Sleeping Beauty [WMMAP Fanfiction]

Chapter Twelve: About to Debut

"Is Alice busy?" Athanasia asked, early in the morning when Alice never made her appearance.

"Alice is sick, so it's just me today, princess," Felix told her. "Don't worry, the royal magician is looking after her."

"This sucks." Lucas sighed, hovering a finger over Alice's head.

Having to take care of someone born with a cursed body was a bother. He knew he couldn't actually save her life like the others would want. That curse of hers wasn't so excitable before, and definitely wasn't growing at a pace like this yesterday. If it continued at this sudden rate, she would succumb within the month.

"What'd you do that speed it up this much?"

A white spark snapped at him.

"Oi."

More fizzled out.

"Just who do you think you are?" asking that, to her mana more than her sleeping self, the surrounding floor crackled, soon coated over with thin ice.

He groaned into his hands.

. . .

"Ah. Ack. Ow."

"It's not on purpose," Alice grumbled after stepping on Felix's feet thrice already. At least she wasn't wearing high heels. Not that she ever really wore those either, but it was probably easier for him to dance with someone shorter. Without even trying, she was already taller than Lily in high heels. She was a tall female, with abs and refined arms. Not exactly the picture of a noble woman, ideally shorter than most men, yet tall enough to be just the right appealing, and with soft, yet skinny flesh. But she wasn't a noble, Lilian, nor interested in their lives, so whatever. She was herself and that was enough.

Felix wanted practice for the ball because it was possible he had to dance. Listening to him gripe about how he may have to escort the princess was entertaining enough because it gave her news after she had to stay away for the whole day; Claude glaring at his shaky self whenever possible. But she was definitely not the best partner for this because she never did this sort of thing before. And he definitely had to know this, because she told him right before.

"It's fine!!" he said so cheerily, not knowing how much she would end up stepping on and bumping into him.

It was so awkward, putting their hands on each other. Well, it was really that he had to hold her waist, and she has to stop herself from kneeing him where she really shouldn't. Of course he wasn't affected at all by where his hands had to be, since he's definitely done actual dances with others.

"You smell nice," she commented off-handedly, throwing him off. He stepped on her foot this time.

"Ah."

..°>..°>..°>..°>..°>

They had since stopped, with both of their feet stinging red from numerous mistakes that made them have to sit down.

"Don't you have any other dances?" Felix feebly raised his arms. "Do not." He didn't listen, doing the Macarena slowly. "Dammit."

For the next week, Felix was subjected to scathing looks and targetted words from the jealous emperor for being Athanasia's chosen escort. His reactions were actual comedy to her, and at night, he would cling to her and dramatically sob.

"Ah, what do you want me to do, kidnap him?" Her hand touched his hair as he buried into her side.

"Do not."

"It was a joke, captain."

He grumbled something that she was pretty sure was gibberish.

So when Athanasia decided that jealous Claude could escort her instead, Felix was so happy that Alice was actually dying, unable to breathe from laughing too much.