The Ballad of Deceit (YANDERE entity x reader)

The Fairest of Them All

In the midst of the darkness, I saw a small light shining through a crack in one of the alleyway's walls. "Why are we here?" I whispered in a careful tone but Leo just laughed in response. "I've already told you not to whisper when it's just us."

"Then, what's over there?" I carefully pointed at the glowing slit in the bricks as Leo slid his hand away from mine. "This," He reached forward and brushed his hand against the light. He pushed the cracked brick slightly and it slid deep into the wall. "Is protection." The brick seemed to move itself along with the others on either side of it.

They erected from the wall and appeared as a hollow shelf with a golden light mysteriously shining from inside. Leo reached in and pulled out a small bottle with sharp, crystal-like edges and a shining silver cap.

"Protection?" I tilted my head as the bricks slid back into place. Leo approached me and dangled the glass over my face. "You might need this in case she tries to touch you."

"Esmeralda?" I asked, slightly shocked, "But, why would she touch me if she knows it would shatter my heart?" From what I assumed, given the tales told all my life, The Empress of Broken Hearts felt terrible about her heart-shattering touch.

"Because it's entertaining." Leo stated coldly. "And because you're with me." He weaved his fingers with mine once more and led me away from the alley, dropping the vile in his pocket in the process. "I thought she hated her curse..." I mumbled.

"She does." Leo replied, head turning carefully to observe our surroundings. "But, let's just say she makes the most of it." His last words were bitter and annoyed until he broke out into a slight laugh. "Some time ago, she would plague humans with endless tears and send them off the Dierdre just to see if she could shatter their hearts a second time."

"Could she?" I asked but he shook his head. "No," he worked his jaw, "And now, because of her, Dierdre's been more ravenous for tears this last century than ever before." I knew then that if he could roll his eyes he would be. I squeezed his for a moment, but he only slightly tilted his head my way.

I tore my gaze away from him and saw that we hadn't begun to approach the town square yet. We remained in the shadows. "Where are we going now?" I asked and watched as a grin curled along his pink lips. He reached into his left pocket without speaking and handed me the red, invitational envelope.

I glanced at him for a hesitant moment before gently opening the smooth paper, my fingers brushing against the golden ink: "Esmeralda hall"

I carefully slid the card from its casing and flipped the thick, decorative paper open.

Greetings, noble lover,

I almost laughed at the opening sentence, but I stifled it down and continued to read.

The great Esmeralda has picked you and no other,
Your heart is big but empty still,
At the great hall, it will be filled,

You seek for naught a suitable mate,
You received this letter by divine fate,
Meet your partner before it's too late,
Join us now at Esmeralda hall's joyous masquerade.

My eyes traveled to the bottom of the card-stock. There, I saw the same beautiful writing in smaller letters and separate from the rest of the invitation.

Since you seek to find the end of it all,
Bring the girl to my beautiful ball,
Dress her up, dolled up and all,
Make her the fairest-fairest of them all,
And I may just let you in my hall.

From, your dear sister and hopefully your murderer.

"She wrote this for you?" I asked and he laughed to himself. I assumed he was eyeing me with twinkling amusement as I read the invitation. "What does she mean 'make her the fairest of them all'?" I questioned, slight anger in my tone. "She means she wants a show."
I quirked my brow and waited for him to finish.

"If somehow all of the masked men there turn your way, she'll let us find her book."

I frowned. "I still don't understand why she doesn't want us to."

Leo sighed and continued to stride forward. "I assume she's grown quite used to her existence now. She's blinded by her curse." He turned to me with a grin, "She didn't used to enjoy shattering human hearts, but now I'd say it's her favorite hobby," He leaned down with a smile, "She's become just like me."

"I don't think she's like you." I tilted my head and refused to look his way. "Flattery gets you nowhere, my queen." He said dryly while still maintaining his grin.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, he turned me down a narrow street seemingly hidden within the city. There was a door at the end of it with chipping, baby blue paint coating its wood. A dusty window with faint light pouring out of it was carved into it, and I couldn't sworn more windows were along the walls of the little house, but the rest of its structure was concealed by the tightly-cramped buildings.

I glanced at Leo, about to ask a question, but he gently shook his head before raising his hand and softly knocking on the door. I heard a slow shuffling pair of feet and a key struggling to twist the lock.

When the door finally opened, an elderly man stood there with a squinting expression. "Oh..." he moved away from the entrance and shifted back inside. "I wasn't expecting customers this late." He left the door open for us to enter.

I hesitated but Leo urged me to hold onto his arm, briefly securing his hand over mine, before leading me in.

"I assume you're here for the lady." The man's voice was frail and quiet. That's when I noticed an old sign lying in the corner of the quaint livingroom. Beaty parlor. I could scarcely read the faded font.

"Yes, we are." Leo replied with a warm tone. The man laughed before adjusting a chair in front of a large mirror on the left wall. "You kids and your parties.." He was clearly referencing the masquerade. I quickly removed my mask and clutched it at my side.

"Please sit, young lady." The man gestured to the leather chair and I slowly sat down with a polite nod. "What were you looking for today?" He asked shuffling through a bin of makeup under an old wooden shelf. "We'd like for you to make her the fairest one at the party." Leo grinned, but I noticed the old man halt his actions for a brief moment. "Not that she isn't already." I felt Leo eye me even though I couldn't see it.

I rolled my eyes in response and got back to observing the wooden home. I could see a hall off to the far side that clearly led to his bedroom. There was a raggedy couch on the back wall, just past the center floor, and newletters sprawled across the entirety of it.

"That's quite pricey..." The old man spoke with deep suspicion, "Have you brought the right currency?" He asked Leo who just grinned in response. "You want to do this, don't you?" Leo asked and the man turned rigid in an instant.

"Of course I do, young man." He laughed, "Free of charge just because you folks are so kind." I ground my jaw at Leo but he just gave me a slight shrug.

I watched as the man made his way down the hall, disappearing for a moment before coming back with a small bottle that reminded me of an expensive perfume.

"What's that?" I asked curiously. The man smiled before lifting the puff and spraying it all along my face and sitting figure.

"Your allure."