#rosabyrine

[neoninky]

TWST Fic "Her Ivory Crown": Ch. 8

Ch. 8: Revelry Among Rivals

The girl's dorm was on full lock down by the time the Rosabyrine girls had returned: plans were made and discussions were had, now was the time for action. Each of the dorm leaders were standing on pedestals in excitement, concern, or in some cases, dread as their attires were being adjusted and set on each of them by Jinnah and Manari - who were already dressed - to make sure that everything was in perfect shape. Adela was especially displeased with her lot in this whole situation.

"I cannot believe you chickadees talked me into this..." the senior sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose.

The younger girls had pleaded with their senior to fill this very specific and admittedly appropriate role, even going as far to mention that this was their first and last joint festival together and how it was a "once in a lifetime" opportunity....so she caved. Elise was in charge of the casting, so to speak, and she put a lot of thought into each decision. Some choices were obvious like picking for Manari and Jinnah. There was just no one else they could possibly be. Her role, she'd admit, was a bit biased but the others all agreed that it suited her perfectly. Other decisions needed further speculation but in the end, Elise felt satisfied. As the others were getting final touches put on, Reine stared at the name on the card she had been assigned with a bit of hesitation before giving Elise a concerned look...

"You're sure about this?"

"Of course!" Elise was borderline silly with enthusiasm, "It will be sensational! If we play our cards right, which I know we will with Mr. Ashengrotto's help, the crowd will already be too excited not to leap at the chance. But then, we take it to the next step and present a special VIP wild card...that being you, Your Elusive Majesty. Besides Petra will be right there with you as your 'second in command' so everything will be fine!" 

The third princess gave Reine a reassuring smile, "I gotta admit, I am a bit envious of you but I'd be lying if I said you weren't far superior for the role....also I get a really cool coat so it's still a win for me," Petra laughed. 

Reine looked back to the name on her card. She wasn't against the idea at all, it just seemed a bit...disrespectful maybe? Maybe he wouldn't mind though? She couldn't be sure. One of the ghosts suddenly popped into the lounge amidst all the excitement and interrupted Reine's thoughts.

"Miss Reine, Headmaster Crowley wants to see you in his office. One of your mother's advisors is there waiting for you. Seems important~"

Electric butterflies suddenly fluttered in Reine's stomach at the news. With all the excitement, she had forgotten her mother's promise to send her the rings for her suitor...for Zehn and herself, if things went the way the current queen wished. Reine pocketed the card and asked the girls to continue without her. 

- 

Two of the ghosts were kind enough to show her the way to the Headmaster's office but she couldn't ignore her nerves prickling all over. The rest of the day had been such a nice escape from her reality for a short time but...

"Here we are, Miss."

The princess smiled and thanked the ghosts for their help. Inside the office with Crowley stood one of her mother's chief advisors, a shorter man with snow-white hair and matching, long rabbit ears. He held a small box that fit in the palm of his hand, covered with intricate rose and thorn carvings. 

"Your Highness, it's so nice to see you again," his eyes were will full of kind affection that also reflected in his voice, "I insisted on delivering these precious rings to you in person and Headmaster Crowley was kind enough to oblige."

The white rabbit stepped forward and placed the box in her hands, not realizing just how heavy they felt in her grasp. He couldn't stop smiling at the young future queen. He had known Reine since she was a baby and now here she was taking the first vital steps toward securing the Queendom's future along with her own.

"If I may, Your Highness, your mother's court-soon to be your own-we have been nothing but thrilled for your success since your coronation. We await your formal announcement with bated breath. Congratulations, Young Mistress." He bowed to her with a silken grace that came with time and practice. The Headmaster couldn't help himself and offered an elated congratulations to her a well. Reine did what she did best: smile and offer a poised thank you to them both.

"I'm afraid duty calls, Your Highness. I must return to the court immediately. Forgive me for not properly seeing you safely returned to your lodgings."

Reine gently waved his apology aside, "No need. I will be fine I assure you. Night Raven College is still just a school campus and I know my way now." 

-

Reine was actually grateful to be walking alone back to the dorm. She felt exhausted, heavy. She knew that getting back as soon as possible was critical but even so...Reine took a slight detour first. Thankfully her destination was deserted. The princess stood on the main street of the campus, quietly looking up at her great aunt's statue. The Queen of Hearts: she always looked so sure, so unyielding in every single rendering of her presence Reine had ever seen whether it be on canvas or in stone. Yes her temper was legendary, but what power she must have held in her voice, her very grasp. Reine felt like a wilted weed in comparison.

 "We've never met, Auntie," the princess whispered, "but I've heard so much about you...you would have loved my cousins, I'm sure. They honor your drive, your discipline, and fire to this very day..."

Reine felt her throat tighten right as saltwater started to prickle at her eyes. She wanted so much. She had come so far, hadn't she? So why did it feel like she had barely accomplished anything at all?! Reine was to be queen, the ruler of the Rose Queendom, the highest authority in the land...and yet she felt as powerless as a toddler and just as limited. Reine gazed into her aunt's proud face through a curtain of tears as the words just tumbled out of her mouth.

 "I want...I want to be a queen you can be proud of, Auntie. I want to make everyone proud. I want...I want my daughters to be free to rule as they think best without being coddled and told otherwise! I...I want...."

A quiet sob ripped from her throat cutting off her rant. Reine sat at the foot of the statue's pedestal, clutching the ring box in one hand and trying to stop her tears with the other. No matter how hard she tried the tears seemed never-ending. It reminded her of the story of the girl who originally visited her aunt's rose labyrinth. It was said that she grew over a mile high and cried so many tears, it made a massive lake. A small laugh broke through Reine's sobs at the memory. It was such a fantastical tale that her mother always labeled it as nonsense but even so it was one of Reine's favorite stories. Reine looked at all of the Great Seven statues and smiled a bit to herself. In a place, in a world such as this, with great wizards, powerful magic, and people of every sort, what was actually wrong with some things being a bit 'nonsensical'? Many of her auntie's famous rules made absolutely no sense but good luck telling Her Royal Majesty that. Her tears began to dry and her breath returned to normal after letting her thoughts take her away to a much better place. Reine stood and curtsied to the Queen of Hearts' statue, silently thanking it for hearing her out. But of course...the calm relief was gone before it could properly settle in her heart. 

 "Lady Reine? What are you doing out here...?" 

A sharp, cold shiver ran through her as she quickly turned around and was face to face with a displeased Zehn. He had the same frustrated look on his face that Reine's mother used to give her for ruining her dresses in mud puddles as a child. It did not sit well with her at all...in fact, now she was feeling frustrated. 

"Lady Reine, why are you out here alone?" Zehn then noticed her bloodshot eyes, "Are you hurt?? What happened?" 

He approached her and went to take her arm but the princess quickly pulled away and stepped back, looking at him like an annoyed cat, "There is no need for concern, Mr. Cavalier," Reine reverting back to such a formal tone when addressing him left the same impact as if she slapped his hand away herself, "I was just on my way back to my dorm and decided to take a rest." 

Zehn frowned, "It's not safe for you to be walking about by yourself, Lady Reine," his tone was insistent, "You should have called for me." 

Her frustration rose to a higher degree at this boy's insolence and her own tone grew sharper, "Oh really? Why I am quite capable of walking down a pathway across a school's campus by myself, Mr. Cavalier. You say it's not safe. What exactly am I in danger of? Do tell."

The boy felt like someone was pulling a prank on him. It was in fact Reine standing in front of him but where was this unusually snippy tone coming from?! He frowned at her crossed arms and the impatient look on her face, "You are the heir to the Rose Queendom's throne. It isn't proper for you to just wander about without some sort of guard at your side. If something were to go wrong, it would be an immense diplomatic disaster. Lady Reine, it'd be best if you put your trust in me. I don't think these Night Raven boys are competent or trustworthy enough to take your safety into consideration." 

Reine noticed Zehn's eyes rise to look at the statues of the Great Seven which Night Raven College revered so greatly when he spoke of the campus' students. Her eyes narrowed at his implications.

" 'These Night Raven boys' have been nothing but perfect gentlemen since we have arrived. They have been immensely respectful and hospitable to not just me but the other girls as well. As for being competent, I see no issue. I've never felt safer outside my own home or Sacred Crown's walls. So I highly suggest you put your assumptions to rest once and for all," Reine huffed and covered her mouth as she let out another wet cough. Zehn moved towards her again as if she were made of sugar glass which only annoyed her further.

"Please leave me be, Mr. Cavalier!" 

The princess skirted past him and continued back to her dorm before he had the chance to stop her. He glared after Reine's retreating back as his patience left with her. He did not follow her, however. Instead, he pulled out his phone and messaged a few of his cohorts with simple instructions.

-

It was getting late and Reine felt dizzy by the time she entered the dorm's garden. She could see and hear the girls inside bustling about, nailing down every last detail for their part in the events for tomorrow. Reine didn't want to worry them and derail all of their efforts by returning in her current state. Instead, she sat on a stone bench under a nearby tree and took an extra moment to gather herself. Part of her felt guilty for snapping at Zehn like she did but...why, why was he being so intolerable?! So overbearing as if she were a child instead of his future queen! He was just as bad as her mother...Reine let out a shaky breath and looked down at the box in her hands. She opened it and gazed at the two rings inside, one white gold and one yellow gold. One golden ring of the pair was crafted specifically with the queen in mind and magically enchanted to fit her perfectly. Her white ring held a clear stone set in the center of a rose-shaped mounting with intricate leaves that held tiny clear stones making up the band. The yellow gold ring was plain with no stones or decoration whatsoever. This ring was meant for her chosen suitor and was also enchanted to not only change the size to fit him but also change shape and form to suit his personal tastes as well. Once Reine made her decision and her suitor accepted her proposal, they would both put on the rings at the same time, binding them to each other. 

Reine's frustration came to a boiling point as she snapped the box closed and set it off to the side, tears threatening to spill once more. This was supposed to be a happy occasion so why did it make her feel so miserable...? After a moment, she looked up and noticed something strange....since when did these green fireflies appear?

Reine stared at the tiny balls of light with wide eyes and even managed to catch one in her hands before sensing someone close by. She quickly looked around her...nothing. She looked on the other side of the tree...nope. It wasn't until Reine followed the glowing lights off the trail that she noticed a tall figure looking towards the dorm, still and quiet with an impressive set of horns coming from his head. His back was to her at first but as the princess stared him up and down in curious silence, the stranger's face slowly turned to look directly at her over his shoulder with luminescent green eyes that matched the fireflies. His gaze was hard to read, somewhere between intrigue and hesitation. This was their first time meeting face to face but Reine quickly put the pieces together. After all, his reputation proceeded him. 

"...Lord Draconia?" 

The formal address in this girl's proper tone made Malleus Draconia's eyes narrow in amusement as a curious feeling warmed his chest. He slowly stood to face her properly and the dark fae's eyes took in every little detail about her, from Reine's much shorter stature that did not shrink away from him to the look of wonder in her deep eyes. She knew his identity and yet faced him without fear or that odd obsession that some humans had in his presence as if he were some mythical creature to be caught. No, Reine just looked at him as a person meeting another. How interesting...

"Ooh...We haven't met before, have we?" Malleus's voice was gentle and deep like the evening air. Reine shook her head and properly bowed to him without hesitation. 

"Reine Castilene, crown princess of the Rose Queendom, it is an honor to finally meet you, Lord Draconia." 

Malleus returned the gesture and bowed to the princess with a tiny smile, "Malleus Draconia, successor to the Valley of Thorns. My name doesn't seem to frighten you, little rose queen...the queens of your homeland truly are fearless." he gave an amused chuckle.

Reine returned to her full height and gave him a reassuring smile, "Oh I am familiar with your name. I've heard it amongst my mother's court members several times before. They say you're one of the strongest mages in the world. Very impressive, my lord...if you don't mind me asking, why are you out here alone?"

Malleus mused to himself a moment before answering, "It's quiet here...well usually. I like to come here to be alone." 

Reine followed his stoic gaze back towards the dorm full of rambunctious girls and suddenly felt bad for disturbing his usual safe haven, "I see. Please forgive our intrusion. The girls mean well but they can get a bit rowdy. It'll be nice and quiet after we leave at the end of the week." The dark fae studied the ivory girl next to him as she spoke. He noticed the sadness creeping in during her last statement. 

"You seem troubled, little rose queen. Why is that?"

For someone so intimidating, powerful, and ridiculously tall, Malleus's eyes were soft with concern as was his voice. Reine wasn't sure where to begin or if she even should be honest. Seeing the patient look in his bright green eyes was oddly comforting though. 

"I suppose I am troubled. Very troubled over a few things...it's as you say, though I'm not queen yet, I will be someday. Just like how you will be the new king of your home. I'm not too familiar with the Valley of Thorns, honestly, but I imagine you have your own customs and expectations to live up to."

Malleus hummed softly in response and noticed the small box she had been carefully holding in her hands, sensing the magic coming from within. She followed his gaze and opened the box, showing him the rings, "My courtship rings. Do you have a tradition like this in your homeland?"

Malleus gave her a soft grin, "Dragon fae do hold a deep appreciation of bejeweled tokens but our ways are a bit different, I suppose. As the prince, I shall be the one to choose and court my bride someday. The Rose Queen is the one that does the pursuing in your culture it seems...how fascinating." 

The dragon prince found it a bit amusing that such a doll-like girl would be the hunter and not the hunted. Reine just laughed a bit dryly, "I wish it were that simple but...I'm afraid not. I do get to make the final decision but my potential suitors have been carefully curated on my behalf for years. You make it sound more exciting and romantic than it really is."

Malleus tilted his head as he pondered her expression. The tiny princess seemed displeased by this custom. How unfortunate. Marriages were supposed to be a cause of great celebration and joy...or so he heard. He rarely received any invitations to such occasions and mostly heard about them second-hand from Lilia who was far more well-traveled. 

"You are displeased with your selection of suitors, little rose queen? Is your homeland lacking in proper prospects?"

Reine met the dragon fae's inquiring gaze and found herself feeling a bit amused. He looked almost concerned or troubled over this notion as if he had completely invested in the situation himself. As a matter of fact, Malleus was quite talkative for having just met her only moments ago. Maybe he didn't have many people to talk to? It was oddly endearing. The princess just smiled softly, hoping to put him at ease.

"Oh no, it's not that. The Rose Queendom has many fine gentlemen to choose from. Just one, in particular, is being rather....difficult lately. Unfortunately, he's the one I'm expected to choose." 

"I see," he frowned with narrowing eyes, "an unsuitable prospect, offending his future queen. Why has he not been dealt with and swiftly struck down with lightning magic? Or perhaps fire...I'm not sure what elements the Rose Queendom favors."

Reine stared at him with wide eyes before busting out in laughter. Malleus just blinked in confusion at her reaction. He was being quite serious and didn't see how this could be interpreted as a joke whatsoever. The princess tried to stop and catch her breath before apologizing to him, "I am so sorry, Lord Draconia! It's just...oh if I could be as straightforward as you! It would definitely make things more simple, wouldn't it? I'm afraid that smiting my offenders is frowned upon. Especially by the current queen, my mother...she favors him and has for a while."

Malleus thought over her words carefully before answering, "How strange. The ways of your homeland seem complicated."

Reine sighed, "You have no idea..." 

"Perhaps you would like some assistance? I assure you I can do the deed quickly and no one would be the wiser. No acts of war would be issued, I promise."

Ok now Reine was sure that he had to be teasing her but she still laughed at this strange fae's offer, making him grin in return. The little queen was quite delightful in spite of her struggles. Reine's eyes suddenly lit up as she looked up to him, "Lord Draconia...If I may, there is something that I'd like your help with." She shyly beckoned him closer so she could whisper her request in his ear. Malleus' eyes widened in surprise and he let out a genuine chuckle after hearing her out.

"My, my...that does sound entertaining," Malleus hummed as his thoughts sped up, "I would like to see it and I believe Lilia and the others would be interested as well. Lilia, especially. Perhaps... I could lend a hand to add to the overall impression." 

Reine's eyes sparkled in both happiness and relief, "I'm so glad you think so. I was afraid that you might feel like we were making fun of you which we would never I assure you. But you should come to see it for yourself tomorrow!"

This was the second time Malleus felt taken aback with even more surprise. Could it be? Was...was this an invitation?! The princess practically read his mind as she pulled a pair of tickets from her pocket and handed them over. The girls worked fast in creating everything they needed for the event and Reine had managed to sneak a couple of the printed tickets just in case a rare opportunity arose and this was even better than she expected!

"My gate will only allow those who purchase VIP tickets the day of but given the circumstances, I'd like to give you and a friend admission personally. So please consider coming tomorrow," her smile was as radiant as starlight...though it may have been Malleus' now heightened imagination getting the better of him.

Once the Diasomnia prince returned to his dorm and told the others the news, the dorm hall filled with chatter, mostly coming from a very loud Sebek and very excited Lilia. Malleus turned to address Sebek and Silver specifically.  

"I have a request of you two. Consider it a special mission," he grinned smugly before turning serious, "I don't know that the little rose queen noticed, however...during our conversation, there seemed to be some Royal Sword students lurking about outside the gardens. I don't think they intend to do her harm but she spoke of someone troubling her recently. That won't do..." 

Sebek was quick to understand his lord's meaning and did not hesitate in spite of Reine being a human, "WE SHALL PROTECT THE GRACIOUS FAIR MAIDEN FROM ANY TROUBLEMAKERS, LORD MALLEUS!!"

Silver, who had been jolted awake by Sebek's loud proclamation, nodded seriously. Lilia chuckled darkly at Malleus' side, "My, my how the tables have turned...dragons protecting the princess from the white knights, fufufu~"

-

The campus had an odd buzz hovering about the next morning. Cater figured it had to do with the music and dance contest between the three schools happening later in the day but even so, the cafeteria breakfast rush seemed more scattered and distracted than usual. He noticed clusters of NRC students talking excitedly over some fliers that had popped up overnight. There were even some posts about it on Magicame already. Cater managed to spot one as he waited in line for an iced coffee and immediately grabbed it, reading it over with wide eyes, "Wha?!"

Back at the Heartslabyul dorm, Reine kept her promise and showed up to pour Riddle his tea. Normally he'd prefer it a bit later but the princess had politely specified that she still needed to help the girls finish preparations for the contest so Riddle didn't argue. If anything he was very curious about her today. Something was different. It was like she was hiding a secret behind that coy smile. That blasted, adorable smile...he was still a bit miffed that they had to cut the tea party short yesterday but apparently there was some sort of emergency back at the girls' dorm.  The princess had assured him that everything was fine when he asked about it. Still...he looked her up and down, as discreetly as possible, when she was distracted, trying to find the crack in the armor so to speak.  Nothing about her demeanor seemed strange, Reine was as lovely and pleasant as always. Although, he couldn't help but notice that her attire was all black; the flowy lace dress she wore with matching gloves, the ribbon in her hair, her sheer stockings, and even her boots?? No white, no red. Just black. Did she normally wear this much black? It was very striking if not downright alluring on her but still. Was he being overly suspicious for no reason? Surely not. Of course, the even bigger mystery was...why were Sebek and Silver following her around today? The two boys stood off the side, silently watching her and Riddle like perfectly poised guard dogs. It was bizarre if not a bit unsettling but Reine acted as if this was just another normal day as she gently slid Riddle's now full teacup towards him. 

"Your tea, Your Majesty," she said sweetly to him while giving him a curtsy. It was precious but still failed to distract Riddle from just how weird this setup was. He politely thanked her and took a sip while eyeing his fellow Equestrian club members like they were out of place gargoyles. 

"Um Miss Reine...if you don't mind me asking...is there a reason why you're-"

Cater suddenly burst into the garden, excited about something but came to a halt as soon as he saw the strange scene in front of him: Malleus' bodyguards standing by a suddenly gothic-looking Reine who was serving Riddle tea at a time that Riddle normally didn't take his tea....did he miss something?!

"Good morning, Cater," Reine said brightly to the confused boy before noticing the flier in his hand, "oh you saw our flier! How nice. I hope you join us at the contest later today," she was practically glowing with a hidden excitement. 

"Yeah I did! I gotta ask...what is this about exactly??"

Cater showed the color-pop style flier to Reine and Riddle that said the following: "One Day Exclusive! Sacred Crown Hall Presents 'Rare Collection Experience: Night Raven College Tribute!'" and showed each of the dorm emblems above what looked like blacked out silhouettes of seven different figures peering out from inside glowing coffins. Reine just smiled and said rather mysteriously, "You'll have to wait and see..."

"FAIR MAIDEN!! It is almost the meeting time Mistress Elise had previously scheduled!!" Only Reine seemed unphased by Sebek's boisterous announcement and without missing a beat, bid Cater and Riddle farewell. 

"I hope you both will attend the contest today. I promise you will not regret it."

- 

The area surrounding the arena was packed to the brim with students from both NRC and RSA, waiting to see exactly what all the mysterious hype surrounding those fliers was about. No one really seemed to know and was just as curious as the next person how it all came about. Riddle was getting irritated with just how crowded it was as he stood waiting to enter with Trey, Cater, Ace, and Deuce. The other Heartslabyul boys were just as much in the dark as he was. He spotted his classmates from Scarabia in the crowd as well. Kalim was his usual excitable self, rapid-firing off theories to Jamil what he thought the girls were up to. Jamil, meanwhile, just looked at the flier in his hand with a mixture of deep thought and exhaustion from his dorm leader's abundant energy. Vil, Rook, and Epel could be seen making their way through the crowd, trying to make their way to the designated dressing rooms for those performing today. Neige Le Blanche wasn't too far behind with his seven little friends heading in the same direction. Eventually, the gates finally opened and the river of students flowed into the main avenue that took them past what looked like several covered booths, each one had an NRC dorm's emblem above it which caused the curious chatter to increase. The crowd quieted down as Crowley's voice suddenly boomed over the arena's PA system.

"Welcome Students! The opening ceremony of Night Raven's first Three School Music and Dance contest will commence shortly! Please make your way to the main stage!"

Once everyone in the audience had settled into their seats around the big center stage, Crowley addressed them all in person in front of a veiled curtain. It was hard to tell for even those closest to the stage but it looked like there were six pedestals hiding behind the headmaster??

"Welcome to all of our visitors and our students!" Crowley was weirdly excited about all of this but seeing as how there were some photographers in the crowd, it was no mystery as to why "the performances from all three schools will start in about thirty minutes!"

There were two large monitors just off to the side of the stage that displayed the lineup of the contest's scheduled performances. There were other acts from all three schools but most of the crowd was here for Vil, Neige, and the main group from Sacred Crown, excited to see what the newcomers had in store for them. Riddle looked around the crowd and noticed that some of the girls from Sacred Crown were whispering amongst themselves excitedly. Most of the girls were in their usual classroom uniforms but he noted that each one had a dual-colored ribbon band around their arms, matching the ones from NRC. Every girl had different dorms' colors on her arm....what exactly were these girls up to now?

"But first! Our visitors from Sacred Crown Hall have an announcement to make!" 

Crowley took his leave as the curtain behind him parted. The shock in the audience was palpable as the lights came up and there in the center stood Elise Coralette...in full Octavinelle dorm leader attire, every detail in place down to Azul's small beauty mark below her lips. The only difference was that instead of trousers, she wore a smartly fitted pencil skirt instead. More lights came up to reveal the five other figures on pedestals and the crowd cried out in waves of surprise and shock. From left to right, the girls stood in order each dressed in almost exact replicas of the Night Raven College dorm leaders starting with Alyssa dressed as Riddle in his Heartslabyul dorm outfit with a belled skirt instead of pants all the way down to Hebe dressed as Ignihyde's own Idia, complete with bright blue streaks in her hair. 

"Welcome!" all six girls said in unison before Elise took over, "Greetings students from Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy and other esteemed guests! The girls of Sacred Crown hope you enjoy today's performances along with the surprises we have personally prepared for you in honor of our wonderful hosts, Night Raven College!" 

The girls on stage along with the rest of their students and some of the more friendly RSA boys took a moment to give the very confused Night Raven students and their gleeful headmaster a round of applause. Elise continued as the screen display changed to a map of each of the booths everyone had passed previously. 

"We will be selling tickets to everyone and anyone who would like to have their own personal photo with each of our lovely dorm leaders you see up here, myself included," Elise gave a playful wink to the audience as the rest of the girls waved and hyped the audience up in their own ways which worked like a charm, "as you can see we have all six dorm leaders present and accounted for! Each one promising more exclusive prizes than the last! For those of you who are a bit more camera shy, fear not~ We have a treasure trove of treats ready and waiting just for you!"

The boys in the audience grew more excited as the two monitors suddenly started displaying fully staged photos of each girl, set to a background that perfectly suited the dorm leader she represented: Alyssa enjoying tea in a rose garden, Elise posing in their very own Mostro Lounge in ethereal underwater lighting, etc. 

"We have a special booth prepared to sell photosets, posters, and more of those gorgeous photos but keep in mind, supplies are limited so don't hesitate! Of course, we have yet another surprise for only the bravest of our lovely customers~ Only the boldest hearts can approach Her Royal Majesty and live to tell the tale after all...." Elise singsonged the end of her dialogue with a mischievous smile as the lights on the stage faded and the large monitors shifted again to a dark screen that showed fog flowing along the bottom and spikey vines slowly crawling up the edges. Once the screens flashed and revealed a new image, the crowd absolutely lost it and Riddle could see why. 

His eyes widened and his jaw went a bit slack as an elegant image of Reine in full Malleus Draconia regalia and sitting on a dragon motif throne appeared. The princess looked as if she could consume his soul in a fairy's wing beat and he would gladly accept said fate without question. The very thought made Riddle's heart do a backflip. The rest of the Heartslabyul boys had similar looks on their faces. Elsewhere in the crowd, the real Malleus and Lilia were thoroughly entertained. Malleus thought all the dramatic build-up was very amusing but still felt a glow of pride at just how closely Reine's outfit had stuck to his dorm uniform's original design and how she even managed to don smaller, more dainty versions of his horns on her head. The flowing skirt in place of his pants was a nice and appropriate change, however. 

"Oooh myyyy, she is enchanting! The Witch of Thorns would be so proud, fufu~" Lilia was almost giddy and already making plans to purchase Reine's merchandise for the dorm. Malleus just hummed in approval. Lilia was sure if Malleus' tail was out, it would be wagging from all the excitement rippling through the air. 

Elise's voice washed over the audience once again as the girls' announcement ended, "Exclusive VIP tickets are now for sale at the front gate for those who wish to have a once in a lifetime experience with our Queen of Thorns and her royal guard first hand! Hurry though, these tickets will not last! Thank you all for coming and good luck to our competitors today!" 

As soon as the curtains shut, there was only a split second before the crowd suddenly broke into a mad dash back towards the main entrance, just as the girls had predicted. A certain octopus was beyond satisfied with this reaction as he smirked at a safe distance, backstage.

"Ahh~ Such clever little sirens. They got the audience hooked with just a glimpse. Jade, Floyd. Be prepared to assist our angelfish in succeeding today. Their win is our win, after all..." Azul was devilishly pleased. The twin eels were practically tingling with interest. Today was going to be fun. 

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Tagging: @aiimee9 @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @wysteriadelights @nuitthegoddess

[neoninky]

:Masterlist:

Hello to all my regular and new readers! I'll be updating this post with the posted chapters of my fanfics and other things. For my fellow AO3 writers and/or readers: you can find my stories on my page here.

As of right now, I’m no longer writing any fanfiction for the foreseeable future. I will keep my Masterlist and AO3 page up for anyone who wants to read what I’ve already written.

:Twisted Wonderland:

-Shenanigans/Headcanons-

Diasomnia Courtship Headcanons

League of Antagonists

Tai (OC) takes over parenting his step sons

-Sacred Crown Chronicles-

Her Ivory Crown (Heartslabyul x f!OC) - COMPLETE

Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch.9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15, Ch. 16

Her Lost Voice (Octavinelle x f!OC) - COMPLETE Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15, Ch. 16, Ch. 17, Ch. 18, Ch. 19

Her Devoted Shield (Diasomnia x OC) - Indefinite Haitus

Prologue, Ch. 1, Ch.2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6

-Sacred Crown Chronicle Shorts-

Indigo Cerith: NRC Days

Indigo Cerith: Courtship

2nd Gen: Calico Leech (Part 1)

2nd Gen: Calico Leech (Part 2)

2nd Gen: Calico Leech (Part 3)

2nd Gen: Calico Leech (Part 4)

2nd Gen: Calico Leech (Final Part)

- OC Bios/Introductions -

(Diasomnia canon x oc) Borlean Noctune

TWST OC: Astrid Piperita

TWST OC: Zhao Tai-Yang

Art: Inky Mascot B1NKX

:Twisted Wonderland:

Cerulamaids (SC Gurls - “Her Lost Voice”) Therapy Rabbit AU: Diasomnia!Inky Bun Therapy Rabbit AU: RSA and NBC MalMal x Moselle (OC) first meeting (dragon edition) NRC Waifu Club (TM)

Lilia becomes a girl bat dad

Lilia becomes a girl bat dad part 2

Lilia and His Foxy Lady Husband

Shipping Wars: Diasomnia x OC

King Malleus has no chill

:Pokemon:

Pumpkaboo Patch

:Crossovers:

DBZ x AC

[neoninky]

TWST Fic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 7

Ch. 7: A Golden Afternoon

The sound of birds singing outside of her window seemed like a happy sign, one she would gladly not question. Reine continued to get dressed into her Rosabyrine uniform with a soft smile and a musical hum. She was feeling much better today and anyone within a mile could see it. Just one last session at the tea garden booth before the real tea party with the Heartslabyul boys this afternoon. The princess started to comb her hair, getting ready to put it in a long braid once again, and looked back to the red and black ribbons on her nightstand, next to the vase of roses. She smiled and mused quietly to herself, "It is the last day of the exhibition. A change would be nice..." 

Alyssa and the other girls had gone ahead without her, telling her to take her time, so when Reine walked down the stairs, only Manari, Jinnah, and the dance team were there. The Almascaber dorm prefect quickly noticed the ribbons and red rose that tied her hair back into a high, wavy ponytail today as opposed to her usual, intricate white-rose clad braid. Not to mention the happy mood completely surrounding her in general. 

"Well, well, don't you look happy, Your Highness," Manari giggled as she comfortably lounged in the parlor chair, wearing her gym clothes, "Big plans today?"

Reine just gave her friend a playful smirk, "Why yes, I've been invited to have tea and tarts with the King of Heartslabyul and his noble court. But first I must away! The Rosabyrine's garden awaits its Queen." 

"Oooo fancy, well have fun rubbing elbows and swapping sugar cubes with His Majesty," Manari and Jinnah snickered to themselves, "us common folk will be busy dancing our butts off for the last rehearsals before the grand battle tomorrow."

"We hope our performance pleases you and brings honor to our glorious school, Your Majesticness!" Jinnah made a dramatic bow to Reine, garnering a laugh from the rest of the dance team, "and good luck to you in your game of flamingos and hedgehogs!" Manari hopped up and joined her vice leader in an exaggerated curtsy, making Reine just laugh and play along before walking out the door.

-

It was too good of a day to ruin for anyone, really. Reine found herself being escorted to the tea garden by her good feline friend and in much higher spirits than the day before. Manari and her girls jogged their way to the NRC gymnasium, chanting with gusto before meeting up with Charlaine who was just as excited to get started. Elise was in her element, smiling and greeting students from all three schools to her exhibit and sharing her favorite legends that had been passed down from sailors in her father's service for generations. Everyone that was either in the girls' company or happened to be passing by them was immediately swept up in their glowing energy. 

Honestly, the only person who seemed troubled...was Riddle.

Across campus in the Heartslabyul gardens, the crimson king was pacing about, checking every minute detail for about the hundredth time that morning. The tea party wasn't for a couple of hours but still, he was beyond restless. It was painfully, if not hilariously, obvious to the two seniors at the garden's edge. 

"I know it's Riddle being...well...Riddle, but this seems a bit excessive," Cater whispered to Trey while trying not to laugh. 

"He wants to make a good impression on the girls, I can't blame him for being a little more...motivated," Trey smiled knowingly which did not sneak by Cater's sharp eye. 

"Oh ho...? You know something else, don't you, Vice Dorm Leader? Come on. What is it? Tell me, tell meeee~" Cater was beginning to sound like an excited jr high girl. 

The clover just chuckled and casually sidestepped his classmate's suspicion, "No idea what you mean. I'm just saying that Riddle may be on edge because this is a very special occasion for him and us as a dorm."

Cater wasn't sold. He side-eyed Trey as he silently recounted the last 24 hours in his head: Riddle picked flowers that no one was supposed to pick before suddenly delivering said flowers that same night...suddenly Trey's making extra tarts for the party that is today....girls are magically invited to said party last minute...also Riddle didn't eat as much at breakfast and now he's acting like this-waaaaaaait...

"Oooh my Magicame GOD! What?!" Cater laughed loudly once all the pieces came together, "Riddle has a CRUSH?!" 

Trey quickly tried to shut the diamond senior up but it was too late. Riddle completely halted his flurried behavior and snapped his head around to where Trey and Cater were, his face bright red, though it was hard to tell if it was from anger or embarrassment. Thankfully it was just the three of them at that moment but Riddle's outburst was so intense that surely the rest of the school also heard him. 

"WH-WH-WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SPEWING OVER THERE, CATER?!"

It took a solid ten minutes for Trey to get Riddle to calm down. Trey sighed at Cater's unapologetically eager grin as he whispered-yelled to a very flustered Riddle, "Sooooooo...? Come on, dorm leader, you can tell us. Who is she?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I merely invited the Rosabyrine dorm because they expressed great interest in seeing Heartslabyul!!" Riddle aggressively whispered back in response.

"Uh-huh...if that's the case then...why are we hiding behind this rose bush, whispering about this right now?" 

The two seniors had been quickly shuffled out of the tea party area by an upset Riddle who clearly did not want to risk anyone else walking into their conversation at that time. And yet, here he was still trying to downplay what Cater, and Trey too honestly, had already sniffed out. Cater was anything but a quitter.

"Is it that first year, Alyssa? She's a cutiiiieeee~ Though I think Deuce might like her too, just sayin'. So that might be awkward but hey all's fair in love and war, right?" Cater winked mischievously in Riddle's direction only to be met with a silent glare, "No? Ok well, the second years are pretty cute too. Ooh or maybe our dorm leader's into older women? If so I did get some numbers of the seniors-"

"Shutup,Cater!It'sMissReine!" Riddle mumbled it so quickly that Cater almost didn't catch it. Riddle wished that was so but judging from the ecstatic look on the senior's face, he wasn't that lucky.

"The Princess???? Ooh ho ho, Riddle, you rogue-I mean ahem-" Cater quickly cleared his throat at the familiar look of rage in Riddle's eyes, "Good for you! She's quite the lady! And what a ballsy choice. I mean it's pretty much common knowledge now, even on our campus, that Cavalier guy is chasing after her-ACK!" Trey glared at Cater as he elbowed him in the side. 

Riddle raised a brow at Cater's less than inspiring commentary but knew that he wasn't wrong. Great Queen of Hearts, just when he thought he might finally feel normal after last night, Riddle felt that sick pinprick in his gut all over again at the reminder. Cater felt a wave of guilt seeing the defeated look on Riddle's face and quickly tried to recover the situation.

"Hey, hey, what's with that look? The princess is a very sweet girl, hell, I'm sure over half the guys in Heartslabyul have a crush on her too. Doesn't mean she's spoken for already though right? It's not like you to give up so easily!" 

"What that said...your secret is safe with us. Right, Cater?" Trey gave his classmate a very sharp look that decided the answer for him. 

Riddle huffed and did his best to return to his usual commanding self, "Not a word of this to anyone. ANYONE. Miss Reine's not some trinket to fight over like a pack of wild animals. She is a guest and a princess. Our princess. We will treat her and respect her as such."

The two seniors shared a serious look before responding, "Yes, Dorm Leader."

The three boys returned to the garden's center, Riddle swallowing his feelings the best he could with each step.

-

"Excellent jobs, girls. Thank you for all of your hard work. You have made me very proud to be your leader and fellow Rosabyrine student." 

The girls all cheered at their joint success. Reine couldn't be more pleased with the turnout of their final tea party even though they did close their booth much earlier than the others. Alyssa quickly went over the ticket sales numbers along with any orders submitted for the Rosabyrine's special tea blends and tea sets with Reine as the other girls cleaned up the area. All of them were just as eager as their queen to get everything settled before they left for the Heartslabyul tea party. Reine signed off on all the purchases and made her own notes for later before checking her pocket watch. She gave a satisfied hum at their time before helping the other girls pack up the clean unused tea sets that would be distributed to their happy patrons later. Noticing a specific name on that list, Reine grinned and set aside one tea set and jar of tea leaves to deliver personally. She finished wrapping them in checkered cloth with a signature white rose just as the rest of her dorm finished their work and cradled the precious cargo in her arms as she followed the others towards the main street. Being the last one out of the garden, Reine turned back and placed an enchantment on the area to protect it from anyone outside their dorm entering it and potentially stealing or breaking any of the merchandise. It was a simple enough spell, for her anyway, but Reine felt a slight cough prickle in her throat and chest after the fact. She ignored the bitter wet taste of ink in her mouth and followed the rest of her dorm towards the Hall of Mirrors. Trey and Cater both stood waiting for the excited girls and helped them enter through the Heartslabyul mirror, Reine entering last...and she was not disappointed in the least.  Each of the girls gasped in excitement at the overall aesthetic of the boys' dorm and their uniforms. Reine especially forgot herself and just took everything in with wide eyes. It reminded her so much of her visits to her aunt and cousins' court when she was little; so much that she felt her heart swell. Trey smiled at her pure fascination, "Welcome to the Heartslabyul dorm, Miss Reine. What do you think?"

"It's...so....wonderful," she said barely above a whisper as if she were afraid her words might break. 

- 

Elise gently placed the last piece that had been auctioned off back inside its box before handing off the boxes to her brother students that had volunteered to help her and her girls. Looking over the numbers, she was less than satisfied. Sure the girls of Sacred Crown were doing fairly well all things considered but even with their final push to make more profits, they were still far behind the two boys' schools. Royal Sword was still in first place...as usual. Elise couldn't remember the last time they ever beat their brother school at anything. She could really understand how the Night Raven boys felt now in a sense. Granted she was also surprised her school did as well as they did in the shadows of two powerhouse schools that were hellbent on out-doing the other. At the very least, Elise was pleased that the silent auction portion of her exhibit went as well as it did. Speaking of which...  The princess looked over the pieces and found the exact one that came to mind. Elise looked at the antique music box, fashioned to look like a seashell wrapped in pieces of coral, sitting on a nest of seaweed, and touched it lightly, fondly. The music box had been in her personal collection for a long time. The only reason Elise was parting with it now was because her club needed more funding and she didn't want to leave the others high and dry after she graduated. Elise was a little sad to see it go but...she smiled at the name on the sold tag.

 "I'm sure you will make Mr. Ashengrotto very happy."

She gently packaged the music box before wrapping it herself and carefully placing it in her satchel to deliver to the Monstro Lounge personally. Once she finished deligating where everything was to be placed and stored until the end of the festival, Elise checked her phone and saw that Manari had sent her a short video of their practice session. The day was still young so she decided to see her friends in action herself, leaving the rest of the booth in her girls' capable hands.

-

The Heartslabyul gardens had never been more lively than they were now. Cater was taking selfies and pictures for his Magicame, left and right. The fashion of the Rosabyrine uniforms went so well with the gardens and the boys themselves, there was no way he wasn't going to get his money's worth of likes and comments on as many pictures as he could. Alyssa was in the same camp apparently.

"Reine! Stand over here! You look so perfect with the roses!"

The princess gladly agreed to model for a moment and let Alyssa, Cater, and a few others take her picture. Stepping into the role of crown princess made experiences like this almost second nature now. She didn't even mind that a few of the Heartslabyul boys wanted to take pictures with her as well. Riddle would periodically look over his shoulder as he was caring for the hedgehogs before the croquet match and try not to glare at his dormmates buzzing around Reine like excited little bees. It's fine. She doesn't seem to mind, he thought to himself. This was the first time they've ever had female visitors to their dorm so it's to be expected that the boys would be excited....he looked over his shoulder again when he heard Reine's laugh. Deuce and Ace were arguing about something, again, before Cater pushed a now very flustered Deuce to take a picture with Alyssa which just made Ace tease Deuce more. The whole time Reine and Trey were talking and smiling about...something. Riddle felt himself begin to sweat a bit. Surely Trey wouldn't betray him, right?! Cater was another story but not Trey! As if he read the flustered boy's mind, Trey looked over at Riddle as soon as Reine was distracted and gave him a reassuring smile before subtly nodding his head in Reine's direction. That's when Riddle noticed the red rose and ribbons in her hair. His heart immediately skipped a beat after he recognized them. He quickly turned back around, hoping no one else saw his face flush. He silently cursed himself, not hearing someone come up behind him minutes later.

 "Riddle?"

The boy nearly fell to pieces at the sound of that oh-so-familiar voice behind him. He quickly composed himself the best he could and stood up to face a smiling Reine, "Miss Reine. Thank you for coming today. Are you enjoying y-yourself?" Stop. Stuttering.

The girl nodded happily and offered the checkered parcel to him, "I wanted to deliver this to you in person. To thank you for your purchase and to thank you for inviting us today. The Heartslabyul dorm is even more beautiful than I imagined!"

Somehow her excitement completely overshadowed any other feeling of propriety Reine may have felt before now. Riddle didn't mind, it was refreshing. He softened a bit as he took the items from her, noticing both the fresh white rose and how much happier she looked today. It put him at ease quicker than he could imagine. It only got better once Reine saw the hedgehogs and gasped in delight, "Aww what cute little darlings!"   The tiny creatures all seemed drawn to her as she kneeled down to get a better look at them. Perhaps attracting small, adorable animals was a power all princesses had? Riddle wasn't sure but seeing the colorful hedgehogs cluster up to her, much like the boys had been doing earlier, made him feel both amused and weirdly envious. Yes, he knew that he was being silly but damn it all...she looked so pleased holding the little critters in her hands and cooing to them in a soft voice. Had it really only been one night that changed everything? Riddle was curious but not so much that he wanted to ruin her mood by questioning it. Instead, he joined her on the ground, properly introducing her to each little hedgehog, and showing her how each one liked to be held or pet or fed certain snacks. He almost forgot that there was an entire party of other people all around them. Unfortunately for him, Cater had already gotten plenty of shots while the two were distracted. 

 "They're so adorable it's almost sickening," he chuckled as he scrolled through the pictures he had taken of the unaware couple, "and look. They almost match, awww~" 

Trey looked at the picture on Cater's phone of Riddle and Reine side by side, both in their dorm uniforms, both looking very content as if they themselves were the king and queen, enjoying their own personal garden. He convinced Cater to respect their privacy and not upload those pictures onto Magicame...but he also asked that Cater text him that specific picture later. He hated to interrupt but it was almost time for the croquet match and he knew how Riddle was about keeping everyone on schedule. 

"Would you like to play as well, Miss Reine?" Trey asked, ignoring Riddle's put-out expression at the interruption. Just when they thought Reine couldn't get any more excited, her face lit up at the offer. 

"Can I?!"

"Of course," Trey chuckled, "do you play back home?"

Reine's excitement dimmed, "Unfortunately no. My mother doesn't allow traditional Red Queen croquet matches in her court anymore. She thinks it's cruel to the animals and just too silly and improper in general. I haven't played a game since I was a child and visiting my cousins." 

Riddle inwardly scoffed at what he just heard, "I don't know about being 'improper', but I assure you Heartslabyul takes pride in our care for these creatures and we also take pride in our matches. I insist you join in our game today, Miss Reine. This one seems particularly fond of you," he nodded to the blue hedgehog that had relaxed in Reine's hands quite some time ago and refused to move. Reine just beamed like a kid in a candy store as Riddle took her to meet the flamingos. Fortunately, the blue flamingo also took to her very quickly.

- 

"Let's run all the way through it one more time!"

Elise sat in the bleachers, watching her friends practice their routine with pride. The music and dance contest tomorrow wasn't nearly as big of an event as the official VDC festival but that wouldn't stop Manari and her team from giving it their all. Normally, the dance team would perform on their own but once the girls caught wind of their competition, they joined forces with Charlaine who had already gained some traction on Magicame for her singing. The petite Oscenellus dorm leader was known for her charming bell-like voice and repertoire of dreamy love songs which didn't really go with Manari and Jinnah's modern take on the fluid dances from their homeland but somehow, they made it work. Charlaine proved to be a fast learner, making the girls' dancing flow together seamlessly as she led with her vocals front and center.   The princess gave the girls a standing ovation as the song ended. Manari called for another short break and joined Elise up in the bleachers with a confident smile, "I know we're going up against both Vil and Neige tomorrow but I'm feeling pretty good if I do say so myself."

"You make it look like you could perform this routine in your sleep," Elise laughed, "the sheer force of popularity and bitter rivalry is against us across the board, unfortunately..." she pouted at the sales stats on the tablet in her hands, "I hate to say it but we're completely outmatched by Royal Sword and Night Raven."

"So gloomy," Manari sighed, "Can't say you're wrong though. Imagine how the Night Raven boys must feel, getting shown up on their own turf, oof...it's the Magift game all over again."

"Speaking of which...isn't this the same headband you wore to the game, Manari?" Elise gave the Kalim replica headscarf a smug grin. 

"Nooo...that one was burgundy and gold with a lot more beads. THIS one is white and gold and doesn't have the same train on it. Totally different, " she ignored Elise's look of skepticism, "besides not only does it bring me good luck, the Scarabia boys keep wanting to take pictures with me. I should start selling tickets. Ooo I'd make a fortune!" 

The girls laughed but Elise suddenly paused and gave Manari a serious look, "Wait...how many boys have asked you so far?"

"Geez, I've lost count. Even some of the boys from Royal Sword have stopped me for pictures!"

Eureka. Elise's face broke out into a smile, "Manari, you just gave me the best idea ever. Jinnah! Charlaine! Come here!"

The other girls formed a circle around the princess as she explained her idea to them in detail. It was very last minute and she would need some help but if they could pull this off...

"We may not be able to beat our brother school directly, but we can help our new friends here at Night Raven get some revenge while also getting a nice profit ourselves...what do you say, girls?"

The excitement spread like wildfire as the plan was passed on to the rest of the dance team. Manari and Jinnah shared a look of mischief before giving a unanimous 'oh yes!' and Charlaine was practically bouncing up and down like a chipper little bird. 

"Excellent. With Manari and Jinnah's combined illusion magic, we should be in business."

"Is this really ok though? The Headmistress is very strict about us using our magic outside the classroom...and this isn't on the photography club's schedule. She's bound to notice something is up." Charlaine wasn't against the idea, just the possible repercussions if they got caught.

Elise's cool resolve didn't even flinch, "Exactly. We need to be discreet and keep the details under tight wraps...which is why I know exactly who can help us."

Manari gave the shorter redhead a sly grin, "Besides...we only get in trouble if we get caught." 

-

The Rosabyrine girls' laughter ran throughout the Heartslabyul gardens as the sun crossed the sky. Reine couldn't hide her amusement as she chased after her mischievous little blue hedgehog as it kept trying to scamper off the field, "Come back here, you adorable little menace! One more swing and I promise I will give you as many treats as you like!" 

Riddle couldn't help but tease her a bit as his red animals had been behaving perfectly the entire time, "Having a bit of trouble, Miss Reine?"

The princess shot him a wry smile, "Why do I feel like you put them up to this, Riddle? Scared of losing your title to a new challenger so soon?"

The Heartslabyul boys were both shocked and amused to see someone so casually test their dorm leader. Cater took this rare opportunity to poke the bear a bit as he waited his turn, "Oooh you gonna let her talk to you like that, Dorm Leader??"

Riddle just snorted and gave the diamond a smug look, "Can you afford to be so concerned about me, Cater? Her Highness knocked you out of the running ages ago." 

Reine finally got her hedgehog to settle down long enough to take her final shot, securing her place in the top three with a gleeful cheer. Sure Riddle was still the champion but she did far better than expected. Cater took his last shot with the same lack of precision as he had been doing the entire game, letting Reine take his spot in second. Only Riddle seemed to notice but said nothing as the senior gave him a wink. The rest of the garden applauded and cheered, congratulating Riddle on another solid victory before the other boys started rallying up the flamingos and hedgehogs. Reine found her ornery blue ball and scooped it up in her hands like Riddle showed her earlier, sweetly apologizing for wearing the poor thing out. Riddle took a moment while everyone else was distracted and walked up to her. She looked up at him with an impish sparkle in her eyes.

 "Congratulations on taking first place. I suppose I will have to come back tomorrow to pour your tea, Your Majesty..."

Riddle's smile was a proud one, "Rule #703 - 'Whoever comes in 2nd place during a croquet match must serve tea to the Queen the next day.' It would seem so." 

Reine grinned slyly, "I shall arrive within the hour of your teatime. I wouldn't want you to break another rule on my account...Rule #228?" she giggled and brushed her fingers against the red petals of the rose adorned in her hair as Riddle's face turned the same shade. This girl would be the death of him, he was now sure of it. He sputtered some kind of response before finally getting enough of a grip to deflect the attention off of himself.

 "Y-You seem much happier today, Miss Reine. I'm glad."

Reine couldn't deny it but the events from the day before were still waiting in the back of her mind. She just decided to let them sit back there for today and as such, kept her soft regal air on and at the ready. Besides, when was the last time she had this much fun and it come so easily? Reine didn't want to ruin it, especially when they only had a few more days of the festival left. The realization felt sad but the princess stood and faced her host with a smile nonetheless.

 "I have you and the rest of Heartslabyul to thank for it," she suddenly became self-conscious now that the party was quieting down, "I..I'm sorry, I've been so flighty today. It's just been so long since I've had so much fun." 

Riddle gently took the blue hedgehog from her hands and smiled tenderly, "Don't apologize. I like seeing you this way." 

Riddle's voice was so quiet just between the two of them in their little corner. His heart was thumping in his chest and yet he managed to speak so earnestly it almost scared him. He felt his face grow warm when he realized how close they were to each other and how Reine was now staring at him...actually more like staring into him with her dark, curious eyes. His brain screamed at him to move away but he was completely frozen. 

 "What way is that, Riddle?" she asked, unmoving herself and speaking just as softly. 

The boy suddenly found it hard to breathe as he struggled to find the proper words, "Uh..just...I just like it when you feel comfortable around me. And everyone else too. It makes me feel good to know that you can be here and be yourself naturally. It feels...special." He felt his internal panic skyrocketing as every word that left his lips made the girl in front of him look more and more surprised. Their faces were so close that her warm, sweet breath tickled his as she hummed happily.

 "You are someone very special yourself, Riddle Rosehearts...I'm so happy that I've met you." 

The redhead nearly fainted as he felt his soul start to leave his body. The next moment was met with both overwhelming relief and internal rage crashing into the other as Cater popped up out of nowhere.

 "Hey you two~ Sorry to interrupt," Riddle wasn't convinced, "but Miss Reine, you have a call on your phone? You left it by your teacup during the game earlier." 

Riddle glared flaming hot daggers at the third year after Reine politely excused herself and thanked Cater for fetching her phone. The senior just grinned nervously at his dorm leader, "Now now, Riddle, let's calm down, shall we? You said you didn't want anyone to know right? You were getting pretty transparent there for a second..." Cater said in a hushed yet amused tone, making Riddle huff in flustered silence, "You're welcome~!"

 Once Reine returned to her seat, she was met with Manari's smiling face via video call, "Helloooooo! You having fun over there, hmm? Well, we can talk about that later. Listen, Elise got an amazing idea for tomorrow and we gotta move fast! Elise is getting things moving as we speak! So...!"

-

The Mostro Lounge proper had a quiet oasis feeling to it after all of the excitement of the past few days. The dorm leader sighed contently in the silence as he sat in at this desk, counting and calculating number after number. His peace was short-lived much to his annoyance once Floyd burst through the door without knocking.

"Azul~ You have a special visitor, heheh~" 

The octopus was about to scold the eel but stopped in his tracks when he saw the smiling girl standing in the dorm frame. 

"Hello Mr. Ashengrotto," Elise said his name sweeter than normal which sent a shiver through him as she approached his desk, "Please pardon the intrusion but I need to speak with you."

The girl laid a stack of what looked like contract papers in front of him, her sweet demeanor never faltering as he looked up at her in surprise. 

"I would like to make a mutually beneficial deal with you." 

--------------------------------

Tagging:

@foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @aiimee9 @nuitthegoddess @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @victoria1676 @evieyouknow

[neoninky]

TWST Fic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 6

Aaand we're back~

Any newcomers to this story, be prepared...for immense fluff lol

You can find this and all other chapters on my Masterlist or read the completed stories on my AO3 page. Likes, shares, and comments are welcome!

Ch. 6: First Signs of Spring

No one except them and the Rosabyrine vice dorm leader knew what had happened. Given Reine's position, it was standard procedure that any 'incidents' like these were kept under wraps. That didn't keep Elise or Manari from wearing their worry on their faces, however. The two girls had been camped outside of Night Raven's infirmary for over an hour when the Headmistress finally exited into the hallway, her face as calm as ever.

"Miss Castilene is alright," the girls exhaled in relief, "she'll return to her room to continue resting after the nurse finishes a few healing spells, just for extra precaution. She is not to leave the dorm for the rest of the evening, understood? I will escort her back myself. You two should return to the festival for now." 

-

The sun was sinking in the sky, casting a soft glow across the festival grounds that normally would have made Elise feel absolutely dreamy but this was the first time since they arrived that she and Manari had been so somber. Most of the other students wandering about through the rows of booths didn't notice but a certain cat sniffed out their distress the second he spotted the girls. Che'nya came around the corner to meet the two of them, his smile not quite as bright as usual.

"Why so glum, girls?  You look as if the dormouse ate your favorrrite tarts..."

Elise mustered up a small grin and gave Che'nya a gentle head scratch between his ears, making him purr, "Hello Che'nya, sorry to show such a face. It's just...we're a bit worried about Reine." 

The princess knew that it was highly frowned upon to talk about this with someone outside of Sacred Crown or even the Rosabyrine dorm but Reine and Che'nya had always been very fond of one another so surely she wouldn't mind Elise letting him know, right? The boy's ears twitched at hearing his friends' name and for once his face didn't hold a smile. 

"Did something happen to RRReine??"

-

The trio left the main road and found a more secluded place to fill Che'nya in. His ears drooped ever so slightly at the news and even more so at Elise's distressed expression. 

"I don't know what happened. When we were walking back from the game, she said she was tired but she still seemed fine..."

Manari folded her arms and scowled, "You mean after she had that talk with Zehn?" She didn't bother hiding the venom in her tone, "Something always seemed off with him, even more so since we all got here! I don't like him. I don't think Reine does either. Seriously, he's gotta go."

"Manari..."

"Elise! You KNOW I'm right!" the fiery girl gave her friend a look, basically challenging her to prove her wrong. Elise just signed in frustration.

"Manari, you don't understand how complicated this truly is for someone in Reine's position...technically neither do I. While I am also a princess, I'm not the heir to the throne like she is. I have older siblings in line before me so the pressure on me is far less. Still...when you are the next in line, everything matters tenfold. Every last detail. Especially in terms of courtship and marriage." 

Manari knew Elise was right but she didn't like it, "I get it. I'm not a princess and I doubt I ever will be but...but ugh! We have to do something!"

Elise gently grabbed her friend's hand, "It's not our place to interfere. It'll only make things harder for her in the end. I understand your frustration, I do. Reine and I have known each other since elementary school. I don't know every detail but I've seen her struggle towards her goals for years. I don't want her to struggle unnecessarily anymore. Even if I'm not fond of him either, if she chooses him as her future groom then that's that."

The exotic dorm leader groaned in frustration but finally conceded, "Alright...damn you and your cool head, Elise Coralette," she laughed wryly. 

Che'nya's tail swished back and forth as he hummed to himself, taking in the girls' words, "Manyari has a point though~" he continued his thoughts when the girls turned to him with confused looks, "Zehn has never been too frrriendly, not to me or really anyone outside his little entourage...but something about these Night RRRaven boys really burns him up, hmm hmm~" his amusement shone through once again on that last thought. 

"I think it's gross," Manari said bluntly, getting a small laugh from Elise finally. 

"I stand by what I said, it's not our place to interfere...buuuut as her best friends, I think something to put her at ease is in order." 

"Definitely. Last time I checked, this is supposed to be a fun event to build camaraderie between our schools...granted the 'friendly' competitive spirit between the boys is pretty entertaining, not going to lie." Che'nya chuckled in agreement with that before going wide-eyed.

"Ooooh~ I know what would make RRReine feel much better!" 

-

Riddle sat with an annoyed expression, trying to ignore Floyd's teasing and stupid 'goldfish-chan' name-calling, as he and Azul were going over the current records of their standing in the sales portion of the festival at one of the more private tables in the mini cafe. It was an unofficial contest between the three schools over the course of the week: whoever brought in the highest amount of profit by the festival's end would not only be helping out their own school but they would also receive quite the boon in future events - first in line for the best Magift equipment, top-notch materials for stage building and the like at next year's official VDC, etc. Not to mention all the bragging rights one could imagine. And so far...

"Royal Sword is still ahead of the rest of us," the octopus gave a disgruntled sigh, "Sacred Crown is doing quite well but our lead over them is pretty far, putting us right in second." 

Riddle looked over the graphs and calculations Azul had put together on paper. It was unnerving how detailed they were, down to every decimal for every individual booth's profit and the demographic of patrons. Riddle couldn't help but notice that Azul's extension of the Monstro Lounge was doing very well and the majority of the credit went to female patrons.

"You seem to be doing quite well, Ashengrotto..."

Azul's charming smile quickly returned as the twins snickered behind him, "Ahh yes, such lovely, generous hearts these Sacred Crown girls have. I can hardly keep them away as soon as we open. Not that I would ever think of it. What a monster I would be to deny those precious pearls what they desire." 

The octopus was practically swooning over his patrons' "generosity" but Riddle's unimpressed expression judged him down to the bones.  Something definitely reeked of suspicion but as long as it wasn't illegal (technically or otherwise), Riddle couldn't do a thing about it even though he was the executive chair of the event's committee. 

"Excuse me?" a sweet voice interrupted, sending Floyd into a spell of giddy energy.

"Star fishiiiiie~" the taller twin zipped over to Elise and wrapped her in a hug before either Jade or Azul could stop him this time, "Heheh did you and Tiger Barbie change your minds? You want me to squeeze that guy until his head pops off? Heeehh~?" 

Elise, ever the good sport, patted the eel's long arms affectionately and tried not to squeak as Floyd held her tightly, "No no, Floyd, we actually came to speak to Riddle if he could spare a moment?"

"Tempting offer though..." Manari muttered as Azul stormed over to the twin and started fussing at him for his rudeness.  After some whining and childish insults thrown Azul's way, Floyd gently set the princess back down and shuffled away to find a good place for a nap. 

"Forgive my brother's enthusiasm, ladies," Jade had already procured extra chairs for the girls at the table, "he gets very excited about those he is fond of. It's quite adorable don't you think?" he said with a toothy smile. Riddle snorted at the notion of anything about Floyd being adorable and stood to properly greet the two girls.

"You were looking for me?"

Elise turned to him, with a shy grin, "Yes, we need your help with something. I'm so sorry to interrupt your and Mr. Ashengrotto's meeting though."

"Don't be, we were just finishing up this boring talk regarding sales figures and such," Azul ignored the eyebrow raised look Riddle was sending his way, knowing full well that Azul was blowing smoke, "Please, sit down, can we fetch you anything? Anything at all~?" 

Manari didn't even need a menu at this point, "Oooh! Yeah yeah! I'm just three points away from the next prize level!" the seashell embossed points card was already in Manari's hand as she rattled off her order, Elise doing the same. Azul and Jade both quickly set to work, grinning like cats who caught the canary. Riddle just rolled his eyes and turned back to Elise. 

"Anyway...how may I be of service to you?" 

"Thank you, Riddle. It's about Reine actually..."

The girl's absence didn't go unnoticed by Heartslabyul's prefect but now it caused him a bit of worry. Elise explained further without going into graphic detail about what had happened in a hushed voice as more and more students came and went from the cafe. 

"She isn't feeling too good right now and roses have always brightened her day. We figured if there was anyone who could help us with this, it would be you, Riddle." 

Riddle didn't hesitate, "I'll gather Heartslabyul's best roses for her room, to help her rest easier. Trey is also making delicious tarts for our tea party tomorrow. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to send some for all of you to enjoy once she is feeling better." His voice and gaze were so sure even though he felt a pang of anxiety in his chest. What could have made the princess suddenly fall ill? Maybe she wasn't getting enough rest? Was she comfortable on their campus or was this whole event just making her feel uneasy and she was too polite to say?

A spark lit in Manari's eyes as she watched Riddle, "Wow Riddle, you are such a sweetheart, you know?" 

He smiled at the girl's praise, "Thank you, Miss Manari. Not only am I a dorm prefect but also one of Night Raven College's top students. So naturally, I want our guests' first experience on our campus to be as enjoyable and pleasant as possible. Anything less is unacceptable." 

"A regular gentleman," the grin on Manari's face grew, "Say...you know what would really make Reine feel better? You should go get those roses and bring them to her at our dorm tonight!" 

Both Riddle and Elise's faces lept in surprise. Che'nya had suggested asking for Riddle's help but a personal visit was a whole nother story. Riddle quickly turned a bit flustered, "I-I'm not sure that is appropriate, a male student coming into the designated girls' dormitory, especially at night. Surely your Headmistress would be against it." 

"Oh, I'm sure it would be fine! Not like we're sneaking you in after curfew. Plus Elise is a third-year, your senior. Chaperoning a quick visit from one dorm leader to check up on another shouldn't be a problem!"

Elise gave her friend a skeptical side look out of Riddle's view. Technically...Manari wasn't wrong. The rules were very clear and VERY strict when it came to boys visiting the girls' dorms whenever their brother school had visited their campus in the past so naturally, the same rules would apply here. One of which was as the girl said: 'a male student could visit a female student in her dormitory so long as a senior student was present.' So it would stand to reason that Riddle could in fact pay a visit under Elise's supervision. Plus Riddle seemed to be the very last boy on the planet that would ever have ulterior motives and the flowers alone would certainly make Reine feel a lot better. 

"Red roses are her favorite. She doesn't have a favorite tea but she does drink mint tea when she's feeling particularly stressed. Just so you know," Elise smiled at the flustered boy, basically confirming what Manari said to be true and giving him permission, "and don't worry about the dress code. Your regular uniform is perfectly fine." 

As soon as they were done eating, the girls excused themselves and bid Riddle farewell, but not before exchanging contact info and cashing in their Monstro points for the next level of prizes. Elise was on cloud nine when presented with a seashell necklace that matched the hairpin that she was still wearing. Manari was just happy to get a ticket for a free side dish upon her next visit. 

"Byyye Riddllllee~ We'll message you once Reine is back and settled in, ok?" Manari was quite pleased with herself. That is until Elise was staring her down once they were out of earshot of the boys. 

"What???"

"I know you and I know when you're up. to. something."

The teasing girl just shrugged off her friend's suspicion, "I have no idea what you could possibly mean, your highness. Should I feel bad for helping out our sweet rosebud?"

"Do you not remember our conversation from earlier, Manari?"

"It's not interfering. I simply recognized how distressed poor Riddle was when he heard how the fair maiden had fallen ill. You saw his face. Are you really going to deny him the opportunity to console his dear princess in her time of need?!" she laid the showmanship on thick with an over-the-top gasp, "Really Elise...I never thought I would see the day when you became so cold-hearted!"

"Oh stop it," Elise tried and failed to keep a serious face on while she playfully shoved Manari, "it's a wonder you're not in drama club....alright fine, you win this one. But I stand by what I said before. No interfering in Reine's personal affairs or relationships...stop laughing, Manari, I mean it!"

-

The sun had set once Reine crawled out of her covers and looked at her tired face in the mirror. Taking a bath had helped but she still felt like her brain was marinating in bog juice. She was thankful that the other girls were simply told that Reine was tired and just needed to rest it off in place of what actually happened. The Headmistress had left the princess to her own endeavors about an hour ago right as Manari and Elise had returned to the dorm and helped her up to her room. She could hear a few distant voices down the halls but it seemed that most of the Sacred Crown girls were still out enjoying the last couple of hours of the day. She frowned a bit down at the already wilting flowers she left on the fireplace mantel earlier, kicking herself for not setting them in water at least. The soft feeling of the petals underneath her fingertips soothed her mind a bit before Reine remembered what happened before she collapsed. The room felt too stifling all of a sudden and Reine decided she felt decent enough to go downstairs for some water at least. What she didn't expect was someone waiting for her in the lounge as she reached the bottom step.

 "Oh Reine, you're up! Good, look who's here to see you," Elise said lightly with a hint of surprise as she gestured to a now shy Riddle sitting across from her, a perfectly crafted bouquet of rich red roses in his hands. The boys of Heartslabyul thought their perfect had lost his mind when they found him in the gardens, cutting roses from the already manicured bushes - that he explicitly said were to NOT be touched earlier - with a look on his face that spelled doom to anyone who said a word about his hypocritical behavior. He practically could feel Ace and Cater mocking him behind his back as he nervously sat there. 

Reine felt like leaping into the sea once she realized two things very quickly: that yes, Riddle really was in her dorm right now and that she was standing in front of him in her white, thankfully modest, nightgown, no make up, and her hair a mess of waves, clumsily tied back in an unruly low ponytail as if she never combed it. Manari was behind this and no one could change her mind about that or the fact that her best friend was going to get an ear full about this later.

 "R-Riddle! What brings you...here?" oh how she wanted to die right on the spot. Could this day get any worse?! Riddle stood and greeted her as he normally did, albeit a bit more skittishly, trying not to notice just how her skin was more exposed than usual. Or how nice and slender her bare legs were. Trying very, very hard. 

 "Miss Reine, I'm glad to see you're alright. I..I brought these for you," he extended the flowers to her with a bow of his head, "Miss Elise said red was your favorite. I brought them from Heartslabyul's own gardens. I-I hope they're to your liking!" 

The girl's heart melted at the sight of the perfectly chosen flowers and completely forgot about her embarrassment as she took them from him, "They're gorgeous...thank you so much, Riddle." Elise couldn't help but smile at the sparkle in her friend's eyes.

"Reine, sit here. I'll go take care of these beautiful roses and make some tea. Riddle was also kind enough to bring us some from his collection." And with that, the two of them were left alone momentarily. They sat in a bashful silence across from each other, completely unaware of the pairs of excited eyes spying on them from around the corner. Elise hushed the other girls as she entered the kitchen. If they were going to be so nosy, they could at least be subtle about it!

This wasn't the first time they had been alone and yet it felt so...strange this time around. The boy's eyes cautiously wandered up to the girl in front of him. His brain knew that she was the future queen of his home and deserved every ounce of respect he had to offer. But his eyes saw a very lovely girl wrapped in a pure white dress with delicate lace patterns and that hung loosely, comfortingly around her slender frame as her platinum waves gently cascaded over her exposed shoulders. A very lovely girl that seemed openly sheepish as she fiddled with the ruffled hem of said dress, not sure where exactly to direct her deep violet-colored eyes at that moment. Something about this picture just made his heart thump and his brain flail about to regain his senses. Riddle cleared his throat and took initiative before his nerves got the better of him. 

"How are you feeling, Miss Reine? Were you hurt at all?"

He sounded so sincere, it was actually pretty cute. She just nodded and put on her usual serene smile to the best of her ability, "Yes I'm fine. I promise. I think I just got a bit overwhelmed. But I've been wanting to ask you, were you hurt at all from when you fell?"

Riddle had almost forgotten about that moment from the game but confirmed in confidence that he was perfectly fine, "it was you who caught me wasn't it? I'm safe and sound because of you, Miss Reine." 

"I'm glad," her face flushed a light pink, "I just...didn't want anything bad to happen." 

"If you don't mind me asking, is that your Unique Magic?"

The girl nodded, feeling a sense of pride warm her chest, "Yes it is. I've worked on mastering it ever since I was in middle school. It takes a lot of concentration and precision. 'Bow to the Queen' is a trapping spell meant to disarm my target and keep them from attacking me or anyone else. The branches have thorns if I wish them to. If my target is pricked by them, they are temporarily paralyzed. But without the thorns, the branches be used as safety net like it was today." 

"That's incredible..." Riddle's eyes were full of admiration, his shyness completely forgotten, "you cast it so effortlessly and quickly. It's no wonder you won the throne." 

Reine's smile turned somber, "Yes, it was hard but I managed to win over both my parents' court and my cousins' court as well. My cousins in the Red Court are very talented as well so I am a bit surprised." 

Riddle felt a pinch of guilt; it seemed like the subject wasn't entirely a happy one. He started to apologize for overstepping but the princess just shook her head, "You have nothing to apologize for. The life of royals is complicated, to say the least." 

Riddle knew from his history lessons that in years past, the trials of the Rose Queendom heirs used to be much more violent but over time, the trials had became geared more towards gauging the wit and skill level of their contenders over just pitting them against each other in duels and whoever came out unscathed was the determined victor. Often, or so he heard, those who wished to become the Queen-to-be's suitor would also take part in their own trials and were then ranked on how favorable they were based on the results. Unlike the princess and other ladies aiming for the throne, the young men competing for her hand didn't shy away from dueling on top of the rigorous trials. The losers suffering permanent damage was not unheard of. Frankly, Riddle thought it was barbaric and an insult to their future queens' efforts...and he could see the strain such things had put on Reine herself. The redhead swiftly reminded himself exactly why he was there, to comfort her, and redoubled his effort.

"Miss Reine, tomorrow is a free day with no events on the festival's schedule. Heartslabyul will be having another tea party and croquet match tomorrow since it is the 5th. If you are feeling well, I would like to invite you and the girls of Rosabyrine to join us." Riddle's heart fluttered when he saw the excited look in Reine's eyes, which were now directly locked onto his.

"Really?? Wonderful! We will absolutely be there!" she giggled excitedly before catching herself and clearing her throat, hoping Riddle didn't see the hint of pink flood her face, "Thank you so much, Riddle, you are so kind."

As if on cue, Elise finally returned with a tea tray and setting down cups of what was undoubtedly mint tea. 

- 

"Thank you again for your help, Riddle. Reine seemed back to her old self again, if not even better." Elise had walked the boy outside after they bid Reine goodnight. Riddle had a content smile on his face, whether he realized it or not.

"Of course. I'm glad to be of service to new friends." 

His eyes managed to find Reine's window where she could be seen holding the vase of roses and talking with another, very excited girl, who was no doubt teasing Reine a bit judging from her demure yet happy expression. He cleared his throat as he felt his heartbeat speed up once again, "Goodnight, Miss Elise."

The senior princess waved him off as he walked to the garden gates before going back inside herself. Riddle made it to the gate and let out a deep breath. What. was. all. that?? He could only pray that he maintained even a fraction of cool during his visit but something in his gut told him otherwise. Riddle quietly groaned as he hid his face in his hand, trying to fight off the unforgiving waves of humiliation crashing over him to no avail. "Get it together!" he harshly whispered to himself as he continued to walk back to the Heartslabyul dorms, "She is the crown princess! She is a guest on your campus and here you are acting a damn lovesick puppy!" The prefect continued to remind himself of the situation at hand with austere clarity...until that last phrase really sunk in.

Lovesick? ....Love?? Oh no. Oh no no no NO. Riddle suddenly felt like the ground would swallow him whole under the pressure of this unbearably heated self-consciousness. He had to stop in the, thankfully empty, courtyard and sit on a bench before he fell over. There was no possible way this was happening. Sure, the princess was pretty-no-beautiful, more than any other girl he had ever met. Then again, how many girls did Riddle really know...? It wasn't like he was allowed an active social life the majority of his life. And the few times he did visit the royal courts in the past with his parents, neither Reine nor any of her royal cousins had been present. That had to be it, he was just starstruck, naturally smitten being in such close proximity with Her Highness. These excitable feelings held no actual gravity to them. It all made sense. He was being nice to her and she to him because it was the right and natural order of things. Riddle's mind came to a rough halt once he remembered the most important fact: she is the crown princess and she already had men, ready and able to be her suitor. Youngmen like Zehn Cavalier who didn't even have to lift a finger to get close to her to win her hand in confidence.

 "That's the way it's always been. It's to be expected," Riddle reminded himself...so why did his chest ache and his stomach seemed to sink? Why did it hurt to be reminded of that while also being reminded of the rare moments of seeing Reine's natural self? Her real smile when she felt excited, giddy even. Her modest, pink blush when she felt shy. Her fair skin...and deep eyes....her delicate hands and lips-

Riddle suddenly jumped to his feet with a frustrated groan, "Enough of this foolishness! You're better than this, Rosehearts!!" His face felt hot and his head dizzy. He rushed back to the dorm as fast as possible without stopping. Once he reached the Heartslabyul dorms, he caught his breath and decided some more air would do him good. He needed to calm down so he went into the gardens and sat down in his usual seat at their tea party settings. The night was calm, cool, quiet, everything opposite from how he was feeling. For a moment, Riddle allowed himself to honestly let these confusing feelings play themselves out in his mind while he sat alone in the garden, accompanied only by the sound of crickets and far-off voices of his dormmates, ringing throughout the Heartslabyul grounds.

He imagined what it would be like if he and Reine shared something more than just a budding friendship. How good it would feel to see her as she was naturally all the time, revel in her candid laughter and smiles, be by her side whenever she was sad or feeling unsafe, support her and share a life with her as she took her place as the Rose Queendom's beautiful sovereign ruler...these images made something stir in Riddle's heart, something new. Something absolutely wonderful and terrible all at the same time. 

Oh Great Seven....Riddle had a crush on the princess. A big, ridiculous, legitimate crush that he couldn't reason his way out of even if he actually wanted to. There was no rule in existence that could save him now. He covered his scarlet red face in his hands as if he were trying to out run his own shame. It only got worse when he remembered that he invited her and her entire dorm to their tea party tomorrow.

"What was I thinking?!" the poor boy ridiculed himself. 

"About what??"

Riddle nearly leaped out of his own skin when Trey's voice came out of nowhere. His vice leader stood a couple of feet away with a very concerned look on his face. The usual calm, confident and domineering Riddle Rosehearts had somehow been replaced with a very disheveled, flustered, and muttering-to-himself boy that now sported the same look as the hedgehogs when they were suddenly cornered.

"Riddle...? Are you feeling alright?"

"O-Of course I am, Trey!! I just needed some fresh air!" he retaliated a bit too quickly. His friend saw right through it. 

"Uh huh. Well, I'm glad you're back. Did they like the gift?"

"Wha...what gift?" Riddle was feeling more uneasy by the second and even Trey's calm smile wasn't helping. 

"The roses you picked. It's Wednesday. Rule No. 228 specifically forbids any flower picking on Wednesdays so it must have been for a very special reason that you made that bouquet right?"

Riddle's face fell into a look of devastation. Did he seriously break a rule without realizing it?! He of all people should have known but...it made Reine so happy so maybe it was ok this one time-oh NO. It was then Riddle realized just how badly, how deep into this now undeniable crush he was. He was absolutely ruined. Trey's concern only worsened with Riddle's shocked silence. He waited for some sort of outburst from his childhood friend but it never came. This was serious.

"If it's for a good reason, I'm sure it's alright. Especially if it made the person happy, right?"

"She did seem very happy..." the words fell from Riddle's mouth like he was trying to Trey about a dream he didn't fully remember. Trey's eyebrows quirked upwards. Did Riddle give flowers to a girl?

"She??"

Riddle snapped out of it, his mistake fully registering and reigniting his panic until Trey placed a hand on his shoulder with a look of empathy. The redhead felt a small bit of relief wash over him as he began to open up slowly to his trustworthy friend. 

"Miss Reine wasn't feeling well. I wanted to..t-to make her feel better, I suppose. Her friends told me how much she loved red roses and it just made sense to give her the very best roses we had grown here. She is my princess, of course, I would give her my best!" Trey smirked at the tiny burst of confidence Riddle displayed towards the end. 

"And you invited her to our tea party tomorrow didn't you?" he laughed as the accused look returned to his friend's face, "Don't worry, I made extra tarts just in case. And made sure every single flamingo and hedgehog was taken care of today so they'd be in a good mood tomorrow." 

"And the roses? They should be red and white; Rule No. 469-"

"Yes, yes, 'Flowers must be both red and white when you invite over a new acquaintance', Cater saw to it himself. Everything is ready."

"...Trey you are very good but this is uncanny. Who told you I was planning on inviting the Rosabyrine girls to the party tomorrow?"

"Che'nya overheard you tell Miss Elise your intentions," the clover laughed at Riddle's face that flushed a full red for the umpteenth time in the past few minutes. 

-

Elise peered into Reine's room when she noticed the lights were still on but Reine herself was in bed. She quietly walked up to the bedside and smiled at the sight before her: the sleeping princess had placed the vase full of her beautiful roses on the table next to her pocket watch but kept one rose in her hand as she fell asleep. Thankfully, Riddle had thought ahead and removed the thorns from the flowers. Elise tucked her friend under the covers properly before gently taking the single rose and reuniting it with the others. She whispered a soft 'goodnight' to Reine and turned off the lights, silently wishing her sweet dreams. 

Outside in the hall, Elise saw Manari leaning against the wall with a satisfied smirk. Elise rolled her eyes at her smug friend, refusing to acknowledge that Manari's scheme had worked. Not that she had to. Manari would tell anyone who would listen what a victory this was if they weren't all asleep already. 

"Go to bed before the ghosts tattle to the Headmistress," Elise quietly lectured.

"Only if you promise to tell me everything tomorroooow~" Manari quietly snickered to herself as the older girl smacked her arm and started shepherding her back to her room like a some sort of nanny.

------------------------------------------

Tagging: @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @nuitthegoddess @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @wysteriadelights @aiimee9

[neoninky]

TWST Fic 'Her Ivory Crown': Chapter 5

Ch. 5: One Slip Down the Rabbithole

Day 2 of the Festival was in full swing for the Magift match and Malleus was nowhere to be found. Again. The Night Raven dorm leaders that made up the team stood in a circle in the arena corridor, trying to all get on the same page before the game started but with all those personalities on one team...beating Royal Sword's team wasn't their only challenge.

"Well where is he??" Vil huffed at the smiling, ancient fae standing in Malleus' place. 

"He wasn't in his room this morning, unfortunately," Lilia said with a calm smile, "he may have gotten cold feet...or just forgot that today was game day and not another day fufufu~" 

Leona's tail whacked the ground as he crossed his arms, "Tch, like we need that bastard's help..."

"We kinda do though..." Idia, actually there in person, muttered, still trembling all over and feeling exposed. He wanted to be angry at Ortho for making him show up but he knew it was impossible. 

Lilia remained unphased, "Don't worry, I'll happily take his place today. So let's do our best, ok?" 

Riddle just sighed and grabbed his broom as his teammates all gave a half-baked chant in varying degrees of enthusiasm, or lack thereof. This was going to be a disaster. The boys' nerves peaked as they heard more and more voices and sounds of a gathering audience grow outside in the stands. The game wouldn't start for another twenty minutes at least but it wasn't every day that Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy squared off on the field. If you wanted a good seat for such a show, you needed to be there early. They all entered their corner of the field to finish getting ready as the Royal Sword team did the same on the other side. Riddle could feel someone staring a hole into his back and judging from the smirk on Leona's face, he wasn't imagining it. 

"Geez, the look on that one's face already..." 

Riddle turned around and saw the icy stare directed at him, coming from Zehn across the field. Riddle's brow scrunched into a slight scowl as he returned the favor. Leona just chuckled bitterly as his tail flicked back and forth, "You do something to piss him off, little prince? Good. This will make it more interesting." 

"Agreed..." Riddle's ominous tone didn't go unnoticed by his teammates as they also stared down the rivals across the way. It wasn't until Zehn looked towards the stands and did a wide-eyed doubletake that the tension ceased. "Heeey! Night Ravens! Good luck today!"

The seven NRC dorm leaders turned to the familiar voice in the stands and quickly mirrored Zehn's look of shock. There in the very front row stood Sacred Crown Hall's dorm prefects in their powder blue classroom uniforms that matched their Headmistress' staple color scheme. They each had a handmade brooch on their blazers that sported their brother school's colors but the small accessories were completely overshadowed by the multiple ribbons and added decorations each one had, clearly inspired by each of the Night Raven College dorms.  Manari, who had shouted to them a moment ago, waved to them with a big smile with Scarabia colored ribbons intricately tied into her high ponytail and an elaborate headscarf in the same colors that looked a lot like Kalim's with the gold beads and everything. Elise wore the same seashell hairpin she got from the Octavinelle boys in her side-swept bangs and tied her hair back with a large silver and lavender hair bow that matched the ribbon choker she also wore. And between the two smiling girls was Rosabyrine's queen, her usual white roses in her long braided hair replaced with brilliant red ones and black and red ribbons weaved in to match. Reine waved to a stunned Riddle and mouthed the words 'good luck' before sitting down with the rest of her girls, who also adopted the red and black additions.

 "W-wait...we have GIRLS rooting for us now?!" Idia's brain broke for a solid minute of introverted panic when he saw Hebe and her dorm sporting Ignihyde's black and blue colors unironically. 

 "Oh ho~ It would seem so. Such pretty little supporters, what a nice change!" Lilia just laughed mirthfully, admiring Petra's familiar green and black add ons in particular. He would definitely need to get a picture with her later on. 

 "Oi oi, things are definitely getting more interesting now..." Leona's eyes were back to the end field where Zehn went from looking cold and distant to outright pissed in mere seconds. The dorm leaders of NRC couldn't say that they were all in complete agreement about anything as long as they had known each other. But there was a first time for everything and today was that day. The boys said nothing but gave each other a look that told each of them the same thing: win or lose, they weren't about to just let these Royal Sword bastards come on their turf and make fools of them. Especially not in front of this particular crowd. Even the most composed of them felt their competitive streaks spike in their blood as the seconds to the game's start ticked down. When it was finally time, Vargas entered the field with the disc and met the eager teams in the middle. 

 "Alright boys, you all know the rules - magic is be used ONLY for taking the disc and shooting it into the other team's goal! No attacking the other team directly, no excessive roughhousing of any sort!! This is to be a good, clean game!!" He said all of these things to both teams and the crowd but wasn't subtle about giving his home team a confident smirk. 

The crowd was already cheering on their favorites as the two teams met in the middle, poised and ready to snatch the disc as soon as Vargas let it fly. Leona was front and center, flanked by Lilia and Vil. Kalim, Azul, and Riddle positioned in the middle ready to defend. And Idia was as far back as he could possibly get while still being in the position to defend the goal since this required the least amount of running or flying. The look of terror on his face didn't give the rest of his team much confidence but there really wasn't a better spot for him. Leona didn't exactly care; he was too focused on snarling at Zehn and the two boys flanking him. The lion's growl deepened when the golden-eyed boy didn't even bother to look at him, "Don't ignore me, damn it..."    Vargas' whistle sounded and the game began in a storm of flashes. Half of the crowd erupted into cheers as Leona bolted down the field, Vil and Lilia close behind, in possession of the disc. He was incredibly fast but the speed and precision of the Royal Sword boys were nothing to sneeze at either. The girls of Sacred Crown were in a mixed state of shock as the first point of the game was scored so quickly. The lion had the biggest smirk on his face the school had ever seen. 

"Night Raven takes a swift lead!!"

The crowd was split in two: half cheers of victory and half cries of outrage. But their small victory was short-lived as RSA quickly recovered with a goal on their end. The tide fiercely turned back and forth for several minutes. The boys on both sides were moving so quickly that it almost gave the girls whiplash. 

"I knew their rivalry was intense but this is ridiculous!" Manari yelled to her two friends over all the excitement before quickly getting distracted and joining in herself once Kalim managed to steal the disc for his team, "YEAH KALIIIM! WHOO!!" Jamil heard her from a few seats back and shook his head, trying to hide his small proud smile. These girls were nuts...

On the field, the boys on either side were fiercely zipping back and forth, focused only on what or who was in front of them. Riddle swerved to the side on his broom just in time to dodge a blast from the other team. He didn't see where it came from but catching a glimpse at Zehn's face as he ran by with the disc gave him an idea. He was RSA's captain for a reason: he was fast on his feet and his magical shots were even more so, but his main strength was how almost flawlessly his teammates maneuvered around him like a small army.  Every once in a while one of the faster Night Raven's could break their formation just enough to allow their teammate to snatch the disc away from them but it never lasted long. It was quickly turning into a dead heat game of endurance. 

-

A time-out was called just in the nick of time, giving the boys a moment to breathe. Zehn's team looked just as tired as NRC's but they huddled around each other like a pack of gladiators while the others were sprawled out and tiredly bickering amongst themselves. They managed to stay tied for several turns but now NRC was a point behind. It didn't help that Leona or Vil's tempers kept flaring either. Both wanted to win but neither was fully ready to bend to the other apparently. Lilia just sighed and took a moment to hover in midair while Kalim and Azul were breathing heavily on the ground. Riddle was just irritated and embarrassed by all this ruckus.

"You do realize that we still have an audience watching us? And yet here you are bickering like bratty children."

Leona just huffed at the crimson-haired boy and flicked some dust his way with his tail, "You're one to talk, you tiny fire ant. You blow up at the stupidest things..."

Riddle only proved his point by immediately gnashing his teeth and turning bright red, "HOW DARE YOU!"

Kalim jumped up and tried to pry them apart to no avail. Lilia hovered back down between the testy lot, smiling mischievously, "Your passion is admirable, boys, but save it for the next round. Besides, this is probably the best we've done against that princely school in ages don't you agree? Fufu~"

They all snapped out of their tantrums at the senior's words. He wasn't wrong. Normally the game would have been leagues out of their reach by now. Leona and Riddle grumbled and calmed down which Lilia took as a truce of some sort. Lilia's smile broadened but his eyes had a cunning look to them, "Now...surely you have noticed a pattern to the other team's movements?"

"Hmm. Whenever they gain possession of the disc, they pass it to their captain and then position themselves around him like a wall," Azul mused, "Their shots and defenses are almost perfect." 

"Indeed. But their movements have become predictable. If we can throw them off, then we can catch them up." 

Vil had already collected himself and was more than ready, game face perfectly in place, "There isn't much time left. Let's make it count. Let's get the disc and rotate it between us. That way they will have to break formation to get it back into their hands. Once that happens, we can break through. One last push is what we need to stay focused and don't make your passes sloppy!"

The boys turned their attention to the girls in the stands once again as they shouted out encouragement to them and they finally all seemed on the same page. Idia had no idea what was going on but didn't bother leaving his spot right by the goal to find out at this point. The game resumed with a whistle blow and the boys set their plan in motion. Riddle and Azul mounted their brooms once again while Kalim fell back, closer to the goals to support Idia. Leona switched places with Lilia, putting him in the middle. Once the disc was thrown back into play, Lilia charged forward at lightspeed and snatched it away from the other team before they could even blink. Just as they discussed, he passed it to Vil who passed it to Leona and the disc kept moving about throughout the team's formation, pulling Zehn's teammates one direction after the next. Zehn, however, didn't falter and kept charging forward, his eyes glued on the disc. He raised his magic pen to counter Lilia right as the Diasomnia vice took possession of the disc but faster than he could catch, Lilia sent the disc flying to Riddle who caught it and sent it flying straight into the opposing goal, evening out their scores. The poor goalie never stood a chance. The crowd was on their feet in seconds, cheering as loud as rolling thunder. Elise threw her arms around Reine as they both celebrated just as loudly.

 "They're amazing!!" Elise was practically singing she was so ecstatic. The girls were so into what was actually happening, they completely forgot which team they were technically supposed to be supporting. However, their cheers quickly turned into screams in a matter of seconds. It happened so quickly that all Reine remembered was hearing someone yell before her hand went instinctively to her magic pen...

-

Riddle's adrenaline was pumping at a blinding speed after making the goal but he almost didn't hear Kalim yell, "RIDDLE, LOOK OUT!"

A blast of magic hit his broom like lightning with such force that he was sent flying through the air and plummeting to the ground. His breath hitched his throat as every muscle stiffened, awaiting impact. Instead, he felt something cushion his fall as a loud voice rang out from the crowd. 

"BOW TO THE QUEEN!!"

A bright flash surrounded him as dark branches sprang up from the ground and formed a woven sphere around him and his broom, catching him and slowly lowering him to the ground in the process.  Riddle shuffled carefully within the woven cage and peered through the wooden tendrils to see Reine standing up from her seat. Her magic pen extended out to where he was. She looked pale as she muttered something he couldn't hear, making the branches release him. Was this her magic? She fell back into her seat breathing heavily as the rest of the team ran up to Riddle. 

"Riddle! Are you alright?!"

His head was spinning but otherwise, he seemed unharmed, "W-What happened?!"

The game had come to a chaotic standstill. Vargas seemed to be yelling at one of the boys on Royal Sword's team while Zehn and the others seemed to be arguing. Azul and Kalim helped Riddle back on his feet and pointed out the scorch mark on his broom. 

"After you scored, one of the RSA players grabbed the disc and shot it too aggressively!" Kalim hastily explained, "He must not have been paying attention because it flew right into your broom!"

"He probably did it on purpose," Leona growled, his ears flattening on his head, "the bastard...they're over there right now, whining about it being an 'accident'. Tch." 

"Are you hurt at all, Riddle??" Lilia looked him up and down curiously, "Doesn't look like there's a scratch on you. Whoever caught you certainly has sharp reflexes." 

The redhead turned back to the stands to look for Reine. Her seat was empty.

-

The restroom was thankfully empty as Reine coughed roughly into the sink. She reacted so quickly with her unique magic that the after-effects hit her hard. Once Riddle was safely put on the ground, she quickly excused herself from the crowd and ran to the arena's bathroom, her head foggy the entire way there. She froze as she saw the dark liquid ooze in the sink beneath her. Reine quickly turned on the water with shakey hands and washed it down the drain. Everything is fine. You're just tired. A knock came from the other side of the door as the princess splashed the cool water on her face and washed her hands in a hurry.

"Reine? Is everything ok??" It was Manari's voice. 

"Yes! Just a second!" She sighed in relief once the black substance had been cleared away and turned off the running water. 

Manari looked at her friend with concern as she exited the bathroom, "Hey...are you alright? You ran off so quickly after everything happened."

"Yes, I'm ok. I'm sorry I scared you," Reine hummed softly, "I think the adrenaline just really threw me for a loop there. But more importantly, is Riddle ok?"

Manari's expression lightened, "Yeah! Thanks to you and your magic! I don't think I've ever seen you move that quickly before!" 

Reine heaved a big sigh of relief making her friend chuckle, "Easy there. Everything's alright. Come on, let's hurry back - I gotta see what happens next!!"

The excited girl grabbed Reine's arm and lead her back to their seats, her little episode completely forgotten. Thank goodness. 

-

The game had continued without any other hiccups but the end result was, unfortunately, the same as always: in spite of the boys' vigorous efforts, Royal Sword Academy ended up winning the day yet again. The girls would be bold-faced liars if they said that they weren't disappointed but they hid it behind a polite round of applause for their brother school's victory. The Night Ravens weren't so classy about it. 

"UWAAAHHHHHHDaaamniiiit..." Kalim sobbed so loudly that there was no doubt everyone could still hear him over RSA's boisterous cheering. Azul gently patted him on the shoulder, sighing in disappointment much more refinedly. Vil wasn't so gentle.

"Kalim! Get a hold of yourself! Straighten up and clap for our rivals' victory. Honestly, do you think our fellow students want to see their team show such a pitiful face?"

Kalim shut his mouth and clapped as best he could along with his teammates even with fat tears still prickling in his eyes. Leona did the same though his ears had never been flatter. Riddle was too distracted to care. His eyes kept searching the audience until he spotted the girls, looking about as happy with the result as they were. Reine caught his gaze and gave him a shrug and a sad grin. He relaxed seeing her back to normal and returned the gesture. At the very least, she seemed alright. 

-

A loud crack sounded as Leona's tail whacked against the bleachers in annoyance. The girls felt bad for him as he shuffled grumpily by without a word or a glance their way after the two teams cleared the field. The female dorm leaders managed to sneak their way onto the field to get a moment to chat with the boys. Leona wasn't interested apparently. Neither was Idia who swiftly disappeared as soon as they were done. But this didn't dampen the girls' spirits at all. Elise offered the lion a sweet smile, "It's alright, Leona, you were amazing out there today!" He said nothing but gave the girl a calculating look as if he were trying to decipher her true meaning. 

Vil just rolled his eyes at his classmate's rude behavior, "Do not mind that brute, ladies, he's just angry that he missed out on his third afternoon nap today."  

The grumpy lion whipped his head around to snap at the blonde but was interrupted by an eager surprise attack on his leg.

"Leona-Ojiiii! I found you!" called a small and very adorable voice. A tiny little lion cub child brightly smiled up at his uncle. A resounding chorus of enamored awww's came from the girls as their hearts melted at the sight all at once. Leona had never wanted to crawl into a hole so badly.

"Oh my goodness! He is SO CUUUUUTE!" 

"Leona has a precious angel as his nephew? Awwwww~!"

Cheka turned his wide eyes towards all the girls and smiled happily at each of them, "Oooh Leona-Oji knows so many pretty girls!" Leona's ears plastered themselves onto his scalp as the girls all giggled at his nephew's adorable line.

"Ne, ne are one of you his girlfriend???" 

Leona's eyes nearly popped out of his head and the rest of the boys were dying on the inside from trying not to fall down laughing, "O-OI! Cheka! Don't ask those kinds of questions!" 

Manari was laughing so much she had tears in her eyes, "He is the most adorable thing I have ever seeeen. Hey Cheka! Wanna take a picture with us? You can be our little prince~<3"

The cub's eyes sparkled as he immediately lept in the middle of the group of older girls, happily letting them take selfies with him. Leona just let out an exasperated groan, waiting for his nephew's bodyguard to show up. The other boys silently admitted to themselves just how envious of the lion cub they suddenly felt and then just as quickly buried the feeling. 

"You smell pretty!" Cheka giggled cutely as Reine held him in her arms as they took the last picture together. Reine's heart had never felt lighter. The mood suddenly left when she saw Cheka's face shift from happiness to a worried look over her shoulder. When she turned around, Zehn was approaching with a stoic expression on his face. 

"Lady Reine. Might I have a word?"

Reine kept her voice light as she gently put Cheka back down and guided him back towards Leona, "Of course Zehn, I'll be just a moment." 

Any levity leftover from the moments before quickly evaporated as Reine asked the girls to head back without her. The boys didn't need to be asked and promptly left the arena with the girls and Cheka. Riddle fought the urge to look back and make sure that Reine was actually ok being alone with the cold boy. Elise was feeling the same and offered to wait for her at the gate, much to Riddle's relief.

The air between her and Zehn felt a bit too heavy and alien for her tastes, but she held her composure as she sat back down on the bleachers and invited him to do the same. He did and stared at the red flowers in her hair.

"You seem to be having fun here..." his tone sounded kind but his face was unamused.

"I am enjoying my time here. It's a nice change of pace....but that's not what you want to talk about is it, Zehn?" She felt that same tremble in her hands as he scooted a bit closer to her. 

"No Lady Reine, it isn't...I want to talk about our possible future together," the boy's touch was delicate as he took her smaller hand in his, "I am glad you are enjoying this reprieve now. Soon you'll be entering your final year at Sacred Crown and after that....well..."

Reine was painfully aware of what came next. Though she wouldn't ascend the throne right after she graduated, the process would be quick. She had been working, studying, and molding herself for this as long as she had understood what it all meant. Part of that was finding a suitable partner that would support and elevate her every step of the way. That was the part Zehn was referring to, specifically. It made her heart speed up. Reine never once felt reluctant to take on a suitor and, eventually, a husband. She was actually looking forward to it very much...so why was she so afraid? Reine took a breath, gripping tightly on every thread of determination she had within her.

"Zehn...I know what you want to ask me. I've known for a while now. And I need you to know this...I will be the next Queen. As Queen, I need a strong King by my side."

The boy's eyes lit up, "Naturally, my lady. No one would expect any less nor should they."

"Yes. But. I expect more than just that...strength is one thing but I also need a King who understands where I want to take the Rose Queendom in the future." 

Zehn frowned. He was quite familiar with Reine's desires, at least in this regard. The entire court was. She would make a beautiful queen. She would be perfect for the future of the White Queen's legacy...but...

"Lady Reine, as my future queen, I feel the deepest love and respect for you. You will be a magnificent queen and in time, all of our people will understand the ways of the White Queen and leave the archaic ways of the Red Court behind. You will help them realize this, as will your daughters, and theirs. Just as your mother, our beloved White Queen has in her time." 

Reine's heart sank a bit at his words. His very kind words that somehow held such a heaviness in them. 

"I want to understand our people as they are, Zehn. As they shall be. I want to build a place where we both can be as we are, peacefully, not bound to one set of ideals or the other. That is what I need my future King to understand, what I need you to understand." 

The boys clasped both of her hands in his a bit too tightly as he gazed into her dark eyes, "Your dreams are beautiful, Lady Reine...but they are just that. Dreams. Enjoy your fun now, while it lasts but realize now that this is all it is. Please know that I say this out of love and compassion for you, my princess...my queen. In the future, you will rule with the highest authority, you will be the face, the heart, the soul of our homeland. Our people will need you in the present with the future held tightly in your hands. A future that can actually come true without ruining yourself and the legacy queens laid down before you..."

Reine's heart pounded in her chest like a deer on the run as his eyes pierced into her with every word. She wanted to take her hands away from his lips as he pressed them gently to her knuckles. She wanted to run, to disappear. Reine said nothing. She couldn't speak or move at all. All she could do was cling to her resolve as it broke apart and slipped through her fingers at every syllable that left his lips. Her throat burned as all she could say was his name. His gaze softened at the sound of his name, "Lady Reine...please...please choose me. I will protect you and the Queendom we build together until the end of our days. That I can promise you."

"Zehn....I...I need time to think. This is a lot to decide right this second." 

He felt a sharp sting at her words. He understood and respected her desire for time. He would give her all the time in the world if that's what she wished...however...if not him, then who? What possible debate could there be?? He felt a wave of coldness wash over him when she finally pulled her hands away and stood up to leave.

"I will consider it and give you my answer, Zehn. That I can promise." 

He stood up and bowed to her, silently accepting her decision. Before he could offer to walk her back to her dorm, her eyes changed ever so slightly to a questioning look. 

"There is one more thing I must ask, Zehn."

"Yes, Lady Reine. Anything."

"Did you tell your teammate to shoot the disc at Riddle during today's match? Or was it really an accident?"

His blood froze as the words left her mouth so effortlessly. Her gaze was calm, undoubtedly patient as if she had her finger on a trigger that she could wait for ages to pull if need be. 

"It was an accident, I assure you, my princess. What would make you think otherwise?"

Reine merely hummed softly in her answer before turning and leaving him behind, "I can see myself back to my dorm. Congratulations again on winning the match, Zehn." 

The chill under his skin quickly left along with her as Zehn felt his temper start to boil. All because of one crimson runt that somehow caught his beloved's attention so effortlessly. Still, he meant what he said before: the princess could have her fun for the time being. 

-

Reine sat alone in her dorm room, staring into the mirror above the fireplace. Elise had been waiting for her as promised at the arena's gate and they had walked back together. The booths from Day 1 were still open and would be throughout the week, still, Reine encouraged her friend to go enjoy the rest of the day with the others at the Monstro Lounge, knowing it had become Elise's favorite spot. So here she was, alone with her thoughts as she gently plucked the red roses from her hair and placed each one on the fireplace mantel. Her head still throbbed a bit from earlier so much that even sitting on the bed made her feel a bit dizzy still. This was all too much...she needed to do something. Reine looked over at her phone and looked over the photos she had taken with Cheka and everyone after the game, bringing back some semblance of a smile to her face. She nearly dropped her phone as it started to ring. Her eyes widened as she saw the number and quickly answered it.

"Mother??"

"Hello, my darling."

Her mother's velveteen voice cascaded through the other side of the phone. It was such a rare occasion that her mother took the time to actually call her that for a moment, Reine thought she was dreaming again. 

"I wanted to check in with you and see how you doing. Are you enjoying the festival with Mr. Cavalier? He speaks fondly of you always."

Reine jolted with surprise. Zehn spoke to her mother about her?? She shook it off and took the opportunity to speak her mind.

"About that, Mother...Zehn and I actually did have a talk today. He made a proper proposal of courtship..." 

"Wonderful! I'm so happy for you, my dear girl. I shall send you the rings immediately so you can make it official." 

Reine's stomach lurched at the mention of the matching rings. Every young queen-to-be was given a pair of magic rings for her and her chosen suitor, to bind them into an official courtship. It was like a pre-marriage of sorts. Signaling to everyone that they were bound to one another and intended to marry in the future. The bond could be broken by the princess's decision but it rarely happened. 

"M-Mother, I don't think it's time for that....I...haven't....exactly given him my approval yet." 

"Oh...? Well, the answer is clear is it not? Zehn Cavalier is the finest young man a future queen could ask for, my dear. You are more fortunate than you realize."

Reine felt that same sensation she always felt when she and her mother found themselves in these sorts of conversations. As always, she took a deep breath and got ready to jump.

"Mother. Zehn is a very....promising...suitor, I'm sure. But...I'm not sure at the same time. I don't think he is the one that I want to marry, Mother. I do want to marry but not him. I just want something, someone else to be in my life when I take your place-"

"Reine....how many times must we talk about this, my flower?" the Queen's prior sweetness completely left her tone and all that was left was the voice of someone who had had enough, "I've humored you and listened to your daydreams of recreating our homeland to be this perfect little wonderland that no longer exists in reality. We are Queens of the White Court, our ways are ways that have carried a glorious legacy for generations. You need to understand this and your King needs to as well. I wanted to give the freedom to at least choose your fiancee because I thought you could handle that properly, at the very least...perhaps I have given you too much freedom."

Reine's throat tightened, "M-Mother, please. Don't-"

"Reine, enough. You are my heir, my Queendom's future ruler, and you are acting like a child. Zehn will make a perfect King to rule by your side. He is the perfect candidate to carry you and your queendom to its proper place....take your time if you must, but I will have your rings sent to you. And then, we can put all this nonsense to rest once and for all, hmm?"

"...Yes Mother," Reine refused to let her mother know of the hot tears running down her face, "of course."

"That's my darling rosebud. I love you, my dear. Be sure to give your other friends my regards."

With that, the call was cut short and the room fell silent, save for Reine's occasional sniffle. She placed her phone on the nightstand as her heart pounded in her ears. She opened her mouth to exhale but her breath came out too short, too quickly, choked out by the ragged sobs that were expelled from her sore throat. She tried to stand but the world shifted too quickly and Reine soon fell into pitch black. 

-

Elise couldn't believe that she left her phone behind after changing her clothes earlier. She had been in such a rush to join the others at Azul's booth that she completely forgot to put it back in her satchel. The marine princess sighed and greeted the ghosts as she walked through the dorm's front door and headed straight to her room. Sure enough, there was her phone just laying on the bed. How she missed it with its bright turquoise case, she'll never know. Just as she turned to leave a second time, a loud thud came from the ceiling above her, from Reine's room.

Elise felt a chill of panic rip through her as she sprinted up the stairs and burst into her friend's room without knocking. She shrieked when she found the white-blonde collapsed on the floor like a lifeless doll.

"REINE?!"

--------------------------------------------

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