Ni No Kuni One-shots

Rags and Riches (Part 5)

A Cinderella AU where Evermore exists before Evan's birth. Violet is a Servant; Evan is Crown Prince of Evermore. 

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With her identity proven, the invitation to present herself to the court stood firm. Her stepsister brought her a leather traveling satchel that Violet's father had gifted her for her to borrow. Her brothers gathered up a few of her belongings while she and Evan sat in the parlor. Roland and Captain Batu had some other things they needed to discuss with Madam Esmeray.

"How much of the tale you told me is true?" Evan asked, turning the leatherbound Wizard's Companion over in his hand. "You never mentioned your stepmother's cruelty, for obvious reasons, but what else is true?"

"Everything really," Violet replied. "At first Madam Esmeray sheltered myself and Annabelle within the manor's walls, particularly while my father was away on business... It was that business trip that would prove to be his end. He contracted an illness while at sea and passed surrounded by his children. After that... the loss of her second husband, her personality did an absolute one-eighty."

Evan nodded in understanding.

"How have you been faring these last few days?" she asked, running the tips of her fingers over his knuckles. "One of my Higgledy friends was concerned about that."

He glanced up at her with widened eyes. "You can see Higgledy-sprites, too?"

"I have been able to my entire life. Mother theorized it was due to my magical proficiency, but Father—who couldn't see them after the age of ten and never practiced magic—believed it was my pure and innocent heart. You're avoiding the question, Evan."

Evan sighed and laid his other hand over hers. "So far, I've been faring alright... Father has been able to attend meetings and oversee commands for himself lately, but his doctors are already begging him to take it easy. We still don't really know what is causing this illness, but we do know it is aggressive to its host." He leaned back on the sofa to gaze out the window. "At the very least I have friends and family at my side."

"Speaking of family, you seem very close with the recently appointed Chief Consul, Sir Roland."

"Yes. Before he was appointed Chief Consul, he served alongside Nella as my tutor. He's—he's like a second father to me. He was my tutor from when I was thirteen until I turned seventeen. He just... appeared out of nowhere exactly when he was needed; when Father was on the battlefield defending our borders and allies from bandits."

Violet giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Sorry, it's just— the story you've just told me reminds me of how I came to be at the ball in the first place. Like something out of a fairytale, after the gown the Higgledies worked so hard to sew for me was destroyed, hope appeared on gossamer wings. My Fairy Godmother, Artemis, appeared before me in disguise and asked for a cup of milk or slice of bread, which I provided. Everything you saw, from the carriage to my slippers, she transformed from humble beginnings to being fit for a princess. When I was in despair, she appeared exactly when I needed her most."

"So she cast the spell. And therefore she set the midnight deadline."

"Yes... but I don't know why the slippers remained."

"Magic works in mysterious ways," Evan remarked, forming a small ember of flame between his fingers. "I started learning when I was seven and very quickly it became evident that not only was I a prodigy in the craft, I could perform spells well beyond my years by the age of nine; spells like Mornstar and its sister spell Astra—two of the most powerful spells of the Light Element—and weapon-skills such as the legendary Mornstar's Edge, which is a powered-up version of Dazzleslash."