Fantasy Au That Was Inspired by a Tweet

Fantasy Au Prompt

Imagine, Character B, who is royalty, meets Character A, a new castle hand, for the first time. Character A is charming, good looking, and all around a very good and genuine person.

Character B falls for them instantly.

______

Character B soon notices that whenever they drop by their chambers to do their duties, Character A is always humming some sort of strange haunting song.

"What's that melody you speak? I've never heard of it before."

"Hm. No you wouldn't have. My father used to sing it to me. He said it was a lullaby his father made for him during the old war."

"Well, it sounds beautiful."

"...It is I suppose, isn't it?"

____

Many months go by and it is now winter.

Character B had been looking for Character A and has just spotted them. They're humming to themself again. The same hauntingly beautiful song.

"Hey, Character A!"

Character A stops walking across the servants courtyard, a basket of linen in their arms, to stare at Character B incredulously.

"What are you doing here," they hiss, "you know you can't be in the servants area!"

"I know I know! Fret not! I just had a query for you."

"Well...?"

"Will you go to the ball with me? The Winter's Ball?"

The king and queen throw one every year as a chance to give the townsfolk a way to experience the life of luxury that they'll never afford to have (even though the king and queen will insist that it's just an act of grace).

Character A suddenly looks very sick.

"Oh," they let our shakily, "that's tonight?"

"No... It's this Friday, Character A."

Character B looks on perplexed as Character A visibly let's out a sight of relief.

"So will you go with me?"

"I-" They hesitate.

At this point, the other servants in the courtyard have notice that a member of the royal family was the servants area, and have started to stare and whisper.

"Yes. I'll go to the Winter's Ball with you, Character B."

_____

As the week goes by, Character B notices that they haven't seen Character A but once since they asked them to the ball. And during that one time, Character A showed none of their usual joy. None of that happy-go-lucky spirit that would make any dark time Character B would go through seem bright.

It's not until Saturday morning, the day of the ball, that Character B is finally able to pin Character A down in the kitchens.

"You've been avoiding me."

Character A let's out a small shout, and fumbles with the pitcher of water they were holding, trying to stop it from crashing to the ground.

"Can you stop doing that!"

"Why are you avoiding me? What did I do?"

Character A sighs. "You don't do anything, Character B."

"Then why must you ignore me? Have I offended you in some way?"

"You didn't do anything! I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I- I should have just told you what was wrong."
They take a step forward.

Character B also takes a step forward. "Then tell me what's wrong now. Whatever it is, I'll do my best fix it." They smile. "I am the king and queen's child you know."

Character A looks up from their fidgeting hands.

"Do you promise?"

"I swear on my father's throne," they respond.

Overrun with relief, Character A leaps into Character B's arms. Character B staggers with the force of the hug, but they're able to keep them both from toppling to the ground.

"Thank you so much. I can't explain how grateful I am," Character A says into Character B's shoulder.

"Character A, I would do anything for you."

"...Thank you."

They rock back and forth for a while, content to just be in each others arms, when Character A starts to hum again.

They hum the same song they always hum. The same hauntingly beautiful melody that Character B has memorized by heart, has come to love.

Love.

Love.

"Character A, I-"

The humming gets louder. There's a sudden pounding in Character B's ears.

"What...?"

They look down to see a dagger in their side.

"Character A... why- AHH!"

The knife twists. The blade goes even deeper.

Instead of answering the question, Character A starts to sing. They sing the lyrics to that melancholic song while taking the knife out and stabbing Character B again.

They're captivating.

And in that moment, while they are standing there in the kitchens bleeding out, Character B can't help but fall in love a little bit harder.

The knife is wrenched out and thrust back in again.

Their vision goes black.

And the last thing they hear is Character B singing that hauntingly beautiful song.

"I will carry you
You might say no
But I'll hug you
In my eyes
In my blue dream
You might say I cannot
But I'll put you in my arms"

_______

This little short was inspired by this tweet:

https://twitter.com/fi_lor/status/1372818286023426049?s=19

And the song Character A sings is the English lyrics to Blue Side by J-Hope.

I wrote Character A and Character B instead of real names because this is a little prompt thingy that anyone can use for any character they want. Please credit me if you use this prompt.