Left for Carnage (Twisted Wonderland x Reader) (PAUSED)

Chapter 3: A cause for concern

WARNING: mentions of a cult, ritual circle, beasts, extinction of some species, poison, physical and mental exhaustion.

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Malleus Draconia.

If you were to ask someone their opinion of the Crown Prince, you would most likely get two responses: the first would be fear of him, as his menacing and dark aura makes it impossible for anyone to approach him without feeling like they are going to be murdered or given the cold shoulder; the second would be appreciation and adoration, usually coming from close comrades of the young man or citizens of the Briar Valley.

You'd like to think that you're somewhere in the middle, he's probably not a bad guy, but the cold and neutral gaze, the tall and imposing figure, and the terrifyingly powerful aura don't exactly give the impression of a friendly guy. You could be wrong, Svein always taught you that appearances can contradict a person's personality. Just thinking about it reminds you of the first time you met Dorothea.

It's funny when you think about how each of your siblings felt about her when they first met her. Astrid always gave her the benefit of the doubt, and Svein hated her the moment she set foot in the house. You, Roger, and Sigurd remained unbothered by her, not assuming anything about the woman. After all, as Sigurd put it, she was just a substitute for your dead mother.

However, your opinion of her differed when she sneered at you as she passed you in the hallway, acted like a petulant child in front of your father, and during an event put her foot in your path, causing you to trip in front of some guests.

It dampened your mood for the rest of the evening, you were already feeling uncomfortable as it had been a while since you'd had any contact with humans other than the gentle Gertrude or Sigurd who would enter your bedroom from time to time to check on you or give you food.

Either way, you snap out of your trance and bow to Prince Draconia, while Rook and Epel quickly copy your pose. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Roi des Dragons. We hope we aren't taking much of your time," the hunter greets as he stands back up, and out of the corner of your eye, you notice that the apple boy trips as he regains his composure. You almost reach out to help him, but notice that he has skillfully regained his balance.

You, on the other hand, begin to examine the gigantic Fae in front of you out of habit. He's a truly fascinating and ethereal person up close, even with the imposing aura. His delicate yet sharp features shine brightly and beautifully under the lights of the castle, and his regal Gothic attire gives the impression that he has just stepped out of a painting.

Feeling your curious eyes on him, Malleus turns his gaze toward you and tilts his head, silently asking you if he has something on his face or what's the matter. However, dread spreads through your body as you notice your behavior and you quickly remove your eyes from his figure, muttering a small apology under your breath.

Malleus laughs softly at your strange behavior, it's quite adorable. However, this is not the time to tease you, there are other more worrying matters on the table. Perhaps some other time, during tea preferably, he can poke at you to see your reactions. "Worry not, you aren't wasting my time, after all, I invited you here," the prince replies gently, extending his hand as he invites the three of you to sit down.

You and Rook take seats on the large dark green couch directly behind you, while Epel stands behind the piece of furniture, his arms folded behind his back, looking exactly like a professional butler. Meanwhile, the prince stands elegantly across from you, eyeing the three of you before speaking.

"I assume the boy behind you came with one of you," you nod nervously, still embarrassed by your earlier behavior. "Y-Yes, he's my butler and personal companion. I hope it's not too much trouble for him to attend this meeting," you repeat what the lilac boy said earlier when he and Rook were talking. Draconia simply nods and puts his right index finger under his chin.