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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 19 (FINALE)

Chapter 19: Part of This World (Part 2)

"Make a deal with me. Release Junonia permanently and I will use my magic for your clan's benefit only."

The Muraeni crew stared at Elise with a mixture of looks. The two younger sons looked the attractive girl up and down like she was a new toy. Proteus seemed intrigued as well but no one had a sharper eye than Don Muraeni himself.

"Elise, you can't be serious!" Luna started to argue as she held her sister protectively, "Azul, say something!"

The boy merely pushed up his glasses with a defeated sigh, "You think I haven't already tried? What more can I say? She is determined..."

Elise stepped forward, straight toward Don Muraeni with little to no fear. The two sons bared their teeth and started to charge her before their father snapped at them, "Back off you two. Proteus...put them in time out."

The ray repeated the same ritual of unsealing two bottles that trapped the brothers inside them just as the previous bottle had done to Junonia. The Don then snapped his fingers at his right hand and the two men began to circle Elise like two buzzards. Muraeni's ice blue eyes, his nose, each sense noted every detail like an apex predator. She was young, beautiful even, but not reckless in her offer. Her luminous eyes, the vibrance of her features and her energy told him that she was no run-of-the-mill mermaid. If that didn't do it, the Royal Rose Queendom pins adorning her did. Proteus was on the same page judging from the widening grin on his slim face.

Muraeni paused to lean down and carefully sniff at her, "...you're a cecaelian mermaid. No wonder you reek with magic and ink. I admire your gumption but what exactly do you have that is so enticing?"

"Aside from your oh-so-pretty face," Proteus chuckled as he gripped the girl's chin to get a better look at her, "Lovely..."

Elise ignored the irritated shivers running down her spine and spoke directly to Don Muraeni, "I've been mastering my unique magic and other healing spells under His Majesty King Revon Castilene's teachings. I can show you exactly what I can do right now if it pleases you, Don Muraeni."

Her tone was the perfect marriage between confidence and becoming. After a moment of consideration, the Don smirked.

"You have my attention, Miss...?"

Elise's pink lips grinned in satisfaction, "Call me Elise, sir."

By some miracle, Elise had convinced Don Muraeni and the rest of the room to regroup down on the resort's beach. The sun was already sinking into the horizon, painting the clouds burning orange and lavender. Azul never said a word during this whole transaction but he never strayed from Elise's side either. Any fuss their companions made went ignored by the Muraeni pair and by Don Leech as well. Roscoe Leech simply raised his hand to stop his boys and their mates from proceeding further onto the sand. The silent command said everything they needed to know: they were to stay close to him and not move a damn muscle unless told otherwise. Indigo had stayed in close proximity to Elise and Azul at the front of the pack in silence. He only spoke once the three of them reached the shore first.

"I trust you know what you're doing, princess..." he didn't sound so sure but the spark in Elise's eyes was undeniable. She leaned in to whisper to him before the others joined them.

"I do, Indigo. Don't worry."

"Well here we are. On with it then," Muraeni had never been very patient. He and Proteus strode right onto the beach as if they personally owned it. Elise only smiled, unruffled by the man's bluntness. Azul hesitated to let go of her hand as she walked towards the water.

"Of course, gentlemen. Let me show you my most successful experiment."

Elise walked into the water until she began to transform, searching the waves, waiting for something. A spiny fin suddenly surfaced and cut through the water. The visitor rushed towards her and circled around her once, not wanting to keep his mistress waiting. Elise smiled and turned back to the group so they could see the new arrival.

"Say hello, Spindle."

Indigo's eyes widened as quickly as his father's narrowed. Spindle gave them both a weary look but said nothing as he rose out of the waters. Had anyone been paying attention, they might have heard the curse that left Proteus' mouth over the wash of the waves.

"Spindle...? A cute name for a runaway I suppose," Muraeni scoffed, "Good to see you return to us...alive." That last word was shot in tandem right at Proteus with a deadly glare from the Don.

Elise pretended to not hear the obvious anger in his voice, "Not only is he alive, but his body is also better than new. Take a look."

She gestured for Spindle to come closer inland so everyone could see his full body, head to tail, and its abundant lack of scars. Upon closer inspection, even his skin and colors seemed more vibrant than before.

"When I found him, he was on the verge of death. With my own magic, I reversed the damage so much, it was as if it never happened. Tell me, Don Muraeni. Sirens have no doubt given you power and every drop of prosperity at your enemies' expense. But can they do this? You'd never have to worry about a rival getting the upper hand ever again. Your men would never have to suffer fatal injuries or ailments with me in your corner. Why...at the rate I'm progressing, the Muraeni bloodline may even outlive us all."

The prospect was deliciously tempting if not downright terrifying. Don Muraeni felt the possibilities burn in his brain. Still...he didn't get this far by being gullible.

"A fascinating pitch. But how do I know you aren't just pulling some elaborate scheme with my youngest here? I'm not too sure where his loyalty lies these days..."

Elise's back tentacles curled protectively around Spindle's tail on instinct but her confidence only bolstered, "Your doubt only proves what a capable man you are, Don Muraeni. I would never dream of making such a flimsy proposition on my word alone. In fact, I want to give you a proper example. Tomorrow, in fact..."

He rose a cynical brow, "All of a sudden your grand proposal must wait until tomorrow?"

Elise walked back onto the shore, changing back into a human, "I understand your skepticism, sir, but I assure you. It'd be more than worth your time. The senior students of Sacred Crown, myself and Luna included, are holding a special seminar on campus tomorrow to show our progress in our individual studies. I want to invite you, and Mr. Proteus of course, personally to see the investment you'd be making firsthand. No tricks, no empty promises."

Muraeni looked to Proteus for any hint of suspicion. The ray silently tapped his chin as he weighed the girl's words in his mind. The proof of Spindle's own skin was too good to be a trick. Proteus seemed ready to sink his teeth into this charming little octopus but Muraeni wasn't fully convinced...yet.

"You drive a hard bargain, sweetheart. But it'll take more than that to close a deal with me," the Don stared down his nose at the girl, challenging her one more time. Lucky for her, Elise expected this and planned accordingly. She simply turned to Indigo and reached out for him.

"Don Cerith, can you help me prove a point then?"

Indigo tensed for a split second before closing the distance between the two of them. He silently questioned Elise but didn't voice any doubts. If she said she knew what she was doing then he would trust her. He followed her lead as she beckoned him closer and leaned down so she could place her hands on his face. Elise took a breath, smiled at Indigo, and began to recite:

"Return to what you once were. Undo the harm done and try again. Second Chance."

Indigo's eyes widened as they stared into Elise's bright pools. From her fingertips, he felt magic flow across his skin like cool spring water. Before their eyes, his scars shrank and the skin resealed itself back to its unflawed state. Even after the magic served its purpose, Indigo could still feel its revitalizing remnants tingle across his skin like a soft breath. Elise removed a compact mirror from her pocket to show him his rejuvinated face, "Well how did I do, Don Cerith?"

Indigo felt a pang in his chest that could only be equated with finding something precious that had been lost, "Amazing..." he whispered. When he snapped out of his wonder and looked to his father, Indigo saw hesitation but not a single shred of doubt. Muraeni began to observe his son in the same calculating fashion he had with Elise earlier. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he turned to Elise to look at her properly.

"I shall attend your little seminar tomorrow then, my dear. My only stipulation is that you remain here in our wing tonight. Alone. My boys will escort you to your campus tomorrow to ensure that you have enough time to prepare...do we have a deal?"

He extended a hand to her and only then did Elise notice just what an omnious limb it was, its long fingers covered in golden rings that looked both deadly and impressive. Elise took another deep breath and put her hand in his, "It's a deal, sir."

Indigo watched the handshake between the two of them and felt a twist in his gut. The same dread he felt deep down was painted all over his youngest brothers' face and less so on Azul's. Elise had one foot in the door of the lion's den. Muraeni seemed satisfied until he locked eyes with his youngest son, remembering that unfortunate loose end.

"Hm...his outward appearance is completely reformed. Does that count for any internal injury as well?" he vaguely asked Elise, keeping Spindle squirming under his cold gaze.

Elise frowned disappointedly, "When I observed him after the fact, his vocal cords seem to be in perfect condition, and yet he will not speak. He hasn't said a word since I took him under my care. It's so strange."

Proteus sneered at this delightful bit of news, "How unfortunate...the poor boy must be traumatized."

His father checked his watch as if he were stuck waiting in a subway, "A bonus really. He may not be as strong as his brothers but now that he's healed, he's in perfect condition to pick up where Cowrie left off. If tomorrow goes well, I shall have to throw in a special thank you for you, Elise."

The girl fought the urge to kick him in the groin right then and there and instead just smiled, "You're too kind, Mr. Muraeni, sir."

The man took the compliment as plain fact, showing no signs of flattery, "Proteus. Show Elise to her room. Preferably one close to mine."

The grin on the righthand man's face turned the octomaid's stomach, "Gladly, sir..."

"Wait."

Indigo was speaking to his father but physically made himself a barrier between Elise and Proteus, "I will take her, Father. It's only right that I thank her for her care."

Had anyone else said the same thing, it would have meant something far more...unsavory. Elise knew this wasn't Indigo's intention but judging from the looks on Muraeni and Proteus' faces, they took his words very differently. Proteus raised his brows in surprise, "My, my...seeking out a second mate already, Don Cerith? You are your father's son."

Elise felt a shockwave of heat hit her face as Indigo put a protective arm around her. His expression was devoid of amusement, "I don't need nor desire another mate. It's called having integrity, you perverted bastard."

Muraeni waved off the rising argument with a bored look, "Fine, Indigo. Just make sure your brothers don't get any ideas. They're far more carnally driven than you are."

Azul nearly bit his tongue having to stand by and endure all of these insinuations. Spindle looked like he'd bite of the legs of anyone who even thought about going into Elise's space with bad intentions. Elise looked over her shoulder at both of them, giving them a silent nod. Spindle's features turned serious as he suddenly dashed back into the water and disappeared but his rash exit didn't seem to alarm either Don Muraeni or his subordinate.

"We'll fetch him later. Indigo. Bring her."

Without any further pleasentries, Don Muraeni and Proteus walked straight past the Don Leech and his brood without so much as a glance. Elise started to call out to Azul but Indigo abruptly pulled her along with him as he followed after. Azul wanted to argue but held his tongue. He trusted Elise: she was brilliant and she had a plan. He just didn't like feeling so stuck on the outside of it all. The twins and Cerith sisters watched Indigo escort their friend back to the resort, feeling just as helpless.

The young Don Cerith didn't say a word as he and Elise stood behind his father and Proteus in the elevator. Occasionally the two men shared a word or two regarding some other business that Elise wasn't really paying attention to. Instead she quietly looked up at Indigo's freshly healed face. Indigo Cerith was very handsome, well-groomed and polished with a quiet, deadly air about him even now that his scars were gone. He definitely looked even more like his father but his eyes, as tense as they were now, were far more kind. Elise suddenly felt his strong gloved hand take her much more delicate one without turning his gaze down, silently promising to watch over her. The elevator doors opened and the four of them entered yet another long, empty hallway. The father returned to his room behind a regal set of double doors without a word to the rest of the party. Proteus released the two other Muraeni sons and commanded them to keep watch over their new guest, "Give the lady her privacy but also...make sure she doesn't wander off."

They looked a bit drained if not disoriented but the two brothers nodded as they regarded the protective glare coming from Indigo. "Stay outside her room at all times," he growled once Proteus entered his own room for the night, "Only I'm allowed inside her room until further notice."

He quickly opened a nearby door for Elise and followed in after her, shutting and locking the door behind them. Elise felt an immense wave of exhaustion that forced her over to the giant bed on shaky legs. Indigo gave her a moment to settle before kneeling on the floor in front of her with a deep sigh.

"I admire your courage, Princess, but...no I should be thanking you instead of lecturing you. Not just for this," he gestured to his face, "but for what you're trying to do for our family. You're the most incredibly reckless human I've ever met. Which is saying quite a bit."

Elise gave a shakey laugh, "I was already determined when Spindle told me what was going on but then...I met her. She was the one who rescued me from that storm so many years ago. I cannot let her stay trapped any longer."

Indigo had a look of understanding in his quiet eyes, "You call him Spindle now. It suits him. You rescued my sister and my brother. Now you're risking everything to save our mother."

He paused and clasped Elise's hands before bringing them to his lips, then his forehead. The action seemed so gentle and devout as if he were in the presence of a saint, "Thank you, Elise. You have my loyalty for the rest of our lives."

Warm tears sprinkled down her cheeks as she leaned down to kiss Indigo's hair, "That means the world to me, Indigo."

The next day would be unforgettable for everyone across the campus for very different reasons. To most, it was another school event full of nervous energy for those perhaps feeling apprehensive regarding their presentations, or rather doing so in front of the entire faculty and their families. To the Leech brothers, Cerith sisters, and their two octopi: today was a chess match with no room for error. Each member in their place, waiting to move, as the day began. Luna was one of the first to present and if she had any unsettled nerves, no one would ever know. Don Leech with his Madam Leech on his arm, Don Muraeni, and Proteus were in the audience along with Indigo, his wife Ivy, and the Octavinelle trio. She had learned quite a bit from the short weeks of study but today, Luna focused on demonstrating the benefits of utilizing her portal magic specifically to enhance communication and transportation of imports/exports between the land and sea. That is, other ways to do so aside from the personalized method she made just for their crew alone.

Both the faculty and audience were impressed. She was congratulated by the Headmistress and given high marks by the rest of the teachers' panel right there on the spot. Floyd had gotten bored halfway through and zoned out, daydreaming about the cute future babies he and Luna were going to have, but still checked back in just in time to cheer on his girl at the very end. To the point where his father had to tell him to quiet down. Elsewhere in the crowd, Cowrie sat with the rest of her dorm and applauded her sister's achievements. She caught Luna's eye and gave her a genuinely proud smile in spite of all the inward stress.

There were a few other presentations that followed but soon enough, the Headmistress was introducing Elise to the crowd. The stage seemed to open up as Elise prepared to start. As she approached the podium, three volunteers entered the stage behind her, some with assistance from other students or medical staff. On the large screens surrounding the auditorium, Elise's full name and the following title of her presentation appeared: "Advanced Healing: Medical Studies in Personalized Magic."

Azul searched the crowd and sure enough in one of the VIP sections of the audience sat Reine along with her father, both looking rather eager to see Elise in action. There was another man sitting next to Revon Castilene that he did not recognize but he had very similar eyes to Elise herself. Azul ventured to guess that the regal gentleman was Elise's father which made him feel both very happy for Elise and very nervous for himself. Elise took a deep breath before turning her microphone on and smiled to the audience, thanking them for coming today. She also took a moment to personally thank her mentor for being in attendance today and for teaching her everything she now knew. Her mind was on autopilot as the rehearsed words flowed out of her mouth as if she were acting out a prepared role. She saw her friends in the audience, her father, Azul, and more importantly...Don Muraeni. He was there with his eyes locked onto her and waiting. Elise felt her adrenaline kick in as the true spectacle would begin any moment. This was more than an academic exhibition: this was a show, an auction curated for one specific patron and Elise had one shot to hook him.

"Alongside traditional healing encantations, I have mastered my own unique magic for the purpose of not just treating injury and sickness, but completely rejuvinating and rehabilitating my patients entirely. Starting with a case of optical first aid..."

Elise greeted the first volunteer, a fellow Sacred Crown student who had been banged up during Magift practice. The girl removed the bandages put in place by the school nurse, who had been specifically told not to heal the following students with magic for this exact presentation and showed the audience the scratches and bruises on her arm. Elise very gently held the injured arm and asked that the faculty observe it up close first. The teachers did so, confirming for the audience that the injuries were legitimate. Elise thanked them and assured the student that while they might feel strange afterward, the process was entirely painless.

She held a hand just above the broken skin and recited her encantation. A wave of awe rose up from the audience as the girl's arm was fully healed in seconds. Cheers and applause came from her peers and the Cerulamare dorm as Elise walked the first volunteer to the stairs by the stage. She continued to explain how the magic worked in varying degrees. She even paused her succession through the volunteers to show how the magic itself could also be used to repair machinery, other tools, and even architecture: "While my own Unique Magic cannot be taught to others, there are common threads of magic that can be learned and utilized in similar ways. With the ingenuity of each individual mage, the future of healing for both people and technology will ensure better lives across the board."

Her third and final volunteer was an older gentleman from the island's city accompanied by a certified nurse. He had the most severe injuries consisting of a broken leg and even previously damaged skin and teeth. He sat in a wheelchair and Elise quietly thanked him for putting his faith in her before very carefully kneeling to place her hand on his cast. There were a few murmurs hovering about the crowd, seeming to be full of skepticism. Azul carefully looked at Don Muraeni out of the corner of his eye. The man's gaze was unwavering and completely fixed on Elise. His expression gave away nothing. On the other side of him, Proteus was watching Elise with a smirk of a predator, patiently waiting to pounce and its prey the moment it moved. Azul turned his attention back to the stage. He felt a flutter in his chest as he watched how careful, how gentle and precise Elise's movements were. Watching her work gave him the same sense of wonder that he had felt for years watching his grandmother and mother in their elements.

The enchantment left her lips and her magic wrapped around the man's leg and damaged skin with a soothing aquatic glow. The man entered a trance as the spell wrapped him in a half-cocoon of light. As it dispursed, the electric chill of its trickling energy spread through the audience causing a collective shiver. Even those in the very back of the room could see just how the man's skin was renewed and how even his teeth were brought back to near-perfect condition. There was a hush as the nurse used their own magic to remove the cast...and then no one could hear the man's astounded cry as he stood, not for the thunderous applause. She would no doubt pass with flying colors but Elise's true victory came when she locked eyes with Don Muraeni. He stood up and clapped.

She had done it.

Elise accepted the praise from her Headmistress and the faculty panel on her impressive display and once again thanked her mentor and the volunteers that had put so much faith in her before she left the stage. She barely reached the bottom step when she saw Indigo's two brothers waiting for her backstage, tucked in the shadows where no one else would see them. They said nothing. They didn't have to. Their father had made his decision and now it was time to pay up. Elise braced herself and tried to stand as tall as she could in their towering presence, "Lead the way."

The resort seemed like too obvious of a spot to finish their transaction. The lake was too risky. Even now that he had made up his mind, Don Muraeni was far too suspicious to let someone even think about catching him off guard. No the final meeting place for the exchange would take place in the city square outside the school. A neutral territory where no one could interfere and live to tell the tale. So here she was, Elise was brought directly to the large, mostly empty square save a few locals walking about. The Leechs were nowhere to be seen. Neither were the twins, or Azul, or the Ceriths except for Indigo. Don Muraeni, Proteus, and Junonia waited, seated at a nearby outdoor seating area as if they were frequenting a cafe during their stay. Indigo rose from his seat next to his mother to pull out an empty chair for Elise between the two of them. As soon as she sat down, she felt Junonia grab her hand from underneath the table. Her eyes were desperate but she dare not speak out of turn. The princess gave her the bravest smile she could muster in return.

"You performed splendidly as you said you would, Elise. Well done," Don Muraeni's serious tone had barely any warmth to it, "I appreciate you coming without a fuss. I assume you are ready to keep your side of the bargain?"

Elise nodded, "Yes, sir. As I said, I will trade my freedom for Junonia's and in exchange, I will pledge my loyalty to the Head of the Muraeni house and use my magic for his and his family's benefit."

"Please don't do this-" Junonia started to beg before her ruthless husband snarled at her.

"Shut up, Junonia. You've wanted out for so long and now your chance is here on a silver platter. Take the out before I change my mind."

Elise squeezed the siren's hand and spoke in kindness, "Please, Junonia. Let me do this so you can be together with your girls again."

"Smart girl. Now then," Don Muraeni snapped his fingers and Proteus produced a document that looked eeriely similar to the magical contracts that Azul could conjure, "I have my staff procure very special paperwork for situations such as this. Sign yourself over to me and let's be done with this already. As he was for Junonia, Proteus will be your main handler."

Elise eyed the omnious document and gave Muraeni and Proteus both a light chuckle, "I'm sorry? I think you misunderstood me...I said that I would pledge my loyalty and services to the leader of the family. Isn't that technically Don Cerith?"

The two men's faces fell for a brief moment as this girl coyly bat her eyes at them. She continued, "Don't misunderstand, gentlemen, I'm by no means backing out. But this is a binding contract and a magically infused one at that. Regardless, I take my freedom and the use of my magic very seriously so these things must be handled accordingly. Am I wrong?"

This girl was wickedly clever. Indigo felt his lips tug upward into a smirk as his father cleared his throat and answered in a forced tone to hide his irritation, "You are not. It may still be referred to as the Muraeni family but Indigo is the acting head currently in power and thus has the authority over all legal decisions, contracts, and arrangements in circulation. It doesn't matter in the long run, the result will still be the same."

Without waiting for permission, Indigo slid the document over to himself before biting into his finger. A bright red drop of blood bloomed on the tip before he pressed it onto the top line. Soon after, the name 'Indigo Cerith' wrote itself across the line in his own manifested handwriting. He then in turn slid it over to Elise and asked for her hand. She gave it to him and held her breath as he carefully pricked her finger for her. One quick sting later, she mirrored Indigo and pressed the finger to the bottom line. Elise watched her name scribble itself onto the contract. Her eyes widened as her surname did not spell out Coralette but Cerith. Elise Cerith.

"You now belong to me, Elise Cerith. The deal is done," Indigo said with a sigh that betrayed just how drained he really felt. The bottle that had once held Junonia was placed on the table as it swiftly crumbled into sand. She was free.

"There you have it," Muraeni's tone was a bit sour at the hiccup but either way, he got what he wanted in the end. He didn't bother looking in Junonia's direction as he waved her from the table, "Go. I'm sure Luna and Cowrie are crying in some corner waiting for you."

Indigo helped her up from her seat. Any argument waiting to be made was silenced as he hugged her one last time. He whispered something in her ear making her tear up but Junonia left the table and made her way across the square alone without looking back. Muraeni huffed grumpily before checking his watch again.

"Wonderful. We have much to do now that our resources have opened up tenfold. I've had quite enough of the land life. Proteus-"

Indigo aggressively cleared his throat before shooting his father a challenging look, "I think you've overstayed your welcome actually. Both of you."

His father's eyes sharpened dangerously, "Watch yourself, boy. I've allowed you some leeway by handing my title over to you but don't forget who's really in charge here."

For the first time since he could ever remember, Indigo's smile genuinely confused his father as he chuckled, "Yeah...about that."

Indigo snapped his fingers and his eyes glowed vivid blue, matching the mage stone ring he now wore on his dominant hand, "Abyssal Snare"

His father couldn't move fast enough as the ground underneath him rapidly sucked him down like quicksand until it resolidified, trapping him at his shoulders. He screamed in confused outrage at his other two sons who merely stood there staring down at him. Proteus pushed away from the table in a panicked scramble, showing genuine fear for the very first time. Unfortunately for him, he was doomed the minute he sat down at that table.

"Heart's Lyre!"

The ray yelped as his arms snapped to his sides as he tumbled forward. He hit the cobblestone ground hard with a pathetic thud that bloodied his nose. The predatory heel clicks that approuched him from another nearby table put more fear into him than anything else.

"Well, well. Look what I've caught in my net..."

"Oof, he's an ugly bastard that's for sure!"

Proteus coughed as a cloud of dust was kicked into his face followed by a pair of wicked giggles. He crained his neck the best he could in his state but immediately regretted it. Hovering over him were the very smug and vindictive Cerith sisters. Luna's eyes burned as she quickly tugged at the glowing strings tangled between her fingers. Proteus shrieked as the gesture dislocated one of his arms.

"Oh no no. Don't cry just yet, " Luna purred darkly, "I'm just a placeholder, unfortunately..."

Both the former don and Proteus searched the area wildly, completely baffled that none of the locals that had been milling around earlier were reacting to this blatant assault on them...only to realize that they were all just standing there watching it happen like it was some form of entertainment.

"Oh don't worry about them. They're just here to watch after being promised a show, " Elise said, still seated comfortably despite the chaos, "it's truly remarkable just how organized the Leech and Murae-excuse me-Cerith houses truly are when they work together."

It was then that the 'locals' dropped any and all disguise they may have had and Muraeni's temper shot through the roof. Each one was a member of either Roscoe Leech's gang or his! This had all just been some elaborate setup and he had been completely played by both his and his rival's own people.

"How the hell did you...?!" he sputtered as Indigo bent down to address him as he lay stuck in the ground, "And where did you learn that spell?!"

Indigo flashed the ring on his hand and gave it a loving look, "First of all, you can thank my wife for procuring this magestone for me, straight from her family's supply. Also that wasn't just a spell, it's my spell...fortunately, I had enough time to develop it before you dragged me out of school all those years ago. Furthermore, if you're wondering how so many people came to the conclusion to help ruin you, Don Leech is a very resourceful and powerful man. He taught me well. He should be waiting to tie up any loose, unguarded ends back home right about now, actually."

Venom didn't even scratch the surface of his father's fury. He thrashed trying to free himself while screaming obscenities at his own son. It was a rather sad sight actually. In the ruckus, Proteus was helpless to escape but his horror had just began as a different pair of feet confronted him. At first, there was no answer, no declaration, or accusation made. Instead, the feet just kicked the paralyzed ray over onto his back where he was faced with terrible karma. His copper red eyes were globes of fear as the young man standing above him was Spindle. In his hands was the enchanted dagger that Elise had been given to originally break her own curse. In his eyes were years of resentment bubbling to the surface and ready to come to a head.

"I'm setting things right and taking it back..." his voice was clear and terrifying.

The agonizing scream that ripped from Proteus as the dagger was plunged into his leg echoed throughout the square but the pain from the wound couldn't compare to the feeling of Proteus's very life force being sucked out of him along with the stolen magic. Muraeni watched in horror as his loyal servant began to age and wither as Spindle's magic returned to where it belonged. He was still alive but Proteus seemed more like a walking corpse now that he was powerless. Luna released her hold on him. He was far too weak to fight back much less escape now.

He coughed and roughly spat at Spindle, "You devious little shit!!"

Proteus dugged his gnarled hand into Spindle's leg but he was so frail that it took barely any effort for the young man to kick him off. The bottles that had contained his older brothers tumbled out of Proteus' jacket and turned to sand. The sisters and Spindle walked over to the shriveled ray and stood beside Indigo as he spoke to their father.

"Judging from how Proteus' bottles disintegrated, it's safe to say that his 'collection' has now been dissolved," Indigo enjoyed the color leaving his father's face a little too much, "so it would seem that all of your assets you had him collect for you are now null and void." The dethroned Don now understood what Indigo had meant by 'loose, unguarded ends'.

Indigo straightened up and checked his watch as he had seen his father do all day, "But don't worry. I'll make sure the next one is well taken care of, or rather, Spindle will."

Cold, desperate panic flooded every corner of Muraeni's brain. He couldn't move. He was outwitted and outplayed by his own blood and the connection with his rival's family that he had wanted to extort so badly. He cried out as Spindle's eyes began to glow, "ST-STOP! I gave you what you wanted! Your mother, your sisters, I can give you even more-"

"No thanks," Indigo cut him off bluntly, "That's all the time we have. Spindle?"

The disgraced father's angry maw was muzzled by his youngest's unforgiving grasp. The boy spared no words as his glowing pale eyes bore into the man's petrified expression. The pitch of his screams warped as his body twisted and shifted into a small mishapen polyp. What was left of Don Muraeni's parting shrieks were quickly silenced as a small glass bottle formed around him and sealed him away. Spindle grabbed the bottle and gave it a hard shake making his dwarfed old man smack his gross little head against the glass a couple of times. Cowrie cracked up at the sight and begged her brother to let her do the same before he pocketed it.

Indigo turned back to Proteus who was being kicked and stomped on by his abused brothers. He waited a minute before stepping in.

"Alright, that's enough you two. Cut it out," he half-heartedly scolded them, "You two are still on my fucking list by the way..."

The two brothers quickly retreated away from their prey letting Indigo and Luna stand over the miserable husk. Indigo looked to his sister, "What do you think, Luna?"

The siren hummed as she glared down at the man that had tortured her and her family for so long. Seeing him like this, while completely well deserved, just seemed to take the fun out of vengence. Still, why waste a golden opportunity?

"Being bottled along with Step-father seems too kind...I bet the sharks are rather hungry after all the paces this cruel man has put them through for the past few years," her grin was merciless.

Indigo turned to the men that not only disguised themselves as island natives but secured the entire block to make sure any real pedestrians stayed away, "Gentleman, lend a hand if you will..."

In seconds the pitiful sack of bones Proteus had become was dragged away through some back alleys, away from the square, and out of sight before he could even hope to yell for help. Elise hadn't moved from her seat this entire time. She watched her new siblings at work, holding her breath until it was all over...and it was all over. She watched the four Ceriths finally let their guard down and actually enjoy the fact that they were together again. Indigo pulled Spindle into a relieved hug and said something to him that Elise couldn't hear but seeing the happiness on her friend's face was enough for her to know. The sisters quickly accepted the younger brother as well. Cowrie squealed as he not only hugged her but lifted her off the ground, happy to see that she too wasn't actually dead. They looked so genuinely happy...finally.

She suddenly felt a leather touch on her shoulder and a familiar smell of cologne that made her whip her head around. Azul Ashengrotto couldn't hide his smile from her even if he wanted to, "You know, I don't care for being left out of such an elaborate and dangerous plot at all, my love. But you handled yourself flawlessly...so I guess one time is acceptable. Just don't scare me like that again, Elise Coralette!"

Elise didn't even notice the twins arriving on the scene with similar complaints as she jumped up to melt right into Azul's arms, "It's Cerith now!" Before Azul could make another quip, Elise locked her eager lips onto his. Jade and Floyd decided to leave them be for once as they escorted 'Mama Cerith' back to her children. As the rest of her new family reveled in their freedom, Elise could only focus on the man in her arms. She rested her head against his shoulder as his arms wrapped securely around her.

"I'm ready to go back home," she whispered with a deep sigh, "I nearly forgot that we're still in school because of all this..."

Azul chuckled and kissed her head as he stroked her soft wavy hair, "Think of it this way, after everything you've accomplished-"

"We. Everything we've accomplished," she corrected. She was flattered but this was one hell of a team effort.

"-We, yes. The rest of the year will seem terribly boring," Azul had a point. Any academic stress was barely a threat after nearly selling her soul to a mob boss. Elise suddenly stood up and looked at Azul with a sad grin.

"Yes. But...I still need to finish my senior year so I can graduate and get my mage license. Meaning I'll be spending the rest of the year in the Rose Queendom."

Azul's mood suddenly took a nosedive. That's right. Elise was free as were Junonia and all of the Ceriths. She had become a mermaid again. But of course, Life just had to test his patience just a bit longer, didn't it? Well, he was a mature young man, and hell, he had waited this long!

"You'll do marvelously. After that, what will you do-"

"Elise..." Indigo suddenly interrupted the pair with a serious look in his eyes, "I think you and the others should return to the campus for now. Spindle and I need to help clean up here. Also...after you graduate, I'd like you to come live with Junonia, Spindle, Ivy, and myself at what will be the Cerith house. You are still one of us, after all."

Elise felt like her heart would burst. She had a future, she had a home! Azul felt a bit of relief knowing that she wouldn't be too far away. The relief didn't last once Indigo turned his eyes on the Octavinelle prefect.

"That is...until you get married, of course." He was talking to Elise but staring directly at Azul like a protective father sizing up his daughter's boyfriend. The pair had matching red faces at the implication. Azul now knew just who he'd have to go through to ask Elise for a proper courtship. He couldn't say he was entirely thrilled about it. The boy just grabbed Elise's hand and quickly followed after the eels back towards the school. He was too embarrassed to look back at Indigo who had a big smirk on his face.

Conversation flowed pretty easily between the two eel couples as the girls caught the boys up on the events they had missed, much to Floyd's annoyance. Azul and Elise hung back a bit behind the energetic quartet, Elise intertwining her fingers with Azul's gloved ones. She quietly giggled at his pink face and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"So...to answer your question, I want to open a clinic. Maybe collaborate with Luna as well. You're going to open up a proper Mostro Lounge aren't you?"

Her smile was brimming with excitement, it was infectuous. Azul felt his own passion stir in his chest, "Oh absolutely! I already have the blueprints and infrastructure all laid out. We start the process as soon as we become seniors. By the time we all graduate, Jade, Floyd, and I will have a real establishment up and running. Once Jade becomes the new Don Leech, he'll be very busy naturally but his support will only guarantee our success-"

Azul and Elise continued to talk about the future all the way back to the campus, swapping ideas and feeding off of each other's energy. Once they reached the gates, only one question was left unanswered...

"And after all that..." Elise mused, "I suppose then I can settle down and take a mate if the time is right. Yes...I think Elise Ashengrotto has a nice ring to it."

She said it so casually that Azul almost missed it. Or he would have had it not hit him like a freight train. His heart thumped in his chest wildly at the prospect. The desire, the intention had been resting in the back of his mind for some time now. Now that the dust had settled and the stars aligned, Azul felt ready.

"It does. It's a gorgeous name...and if you're willing to wait for it then so am I, dearest," Elise blinked owlishly at how unfrazzled he suddenly was. Not only that, Azul was removing a small, palm-sized item from his pocket, "Elise, I was going to wait to give you this later on but since we're on the topic..."

He opened his hand to her. In his palm was the spiral shell pendant that once held her voice. It had cracked once the curse had been lifted and became nothing more than a dull, damaged shell. Now after some clever care and polish, Azul presented it to her as a proper mating necklace: its cracks filled with gold and various-sized pearls adorned the surface, tracing the spiral shape elegantly. It was absolutely perfect. Her heartbeat pounded as Azul kneeled before her with a charming, loving smile.

"I would be honored if, in the future, you would become my mate. I cannot imagine a more perfect woman to spend my life with."

Elise felt like she could both faint and fly of her own volition at the same time. Her hands shook as she gently took the necklace and held it to her chest. She tried to speak but only a happy sob came out as she started to cry. She laughed and nodded enthusiastically before letting Azul put the necklace around her. She didn't even pay the cat calls from the eels any mind as her mate held her to him with a deep kiss.

This...was exactly what she had been waiting for.

The rest of the year passed at a blinding yet peaceful pace. Luna and Elise spent the rest of the year studying hard with their respective tutors. When it came time for winter break, everyone made a point to venture home and spend time with each other and their families before getting back to work. The two best friends graduated and quickly returned home to start laying down the foundation of their careers.

While it would have made more sense for Elise to inherit Madam Lorelei's position as the local sea witch, being her granddaughter-in-law and all, both Elise and Lorelei agreed that the honor belonged to Luna and Luna alone. She had earned it and would build a reputation just as polarizing as her mentor, later being called 'Madam Luna' by the locals. Elise had her own grand plan that quickly took off as soon as Indigo's reformation swept across the old Muraeni territory that was now called the Cerith District.

Junonia enjoyed a peaceful life and retirement from her siren days in her son, who kept his commitment as Don Cerith, and his wife in another home that Indigo had built in the same territory as the Muraeni mansion but in a much sunnier spot. The old mansion had been abandoned and eventually torn down. The only space that was retained was Proteus' old collection space. It was now empty save for one solitary bottle that Spindle personally guarded and kept locked in a vault. The other two older brothers continued to serve under Indigo but were constantly afraid that Spindle might trap them as well. Now that he had become Indigo's right-hand man, he had every authority to do so but still spent most of his energy looking after Elise, who he never strayed far from.

The Siren's Cove was shut down for good. The girls were either returned to their families or supported by Indigo to start new independent lives. Meanwhile, the building was gutted and rebuilt into Elise Cerith's medical clinic. Luna, of course, was more than happy to give referrals and help prepare and distribute medicines to supply her friend's business.

During their senior year, the Octavinelle boys stuck to their guns and developed The Mostro Lounge just as they had planned. While Jade inherited his father's role as Don Leech over time, Floyd stuck to what he was comfortable with: part-time head chef at the Lounge, part-time head of security and interrogation for his brother. Cowrie managed to stay ahead academically and entered her own internship as a senior during the same time as the boys. Once she became the new Madam Leech, her main focus would be supporting her husband and household, but at the same time, Cowrie Cerith desired something of her own. Studying under her sister or Elise had always been an option for her but instead, she surprisingly followed in Ivy's footsteps and acquired an internship at the Funebris magestone company. They had branches on land and under the Coral Sea for their unique pearl division. Cowrie took interest in the technical side of things but somehow attracted the attention of the marketing department as well.

To this day, Jade says that it was because she became even more beautiful once she turned eighteen. She went from being a petite, cute little sassy eel to blossoming into a nymph-like young siren that turned heads and broke hearts. It was awkward at first, mostly because of being in Luna's shadow for so long, but Cowrie quickly leaned into her alluring glow which quickly landed her a modeling/spokesperson career within the Funebris brand, eventually other Coral Sea brands, and even a few from the surface as well.

Once their lives, businesses, and careers took off and they all reached a point where they felt comfortable taking that next step, that's when the marriages started happening. Surprising no one, Floyd and Luna were the first ones - aside from Indigo and Ivy - to start having children. The entire Leech family was thrilled to welcome the first baby girl the couple was blessed with. And then the next. And the next. And the next. Eventually, Floyd and Luna had one son, who would ironically be the only child that would inherit his mother's siren genes, and then finally one more daughter. Either way, Narissa Leech was thrilled to have so many adorable little grandbabies right out of the gate. Roscoe Leech, though he'd never admit it, was extremely happy to have so many granddaughters.

For a while, Cowrie had worried that she wouldn't be able to have Jade's children after many failed pregnancies. Perhaps no matter how much they loved each other, they just weren't physically compatible. Just when Cowrie was about to give up hope, she contacted Jade in near hysterics when she found out that she was officially, fully pregnant with not just one baby, but two. A year after their nephew was born, Jade and Cowrie were blessed with twin boys. While they wouldn't reach their father's mammoth height/length, the boys did certainly take more after their father in their size which put a lot of strain on their mother while she carried them. However, in spite of the difficulties, Cowrie had her babies without any complications aside from her husband almost worrying himself to death. Between taking his father's place in running the Leech household and aggressively caring for the mother of his heirs, Jade was more exhausted than his mate.

As for Mr. and Mrs. Ashengrotto...

They married once a few different things happened: Azul had run the Lounge with booming success for about two years without any major losses, Elise had established a strong foothold in the community in both Leech and Cerith territory, and Azul had been granted Don Indigo Cerith's blessing to marry his adopted sister. There wasn't a huge ceremony, much to Mama Ashengrotto's outrage, but they did have an enormous celebration at both the Leviathan Club and Mostro Lounge respectively. After about two more years, Azul and Elise had a daughter that inherited her father's coloring and her mother's eyes. She was Azul's entire world, second only to his wife, and was absolutely adored by her grandmother, great-grandmother, and her eel uncles and aunties...and now that the two families that ruled the city were actually one big family...

Life under the sea couldn't be better.

---

Lazuli Ashengrotto could hear the jazz music from her father's lounge downstairs. She was turning fourteen today and preparing herself at her vanity for the elaborate party about to happen downstairs. She combed her long lavender-grey locks with one tentacle while she applied a small bit of color to her lips with another. Her father had fussed at her for wanting to wear makeup so soon but after many, many debates, they reached a compromise. His baby girl wanted to be just as beautiful as her mama so who was he to stand in her way?

"Oiiii Zuliiii~"

A rapid round of knocks sounded from the other side of the teenager's door just before opening. Never waiting for an invitation, Floyd's youngest daughter and child Juno swam in and wrapped her long teal-striped tail around her best friend.

"Let's go, let's gooo~ We can't get started without you and I'm STARVIIIINNGGAH..."

The young octopus just giggled as she pulled her wavy locks back with the final touches, "Alright, alright here I come."

Downstairs the Lounge had closed for a private event in which all friends and family were in attendance. All of her uncles, aunties, and cousins, and of course her grandmother who always insisted on catering for every single birthday party. And not just for her actual granddaughter but all of her eel 'grandbabies' as well. Between them and her business, Ursa Ashengrotto had her tentacles full.

Lazuli smiled at the usual chaos that came from these parties, why it had almost become a tradition. At one table sat her dear Uncle Don Jade Leech, Auntie Cowrie, and their twins that towered over their mother but would never dream of upsetting her. Unlike their father and uncle, Jet and Spinel Leech had clearer tells of who was who. Jet had the signature black streak in his teal hair and heterochromatic eyes just like his father: one yellow from Jade and the other blue from Cowrie. Spinel, however, did not inherit the dark strand like his brother, but his eyes were mirrored to Jet's. He also inherited his mama's gold freckles. The only matching trait the twins shared were the dark stripes on their tails and arms they inherited from Cowrie. It always made Lazuli think of a pair of raccoons. The boys watched their father closely as he discussed some sort of business with them as Cowrie doted on her niece, Lucine, that had swum over from another table. Lucine took after her mother in appearance and somehow came out with a far more demure and shy personality compared to the rest of her siblings.

Floyd and Luna's family took up one of the larger booths. Their eldest daughters Marissa and Cyane sat on either side of their parents. Marissa was the spitting image of her Grandma Narissa, thus the name, and held herself in similar elegance. Cyane was also very lovely but had her father and grandfather's sleepy eyes that often made her look a bit pissed if not threatening. Clustered among them was the only son and second youngest child, Calico Leech, who looked every bit like his mother with her same black hair and warm golden cream coloring. He was destined to be just as tall as his father though and already had to tuck his long tail underneath him to keep it out of the way.

Uncle Don Indigo Cerith and Auntie Ivy had just arrived with their own two children: Cobalt, their eldest son that could be his father's twin save for the fiery eye color he got from his mother, and Elsie, the youngest daughter who was a perfect combination of her mother's green color and her father's darker patterns. She was also named in honor of her Auntie Elise. Her Uncle Spindle arrived with them, escorting Junonia who was immediately ambushed by all of her enthusiastic grandchildren.

Lazuli made the rounds to greet everyone before noticing that her parents were nowhere in the room. She smiled knowingly and snuck over to one of the outdoor balconies. Her parents were very busy and industrious octopi so whenever they could squeeze in a private moment for just the two of them, they absolutely seized the opportunity. Their daughter found them enjoying the view and sharing a loving kiss or touch as she normally did. It used to gross her out how lovey-dovey her parents were but now it barely phased her. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Azul and Elise Ashengrotto turned to their little darling with warm smiles. "There's my princess!" Azul cooed to her. Lazuli was also accustomed to her father's abundant affection and soaked up every single drop of it. She jetted over and threw her arms around her father with a happy squeal. Elise's heart warmed at the sight of her husband and daughter. She stroked her girl's silky hair with a doting smile, "Happy Birthday, Lazuli, my darling."

Lazuli turned and hugged her mother before beaming up at her with matching turquoise eyes, "Are you happy, mama? Daddy?" She turned back to Azul as her arms stayed around Elise. She had become very in tune to her parents' moods from a young age. When they were happy, truly happy, they seemed to shine and Lazuli was convinced it was because they had so much magic. So every day, at the very beginning, she always asked: are you happy? And when they were, they said...

"Absolutely."

-the end-

Thank you for reading <3

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya @marcepanna

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neoninky · 11 months

Text

TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 18

Well readers we have reached the final two chapters of "Her Lost Voice" (this one being the part 1 to the finale)

I hope you have enjoyed either reading this story for the first time or revisiting it again.

As of now, I have the beginnings of a Diasomnia centered fic in the works but I am also working on my own original material as well. So with that said, I do not have an exact release date (or even a title now that I think of it lol) for Petra's story with the Diasomnia clan just yet.

Definitely stay tuned, however, as I will be posting all/any tidbits here! Also feel free to drop me a message in my inbox any time whether it's about my Sacred Crown series, TWST in general, or if you just have a question/request. I'm game for any of those options lol.

Inky's Links: AO3 : Masterlist : (Third Story coming soonish)

Chapter 18: Part of This World (Part 1)

She used to have dreams night after night about that storm, that terrible storm that changed her life entirely. It was always a rush of sound, brief fragments of harsh light, followed by the freezing cold blackness pressing down on her as the waves tossed her small child body about in their fury. But there was always a quiet moment of relief as a kind hand pulled her head above water. She never saw a face nor did she ever hear a voice: just that warm touch and a soft melody calling to her as she lay barely conscious on the shore. Sometimes there were more or fewer pieces in her dreams, but now as she stood face to face with this siren in all of her warmth and compassion, Elise knew it had to be...

"It was you...?" Part of her feared this was some cruel prank. Junonia's smile didn't falter for a moment. Even when she had tears streaming down her face.

"My little Cowrie was already missing and I was afraid she got caught up in the storm somewhere. Instead, I came across that terrible shipwreck and I saw you, struggling in the water. You were so young...you reminded me of my girls. Thank you so much for taking care of them all these years."

A quiet sob bubbled out of Elise as she shakily tried to keep her own tears from falling, "Honestly they took more care of me than the other way around," Elise sniffled before noticing the chain around Junonia's tail and snapping back into clarity, "B-But how...why are you here now? And who did this to you?"

Azul released Elise's hand before dipping into the shallow water to get a closer look at the chain itself. His tentacles slowly went to touch it. When nothing happened he was confused, "It seems like just an ordinary chain. I don't mean to be rude, Mrs. Cerith, but even a weak eel would be able to break this with ease."

The siren chuckled bitterly, "The chain is just a formality, my dears. I'm bound to stay put because of my dear boy's commitment."

"Do you mean Indigo?" Elise stepped into the water to speak in closer proximity to her savior.

The siren's eyes lit up, "You know my Indigo as well?"

"We want to help him and you, Mrs. Cerith," Azul circled around the two women to make sure the coast was clear, "An ally of yours told us he was in trouble."

Junonia gasped when Elise took her now repaired moon necklace from her pocket, "He had this with him. Don't worry, Spindle is safe and unharmed."

"Oh thank goodness," Junonia whispered, overwhelmed with relief, "that poor boy, I feared the worst after he tried to help me escape-"

She froze with a start as they heard approaching voices. It sounded like arguing. Junonia's face turned serious as she closed Elise's hand back over her moon necklace, "You two need to leave. Before he comes back. Don't let him see you or that."

Elise began to panic as Azul grabbed her hand once again, "We aren't going to abandon you, Junonia. I promise."

In seconds, as Azul pulled her deeper into the water, Elise put the vial of potion to her lips and quickly drank. The pair submerged into the murky water as Azul jetted them both away from the trees. Moments later there was a flash from the middle of the lake's surface. Junonia quickly shot off a couple of enchantments to spread flowers over the surrounding trees as a cover. The showier the better. The footfalls paused just behind her, greeting the trapped siren with a slimy nonchalance as Indigo's remaining brothers sniffed about the area suspiciously.

"It seems a bit late in the season for flowers, Mistress. A lovely display nonetheless."

Her once welcoming gaze turned steely cold as she glared over her shoulder at the bastard. Even now that he had legs, he still repulsed her.

"What do you expect me to do here, Proteus? Just sit around like some garden ornament?" Junonia spat, "I came to see my children. Yet you chain me up and leave me here like some stray animal!"

Human Proteus was just as disgustingly smug as Merman Proteus. Only now he was more mobile than she was, "Patience, my dear lady. I simply thought you could use some fresh air before the heartfelt reunion. I could be far less generous if you prefer," Proteus chuckled, "Besides, this is well within the agreement your son made to ensure your safety and freedom. Well...limited freedom. Can't have you running off now, can we?"

The foul man reached for a lock of Junonia's hair that had fallen across her shoulder only to have his hand swiftly rebuked, "I understand the conditions, Proteus. Does it look like I'm trying to escape?" she spat, "Where is my son? If I cannot see my girls, at least let me speak to your boss."

The ray scoffed dryly, making the two trained brothers laugh along with him, "My 'boss' she says! How adorable, how proud you must feel even now, Mistress Junonia. All because we've allowed you to believe for the first time in your miserable state that you have some semblance of power-"

Proteus groaned as the siren's tail whipped across his face with a hard smack, breaking the chain that bound it and his egotistical monologue. Junonia's arms were held tight by her stepsons after they dove into the water to keep her from swimming away. For a moment, Proteus was frazzled to the point of anger, "Ha...stubborn as always. You haughty bitch, I'll dry you out like the piece of bargain meat you are-"

In a snap of blood-red rage, Proteus lunged forward to grab Junonia by the throat before he was rapidly strong-armed and thrown on the ground. His copper-red eyes were wide with a mixture of madness and amusement in contrast to the fury that burned in Indigo's. The two younger eels quickly released Junonia before diving into the water to hide from their big brother's wrath.

"Ah, Master Seven-"

"SHUT IT," He barked and slammed a foot into Proteus' chest holding him in place, "You will not touch her, Luna, or Cowrie. You will not speak to any of them nor will you threaten them. THOSE are the terms we agreed upon. And that's Don Cerith to you."

The new Don drove his heel into the man's chest until he almost heard his ribcage creak underneath him. Proteus coughed out some weak compliance, the unhinged grin still on his face, "O-Of course, Don Cerith. Forgive my trespasses. But do remember, you're wearing a golden collar, not a crown. I'd hate to inform your father that maybe more discipline is in order for his new heir..."

Indigo's gaze returned to its stoic default as he removed his foot from the sneering man's chest, "Leave me with my mother for five minutes. If you don't trust me, then leave my brothers here to stand guard...if they even have the backbone to do it properly."

His two brothers were peeking out of the water like overgrown slugs quivering in the mud. Indigo didn't wait for the man to answer before turning to apologize and comfort his mother, stomping past his cowardly siblings. Proteus made his exit into the shadows with a venomous gaze at the young boss' back. Once he straightened himself out, the bitter ray removed two bottles from his jacket and held them up threateningly for the shaking eels to see, "You heard him, boys. Stay put. I will let your father know how things are going."

Azul was temporarily blinded by the sudden flash of light and the sheer force of the magic sent him tumbling straight into the dirt of the lakebed. He felt panic rattle all through him as he hurried to clear his vision.

"Elise?!" he searched about until he saw a form sinking to the ground a few feet away. The octopus swam through the cloudy waters to the dark mass of that seemed to be morphing before him. His breath caught as the figure suddenly rose up and turned towards him, facing him with familiar, bright turquoise eyes. She could breathe, she could feel every sense heightened as it had before, and her tentacles seemed to unfurl like iridescent vines all around her. Azul's face was painted over in astonishment, "E-Elise...?"

"Yes, Azul," she sobbed happily, brushing ink-filled tears away. The two octopus lovers suddenly tangled together as Azul cried out in absolute joy and threw his arms to embrace her completely. They both felt absolutely electric as they locked lips, tentacles intertwining affectionately. Azul felt his senses become intoxicated as Elise's magical aura grew and pulsed under each fingertip, each physical connection they shared. He nearly forgot how to breathe in his bliss.

"You are a wonder!" He suddenly blurted out as he continued to hold her and kiss her face.

The former human was overcome with too many feelings to list, "Shouldn't I be telling you that?! You did it, Azul!"

Azul suddenly felt a swell of pride go straight to his head, "But of course! Did you have any doubt, my darling? I said I would find a way and I did...with some help naturally but-"

Elise stopped the beginnings of a ramble with another, deeper kiss. Azul's face grew hot instantly as her expression glowed for him, "I love you, Azul Ashengrotto. I've missed you so much..."

His mind went into overdrive so fast that he literally had to smack a tentacle over his mouth to stop himself from proposing marriage right then and there. His princess giggled at how flushed his face just before realizing they had an audience.

"Ah...Azul," she lowered her voice with a bashful grin, "Don't freak out but...I think they saw the whole thing..."

Azul quickly looked over his shoulder as one of Elise's tentacles pointed behind him. Nonchalantly waving at him as they sat comfortably amongst some kelp was none other than the Leech brothers.

"Don't stop on our account, Azul," Jade's grin was merciless, "We'd feel terrible for interrupting such a tender moment."

Floyd's tail was swaying back and forth with feline-like mischief, "Hey hey, you gonna leave Octi-chan hanging like that??"

The twins just giggled amongst themselves as Azul began to sputter ink. He was the deepest shade of purple they had ever seen!

"Honestly, I can't have TEN minutes without you-ugh nevermind!" he groaned before clearing his throat and turning back to Elise, who was trying her best not to start laughing at the whole scene, "Darling, I am absolutely thrilled to have you by my side again. I cannot tell you how complete I feel with you here...mostly because we were so rudely interrupted!" He shouted towards the snarky twins. Elise ran her delicate fingers through his silvery locks, bringing him some ease before smiling at the brothers. Before she could say a word, however, two more eels suddenly plunged in the water behind her and she gave out a squeal.

"Luna! Cowrie!"

As annoyed as Azul wanted to be, seeing his love reunited with her beloved Cerith sisters was nothing short of heartwarming. Elise wrapped her arms and delighted tentacles around both girls in a tight bushel of hugs. Cowrie nuzzled her cheek against Elise's with a happy giggle, "Welcome back, Ellie!!"

The girls' excited chatter was going a mile a minute as the twins snuck up to Azul and started to poke fun at him. Elise noticed her beau's frustration rising and whispered something to the sisters. As happy as she was to be properly reunited with everyone...now was not the time for everyone. The eelmaids had a knowing look in their eyes as they left her side and around to their mates who they immediately started snuggling up to. The brothers were too distracted to notice how the girls had blocked them from Azul.

"Floyd, honey..." Luna sighed as she left a trail of tender kisses along Floyd's jawline.

"Jay Jay~" Cowrie purred affectionately as she nuzzled her face into Jade's broad chest.

Any teasing mischief the brothers had in mind for Azul was instantly abandoned as they were reeled in by their flirtatious siren mates. The sisters had different charms: Luna was naturally sultry, warm, and alluring whereas Cowrie was sweet, playful and a bit teasing like a kitten. And each sister had the Leech brothers' zeroed in and ready to eat up every morsel of affection they had to offer without question.

"Indigo has arranged a meeting at the resort you boys are staying at in town," Luna called out to everyone though her loving gaze never left Floyd as she teased his ear fins, "But we have some time until then. Why not make the most of it...I'd hate to waste another precious moment. Right, honey?" she cooed, batting her long lashes at her lovesick beau.

"Jaaade..." Cowrie cutely whined up at him with a flushed pout, using his full name against him, "We barely had any time together at all! It's not fair for you to keep me waiting like that..."

Hook, line, and sinker: the Leech Brothers were helpless and leaving the scene with their girls before they even knew what hit them. Azul was baffled and impressed as Elise drew his attention back to her, now that they were alone again, "You can always count on Luna and Cowrie to get the job done."

Azul leaned back into the intimate privacy and tucked his face into the soft crook of Elise's neck with a sigh, "I love you too..." This made a bell-like laugh leave her throat.

The high of their reunion began to sink back into reality when Elise looked over her shoulder toward where they had left Junonia. Azul knew what she was thinking. He could feel the quiet thrum of her heartbeat tell him everything he needed to know. Now that he knew for certain what came next, Azul just felt even more desperate to see things through to the end. But he had to be honest.

"I don't like this, Elise," his eyes were uneasy as he faced her properly, "I know we already discussed this ahead of time but-"

She placed a gentle hand on his as he brought it to her cheek, "I know, Azul. But now it's no longer an option. I have to. I owe it to her. Please trust me?"

He ran his free hand through his wavy hair with a frustrated groan, "You know I do. Just be careful, please. I can only go so far with you and I hate that."

She pressed her forehead to his with a sigh, holding him close as his presence anchored her, "It will be alright. I promise."

The city outside of Sacred Crown Hall took up the majority of the island. It was a very lovely and curated town set on keeping its old-fashioned aesthetic, but that didn't stop the spread of hotels and the occasional resort popping up over time. The rest of the Night Raven and Royal Sword students that had come for the festival were staying in hotels closer to the campus. The Leech brothers, however, would be staying at a far more exclusive resort tucked away on the beach along with their parents. Normally this resort was very popular and booked out season after season. For this particular 'family event', however, the entire establishment had been booked by the Leeches and the Muraeni-Cerith families, each having their own wing to themselves. Better to keep any potential prying eyes away lest things get even more complicated. Azul and Elise were invited too by the Leechs since they were family by proxy. Judging from the overcompensating resort staff, it was clear that anyone in the know about their guests' true identities was handsomely paid to keep their mouths shut.

An elegant hostess greeted the group of teenagers and directed them to the suite on the seventh floor. Jade, having been far more groomed than his brother for these situations, politely thanked the hostess and covertly slipped her a handsome tip. Just to keep things nice and neat, of course.

"Anyone else feel...weird about this?" Cowrie asked the rest of the elevator as she scooted closer to be in between Jade and her sister. Normally, she was pretty even-keeled but this whole situation had the younger Cerith on pins and needles.

Floyd scratched the back of his neck as he watched the floor numbers tick by, "Eh. Dad's been pretty tight-lipped but that's par for the course. He knows what he's doing."

"It's not Papa Leech I'm worried about..." Cowrie muttered. Luna wrapped her free arm around her younger sister and held her close.

"Don't worry, Cowrie. Mother's been waiting to see you again. Everything will be just fine," Luna's smile was genuine so Cowrie didn't have any reason to doubt her. Across from the eel couples, Azul and Elise said nothing but held each other's hand firmly. The elevator stopped with a ding and the golden doors opened onto a large corridor lined with arched windows. At the end of the hall, standing outside the large double doors were Don Leech and Don Indigo Cerith.

Even in human form, Don Leech looked intimidating in his deep charcoal double-breasted suit and the black leather gloves he wore on his hands. The fact that he didn't bother hiding his scars only added to the overall message: he was not a man to be messed with. In spite of all that, his normally grizzly expression softened when he saw his daughters-in-law. He would never admit it but he did have a soft spot for his girls.

"Hello Father Leech," Luna greeted her father-in-law with a gentle smile and hug which he accepted without any hesitation. He grunted when his other daughter barrelled forward and hugged him with way more enthusiasm and far less grace.

"Papa Leeeeech~" Cowrie chimed, trying to hide her nerves. The Don felt her slight tremble but only wrapped a strong arm around her.

"Hello, girls," the brief warmth in his deep voice evaporated as he laid eyes on his two sons, "Jade. Floyd. Eyes forward....and Floyd, straighten yourself up, boy! You're seriously going to meet your mother-in-law looking like some bum?!"

Floyd pouted and started to argue before Azul intervened, "Allow me, Don Leech sir."

One flick of his magic pen and suddenly Floyd's uniform buttoned itself properly and an NRC tie nearly choked him as it tied itself in place. The eel snarled at the smug look on the octopus' face, knowing deep down this was revenge for earlier. Don Leech made some grunt of approval before turning things over to Indigo.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions," he said seeing the look on his sisters' faces, "I wish I could answer them for you but...I'm not at liberty to right now. Even so, I was able to negotiate this time for Mother to meet with you." He was speaking directly to his sisters but his tone was guarded, careful as he turned to open the doors. Azul silently nudged Jade before tilting his head towards the two adjoining doors outside the main room he was about to enter. Judging from Indigo's cautious air, it was evident that they weren't alone. Jade merely nodded as he kept his eyes forward as Luna and Cowrie entered the room. Jade and Floyd stayed in the doorway with their father to give the girls space while Azul and Elise stayed in the hallway.

Luna took the lead, entering the elegant room with her focus on the woman facing the windows. Cowrie stayed close to her older sister, wary of any possible danger that may be waiting around every corner of that room, but she felt her whole body freeze when the woman's motherly eyes turned to her and Luna. It had been years since Cowrie had seen her but her human form, a woman in a sleek blue gown, shawl, and snow-white pearls, couldn't hide those kind eyes. Cowrie would never forget those eyes.

Luna had seen her mother very briefly during her study with Madam Lorelei but it was merely a few minutes if that and they weren't actually able to get close to one another. It was more or less, a confirmation that her stepfather wasn't lying. A lump formed in her throat as she readily approached Junonia, arms open, "Mother!"

Junonia held Luna to her like it was her dying wish, "My dear, my sweet Luna!" she sobbed, "Oh how I've missed you girls! But look at you!" Junonia wept as she held Luna's face, "You've grown into such a fine woman!"

Cowrie stared wide-eyed, still as fawn as she watched her mother actually exist right in front of her. She completely forgot about everyone else in the room outside of her, her sister, and her mother. Junonia looked at her youngest with a heart so full it ached, "Cowrie, my jewel..." She slowly walked towards her, afraid that perhaps she had been forgotten, "I'm so sorry for being away for so long, my darling."

At first, Cowrie seemed to tense as if getting ready to flee. Her mother smiled sadly, waves of guilt sinking into her, "I...I wouldn't blame you if you felt angry with me, Cowrie. I never wanted to leave you, Luna, and Indigo behind-"

She couldn't finish. She nearly collapsed on her knees with relief as Cowrie threw her arms around her mother without any word except a very soft, "M-Mama."

From the doorway, Indigo sighed quietly with a faint grin. After a long moment of Junonia hugging her two daughters for the first time in years, Junonia finally noticed the other visitors with a hint of embarrassment. Luna quickly dried her eyes and introduced the twins, "Mother, this is Jade and Floyd Leech. They rescued and took care of Cowrie and me. And Floyd," Luna gave him a look that dripped with so much love it made him blush, "Floyd is my mate."

Floyd shuffled across the room and greeted Junonia with boyish enthusiasm, "Hello Mama Cerith!"

Cowrie perked up as Jade followed his brother with his usual poised gait, "And Jay-er-Jade is mine! Or he...will be in the future."

"It is an honor to finally meet you, Mrs. Cerith," Jade gave her a half bow along with a pleased grin.

Junonia suddenly made the connection of the necklaces her daughters wore and smiled at the two boys, "It's wonderful to meet you both. I'm happy to see that the Leechs are far more amiable than we were led to believe," she looked past the boys and gave Roscoe Leech a grateful smile, knowing that he could have just as easily turned her daughters away, or worse.

From outside the room, Azul and Elise heard something stir from the connected room but the door leading right into the reunion swung open faster than they could blink.

"Well, well...it would seem your brother hasn't been completely honest with us, doesn't it boys?"

The cold voice made the sisters hiss as their pupils shrunk into near-feral slits. Junonia protectively shielded her daughters from the sudden trespasser. His unscuffed heels slowly clicked on the polished floor as he carefully entered, flanked by Proteus and his remaining sons: Don Muraeni stared at his wife and daughters with a calculating eye. Jade and Floyd stood to block Junonia and the girls from him but the Don barely noticed.

He drawled as he locked eyes with Indigo across the room, "Not that it matters much in the long run. Cowrie..." he turned his steeled gaze to the young eelmaid, "Nothing to say to your father? Especially after worrying me for so long?"

Cowrie spat on his too-perfect shoes and snarled, "You used to starve me so I'd sneak into smaller spaces easier! You'd lock me away from Luna and let my brothers harass me if I didn't get you what you wanted! You let Proteus sick his sharks on me! Why should I give two shits about 'worrying' you?!"

Jade felt his blood boil hearing these terrible things but he kept his eyes forward just as his father ordered him to. Floyd had no problem bearing his teeth at the old Don, ready to pounce now that the enemy had a face. Muraeni spared the twins a glance, looking them over as one does a thoroughbred, "Your sons, Roscoe?"

Don Leech didn't move from his spot by the door, "Jade, my heir, and Floyd. I wouldn't get too close. You saw what they did to those sharks of yours."

His rival smirked at the memory, "Ah yes. I do appreciate the killer instinct. I'm sure they'll produce an even finer brood to connect our two houses. I must admit that I never expected this whole affair to become such a blessing. Although if there's anything I have learned...Proteus, our security could use some work."

"Indeed, sir. I'll see to it that our dear Don Cerith has the very best on staff," Proteus sneered at Indigo from where he stood, "Can't be too careful these days..."

"Good," Muraeni said curtly, "Now then. As touching as this reunion is, that's all the time we have."

Indigo snarled and marched over to his father, "This isn't what we agreed upon-"

"Is it not, my boy?" Muraeni's icy eyes pierced straight into Indigo, "I promised a meeting between my wife and our daughters and it happened. We have greater things to discuss here and I do not like keeping my precious assets on display like some charity auction. Proteus."

The ray removed a glass bottle from inside his jacket and unsealed it. As soon as the seal was broken Junonia doubled over and shrieked as she was shrunken back into a shriveled polyp and sucked into her glass prison. Proteus resealed the bottle with a satisfied grin as Luna cried out, "Haven't you ruined her life enough?!"

Her step-father tutted as he cruelly cooed to her, "Luna, my dear...I gave you and your mother purpose. Just as I gave Cowrie, Indigo, and all of my children purpose. As a unique siren, like your mother, do you understand just how precious, how rare you are?" Muraeni leaned in to look Luna directly in the eyes, ignoring the two boys trying to shield her, "I could have left her and you with that lowly Cerith fellow. You knew him as a father, a loving husband perhaps, but the reality was this: he was a desperate bottom feeder that took more than he could return. He was ruined. Nothing could have changed that. Had I not taken you into my home, you would've wasted away. But look at you now, dear girl, you are free. All thanks to your dear brother..."

The Don pulled away and clapped a firm hand on Indigo's shoulder as he began to circle him, "Junonia is my wife, my mate. She belongs to me, as is the law of the land in the Coral Sea no matter where you go... but you and your sister, well, your freedom was bought fair and square in the end," Indigo's face fell as his father chuckled, "But of course, he never told you, did he? So many secrets. I taught him well..."

The young leader shrugged his father's hand away from him, "You're just profiting off of blackmail!"

Muraeni didn't even bat an eye at the accusation, "Profit is profit. The method is trivial. This is the foundation of business and survival, my boy. Don't worry, you'll learn very quickly. Wouldn't you agree, Roscoe?"

The surly Don Leech narrowed his eyes at his rival, "Agree to disagree, Muraeni..."

The sly eel turned back to his daughters, almost mocking Luna's pained expression and Cowrie's confusion, "Indigo made a deal. He will be my heir, taking his place as the head of the Muraeni household. In exchange, you girls will be free to live your lives as you see fit. And of course, Junonia will have more freedom as I see fit. I can't say that I was originally thrilled with his choice in a mate, however, I am impressed with the tenacity of the Leech family tree. I am confident that Indigo's sons, and their sons, and theirs after will ensure that my legacy will thrive. As the esteemed Don Leech witnessed himself, a deal was struck and honored of the boy's own free will..."

'Free' was a joke. Everyone in that room knew it. The former Don could spin it any which way to make it all legit and bind Indigo to his decision. Muraeni grinned, satisfied at the stunned silence surrounding him, "You girls will someday understand just how lucky you, your brother, and dear Junonia are. To have a purpose, to be protected, and valued for what you are, what you have become, instead of being traded or thrown away for something better..."

"Then let's make another deal."

The room's tense air was sliced through as everyone turned to Elise. She stood tall, sure, and laser-focused on the Don as she entered the room with Azul at her side.

"Make another deal with me. Release Junonia permanently and I'll use my magic for your clan's benefit only."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya @marcepanna

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 17

Off topic note: anyone who wants/NEEDS to gush about TWST Chapter 7 happenings, feel free to flood my Inbox lol I be taking notes for my Diasomnia story (spoilers be DAMNED!!)

Chapter 17: Ready to Stand

The Sacred Crown bell echoed across the campus, igniting a school-wide mad dash to the main corridors. It was a smaller elite school but unlike their brother school or Night Raven, the girls of Sacred Crown had monthly exams instead of just midterms or final exams. At the end of each month, regular classes had a three-day testing period for every class: first, second, and third years alike. This month was no different in spite of the first festival of the year being just around the corner. Tests were finished, and the campus itself had been cleaned, pruned, and polished to perfection. Now, the results of all their hard work were being posted.

However, all of the fuss sounded like a dull hum to Cowrie as she stood facing the posting board, blank eyes forward. She heard the whispers, the gossip-mongering as it floated around her but none of that seemed to matter anymore. It hadn't for weeks. While the other girls were busy keeping tabs on each other or worrying about their grades, the new Cerulamare Dorm Leader was just trying to keep her head above water in silence. There was just too much going on outside that her trivial school life barely amounted to much anymore. It honestly felt like some weird stage production she was constantly stuck playing in while the real world kept moving on outside the small island.

Once the faculty finished posting the results, everyone around her reacted as her pale eyes remained fixed and unmoved. Her name had gone from Number 3 down to Number 11. A drop this drastic caused a few onlookers to start the latest gossip chain: "The Cerulamare Prefect is losing her edge."

A few of her students that supported her gave Cowrie words of encouragement but they were only met with indifference as the eel returned to her dorm room. Alone. What was interpreted as disappointment, maybe even depression, was a front. Once Cowrie was in her room, bookbag tossed aside, her eyes steeled into a determined gaze. All over her desk were handwritten letters. Each and every one was from Jade. To the untrained eye, it seemed like a bounty of affectionate, sweet nothings from her beau. Between the two young lovers, however, they knew how to exchange information in plain sight.

"I miss you terribly, my Cowrie. I cannot wait to see you again and tell you all about the new alchemy project we've been working on. It's almost finished and ready to put into practice..."

The 'alchemy project' being Elise's transformation back into a mermaid.

"Mother says hello, by the way, and apologizes that the care package will be delayed a bit longer due to storm systems over the Coral Sea..."

Luna, "the care package", is unable to contact her just now. And so on and so forth. Texting each other would be more convenient but letters were harder to track. Thanks to Luna's studies, the group now had a far more efficient method of delivery. The downside was that Cowrie herself wasn't as privy to everything going on because she was stuck on the outskirts of the situation. She understood the logistics but it still irritated her ferociously. Cowrie grabbed the scroll she had written that morning and put it inside the bottle Jade's most recent letter had arrived in. Seconds later, the paper disappeared in a flash. It reappeared in an identical bottle that sat on Jade's shelf next to his terrariums. Azul and Floyd had been given bottles of their own to keep them in contact with Luna whenever she had something to report. Or whenever she missed her love too much. Cowrie sighed and flopped on her bed just before burrowing under her blankets. She was exhausted, anxious, and frustrated all at the same time. Patience was never one of her strong suits. She was about to drift off when a thunderous knock on her door shocked her out of her bed and onto the floor.

"Cowrie??" It was her Vice Prefect. Cowrie groaned and marched over to the now squeaky door, staring up at the much taller girl on the other side.

"What, Ombra??"

Ombra was a very soft-spoken, near seven-foot-tall orca mermaid. The girl was sweet as can be but literally heavy-handed given her large stature. The repair bill for the dorm itself was setting a record. She fiddled with one of her black and white curls of hair before muttering, "O-Oh I'm sorry to bother you, Cowrie, but the Headmistress wants to see you in her office regarding Family Day coming up?"

Family Day was the opening day of the festival. As a prefect, Cowrie was aware of the schedule but had no idea what that day had to do with her specifically. The small eel just scoffed at the interruption and staggered out of the dorm without another word to anyone.

The Headmistress' office was unnervingly organized, pastel, and smelled like a grandmother's powder room. It always made Cowrie feel itchy. She sat in the very ornate and stiff seat before the Headmistress' large desk, doing her best to listen as paperwork kept being piled in front of her.

"-you'll have off campus visitation rights for two days but for the remainder of the festival, your presence on campus as a Prefect is mandatory."

Cowrie blinked her sleepy eyes, "...What?"

The retired Fairy Godmother sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Pay attention, Miss Cerith! Your guardians have confirmed their attendance for Family Day but have also asked that you be able to visit them while they stay in the city off campus. Given your family's uh...condition, I know they probably don't get to come to the surface very often so I have the approval forms right here-"

Cowrie's brain burst into a wildfire. Her WHAT now?! She grabbed the forms from the desk and quickly read over them. She found herself with even more questions as she saw her 'guardians' names and signatures: Indigo and Ivy Cerith.

"Who is Ivy and when the hell did he get married?!" she shrieked just before getting bopped on the head with the Headmistress' wand.

"Miss Cerith! Language!"

Another letter appeared inside Azul's bottle as he was listening to the recorded message Elise had sent him two weeks ago. Was this the third or fourth time he sat and listened to it? Azul wasn't sure anymore. The words had passed from Elise and this Spindle fellow to him and he passed them via ink and paper to Luna for confirmation. He knew Elise wasn't stupid but he'd be damned if he didn't fact-check every last syllable uttered by a stranger, renounced by the enemy or not. He continued to listen and reached for the letter stamped with a crescent moon inside the bottle. Luna didn't disappoint. Not only was Spindle telling the truth, but he had an insider perspective.

Azul's vault opened with a heavy thunk to what used to be his contract collection. Now it was more or less a store room for important ingredients or hidden 'treasures'. Spindle's voice played over the phone as Azul opened the wooden box his grandmother had given Elise. In place of the dagger was the vial given to him by Reine, now full.

"I started to show signs of magic when I was about ten years old...my unique magic manifested very quickly, though it was hard to control at first..."

Azul smiled at the completed serum in the vial before sliding the chain holding it around his neck. It took several tries but he was confident this was the perfect combination to return his darling to him once and for all. Spindle's distant voice continued as Azul locked the vault.

"Proteus was the first to witness it soon after he started working for my father. He told me it was better to keep it a secret since my father didn't care too much for magic...I was young so I didn't know any better at the time. Soon after that, Proteus went to Lorelei Ashengrotto for help since he didn't have any magic of his own and he wanted mine, but she turned him away. I didn't know about any of this until it was too late."

Luna had confirmed this was true, straight from her mentor's mouth. Madam Lorelei was always open to helping those who sought her out but helping someone take the magic away from another, much less a child? Ridiculous. Azul scoffed at the notion. His grandmother had too much pride in her abilities, natural and learned, to do such a thing. The irony of his disdain wasn't lost on him given his past endeavors. But there was a vast difference in common thievery and striking a deal with full disclosure! So it was no surprise that Proteus made the desperate move that he did...

"There are others not as well known or revered in our neighborhood. Proteus turned to one of them. I'm not sure which one. They don't leave any tracks behind. But they gave him a spell that would take magic and give it to him. He could only use it once though. He used it against me while I was asleep but something happened, something went wrong...I started to wake up and I tried to resist but failed. That's how my throat was injured and I lost my voice. No one else knew about my magic and Proteus mastered it quickly enough to help my father prosper by trapping his enemies or their families. So even if I could speak, who would believe me?"

"Despicable..." Azul muttered before turning off the message. He had heard enough. Now he understood his grandmother's warning on a visceral level. The Octavinelle prefect snapped his fingers and lowered the magic barrier that had soundproofed his office. Even though he was nowhere near his home, Azul couldn't be too careful. Everything needed to go according to plan that everyone involved had put so much effort into building over the past weeks. Just as he was about to leave, another letter appeared in the bottle. This time, it was his grandmother's handwriting.

"Everything is set for your homecoming party. Your mother is asking about the present sent for our guest."

"Well, well. That is excellent news," Azul smugly grinned as he held the serum in his hand and planted a kiss on the glass vial before tucking it into his shirt. He quickly scribbled a reply before sending it right back, once again relishing in Luna's clever little invention. Portal magic was no walk in the park for most mages and yet she had outdone herself using the same magic to connect one vessel to another.

The sun was going down as Spindle waited for Elise by the Castilene family's dock. Normally he preferred to be in the water but...well his mistress insisted he get used to being on two legs. It just "made things less complicated" in the long run. He stared down at the clothes on his now human form and those strange things on his feet. What were they called again? Shoes?? The flower princess had others help him get dressed and explain how to do it himself but it was still hard to get a firm handle on. He at least got the hang of making his own dry land potions after Elise's thorough instruction. Spindle straightened up the best he could as he saw Reine approach with bodyguards and his mistress at her side. Elise beamed with pride at him as she walked up to him, "He makes a very dashing human, doesn't he?"

He felt his face grow warm as Reine smiled and agreed, "He's a fast learner too. You've done very well in such a short amount of time, Spindle."

He tried to bow but nearly fell over, making his face burn with more embarrassment, "Th-Thank you, Your Rose Highness."

Elise hooked her arm with his to help him board Reine's ship, "Don't worry. You'll get used to this form in no time," Elise lowered her voice as they reached the deck, "There is something very important I need you to hold onto for me, Spindle. You'll know when the time is right for it. Until then keep it hidden, alright?"

Once the two of them were settled on the ship's deck, Elise handed the eel something wrapped in fabric. He tucked it inside his jacket without question.

His mistress rewarded him with a soft peck on his forehead, "Good. Now relax. It'll be a short trip back to Sacred Crown. Just stick with me, ok?"

Reine couldn't help but giggle at the two of them. Had she not known any better, she could have sworn Elise's new companion was a puppy beastman, not an eel.

The Sacred Crown Prefects stood in a perfectly straight greeting line at the front gates as they opened a few days later. It was tradition to greet each group of visitors starting with students from their brother school, then other schools, Night Raven, and the returning Fourth Year students usually brought up the rear, and then specifically for this event, visiting family members and alumni. Alumni from Sacred Crown, Royal Sword, and Night Raven had all received invitations meaning that there were a lot of people to go through...which only made Cowrie's eye twitch even more.

"Hey...are you good, Cowrie?" Petra whispered to the visibly irritated mermaid on her left. The Cerulamare prefect didn't bother hiding her impatience even as the Headmistress gave her usual speech to the crowds as they entered.

"Sure," she answered very bluntly as she tapped her foot and gave a half-baked greeting to any random person that walked by her. Her eyes scanned for any one of a few familiar faces and only felt more irritated when she didn't see them right away. Cowrie's mood lightened once she started seeing more NRC uniforms enter through the gates. Even some friendly faces from Octavinelle stopped to chat with her which eased her a bit. They weren't the ones she was looking for but the Octavinelle boys had always treated her, Luna, and Elise very well. Probably a certain trio's influence, no doubt. However, there was always at least one in every dorm to ruin a good thing...

One such boy was getting a bit too friendly for a certain eel's taste. He was a third year in the same class as "Dorm Leader Azul", something he was proud of clearly, and a merman as well. A merman that took note of the very unique shark tooth necklace around Cowrie's neck.

"Hey, that's a nice piece, Cowrie-chan," he began to lean in to get a closer look, making the female eel's eye start to twitch again, "Where did you get it?"

"My mate," she said pointedly while scanning the crowd for the man himself. The third-year boy laughed at the word.

"Your mate? You only have the one or are you just testing the waters?"

His comment snapped Cowrie's attention right back to him, "The hell does that mean?"

The smirk on his face made her skin start to crawl, "Well I mean you and your sister. You're sirens, right? It's to be expected given your nature. I figured your knock-out sister got around, but you? You don't seem like that type of girl but maybe you just hide it better..."

Petra overheard the boy's suggestive commentary and grabbed his arm, "Hey! You're holding up the line, dude. Move along."

Cowrie fumed, ready to take a chunk out of this rude boy herself! She suddenly squeaked as a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her back into a firm chest.

"Yes, please do..." the familiar voice's possessive tone caused Cowrie's face to flush. All the color that burned her face suddenly drained from the NRC boy's terrified expression.

The Octavinelle third year jumped back, startled, "V-Vice Prefect Leech!"

Jade Leech gently held his mate to him as he rested his chin on top of her head. His smile didn't reach his eyes as they pierced into his rude dormmate, "You're being terribly crass to my devoted pearl. Listen to the lady and move along before I decide to be less...forgiving."

The boy darted off without another word. Cowrie looked up at her mate as he turned a much softer, sweeter even, gaze down to her as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. He didn't dare let her go. She wasn't sure which gesture frazzled her more, "Jay Jay??"

Jade looked at her as if there wasn't a whole group of her peers surrounding them in that now more intimate moment. The normally more reserved twin's voice was heavy with affection, "Ahh, my Cowrie...I've missed you."

The greeting line was completely derailed as Jade leaned down and kissed Cowrie without any hint of shyness. Cowrie's heart skipped, if not straight up hopscotched a beat or two as the other prefects around her stared and cooed enthusiastically at the sight. Clearly Jade had lost his mind but Cowrie was in no condition to question it. It wasn't until he released her that she ripened into a perfect tomato red.

"J-J-JAY JAY!" Jade chuckled as she whined and swatted his arm. The fact that a few of the girls had their phones out made things even worse, "Y-You decide to be all lovey-dovey in public NOW?!"

His smile only broadened, "Oooh? You don't like it, my little tadpole?" Oh, he knew exactly what he was doing alright. Well besides teasing his adorable future wife, the wide birth boys from his dorm and others suddenly gave him and Cowrie did not go unnoticed by either one of them.

Cowrie huffed and stomped her foot, "I never said that. Just...if you wanted to claim territory, at least give me a heads-up first! ...And...I uh.." Her expression was sour but her face was shimmering at this point, "...I missed you too, Jade."

Only he could hear her pouty, mumbled confession but hearing his full name on her lips did wonders for his already fantastic mood, "Oya...so cute," he grinned making Petra and Manari snicker on either side of the couple.

"My, my, I've never seen Jade behave so sweetly before. How precious."

Cowrie turned to Jade's pleased companions that were now approaching the couple. Azul was practically glowing in his freshly cleaned and pressed uniform, walking tall and ready for anything. He seemed to be wearing extra cologne as well. Floyd was just the same as always as he flopped on the other side of Cowrie, making it a sloppy group hug.

"Cowriiiiie-chaaaaaaaan! You're even cuter in your uniform! So little and girly. Heh did you make the skirt shorter though? Just for Jade, right?" he giggled smugly. Cowrie's face glowed pink. Yes, it was true that she did roll the edge of her skirt higher than what was dress code regulated but HE wasn't supposed to be the one to notice it!!

The younger Cerith sister was reaching her limit at breakneck speed, "Shut up, Floyd! You guys go to the courtyard and wait there until I'm done! It's straight that way. Geez!"

Jade planted another kiss on Cowrie's cheek, earning more excited coos from the other girls, before helping Azul drag his frustrated twin further into the campus like a big fussy toddler.

"Good luck with all that ruckus, Cowrie," Petra snickered beside her, "And congratulations, Mrs. Leech~"

Cowrie had a snide comeback at the ready but it died in her throat as the next group of visitors entered the gates. Her baby blue eyes widened with a wild mix of emotions all at once as two figures stopped in the middle of the path to face her.

"Sorry, we took so long, sister."

Luna hadn't aged whatsoever. She just looked more elegant now than ever before: she was fashioned, curated specifically to not only make a statement but represent her brilliant mentor as a proper apprentice. She was dressed in a fitted black turtle-necked dress with a luscious purple fur shawl around her shoulders. Pinned in her sleek black up-do was Madam Lorelei's signature spiral shell on a gold hair comb. Around her neck, Luna proudly wore the necklace Floyd made for her as if it was the world's finest jewel. On Luna's arm was their brother, Indigo Cerith, dressed to the nines in a classic black suit and tie and standing on human legs as if he did this in his sleep. He looked amazing and yet stranger cleaned up so nicely. Any complaint or retort fell by the wayside as Cowrie's eyes clouded over with salt water the minute she rushed forward and threw her arms around her siblings.

"You're both here, that's all that matters," she mumbled into Indigo's chest.

Indigo wrapped an arm around his baby sister and pulled her close with a soft grin, "There's someone else you need to see."

Cowrie froze for a second before pushing away from him with a huff, "Is it this Ivy person? Who the hell is she, huh?!"

Luna chuckled as Indigo awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, "You'll meet her soon enough. But no, not her. Someone else...someone very important."

Azul's eyes stayed trained on the movement of the crowd passing them by as the trio waited in the large courtyard. His confidence was still high enough to cover up any nervous energy trying to surface but he frowned when she was nowhere to be seen.

"Is that a pout I see?" Jade teased him. The eel was still in a very good and smug mood with no intention of hiding it from anyone. Floyd's playfulness had quickly morphed into impatience as both he and Azul were waiting for their own reunions. He growled at the general atmosphere and huffed, "We're here, where are they??"

Azul checked his watch, trying and failing to hide his own antsy feelings, "Calm yourself, Floyd. We've only been here ten minutes."

Floyd turned on Azul about to launch straight into a sour-fueled mood when his eyes filled with stardust, lazer focused up the path where they had come from. Jade and Azul both knew who he was looking at before they even turned around, still, they found themselves even a bit flustered by the siren's glow up. Luna broke away from her brother as she locked eyes with her beloved with a smile that rivaled the sun.

"Floyd, honey! There you are!" Her sweet tone radiated warmth. Before Floyd could say a word, Luna was right there with her arms around his neck and her rich red lips planted on his. The eel melted in her arms with a soft moan. Jade half expected his brother to collapse or explode on the spot. Perhaps both.

Azul silently commended his grandmother on the stylistic choices she made for Luna but also on how Luna's magical aura had clearly flourished under her tutelage. Normal humans struggled to notice these things but mermaids and beastmen could easily register them with their keener senses. To Azul, Luna's growing power surrounded her like a high-quality perfume: alluring, unique, and even a bit disarming. The siren in question gravitated toward the octopus with a kind smile. Floyd was too blissed out to be upset about her temporary departure.

"Luna, you are absolutely thriving," Azul greeted her with a proud grin, "I can see how well Grandmother is treating you."

"Azul-kun," she gave him a grateful kiss on his cheek, "How can I ever repay your wonderful generosity? Actually...don't answer that. I already know one way. Come with me."

The sparkle in her golden eyes as she took him by the hand made Azul weirdly excited and anxious all at the same time. Luna cooed to her love that she'd return shortly but he was already bothering 'big brother' Indigo alongside Jade.

"Ooh Big Brother, you're taller than I thought you'd be!" Floyd chuckled.

Indigo's stoic expression didn't budge nor did his crossed arms as he rolled his eyes at the twin's bluntness. He was by no means short in his human form. He had to be at least six foot five, but the even taller twins still leaned down to talk to him just to be cheeky. Cowrie felt like she was standing in the middle of a forest of black uniforms and tailored suits, almost straining her neck just to look up at the guys surrounding her.

Luna and Azul walked along the stone path away from the large courtyard towards a more solitary park area with a lake.

"This was always one of her favorite hideaways when we were still on campus. Don't be too upset with her for keeping you waiting, Azul-kun. She was intercepted, unfortunately..." Luna's voice lowered as the two of them reached the shoreline. The siren placed a finger to her lips before pointing across the lake to the bridge. Azul nearly choked on his own breath at the sight of her, his beloved Elise.

She was standing on the bridge talking to someone but even with her back turned to him, she was a vision. Her long, curled dark hair tumbled down her back with white lilies braided in behind her ear. The dress she wore was a modern Rose Queendom style but instead of the usual red or white, it was lavender with a black waterfall waistcoat, giving it a customed look. White rose emblems had been pinned into her lapels, proving that she had been taken under the royal family's wing. Azul felt a swell of pride and awe that wasn't even daunted when he realized who Elise was talking to. The shock of red hair on the intruder did make him frown, however. Luna gently tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the water with a mischievous smirk.

"I was never here," she sing-song whispered before walking back to the courtyard. Azul didn't hesitate. He quietly slipped into the water and shifted into his true form, making his way stealthfully as possible towards the bridge as he sank beneath the water's surface. Azul felt a tremendous shiver of energy electrify him to the core before he even peeked out of the water. He knew it well, it had the same base feeling, scent even, as before but now it had grown tenfold. He knew it had to be Elise's magic. The octopus quietly settled just below where Elise and Rielle stood.

"I'm sorry for how I behaved before, Rielle...I wasn't thinking clearly."

She sounded like she truly regrated whatever had happened between them. What had happened while she was away? Azul had to fight to not let his paranoid imagination get the best of him as he quietly listened from the shadows. He made the mistake of moving ever so slightly over so he could see the two of them better...just in time to see Rielle touch Elise's hand in a way that was way too friendly for Azul's tastes. The octopus' tentacles twitched angrily under the lake's surface as Azul clenched his teeth.

"You were upset, Elise. I understand. But I meant what I said before. I am sorry for everything that has happened to you. I've been regretting it for weeks..." Ugh, damn those doe eyes and that innocent prince charming act! Azul was seconds away from spitting a bullet of ink right in his ear until Elise moved away from the prince, turning away from the side Azul was on, thankfully. She didn't seem nearly as eager to be close to him as before, much to Azul's delight.

"I haven't. I don't regret any of it, honestly. Well except for giving you my first kiss, that is," she said plainly. The octopus' internal fit was outrageous: happy that Elise didn't regret anything that led her to him-er-where she was, but also infuriated that Rielle was her first kiss and not him. He at least took solace in the fact that he had and would continue to be given all her other kisses.

Rielle, clueless to the death glares he was receiving below, blinked his wide eyes towards the much more distant girl and her response, "Really? You weren't terrified of those shady con artists? ...They didn't try anything did they?"

Elise just laughed before giving the dumbfound prince a dry look, "You assume too much, you know. Azul, Jade, and Floyd were perfect gentlemen to me the entire time. They cared for and protected me! But I suppose that's too difficult to believe because someone decided to rush headlong into a wild deal without reading the fine print, huh?" Azul internally preened as Elise effortlessly knocked Rielle down a peg or two.

"I learned from my mistake," the prince quipped, "It makes sense that they treated you with some sort of kindness, Azul was probably trying to cover his slippery tracks-"

Rielle stopped short under the white-hot glare Elise turned on him, "Azul outwitted you. Yes, it was a bit underhanded and I got roped into it, but that was because of YOU. I made my amends with him and I've seen his truest colors. Don't act like you have any room to point fingers when you're just licking your wounds, Rielle! Azul has shown me more care, honesty, and compassion in one season than you ever had in years so don't you dare speak badly about him!"

At this point, Rielle had been backed into the bridge's railing by the angry girl. Had he not been so busy swooning over Elise's passionate defense of him, Azul would be silently praying for her to shove the prince right over the edge.

"You...you fell for him, didn't you?" Rielle's voice was soft and careful, "For Azul Ashengrotto, really?"

Elise's grin was unapologetic, "Yes. I absolutely did. It feels nice to not only find someone better who reciprocates, but who also appreciates me without question. Whether or not you see it, it is the truth. I hope you'll be lucky enough to find the same for yourself, Rielle."

HA! Azul was buzzing! He had to submerge just to get a hold of how unabashedly elated he was. He couldn't wait to get that marvelous woman back into his arms as quickly as possible. The prince was thrown by the girl's brutal honesty, however, in her declaration, there wasn't a hint of unkindness towards him personally. Had someone insulted Emily to his face, would he have behaved any differently? Remembering her, though, made his heart ache. He had never felt so foolish, but...perhaps it was for the best.

"I wish you both the very best then, Elise," his smile was a melancholy mixture of sadness and acceptance, "I too hope that I am lucky enough in the future."

The former princess offered him a genuine smile, "Goodbye, Rielle."

As Elise left the bridge, one of her lilies fell loose and drifted down to the water below. An eager tentacle caught and gently held onto it as Azul jetted back to the shore faster than he ever had in his life. Elise was almost to the entrance of the park when she was suddenly spun around to face her delighted now-human-again sweetheart.

"My love, you are even more exquisite than I remember," Azul's charm was on full blast as was his admiration for the woman now in his embrace. He smoothly put the magically dried lily back into her hair as he pressed his lips to hers. Elise's surprise only lasted a second before she batted her eyes coyly at him.

"Oh? Did you like what you heard, Azul?" ...of course, she had known he was nearby. Clever little minx.

"...I suppose that was a breach of your privacy but hopefully a heart as deliciously sweet as yours will forgive me, dearest?" Azul lifted her hands to his lips as if they were glasses of wine without a hint of shame.

Elise giggled and shook her head, "Oh I suppose it could..." she paused to drape her arms around his shoulders and take back that stolen kiss, "...Handsome."

The pet name made Azul's face burn through the entire blush spectrum as his debonair aura vanished in seconds. Another giggle and a kiss, "Hmm, yes I like that name. It suits you, handsome."

"You...are even more dangerous than I thought," he mumbled shyly before clearing his throat, "More importantly, now that I have you all to myself..."

He removed the vial from around his neck and showed it to Elise, making her eyes go wide.

"I believe this is it, love. Forgive my impatience but we've both waited long enough.

Elise clasped it in her hand, feeling her entire body bristle with anticipation, "Let's test it right now then-"

A hush drew them both to a harsh pause. It began as an almost untraceable hum and rose to a full-bodied sound. Azul and Elise turned towards the far side of the lake as they just heard it blossom into a song.

"What is that...?" Azul's voice was barely a whisper.

Elise moved in a haze without a word but clasped Azul's hand in her own after putting the vial's chain around her neck. She pulled him along with her as she followed the shore to the other side. There were more trees and underbrush growing thicker as they followed the song. It sounded too familiar. Elise's mind questioned whether it was real or if she and Azul had somehow crossed over into the same dream. It was a woman's voice that led them to the furthest corner of the lake, one nearly hidden by willow trees that had always reminded Elise of home.

There was all at once the singer, bathing in the water with her long, familiar black hair and monochrome patterned skin. Elise's mind played a trick on her at first.

"Luna? Why are you-" No, that wasn't right...

The woman's song stopped as she turned to face the young couple, her long stripped tail pulled against the chain that kept her from swimming away. Her golden eyes widened at the sight of the former princess as if she were a ghost. Elise's mind froze: Luna really did look so much like her mother.

"Junonia...?" Elise couldn't believe it but there she was. Who else could she possibly be?!

The mature siren's face seemed to recall something familiar about Elise and the look of recognition pricked something in the back of the human girl's mind. Her lips broke into the smile of a proud mother.

"You have grown so much, Princess," Junonia's voice was full of kindness. Elise felt a stir in her heart just from the sound of it.

"You know who I am?" Azul looked just as puzzled as she was.

The siren chuckled lightly, "Of course, how could I forget the brave young princess that rescued my Cowrie? I am so grateful and happy that the girl I rescued from drowning in that storm turned out to be such a wonderful human."

Elise felt the ground nearly crumble under her feet as she remembered the sound of the sea's furious waves and the thunder from all those years ago. The song...Junonia's song...she had heard it before. Many, many years ago at first. The second time that night on the balcony. And now...she barely recognized the sound of her own voice as it left her tight throat.

"What...what did you say?"

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic: "Her Lost Voice" Chapter 15

Hello, hello~

For those who might've missed my previous post, heads up - read this one shot before you read this chapter simply because it'll explain a few things lol.

Chapter 15: I Want More

It was darker, colder than usual that night. Ivy watched her husband and uncle depart from the front gates of the Leech house with some muscle in tow. It had been a week since she had become Mrs. Cerith and she trusted Indigo just as much as she loved him. That didn't stop the cold fear creeping into her veins, however. The two eel men swam away in silence, eyes forward, not a hint of hesitance in either of their gazes. Madam Leech had joined her but now turned to go back inside when she saw Ivy remained frozen.

"Ivy, darling. Don't stay out too long," her smile was full of empathy. She remembered the days when she first became a young wife to her husband and mistress to his dangerous household. Like her niece, she didn't have any preparation for becoming a mafia wife. Even so, Narissa Leech had no regrets.

"Alright, auntie..." Ivy's voice was distant as her eyes stayed forward until her love was out of sight.

On the other side of the reef, Don Muraeni was waiting with Proteus and his sharks close by. The meeting spot was on neutral territory outside of town which both houses agreed upon. Don Leech smirked as he recognized the dilapidated underwater gorge. It was quiet and empty now but in his youth, he and his boys often spent their days either racing or scrapping with rivals all over this place.

"Interesting that your father would pick this dump for a meet-up," Don Leech scoffed as they swam past what used to be a magnificent ship before it sank.

Indigo's expression hardened like a fresh-cut diamond, "It's a perfect place to conduct business you don't want anyone else to know about. Or dispose of someone you don't want to be found."

His new boss just snorted as if Indigo was being cute, "That's very true, though if he wanted to do that, he should have lured in far more stupid prey."

"Oh I wouldn't be too concerned about that, Roscoe..." called a sinisterly cool voice.

Don Leech snarled at the tone of his rival. From the shadows of another shipwreck, two shark mermen slowly swam into the open and flanked a dark opening where their bosses' drawl had come from.

"Come inside, won't you? We have a lot to discuss."

Don Leech looked over his shoulder to his boys, silently telling them to stay outside but still close by just before he and Indigo entered the hull. Proteus was at Don Muraeni's side per usual, his smug grin in its place. The rival Don had made himself comfortable in a broken-down captain's chair as if this were his own home. "Roscoe Leech. Welcome." he called his generational adversary so informally, with a stone-cold look, "You've grown into quite the leader, haven't you? Almost as rough around the edges as your father was in his day."

Don Leech wasn't phased, "The Leech's have never suffered any Muraeni bullshit if they could help it so get on with whatever it is you have to say, old man." It was true that Don Muraeni had already been in power before Roscoe Leech took his father's place. So this wasn't just his enemy but his father's as well.

"And yet, you took my girls so willingly?" Muraeni's eyes were cold and sharp, his tone even as he stared Don Leech down, "and my son as well. How hypocritical."

Electric magic began to crackle between Don Leech's fingers as he clinched his fist, "Took them? That's rich. Luna and Cowrie practically broke into my house trying to get away from you and who could blame them? I can only imagine the hell a 'businessman' like you put them through! As for Indigo, he makes his own decisions now...isn't that why you called us here, Muraeni?"

Indigo was staring directly into his father's matching ice-blue eyes as Don Leech spoke. Any semblance of the obedient, stoic son was gone. Don Muraeni wasn't worried, however, instead, he waved a lazy hand to Proteus who swam above deck to fetch something, "Straight to the meat it is then. Surely, Proteus made my intentions clear so it's only fair that I prove my word is good as gold."

Proteus returned with a strange bottle in his hands. Once he placed it on the ground between the four of them did Indigo's brow furrow. Inside was a small, slug-like being that confused him...until he saw the necklace tied around the bottle's neck: an aged crescent moon pendant that still had a soft sheen to it. He knew it well. He never saw her without it on for as long as he could remember. His heart plummeted just as quickly as his temper shot up like a geyser.

"If you have anything to say to me, you'll release her to let me speak to her FIRST," Indigo snarled.

His father slowly smirked before motioning to Proteus to do exactly that. In an instant, the ray merman snapped his fingers and the bottle seemed to burst open with a bright whirlpool of magic. Moments later, the small creature grew and reformed before their eyes into Junonia Cerith herself. The siren lay weakened on the creaking wood planks barely any different from how Indigo remembered her. Luna was the spitting image of her even now. Her warm honey-colored eyes searched the room in a panic before landing on her tortuous husband. Don Muraeni gave her a smile that made her taste poison in the back of her throat, "Ah, my darling wife, Junonia."

"I'm not your darling anything!" her voice was harsh from years of being silent but she spat at him with pure hatred at the ready. He merely tutted and gestured to the two men across from her, "Now, now is that any way to behave when our son has finally returned home?"

He had waited for this for so many years, beyond hoping that somehow he'd see his mother again. But Indigo's heart nearly broke when their eyes met. Junonia's gaze widened with a mixture of joy and terror, "Indigo. My sweet boy."

"Mother..." his voice could barely be heard by anyone but her, "I'm here."

She was real: her tender voice, her warm eyes, everything was as if she had never disappeared. Indigo wanted so badly to embrace her, apologize to her for so many things, and tell her that Luna and Cowrie were safe, but he knew better. Don Muraeni was on a schedule and he had all the necessary cards to undo all of Indigo's good intentions in seconds. Realizing what was going on, Junonia started to cry out in protest but it came out as nothing more than a pathetic rasp as Proteus' tail snaked around her throat, holding her down. His father leaned on his propped hand, ready to secure his victory already.

"So...what will it be, son?"

The water was thick with silent tension. Don Leech looked at his young protege, waiting for him to make his move. From the dark corners of the ruined quarters, Indigo's youngest brother lay in wait, watching the scene unfold with calculating eyes.

Days passed as things swiftly progressed under the waves. Under the hot sun on the surface, Elise Coralette stared at the view from her old summer home, barely recognizing it after all this time. She was back at the very beginning again: what was left of the summer breeze brushing through her raven locks as she stared out into the open sea from her balcony, wondering what the horizon held in store for her. The servants greeted her upon her return and mostly let her be unless interaction was required. Even Gerald stayed away if he was even in the villa at all. Elise's stay would be short and the last. This was made known to the staff via her brother's command before she had even arrived. She was only here for that night and the day of Emily's wedding. After that...well, no one knew. Not even Elise.

Per tradition, the ceremony would be on a large luxurious ship. Emily, of course, already had all of her bridesmaids arranged so Elise would only be attending as a guest. Thank goodness for that. That didn't stop Elise from tossing out the dress Emily had "generously" sent her to wear to the wedding, however. The hideously pink frock made Elise feel sick the minute she opened the large, gaudy box it came in: all puff and bows, like something a tacky porcelain doll would be forced to wear. Fortunately for her, there was a certain stylish siren who had her best interest in mind.

Elise smiled at the stowaway black box that Luna had stashed in her bag full of other fine outfits that Madam Leech had bequeathed to her before she had left. It now lay on her bed, waiting for the big day. She ran a hand over the lavender bow that had been expertly tied on the outside and giggled as she reread the handwritten note.

"I figured you could use some panache for this one last family event. Azul-kun helped naturally. Knock them dead. Send pictures."

The satin off-the-shoulder dress inside was an elegant deep purple with a long, silky skirt that flowed like water if she so much as turned in it. The fitted bodice was embellished with vine-like lace that crawled down the skirt and shining pearls. It was nothing as seductive as her best friend would wear though it would turn some heads and infuriate her sister. It was a Luna Cerith staple for sure. The fact that Azul approved of it, well, that alone bolstered Elise's confidence. She tried it on once again just to spoil her clever beau with some previews before putting it away for safekeeping.

The sun was setting and the only messages on her phone were replies from those she left behind at school. Nothing from her father or brother who had missed her calls that morning. It did nothing but strengthen her resolve, honestly. She wasn't the same girl she was the last time she was staying in this room after all. No one bothered to stop Elise from leaving for the evening either. No questions regarding where she was headed. Nothing. Instead of giddily sneaking out of her window as she did before, Elise simply changed clothes at a casual pace, walked down the stairs in silence as if she were a ghost, and left.

The town was bustling as usual, even more so with news of Princess Emily's impending marriage to a Shaftlandian prince. Elise heard the groom's name in passing but didn't care enough to remember it. The familiar places she used to love about this town had lost their previous luminescence. In that absence, Elise experienced a pleasant enough evening but couldn't stop thinking about home. Her real home. She didn't even realize how badly she missed the sea until her feet carried her back to the same peer she used to practice her flute at. Her body routinely sat down on the edge and gazed outward towards the water. She smiled softly as she realized that she even grabbed the very same bag that held the said instrument in it. It had been a while, hadn't it?

The dying breeze carried the musical notes over the waves under her feet like Elise's personal messenger. She didn't think about what she was playing exactly, no, she just let it speak for her. The princess wasn't sad exactly nor was she happy. If anything, Elise had nothing to say but many things to feel. That was enough for her. In this lukewarm place, she had called home for so long, she felt an equally half-baked goodbye was just fine. Soon...soon enough...Elise thought over and over again, renewing all of her faith in Azul's skills and gumption to bring her home. She was so lost in this meditation that she barely heard the real voice calling out to her from the water below.

"Elise??"

It was funny to her now that the same boy with his deep blue eyes, musical voice, and fiery red hair used to excite her so much. Now Prince Rielle only made her frown and inwardly sigh.

"Hello Rielle," she greeted him half-heartedly, confirming with her eyes what she already guessed, "I see you got your fins back."

The prince's sea-green scales shimmered slightly in the dying light but his expression was even more melancholy than the last time she saw him. It frankly annoyed Elise a bit more than she was prepared for.

"Have you come to cry over your sweet Emily that got away then?" Elise's tone was a blunt stone thrown right at Rielle's already damper spirit, "If so, I don't want to hear it, thank you."

His teary blue eyes did little to move the princess but he still cried out, "I came to apologize! I...I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. And Emily...she's...well..."

"She doesn't love you, yes. Glad you finally figured that out, Rielle," Elise sighed and put her flute back into her bag. Looking down at the expectant young merman, she did feel a bit of her bite wain, "Look Rielle. I'm not upset for the reasons you may think I am. Yes, it hurt immensely when I realized that you were smitten with Emily and not me but frankly, I should have woken up much sooner. I finally did and now I'm back...here where I don't belong."

Rielle reached out and took her hanging hand, "But you're home and safe on land. I'm glad about that! I was terrified that Azul and those eel brothers were doing something despicable to you!"

Elise didn't know whether she should laugh or kick him in the face. So Azul and "those eel brothers" were the despicable ones? And why did he suddenly seem so compassionate?! Her pale eyes narrowed as she yanked her hand away, "Oh really? Funny how you care now that Emily is off the table. And why are you here anyway?! Shouldn't you be back at your sparkly little school with all those other good, good boys, hmm?"

Rielle nearly turned to seafoam as he shrank away from her angry tone, "I was worried and I wanted to make sure you were alright!"

"Well, I'm NOT! AT ALL!"

Elise's eyes grew wet as her screams echoed across the sea, "I don't want to be here anymore! I want to be back in the ocean with Luna and Cowrie! I miss them so much and Jade and Floyd! I miss being a mermaid and being with Azul!" Her voice broke down into bitter sobs as his name left her lips, "I-I want it all back..."

Her tears dripped down her face and into the water below as Rielle stared dumbfounded into her despair. "Elise-" but he couldn't continue. What could he possibly say? After everything, he had put her through not just this summer but for years. It would hurt even more but...the truth is what she deserved.

"I'm so sorry that I have strung you along for so long, Elise. I didn't love you. I didn't even save you from that shipwreck all those years ago. I just didn't have the heart to tell you...I'm so sorry, " Rielle felt the lead weight of guilt press down on him as he watched the disbelief light Elise's eyes. It only lasted a minute before her eyes grew cold. She transformed from a sweet, lovesick princess into a completely different person right before his eyes.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Go home and live your life, Rielle. There's nothing left for you here," Elise rose to leave before the prince had a chance to argue. He called after her but Elise Coralette refused to turn back.

Hours after the sun had set, Jade's phone rang and set the tone for the rest of the night. Azul sensed something was wrong as soon as Jade left the Mostro Lounge's main floor so suddenly. It was only an hour before close and things were just starting to wind down when a loud crash sounded from the kitchen followed by a very angry-looking Floyd bursting through the double doors not long after his brother's exit. He had also received a call and he was furious.

Both of the twins were heading in the same direction. Azul quickly gave orders to the rest of the staff before following after. The trail ended at the grotto, echoing with discourse.

"I said NO!!"

Floyd and Jade were charging at each other in their eel forms. Luna, meanwhile, was furiously trying to break them apart, "Floyd, stop it! Please just listen!"

Jade glared daggers at his brother as he swatted him to the ground with his tail, "Floyd, calm down! Father wouldn't have made this request if he thought Luna would be in danger-"

Seconds before he could finish, Jade was faced with his twin's open maw of sharp teeth jetting toward him. Before Floyd could sink his teeth into Jade's shoulder, he was suddenly snatched mid-lunge and slammed into the sand.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Azul in full octopus form held Floyd tight within one angry tentacle while the other seven threatened to do the same to Jade if need be. The other Leech brother quickly regained his composure with a huff. "Azul, forgive the ruckus but...it's our Father. He reached out to both of us, requesting that Luna return home at once."

Part of Azul completely sympathized with Floyd's outburst, having just said goodbye to Elise himself. HOWEVER, that did not excuse the massive upset to their business! Floyd ignored the sharp glare Azul was sending his way as he struggled to free himself with a harsh snarl.

"After everything, why would Dad want her to go right back?! I won't have it!"

"It isn't up to you, Floyd-" Jade began to snap until two more tentacles came crashing down, silencing the brothers.

"Enough! Do either one of you even realize what you're doing?!" Azul was livid and at his wit's end with the both of them, "The whole point of Luna being here was to keep it secret. And here you are carrying on like blood-drunk sharks! It's a wonder the whole campus doesn't know she's here! Did you even bother to ask why Don Leech would make such a request, to begin with?!"

The twins stared wide-eyed at the fuming octopus, surprised that he hadn't dyed the entire dorm black with his ink as he spat at them. Jade cleared his throat and started over in his usual soft tone, "It's Luna's right to go. It's about her mother."

Floyd lost some of his thunder as he looked over at his mate and saw how upset she was. Luna was shaking as she slowly sank to the ground and curled up on herself. Azul scoffed and flicked the eel's head with another tentacle, "Barbarian. Maybe consider your mate's feelings before having one of your tantrums."

He released the cranky brother and addressed Jade directly, "Did your father mention anything else?"

Jade tilted his head to the side as he answered, "Nothing else. Father is very brief and direct. Something on your mind, Azul?"

His grandmother's cryptic warning had been burning in the back of his mind ever since that day, "My grandmother warned me that trouble seems to be brewing back home. And to look out for someone named Proteus."

Hearing that name, Luna sprang up all at once, "What about Proteus? Your grandmother knows him?"

The dread in her golden eyes was palpable. Azul's mind went to work fast but there was still the more urgent matter at hand, "I'm not sure what she knows about him but it's enough that she felt the need to warn me. More importantly..."

Azul suddenly turned that all too familiar, commanding gaze onto the twins, "You two. The Lounge closes in less than an hour. Clean up that mess you left behind, Floyd. And Jade, make sure everything else is in order. NOW."

He was in full boss mode and fighting against him was a fool's errand. Jade left without a word. Floyd gave Luna an apologetic look before groaning back to the Lounge. Azul huffed and offered Luna a far gentler tone, "Luna there is something I want to ask of you if you do return home..."

He needed information. Who better than a seasoned siren to get it for him?

After the Lounge had been properly closed, Floyd was quick to return to the grotto. His mood didn't get any better whatsoever. Especially when he realized that Azul hadn't returned to the Lounge and left all the work to him, Jade, and the other students!

"What the hell?" he grumbled as he and Jade swam back to the grotto, "I get that he was mad but he could have at least come back and done his part too-"

Floyd halted at the grotto entry as he saw Azul and Luna not only talking but Azul was sitting with Luna's head in his lap, crying. Jade could feel the wheels in his brother's head go into overdrive, "Floyd." Floyd's irises shrunk as they did whenever he was about to go off. Any outburst was squashed as soon as Luna looked at him.

"Floyd honey, please. Come here?" She raised her hand out to him and he was tamed instantly. Her mate rushed to her and started murmuring apologies for his behavior earlier as he kissed her face. Azul moved away and let Floyd take his place. The four of them took time to rest in the grotto and once Luna had calmed down, she made her case to her stubborn lover.

"Please understand, Floyd. If what Father Leech has said is true then I have to go. I thought my mother was gone forever. If there's even a chance that she isn't...I must see for myself."

Floyd's ear fins drooped, "But...I just got you back, Lunaaaa. Why do you wanna go back to where you could be trapped again?! They could be lying!"

"Would your father lie about something like this?" Luna pleaded, already knowing the answer. Floyd's pout said it all.

"She won't be in danger, Floyd. Father would never allow it," Jade used that reasonable tone of voice that Floyd often hated. Because Jade was pretty much always right.

"It's not forever, honey. I'll come back once Sacred Crown opens its campus just like we discussed. I promise," Luna kissed his lips so sweetly, killing off any hope of an argument.

"I don't want you to gooo...but...fine," Floyd nuzzled his face into her neck with a huff.

Luna purred and kissed her lover multiple times over, "I have to leave in the morning but I'll be back before you know it, darling."

Floyd groaned like he was dying as he wrapped both his arms and tail around his mate. Azul nor Jade made a fuss when he demanded to stay the night with Luna until she had to leave. As they were leaving, Azul saw the determined look Luna gave him and she nodded. She would do as he asked.

"If you return home, seek out my grandmother. Mother will help you. I can't be there but I need you to be my ears and eyes. I want Elise to be with me. I want to ensure not only our future together but the future of all of us. But I need to know what's going on...will you help me, Luna?"

"Of course, Azul-kun. I will do whatever it takes."

...Azul gave the siren a confident grin before leaving her and Floyd to their night together. Jade and Azul both left without a word to each other until they were well away from the grotto.

"Is something amiss back home, Azul?" Jade asked quietly just in case any other students might be breaking curfew.

Azul Ashengrotto kept his poker face on seamlessly as his vice kept pace with him, "I have my suspicions based on what Grandmother told me. As the future Don Leech, you no doubt have been getting the same feeling from your father, no?"

Jade hummed to himself. The current Don Leech wasn't entirely forthcoming but that was just fine. His heir always had a keen eye for what lay between the lines. Like his friend, Jade also wanted to ensure the future with his mate and that any future Leech heir was secure. Taking on his father's role didn't mean looking out for just his house but the entire territory and everyone in it.

"You were wise to put your trust in Luna then," he smirked, "my dear sister is as sharp as she is beautiful."

Azul finally looked at his second in command with a skeptically raised brow, "I've known you too long to wonder how you guessed what I was up to...but I'm still curious as to what makes you say that."

The future Don just chuckled, "A woman that can tame my wild twin with one look or touch is a force of nature to be greatly feared and respected."

The next day, Elise rose with the sun. The wedding wouldn't be until later that evening but suddenly news from Luna woke her with a start. Cowrie also sat on her bed back at school, staring at her phone in wide-eyed silence long after the three-way call had ended.

Their mother was alive...?

The three of them were miles apart but all three of them met the morning with similar levels of uncertainty.

Luna grasped the portal key in her hand as she cooed her sleepy love awake. She knew he'd make a fuss but that only made her goodbye kisses all the sweeter. Elise sat at her vanity, combing her long tresses before laying out the pearl hairpins for later. Cowrie grabbed her school bag and marched into the dorm lobby ready to greet and inspire her students to once again seize the day head-on.

Madam Leech's garden was as vibrant as ever. It wrapped Luna in its warmth once she reached the other side of the portal. Narissa Leech was waiting there equally as warmly, "Welcome home, my dear girl."

Luna felt instant relief as her mother-in-law embraced her. The mistress didn't hesitate to bring her into the house for some refreshment while also admiring the necklace her dear Floyd had made for his mate.

"Oh, it's lovely! My sweet baby boy is a real softie deep down, just like his father," she giggled, "It makes me so happy that he finally found someone that can keep up with him!"

"I do my best, Mother Leech," Luna smiled happily as they entered the dining hall.

Ivy was already seated with her uncle once the two entered. Indigo was nowhere to be seen. Ivy gave her unknowing sister-in-law a warm smile, "I'm happy to finally meet you, Luna."

It was plain as day that she was if nothing else, related to Madam Leech just from her colorful teal green palette. Even so, Luna was caught off guard by this new face. Her auntie gestured for Luna to have a seat as she settled between Ivy and Don Leech, "This is my niece Ivy, my dear girl. Luna is, as you already know, one of my darling daughters-to-be."

Narissa Leech couldn't be more obvious in her glowing joy. Ivy sipped her drink as polished as her auntie before asking a very revealing question, "Are my cousins treating you and your sister well? If they aren't I'll be sure to straighten them out before Auntie Narissa does."

Cousins? Ah, the image was clearer now, "Jade and Floyd are your cousins then. I can see the resemblance...Ivy was it?"

Ivy's smile held a mischievous secret, "Ivy Cerith, yes. I'm sorry that my husband has been too busy to tell you and Cowrie about our recent marriage."

Luna did a double take so fast it was a miracle she didn't get whiplash, "Cerith?? You're....You're Indigo's wife?"

Jade and Floyd's cousin. Indigo's wife? Well, well, she was a gorgeous little secret wasn't she? Luna smiled at her sweet sister with as much glee as the cat that caught the canary!

"Goodness, my brother does have a lot to catch us up on, doesn't he? Well, I am thrilled to meet you, at last, Ivy."

The two eelmaids giggled conspiratorially together, bonding instantly. Don Leech had been silently eating until that point, not wanting to bombard his daughter with any more distress than she had already experienced on her own. Once the meal and the pleasantries were finished, Luna addressed her father-in-law directly.

"Father Leech, thank you for looking after Indigo and me as well. Please tell me everything you know. I don't wish to waste another moment."

Her tone was forward, and assertive, but still polished with charm to a fault. He could see why his son was so taken with her. Speaking of which...

"I apologize for the major tantrum Floyd no doubt dragged you into once I called him and Jade," He huffed, "That aside, Indigo specifically requested your presence here. He apologizes that he cannot be here right this moment. He's...wrapping up a few things before he settles into his new role."

Luna didn't like the sound of that at all. She didn't bother hiding the worry on her face either. The Don continued without batting an eye, "Indigo Cerith is now Don Cerith, the new head of the Muraeni household. Your stepfather has held your mother captive in some sort of trapping spell all this time as leverage. It seems like he had a feeling he would need her just for this. I'm sorry that you had to find out now, Luna."

The siren thought she might break apart with each word he spoke, "...After everything my brother and your sons have done then...?"

The Don rose from his seat and beckoned Luna to follow him. His wife and niece stayed behind but gave the poor siren looks of affectionate support as she followed Don Leech to his den.

"You and your sister are safe. They will not come after you," he waited for Luna to be seated across from him before pulling out some papers from his desk, "Indigo made sure to procure hard contracts from his father and Proteus agreeing to leave you two be. Though you may wait to legally take the Leech name after you marry my sons, you and Cowrie are officially a part of my household and therefore off limits to anyone who may pose a threat to this family."

"And our mother?" Luna couldn't keep her voice from trembling, "Where is she now? When can I see her?"

Her father-in-law's deep olive eyes suddenly looked heavier as he sighed and rested his head in thought on his fist, "That part is a bit more tricky, my dear. Indigo is close by and keeping her from harm as he re-establishes his father's house and regime across the reef. If there were a more direct way to free her from captivity, know that it would have been done before your return."

Luna gave him a warm smile, "I have no doubt, Father Leech. I understand how difficult Stepfather can be with his schemes. However, I don't remember him showing any signs of magic before...is it really his doing alone?"

This girl was clever. It made him proud, not to mention relieved his boy didn't choose some vapid trophy as his future wife. "I believe it's Proteus' doing. I only saw it for a second but he was the one that released the magical bind on your mother."

Of course, Proteus had his claws in this. She suspected for years that her parents' disappearance was his doing! Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she spat out his name, "Proteus has always been a devious force in Stepfather's league. Was there any mention of a Mr. Cerith? My father?"

Don Leech didn't have to answer her question. His eyes said it all. Still, he honored it with a shake of his head, "I'm afraid not, Luna."

No, of course not. Don Muraeni had no use for her father anymore. Luna exhaled as much of the pain as she could. She trusted that Indigo had things well in hand. Plus...she had another mission to fulfill.

"Father Leech. I assume it may be some time before I can safely see my mother again. Instead, there is somewhere else I need to be as soon as possible. May I go to the Leviathan Club this afternoon?"

Luna was not only welcomed but expected by the two Ashengrotto women who grinned at each other as soon as they saw the siren enter with the escorts Don Leech provided. Mama Ashengrotto had informed the stand-in hostess of Luna's arrival beforehand and therefore, the young siren was immediately guided upstairs to one of the private rooms on the second floor. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect but as soon as Luna entered and saw the infamous Lorelei Ashengrotto waiting for her in all her relaxed glory, she could see where Azul had gotten his swagger from.

"Well now. What a pretty face you have, my dear siren," the witch's smokey voice beckoned Luna in like a jeweled finger.

Mama Ashengrotto was serving her mother with her arms and tentacles as one broke away from the pack to push out a chair for Luna, "Welcome back, Luna Cerith. Everything is on the house so just settle in."

Luna gracefully floated down into her seat and greeted the Ashengrotto women pleasantly, "Mrs. Ashengrotto. You are Azul's grandmother, Lorelei, yes?"

"Indeed," her deep blue eyes took in the eelmaid with a sharp curiosity, "My grandson told me all about you. He's always had a shrewd sense about him when it comes to potential. His mother taught him well...yes, I think you'll do nicely, Luna Cerith."

The sea witch chuckled at the lost look on Luna's face, "I see he's kept his cards close to the chest once again. You came for information on that Proteus fellow, yes? Well, I have plenty but nothing comes for free my dear."

"I wouldn't assume so, Madam Lorelei."

Lorelei was silently pleased with this girl's pace. She knew exactly how things worked already. She would have to thank her grandson for sending her such a pearl, "Very good, you understand quickly. Now then, angelfish, let's talk business. I will provide all the inside intel you and Azul desire and in turn, you will become my apprentice. Just as my sweet boy requested."

She was flattered, of course, but for Azul to make such a request on her behalf...it suddenly clicked and Luna smiled. Elise said it best: "I can't graduate and get my mage license without some sort of proper internship..." You can't get something with nothing after all. Luna would have to find one hell of a thank you for Azul later on for this.

"I would be honored to study under you, Madam Lorelei," Luna bowed in her seat to the sea witch, her heart full of gratitude for this family.

Lorelei chuckled and tutted at her new apprentice, "First lesson, my girl: a proper sea witch bows to no one. You're lucky my grandson is so thorough," one ink black tentacle placed what looked like a resume on the table in front of Luna, "He made note of every talent you've shown. As your teacher, I'd like to see the full deck and what I've got to work with. I hope you're as ambitious as you are crafty, my girl."

A devious shiver of excitement ran through Luna at this newly opened door, "You won't be disappointed, Madam. I assure you."

The ocean was painted orange and pink by the setting sun. The guests boarded the ship after a thorough security inspection, their excited laughter and chatter echoing throughout the dock. On the upper decks, His Majesty Erik Coralette sat alone in his room, contemplating the next few days of his life. His eldest daughter would marry today. Tomorrow his son would take his place as King. After everything was in place, he would retire. After that, he would no longer be a King but just another man aged by time and the sea itself. His tired expression stared out into the surrounding sea. The very same that took his wife from him. His Majesty had grown both distant and silent about this matter over time. He was a bastion, a guardian to his people first and foremost. Over the years, he sank further into this role and the isolation it brought. He had no doubt his son, Edward, would carry on his torch with pride and perfection. Everything was in its place...though the knock on his door would prove otherwise.

"Your Majesty, your daughter, Princess Elise, requests a meeting with you," said the footman.

The elderly king said nothing. The sight of his youngest daughter standing before him, grown beautifully into a young woman shocked him to the core. Her deep violet satin gown swished behind her as Elise entered and bowed her pearl adorned head to him, smiling warmly with sad eyes, "Hello Father."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya

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neoninky · 11 months

Text

TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 14

Inky's Links: AO3: Masterlist: Third Story Decided! (Coming Soon)

Chapter 14: Wish I Could Be

"Hi Azul...c-can we talk?"

Elise felt every nerve in her body vibrate with anticipation as Azul gently floated down to the sand and when the light made his silvery hair shine as he drew close. She was surprised her tentacles didn't braid themselves together at the sound of his voice.

"What's on your mind, Elise?" Azul's voice seemed a bit heavier than normal but the male octopus retained his usual polished smile. She laughed a bit at the question.

"Oh well, many things. I hope you don't mind?" when Azul silently rested on his tentacles in front of her with a grin, she continued, "Azul, a lot has happened this summer and a lot is still going to happen very soon. And honestly, I'm very...very scared."

The tremor in her voice caused one of Azul's tentacles to gently wrap around hers once again. The only difference was that Azul did it on purpose this time. He didn't speak, only waited and listened patiently for her to explain.

"I appreciate everything you, Jade, and Floyd have done for me," her smile was soft and tentative, "You three aren't nearly as scary or dubious as people make you out to be."

Azul wasn't surprised that their reputations had proceeded them, however, one thing did puzzle him greatly, "You were right there when Jade and Floyd fended off those sharks and you can still say that? To the guy who got you tangled up in his backfired scheme, to begin with?"

Somehow this made her laugh, "Yes, without a doubt. I never want to get on your bad side for sure. But things are different down there than on the surface. Merfolk are more upfront, ready to fight for whatever or whomever they want. To do whatever it takes to get where they want to be. It is a bit terrifying, but I respect that ambition. You're not only intelligent but cunning which can cause some trouble sure," Azul felt a bit embarrassed as she playfully smirked at him," But...it is something I admire about you. You make your own way in life and don't let anyone stop you. So it's not you or them that I'm afraid of, Azul. I...I'm not sure I want to go back to being a human."

A spark of disbelief, and maybe a bit of hope, suddenly lit up in Azul's mind, "Y-You...don't? But why? ...well aside from your horrendous sibling."

Another soft laugh, "Siblings. I have an older brother as well. He's too busy getting ready to take the throne to really pay me any mind though. But that's the problem: he has a purpose. Even Emily. She'll probably marry some prince or lord from another king or queendom to bring more prosperity to ours. And then there's me...I've felt like an outcast every since my mother died. Everyone in my family withdrew from each other since then. And well, you saw how highly Emily thinks of me first hand. But, in spite of all the danger, I felt more wanted, more at home with the Leech Family, with Luna and Cowrie. And you and your family too."

Azul tensed momentarily as Elise unconsciously scooted closer to him. Instead of pointing it out, he merely asked, "The senior internship you had before all of this, what was it and why did you choose it specifically?"

The princess hummed as she confronted the truth of the matter, "I didn't really choose it myself. My brother did. I went along with it because I suppose it was because it reminded me of Mother. Mother always loved the sea and its inhabitants. She advocated for finding a way to continue our export and import trades via our established trade routes but feared that our ships' fuel would only pollute the waters and harm all sea life in the long run. So I was to intern with our fleets to find a better solution...but honestly? I don't think they were going to actually let me do that much being a royal and all. They were more or less just placating me out of obligation to the crown prince."

"I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad about ruining 'your' plans then?" Azul was hiding true guilt behind a bit of sarcastic banter. Elise saw right through it and decided to play along anyway.

"Feel bad? Not at all. You did look kind of cute when I was furiously scolding you, Mr. Ashengrotto. So I feel properly vindicated," she giggled, making him nearly explode on the spot.

"C-Cute?!" his face grew hot as he sputtered, trying to glare right into her amused face, "I am many things, MISS Coralette, but cute??"

"You're right. Handsome suits you more than cute, Azul."

Her words slipped off her tongue faster than Elise could process them. Now it was her turn to be oh so flustered as she slid away from him, "Um I...I mean, yes that is true b-but-"

"But what?"

Azul was suddenly looking her right in her wide eyes with a gaze that was worlds more unwavering than he was moments before. Elise was almost convinced that he had been body snatched while she blinked but no, that was not the case. Azul felt just as nervous and uneasy as he had since he realized his budding feelings for this girl, but now he was feeling something much stronger than all that. Azul felt desperate to know the truth and it only made him weirdly courageous. He could spin a multitude of reasons as to why Elise Coralette wouldn't desire him just as much as he did her but unlike him, she was far more honest in her words and expression. She let slip a hint of what he wanted to hear from her just now. The moment she realized it herself is when Azul saw her real feelings surface. At least what he hoped were her real, genuine feelings. Her shy, girlish blush. The way her eyes went wide only to dart away from him. This was the same sort of body language and cues she gave off whenever Rielle was brought up to her in the past. Surely it meant what he thought, what he wanted it to mean, yes? YES?

"Elise," he coaxed as gently as possible in his brewing state, "Tell me. Please."

His stormy eyes were the most honest she had ever seen. They were frustrated and pleading as he leaned in. They were alone here. Entirely in their own little world. Knowing that and seeing him this way felt strangely sacred to Elise as she started to close the gap, feeling her whole body give in to its unspoken urges.

"Azul...I think that..."

"Yes?"

The last thread of hesitation snapped as her turquoise eyes locked onto his deep blue steel ones. She took a breath and then a leap of faith before her nerves got the better of her.

"I think that I'm really scared of not seeing you guys all the time...of not waking up and knowing you're right here. I'm scared to become human again because then I'll be away from not only Luna and Cowrie, and the twins, but I won't be able to be with you."

A jolt of adrenaline rushed his system as he took in her words. As eager as he had been seconds before, Azul still felt a part of his mind backhand him with doubt, "When you say 'be with you'...?" He almost looked around as if Elise was talking about someone else. The poor boy was caught between self-doubt and wanting.

She blinked in disbelief before gesturing to him with both hands, "Azul, you are the densest clever person I have ever met. Yes, I mean you specifically! I have feelings for YOU! Do I need to sing it for you?!"

For a split second, Elise was convinced she saw part of Azul's soul leave his body. The boy's eyes froze wide on his otherwise blank face and only his tentacles moved. She half expected one of them to slap him back to the present. Seconds later his soul returned and all his blood rushed to his face, "You...YOOOOU have feelings for ME? Wait what happened to your dream prince Rielle?!"

He suddenly regretted his outburst once he saw the scowl on her face, "Ehem, ok 'dream prince' might be a bit much. Forget I said anything."

Elise crossed her arms as the scowl softened, "I know...I had a ridiculous and obviously one-sided to everyone but me crush on him for the longest time. I thought it was 'love' but...it was just bloated infatuation and wishful thinking. If I didn't feel this time was more genuine I wouldn't have said anything."

Azul suddenly felt like his mother was getting ready to appear and whack the ink right out of him with an arsenal of her toughest spoons, "I-If we're being honest, then...you're right, I am pretty dense. I didn't realize I had feelings for you until this summer even though I've been attracted to you since that day you waltzed into my office and struck a deal with me on your own terms."

Elise's tentacles curled in on themselves as she felt a rush of giddiness, "Really?"

He laughed, "I mean you are beautiful. I always thought so but you had such confidence and wit about you that day. I was so accustomed to having the upper hand and you caught me off guard and charmed me and everyone else around you so easily. It was astounding. How could I not be both impressed and taken with you?"

The princess looked him up and down with all sorts of questions in her gaze, "Is it really so surprising that maybe I see you in a similar light?"

"Oh absolutely," he deadpanned. As happy as he felt, the boy still couldn't comprehend the reality right in front of his face. No matter how far he had come, there was still part of him stuck in the overwhelming shadow of his past.

A sweet smile spread across her face as she tucked a wild strand of hair behind her own ear. Uh oh...that look only meant trouble for him. "Azul, you really have no idea how attractive you are both physically and mentally, do you?"

She scooted closer to him, closing the gap once again but even further this time to the point that her lips were just a whisper away from his. Her eyes held the baffled boy to the spot with how they sparkled. "It's ok that you don't realize it yet," she spoke so softly, "It's part of your charm. But know this, I've been in the company of many, many handsome and witty boys. Please forgive me for realizing only recently that none of them hold a candle to you, Azul Ashengrotto. That is the honest truth."

Stardust was the only tangible thing in existence Azul could equate to how he was currently feeling. He hung on every sweet syllable that left her lips until he finally voiced the feeling that had haunted him for weeks, "I don't want you to go."

Before he could even blink, Elise's soft lips collided with his as her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into her embrace. His arms encircled her waist as Azul leaned into the kiss without a second thought. For the first time, his stubborn legs didn't have to propel him whatsoever. They just relaxed as the two of them melted into each other.

...and what started as a tender moment quickly turned into panic.

A spark formed on Elise's neck before blooming into a burst of light. In seconds, her tentacles melted away into two human legs, her skin became much lighter, and her eyes dulled and widened with terror. Azul's whole body tensed at the sight of the human girl floating in front of him and couldn't move until a flurry of air bubbles rushed out of her mouth. The octopus quickly braced her into him and swam as fast as he could while yelling for help. In seconds, he and Elise were caught by teal and monochrome blurs that quickly took them back to the landing.

The room echoed with Elise's rough coughing and ragged, desperate gasps for air as Luna and Floyd lifted her from the water. Azul clung to the side, still mostly emersed in the water, staring in shock at the drenched princess. The dress she had worn before lost its vibrant color just like the rest of her.

"Elise, breathe. Keep breathing," Luna carefully steadied her friend as Floyd left to find Jade.

Once she settled, Elise slowly sat up and stared at Azul before looking down at herself, "W-What..."

Everything grew hazy as crystal clear tears formed in her eyes. Any voices speaking to her fell on deaf ears as she began to sob. The twins returned with towels immediately. Luna grabbed one and started to dry Elise off. All Azul could do was watch her cry as his heart sank. Her mouth opened to say his name but it was interrupted with another sob as the boy launched himself out of the water just enough to hold her and whisper over and over again to both of them.

"It's alright. You're alright...it's going to be alright."

Azul's office door slammed shut and locked behind him. Jade, Floyd, and Luna were left to speculate on their own in the empty Lounge. Inside the office, Azul laid Elise down on one of the sofas. Neither one of them said a word the entire time Azul had rushed her down the hallway, carrying her in his arms as if she were light as a feather. She sat sniffling as he paced about the room. He wordlessly stepped into a side bathroom and the sound of running water could be heard. She swallowed down a fresh wave of tears and called out to him in a weary voice, "Azul..."

When he didn't answer, Elise began to worry. Doubt began to pelt her like a sudden hail storm. Now that she was human...did Azul's feelings change? Was everything different now? Too different??

"Azul," she began to sob again. Hearing her cries the boy rushed to her side and held her face. He looked so worn and so scared.

"Are you in pain? What is it?" he asked nervously. Elise just shook her head. Ironic that now her voice was working properly all on its own now and yet here she was...absolutely speechless. Azul felt like he was going to fall apart any second now as he stood back up.

"I'll have a warm bath ready for you in just a moment," he couldn't look directly at her, "I don't want you to catch a cold. After that...you...you can sleep in my room. I'll stay in here-"

Azul felt a sudden tug on his sleeve and saw the desperation in the princess' face. More tears rolled down her cheeks as she silently begged him. She wanted him to stay. She was even more terrified now, "P-Please, Azul. Can you...can you please stay with me? I'm sorry if I repulse you now-"

Everything clicked all too fast and he was overwhelmed, desperate to change her mind and to put an end to these thoughts. Azul sat next to her and hid his ashamed face in her damp hair, "Stop it. You don't repulse me. You could never! That's not why I'm acting like this! Everything just happened so suddenly...I-I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. Please know that I meant everything I said before. Please just give me a moment..."

Several long minutes later, Azul left Elise to bathe in peace and recover. He promised that he would be back very soon, that he just needed to fill the others in. When he stormed back out into the Lounge, his anger was palpable. Jade rose from his seat and began to approach his old friend, "Azul-"

"Fine," his voice was rigid, his eyes avoided looking at any of the eels, "Everything is just fine. Elise is human again. Just as she should be....no additional steps needed."

The twins shared a worried look as Azul began to laugh dryly to himself. It sounded awfully familiar and bitter. So familiar they feared he might Overblot all over again. The look in his eyes was barely sane.

"She loves me. She wanted to stay with me, with us, under the waves as a mermaid. A perfect happily ever after! We even kissed and that triggered her reverting back into a human princess!" he laughed wildly, "True Love's Kiss isn't a load of shit after all! Isn't that wonderful?!"

"Hey Azul," Floyd muttered anxiously, "It's not all that bad, right?"

Azul's tone snapped straight into anger so quickly the twins thought the glass tanks would shatter, "Not all that bad, Floyd?! Oh no NO! Of course not! You and Jade found your mates, won the day, and now can be with them without any obstacles awaiting you but me? The slimy, scheming octopus that fucked all this up from the start? Seven forbid I find the perfect woman and have her return my pathetic affections! Our first kiss literally damned her right back to the shore!"

His voice was raw as his hands shook. Luna could only imagine how upset Elise was. Jade and Floyd stepped forward to try and calm the dorm leader down once again.

"Azul...calm yourself. How are you supposed to make a proper strategy with your head full of so many pitfalls?" Jade placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah Azul, take it easy. Octi-chan loves you. Isn't that the most important part??" Floyd drawled as he casually put his hands behind his head, "You wanted to get one up on Rielle remember?"

Azul's bitter mood halted on his dumbfounded face as the twins gave him matching smug grins. He immediately straightened himself up, trying to reform even a shred of the dignity he hurled out the window just now.

"Of course I did," he huffed, "Just not...exactly...like this but..."

"Azul-kun," Luna's melodic tone rang across the lounge from where she stayed seated, "I imagine Elise is just as upset if not more so than you. She needs you now more than ever."

The look in the siren's eyes was genuine kindness. Azul felt it warm his core underneath the surface. She was absolutely right. He needed to get ahold of himself before anything else could be done. He sighed, suddenly feeling embarrassed at his dramatic outburst.

"Forgive me," he pushed his glasses up and cleared his throat, "I must look like such a fool right now."

"Eh, a little bit. Reminds me when we were kids and we had to keep pulling you out of your octopus pot," Floyd started to chuckle along with Jade before Luna appeared between them and smacked both of their arms with a pointed look. The siren hushed the brothers and approached Azul with a smile.

"Azul-kun, your frustrations are very understandable. This whole ordeal would be unbearable for a far lesser man," she gave him a supportive nuzzle against his cheek, making her mate pout, but she ignored it, "You and Elise need to rest. It's late now. I trust her in your care."

The siren sauntered back over to Floyd and gave him a tender kiss, "We all need to rest. Let's leave the next steps for tomorrow, hmm?"

The twins returned to their room and Luna to the grotto for the night. When Azul returned to his office, he found Elise clean, dry, and wearing an extra set of his pajamas as she curiously stared at the books lining the walls. She paused and placed a hand on top of the wooden box that held the enchanted dagger. Her hair was straighter, more of a dark raven color like before. Her tired eyes had faded back into their human shade of minty green. Her body language alone was enough to tell him that she felt frailer now. Azul closed the door behind him and wordlessly went up to her like a moth to a flame. She gasped as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind as he rested his head against hers.

"I'm so sorry," he barely managed to whisper, "I'm so sorry about all of this."

He felt her cold delicate hands touch his and her head gently lean into his. Elise barely moved at all and yet he felt like she was the only thing holding him up right now.

"Don't be..."

By some miracle, the rest of Octavinelle remained undisturbed by the night's sudden events. Inside Azul's bedroom, Elise was snuggly wrapped in his arms as the two of them rested quietly under his blankets. Any other time, he would have felt it inappropriate to have her in his room let alone his bed but after that night, Azul couldn't stand not having her close by. For a while, neither one of them spoke. There wasn't a sound aside from their breath. Not any light aside from the soft aquatic glow from the water surrounding the dormitory itself.

"What happens now?" Elise's quiet voice finally asked, muffled against Azul's chest.

His entire body and mind ached with heavy exhaustion as he weighed his answer carefully, "I'll find a way for you to come back home with us permanently. I don't know exactly how long it will take but I will make it happen. I promise. And..if you so desire...eventually we could...uh...well, we can talk about the far future another time." 'Become mates' is what he wanted to say but somehow it felt like too much of a request to make right then and there. He wanted it to become reality but for now, he just wanted to put her at ease as much as he could.

He felt her shift in the darkness to look him in the eyes directly, "Thank you, Azul."

Azul melted as he felt Elise press her lips to his again. He swore they continued to kiss again and again in the dark until they both fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning was an immense challenge. When word got out that the Mostro Lounge wouldn't be opening that evening, the entire campus knew something was amiss in Octavinelle. With that said, no one had the guts to ask questions to the towering twin eels or the very exhausted and distracted dorm prefect. No one except a certain redhead.

"Azul...are you alright?"

From the other side of the alchemy cauldron, Riddle watched Azul vacantly stir the pot on repeat like a broken record player. Judging from their last conversation and the octopus' current state, something absolutely devastating must have happened to Azul. And Riddle wasn't too far off.

"...and now she's human again," Azul muttered quietly, still stirring.

Riddle stood frozen, processing everything he just heard, "Oooo...kay wow. That is a lot."

Yes, Azul had told him everything. Everything. Normally Riddle would have flipped his crown over the fact that a fellow dorm leader had been hiding female students in his dormitory but given the circumstances of the very, very complicated situation...Riddle made the rare choice to ignore Azul's blatant disregard of the rules. Plus this did also explain why Floyd was barely paying attention to him lately and who was he to complain?

Riddle did a quick check over his shoulder to make sure the professor wasn't too close by before whispering, "So you need a spell or potion to turn her back into a mermaid permanently. Have you ever made one before?"

Azul sighed heavily before stirring in the next ingredient Riddle had poured in, "Unfortunately even with my thorough studies and experimentation, I have yet to succeed in making the change permanent without some sort of definitive catalyst. Like a stupid kiss."

He had to fight to not roll his eyes at the concept of 'True Love's Kiss' yet again. If he didn't hate it before, he absolutely despised it now! When his grandmother suggested it as a possible antidote to Elise's situation, it sounded like some sugarcoated placation. His face suddenly warmed itself as he remembered their first kiss. Then the second...and the third...and the fourth with her soft form pressed into his under the blankets that still smelled like her-

"You kissed her several times didn't you?" Riddle asked with a very straight face. Azul nearly flung the giant spoon across the room in shock. Before Azul could even string two syllables together, Riddle explained with a somewhat bashful expression of his own, "I remember what it was like the first...couple of times," he cleared his throat and quickly jotted down some notes.

"...Didn't that happen inside the Mostro Lounge?"

Riddle's face turned pink, "I thought we were alone and the moment was too good to end right away, ok!?"

A sudden whipcrack and yell from Professor Crewel made the two boys jump and duck back into their assignment with laser focus.

Elise quietly stared at her reflection in the water as she dipped her feet into it from the Octavinelle landing just on the other side of the Mostro Lounge. They remained unchanged, pale, and human. It was growing late in the day, Azul had told her that he wanted to look into some additional sources in the library before coming back. She began to smile when she saw a familiar black and white shape zip towards her underneath the water's surface. Only when she realized that there were two of them did her breath catch in her throat. Both Cerith sisters' heads poked out of the water as they swam up to her.

"Cowrie!" Elise tried to keep quiet just in case anyone but the twins were outside the door, "What are you doing here?"

The younger sister laid her head affectionately against the princess' legs, "Luna told me everything."

Luna pulled herself out of the water to sit next to Elise as she changed into her human form, "Knowing my sister, I knew she'd want to be here too."

Elise let out a heavy sigh as her eyes grew watery, "Thank you both..."

"I know you probably feel really out of sorts right now buuuut," Cowrie poked the princess' cheek teasingly with the tip of her tail, "You and Azuzuuuu? Ooooooo!! It's about damn time!"

Luna chuckled but still hushed her sister to be quiet. Elise's face bloomed into a glowy shade of pink as she shyly laughed and batted the tail away, "Cowrie stoooop..."

"Is he a good kisser?" Cowrie grinned mischievously up at Elise and Luna gave the poor girl a similar look.

The princess didn't bother trying to play coy and just laughed and rubbed any imposing tears from her eyes, "I love his kisses...I'm going to miss them for a while."

A fresh wave of tears suddenly spilled over as Cowrie and Luna frowned, "What are you talking about, Ellie??"

Elise had made her decision early that morning. She had woken up before Azul and enjoyed the sight of his peaceful resting face. Before she could enjoy it too much, however, she heard her phone buzzing on the nightstand. It was her brother calling.

Thankfully no one else was awake either and she quietly made her way down the hall into a solitary washroom before locking herself inside and answering the phone. Her brother was almost eleven years her senior and rarely took the time to speak with her or Emily. Especially not about anything casual. So when he jumped straight into his reason for calling, she wasn't surprised.

"Big Brother, hello-"

"Elise. I trust you are well," his voice was that of a man on a schedule, "I'm calling on behalf of Emily since you two seemed to have a tiff recently."

Elise rolled her eyes on the other side of the phone. Of course, her sister would wrap the truth up in a polite little bow and label it a 'tiff', "That's one way of putting it, yes. What does she want?"

"You two have never seen eye to eye on much of anything since we lost Mother but we're hoping you can set that aside and attend her wedding. You are still family after all."

A wedding? Already? "Emily is ENGAGED? She didn't mention any suitors the last time we saw each other." Suddenly she was even more furious at her sister for trying to sweeten up Azul right in front of her face!

"I don't see how that matters," the prince said curtly, "Father will be stepping down soon and I want to make sure everything and everyone is taken care of before my coronation. Emily happily accepted the suitor I proposed for her and that ensures another ally for our homeland."

The rest of the information was frivolous compared to what halted Elise at once, "Is Father alright? I thought he was going to wait-"

"Elise, I don't have the time to fill you in on our family's affairs. Especially when you've wasted your time running off to who knows where and disregarded the internship I arranged just for you. Do you have any idea how this will reflect back on me when I have to explain things to your school's administration?"

The princess felt her temper flare and burst all at once. She had had enough. Elise was nineteen years old and legally didn't have to answer to anyone but herself anymore and she'd be damned if she kept quiet any longer!

"You wouldn't have to fill me in after the fact had you kept me in the loop in the first place!" she quietly hissed, "Speaking of which! Did you even stop to think as to why I never showed up for my internship? Or did Emily omit that part? Oh let me guess! Something about me running off with my little slimy creepy eel pets? Just throwing all responsibility right out the window to splash around in the ocean all summer hmm? Well, you know what...believe what you want. I don't care anymore! I'll go to her stupid wedding. I'll say my peace to our father, MY father, and then after that? I'll find my own way in the world without the crown or your help! You can forget you ever had an embarrassment of a baby sister!"

....her brother didn't bother calling back after she hung up on him. No messages. No calls from her sister or father. Nothing. That was that. Elise would give up the royal family name and find a new purpose for herself while Azul did his best to bring her home. To their home.

Luna and Cowrie stared wide-eyed at their best friend as she told them the whole story, both of them absolutely speechless. Elise just sniffled and laughed bitterly.

"There's no point in me staying here now that I'm human again," she rubbed her eyes and continued with conviction, "I won't be gone forever. I just need to go home and set things right. For sure this time. After that, well...there's no way I can graduate on time and get my mage license without some sort of additional study. I'll focus on that while Azul does his best over here. And you guys..."

A lump formed in her throat as she looked at her two beloved eel sisters, knowing everything they had been through their entire lives and just this summer alone. Fresh tears wet her mint green eyes, "You're safe now. You'll both be safe and happy with Jade and Floyd and the Leeches. We'll see each other again, sooner or later. And then we won't ever have to say goodbye again."

Luna wrapped her arms around Elise's shoulders as Cowrie jumped out of the water to hug Elise on the other side.

"Does Azul know?"

He did.

Not every detail but enough to seek help from the library...he just didn't actually say which one.

Madam Lorelei was expecting him any minute now at her usual table at the Leviathan Club. When he entered and rushed past the staff to the second level, both his mother and grandmother were there waiting for him.

"My darling boy," the grandmother said with gentle understanding in her eyes, "Come, sit."

Azul greeted his mother with a hug and kiss on her cheek, not bothering to hide the frustration in his eyes. These powerful women raised him and were far too clever to not notice it on their own. Azul had called and explained most of the situation beforehand but seeing him in person filled in all other gaps.

"So...it would seem she found her prince after all, precious," Madam Lorelei's tentacle lifted the teacup to her red lips.

"It would seem so," his mouth was tight and his voice bitter, "Had I known that pursuing something like this would take her further away from me..."

"Azul," his mother huffed, "Dear Elise returned your feelings. Complications aside, it's a wonderful thing, sweetness!"

"Your mother is right, my boy. I may have had my doubts before but...well, your mother's friend, Madam Leech, had quite a lot of praise for her and her boldness. Besides, this may be a good time for the princess to return to the surface for a time," Lorelei's voice was cryptic as she stared out the windows, "There's a storm brewing across the borders. The further away she is from it, the better."

"What do you mean, grandmother?" Azul asked tentatively. It was no mystery that the two families controlling the city had tensions running high but the waters felt denser than before he left. The worried look on his mother's face spoke volumes as she lowered her voice.

"You boys got those poor Cerith girls out of here just in time. Things have been getting worse between the two houses. Ventuno Muraeni was killed on Leech property just the other day. I haven't seen Indigo Cerith since he came by to tell me you had left for school...I hope he's alright."

Azul had a bad feeling in his gut. He had known the Leech family since childhood. He grew up with this ongoing feud happening right outside his family's door for years. An upset or an event here or there was fairly normal. As long as he or anyone else not involved kept their noses out of it, they were guaranteed safety. But now that the lines had been crossed and blurred between the two families...were any of them safe from becoming collateral damage?

"The dagger I gave her, does she still have it, Azul?" Lorelei suddenly asked.

"I have it. It's safe at my dorm. She has no need for it now so I can return it-"

"Don't be so sure, darling," Lorelei cut him off with a wagging finger, "Before this was a favor for my dear grandson's friend. Now it's personal. I'd rather my future granddaughter-in-law keep it close for the time being. Just in case. She may not need it for any magical purpose but a weapon is still a weapon," she took another sip before giving both her daughter and grandson a sharp look, "Don Leech nor his predecessors have given me any reason to distrust their clan. However, I can't say the same for Don Muraeni and his abyssal scum. We'd all be wise to watch our backs no matter where we are."

Madam Lorelei stood up gracefully from the table as she wordlessly slid a piece of parchment over to Azul before giving one last warning, "Return to school, for now, my dear. I will see what I can do on my end but for now, you were never here and this conversation never happened."

Azul knew how this world of theirs worked, "Of course, grandmother. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule."

Once Azul stepped into the empty Mirror Chamber, only then did he read the parchment Madam Lorelei had given him. His eyes narrowed and filled with more questions than he could count.

Watch out for Proteus, Don Muraeni's eyes and ears.

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #sacred crown chronicles #her lost voice #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #twst oc x canon #octavinelle #cerulamare #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #the cerith siblings #luna cerith #cowrie cerith #indigo cerith #under the sea mafia #more eel mermaids #twst oc schools

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 12

Inky's Links: AO3 : Masterlist : 3rd Story Poll (20ish hours left)

Chapter 12: Blood in the Water

Indigo had always been a fast swimmer but as the waters grew darker and colder, he took his time getting back to the Leech territory. His stoic ice-blue eyes stayed focused on what was in front of him as his long, winding tail propelled him forward past schools of fish and over changing scenes of territory beneath him. He was tired but still on edge, a habit he could never quite kick even now that he knew his sisters and their friend were safe. He kept his promise to Junonia and made sure her daughters were taken care of. That brought peace to Indigo's restless mind more than anything. The tense alertness that had kept him alive up until that point grew as he saw the glow of the central square peek over the horizon.

It was lively as usual as if all the madness of the past twenty-four hours never happened. Indigo received a few odd looks as he joined the crowds but paid the paranoid onlookers no mind. He was too busy carefully looking over his shoulder for someone else. However, another familiar face caught his attention as he passed by the Leviathan Club. Indigo felt obligated to at least stop for a moment.

Mama Ashengrotto was in full form as the former Muraeni son entered her establishment. She looked his way with a curious smile, "Well now, I haven't seen you in a minute, young man. And alone?"

Indigo relaxed a fraction in the cecaelia woman's warm presence, "I just wanted to let you know that my sisters and the princess had returned to the surface safely. Your boys too."

The motherly octopus smiled gratefully, "Thank you for keeping an eye on them. They can be quite a handful. It's no wonder you look so tired," she chuckled, "Come in, come in, have a seat and have a house special on me, dear...but do remind me what you go by again?"

Indigo knew better than refuse her generous offer and followed Mama Ashengrotto to a table of her choosing as he answered as if it had always been his name, "Indigo Cerith."

The woman smiled knowingly, "Ah yes, that's right. Here you are, Mr. Cerith. I'm actually glad you're here. Some of my girls were wondering when you'd come by again."

A sly grin adorned the hostess' face as both she and Indigo noticed just how excited some of the waitresses looked when they saw him sit down. He just cleared his throat and failed to hide the small flush on his face. This was probably the one and only leisurely visit he had made to the restaurant but clearly, his absences didn't go unnoticed.

Indigo was heading towards the hub when he noticed a small group of Don Leech's men started to flock around him as if he were leading a pack.

"Indigo, sir," the biggest eel quietly addressed him, "We received a tip-off about one of your brothers while you were away. The source was a bit iffy but..."

Indigo was still getting used to Don Leech's men calling him 'sir' but apparently becoming the Don's protege warranted it without question. Indigo swam among them, listening in silence. He had his suspicions that something like this would happen. Don Leech seemed to be on the same page.

"We haven't seen any intruders on the property since you left, sir. The boss insisted we give you some backup on your way home just in case."

"Appreciate it, thank you. If I know my brothers, it's Ventuno," Indigo kept his voice low and even in spite of his brow furrowing, "I don't know where he is but I can still feel him lurking about somewhere...don't look too concerned. Let's just head back as usual. I have an idea."

The group entered the hub and headed straight for their home turf. The pair of eyes watching them from inside the dark tunnels went unnoticed. While he certainly wasn't the most clever Muraeni son, Ventuno did have enough skill and smarts to know when and how to hide his scent. So when his younger brother led him right to the proper exit, it was only a matter of time before he could and would pounce. He was nothing if not persistent when he had a goal in mind.

Indigo reported directly to Don Leech as the men who guarded him dispursed back to either watching the grounds or going to patrol the surrounding territory. There was too much activity surrounding the mansion right now as the waters grew dark with the coming night. Ventuno found a suitable hiding spot, buried in the sand among the rocks just outside the tunnels. He slowly and quietly began to dig deeper into the sand whenever the coast was clear, inching closer and closer to the barrier surrounding the Leech Family home. Once he finally reached the wall itself after some time, an array of familiar scents guided him along the edge until an opening on the backside revealed itself. Luna's scent...those twins...even Cowrie's scent...though a little old, all of them wafted from the garden just on the other side like a beacon. A dark chuckle hummed in his throat as Ventuno quietly slipped inside like a snake on the prowl. The brightly colored clusters of coral provided enough cover for Ventuno to hide for what felt like hours. He grew impatient as the night grew deeper and more strangers came and went from the grounds. His brother was never among them.

"What's all this commotion about?"

Ventuno couldn't see her face but a woman swam close enough to his hiding spot that he saw her teal tail swish through the water. He peered through the gaps between the coral branches to get a better look at her. Madam Leech was being informed of the current situation by one of Don Leech's men as he followed her into the garden. She seemed unconcerned as she tended to another cluster of coral, her back to Ventuno. The other eel was called away and told the mistress of the house that he would return shortly. She thanked him for keeping her in the loop and continued to tend to her garden.

She was beautiful, elegant, not to mention youthful. The way she carried herself and wore black pearls along her neck, this woman was clearly the Don's wife. Ventuno internally scoffed at Don Leech's luck in bagging such a stunning mate. Even Ventuno knew how stupid it'd be to attack another boss' wife, but she was the only one standing between him and the door to sneak inside. She was alone with her guard down...surely, she'd be an easy target to quickly subdue without much harm done. The woman's back remained turned as Ventuno slithered out from his hiding spot with staggering speed. He wasted no time trapping Madam Leech.

Madam Leech's shriek was cut off as Ventuno's large tail tightly ensnared her body and clamped over her mouth. Her yellow eyes shot the Muraeni son a venomous glare as she struggled to free herself. A smug, razor-sharp smile just spread on the roman eel's face.

"It's a good thing you're so beautiful, Mrs. Leech. I don't really like roughing up beautiful ladies. But I'll promise you this: if you keep quiet and let me do what I came here to do, then I won't break your pretty neck. You're going to tell me where Seven is and you're going to do it quietly, hmm? If not...then even your beauty can't save you."

Ventuno hissed as the woman bit into his tail, allowing her seconds to free herself. She almost made it to the door until the Muraeni son tackled her to the ground, trying to muffle her screaming once again, "Breaking your neck it is then!"

In a matter of seconds, Ventuno made two very big mistakes: first, he assumed that Madam Leech was defenseless, and second, he assumed she was alone just because the rest of the garden looked empty. Madam Leech quickly whipped and swept her tail along the sand behind them to reveal a familiar spotted figure had been hiding in the sand as well. Ventuno couldn't even think fast enough to dodge Indigo as he wrapped his arms around his brother's neck and flipped him onto the ground, away from the startled mistress.

No questions were asked. Ventuno couldn't utter a word before his brother sliced his face and chest with his claws, all while a raw intensity was frozen in his pale blue eyes. Ventuno's instincts finally kicked in as his sharp teeth dug into Indigo's arm. No words were exchanged between the brothers as they tore into each other in a miniature storm of blood and sand.

Madam Leech was quickly embraced in her mate's arms seconds after he arrived on the scene and wrapped himself protectively around her. The Don look directly into her eyes, ignoring the brawl happening right before him, "Are you alright, love? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head with a soft smile, "No darling, I'm fine. It was just as Indigo predicted."

Ventuno's bloody body was roughly pinned to the ground by his furious brother right as those words reached his ears. Just as Indigo predicted...a wet cough escaped his mouth followed by a bitter laugh. Ventuno laughed right in his brother's glaring face.

" 'Indigo'...? Who the hell do you think you are?" he coughed again, "You take on your fake name and run away with Luna to our enemy's doorstep, thinking you can just have some other life free of any consequences?!" Ventuno spat out those words like they were poison.

Indigo's icy eyes narrowed dangerously, "If you feel like talking so much, tell me why you're here. I know Dad didn't send you. He's smarter than that. My guess is that he's taking away your status as his heir and you blame me, right?"

The wounded eel snarled and tried to snap his teeth at Indigo, only to have his throat nearly crushed as his head was shoved deeper into the sand, "Of course, it's YOUR fault!! You ruined EVERYTHING and for what?! To suck up to these Leech bastards?! The future of the Muraeni clan belonged to ME damn it! So why the hell does he want you back?!"

Ah...so that was it. Indigo's angry expression melted back into its usual stoic tone though it was colored with something that pissed his brother off even more: pity. His parting words, however, weren't so kind.

"I don't know what you thought coming after me would accomplish, Ventuno. Whatever it was, I hope it was worth the cost...not only did you invade another Don's home, you attacked his mate," Indigo's eyes lifted as a large shadow suddenly passed over the two hunched brothers. Any fight the Muraeni son had left in him vanished as soon as he saw the cold rage in Don Leech's eyes.

"Step aside, Indigo..." his voice was low and vibrating with a snarl.

"Yes sir," Indigo released his grip on his brother and swam away from him without another word of parting or sympathy. The last sound he heard before guiding Madam Leech safely inside was the cracking of his brother's ribs as Don Leech slammed his tail down on his chest. The Don called his men to his side and ordered them to take Ventuno outside the wall and behind the mansion, "I'm not done with you yet, boy, I just don't want to tarnish my beloved's garden any further with your blood..."

Ventuno could hardly move much less breathe but that didn't stop him from giving one last argument, "I-If you kill m-me...my father...h-he'll start a war! I'm...I'm still his son!"

Don Leech didn't even bother scoffing. He followed his men to the outside dune where no one would see what was about to happen. He stared down at the beaten Muraeni with steeled malice as he was thrown down before the furious boss, "You should have thought of that before you touched my wife..."

Indigo wasn't nearly as battered as his brother but that didn't mean he left the fight unscathed. Inside, Madam Leech was tenderly cleaning the gashes Ventuno left on his arms, shoulders, and tail. The mother hadn't known Indigo for very long but also felt some maternal affection towards him even before he rescued her.

"I'm sorry..." he suddenly muttered, "I didn't mean to put you in harm's way like that, Madam Leech, but Ventuno acted just how I thought he would."

The mother just tutted as if her life being threatened was nothing unusual, "Hush. A proper wife to a household such as this cannot let herself be phased by these events. Besides, you predicted your brother's actions before he even arrived. You also factored in that he'd be too distracted by my being there to notice you hiding in the sand, " she smiled proudly, "I was right to put my life in your clever hands. I can see why my darling has faith in you."

Indigo had a distant look in his eyes that made the mistress frown, "Indigo...I know you were born and raised in the worst this sort of life has to offer. Even so, this cannot be easy for you..."

If he felt any remorse, he didn't show it. Instead, Indigo merely shook his head and spoke with resolve, "My brother sealed his own fate. I don't regret protecting myself and you, Madam. I doubt the Don would have me act any other way."

"You acted as any good son of the Leech house would in this situation," Madam Leech placed a motherly kiss on Indigo's head before binding up his wounded tail, "I'm glad to hear you have no regrets. My husband will take care of everything. In the meantime...you need to rest."

"Yes ma'am," he sighed.

A soft smile rested on Madam Leech's lips, "Besides, now that you are here and a part of this household, I must do my part in ensuring you have a far better life. I like to make sure all of my boys, biological or otherwise, have the very best chance at happiness. After you heal, I have a niece I'd like you to meet. She's an absolute gem."

He was beginning to wonder if he had some giant target on his back that alerted every mother in the area that he was an eligible bachelor. It wasn't something he was allowed to pursue in earnest while he was still at his birth home, however...well Indigo could already tell that Madam Leech was not a woman to be told no. Though he was exhausted, the thought of courtship made a bundle of nerves flair up in his gut.

"...Y-Yes, ma'am."

By the next afternoon, the news of Ventuno Muraeni's death had spread over both territories if not even further. The remaining sons of Don Muraeni silently waited in the dining hall. Their plates were full but none of the three sons moved to take a bite. Their father's shouts could be heard echoing down the hall paired with the crashing noise of broken furniture and who knows what else. Proteus stood patiently just inside the office door as his boss processed the news.

Another crash sounded as Don Muraeni's tail scattered the contents on the shelf to his right. He was absolutely fuming. For all the attempts he had made at making a suitable heir, the offspring that stayed loyal to him were a pack of idiots!

"Stubborn...wreckless...absolute fool!" Don Muraeni snarled out the broken words in between each harsh breath, "He just had to rush headlong into his own grave and ruin my plans!"

Proteus leaned to the left to dodge another heated swing of Don Muraeni's tantrum possessed tail that ended up decapitating an innocent statue by the door. He calmly cleared his throat as he casually swatted some offending dust away, "Sir...condolences aside...what would you like me to do with the body? It's rather unpleasant just leaving it in the main hall."

The furious moray rolled his eyes, "Feed it to the sharks for all I care. The boy is just as useful to me dead as he was alive!"

"Understood, sir. As for the Leech Family...Don Leech wasn't subtle in his message. How will you respond?"

It happened at dawn. Don Muraeni was roused awake by another ruckus only this time, it wasn't some leftovers of throw-away thugs being dropped on his doorstep like a sack of garbage. No, the barely recognizable corpse of his eldest son was laid at his feet by none other than Don Leech's own men. They came straight into enemy territory as if they owned the place with a very direct message from their even more fearless leader...

"Your spawn came into my home and attacked my wife whether, by his own volition or your command, it doesn't matter. This is the payment dealt by my own hands. If you have something to say, Don Muraeni, come say it to my face."

Even in this violent world divided by two warring families, the murder of a Don's heir was only trumped by the murder or assault of a Don's life mate. While Don Muraeni lived by his own rules in terms of having a proper mate, Don Leech was more traditional in that he was mated for life. As morbid as it sounded, children could always be made but a mate was irreplaceable. By this logic, no one could fault Don Leech. Not even his enemy. If Don Muraeni blamed anyone, it was his foolhardy son! The aggravated moray took a deep breath and sat down at his mostly still assembled desk.

"This must be dealt with carefully, Proteus...after all, a tragedy has occurred because of my son's short-sightedness," he swished his tail pensively as he thought, "If we are to bring Seven back home, willingly of course...then we must offer peace to our dear Don Leech. Peace in place of bared fangs would be best."

"Of course, sir. And if our dear Don-to-be doesn't cooperate?" Proteus's face was somber but a spark of deep-seeded excitement made his sharp tail twitch behind his straight back.

The Don's eyes narrowed at his right hand, "Then I trust you still have the right leverage to sway him?"

A wicked grin opened across the electric rayman's face, showing off small spiny teeth, "Naturally, sir."

"Good," Don Muraeni's face froze back into its usual stoic expression as he rose from his seat, "I've been meaning to have a chat with her but alas...her stubbornness hasn't waned in all these years."

Proteus chuckled coldly, "She is a determined specimen, sir. However, we both know how much of a soft spot she's had for our Seven. I'm sure she'll see reason and submit."

"I trust her in your capable hands, Proteus. Now. Let's see if my other sons have any use left in them...if not, well," the Don gave Proteus a dark look over his shoulder as he left the dismantled office, "Feel free to add to your collection if you so desire..."

The sun was starting to set over the Sacred Crown Hall campus the next evening. Miles above their home in the Coral Sea, Luna and Elise were walking toward the central gardens behind Cowrie and her vice prefect with the rest of their dorm for the sorting ceremony. While Night Raven College held their ceremony at night and Royal Sword Academy had theirs in the morning, it was tradition for Sacred Crown Hall to hold theirs at the golden hour of sunset.

Each dorm donned their matching ceremonial robes: hooded flowing periwinkle cloaks that faded into a deep midnight blue fabric trimmed in gold along the split sleeves and edges that depicted abstract patterns tied to the school's famous stain glass hall and deep fuschia fabric lining the inside. While NRC's main road had statues of the Great Seven, Sacred Hall had a long open corridor of stained glass figures in tall arched windows. Though it was a girls' school, the seven figures that inspired each dorm were actually princes and heroic figures from the past. Cowrie looked up as they passed the Cerulamare window. Theirs portrayed the determined sea-fairing prince that faced danger in his endless search for the mermaid princess who saved his life and entranced him with her beautiful voice. From this old story came their dorm's motto: "Whatever storms and dangers entail, we set our sights forward and prevail."

It was corny but Cowrie came to love it and the story about the prince. Mostly because he reminded her of just how stubbornly determined Elise could be. Once all of the girls arrived at the large wishing well in the old castle's courtyard, they separated into their own groups and quietly waited for the Headmistress to begin the ceremony. The white-haired fairy godmother stood in front of the school's Great Wishing Well which was just as Cowrie said: it was more of a large pool or fountain than an actual well. Along the marble edges of the pool, there were blank copper coins, waiting for the new girls to toss into the water. The new freshmen arrived in a similar fashion to the boys at Night Raven though instead of coffins, they slept inside large glass terrarium-like chambers scattered about the garden. When the lingering sunlight painted everything in an amber glow, the chambers began to glow themselves, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.

"Welcome back to Sacred Crown Hall, my girls," she greeted the students warmly as she pulled out her ivory wand, "Let us begin and welcome our new students with open arms."

The Headmistress touched her wand to one of the chambers to awaken the expectant student so she could choose and toss her coin into the fountain to be sorted. It was exciting the first time around but after doing this a few times, both Luna and Elise felt distracted. Cowrie stood at the very front of the Cerulamare group as the newly appointed Prefect looking less than excited. Luna felt a buzz come from her skirt pocket and noticed her sister look down at hers as well. She waited until the Headmistress wasn't looking to pull her phone from her pocket and read the message from Jade.

"There's been a situation at home. Keep an eye on each other. Elise and Luna, come to Octavinelle as soon as you can."

Luna kept a neutral expression as she silently showed Elise the message before joining the rest of Cerulamare in applauding their first freshman. The princess followed her best friend's example and did the same. Before the Cerith sisters met up with Elise again, they finalized the next step in the plan. Luna had been given the extra key to the Octavinelle grotto to hold onto until the time was right. Normally, being fourth years, they would return to their field studies a day or so after the opening ceremony. It was very unusual to see any fourth-year students hanging around throughout the year. Since neither Luna nor Elise had an internship to go back to, they would stay hidden and close by at Octavinelle.

Cowrie wasn't too happy about being left behind but was reassured once a month had passed and it was time for the open campus festival at Sacred Crown, they would all regroup when it was far less suspicious. Until then, everyone had to play their part as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The ceremony wasn't even halfway done and this was already proving to be difficult. Elise noticed a few other girls either giving Cowrie or her funny looks and whispering amongst themselves. So much that it was starting to make her irritated and anxious at the same time. Luna also noticed this and gave a few of the closer by girls a sharp look. That was all it took to make them wander further away from them.

"What is going on?" Elise whispered harshly to Luna, "why are they staring at us??"

Luna leaned in to answer as the rest of the girls cheered for another new Cerulmare student, "Keep in mind that many Cerulamare girls are mermaids. Whether they be like Cowrie and I or more Atlantian, they may have taken notice of your changes, Elise. You were their Dorm Leader for two years. That or...my sister doesn't seem to be to everyone's tastes."

It was as if Luna's words lifted a veil off of Elise's eyes. She looked around the room at the other dorms and saw how they all stood close to their dormmates almost uniformly. Cerulamare's students, however, had a literal gap dividing them. Cowrie stood in the very front facing forward, straight up and sure, ignoring all the whispers buzzing around her. Some of the girls flanked her and her vice prefect all holding the same confident stature. Others seemed to have split off into a separate cluster, shrinking away from their new dorm leader and her allies. It made the princess feel as if she swallowed a beehive.

"Honestly," she huffed quietly, "this is ridiculous...not to mention embarrassing."

Luna nudged Elise right as Cowrie looked over her shoulder at the two of them as they stood further back. Luna gave her younger sister a supportive smile and silently encouraged Elise to do the same. Once Cowrie turned back around, satisfied, Luna leaned in to whisper to Elise, "I'm frustrated too. But my sister thinks the world of you and takes pride in the fact that you chose her specifically. Have faith in your decision and ignore all the rabble. Let them embarrass themselves."

Hearing this, the princess felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps Cowrie wasn't the most orthodox choice but Elise had put a lot of thought into choosing the younger Cerith sister to pass the torch to. In spite of her trivial anxieties, Elise believed that her younger friend would prove to be a capable dorm leader...she just didn't like the looks of all these naysayers making a fuss already before the semester even started.

Later after the night began, Jade felt a response buzz come from his pocket right as he, Azul, and Floyd gathered in the Hall of Mirrors to begin their own ceremony. As third years, nothing much had changed for the infamous trio: Azul was still the Dorm Prefect, Jade was still his outlandishly efficient Vice, and Floyd was still so bored by orientation that the other two had to drag him there. At least he was until he was also checking his phone with a goofy grin on his face. Luna had apparently sent him a very different message. Azul saw no point in scolding the moody twin for not paying attention. Instead, he was silently plotting out the next few weeks in his mind. Jade discreetly leaned down to whisper to Azul as Crowley began the ceremony, "The new supply for Mostro Lounge should be here tomorrow night."

"Excellent, I'll receive it personally. See that the students adhere to the curfew as expected," Azul responded cooly making Floyd and Jade snicker.

All three boys had agreed to keep Elise and Luna's coming and going under wraps and thus worked out a way to speak about it in public without giving away any secrets. Just in case any eavesdroppers decided to tempt fate by sticking their noses where they didn't belong. If anyone else found out that two female students had been snuck onto campus, it would be chaos...

Much like Elise and Luna, Azul and the twins found their third orientation to be rather boring. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any wild interruptions or outbursts. Floyd was very disappointed and had no problem saying so.

"Ugghh...is it over yet? None of these freshies look that interesting," he muttered to his brother and best friend.

"Patience, Floyd...besides, the are some new upgrades that may prove entertaining," Jade nodded towards the other dorms and their new ranks.

Riddle remained the Heartslabyul king as expected but he had a surprising growth spurt over the summer. He left last semester at his usual 5'3 height but returned standing at a very proud 5'8. This was hardly anything compared to the Leech twins at their towering height but Riddle was nonetheless satisfied. Now that Trey and the other third years - including Leona, surprising everyone - had moved on to become fourth years entering the field for further study, there had been a few changes in rank among the dorms. For Heartslabyul, Deuce Spade became the newest Vice Prefect. Judging from his conflicting expression as he stood next to Riddle, it was hard to say if he was excited or abysmally nervous.

For Savannaclaw, the leadership role went to Ruggie with Jack at his vice. Though just looking at them, anyone would have thought it was the other way around. Ruggie hadn't changed that much but somehow, Jack got even taller and more buff.

For Pomefiore, Epel had taken over as the new prefect after a lot of serious study in potionology and one hell of a glow-up, a parting gift from Vil no doubt. While Riddle's growth spurt was surprising, Epel's was mind-boggling. While he didn't turn into a burly musclebound hunk like he probably dreamed of becoming, he did - as Rook would poetically describe - transform some a small youthful duckling into a tall, handsome, and regal swan. He kept his lavender locks long enough to keep pulled into a short boyish tail and his frame, though still slender, became more toned as he now stood at a strapping 5'9. Ace and Deuce wondered what exactly he ate while at home on the farm during the break.

The biggest surprise for the new Ignihyde wasn't that Idia and Ortho were replaced with someone that stood out...no rather the new prefect wasn't someone everyone knew but the reason he stood out was that he showed up.

Finally, Diasomnia was now led by Silver who, if anything, looked a bit more fit and seasoned. Sebek surprisingly didn't seem to age nor did he put up much of a fuss as the Vice Prefect but the two very different boys seemed to balance each other out perfectly. Their freshmen didn't seem to know how to feel about the dynamic, however.

Azul took notes of the changes and put the necessary pins in them for later use. Floyd's mood didn't change whatsoever. If anything, he seemed even more eager to get back to the dorm or at least be anywhere but here. His brother noticed the restless look in his eyes and frowned.

"Patience, Floyd..." he repeated.

Ever since their father informed them of what happened, Floyd had been in a weirdly imbalanced state. He wasn't angry but he wasn't calm either. It was like Floyd was constantly on the brink of an outburst but it never quite took off. Jade was far more poker-faced about the whole incident. As the future Don Leech, he had to keep his cards close to his chest. On the surface, the three boys were just the usual trio that returned from another usual summer break to school. However, Azul and Floyd knew that under Jade's gentlemanly exterior, he was in fact, livid. First Jade's intended had been attacked and aggressively injured right on his doorstep and now his own mother had been threatened? The second opportunity presented itself, Jade Leech was more than willing to teach the Muraeni Family a lesson. But for his beloved and his sister-in-law's sake, that would have to wait. Fortunately, Jade was incredibly patient.

As for Azul, there was definitely something brewing behind his stormy eyes. Something that he refused to let slip now that they were back on campus. Here Azul Ashengrotto was the cunning, charismatic leader of Octavinelle, a reputation that he had built from the ground up. This wasn't the time or place for weakness or doubt to seep through the cracks. But if he were honest, he was feeling a bit anxious himself for a number of reasons...

Was she safe? Would he be able to keep her safe by his side until the time came for her to decide? When the time did come...would he be able to let Elise go without any protest? That last question dug at Azul like a hundred fish hooks stuck crudely into his flesh. No one would ever know it from the trained grin on his face, the very same he had at the ready of any business day. Only the twins suspected but neither one was in the mood to stir the pot right now. The three of them led their students back to Octavinelle where they held the usual welcome party in their Mostro Lounge. Where they all played their usual parts to a T until it was time for curfew.

Azul stayed behind in his office for a few minutes as the twins herded the students back to their rooms. The quiet both comforted and teased him. He leaned against the cool leather seat at his desk and let out a long sigh, feeling his whole body finally give way to exhaustion. It wasn't long before his brain steered itself back to those questions concerning Elise. After a long pensive brooding, Azul went to the platform that led out to the open aquarium surrounding the dorm.

The dorm leader didn't make a habit of swimming around the dorm as much as Jade and Floyd had in the past. In fact, Azul often avoided doing so but now his octopus form felt less alien to him as he glided through the open water silently. The water was less cold than the waters of home, brighter even. His mind remembered watching the princess playfully jet about like a child with a new toy when he was back in the Coral Sea. It made him smile remembering her laughter and glee. How she gracefully took to that form so easily. How she'd tease and test him with it. Seriously did she know how beautiful she was? She had to! That sparkle in her eyes, that coy smile...Azul suddenly grimaced at his own sappy thoughts.

"She's been gone a day or two! Get it together!" he hissed at himself as he entered the coral reef that hid the secret grotto. Of course, she wasn't there. He didn't expect her to be but somehow Azul had been drawn to this place like a magnet. The octopus male floated down to the ground and let his winding tentacles carry him along the sand as he looked about the empty hideaway. Every keepsake was in its place even the photo that Floyd had borrowed had been returned to its shelf. The bed that Cowrie was set up looked a bit unkempt though. Without a second thought, two of Azul's tentacles reached over and straightened it up as he muttered about its state being unacceptable. That's how Azul's restless night started...about half an hour later, the Leech brothers had found their octopus friend outside the coral reef, earnestly hunting for something. They quietly spied on him with mischievous curiosity for a few minutes. They watched him as he muttered to himself, carefully inspecting every little shell or trinket he picked up from the sand, only to throw back anything that didn't satisfy his unspoken quest. A few of his tentacles held bits of brightly colored coral branches or shells that he eventually took into the grotto. After a few minutes, he swam back towards the Mostro Lounge.

The twins quietly peeked inside the grotto and found that not only had Azul straightened the bed but he placed all of the shells and things he collected strategically throughout the cave so that they could catch the glow of the anemone-like lights just right, giving it a more pleasing aesthetic. Jade and Floyd shared a look that made both of their faces break into devilish grins.

"Heeeeeh...?"

"Oyaaa?"

Their musing was suddenly interrupted by an embarrassing wail.

"J-Jade! Floyd! What are you two doing here?!" Azul's face was a deep purple. In his hands was the music box Elise had sold to him, nestled safely inside a bubble to keep the water out. The eels nearly burst.

"Ooooh Azuuuul....you're building Octi-chan a nest? Are you tryna court her?!" Floyd giggled wildly.

Jade touched a finger to his chin as his face kept its wicked smile, "My, my...our Dorm Leader is serious."

Azul huffed as he fought the urge to blast both of their smug faces full of ink, "I am trying to make this dreary hole more suitable for Elise and Luna, who are going to be staying here for a good amount of time, thank you very much! Honestly Floyd, as her mate, I'm surprised you didn't think to do the same for Luna yourself."

Floyd just rolled his eyes, "Pffft, says you. I cleaned my side of the room, got extra snacks, and threw extra pillows on my bed so she'd be nice and comfy!"

Jade chuckled, "It's true. He did. I must say I was quite impressed."

Azul floated past them and gently placed the music box down by the bed after casting a waterproof enchantment on it, "A sweet gesture, Floyd, but if you think that you can sneak Luna into your room without causing a commotion, then I'm afraid you're very wrong. No one must know that the girls are here. Ever. She's staying here with Elise and that's final."

Floyd's protests fell on deaf ears but after enough whining and threatening to skip out on every shift at the Lounge Azul gave him, Azul finally caved and agreed that Floyd, at the very least, could visit the girls after curfew. As long as he didn't get caught. Or skip out on class the next day. OR keep Elise from getting proper rest. There were probably more stipulations but frankly, Floyd had stopped listening. Instead, he followed the current wave of capriciousness that had him buzzing.

"You know, Azul...now that Jade and I have made and presented our courtship gifts properly...if you need some adviiiiice~" Floyd had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face that Azul had ever seen.

"Enough out of you two! Go back to your rooms at once!"

His face was practically glowing as Azul shuffled out of the grotto and began trying to swim back to the dorms. It was exact moments like this that he wished he were a much faster swimmer. Instead, reality had him locked between two teasing eels taking their sweet time swimming alongside him as he struggled to get ahead of them.

Deep in the Coral Sea, another secret cave opened for the first time in a while. The long shadow that greeted the strange little creatures stuck clinging to the cave floor, walls, and ceiling made them shrink back and quiver in their slimy little forms. A dark chuckle left Proteus' lips as he floated by them going deeper into the den.

"Now, now...is that any way to greet your master who has so kindly given you shelter? There are far worse prisons I assure you."

The strange, almost humanoid sea polyps couldn't make a sound aside from the somber screeches that left their strange mouths. The sadistic ray ignored them for the most part as he entered the deepest part of his hidden vault of creatures. This was his carefully built and curated collection and while not every single piece held his attention or dark affections after he used his own personal magic to entrap them in this state, there was one very special creature that he visited the most...his favorite little 'diva'.

Proteus settled on the smooth stone floor in front of a giant shell that held one particular polyp in a large bottle. The ray's grin widened as he peered through the glass, "Good evening, Madam. It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I do hate to neglect you so but really it's your own fault for misbehaving. Honestly...why keep denying the Don what he wants? You could have everything you ever wished for..." he cooed to the small, stripped specimen.

This feminine creature refused to look at the ray but instead shrunk as far back away from him, coiled up on herself like a snake, as she possibly could. A typical reaction, definitely not surprising but Proteus' smile didn't budge whatsoever.

"In fact," he continued as he traced his long claws along the aged necklace that had been tied around the bottle, "I have some very good news for you...your son is coming home."

This caused her pair of large round eyes to quickly lock onto him. The exact reaction he wanted, "Well, that's our hope anyway. We do look forward to a glorious revival for the Muraeni House with our dearest Seven taking the reins in his capable claws...however, he won't do it unless you help us, Madam. And you will won't you?"

The tiny creature seemed to rile up and hiss at him through the glass in protest. She whipped her tiny tail-like appendage against her prison as if it were Proteus' face directly within her reach. Such spirit after all these years. This was a good sign.

Proteus's sharp teeth linked together like a wall of daggers as his smile stretched wider, almost insanely, "You've always wanted what was best for him, isn't that right...?"

The crescent moon pendant dully clinked against the glass as Proteus continued to teasingly poke, twist, and turn it about in his fingers that promised to crack it the instant he wasn't given exactly what he wanted. The female polyp could see it and soon curled back upon herself in despair.

"We do so appreciate your cooperation, Mistress Junonia."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @honey-milk-depresso @ladyrosemoon @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @feldya @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @aiimee9

#neoninky #twisted wonderland #sacred crown chronicles #her lost voice #twst canon x oc #octavinelle #cerulamare #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #the cerith siblings #luna cerith #cowrie cerith #indigo cerith #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #twst oc schools #under the sea mafia #more eel mermaids

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 11

Aaand we're back with Chapter 11 (we're in the second half folks)

Chapter 11: A Very Serious Problem

The tension was a solid wall when Proteus entered the Muraeni house with his usual grin in place. He didn't flinch as he floated up the stairs towards the sounds of his master's angry howls. It was the morning after Luna's debut, barely before daybreak, and the entire house echoed with Don Muraeni's anger. Proteus didn't bother knocking as he entered the Don's office. The three collared sons were huddled together as their father verbally tore into them.

"I trust you with the easiest job in the bracket and you only exceed my expectations in fucking it up!" their father snarled his sharp teeth in full view.

A battered Ventuno lay on the couch holding his head and snickering at his younger brother's misfortune, somehow missing the intense side-eye his father gave him in the meantime. Don Muraeni's seething glare flicked back to his three younger sons. He watched them freeze and wait for his next piercing words but they were only met with an exasperated sigh.

"My boys...I have failed you," his voice cooled and turned somewhat somber. Or at least it tried to be.

All of the sons looked at each other in confusion. Proteus's sadistic smile only grew as he lingered in the shadowy corners of the room, already seeing certain puzzle pieces falling in and out of place. Their father smoothed out his hair as he took another deep breath to calm himself, "You three, I put too much pressure on you. I should've known your simple natures couldn't handle the burden of my expectations..."

Any semblance of pride had been literally beaten out of them so the three sons just blinked at their father's words in lieu of being insulted by them. Ventuno, on the other hand, sat up and scoffed, "You got that right, those three couldn't look after a pet barnacle much less-"

"And you, Ventuno...my eldest. My heir," the father's words were a frigid, poised and ready dagger, "Get up and stand by your brothers, boy. They need a good example to avoid any future follies."

Ventuno groaned as he rose up from his resting spot and shoved his brothers to the side so he could be front and center. Their father looked all of his remaining sons up and down before turning his back to them, "Your brother, Seven, has dealt me a massive betrayal. He was the most clever of you, even the strongest, something I took great pride in. He was perfect progeny."

The eldest son snarled as his temper flared. He was right there and Seven was the one getting all of his praise?! He was about to complain when Don Muraeni's ice blue, narrowed gaze was locked onto him over his shoulder.

"I refuse to be made a fool of, boys. And yet those Leech twin punks came and went, right under my nose, and took what was mine. They come onto my territory. They broke into my club. And they stole my prized siren...and whose fault is that?"

The three younger sons remained silent as their older brother barked out a dry answer, "You mean besides these three idiots? Clearly, Seven was fuckin' around before he ran off with those Leech bastards-"

A loud crack across Ventuno's face silenced the entire room as the disappointed father's long tail slinked back behind him. Don Muraeni's eyes practically glowed with intensity about to break through his sculpted frown, "And where were you, boy? Lazing about by my side? Enjoying the fruits my well-earned position brings you?! You fucking louse! I almost prefer your brother's gumption even if it was in favor of my rival's spawn..."

Don Muraeni paused with a calculating, furrowed brow. If he had been a third-party witness privy to Seven's scheming, he'd be awfully impressed and proud to call him his son with such a sharp wit...a wit that earned the trust of his enemy. Indeed, Seven was the perfect progeny. Or at least, he would be once his father was through with him.

"Boys," he addressed the accosted sons in a much more calm tone, "an opportunity has presented itself and I have every intention of taking it. Ventuno, you've proved to be a colossal waste. Fortunately, there's enough of you to do what needs to be done. I want Luna back and I need Seven back. The very future of the Muraeni house depends on it. If any of you wish to be a part of said future, find them and ensure that I get them both back alive."

The three youngest sons left to gather information without question. Ventuno was fuming: in a matter of hours, he went from being the next Don Muraeni to chopped liver? And all because his younger brother turned against them?!

"Ventuno...why are you still here?"

The Don had completely reverted back into his signature stoicism as he sat behind his desk, rilling through files and other business as if he did not just knock his eldest around moments before, "I need to speak with Proteus, boy. Leave."

The mentioned ray merman suddenly appeared by the bruised son's side, "I shall see Master Ventuno out, sir. It'll only take a moment."

The Don responded with an irritated wave of the hand, not bothering to look up as his confidante guided Ventuno out the door.

"It's such a shame," Proteus hummed the minute they were outside as Ventuno snarled at the hand he had been dealt, "To think that he would cast you aside without so much as a blink, young master. If only there was a way...to make your troubles disappear."

Proteus could see Ventuno's hot-blooded nature and thirst for power since he was just tiny thing and it was the perfect clay for him to mold. It was Proteus' job to ensure the Muraeni house stayed on a solid foundation. This also ensured that he, himself, stay on a solid foundation and out of the gutter from which he was born. With his master in charge, the sadistic ray was guaranteed an indulgent life, far from his gloomy beginnings. If Indigo were to return and cooperate, Proteus knew the boy was cunning and could only enhance their profits, as long as the right leverage was on the table, of course...but his brother, Ventuno? He was already squandering his blessings before his father could turn the keys over to him. If given the chance, Ventuno would just drag them all down to ruin with his blind entitlement and shortsightedness. Don Muraeni, as terrible and cold as he was to his children, would never actively remove the dead weight himself. Therefore it was up to Proteus to do his job and do it well: Ventuno had to go. Of course, it had to be orchestrated delicately and discretely so when Proteus planted that initial seed, that's when Ventuno's gears began to turn.

"That would mean taking Seven out of the picture completely."

He grinned amiably to the eldest Muraeni son, feigning surprise, "Well, well...now there's an idea. If Master Seven were no longer a viable option, then your place as our next esteemed leader would be secure. Naturally, none of your younger brothers would rise to the challenge. However, you may want to work quickly, young master, your brothers may be well on their way to finding Miss Luna and Master Seven as we speak."

Ventuno laughed bitterly, "I can handle this easily. Those three idiots couldn't find fish bones if they were handed to them on a platter! Obviously, they're on Leech turf and there are plenty of suckers on neutral territory that will talk if given enough payment or motivation."

Proteus' grin could cut thorough steel, "As clever as always, my dear boy. This will be our little secret, of course."

He watched Ventuno leave the mansion, aglow with a rekindled ego and waved him off before turning to the two shark mermen that lurked around the corner.

"Make sure Master Ventuno finds his way and that our friends on the other side of town are there to welcome him. They should be getting an anonymous tip-off of a possible intruder soon enough..."

The following afternoon was a warm one on the shore. True to his word, Indigo waited in the cool shaded water beneath the peer, listening to some sailors clamor around up top. They seemed awfully gossipy about Elise's reappearance with a stranger on her arm.

"Our princesses sure have interesting tastes, don't they?" an older man chuckled, "Princess Emily has been spending a lot of time with that one young man that just showed up on our peer, and now her younger sister shows up with a rather dashing looking fellow that no one seems to know either!"

"The ladies love mystery I suppose," another sailor chimed in, "almost as much as out-classing each other! Those sisters have been butting heads since they were children. It's no wonder they suddenly each have a handsome boy on their arm!"

Indigo rolled his eyes as he listened to the sailors banter back and forth with each other. He suddenly felt a bit sorry for Elise just from hearing all of this. That and the memories of growing up with Luna and Cowrie and witnessing all of their sisterly fits. Female relationships were definitely complicated. He looked towards the villa right as his ears caught the sound of what he hoped was an excited greeting...

Inside the main hall, Elise and Azul's arrival was met with one very shocked head maid nearly dropping the tray of items she had in her hands. Elise's temper was still set to a full boil but her expression was as serene and pleasant as the first time Azul ever met her. It honestly made Azul rethink a lot of past scenarios between the two of them. Elise gave the woman a polite greeting with a trained smile on her face that seemed to crack the minute an even more feminine voice rang from the top of the stairs.

"There she is!"

Emily Coralette, the infamous elder sister gracefully descended the stairs, oddly enough alone. Azul tried to hide the shock in his expression at just how much the two princesses did look alike at first glance. Without leaning into a full-on stare, however, Azul started to notice the differences. For one, that sugary, bell-like tone. The boy felt a sharp pinprick of anxiety the minute Emily locked her eyes on him. She was practically sizing him up with an unapologetic smugness in her smile.

"And with such a handsome friend too. My, my...do come in! We were just about to have lunch! I'd love to hear all about your travels and how you two met, of course!"

Azul didn't have to look at Elise to know that her formally polite and proper smile was swiftly chucked out the window. He felt the younger sister's grip on his arm tighten ever so slightly as Elise finally addressed her sister as the three of them walked further into the villa.

"And where is your handsome friend, Emily? I could have sworn you had a suitor come call right before I left temporarily."

The first jab...

"Oh, you mean Rielle?" Emily said innocently batting her eyes while definitely not shying away from the casual first name basis, "he had to leave to return to school early! Such a shame too, we were having so much fun. He's such a sweet thing."

The counter...though Azul was convinced this verbal fencing match was over the family dog and not a visiting suitor. Still, he remained perfectly quiet and charming looking at Elise's side. Better to stay out of the line of fire for as long as possible...

"How lovely," Elise's tone was barely amiable. It was clear that she wasn't that interested in pulling her punches today. Especially the millisecond her sister trained her focus back on Azul.

"Elise, you haven't introduced me to this young man on your arm. Don't be so rude! Who is this dashing fellow you've brought with you?" Emily giggled girlishly.

Azul felt himself start to sweat as Elise's grip on him grew even tighter. Still, he was in top form with his Octavinelle Prefect and Mostro Lounge manager charm on full blast, "Azul Ashengrotto, Your Highness. Elise and I are school friends. I've been collaborating with her on a very important project over the past couple of weeks. I apologize for her sudden departure but it was...quite urgent."

The octopus boy saw the predatory spark flash in Emily's pale green eyes as she completely overlooked the part about her sister's disappearance, "Oh? Only...friends?"

Azul couldn't answer even if he wanted to. Elise practically spat an entire inkwell right in the noisy girl's face, "Very dear and very close friends, Emily."

Fortunately, they reached the dining hall seconds later, making Azul silently thank the entirety of the Great Seven for the timing. Gerald nearly fell out of his chair once Elise entered the room, "Princess Elise?! Y-You've come home!"

Looking around at the servants' faces, it was apparent that everyone felt a wave of shame in one form or another upon the realization that Elise was in fact, standing right there in front of them...of her own accord and not because any one of them sought her out. Everyone, except Emily, that is. The elder sister just giggled as if this were all some silly game that she had the winning card to.

"See? I told you all there was nothing to worry about. Now then, Elise is here so why don't we all just have a nice meal and catch up?"

Azul saw the sour expression on Elise's face as Gerald, Emily, and the other servants took their places either seated at the table or around it, almost like this was some weird dinner theatre production. Azul also saw how Emily kept batting her doe eyes up at him, trying to reel him in as she had obviously done with everyone else. His charming grin widened with a somewhat wicked edge. That was the big difference between her and Elise and what a fool Rielle had to be to not see it for himself. Elise was too clever, too capable to rely on such a base level of manipulation. Alright sure, Elise did kind of manipulate him into signing a contract with her soon after they first met...but she at the very least respected his intelligence and abilities! To think this girl saw him as such easy prey was a joke!

"That sounds wonderful, doesn't it, Elise?" his tone was a bit too pleasant but if he knew his Princess Coralette, then he knew Elise would catch his drift no problem or questions asked. And how. Elise smiled graciously up at Azul as he pulled out a chair for her, "Oh yes. Let's indeed catch up."

The two octopuses in human form sat next to each other and faced down the rest of the table with their deceptive smiling faces, knowing just how interesting this afternoon would certainly be.

Emily seemed hellbent on keeping the air light in spite of the guilty faces surrounding her, “So how is your internship going, dear sister? I’m assuming Azul is helping you with it?” “He has been very helpful in other endeavors, yes, but that’s not why we’re here Emily,” her tone had an edge to it as if her tongue was sharpening a knife, the grin on Elise's face held fast, however. Azul sat back and let the lady lead. “No, I’m here, accompanied by my dear friend because I’m curious. Did any of you feel the need to check in with the internship I chose to make sure I was safe after my sudden departure? Or did you just take the word of my sister who had no place speaking on my behalf?” The room was thick with awkward silence. Even Gerald who rarely had nothing at the ready verbally was too embarrassed to answer. So in other words: yes, Elise’s call-out was spot on. The quiet air was broken by a pronounced sigh coming from Emily. “I don’t understand the fuss. You’re here now in one piece and in good company so what exactly is the issue??” Emily huffed with a roll of her eyes. “The issue is that every single one of you took someone else’s word that I was fine without seeing for yourselves!" the younger sister's charming polish swiftly melted into a much more heated declaration, "You had no idea where I was or if I was even alive and yet here you are, just enjoying sweet Emily's little vacation as if I was never here to begin with?!” The older sister’s sweet disposition fell into a stoic gaze as she released another sigh. Suddenly her soft bell-like tone was replaced with a much more blunt and even a bit stern tone, "So dramatic...it's like my sister hasn't grown up at all. Really, Elise, you used to run away for hours, even whole days at a time as a child, but you always returned perfectly unharmed, doing nothing more than making a scene and disrupting Father's very busy schedule. So why should we sound any alarms when you suddenly come and go as you please as a young adult? If anything, it's a relief that you're finally doing something besides swimming around with those creepy eel pets of yours..."

Azul's eyes narrowed sharply for a moment before they grew in shock at the sudden crash that came from his right. Elise was on her feet, trembling with her teeth gritted and hands slammed onto the table as her dinnerware lay broken and scattered on the floor. Emily just scoffed and began to scold her.

"Now look what you've done-"

"They are NOT pets!" Elise yelled, "Their names are Luna and Cowrie and they are people, merpeople just like Rielle!"

To both Elise and Azul's confusion, a snort of laughter came from across the table. Gerald cleared his throat, suddenly looking a bit put off by the topic at hand as the maid to his left covered her guilty mouth.

"With all due respect, Your Highness," he carefully began, "You've always had your mother's generous heart and her love of the sea and all it's erm...unique inhabitants but I must say-"

The older gentleman's words stopped short once Elise's piercing look of warning was directed straight at him. The maid that had laughed before quickly dismissed herself along with a few others from the room. Emily, however, remained seated in a regal manner as if she were in court, "Rielle was and still is a very elegant and handsome creature. Comparing him to those weird, ghastly snakes with their sharp teeth, slimy skin, and claws..." Emily looked pale as she shuddered just from saying those words aloud.

Did this girl just call Rielle a 'creature'? Azul's confusion as to what the mermaid prince saw in this other princess grew with every word that left her mouth. Elise was just as confused if not fully appalled by her sister's attitude towards the boy who loved her so deeply.

"You call my friends my 'pets' only to turn around and call Rielle, a prince who gave up his entire life as a merman to be with you, a creature? As if he's just some lost puppy you found on the beach...Do...do you even realize what is actually happening right in front of you?!" Elise's voice began to crack, "Do you have any idea how heartbreaking this is?!"

Her hands and arms were trembling as she spoke to Emily who frankly looked as moved as someone watching a poorly acted drama. That alone made Azul's temper start to slowly brew but it was Emily's girlish chuckle that really made his stomach sour.

"Elise, come on now. Don't you think you're overreacting? I mean, of course, everyone knows how big of a crush you've had on sweet Rielle for years. I will admit your affection for him from the very beginning was adorable but obviously, it wasn't meant to be. One would think you're just acting out a jealous fit right now," Emily then gave Azul a smug grin, "However...you did come with another handsome boy on your arm so I'd say you've already moved on rather quickly for someone acting so victimized. Or is your friend just here to bolster your wounded image, sister? Are you really so upset that you didn't get to be a part of that fairytale romance with the mermaid princess that Mother used to tell us all the time?" Emily giggled coldly.

A flood of shame and anger mixed heat rushed to Elise's face as her sister gracefully stood up to leave, cutting off any rebuttal she may have had with a curt retort, "If what you say about Rielle's intentions is true then I am flattered. He's a sweet boy but really...he's not fit for me I'm afraid. Do be honest with yourself though, dear sister. You're acting out just as you always had as a child because things didn't work out exactly how you wanted them to. Well, it's not so cute anymore. Father, our brother, and I have all done you a great service by allowing you your freedom to do as you please since Mother passed away. But unlike you, Father and Brother have very important matters to attend to. As do I. You were blessed with both beauty and talent and yet you spend all your time doing...I'm not even sure what exactly. It's time you grow up and do something productive with yourself for once. Gerald," the old attendant quickly got to his feet, "It was a lovely stay but I'm afraid I must return to my own duties. Please have the servants take my things back to my ship, thank you."

Emily began to leave the few left in the room in complete silence and she almost made it to the door before she heard her baby sister's rough sob.

"Y-You are cruel, Emily!"

The elder Coralette princess' formerly sweet persona returned as she smiled at her frustrated sibling, "You're just bitter from disappointment, Elise. You'll thank me someday. Oh and don't leave others to clean up your mess, alright?"

The door to the main hall closed with a sharp echo. Gerald muttered to the remaining staff to attend to Emily's departure before turning to a very visibly upset Elise who looked as if she may break apart at any second. Before he could even open his mouth as he approached the distressed princess, he was blocked by Azul and his poised smile.

"Princess Elise and I have finished our business here. I will see to it that she is properly taken care of, thank you."

Gerald was about to argue when Elise's harsh tone shut him down flat, "Leave, Gerald." And that was that. Azul and Elise were left alone in the large dining hall. The boy dropped his facade and looked to the princess just to see her bend down to tend to the broken pieces at her feet. He made a sound of worry as he moved to stop her but Elise gave him a shaky smile, "It's alright, Azul."

Within the next moment, Azul watched as the princess gently placed her hands over the broken pieces and started to recite an incantation, "Return to what you once were. Undo the harm done and try again. Second Chance."

Right before his eyes, the pieces of glass and plate came back together and the cracks resealed themselves as if they were never broken, to begin with. Elise picked up the now whole glass and plate and showed him with a small grin on her face, "See? Good as new."

"This is your unique magic, isn't it Elise?" Azul chuckled, "You and the Cerith sisters, you three just keep amazing me time and time again. Not something many can say they have accomplished."

Elise seemed to revert back to her usual self for a moment as she placed the dinnerware back on the table, "Oh? You flatter me, Mr. Ashengrotto...you wouldn't be thinking up any possible future business ventures with this new information, would you?" She gave the boy a playfully sly grin.

Azul continued the banter with a faux wounded expression, "My, my, you make me sound positively devious, princess." Her light laughter that proceeded his statement made his heart hiccup momentarily. Azul just dismissed the sensation by clearing his throat.

"Well, I can honestly say that I've had my fill of this place. I imagine you feel the same."

Elise rolled her eyes in a similar fashion as Emily did before, "That's an understatement. One more thing and then we can leave."

Any curious maids that had been hanging around Elise's room scattered like sardines the minute the princess showed her annoyed face. Azul opted to wait outside the room but Elise pulled him inside with her. No doubt this would stir up more gossip among the staff but at this point, Elise couldn't be bothered to care.

"They'll talk either way but in here, you at least won't be hounded by the more bold ones, Azul," the princess said bluntly as she began looking around her room for her phone and magic pen, keeping her face turned away from him.

Azul saw her point and acknowledged it as he silently waited for her, not wanting to hover. Especially since the tension seemed to return to her voice. Elise found her phone and while she did have it both mechanically and magically customized to be waterproof to the point to deal with great levels of underwater pressure, she wasn't exactly sure her octopus form came with pockets...better to bring a bag, she thought as she grabbed the closest and simplest pouch she could find. She then found her magic pen on her vanity right where she left it, "There you are..."

The boy watched curiously as Elise slipped the magic stone piece off of the pen only to reveal that it was actually a ring. She slipped it onto her right hand's middle finger as she turned back to Azul, "There we go. All set."

"So Sacred Crown makes your magic stones interchangeable as rings? Very clever," he hummed as he gazed down at the aquamarine stone on her hand. It seemed to shrink to a smaller size to fit with on Elise's long, dainty fingers.

"Everyone's has a variety. We attach them to our pens like you boys do at Night Raven when we're in class but otherwise, we wear them like jewelry. Mine is a ring. Luna and Cowrie are a bit more secretive with theirs: Luna wears hers as a bracelet in her human form which apparently hides in her mermaid form and Cowrie hides hers on the back of the shell she wears around her neck. It can be a ring, a brooch, a necklace, it depends on the girl I suppose...I never really thought about it before, to be honest," Elise chuckled a bit half-heartedly. The topic was light enough but it was clear that the events of the afternoon still weighed on her. She quickly brushed past him, obviously not wanting to linger any longer, "We should head back." - The sun was setting by the time Azul and Elise returned to the beach. The breeze brushed through her deep blue-black locks in time with the sigh that left her lips.

“I’m so sorry you had to see…all of that, Azul.” She was turned away from him but her tone grew more somber with each word, “But…maybe Emily was right about me. If I hadn’t have rushed into all of this so recklessly then-“

It stirred something in him that couldn’t settle. His sharp words cut her off, “Enough. All I heard from your sister today was careless accusations.” The princess turned to find Azul had walked straight up to her and stared her down with a frustrated expression, “I am an outsider, I know, but had I been your brother, I would have been relieved and even a bit sick with how much worry your disappearance caused. Anything but whatever it was your actual sister thought was a suitable reaction!” Elise’s turquoise eyes widened as he continued, “You have nothing to apologize for, Elise. Not to me. As for Rielle, he is a fool. I took his voice, not his brain. And yet he still pushed aside such a-“ Beautiful. Incredible. Bold. Several very embarrassing adjectives skidded to halt just before lingering on the edge of Azul’s tongue. The feeling from earlier returned tenfold with a blunt clarity that the octopus boy couldn’t ignore any longer…

From the other side of the conversation, Elise watched as Azul’s determined expression suddenly morphed into something completely different as if the boy slammed into an invisible wall. It would be amusing if she wasn’t hanging on every word he had been saying up until that point.

“Ah…what I mean is…”

Azul was reeling on the inside: not sure if his body wanted to dive back into the sea or bury itself right there in the sand but either way, it knew. Painfully so. It knew and he himself knew now that Azul had a massive crush on this beautiful, brilliant, and very confused looking girl standing in front of him right now…and it made him want to immediately crawl into the abyss. It was madness! Not the attraction part, oh no never, any man would be a complete imbecile to not be attracted to such a woman as Elise! It burned him up to no end how Rielle could just side-step her so easily for someone so impossibly inferior like her pompous sister! And yet, it happened and Elise was heartbroken… which made Azul feel a distinct bitterness grow in his guts. That’s where the madness came in. It was absolutely ludicrous that after pining after a handsome prince like Rielle, as foolish as he may be, that Elise would ever give him the time of day…ha…what a thought.

“…Azul?”

Her concerned tone dragged him back to reality. He suddenly felt guilty seeing how her brow was furrowed with worry. And her striking eyes-AAHH STOP IT!

“Yes, sorry, I uh got a bit derailed there, Elise. My point is…” don’t come on too strong! “You shouldn’t have to apologize or feel guilty for being angry with your family. Any sane person in your position would have felt and reacted the same…and frankly, you seem like a bit of a misfit. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

Azul found his feet again with the last statement, his usual smile back on. It nearly flipped off his face completely when Elise smiled back at him. The sunset had the audacity to glow right behind her, making her even more lovely.

“You’re really sweet when you want to be, Azul Ashengrotto.”

His heart nearly leaped out of his throat. Elise felt warm all over and only moments later realized just how close she was to him. Her reaction was more akin to a magnet: she felt drawn to him, wanting to close the distance and step even closer to him. The only thing that kept her from doing so was her mind screaming at her to get a grip.

And Rielle? The same mind chimed in inconveniently. Elise felt another sharp pang in her heart. Did she still have feelings for the prince or did she just feel bad about the situation especially now that she knew how little her sister returned the poor boy's affections? The straight truth was that she wasn’t sure she did have feelings for him anymore. The more clouded, fuzzy truth was that the boy standing across from her perhaps made her feel something as well? Something new, stronger even? And that scared her a bit.

Azul wasn’t some doe-eyed prince looking for romance. He was cunning, ambitious, someone who cut his own path and made things happen. He was an incredible mage and person...he knew what he wanted. Not to mention incredibly handsome and full of charm even in his most awkward moments-WHAT?

The princess suddenly whirled away from Azul, making him jump a bit, “Azul!”

“Y-Yes?!”

“Thank you! …for staying by my side today. And ever since the beginning of all of this. I’d be lost without you…”

Elise’s face was burning so hot it was a miracle her voice wasn’t shakier. Azul gave some sort of affirmation but the princess couldn’t really hear it over the pounding heartbeat in her ears. It’s undeniable, isn’t it? She thought to herself…regardless of whatever lingering feelings she may harbor for Rielle, feelings for Azul barged right in and made themselves at home. She wasn’t sure if she felt elated, mortified, or both!

The silence between the two of them was only filled with the sound of waves lapping at the shore…that is until they heard a familiar voice coming from the nearby peer.

“Heeey…you two having a fight or what??”

Both Elise and Azul’s heads whipped to the side to see that Indigo had been joined under the peer by not only his sisters but their mates as well. The tweels looked especially amused by the couple’s awkward air whilst the Cerith siblings seemed to be whispering something amongst themselves. If the pair’s faces weren’t heated already then they most definitely were now.

Floyd’s sharp-tooth smile widened as he continued to tease, “Maybe you should kiss and make up~ Heheheh-“

The obnoxious twin soon had a face full of saltwater as Azul blasted the water with wind magic at record speed, “I thought I told you to wait at Octavinelle for us!” “You seemed to be taking some time and we thought it best to check in with you two,” Jade had a wicked grin that didn’t even try to hide how entertaining Azul’s flustered behavior was, “now we can see you two are more than just fine…” Elise narrowed her eyes at her two companions as they giggled mischievously in the shadows. The sly looks the two sisters were giving her made the princess feel completely exposed: oh…they knew something was going on in their friend's brain and they were ready to torment her to hell and back to get to the bottom of it. Indigo remained quietly leaning against one of the large poles, looking stoic as ever. “Yes, yes Elise and I have accomplished what she set out to do and now we can all return to where we need to be…” Azul’s tone was professional but as soon as he finished, Elise felt a bit disappointed. She knew it wasn’t forever, of course, but did they really have to part ways now? She looked to the sun as it slowly sank beneath the horizon as she formed an idea. “Actually…if you all don’t mind…there is a place I’d like you all to visit with me before we part ways for a while,” she asked gently as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Well, Azul suddenly found it near impossible to say no to her now. The eels seemed to be very keen on the idea of sticking together a bit longer as well, if for no other reason beyond getting some more entertaining details nailed down.

Luna and Cowrie seemed to read Elise's mind as their faces lit up. Oh, that place.

"Ah the bay," Luna hummed, "It has been a long time. It'll be an excellent send-off point. After we all cool down a bit, of course."

Cowrie snickered at the smug grin her big sister had on her face as Elise seemed to huff at her pair of eels. The princess quickly walked back into the water and transformed back into her octopus form. It strangely felt far more comfortable to her now.

"Luna. Cowrie. You know the way," she held out her arms for the sisters to take, giving them both an impatient look.

"Yes, princess," they playfully chimed in unison before flanking her and signaling the boys to follow them.

- The bay was further down the shore but took no time at all to get to for the group to swim to. The sunset had dyed everything in a coral-pink glow by the time they resurfaced onto a very dreamy-looking spot of land. The water was clear and mostly still and the beach led to an area full of large, sleepy willow trees and fireflies that were beginning to stir. “This is a private bay. My parents used to come here all the time,” Elise phased back into her human form as she and the sisters walked onto the shore, “I figured we could have a few moments of peace before we say goodbye since today was so...stressful."

The boys followed suit and joined the girls on the land. All except Indigo. The eldest Cerith remained in the water as the teenagers explored the area, patiently hanging back and keeping his eyes to the open sea. Just in case.

Cowrie immediately started climbing into the willow tree closest to the water just so she could jump out of it and back into the water like a little kid on a tire swing. She called for Floyd to join her. He didn't need to be told twice. Luna just giggled at her baby sister and mate's antics before saddling up to Elise's side.

"You're looking a bit overheated, Elise," she whispered in a sing-song tone while both Azul and Jade were distracted, "Do you need a...time out perhaps?"

That was code Elise and the Cerith sisters had been using for years: whenever Elise was having a 'moment' - as Luna liked to call it - she and her eel companions would swiftly and gracefully as possible retreat to a designated panic area, away from prying eyes and ears. Elise was both irritated and grateful to her best friend and vice prefect for reading her so easily. She didn't even have to respond before Luna linked her arm with Elise's and called Cowrie back to her.

"Excuse us, boys, we girls need to have a little private talk for a moment," Luna gave Azul and the twins a soft smile before smoothly guiding the princess further inland, Cowrie practically skipping behind. Jade was quick to catch the look Luna gave him as she floated by. He passed along the look to Floyd like a psychic connection and the twins both turned to Azul.

"We should regroup as well, don't you think Floyd?" Jade grinned, showing his teeth.

Floyd's wild giggle just made Azul feel more uneasy and on the defensive. The octopus boy found the closest bench and sat with his arms crossed. The tweels settled on either side of him and waited with deceptively kind smiles on their faces.

"Alright, you two are up to something. What is it?"

Azul had known these devilish twins long enough to know when they had mischief on their minds. Most of the time it still worked in his favor but right now, he wasn't so sure. Jade took the lead in classic Jade fashion: delicately baited.

"It's not often that we're left out of the loop, Azul. We're just curious as to how everything is going?"

An innocent enough statement. At least it would be had it come from anyone but Jade Leech. Azul held his cards close to his chest and gave the brothers just the facts: it was simple - Rielle was no longer on land, at least outside of his school's campus, and from what Emily Coralette had very bluntly said earlier, he had a snowball in the Land of Hot Sands' chance at winning her heart. The more vindictive part of Azul grinned at that prospect, the utter foolishness of it all. The twins weren't much better. Floyd cackled at this information, "Aw man, what a shmuck! Not only did he pick the wrong girl, she doesn't even want him back?!"

Jade snorted and sputtered a bit, failing to hide his laugh behind any sort of polite decorum, "Oya Floyd, don't be so cruel...it's unfair to assume that he actually put any thought into this whole endeavor."

This only made his brother laugh even harder. Although, the twins' mirth quickly died down once they noticed the very downcast look on their friend's face. Azul looked as serious as a heart attack, staring off into nothing.

"Oi Azul...this is usually the part where you get all puffed up and confident about winning and stuff," Floyd muttered.

When he didn't respond, Jade's grin grew as he offered a theory, "Perhaps Azul is troubled because while these unfortunate events do benefit him...that may not be the case for poor Miss Elise."

The twins watched Azul's brow furrow deeper in frustration as his guarded resolve fell apart in mere moments. They shared a suspicious look before watching their friend again, waiting for a response. Like two cats waiting at a fishing dock. Azul let out an agitated huff, "Honestly, what a mess this has become and for what? Some foolish prince with big pretty, dreamy eyes and a nice singing voice chasing after an even more vapid little waif that's not even a fraction of the woman that DOES love him...that idiot couldn't even see what was right in front of him!"

"Ohh? How so?" Jade asked as casually as possible. Had Azul looked up he would have seen just how the brothers were about to lose it, not even bothering to hide their mischievous grins. Azul was too distracted by his own irritated feelings to derail his own rant.

"How so? Honestly, Jade, you and Floyd have had Elise in your own house for weeks and you're still unaware?! She has adapted to the same very dangerous environment we all were born into in record time, she defended your mate from imminent danger-"

"Octi-chan also put you in your place like right away," Floyd added rather bluntly.

"YES, Floyd! Aside from my mother and grandmother, and your own mother once or twice, no one else has ever done so let alone with such directness and passion!" the brothers weren't sure if Azul was upset or impressed but decided to see where he was going with this, "Elise is incredible. She's unlike any other person, I've ever met..."

Azul stopped himself in a bout of bashful self-awareness. His face turned the shade of Riddle Roseheart's hair once he finally looked up and saw the incredulously wide smiles on the twins' faces. Checkmate.

"Ehhhhh~ This is so unlike you, Azuuuul...so smitten~" Floyd giggled as if they had been watching a wriggling worm on a hook.

Azul back peddled so quickly the twins were surprised he didn't flip over the very bench he sat on, "Smitten?! Clearly, you have no idea what admiration and respect sound like! I'm just speaking as a man admiring a woman of prestige and gumption!!"

Indigo snorted loudly from where he was offshore when he heard that, making his younger brothers-in-law burst into laughter. Azul steamed faster than a pressure cooker, spitting out defenses onto their deaf ears. On the other side of the bay, Elise wasn't fairing much better.

She, Luna, and Cowrie found a nice private spot hidden away underneath one of the larger willows that dipped into the water. Elise sat up to her shoulders in the cool water, quietly watching her tentacles play with the small fish and water lilies that drifted by. She had been giving her curious friends short, vague answers to their endless questions. Luna had a world of patience that her sister did not. Cowrie finally grew tired of swimming in circles around Luna and Elise as the three of them talked and finally blurted out what they really wanted to know.

"So what's the deal with Rielle now??"

Luna bopped her baby sister on the head with the end of her tail after giving her a scrutinizing look. Still, she waited for Elise to answer. The princess seemed set on hiding her face in her own long silky hair. Very uncharacteristically skittish of her...

"It's like I said...Emily doesn't love him. I'm not sure that he's aware of it though."

Luna slowly leaned in to coax her friend, "And how do you feel about all of this?"

Elise hesitated. Luna and Cowrie looked at each other but neither backed off. Their silent persistence didn't go unnoticed. The princess felt like she might be crushed under the weight of her friends' gazes. She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what they wanted to hear...and it wasn't a lie either.

"I...I don't think I love Rielle anymore. I'm not sure I really did in the first place," her voice sounded so hollow but this confession came far more easily than she expected.

"Finally!" Cowrie groaned, "You outclass him by a long shot, Ellie, you have for years."

"Ignoring my sister's lack of tact, she is right. Elise, as..." Luna really seemed to struggle with finding the right word for a moment, "...charming...as Rielle's pretty face and naivety may be, I assure you that you deserve and need a much more capable mate. Someone of substance."

Cowrie nodded in hard agreement with her sister's words, "Someone more your speed. And you know, with a brain that actually works. I mean even your sister doesn't want him...that's pretty sad."

Classic Cowrie: brutally honest. Elise snorted dryly and rolled her eyes as she pushed her hair away from her face, "No she doesn't, but that didn't stop her from batting her eyes towards Azul..."

The sisters' ear fins perked up at this new development. Rather than interrupting with more questions, they scooted in to soak up every detail as Elise got more and more heated with every word.

"Honestly," she huffed, "I knew Emily wasn't subtle about her more flirtatious side but seriously? She already had one guy practically licking her shoes but the minute he leaves and another handsome face shows up, she starts eyeing him up like he's the next course meal!"

"Hmph. So vulgar..." Luna sneered while sharing a grin with her younger sister. Cowrie quietly snickered as her tail swished back and forth in the water.

"I know! He was right there with ME! Literally on MY arm!" Elise practically screeched.

"Humans can be so sloppy with their desires. If this had happened in our neighborhood, there would've been blood," Cowrie snorted, "Courtship and bonds with your mate are taken very seriously among mermaids, and disrespect is never tolerated."

Luna hummed in agreement, "Well said, Cowrie. If this girl had made such advances towards my darling right in front of me, well...she wouldn't have eyes left to gawk with."

Elise's eyes nearly glowed red as she blurted out her true feelings with a snap, "Had I not been so focused on my purpose for being there in the first place, she'd be lucky if I took only her eyes!"

The eel sisters cooed in both surprise and admiration at this more savage side to their friend. "My, my...you truly are an octopus mermaid, Elise," Luna chuckled making the princess blink back to reality.

"Wha...what do you mean?"

Cowrie giggled wickedly as she circled around the other two playfully, "Eel mermaids are very territorial and protective of their mates and their broods, but female octopus? Ooo, they're especially aggressive! Anyone with half a brain cell knows better than getting between an octo-lady and her maaaan~ Azuzu was lucky to not get caught up in the crossfire!"

The sisters giggled as the words "her man" made Elise's face flush lavender with a heated glow, "W-Well, it was just very rude is all. Anyone in my position would have felt the same! And making Azul out to be some piece of meat to toy with is unacceptable!"

"Azul...or Rielle?"

Luna and Cowrie wore matching cat-like grins as they watched the steam rise out of Elise's ears.

"Either one! Emily's behavior was and still is deplorable!" she huffed crossing both her arms and her two front tentacles, "Azul deserves better than that...a-and Rielle too, of course."

"Of course," Luna smiled as she picked up a nearby floating water lily and began to pluck its petals in a love-me-love-me-not fashion, "But perhaps, Azul-kun wasn't so much opposed to it as he just wished it came from another source."

Before Elise could say anything, her best friend's golden eyes flicked back up to her with an inquiring raise of her eyebrows. Elise felt a barrage of butterflies fill her stomach at the implication.

"I don't...I don't know what you mean by that Luna. Azul was there to support me and I am still very glad he was there, by my side...that's all."

Very convincing, even Elise's brain didn't believe her. Judging from the looks on the eel sisters' faces, neither did they. However, Elise was too stubborn to give in so easily.

"Besides, I have a much bigger problem to worry about and I'm running out of time..." her face fell as she, begrudgingly, reminded herself of what needed to be done. Luna's expression turned more serious.

"And what will you do, Elise?"

"I...I don't know...somehow I thought all of this would be so much more clear by now but..."

After a beat of silence, Elise felt both sisters gently wrap themselves around her in a double hug. They said nothing. They didn't have to. Elise just exhaled and let her two companions hold her up for a few minutes while she began to process everything at hand.

When the girls returned to the main shore, they found a rather unexpected scene...

The twins and Azul seemed to be horsing around in the water and arguing about something. Well, Azul was arguing some point while tangling a cackling Floyd up in one of his tentacles as if the eel boy were a giant maraca while Jade kept trying to escape the tentacle that had him ensnared. All the while, Indigo sat in the water off to the side just watching with a sigh. The girls said nothing but gave the eldest boy questioning looks.

"Don't ask..." was his only response.

Elise turned back towards the other three boys and cleared her throat as loudly as possible, "Um boys??"

Azul suddenly whipped around as his tentacles plunged the twins back into the water, causing their tails to wriggle back and forth above the surface, "Ah! Ladies, welcome back!"

His eye twitched but the girls pretended not to notice it. Or how flushed Azul's face was. Elise just put on a smile and ignored her own nerves, "Sorry about running off so suddenly, Azul, um...we...we just wanted to say our goodbyes before we go, of course."

Floyd's head popped out of the water with a pout, "Awww already?"

Jade followed with a calm expression in an attempt to hide his disappointment better than his brother, "It is getting rather late, I suppose."

Azul let the brothers go and they quickly swam over to their mates. Elise gave the eels a moment and approached the other octopus with a soft smile, "I can't thank you enough for your help, Azul."

Some of Elise's butterflies seemed to transfer over to him in that exact moment, "Oh I uh...I didn't do that much...I was just kind of...there."

Elise laughed quietly at his suddenly more shy expression, "What's with the false modesty? You being 'there' is exactly what I needed. I like having you close by, Azul-"

The princess let out a high squeak when two of her and Azul's tentacles suddenly took it upon themselves to wrap around each other as they did before but more assertively this time. Azul's whole torso tensed with embarrassment before he started sputtering.

"I-I'm so sorry, I don't know why this keeps happening!"

He started to pull his own limbs off of hers but stopped when Elise suddenly burst out laughing. He blinked at the princess owlishly as if he were caught in some sort of prank. Elise waved her hands as she tried to make herself stop laughing but to no avail.

"I'm, I'm sorry, I-" she tried taking a breath but somehow that just made it worse, "I swear I'm not trying to make fun of you! It-it's just maybe-"

The five eels watched the scene between the two play out with satisfied grins on their faces. It was too adorable for even the most mischievous of them to interrupt. Elise finally managed to quell her laughter to finish explaining.

"Whew...sorry...ahem...maybe our legs are just trying to break the ice or something?" She smiled at the stunned boy, "I mean...we've come this far together right and we're still a bit too formal with each other sometimes? Maybe they can tell."

It was a fair point. Azul pouted down at his own tentacles as if they were mocking him but deep down, he was not-so-secretly grateful for them taking initiative he was too scared to take himself, "Perhaps...so what do we..."

Azul felt an immediate lump form in his throat when Elise suddenly closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, causing the emboldened legs to wrap even tighter around each other.

"See? This isn't so bad...right?" her voice was even but Elise was so glad he couldn't see her very shy face right now.

Azul slowly relaxed and wrapped his arms around her waist, relishing in the feeling of her odd warmth being so close to him, "No. Not at all."

The only complaint either one of them had was just how hard saying even a temporary goodbye was going to be now. Neither one wanted to even imagine how hard the final goodbye at the end of all of this when Elise was returned to normal was going to be...

Indigo quietly said bid his sisters and their mates fair well for the time being before silently swimming back to the Leech household. Luna and Cowrie didn't want to break Elise away from Azul just yet, especially when he looked so comfortable with his eyes closed in a peaceful expression with his head leaning against hers. The twins, as maliciously teasing as they may be, also didn't want to break things up just yet. This was probably the most at ease they had seen their friend in so long.

"Maybe we should give them a few more minutes," Luna whispered as Floyd rested his head on her shoulder with a content purr. Jade and Cowrie gave no argument as the latter wrapped his petite mate in his own arms.

In their own little bubble, Azul felt weirdly electric: half calm, half absolutely buzzing. He was torn between letting the moment linger and ending the hug too soon. The tug o war going on in his brain wasn't helping his nerves whatsoever. He opened his stormy blue eyes to watch the final moments of the sunset before the glowing orb finally disappeared beneath the horizon. Time was slipping away too quickly.

"Elise..." he gently pushed away from her as soon as he regained his composure, "I-er-we need to make sure you get back to Sacred Crown safely."

Elise ignored, as much as she could anyway, the heavy pit in her stomach and the sudden departure of warmth as they separated, "Yes...we've dallied enough I think. We'll see each other again soon enough though, right?"

She put on a confident smile as she returned to the shore, "It might sound strange but it works better when we start on solid ground," the princess chuckled. Luna and Cowrie gave their boys a kiss before following after Elise. Once the three girls were back in their human forms, each one removed the coins from their pockets and tossed them into the bay. Minutes later a whirlpool portal appeared before them. The girls gave each of the boys one last look before leaping in one right after the other. Once the whirlpool settled and they were gone, the bay felt all too quiet and empty.

Floyd's mood immediately dampened if not turn completely non-existent. Jade looked a bit lost. And Azul...well...Azul did what Azul did best: go on with the show.

"Well, we watched over the girls until their return just as we said we would. They'll be back in no time...Jade, Floyd, let's go back to Octivinelle. We have a lot to do."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @honey-milk-depresso @ladyrosemoon @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @feldya @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @aiimee9

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 10

So I tried posting this chapter last night and apparently, Chapter 10 is just way too long to put into a Tumblr post for y'all to read and share directly............

Well I ain't editing it down whatsoever so here's a link instead lol

Now BEFORE you read (specifically any new readers that haven't traveled this route yet): I do have to put some warning labels on this chapter. It deals with some heavy subject matter regarding the abuse and neglect of children. Even violence towards and amongst children. So just be warned if this is something that is hard for you to read about/deal with.

Also there's some 18+ stuff that happens later in the chapter. Nothing too graphic but it's there lol (Minors, go to bed!!)

Anyway, now that I know there's a text limit, I might just start doing my chapter posts this way. Likes, shares, and comments are still very much welcome and I hope y'all enjoy the chapter.

Inky's Links: AO3 : Masterlist : 3rd Story Poll (still open for one more day)

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @honey-milk-depresso @ladyrosemoon @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @victoria1676 @evieyouknow @feldya @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @aiimee9

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 16

Strap in, readers - this rollercoaster is just getting started lol

Chapter 16: A Turn of the Tide

"Hello, Father."

His Majesty froze for a moment, thinking he had seen a ghost as soon as Elise appeared. She looked so much like her mother all on her own but seeing his late wife's pearl hair pins in her dark hair played further tricks on him.

"Daughter," he said it as if he were bringing himself back to reality, "You look well."

Elise's father had become a man of much fewer words in recent years. This never changed regardless of how long they had seen each other. It was strangely comforting in a way.

"Thank you, Father. I will be much better soon. There's something very important I need to talk to you about."

The king sat in a nearby armchair and gestured to the matching one across from him. This was an unspoken formality that all of his subjects, family included, knew well: when the king invited one to sit in front of him, he also gave them permission to speak. Elise curtsied and took her seat before continuing, "Father, something has happened to me this past summer."

"Edward has informed me to an extent, yes," he said dryly as he leaned back into the creaking leather, "And some nonsense about you giving up your status as my daughter?"

Elise took a deep quiet breath, "That is probably the only true thing he told you, Father. Half true anyway. I will always be your daughter, but I no longer wish to be a part of the royal Coralette family. There's somewhere else I want to build a life of my own now. So that is my intention."

In place of the angry outburst or cynical condescending remark Elise fully expected, she watched as sadness and grief broke through the grey expression on her aged father's face. King Erik suddenly looked the same as he did on that day when Elise's mother didn't come back to them.

"May I know why you have decided this, my dear child?" his voice shook but he was still ready to listen. And he did. The king listened to every part of his daughter's journey that led her up to this point: her transformation, her time under the sea as a mermaid, losing and gaining her voice back, all of it. He frowned when this young man by the name of Ashengrotto kept cropping up.

"Am I to understand that you hold deep affection for this...merfolk boy I've never laid eyes on, Elise?"

His daughter couldn't help but stifle a laugh at her father's sudden protectiveness, "It's more than just infatuation, Father. I love him. And given your past approach to merfolk, can you really blame me for not bringing him straight to you to ask for your blessing...?"

The father groaned not because he thought Elise was being ridiculous, but because he knew that she meant every word. Elise left her seat and kneeled at her father's side, "Father, please I beg of you. I know how much you fear the sea and its people ever since Mother died but-"

"Not another word, Elise," his sudden change in tone caught her off guard, "I confess...you're even more like your mother than I realized. Stubborn and restless as the sea itself. She always had an insatiable fondness for it and the merfolk that inhabited it. Nothing frightened her like it did me and your siblings. She was fearless and full of compassion. Out of all my children, you are the most like her."

He suddenly stood and walked away from her. Erik crossed the room and stared down at a familiar box that stood out among his things. It greatly resembled the music box Elise's mother had given her. He silently opened it and concealed its contents in his hand with a deep sigh, "And that is exactly why I must let you go on your terms instead of trying to hide you away any longer..."

He returned to his daughter's side and showed her the small vial in his hand, "Your mother was a master ambassador and potion maker. She excelled at making temporary potions that allowed merfolk to come onto land. So much that she tried to make another that would do the opposite for humans. I see now how much of a pity it is that she could never finish it but...I believe she would want you to have this even if it is incomplete."

Elise gingerly took the vial into her hands and stared at the scrap piece of paper wrapped around it, listing its contents, "What is it lacking?"

"Certain ingredients that could only come from very specific region of the Coral Sea. One that most humans cannot reach without a great deal of help, I recall her saying. If this Azul Ashengrotto is as brilliant as you say, I imagine he can and will complete it."

Elise gasped as she looked into her father's eyes. They were sad but he was smiling for the first time in years. She leapt up and threw her arms around him with a sob, "Thank you, Father!"

"My sweet Elise, I can only hope that you can forgive your family for our foolishness. I hope the next time we see each other; it will be a far happier occasion."

There was only one problem left now: how much they would miss each other.

The ceremony itself was lovely. Emily had never looked more radiant or happy. Had she not known better, Elise would almost buy it. But honestly...what did it matter anymore? Elise smiled and applauded with the rest of the crowd as the bride and groom kissed. While all eyes were on the happy couple, Elise was bursting with a deeper radiance that couldn't be explained. Not that it had to be to a certain onlooker.

After the wedding concluded, the reception was held down on the lower deck and Elise suddenly felt like a new person in the best and worst way. She mostly floated about through the crowd making polite small talk to those that noticed her and knew who she was despite her distance from the wedding party. Most of the guests were clamoring around the bride, groom, and their two families either giving genuine congrats or just trying to brown nose into the royals' favor. Elise recognized other royals and noblemen in attendance but was overjoyed when her distant observer smiled her way before gracefully separating herself from a small cluster to approach Elise. It was none other than her old friend, Her Highness Reine Castilene.

Elise nearly ran straight into her friend's open arms, "Oh Seven, how I've missed you!"

The ivory princess chuckled, "I was told by my little sister prefect to give you a big hug so here I am to deliver," Reine released her bestie with a mischievous grin, "Well, that's only half true...I've also been hearing quite a bit about your summer adventures."

Frankly, Elise should have known. As much as she loved and adored Cowrie, the eel was a chatterbox to the right person and that person was Reine. All she could do was burst into a pink blush and laugh, "I'm glad at least it was you that cornered me..."

The two girls, somehow, broke away to speak privately back on the upper deck. Though the guests down below could no doubt hear their laughter. It had been too long, and they were both in riveting spirits.

"What's with that look?!"

Reine was grinning like Chenya on National Strawberry Tart Day, "Ooh you're just reminding me of when I realized my feelings for Riddle darling. It's so cuuuute."

Elise snorted, "Ah yes, you and 'Riddle darling'. The Legendary Sacred Night Raven power couple."

"And look who's joined our ranks. I wonder what you'll call your smitten beloved in time," Reine's grin quickly turned to full snark as Elise's face turned pink once more.

"I haven't really called him anything special. Just Azul. It all happened so quickly...and then I left."

Reine watched as Elise's face fell into something between sadness and longing, "Hmm. A princess who became a mermaid. Fell in love with a merman only to turn back into a princess again...it must have been heartbreaking for you both."

Elise laughed bitterly as a hot wave of tears pricked at her eyes, "I'm not even a princess anymore. I'm just...Elise, a human missing a life she had for a short while-"

She halted all at once and remembered the vial that she had kept in a hidden pocket this entire time, "Reine, I need your help now more than ever. You're always going to Night Raven to visit Riddle, right?"

"Yes, I'm actually going tomorrow-Oh!" Reine chirped when Elise suddenly grabbed her hand and folded the vial inside her palm.

"Please give this to Azul as soon as you get there. I will forever be in your debt if you do this!" her glassy eyes were wide and pleading. How could Reine refuse? The ivory girl smiled gently before taking the vial and holding it to her heart.

"As a future queen, I would be honored to help a mermaid find her way home. So long as she agrees to visit every once in a while, and maybe even be my future daughter's godmother, of course."

"Absolutely!" Elise cried out in pure joy as she hugged Reine to her.

Everything was falling into place, as bittersweet as the taste it left behind but Elise couldn't be happier! She would be eternally grateful for her father and Reine's kindness and repay it tenfold the minute the opportunity arose. It was only when the ship suddenly started to rock that Elise's joy turned into panicked confusion. The guests down below cried out first in shock and then in horror. The two girls quickly peered over the edge and saw two things at once: the waters below were full of shark fins circling the ship and that those weren't normal sharks. Emily's piercing shriek forced Elise's eyes to the bow of the ship. Something had crawled onto the deck and was now crouching down on its arms...its long-finned tail whipping back and forth, igniting more panic amongst the people below.

Prince Edward swiftly jumped into action. He and the security circled the creature, with weapons at the ready as Emily continued to frantically scream, "Kill it! Kill it and throw it overboard!"

The creature looked familiar. It was a merman but not a shark. It was an eel with bright yellow spots on its stormy blue-grey skin and ice blue eyes. Elise's feet were on fire as she bolted down the steps. Her heart rammed against her chest as she forced her way through the crowd, praying that the eel wasn't who she feared it was. Her voice pierced the air as it flew from her throat. But nothing compared to the split second their gazes met, and Elise saw how blown wide the eel's eyes were with fear. It wasn't Indigo like she had thought, thank goodness but he was still petrified as the aggressive ring closed in on him. He wasn't attacking, he was trying to escape one predator and was about to be caught by another.

"DON'T HURT HIM!"

Her brother and the guards suddenly reeled back as Elise flew past them and shielded the merman. Any outcry Edward made, she ignored when she realized that the eel was badly injured and running on nothing but adrenaline, "He isn't trying to attack us! He's injured and needs help!"

Edward grabbed Elise by the arm and tried to pull her away from the beast, "Elise, forget your obsession with these things and listen-"

His wrist was suddenly locked in a firm grasp and yanked away from his sister. When the prince turned to deal with the interference, he was met with his father's stern face. Before anyone else could try and stop her, Reine stood between the prince and her friend. She addressed the crowd in a commanding voice as her own bodyguards flanked her, "Please stand back! This merman is in need of immediate medical attention and antagonizing him will only make the situation more dire!"

Prince Edward shriveled under the sharp gaze Reine suddenly thrust upon him, "Your Highness. With all due respect, your subjects' safety is at stake because of what is in the water, not above it. You might want to take action where needed."

She didn't bother giving him time to argue but instead turned around to see Elise trying to soothe the eel. Elise had jumped straight into a first responder mindset.

"You are safe. It's alright. No one is going to hurt you," she spoke clearly but gently, "Please, let me help you."

A weak, raspy attempt at a hiss came from his scarred throat before he was overcome with fatigue. He couldn't speak but he didn't fight the human girl as she caught him in her arms and gently lowered him to the deck floor. His eyes were wild at first as he carefully watched Elise for any sign of betrayal. When he found none, he remained still as Elise desperately tried to seal with his wounds with healing magic. She gritted her teeth in frustration when they didn't show any evidence of recovery, "It's not working!"

Reine left crowd control to her guard and dove down next to Elise to try and help. Even with their combined efforts, the eel was still fading fast. The damage was too great, and he had lost a lot of blood already. Elise heard Reine cry out for any possible medical mages in the crowd, but her eyes were locked onto the moon shaped trinket the dying eel held in his grasp. He clumsily tried to show it to her once he saw the look of recognition, but he could barely lift his hand. Elise felt a fire in her gut as the aged crescent moon pendant fell into her lap: it looked just like Luna's or her mother's. It was cracked and covered with splotches of the eel's blood. It was broken...broken? A spark...an idea.

"Hold on! Please!" Elise put her hands on the eel and took a deep breath, " Return to what you once were! Undo the harm done and try again! Second Chance! "

Elise's unique magic poured into the merman's wrecked body with sluggish pops and crackles at first like a dying circuit, but she recited the incantation once again with more vigor. Over again until she could feel the magic flowing out of her like a fountain.

" Second Chance!! "

The magic began to pick up pace, flowing more smoothly like a whirlpool. She cried out in relief once the wounds started to close back up, even his scars began to fade, and the eel's breathing began to stabilize as if it were being turned back on a dial, "Yes YES!"

She did what she had thought impossible, and the world suddenly lost all its baring. Seconds later, she lost all feeling in her body and began to fall back. Before she could hit the hard wooden planks, Elise was floating, lighter than air. At least that's what she would have thought had she not heard her savior's rough whisper as he caught her.

"Thank you, Miss..."

Had it been hours or days? Elise was too disoriented to know for sure. The overpowering scent of roses was the only thing pulling her back to reality. She nearly toppled over when she woke with a start in an elaborate red and white room that she didn't recognize. It was nighttime and she was on land...somewhere. Fortunately, she did know the man sitting at her bedside fairly well. Reine's father smiled down at the girl as he helped her steady herself, "There, there, Elise. Take it slowly now."

She could barely form the words to ask any sort of question but putting two and two together, she figured it out. She was in the Rose Queendom.

"Please rest for now, my dear. You burned through your magical threshold at an alarming speed," The king gently lifted her mage stone ring from the nightstand and showed how clouded it was from the blot, "I am very impressed by your determination, Elise, but such power requires discipline."

Elise tried to speak but her throat nearly ripped apart in harsh coughs. She was quickly handed some water and laid back down to rest as soon as her fits calmed down. Reine was nowhere to be found and neither was the eel. The gentle father answered her searching eyes with a reassuring smile, "Do not fret. Reine left you in my care and departed for Night Raven immediately after. Said she had a very important message to deliver to a friend of yours, I believe. And your merfolk friend, he is here. Waiting for your recovery."

Elise followed his hand as it pointed out the nearby window. He helped her sit up just enough to look out into the gardens. To her relief and surprise, Elise saw the Roman eel she had healed as he rested in a large pool. His body seemed to be in near perfect condition. King Revon called down to him and he looked quite pleased to see Elise again, safe and well.

"He was quite worried about you. He refused to be left behind when Reine suddenly took you onto her vessel to bring you here. The poor young man swam after it the entire way here."

Elise felt her heart thump with gratitude and a bit of guilt. After everything he must have gone through, the merman still pushed himself to follow after her despite the danger. Elise finally found her voice again after drinking more water.

"Mr. Revon, sir. What day is it? How long was I asleep?"

"About a full day. It's late now, or early I should say, the rest of the palace went to sleep hours ago. But don't worry yourself, my daughter promised she would return very soon. In the meantime, she told me about what you accomplished, and I would like to help you."

Elise wasn't entirely sure what the noble royal meant but he took a seat across from her bed once more once he was sure she was settled back in properly, "Before I became The White King, I was a studied and well-practiced healer. There are many avenues to healing magic but so very few mages come by it as naturally or as powerfully as you do, dear Elise. Reine told me everything that happened before her very eyes: that merman was on the verge of death and with your unique magic alone, you didn't just heal him - you almost reversed the damage entirely as if rewinding a clock. I believe you have the power to become an incredible healer. If you so desire that path, I would gladly be your mentor."

Elise felt as if she may faint again. The King of the Rose Queendom wanted to mentor her?! A hardy chuckle flew from his large smile as soon as Elise's jaw went slack, "My goodness! Have I thrown you for a loop, my dear? Don't be so modest. Why my own daughter and future queen insisted. How could I refuse to take on such a talent?"

"Reine...gave me a recommendation, Your Majesty??" her voice sounded as soft as a child's.

Revon Elfern's eyes sparkled with the same warmth and affection Reine's often did, "You have been a very precious friend to my Reine since you were children. I've often felt you were my second daughter of sorts. From what she has told me, it seems that you are currently out in the world without an anchor. You've found your way but got lost within the twists and turns freedom sometimes throws at us. It isn't in my daughter's nature nor mine to abandon those most in need of our help. I shall do whatever it takes to honor that. So, what do you say? Will you accept and become my student? I doubt Sacred Crown would reject a formal internship, even a late one, with a licensed professional, much less with a royal!" His laugh filled her heart to the brim.

Everything was coming together. Elise had been so afraid, angry, and alone before but now...yes, the horizon she sought was right there at the end of her fingertips. Her smile and eyes lit up the room like the dawn.

"When do we start?"

The eel's tired eyes squinted at the first bit of sunlight drifting over the surrounding hedges. Sleep had taunted him for hours, but his anxious heart refused to admit defeat. So here he was, plagued with robust yawns that neither satisfied nor bolstered him. He had almost sunk back to the bottom of the pool when a sweet, familiar scent greet him. He perked awake all at once as he saw Elise entering the poolside courtyard.

"Miss!" his voice was barely anything more than a frantic croak, but his tail still wagged with joy as his savior hurried to his side.

"You can speak after all!" Elise's laugh burst out of her like a song.

He shyly rubbed his throat where the scars once were, "It's thanks to you and your blessing, Miss...I couldn't speak at all before you healed me."

Elise carefully sat down at the pool's edge and dipped her legs into the water as she observed him in wonder, "I have so many questions. I'm not entirely sure what happened honestly. I've never done...this," she gestured to his body that lacked any of the wounds or scars it had before. In fact, now that he was mostly healed and with his color back, he looked barely any older than she did. "I've fixed broken items, sure, but I had no idea what I was capable of!"

The eel shyly swam closer to her and gently pressed his forehead to her bare legs, "I am forever in your debt, Miss. Thank you."

The girl just smiled as her heart was moved by his kindness, "You can call me Elise. Honestly...I don't know who you are. You look a lot like Indigo."

His head whipped up with alarm, "You know Big Brother?"

It all started to make sense now: the necklace, the sharks pursuing this young eel, the similar coloring to his brother Indigo. He had to be a part of the Muraeni family and not the part that was on good terms with the Don...

"You're a Muraeni then. What's your name?"

His ear fins twitched awkwardly as he looked away from her and mumbled, "I don't have one. I'm not a proper Muraeni son, just the youngest. I don't even have a number, Miss Elise."

She thought for a moment, looking him over, searching for some sort of tell, "Then...can I give you a name?"

He gently placed his chin on top of her knees with a soft innocence in his eyes, "I would be honored, my mistress."

He took her hands in his and guiding them to his ear fins and only then did she realize what he was trying to do. Cowrie and eventually Luna had done a similar gesture in the beginning of their friendship. It had to be some sign of trust or loyalty between humans and mermaids, specifically eels in this case. The former princess giggled as the young merman melted into her touch that softly caressed his fins. He was practically purring like a kitten. He was fascinating! Just how differently he was colored and built from his snowflake eel sisters and even the large moray twins. Even compared to Indigo, the coloring was near identical, but his sheen was more silvery lavender instead of his brother's namesake color and his body type was more svelte. Elise noticed the needle-like spines that hoisted his webbed fins up like sails on a ship.

"How about I call you Spindle? Do you like that name?"

It did have a nice ring to it. Spindle nuzzled his cheek into her hand to show his appreciation, "I'll answer your call whenever you may need me, Mistress Elise."

"If you insist," Elise bent forward to give him a sisterly kiss on top of his head, "I could use your help, Spindle. For starters, what happened to you and what were you doing with that necklace?"

His expression darkened as he sank further into the water, "Big brother is in trouble. I wanted to help...Proteus didn't like that."

"It's because of Luna and Cowrie's mother, isn't it? Did he use his magic to trap her and use her as bait?"

There was some hesitance in Spindle's eyes, a long-guarded secret finally able to come to the surface, "He did trap her a long time ago. He used a special magic like you have. It was my magic, Mistress...he stole it from me."

The morning air was soft and quiet, only disturbed by a fair off songbird as the sunlight painted itself over the two of them. Elise felt a deep chill crawl through her skin as Spindle's confession rang in her ears. She quickly grabbed her phone and set it to audio record before holding it tightly in her hands between the two of them.

"Please tell me everything you know, Spindle."

It was a free day on Night Raven's campus and the grounds were eerily somber. Perhaps it was the crisp chill of the air but even club gatherings and the cafeteria crowds seemed muted today. Impending exams surely didn't help either. Azul conducted business as usual as he and the twins prepared to get the Lounge ready for the evening rush. Well, Jade was present and accounted for but Floyd was still moping, holed up in his room. Normally Azul wouldn't stand for this kind of slacking but tonight he just wasn't in the mood to make any unnecessary fuss. A knock interrupted his routine paperwork, but he didn't bother looking up either.

"What is it?" he called flatly.

"You have a special guest, Azul," Jade's courteous tone sounded a bit more insistent than normal. Strange.

"We're not even open yet how-" Azul immediately did a 180 right back into hospitality extraordinaire when his office door opened to reveal Jade and the charming Heartslabyul Queen herself, Reine, "Your Highness! What a lovely surprise!"

"Mr. Ashengrotto, it's been too long," she entered with such grace and poised charm even Jade felt embarrassed at not having tea and refreshments at the ready for her. He settled for a quick redemption by escorting her into the office and immediately guiding her to the most comfortable seat. She rewarded him with a warm smile, "Thank you, Jade."

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll let Floyd know that you are here as well. I'm sure your gentle, kind heart would lighten his immensely."

Azul had to keep his eyes from popping out of his skull due to how hard he rolled them while Reine wasn't looking.

"Oh, that would be nice. I have missed his affectionate hugs and pet names," she giggled, "however, I must speak plainly with you, Mr. Ashengrotto. My visit today is extremely urgent. I bring a gift from Elise."

Azul nearly leapt from his chair like an excited puppy at the mention of his new sweetheart. He couldn't form words fast enough as Reine fished a small box from her bag before handing it to Jade to give to Azul. Jade nearly lost a hand with how quickly the octopus snatched it from him. The prefect's stormy eyes grew into wide circles once he saw the vial inside, "This is..."

"A key to your reunion. At least that is her hope."

Azul's head snapped up and Reine met him with a sure glint in her eyes, "It was given to her to pass onto you, Mr. Ashengrotto, in good faith that you could finish the serum that can and will turn Elise back into a mermaid permanently. If anyone can, I and Elise believe it is you."

Jade had never seen Azul look more bombarded with emotion in all of their years of knowing each other. In a flash, he was on his knees before the princess, singing her praises and kissing her hands like they could turn water into liquid gold. Had Jade not been frozen in shock, he would have thought to get this on camera.

"Ahhh, Your gracious, beautiful, glorious Highness! You are a heaven-sent ANGEL!" Azul only paused to place more enthusiastic kisses upon her dainty hands, "How can I possibly repay you?"

Azul felt a sharp dread fill his veins as Reine's sweet smile suddenly had a foreboding edge, "Oh that is simple enough, Azul Ashengrotto. Don't keep Elise waiting too much longer. And be good to her...after all, she is not only my father's newest student but the future godmother of my future daughter, the next Rose Queen herself. I will find out if you are not."

There was no octopus pot big or deep enough to hide him from the princess' shrewd gaze, "O-Of course, Your Highness. As if you even have to ask such a thing!" Azul's laugh was shaky at best. Jade was frozen to the spot, internally howling with laughter at Azul's expense. He immediately texted his brother who burst into the office minutes later.

"Mantiiiiiieee!!" He was all smiles in spite of his disheveled appearance. The poor eel looked like he fought his way through a tornado just to get there.

"Hello Floyd! It's so good to see you again!" Reine was pure sunshine, a far cry from the imperious threatening royal she had been seconds before. Seizing the moment of her distraction, Azul turned to Jade with a deadly serious look in his eyes.

"Jade, I need to return to the Coral Sea and get the ingredients I need immediately! You're in charge until I come back. Make sure Floyd doesn't wreck anything in the dorm AND that the Lounge runs smoothly!"

In the literal blink of an eye, Jade Leech's polished grin was on like a fresh suit, "Of course, Azul."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 1

Hey y'all~ For any/all new readers of the Sacred Crown Chronicles, welcome to the sequel to 'Her Ivory Crown'. Just a heads up, this story runs longer and darker than Reine and Riddle's story - so strap in lol.

Likes, comments, and reblogs are welcome and appreciated!

Ch. 1: Fathoms Above and Below

The salted air brushed through long raven tresses as it carried the musical sound of a flute with it. The only audience she held was the cawing gulls in the sky above and the rush of waves from the sea below the pier she currently sat on all alone. This was the typical summertime scene in Princess Elise Coralette's contradictory personal life. At school, Elise was in a constant state of activity as the Cerulamare Dorm Prefect and found herself center stage more often than not, either pulling the strings or merely attracting attention just by being around. Did she orchestrate it that way? Maybe. No one would ever know and Elise would never tell. But when she was home, or rather bouncing from home to home, life was completely different and often more solitary. And this the summer before her fourth and final year at Sacred Crown, her temporary home was one of many port towns in her father's kingdom, one of her favorites actually. It was a cozy seaside town, not too big nor too small, that Elise had actually spent a lot of her childhood in. Some of the servants in the villa had been there since she was born and practically raised her as a child whenever her father and elder siblings were busy with more important, royal duties.

Elise was now nineteen years old, on the brink of young adulthood, but she was still the youngest of her family and therefore nowhere near inheriting the throne nor being taken seriously. She was still a noble princess by birth but...

Elise ended her song as her roaming thoughts wandered off into the horizon, matching her pale wintergreen gaze. The new school year would start in about two weeks. She and the other fourth years would attend the opening ceremony on Sacred Crown's campus before leaving for their internships, much like the fourth years from both their brother school and their friends at Night Raven. A smile started to form on her face as Elise checked her phone, remembering the festival that introduced her to a certain trio of boys about a year and some months ago. It was a rare day when her phone didn't sound off on all the messages Floyd sent her, whether they be random texts or photos of anything that piqued the strange eel's interest. In a few ways, Floyd reminded the princess of Cowrie but more sporadic. Jade would sometimes message her as well to politely check in with her or respond to her own inquiries about how he was doing. Azul...was more elusive. Elise assumed that he was busy. With how ambitious the lounge manager and dorm prefect was, it was to be expected. The messages they did share were always pleasant, formal, and always a nice surprise when she did receive them. As for her Cerith sisters, Cowrie was, like Floyd, very present and very enthusiastic about an array of different things: excited to be the next Cerulamare Prefect, excited to send photos she took from the coral seas near her home under the sea, curious to know what "Ellie's" home on land was like and wanted pictures, etc. Luna was also a fourth-year and also preparing for her own internship like Elise was...at least, that's the impression the princess got. Their exchanges were actively passed back and forth like clockwork up until a couple of months ago. All of a sudden, Luna Cerith stopped responding and just sort of disappeared. Whenever Elise asked Cowrie, the response was the same.

'Luna's busy. Family job stuff.'

So eventually, the princess just stopped asking. If Cowrie didn't seem bothered by it then why should Elise worry? Surely she and her old friend/vice prefect could and would catch up at Sacred Crown's opening ceremony. Still...today, her phone was completely silent. No photos, no messages, no responses from anyone at all.

Elise sighed as the breeze brushed against her bare legs, making the skirt of her sundress billow about like a flag on a ship. Summertime was so lonely. It had been for years and yet she never quite got used to it. Her best human friends lived in different countries and her best non-human friends lived underwater and rarely came to visit her on the surface because...well...despite the modern age she lived in, not all of Elise's people shared her love and fascination with the merfolk the lived under the sea. At least not the ones with sharp teeth and more animalistic features like the twins and the Cerith sisters. In that light, Elise was a bit of an oddball. Myths and legends talked about the famous mermaid princess that fell in love with a human prince and the people loved the story in all of its romance. Those kinds of mermaids, the 'less scary ones', were nice, of course. But Elise always had a soft spot for her favorite eelmaids. Her father didn't share the same sentiment but that wasn't something that Elise liked to brood on.

"Your Highness!"

Elise turned to see her appointed majordomo walking up the pier towards her, that stern look burning in the gentleman's eye as usual. She already braced herself for a half-baked scolding as she stood up to face the man who constantly reminded her of an austere pelican.

"Young lady, how many times do we have to go through this?"

Elise said nothing but knew for a fact that she could recite verbatim what the man was about to say.

"Why must you insist on wandering off without a proper chaperone?!"

"Because I'm no longer a small child looking to get into mischief, Gerald?" Elise quipped, noting that a bit of mischief actually sounded pretty fun right about now. When the older man raised a brow at her tone, the princess sighed in frustration, "Seriously Gerald, I'm nineteen! Almost twenty, almost out of school and out of my 'wild teen years' as you like to call them. You never made such a fuss over Emily-"

"Your older sister," Gerald cut her off, "never gave me such grey hairs, running about, sneaking onto your father's ships, hoping to stow away on another 'adventure'. Nor did she constantly jump into the ocean, to chase after who knows what sort of creatures!"

"Oh, that was ages ago, Gerald...like I said, I'm no longer a child."

Truth be told, Elise would still sneak out to go for a nightly swim when she was supposed to be sleeping, safe and sound in her bed, but that was no one's business but hers.

"No you are most certainly not. You are a young lady, coming into a certain age-and don't you give me that look!"

Elise's eyes rolled almost on their own accord. Again, she knew this speech by heart. Her oldest brother was the next in line for the throne, but she and her older sister were still very eligible and attractive princesses, that could almost pass as twins save for their differing eye colors, heights, and ages, which meant they needed to be guarded against all ner-do-wells within fifty miles of them at all times and carry themselves with a particular kind of decorum. Proprieties and all that. Her father didn't really ever push her to enter any sort of engagement or courtship but then again, her father was usually too busy ruling the kingdom to give his two cents on anything. Ergo, here was Gerald playing the role of overprotective and overly straight-laced guardian.

"...if I just smile, nod, and follow you back to the villa, can this conversation be over, Gerald?" Elise smiled oh so sweetly and batted her eyes. The older man just sighed and gestured for the princess to walk back to the shore with him. He should have known there was no getting through to her once Elise made up her mind on anything.

"Besides Gerald," Elise continued as they made their way up the steps, "I practically grew up in this town. Everyone knows me and I know them. So why should I be afraid to walk about as I please, on my own? There hasn't been a new face come into port since..."

Elise paused her train of thought as a movement in the water below suddenly caught her eye. Or so she thought? There was nothing there but some smaller fish flitting about but she swore she saw something much bigger only moments before. It must be the summer heat playing tricks on her again. Gerald began to scold her carefree attitude once more but it fell on deaf ears.

The sun was setting as Elise sat at the large dinner table across from Gerald and no one else. Only the chef, the head maid, and few other servants came and went from the room. The princess stared at her plate and mentally ticked off another day passing her by, like clockwork. She asked yet again if any word about her father or siblings possibly coming to visit had been passed on to Gerald or the servants, but the answer was the same:

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness, but your father sends his best wishes to you for the coming school year and your internship with His Majesty's trade ship engineers."

Elise had specifically chosen her internship in her own family's trade fleets and shipping companies for a couple of reasons: 1) working directly with the engineers of said trade ships allowed for travel and also problem-solving in further developing technology that would keep the ocean the ships traveled on clean and 2) it would keep her busy and less likely to get shoved off into some boring political courtship to either maintain good relations with their allies or form stronger ones with potential allies...she'd leave that to her sister, Emily.

She only had to hold on in this seasonal purgatory a couple more weeks. Elise checked her phone once again underneath the table. No responses or new messages. Only the indication was that all of her sent messages have been read, except for the ones she sent to Luna. The tapping of her fork echoed in the large dining hall as the maids attempted to fill the air with small talk about the weather or whatever small event was happening in the town's square in the next day or so. Elise's ears only registered it all as muffled murmurs that were quickly overshadowed by the buzz of her unspoken thoughts.

Nothing was changing aside from her age.

The night rolled by in stifling peace. Elise stood on her balcony, letting the breeze play with her dark hair as she watched the waves catch the moonlight on their ever-moving surface. The beach below was empty. Every once in a while she would hear the buzz of activity come from the ports down the shoreline but otherwise, it was just her thoughts keeping her company tonight. Again.

The silvery sheen on the water was almost hypnotic and served only to stir up more questions in Elise's buzzing brain. What were Luna and Cowrie up to right now? What were the Leech brothers and Azul doing for that matter? She knew that the Coral Sea Kingdom wasn't too far from this port town but where exactly was it? Elise was never sure. Actually...now that she thought about it, Elise wasn't sure where the Cerith sisters even lived in the Coral Sea itself. Cowrie had shown her various uninhabited locations that were - supposedly - close by her 'neighborhood' or other more public areas like the Alantica Memorial Museum, but never anything like her actual home, her favorite hotspots around her area, nothing like that. Both sisters had said something along the lines of their parents being very reserved. The same was true for the Leech brothers and Azul but Elise never thought to really ask because she wasn't as close to the three boys. It was a different story with her two snowflake eelmaids...she had known them for years. So why now did things suddenly seem foggy? And why did she suddenly feel more alone than ever? Elise felt a wave of guilt wash over her and proceeded to wave the questions away.

"Don't be so clingy. Life is very different for everyone and I'm sure they're all just...busy or something."

That had to be it. Right? They were all getting older. They weren't little kids with worry-free days full of fun anymore. The same was true for her best friends Reine and Manari. One was becoming a queen and the other was busy helping with her family's booming silk business. Everyone was focusing on building their futures, surely. So...what was she doing besides just waiting?

Elise felt the air around her suddenly shift as she heard music. No, not music...singing? Her eyes searched the shore but saw nothing. The voice was clear and ethereal as if the singer was right under her nose, serenading her personally. Elise felt her body start to melt into a trance she couldn't fight as the sound caressed her ears, lulling her into a sleepy, foggy state. She slowly inhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes...when she opened them again, Elise was in her bed and it was daytime. She scrambled into a sitting up position and looked around the room.

It was her room.

Nothing had changed at all.

All was as it was every single morning but...

"W-what was that...? When did I...?"

Elise looked down at herself, noting that she was still wearing the nightgown that she had changed into last night before going out on her balcony where she heard the-

The princess jumped to her feet and ran back onto the balcony and quickly scanned the shoreline below. Nothing out of the ordinary. The port in the distance looked the same as well. Clearly...the monotony of her summer break was getting to her. Elise rubbed her temples in frustration before returning to her room. Just as she flopped back onto her very comfortable bed, a knock came to her door, signaling it was time to get properly dressed for breakfast. The princess groaned into her pillow before yanking her blanket back over her head, knowing that resistance was futile. But she'd be damned if she gave in so easily!

Breakfast was served at the usual pace as Gerald reviewed the daily news both in print and by local word of mouth as Elise ate her food in the usual silence as she stared out the large windows at the sea. It wasn't until one of the maids rushed to her side, face aglow with giddy curiosity, as she extended a platter to the princess. On it was an envelope addressed in elegant yet familiar handwriting stating, simply, "Princess Coralette". Elise stared at it curiously for a moment before tentatively grasping it.

"Your Highness, this was delivered just now by a very interesting young man!"

Elise's eyes were glued to the writing, her brain scrambling to answer where exactly she had seen that handwriting before, "Did he leave a name?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. I think he may be a traveler. He didn't say much to be quite honest but he was very handsome with a friendly face and he had the most lovely shade of vibrant red hair. And peculiar clothing..."

Elise's eyes widened, still glued to the envelope in her hand, as her heart nearly burst out of her chest. The princess excused herself from the table without finishing another bite and quickly walked out of the hall. Elise broke out into a full run back to her room as soon she was out of sight of Gerald and her servants. There was only one handsome-faced, red-haired young man in these parts she knew and that knew her. It had to be...!

The envelope was all but torn to bits as soon as Elise was alone, behind locked doors. Her heart pounded as she took a quick breath and began to read the letter in her hands.

My Dearest Princess,

I apologize that I've kept you waiting for so long and that it took me all this time to finally tell you the truth. I'm afraid that if I keep waiting for the right moment to come, I will lose you forever. My sweet angel, I love you. I have loved you for so long. I knew it from the moment we first met. Please forgive me for being so cowardly and hiding in the shadows until now. I must know if you feel the same. Please meet me tonight by the port before the sun sets. I will be waiting for you.

Forever yours,

Rielle

Oh. Great. Triton's. BEARD!! Elise quickly smooshed her face into the closest pillow and let out the biggest, happiest squeal she ever thought possible! This was happening. FINALLY HAPPENING!! After all this time, all the pining, aching, swooning, after every single missed opportunity, Prince Rielle confessed! Elise was over the moon as she bouncing up and down on her bed with the joy of a thousand Christmases and birthdays, trying her best not to scream out loud thus alerting any nearby staff. This was the greatest day of her LIFE!

Her first inclination was to immediately tell everyone in her Favorites Contacts on her phone the news but she halted right as she held her phone in her hand. No. Not yet. The princess instead jumped off of her now messy bed and marched over to her full-length mirror to properly prepare herself.

"You have been waiting for this day to come for so long, Elise Coralette. No, you are going to savor this moment! You are going to tell Rielle how you feel, kiss his beautiful lips, and be so wonderfully, gloriously happy! THEN, you can tell Reine, Manari, Luna, and Cowrie. Definitely tell Manari last or else she'll tell everyone within a hundred Magicam miles and ruin the surprise. Ok. Yes, we have a plan!" Elise squealed giddily to her reflection before immediately throwing up her giant closet to start searching for the quintessential dress to wear to her side of the love confession. It had to be PERFECT and she only had hours to decide!

Elise was hellbent on everything going to plan down to every last detail from her wardrobe to every single word that was going to leave her mouth. Any servant that tried to coax her out of her room was quickly dismissed or ignored as the princess continued to toil away at her strategy. The only time Elise would pause was to check out the window to see how late it had gotten. When she felt fully confident in her mindset and appearance, Elise left the villa in the only way she knew that could guarantee her success: she snuck out the window and climbed down the ivy-covered lattice structures right by her room. It was a wonder no one had figured out this was her go-to exit strategy yet.

The water was painted in an amber glow as Elise reached the port. She felt absolutely electric as she looked about the dwindling crowd for that signature head of red hair. The sailors that recognized her gave her friendly nods and bows as she passed, none of them seemed to know the young man she was looking for, however. Elise was starting to grow frustrated when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him. The princess gasped quietly as she saw Rielle waiting at the end of one of the piers, facing the water, waiting. She took a moment to catch her breath, straightening out her carefully curated blue dress. Sure it was a hand-me-down from her older sister, but it looked amazing on her so of course, Elise had to wear this one!

"This is it," Elise quietly assured herself as she took the first steps onto the long pier, "This is exactly what you have been waiting for, Elise Coralette..."

The pier almost felt too long by the time she finally got close to the mermaid-now human formed prince. He remained facing the sea below them, silently fidgeting with this hands nervously. If she had not been so nervous herself, Elise would have relished how cute the gesture was. Take a breath, she reminded herself before calling out to him.

"Rielle?"

The sun was beginning to dip into the horizon as the eighteen-year-old boy turned to her with expectant deep blue eyes. Elise felt frozen in wonder for a moment. It was really him...Prince Rielle was really here, waiting for her. A big, slightly relieved smile adorned the boy's face as Elise stepped closer, his letter in her hands. Her heart was fluttering inside her chest like a menagerie of butterflies.

"Rielle," her voice said his name with a lovestruck sigh, "I can't believe it's really you. I've waited so long to say these words to you!"

His smile seemed a bit frozen on his wide-eyed face as Elise closed the gap between them happily. All of her preparation was lost amidst the rush of emotions ready to burst out of her. In moments that ticked by too quickly, Elise wrapped her arms around the prince's neck and pressed her pink lips to his in earnest. Rielle's whole body stiffened in shock, his arms moving around her waist just enough to keep Elise from falling too hard against him. Elise could sing she was so happy! She broke the kiss with tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes.

"I love you, Rielle!"

His eyes were as wide as the moon as they locked onto hers. A moment of silence passed between them before a spark of light glowed from Rielle's throat. The sudden burst of magic made him jump away from her, coughing until his words finally returned in an unexpected tone.

"E...Elise???"

Elise gasped at the sound of his voice, happy to hear it but somehow the look he was giving didn't have the same feeling. He looked...lost??

"Yes. Yes Rielle, it's me," Elise sniffled, wiping at her tears.

The boy looked her up and down in shock before his expression morphed into something even worse: a look of guilt.

"Rielle...? W-What's wrong? ...I responded just how you wanted me to in your letter!" Elise's hands were starting to shake.

Rielle looked away from her, grasping his face as if he were in pain, "No...No, no that letter wasn't for you! It was for Emily!"

Elise stood completely frozen. More tears started to spill down her face but now for an entirely different reason. Rielle began to profusely apologize but his words were mute in comparison to the cold pain the princess felt growing in her chest.

"I-I'm so sorry! This wasn't at all how this was supposed to happen! I...Elise, I am so sorry...I-I don't love you."

Elise's mouth slowly opened but no words could come out. The cold pain stabbed and crawled all through her, turning into a blinding heat as another, bigger spark surrounded her, making Rielle jump back with a shout. In mere seconds, the spinning world around Elise sent her tumbling backward as her voice ripped itself from her throat and further spread the unseen fire through her arms and legs. She couldn't tell what happened. Did she fall? Did the pier break underneath her? It all happened too quickly. The last thing she heard before hitting the ice-cold waves below was Rielle's screaming.

The water’s current carried Elise's heavy body deeper and faster into its embrace… Her entire self felt like it was splitting, reforming, under fire as if the ocean was one giant fluid kiln… She couldn’t move…couldn’t speak…

Her eyes barely opened as the blue-green waves washed over her, pushing her down, down, down. Scrambles of voices, thoughts, and heartaches stirred in her brain and ears like phantoms until familiar voices called out in faint echoes accompanied by the two very long serpentine shadows looming around her. Everything turned dark just as Elise felt a pair of arms hold her limp body against what felt like cool, slick skin. One of the voices reached her just before she completely blacked out.

"Ahhh! Starfishie?! ....What happened to you??"

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

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @wysteriadelights @espada188 @feldya @aiimee9 @evieyouknow

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neoninky · 1 year

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TWST Fanfic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 11

Hey y'all - I'm back to repost the last stretch of 'Her Ivory Crown' after a nice cliff hanger lol. Once again, comments, likes, and reblogs are appreciated! You can read the rest of this finished fic and its sequel on my AO3 page here.

Ch. 11: Open Season, Good Hunting

Luna and Cowrie Cerith, the mermaid and rumored siren sisters of the Cerulamare dorm had reputations that proceeded them. Luna was the cool, collected, and more sensuous of the two always held her cards close enough to her chest until the time to strike like an underwater venus fly trap. Luna was also very proficient in love potions and enchantments which let her name travel through many different circles for various reasons. Cowrie, two years younger, was much more straightforward, seemingly more playful and teasing of the two. Her talents were more physically and stealthily inclined. Sometimes toxin-based as well. But it was her curiosity that motivated Cowrie in her most sly moments. So really, poor Reine should have known better than to have her little tryst in front of a large open underwater tank. Cowrie just happened to be in the mood for a swim right around the time Riddle and Reine decided to break away from the party. And the younger mermaid just happened to notice the two getting comfortable with each other and decided to get a closer look, hiding among the seaweed. Cowrie's bright eyes lit up with excitement when she saw the two suddenly lock lips again and again and internally squealed when she silently made her way back inside.

"Lu, Lu, Lunaaa~"

The elder mersister smiled at her younger sibling's excited face as she sat next to Elise in the same booth, "Cowrie, did you enjoy your swim? I'd like to go next."

The smile on Luna's face grew as her sister leaned in to whisper excitedly in her ear. Cowrie was so cute when she discovered something interesting. "Really," Luna's brow lifted in interest at this juicy information. Her sister just giggled and continued. Elise was still talking to Azul but was distracted by the two sister's suspicious whispers. This was always a sign that they were up to no good.

"And what has you two so entertained?"

Cowrie didn't hesitate despite the fact that Azul and the twins were right there, "I saw Reiny-senpai with the little rose king. Looking rather cozy~" she was practically wagging her tail she no longer had in glee. Elise just frowned and scolded her junior like a disappointed parent.

"Cowrie! It is very rude to spy on people! Especially on Reine who rarely gets privacy as is-"

The mermaid just ignored her dorm leader and blurted out, "And they kissed! And kissed...and kissed...aaaannnd kissssseeedd~" Cowrie giggled wickedly at Elise, Azul, and even Jade's shocked faces. Floyd giggled along with the younger sister, finding this all very interesting.

"Oooooo Goldfish-chan and Mantie-chan? Sneaking off and making out together?! Heheheeeeh~"

Elise ignored Floyd and tried her best to keep order in spite of the internal glee she felt at the news of her best friend and Riddle getting a moment together, "As I said, Cowrie! Rude! And keep your voice down! I doubt Reine would want the entire room knowing about this."

Cowrie pouted as Luna patted her on the head, "Elise has a point, baby sister. It's not nice to pry into our dear friend's private moments like that."

"Ellie-senpai's just grumpy because stupid Rielle had to leave the festival early and now she can't dance with him-mmf!"

Luna covered Cowrie's mouth with her hand but still snorted at her sister's jab at Elise's history of missed opportunities with the mermaid prince. Oooo was this a sore subject! Elise's face glowed bright pink, "Y-You! That is enough out of you, Cowrie!" Azul said nothing but the twins definitely noticed how his furrowed brow twitched at the mention of Prince Rielle's name. Luna saw Riddle leaving the lounge in quite a hurry.

"Ohh? There goes the little rose king now...all alone. My, what could have happened to give him that face?"

Elise quickly motioned for the sisters to move so she could leave the booth, seeing her chance at escaping before these devious sisters could embarrass her further, "Excuse me, Mr. Ashengrotto, Jade, Floyd. I'm going to go check on Reine," her polite sweetness turned sour when she looked at the Cerith sisters, "And you two. Come with me. I can't take you or leave you anywhere!" she huffed before storming off. The sisters just snickered, showing off matching pairs of shiny, sharp teeth that caught Azul's eye.

"Before you go, ladies...what kind of mermaids did you say you were?"

"Snowflake Eels." they chimed in perfect sync, their bright eyes shimmering with mischief, Luna's yellow-gold, and Cowrie's pale blue. "We're a smaller breed of Morays but no less vicious when need be," Luna added melodically, giving the three boys a wink.

Azul had several questions, the first being how and why a human princess came to befriend two eel mermaids. Just sitting across from two more rather devilish eels made him feel both intrigued and nervous. The brothers, however, felt their previous suspicions confirmed and rewarded with a shiver of instinctual excitement running up each of their spines. Floyd gave the girls a toothy smile with the same glint of mischief in his eyes while his brother remained a bit more stoic behind a simple but curious grin.

"Oh...dear."

Reine's eyes were bloodshot and still leaking tears when Elise found her, curled into herself on the cushions in the secluded little area. Elise immediately went into caretaker mode and propped Reine's head onto her lap once she was seated. She gently stroked the sad princess' platinum locks and cooed, "It's alright, my rose, tell me what happened." Sure, Cowrie kind of ruined it but Reine clearly didn't need any more reasons to be upset. For a few minutes, Elise couldn't make out any of the words Reine let out in between soft sobs but she just kept stroking her hair, patiently letting her cry it out. Elise saw the sisters peak around the corner, looking far less amused and spirited now that they saw the state the princess was in. Cowrie and Luna just kept their distance, making sure no one else would come that way and intrude on the two princesses.

"He kissed me...and I k-kissed him...and...everything just got all messed up...a-and he just left-" that was all Reine could get out before another sob hiccuped out of her. Elise sighed softly as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and started to dab her friends' eyes, "Goodness, all this fuss over some kissing? Rosebud, what's wrong with that? You did kiss him back, right? You wouldn't have unless you wanted to and for good reason."

"I told him it shouldn't have happened," she sniffled, "b-but I wanted it to! But...I'm supposed to..."

Elise smiled sadly down at Reine as she looked up at her with teary, searching eyes. Elise had known this girl since Reine was fresh out of kindergarten and she hadn't seen Reine this upset since those days. 'Suppose to' had become part of Reine's everyday life since then and each day following, Elise watched her become more and more obedient and subdued. It never occurred to her to question it, Reine seemed perfectly content and would say so if asked. But now...

"You're supposed to what, Reine? Make yourself absolutely miserable over every little decision you make? Sweet rose, no no..."

Reine couldn't say it out loud because it was so obvious that what she was expected to do wasn't at all what she wanted to do and it hurt too much. Elise just hushed her gently and continued to dry her tears, giving her time to calm down. Once she did, the Cerith sisters came out of hiding to give their dorm leader's best friend a hug from both sides, protectively cooing at her like she was a tiny frightened animal.

"We'll take you back to the dorm. Clearly, today has been a bit rough for you," Elise smiled gently at the princess cuddled in between her girls. Reine appreciated the offer but shook her head.

"You should stay, Elise. You're the biggest reason there's a party to begin with."

Before Elise could argue, Cowrie took Reine's hand, "I'll take her back, Ellie-senpai. You and Luna should stay. Luna promised Floy-Floy a swim anyway~"

Luna pouted at her younger sister's waggling eyebrows and smug grin, "My you have been busy keeping tabs tonight, baby sister, but yes you are right. I don't wanna keep Floyd waiting. He seemed awfully eager..."

Elise decided not to ask, getting enough info from the flirtatious smirk on her vice's face, and just turned to Reine, "Alright, if you're sure. You message me if you need anything though, you hear me?"

Trey was greeted with a loud, miserable groan as he entered Riddle's room. The dorm leader had retreated to his bed where he was completely buried, determined to let himself rot. The vice dorm leader just sighed and borrowed the chair from Riddle's desk where he sat and waiting patiently for Riddle to start talking. It seemed like it was going to be a long wait when Cater and Che'nya also invited themselves in after several minutes of silence passed.

Cater gave Trey a questioning look as Che'nya just waltzed in and sat on the edge of Riddle's bed, gently patting the lump that was Riddle's head, "Heeey RRRiddle! What's wrrrong? Why are you hiding??" No answer came from the mound of blankets except more mumbled groaning that sounded like he didn't want to be disturbed but it was already too late. Cater announced he was going to go make some tea while Riddle's childhood friends kept trying to coax him out of his hiding spot. Eventually, Riddle decided to come out and face his friends. They'd never leave him be if he didn't. Che'nya and Trey both jumped a bit in shock at Riddle's disheveled hair, clothes, and exhausted scowl. Oof, it was far worse than they thought!

"Hey, Riddle..." Trey started out gently as if talking to a cranky child, "What's wrong? You left the party in such a hurry out of nowhere."

A deep sigh fell from Riddle's lips, signaling the beginning of a long story, "...I kissed Miss Reine...a few times...actually." His face grew hotter with each word as they reminded him of the princess' sweet lips and touch. Trey and Che'nya just looked at each other and him with wide eyes until finally, the other shoe dropped. "...and she kissed me back."

"Oooh!! RRRiddle! You and Purrincess RRReine?!" Che'nya's smile couldn't get any bigger as his tail swished at lightspeed, "Hmm hmm!! OH Zehn will be so furriousss hmm hmm hmmm!" He was clearly enjoying himself but as soon Zehn's name was mentioned, Riddle's mood grew even darker.

"Ugh that bastard...I almost forgot about him," Riddle held his head in his hands, "I'm not much better than him now, am I?" NOW his friends were even more confused.

"Hold on, what?! Riddle, what are you saying?"

Riddle told them what happened between him and Reine. Everything. The talking, the flirting, the kisses, and even the awkward, sudden end. The entire time, it was obvious he was sick with guilt and something akin to regret but not quite.

"Ugh what she must think of me now?" Riddle muttered into his palms as he covered his face, "she was just...just right there...being entirely sweet and beautiful. Then I launch myself at her like some kind of brute. After an entire day of having other guys aggressively hovering about her every other second, snapping at each other like feral beasts. Of course, she reacted the way that she did! It was so...it was too much."

Riddle immediately felt worse and confused once Trey, Che'nya, and yes, even Cater who heard the whole thing from the doorway, burst into laughter. His temper practically shot flames out of his ears with how fast it rose through his system, "W-WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?! HOW DARE YOU!"

"Oh Riddle, you are so adorable sometimes," Cater wiped a tear from his eye after he set down the tea tray on the dorm leader's desk, "Ahh young love and all it's high's and low's...ok but seriously, stop with the dramatics and think back to what you said before: she kissed you too yeah? Doesn't sound like it was too much for her to me."

Riddle's temper lost all traction to how obvious those words were. Che'nya giggled and grinned at the redhead knowingly, "And RRReine is not the kind to give lovey-dovey kisses to just anybody. She doesn't even give them to Zehn. She barely holds his hand honestly, heheheeh~" Riddle would never admit it aloud but that last comment gave him a tremendous near intoxicating rush of satisfaction. Still...

"I know I said it was inappropriate. I-I mean it was, I should have asked permission first at the very least! But...ugh I'm so...so confused. It seemed like it was going so well and then the next thing I know, she's getting upset and apologizing... and I'm running out of there like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs." Saying it out loud made Riddle just want to bury himself in the actual ground.

Trey put his hand on Riddle's shoulder and gave him a calm smile, "The real problem doesn't sound like you or Reine. Being the next queen, I'm sure her situation is very complex but...I think you should talk to her."

"Yeah, Dorm Leader! Forget that Zehn guy, the princess doesn't even wanna hold hands with him!" Cater laughed, "So really what chance does he have that you don't?"

Riddle deadpan stared into the void, having thought this through a ridiculous amount of times in the last hour of his life, "The current Queen's favor gives him a pretty big advantage. The last time I checked, the future queen doesn't have to love or even like her king for them to get married. He just needs a pretty, silver-spooned pedigree which is something I've never had. And be tall and handsome or some nonsense..." Good grief, why was he suddenly having flashbacks to that ludicrous ghost wedding incident?!

The three seniors quickly rallied before they completely lost Riddle to this unusual defeatist stance he adopted out of nowhere.

Cater sat on the bed and shoved a cup of herbal tea into Riddle's hands, "Hey hey hey! No! Stop that right now, Riddle Rosehearts! YOU are the King of Heartslabyul! And you took the throne with a vengeance like two seconds after getting here! Common status be damned, you are our amazing dorm leader, one of Night Raven College's best students, and you are the sharpest looking dorm leader we've ever had!"

"That's right, RRRiddle! You and RRReine are a purrfect match: a clever, strong, and determined king for a beautiful, compassionate, and resilient queen. She may be actually rrroyalty but she's sweet on you even though you are not. It's clear as day! A pretty purrigree has never mattered to her and it's her opinion that matters the most, yes?"

Riddle did feel a bit bolstered by his friend's comments. He still didn't know if he really stood a chance but he knew that he really wanted one. Trey handed out the other teacups as the four of them got a bit more comfortable as the atmosphere lightened, "Like I said, you should talk to her. Clear the air and just see where things go. She'll hear you out, I don't doubt it for a second."

"And once you two understand each other, start off with something simple: ask her to the daaaance. You really think she wants to spend another dance with stick-up-his-ass Cavalier?" Riddle gave Cater a questioning gaze, "...what? The Rosabyrine girls like to talk."

"They aren't wrrrong," Che'nya confirmed, "Zehn is very pushy. Reine wanted to go with me for fun to the last dance Royal Sword hosted so his 'frrriends' stomped on my tail and locked me in my dorm room so I couldn't leave," Che'nya growled at the memory, "I wanted to tell her but they threatened to do worse if I did...they get away with all sorts of harassment."

Riddle scoffed, "He threatened me face to face at the music contest today..."

"Whaaaat?" Cater and Trey's faces both fell into wide-eyed shock as Riddle recounted that memory as well. Neither of the Heartslabyul seniors got angry very often but after hearing Che'nya and Riddle's experiences, this...this was the last straw.

"Riddle, surely there is some rule somewhere about defending your lady queen-to-be from scoundrels like Zehn Cavalier. If there isn't one, you should personally make one right now!" Cater huffed. Trey crossed his arms and nodded in stern agreement.

"That won't be necessary..." Riddle set the teacup down on his desk and straightened up his hair, "I've done enough damage for one night. However, come tomorrow, I will set things right. Cavalier can try to get in my way if he wishes but he will fail." The fire in the dorm leader's eyes put the boys' minds at ease. They knew that look and they knew there was no stopping Riddle Rosehearts once he got it.

It had started to downpour on the way back to the dorm, much to girls' dismay. Not only were they soaked to the bones but Reine was currently jogging back to the dorm as fast as she could with a now transformed eel mermaid on her back. Cowrie wouldn't have been that heavy if it weren't for her long tail. Reine managed to lift the mermaid's torso onto her back as she tucked her arms underneath what would be Cowrie's thighs. The mermaid wrapped her arms around Reine's shoulders and part of her tail around the princess' waist to help support her weight.

"I'm sorry, Reiny-senpai...I'm not as good as holding my human form as Luna is yet," Cowrie pouted.

"Don't feel bad, Cowrie. You're still a first year, after all. You have time to grow into it. Hold on tight. I don't want you to slip." Reine still managed to stay smiling even with a giant eel on her back and rain pelting down all around her. She was just thankful this was the one day she didn't wear all white. Of course, as soon as they got to the garden gates, the rain started to let up. Figures...

"There we go. That's better, isn't it? ...sorry it's not as big as the Monstro Lounge tanks."

Cowrie was curled up in one of the dorm's bathtubs but the water felt nice so she didn't seem to mind. Plus one of the ghosts had found a tiny rubber ducky and left it in that same bathroom so she was as happy as a clam. Reine left her a small bucket and towel before heading upstairs to the bathroom next to her own room. The princess practically collapsed into the tub as soon as the warm soapy water hit her skin. The events of the day just pilled up in a jumbled heap of feelings, firing off one after another. Her sigh echoed off of the bathroom walls almost like she was a ghost too. She had already vented out all of her negative feelings, well most of them. But for a moment as she sank further into the warm water, Reine let herself remember the feeling of Riddle's lips on hers, his hands on her back and waist, holding her close to him. It was the most tender of feelings that made her face heat up with a feverish rush. It gave her an equally feverish desire for more kisses, more touches...more everything.

Everything in her life before now had been decided: who she was, who and what she would become, what she would do, whom she would be courted by, etc. and then one step into new territory and suddenly she was tumbling down the rabbit hole, head over heels, breathless at every new turn. Not just with Riddle but with every new day, every new face, every new experience that she encountered since they arrived on Night Raven's campus. Reine's heart fluttered with a rush of happiness remembering all of it. She wanted to hold onto it tightly so she decided that...she would. Tomorrow, Reine could and would fix things so this feeling would never leave. Hopefully. Her confidence in the matter was shaky at best but she didn't want to focus on that feeling too much.

Reine finished her bath and went back downstairs after changing into her nightgown to check on Cowrie. The mermaid managed to dry off and go back to her room where Reine found her sprawled out on her bed like a starfish in oversized pajamas, snoozing away without a care in the world. The princess tried not to laugh too loudly as she tucked her junior into the bed properly. Cowrie curled up in a ball as soon as she was covered and Reine's heart melted, leading her to take a picture and send it to Elise and Luna before turning off the lights and quietly leaving the room. The princess was about to dive into her own bed before she noticed familiar green fireflies floating outside her window. Reine gasped excitedly and wrapped herself in a blanket before running back downstairs. She poked her head out into the chilly evening, looking for Malleus, and spotted his signature horns ways down the path.

"Lord Draconia!" Malleus grinned seeing the porcelain princess waving to him from the front door, "What are you doing? It's cold and wet out!"

It didn't personally bother him but seeing the little rose queen wrapped in a thick blanket made him aware of the potential hazards. He quickly disappeared and reappeared right in front of her so she wouldn't have to chase after him with her bare feet. The princess beamed up at him with a surprised giggle, "Oh hello. I'm so glad you and Master Lilia came today. Did you have fun?"

Malleus gave a nod and chuckle, amused that the princess adopted Sebek's title for Lilia, "It was a very interesting day, indeed. I brought you a thank you present for inviting me," he mused as he pulled something from his pocket.

Reine gave him a teasing smile, "Oh?? And here I thought an alliance with His Highness, the Future King of Thorns was my gift."

The dragon prince chuckled, "Yes but I do hope you like this even more."

Malleus opened his hand to show her a small red briar rose in bloom and encased in a crystal teardrop pendant, hanging from a silver chain, "It's a different kind of little rose from my home. Consider it a talisman for protection against any more problematic interlopers."

Reine's eyes lit up like Malleus just offered her the heavens themselves, "It's beautiful! Oh, thank you so much!"

The princess was practically bouncing as he put the necklace around her neck. The dragon had never seen anyone so pleased with a gift from him before, aside from Sebek. It made his chest warm with a deep sense of pride. She looked up at him suddenly, an idea alight in her eyes, and asked, "Lord Draconia, may I..give you a hug? As a thank you?"

The was literally the first time the dragon prince had ever been asked such a thing and it showed. He blinked his wide green eyes down at Reine's waiting expression in pure disbelief. His eyes soon narrowed in amusement as he laughed, "You dare approach the terrible, Future King of Thorns with such a request, little rose? What a foolhardy queen you are."

Malleus' teasing was cut short as the princess suddenly wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a gentle hug, looking up at him like a rebellious child, "Well it's a good thing you gave me this protective charm then isn't it?"

Humans would never fail to surprise him, of this Malleus Draconia was now certain. He just chuckled and gently placed one hand around Reine's small frame and affectionately patted her head with the other.

"You are in daring high spirits tonight, aren't you? Did something happen, little rose?"

Reine's face warmed as she pulled away from him, "Not really," No one in this conversation believed her, "I just...made one very important decision. But now I have an even more important one to make."

"Are you really so conflicted?" Malleus was giving her that look again, it was like he knew everything in the world and yet was still surprised by so much. The princess just let out a deep breath and wrapped the blanket even tighter around herself.

"I know what I want, Lord Draconia. It's just I'm not entirely sure what the other person wants...yet. I wish this was something more simple like just worrying about who's going to ask me to the dance," she mumbled that last part but Malleus still tilted his head in curiosity.

"Dance...?"

Reined looked up at the prince in shock but lo there he was, looking genuinely lost, "There's a dance in three days to celebrate my coronation, on the last day of the festival...did no one tell you, Lord Draconia?" His disappointed pout said it all, "Well that's unacceptable! I'm the guest of honor and I say you should come! I'm officially inviting you!"

Two invitations and a hug? Would wonders never cease with this princess? Malleus pondered over the prospect of attending a dance. He wasn't too familiar with the experience, unfortunately. Once Reine explained the logistics of said dance, the process of procuring a partner, and any and all other details, it did sound interesting. Even so, it did sound like there were going to be a lot of people there and not in a situation where he could easily blend in like at the music contest. His expression didn't change much but somehow Reine still picked up on a hint of doubt coming from him.

"I understand it can be a bit overwhelming. I've been to several dances and balls and they wear me out too, honestly. So you should come but only if you want to, Lord Draconia."

"...would anyone actually want to dance with me?" Malleus was so used to others giving him a wide berth on the most mundane days. Attending a dance in hopes of not scaring the daylights out of the other guests didn't seem very likely.

Reine's enthusiasm got the better of her and even caught the tall dragon off guard, "Lord Draconia! Of course, they would! Even if you don't ask a specific girl to be your partner, I have no doubt the girls of Sacred Crown would love to meet you and dance with you! And even if they prove me wrong, I will be honored to save a dance for you!"

"...I will consider it, little rose." His smile was a bit shy but Reine was satisfied with his answer nonetheless. He knew a certain red tyrant would try to off his head if Malleus did ask Reine to be his date. As amusing as that would be, Malleus knew better than to step all over another king's courtship so rudely.

"Rise in shine, ladies! Hunting season is officially open!!"

Reine mumbled as Manari's excited shout rang up the stairwell. She had one hell of a headache and seemed to be having trouble getting out of her bed properly. Alyssa, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, let herself into her dorm leader's room with a chipper smile, "Good morning, Reine!"

The princess mumbled a greeting in return while rubbing her eyes. The tiny blonde set a small clear case on Reine's bed for her to inspect, "I finished your boutonnière for you since you've been so busy!"

Reine smiled in tired approval at the two-rosed decoration: one white and one red rose wrapped in a checkered ribbon with a small silver crown pin holding it all together. It was perfect. Alyssa was already wearing hers pinned to the vest on her Rosabyrine uniform. It was a yellow gerbera daisy wrapped in a black bow that resembled the one she wore in her hair with a tiny teacup pin. Nice and simple, cute and sunny: it suited her.

Alyssa helped Reine get ready, putting both red and white roses with black ribbons weaved into her braided hair to match her dorm uniform. Once she was fully prepared, Alyssa pinned the rose boutonnière to her vest lapel, "There. You look perfect. Good Hunting today," the blonde giggled excitedly. Reine couldn't help but catch a bit of it too and she smiled, "Thank you. I hope a certain first-year wins your lovely daisy," the dorm leader gave her second a playful wink. They both knew exactly who she was talking about.

"And what about you? ...will you be going with Zehn Cavalier again?" Alyssa asked hesitantly. Reine didn't seem offended or even bothered by the question as she looked herself over in the mirror one last time.

"No. I don't believe I will," the blonde gasped excitedly as she waiting for further explanation, "Good Hunting, Alyssa." Reine smiled mysteriously and left the room before the blonde who just scurried after her in a huff.

"Reine! You can't just leave me hanging like that!"

It was the day the 4th year students from all three schools came to the campus to present the results of field research or personal study they had been pursuing all year. The lineup of topics was interesting but most of the students who were not involved or attending the presentations were a bit...distracted. Every Sacred Crown girl who had not been asked to the dance already could be seen sporting their homemade boutonnière, pinned to them and waiting to be given away to the boy that won their affections. Honestly, the majority were still waiting. Only a handful had made arrangements beforehand like Adela and a couple of other seasoned third years. Otherwise, it was a beginning day just like every other time the girls' 'hunting season' opened. There always seemed to be this tense feeling in the air like everyone was waiting to see who would be the first brave soul to step up to the plate in hopes of succeeding....granted that was usually with just Royal Sword. How would things go with both Royal Sword and Night Raven in the fray at once? Only time could tell but that didn't stop the excited girls from placing friendly bets. Manari took it upon herself to give the dorm leaders and their vice's code names based on who they had dressed as the day before because why not make things more interesting?

"Alright, so Queenscholar (Adela) already has her date, surprising to no one. My bet is that Mama Snake and Mistress Mushroom are going to be the next ones to go. They're always so stinking popular," Manari was talking about Jinnah and Luna, "What's your call, Deal Maker?"

Elise sipped her drink as they sat in Night Raven's open cafeteria with Charlaine and a few other girls buzzing about, grabbing breakfast, "Our vice dorm leaders do seem to always take the lead don't they, ''Sunshine Royal?" Elise snorted at the ridiculous nicknames Manari had given each of them, herself included, "Luna-excuse me- 'Mistress Mushroom' has a reputation for breaking hearts...and yet the boys just don't stop trying their luck."

Charlaine pouted, "they're both so alluring and beautiful. And tall...and curvy...it's no wonder." Poor Charlaine had developed a complex ever since she became the shortest and most petite of the dorm leaders. She was by no means unattractive just...lacking...in certain areas of her anatomy in comparison to the others. Manari frowned at the tiny songbird's attitude.

"Heeey come on, Beauty Standards! You are absolutely adorable and lovely so hush...granted you are not wrong. I mean we're the dorm leaders and yet it's our second-in-commands that steal the spotlight in these situations. I love our brother school and all but is it just me or are some of those boys kind of...dense?"

Charlaine felt the ice-cold chill of humiliation flood her entire body as she flashed back to the last dance, "...I wrote an entire confession letter to Neige and got up the nerve to read it to his face. He just said thank you and how much he appreciated my support and shook my hands as if I was just another fan at one of his events. I wanted to DIE..."

Both Manari and Elise groaned from second-hand embarrassment, "Wow. That. is. ROUGH. Man, no wonder you didn't seem nearly as smitten as usual at the contest yesterday. But hey! I mean...at least now you can move on right? It's not like you had this big misunderstanding and he thought you were some princess or nobleman's daughter that you clearly weren't and instead of telling him that no, you were just a commoner adopted by some silk merchants out of fear that he would completely ghost you...you just decide to avoid him at all costs, face to face, but keep responding to his messages....with more ambiguous half-truths..."

Elise and Charlaine just stared at Manari who just chugged her drink with an extremely guilty look on her face. Charlaine looked at Elise, starting to mention Prince Rielle but judging from the dark look on the girl's face...

"I don't want to talk about it," Elise said bluntly.

Clearly, not all the SC dorm leaders were having luck in romance lately...

Reine kept laughing at Alyssa's fits of frustration as they were making their way across the campus together. The blonde had been too eager to get more information out of Reine ever since they left the dorm but Reine's lips were sealed tighter than Azul's contract safe. Cowrie was silently following along behind Alyssa as they were classmates and good friends who decided to be each other's wingwoman. Meaning that if any boys who were not Deuce Spade tried to approach Alyssa that day, the mermaid would quickly scare them off. So far four boys found themselves face to face with Cowrie's sharp teeth and glowing eyes. When she wasn't emotionally scaring other freshmen boys, Cowrie was enjoying the outdoor scenery and taking pictures of various plants and bugs they passed with her phone.

"Reeeine, you've been grinning at your phone all morning! And after that half-confession about Zehn, what gives! Tell meeee~"

The princess just giggled, "Oh trust me, the two aren't connected. My favorite cousin - his words not mine - is going to be presenting today and he's been texting me nonstop about getting together. Apparently, he has some 'exciting news'..."

Alyssa's previous concerns were swiftly forgotten, "Jasper's coming today?!" Alyssa was incredibly fond of Reine's cousin, Jasper Elfern. He was from the Red Queen court but he and Reine had always been close. The fact that he had been courting Alyssa's older sister for years didn't hurt either. Hopefully, this 'exciting news' meant that Alyssa was finally getting a brother soon.

The very same Jasper Elfern had also reached out to his old dormmates in Heartslabyul who were unknowingly heading the same direction as the two girls. Riddle was walking tall with perfect posture and purpose in his step. He kept to his schedule like clockwork, given himself an adequate amount of pep talks in the mirror as he prepared for the day ahead, and took extra care to make sure his dorm attire was spotless. It wasn't every day Riddle Rosehearts got to meet the old dorm leader he personally dethroned. There was no bad blood between him and Jasper, though a little honest bragging never hurt, he also wanted to look his best when approaching Reine today...so might as well kill two birds with one stone.

"You're in top form today, Dorm Leader. Go easy on her, wouldn't want Reine to swoon too hard." Cater teased.

"Or maybe he just wants to flex on Jasper a bit as a nice homecoming," Trey smirked.

"You're both being ridiculous," Riddle scoffed and yet a smug smile stayed on his face.

They saw Jasper in his NRC Heartslabyul uniform standing outside the hall where the presentations would be taking place that afternoon, facing the other direction. The tall, dark-haired upperclassman had a bright smile on his face as he was waving to someone coming towards him in the opposite direction. Riddle's eyes widened and he came to a halt when he saw it was Reine.

"Jasper!" she practically skipped right up to him and threw her arms around him looking happier than ever, "Welcome back!"

She let out a high-pitched giggle as the tall boy hugged her tight and twirled her around playfully, "My sweet little cousin! Look at you, when did you get so grown up and beautiful?" he laughed.

Cousin? ...did he hear that right??

COUSIN???

Riddle's brain all but exploded. The same Jasper Elfern that was once the Heartslabyul Dorm Prefect that Riddle challenged and usurped as a first-year was also the crown princess' COUSIN?! Trey and Cater looked just as shocked as their dorm leader.

"Hold on...does this mean he's like a PRINCE or something?!" Cater whisper-yelled to the other two, "...wait...not only did Riddle knock down an actual prince but also his crush's cousin?!"

Riddle Rosehearts suddenly did not feel so confident...why was the world so small and so cruel? Jasper's wine-red eyes caught sight of the three Heartslaybul boys and he waved them over, "Hey! Long time no see, fellas!" Cater didn't waste a second and practically teleported over to his old dorm leader and the girls, "Elfern-senpai, why didn't you tell us you were royalty?! And you're also Reine's cousin?!" The boy's smile didn't waver at all, "Oh so you guys know my cousin already! Great to hear! Not surprising at all though, she's been itching to meet my dormmates ever since I told her about a certain freshman knocking me down a peg." He laughed as Reine's expression turned bright red. More puzzle pieces fell into place as Riddle looked at the pleading wide-eyed look Reine was giving her merciless cousin. "Is that so...?" Riddle asked in a bemused tone. Jasper put an arm around Reine's shoulders and grinned mischievously, "Oh definitely. She couldn't get enough of my stories about living in the dorms with you guys! So how does it feel to finally know the infamous Riddle Rosehearts, cousin? Has he lived up to your expectations?" Poor Reine could only give a muffled reply from behind her hands, "Please stop, Jasper..." The three seniors were momentarily distracted in their reminiscing, giving Riddle a moment to speak one on one with a still very pink Reine. She had a bashful expression he couldn't help but find adorable as she finally came out from hiding, "...I may have been a bit curious and learned about you before we actually met," Reine confessed quietly. Riddle felt a strange sense of power in that moment. It wasn't that his awkward feelings about the night before had suddenly vanished but now knowing that this shy princess had been curious about him before they even crossed paths certainly gave his ego a healthy boost. His smug smile and previous confidence returned as he asked her, "Well? Have I lived up to your expectations...Reine?" Hearing Riddle say her name so straightforwardly without a hint of nervousness threw her for a small loop, taking Reine right back to that moment the night before. What she didn't see was how his heartbeat took off like a racehorse as her eyes shined and she said: "Oh no...you have definitely exceeded them, Riddle Rosehearts."

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