Sleeping Beauty [WMMAP Fanfiction]

Chapter Twenty Six: Wretched Family

Saying he'd tell the truth of what happened the day he died, Athanasia dismissed the rest of the nobles for privacy.

And as the noble heads ― papa Robane mixed in with them ― waited anxiously at the closed doors, they heard a little voice humming.

Footsteps approached.

A hand dragged against the wall.

At the new presence coming close to them, their heads lifted.

"Alice Florus?" spoke one woman, holding an open folding fan.

The same person who should've been asleep ― not that they knew that ― was now standing. The person who should know better than to show their face, there they stood.

"Alice. What are you doing here?" asked papa Robane with a little step her way, remembering that she was unconscious the last time he saw her; Felix could not speak then, but he needed a favor for her.

Dressed in fitted dark clothes and the royal guard cape around her shoulders, she tilted her head up in a familiar glare, her green eyes glowing in disgust at being addressed.

It was like she didn't know him. She had no good history with any of them, it seemed. Her attitude reflected that of the person who insulted many important people at the emperor's birthday, and only remembered them of that.

Her voice was cold and threatening them to speak when she addressed them, dropping in octaves,

"Who said you could talk to me, trash?"

***

It was a horrific show of foreboding, overwhelming mana. Red and black in color, they were frozen in their spots.

"Felix!" Athanasia's arms wrapped around him from behind, stopping him from advancing.

"Princess, please let go! I'm holding a sword!"

"The noble heads are outside! We cannot cause a disturbance!" Athanasia shouted, but in reality, she could feel the danger that she didn't want Felix to approach. Her fear showed on her face. It's dangerous! Something feels wrong here!

Felix, seeing that she could sense the magic as well, backed off. The magic Anastacius had was completely different from before; much stronger, and a greater quantity.

"Yes, princess... I understand."

I might be able to stop him if I risked my life, but with his majesty and Alice the way they are, no one can protect the princess if I die.

Red mist from his fading sword drifted around his hand. "I guess there's no need to catch something running away in fear of the emperor," he muttered, pulling Athanasia's hand off of him.

"What a loyal subject you are," Anastacius teased. For a moment, it seemed his eyes were glowing red. But before they could dwell too much on that, the door opened.

"Hey. Let's go."

Their eyes widened at who stood there, waiting for Anastacius. It felt that all breath was knocked out of them at who stood before them, leaning against the door frame. Time abruptly stalled, but it was still too fast to understand what was happening. There was no way to mistake it, that this person was, without a doubt,

Alice?

"Did you finish what you needed to do?" Anastacius checked, receiving a 'meh' shrug.

Is she a traitor? At once, that was the thought Athanasia first had. But she was quick to deny the possibility the moment it appeared.

"Regardless of what may happen... Whatever you choose, I'm on your side before anything else."