Street Mouse [Yandere Archduke x Female Reader]

17. A Winter Ball.

Y/N was fallowing Tola around curiously. The housekeeper had been busy cooking a giant feast, but had taken a break to hang up some more decorations.

The decorating had started with little pieces of golden ribbon strung around the kitchen several weeks ago, but the golden decorations were now spreading all over the house.

Adding in the spread was Tola, who seemed determined to make the entire castle gold before the end of the month.

There were golden ribbons tacked on the walls, large golden feathers being held in golden vases. Tall golden candles were slowly filling all of the candle holders in the castle, and little golden rams were starting to appear everywhere.

Whenever Y/N asked Tola what all the gold things were for, she would simply grunt, and act like she hadn't heard the question.

Y/N had excepted that it was just Tola being her quirky self, but during one lesson with Frosino, she noticed that there was a golden table cloth on his desk, and that he was drinking his tea from a teacup decorated by golden rams.

Unable to bear it any longer, Y/N asked Frosino: "why are gold things popping up everywhere? Before long everything will be golded."

"Gilded," Frosino corrected her, trying his best not to laugh. "And I suppose that you would have no way of knowing about this tradition. You see, my mother married my father in midwinter, and as a result, there was not much in the way of color on the grounds, trying to make up for this, my father massively overcompensated and decorated everything in gold. My mother enjoyed the spectacle of it so much that she made him put up all of the decorations whenever her family came to visit, which would always fall around their anniversary."

The Archduke let out a large chuckle as he thought about the story. "Now, even though my parents are gone, and no one comes to visit anymore, I still continue the tradition."

"Ok, I get it now!" Y/N exclaimed.

"But this year, I want to do something special," Frosino continued. "Can I count on your assistance?"

Y/N nodded her little head vigorously to show that she was happy to help.

Frosino leaned forward on the desk as he whispered conspiratorially, "right, then I want you to give this box to Tola, and tell her to meet me in the hall off of the dining room. I will inform Alfonse that he is to meet me in that hall at the same time. When the time comes, what do you think will happen when I don't show up?"

A mischievous grin stretched across Y/N's face as she realized what the Archduke was implying. She quickly took the gold wrapped box and dashed away to fulfill her part of the plan.

. . .

It had been several hours since Y/N had delivered the package and the message to Tola. Tola had opened the box to find a well-made dress inside. It was simple in design, but still very pretty.

Tola had put on the new garment, but had not emerged from her room yet. Y/N was dying to see what the gown looked like on her, so she finally decided to peek her head around the doorframe to see.

Tola stood in front of an old mirror as she examined the dress. Y/N could hardly stifle or gasp at the sight of it. It was a light marigold color, and came down to just above the floor. The bodice was lower cut than Tola's normal clothes, but was still simple. Even though Tola was quite the burly woman, the dress still managed to look elegant and accentuate her feminine curves. Tola had put her dark hair up in a simple twist at the back of her head and altogether looked very fetching.

"You look like a princess," Y/N said softly as she hid behind the door.

Tola jumped slightly. When she realized that it was just the little girl she sighed in relief, and turned back to look at herself self-consciously.