A fairytale of a beautiful maiden, the beloved Frost Flower Princess was supposed to be staying in the comfort of her castle masquerading as a cage to protect her from the dangers outside, imprisoned by her own brothers.
That is, until a mysterious...
* "Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected, To take certain duties on board. The future is littered with prizes, And though I'm the main addressee, The point that I must emphasize is, You won't get a sniff without me!"
** Heartslabyul Dorm - Trey's Room
Ace kicked open the door to Trey's room, breathless and wild-eyed. "Trey! Y/n!" he called out, voice tinged with panic.
"Are you okay?!" Deuce added, hurrying in right after him.
Isfrid swept into the room with barely restrained fury in his steps, eyes immediately scanning for Y/n. Vanitas followed closely, unnervingly silent, though his storm-blue eyes were anything but calm. Noé entered behind them with measured steps, quiet but concerned, while Grim padded in with a flick of his tail.
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Trey sat at the edge of his bed, holding a crutch in one hand, his ankle heavily bandaged. Behind him, Y/n was lying on her stomach, face buried deep in the pillow, wings tucked close, the soft glimmer of white feathers dulled by bandages. A gloomy aura clung to her like a raincloud.
"Well, if it isn't the ADeuce pair and the Obsessive Duo. Featuring Grimmy and Noé," Cater greeted them.
"Care to explain that 'Adeuce' thing just now?" Ace twitched.
"Huh? I just slapped your names together," Cater easily admitted in a cheery tone.
"Don't give us a couple nickname!" Deuce shouted, flustered. "P-Plus...We belong to her majesty...!"
Isfrid clicked his tongue at the title, clearly irritated. "Don't be lazy with names," he muttered, brushing past them. All his focus was locked on Y/n.
Vanitas had already knelt beside the bed, eyes scanning every inch of her visible injuries with the precision of a man one breath away from snapping. Isfrid gently lifted her injured wing to inspect the damage.
Y/n flinched with a soft hiss.
He immediately withdrew his hand, his tone shifting from icy to tender. "Sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you," he murmured, gaze softening for her and her alone.
Vanitas said nothing. His hand hovered just above Y/n's, as if touching her without permission might break her further. But his silence was venomous. His eyes sharpened, cutting toward Trey like a dagger about to be thrown.
"She broke her wing..." Vanitas murmured, voice trembling with tightly coiled rage. "And it's healed... but not the pain. That's still there. Lingering. Every second." His teeth grit audibly before his head snapped toward Trey and Cater, his expression unhinged. "Explain. Now. Before I lose every last bit of patience I have."
