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

Chapter 7: Paint those roses red!

WARNING the following chapter contains: mentions of sacrifices, possession, and a cult.

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"Come in."

You take a deep breath as you hear the young man's voice from behind the wooden door. You take a last good look at your appearance, sweaty palms quickly smoothing out any wrinkles.

Wasting no time and pushing all your nervous thoughts to the back of your mind, you gently grab the golden handle and turn it, causing the door to open and squeak a little as the hinges force the wooden structures open. You take a step into a large study, and there you see him, sitting among large bookcases filled with books and a spruce desk, a red tuft of hair.

How funny, being surrounded by tall furniture makes him look much smaller than he is.

"I'm impressed. You're five minutes early," he announces, without looking up from the papers he's leafing through. His pen rapidly jots down some notes as his half-eaten breakfast still sits next to him. "Well, my mother used to say that being on time was being late. I take those words at heart," he finally looks up at you after hearing your answer, and without changing his expression, he extends his hand, motioning for you to take a seat in one of the chairs across from his desk. Without another word, you swiftly sit down with your back straight.

"As you know, the Unbirthday Party is in three days, so I warn you from this moment on: everything must be perfect. If you make a mistake, I will have no choice but to cut off your head," your face turns pale as you process his harsh words and stare at him owlishly.

Realizing his mistake, a blush spreads across Riddle's cheeks and he begins to stumble over his words. "I didn't mean it like that! It's-- ah, it's my--agh! H-how do I explain it?" he stammers, but before he can continue his tirade, you cut him off.

"I know what you mean. I saw the collar Ace was wearing this morning," the redhead lets out a short sigh, the blush slowly fading from his face. Clearing his throat, he sorts through some papers, avoiding looking you in the eye. "A-anyway, as I was saying, we have very few days to make this event perfect. There will be several high society guests arriving, including Prince Alice and my parents, so there can't be a single mistake that day," no wonder he's so stressed.

Royalty and high society tend to be double-edged swords: they are avenues to success, powerful connections, and can make or break a deal. Many people in these positions tend to be pretentious and judgmental by nature. Of course, some well-meaning people have high positions in society, but many of these people use their privilege to invalidate and criticize the slightest mistake.

Riddle has to organize and carry out one of the most important traditions of the Rose Kingdom.

However, that is no excuse for the behavior he has displayed, especially in the delicate position he is currently in. Many people who volunteer are younger nobles and commoners who donate their time to help out. In other words, many of them have little or no experience and are prone to making various mistakes. They are humans, after all.

You turn around to face the redhead who is still talking about the preparations. "Today you'll be with me to decorate the main garden. We'll also review Trey's menu for the day and make changes if necessary," he hands you a clipboard with an extremely large detailing of all the decorations that need to be placed in the roofed part of the garden.

"When you're done, you'll help Cater and Deuce paint the rest of the white roses red. Ace and Epel will be in charge of preparing the guest rooms," you tilt your head in confusion. Guests? You thought the Unbirthday Party was a one-day thing. Sensing your confusion, Riddle speaks again.