put on her winter coat and mittens again, and she grabbed the shovel from the garage. It was nearly as tall as she was. With her back bent, she started to shovel away the foot of snow. Her mind wandered with repetitive work. How bad could it be to run away? Surely, the streets were better than this. At least the homeless had variety, and perhaps they would be kind to her. If they weren’t kind to her, it wouldn’t be the same hurt of knowing that one’s mother hated her. She was the less preferred daughter. Alina was never asked to stay home from boarding school. Was it because her sister had been docile? Verity tried her best to hold her tongue, but it was a bit difficult when around her mother. 

After being in the cold for who knew how long, her fingers started to become numb. She rested down her shovel in the snow, and she rubbed her hands together. This was impossible. Lao was doing the hard work, she would simply die without him. Her own mother would work her into a ditch.

Her body shivered, and she remembered how she hadn’t had lunch or dinner. Her stomach grumbled impossibly loud, and she cursed under her breath. Lao was probably still stuck doing the high pile of dishes with food caked on them for months on end.

The night was waning on, and Verity wondered how long the two of them had been working. She had been outside for at least two hours, hadn’t she? The driveway to her home was long and wide. Would Ray and Lee show up soon? What would she tell Ray? Would he care? He tended to have a blindspot towards their mother. 

Down the road, she saw her father’s car. He had been more distant since Alina’s death, but surely he would fight for her not to be a slave. Due to the heavy snow, her father parked on the side of the road. He got out of the car, and he shook his head at the foot of snow in their driveway.

She ran towards him. “Dad!” She wrapped her arms around him, something that hadn’t been done in far too long. No hug was returned, but she didn’t let that dampen her spirits. “Dad! I missed you.”

“You should get back to working, Verity. The driveway is impossible.”

Her heart fell at the lack of affection returned. It was moments like these, that she wished she had been an orphan like Lao.

“Dad, she wants me to quit school. You’ll help me return, right–”

“It was my idea.” Her father said. 

The wind bit at her cheeks. “What?”

“I can’t possibly do the housework myself. Your mother has been insufferable since Alina died. I thought it was a good solution to have you stay home and do the work yourself.”

“I want to learn, daddy.” Verity said.

“I’m sorry, Verity. Sacrifices need to be made.”

Without further word, her father went to return into the house. “I’ll be trapped.” Verity said in a small voice.

“You’ll be helping your family. What you’re supposed to do. Stop complaining and get this driveway cleared. The neighbors don’t like when I park on the side of the road.”

“Will you help me?” Verity asked.

“I’ve been working all day. It’s nearly 9:00 PM. I’m sure you can do it yourself.”

Her father went into the house, and the door shut behind him. Tears poured down her face, freezing to her cheeks. 

[my-blessed-prince]

Sunday Excerpts, Home in Narnia, Ch. 1, Verity POV, pt. IV

@olive-riggzey @vsnotresponding

With her back bent to the cold wind, she went back to shoveling. Vents went through her mind, and if Ray dared to defend their parents, there would be a price to pay. Her contempt and silence.

It wasn’t long before she felt a familiar bony hand on her shoulder. 

“Ver, how long have you been out here?” 

“Not long enough. I have to finish.” Verity said with a huff. “Dad wants it done by tomorrow morning, but I’m sure it’ll snow again, and I’ll have to wake up early—“

Lao turned her around, and she dropped the shovel. Her lip trembled, and she said “It was his idea. Aren’t Ray and Lee supposed to be here? I can’t do this all by myself. You’ll all be gone, and I’ll….”

She buried her face in her gloved hands. She’d be more alone than she was before. 

Lao was quiet for a moment, and he put his hands in hers, pulling them down and revealing her face. “I’ll finish the driveway.”

“But you’ve already been working so hard–”

He booped her nose with his finger. “And you’ll work that much harder when holiday comes. It’s already decided, I’m doing it.”

Before she could get another protest out of her, he had his arm wrapped around her, and he was leading her back to the house. “You better eat a meal.”

“You should too–”

“Already ate before coming here.” Lao said. “And you need to warm your toes. Kick up your feet.”

“But–”

“And the more you protest, the more stubborn I’ll be.” His hand hesitated, before opening the door. “If Ray and Lee don’t show up soon, I’ll ask your parents with you what’s going on. They…it was dark. Perhaps it was foolish for me to send them here, but Lee said that he could persuade another adult to come.”

An awkwardness lingered between the two of them. She hadn’t checked a clock, but she was nearly positive that they were supposed to be here by now or perhaps they were already late. 

“It won’t be like last time.” Verity said with a forced smile.

“I wasn’t thinking that.” Lao said, but she knew that he had been. “And…lastly.”

“What?” She asked.

“Perhaps we should be calling you Veros. I’ve been thinking of a plan, while doing those mountains of dishes.”

“Were they dreadful?”

“It’s a miracle your mother hasn’t starved herself, or perhaps the miracle would be if she starved herself.” Lao said with bitterness laced in his voice. “Every single dish was in that sink and some of them were black! Black! It was like she would pick up a dish from the sink, and then use it before cleaning it. I’m surprised she hasn’t gotten herself killed with infection!”

Verity made a face. “That’s disgusting.”

“Morbid.” Lao said. “You can’t stay here past the holiday, or even for the holiday. You…” He got a shy look on his face, and he quickly said “You don’t really have breasts yet.”

“No but my voice is high-pitched.” Verity said.

“So is Lee’s. Every day I wake up wondering if my voice was that high when I was his age.”

“Lee is seven, Lao.” Verity said with a hand on her hip.

“The point is I think he’ll have a high-pitched voice when he’s thirteen too. I can tell. Older brother’s instinct.”

“Is that so?” Verity asked.

“Positive.” Lao said. “We can find something to cover your breasts, or maybe we can fatten you up! I’ll make sure you get all the good food.”

A smile warmed on her face. “Fatten me up?”

“Yeah, men have boobs too. The chubby ones. Who is the school to judge for that?”

“What about when I get my monthly?” Verity said.

She noticed the blush fleet across his cheeks, but he ignored his own embarrassment. “Your penis is bleeding. Someone kicks you in the balls real hard once a month for seven days straight.”

“That’s brutal Lao. Each month, and he doesn’t get caught?”

“Not one bit. Bullying happens at this school.”

“Please tell me that someone doesn’t kick you in the balls for seven days straight.”

“No.” Lao said a little too quickly. “But I see fights. I stay low though. I think you could be a very convincing Veros.”

“My last name?” Verity said.

“Change it to mine. You’re my long lost brother.”

“Do you really want me to be your sibling?” Verity asked, a smile creeping on her face. 

“If it means that you don’t live here. Mom and dad died in a fire. Our records got all burnt up to a crisp. You can be the long-lost brother who escaped, but showed up recently.”

“Veros.” Verity said. “I suppose it can’t hurt to try?”

“I don’t think it can!” Lao said. “If you get some food, I think we can find a phonebox down the road and get a cab.”

“You can pretend to work, and I’ll find a way to get the money. What will I do for clothes though? I’m in a skirt and stockings.”

“I’ll let you borrow my stuff, and I’m sure we can convince the orphanage to get you some clothes. We can say you were homeless in London.”

“Homeless orphans do like to roam London.” Verity said.

“Exactly.”

“One thing. Maybe we should pick a name that isn’t Veros. My parents are dumb, but maybe they’re not quite that dumb.”

“I wouldn’t put it past them.”

“Yes, but if I end up here, then I’ll literally die by mother’s hand.”

Lao put a hand to his chin. “We’ll think of a name, while in the cab. We’ll say that we’re picking a name for my baby cousin.”

“The perfect ruse.” Verity said. 

The small smile he usually gave her was wider this time, and he said “I missed being at school with you. Ray is a little goblin, and Lee transforms into a goblin around him.”

“Magically?”

“Dark magic.” Lao said. “But…even if they were little goblins, I…I just missed you.”

“Me?” Verity asked, and her heart beat faster.

“Yeah.” 

She bit the bottom of her lip. This was one of the moments that she wished Lao would spit it out already that he liked her. When the snow fell in his hair and the air puffed out from his lips, it looked like a movie moment for a kiss.

But Lao was a shy boy, and such things never happened. After not receiving her movie kiss, she cleared her throat. “I should go resort to stealing.”

“Yes, and if you get caught.”

“Stab someone.”

“Yes, but I don’t want you in jail.”

“I’ll stab lightly.” Verity said.

“I don’t know if the police will care.” Lao said with a smile.

“If they knew my mum, they would.”

“But they don’t. So steal carefully, and no stabbing at all.”

“Party pooper.” Verity said with folded arms.

“When I plan the perfect murder, I’ll let you know.” Lao said with the corners of his lip tugged upward.

“You better.” Verity said. “Alright, let me see what I can knick.” An idea popped in her mind. “Lao…you should break that shovel.”

A wry smile appeared on his face. “I’d love to break your father’s shovel. Get going.”

Leaving Lao in the snow to his mischief, she opened the door. It was time that she ran away from home. Verity was a lot of things, but an unappreciated slave in her own home was not one of them. She didn’t care where she went whether it was Lao’s school, an orphanage, or on the streets. Verity would not reside here, and no amount of guilt trips from her parents could stop her. Not with Lao by her side. 

[my-blessed-prince]

Sunday Excerpts, Home in Narnia, Ch. 1, Verity POV, pt. II

@vsnotresponding @olive-riggzey

“Okay.” Lao said, and he quickly removed himself from her embrace. His pace was far too quick, and he entered into her small home, though not without taking a quick peek at her, before disappearing inside.

“Lao, wait for me!” She said, and she ran up the pathway into her home. Verity burst into her home, and to her dismay her mother was there.

“Why’d you bring the boy over?” She said with pursed lips. “It’s not proper.”

“You know, if I have no friends, then I’ll disappear entirely. And more missing children is not proper, mother.” With a shove, she pushed past her mother. The woman didn’t care that her eldest daughter was gone, but perhaps she would care when she had no children left or had to take care of Ray on her own.

The tiniest of smirks appeared on Lao’s face, and she giggled, the anger from before dissipating. With her arm in his, they scampered off into her room. Her mother didn’t bother to stop her. She didn’t bother to do a lot of things besides belittle her.

She shut the door behind them, if only because it was very improper, and she sat down on the floor with Lao.

“She glared at me right when I came in.” Lao said, and he opened her suitcase.

“Now, Lao.” Verity said in a drawled out tone. “You wouldn’t want to help me unpack. That isn’t proper.”

“My eyes will probably get burned out if I see your underwear.”

“That is exactly what will happen.” Verity said. “I read about it at school. Boys go blind if they see girls they like, or worse yet, know they have underwear. And then they stumble around.”

Lao started to fold her clothes, and he said “I haven’t stumbled yet.”

It was Verity’s turn to blush at the reference. “You haven’t met a girl you like–”

“I have.” Lao said.

Her blush deepened. She wondered if she was the girl he liked. Lee and Ray insisted that was the case, but it was hard to tell.

Verity started to fold the clothes with Lao. “What is she like?”

“Adventurous. Sasses her mother, and rightfully so. Smiles a lot.” Lao said. She saw his hands shake a little while folding her clothes. “I think if I go blind, it’s because she’s bright, and not because of her clothes that I’ll fold.”

“Do you fold other girls' clothes?” Verity asked.

Lao was quiet again, and he said “It’s a secret.”

She pouted. He did this a lot. Got close to admitting that he liked her, and then backing out far too soon. Ray was right, Lao was a scaredy-cat.

“How long do we have until Ray and Lee show up?”

“Depends.” Lao said. “Ray is never on-time to things. I told them that you’ll be here three hours from now, but if Ray is with Lee…I’d say five hours just to ourselves.”

“You’re naughty, Lao.” Verity said with a click of her tongue. “You would have gotten two whole hours of alone time with me.”

“But you see.” Lao said. “I figured we needed one hour alone for each month we haven’t seen each other. It’s only fair after being forced into going to separate boarding schools.”

“True. It’s the only logical choice.” Verity said.

“I also scared Lee into not showing up early. I said your mom would get real mad at him.”

Verity laughed, while she folded her clothes. “He’s terrified of her, Lao.”

“Exactly.” Lao said. “Works to my advantage sometimes.”

Verity took a pile of clothes that they had folded, and she started to put them away in her dresser. “So what are your plans after being so devious–”

Her question was cut off by the screeching voice of her mother. “Verity! Stop flirting with Lao, and come do your nightly chores.”

Verity’s shoulders slumped, and she put the last of the clothes away. “I’m coming, mother.” She said in her most dead-sounding voice.

Lao got up, and he placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder. “To be a maid with you.”

“Quite boring.” Verity said.

“Not when it’s with you.” Lao said, and he did his famous small smile. 

She shoved his arm. “You got Lee and Ray to show up so late, so you could do chores with me?”

“I figured it would take about four hours to accomplish, and then that’s an hour alone. They could have been extra help, but you know how Ray is.”

“Whiny, and then we have more chores.”

“Precisely.” Lao said. “So, I thought it would be best to come alon–”

“Verity!” Her mother screamed again. “Get over here! If Lao can’t help, then he can leave.”

“She knows you’re a good cleaner.” Verity muttered.

“I know.” Lao said, and they left the room. 

It didn’t particularly matter that Verity lived in a very small house. She and Alina had been the poorest students at their boarding school. Aiko and Leia were some of the popular girls that hadn’t cared, and they had all gotten along. They bonded through having terrible parents. But then a year before, the three of them had disappeared when going to play while Verity was sick. 

Now she was alone, and it was experiences like this she would only have Lao to vent about. Although, he didn’t quite understand the way that they did. Lao had been an orphan since he was eight. 

Her mother was all flushed, as if Verity and Lao did something terribly offensive, and she fanned herself. Verity barely restrained herself from burning holes into her mother’s skin through her glare. Lao kept his face more neutral than usual, if that were possible. 

“I haven’t had anyone to clean for me–I might take you out of that boarding school and keep you here.”

Verity’s blood went cold. She didn’t really care for school, and she got bullied at times, but there were other loser girls that were bullied and a few sprinkling of teachers who were kind. 

“If I have an education, I can help secure a finer home and someone to help clean–”

Her mother scoffed at her. “Yes, when you’re twenty-five. I’ll be a corpse by then. You have more practical uses for me now. I’ve relinquished your records. You’re staying here. I’m homeschooling you.”

Verity’s eyes burned. She didn’t need to ask to know that there would be little schooling done, and it would be mostly chores and being a personal slave to her mother. 

“Ms. Cecelia–” Lao said.

“Shut it.” She snapped at him. “You’re lucky I allow you here. Giving my daughter impure thoughts–”

Verity’s face flushed. Was it that obvious that she liked Lao? That wasn’t a crime, was it? It wasn’t like she wanted to do very…adult things. But sometimes she thought about what it would be like to receive a little kiss.

Lao was silent, but from the corner of her eye, she saw the flame dance in his eyes. “How can I be of service, Ms. Cecelia?”

“About time you asked.” She said, and she thrust a list at him, and it unraveled all the way to the floor. Verity shuffled closer to Lao, and they looked at the list together. 

[my-blessed-prince]

And I’ll use you as a focal point

So I don’t lose sight of what I want.