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twenty more days to go.
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When Briar turned to a corner, she bumped into Malefina, the sister of Malleus. She dropped her books abruptly, surprise from the impact.
"Oh, my goodness! I'm very sorry, Miss Briar," Malefina hastily said. She bent over to help Briar pick her fallen books as she said, "Here, let me help you."
"Thank you, Malefina," Briar courteously. Once all of her books were back in her arms, the strawberry blonde beauty asked Malefina, "Why are you such in a hurry?"
"My apologies but my brother had frazzled me ever since this morning. He was nowhere in the dorm and it seemed he was never seen since yesterday. Oh, and I also have to refill my vial of Stygian Sleep since it was mysteriously empty."
"Would you like me to help you look for him?" Briar quipped. "You're quite new to the place, and I've been here for quite some time. Perhaps a lending hand won't hurt?"
Malefina gratefully said, "That would be wonderful, Miss Briar! A good call but please do not concern yourself too much."
They both said their farewells and they moved on; Malefina heading to the deep botanical gardens where she would gain essences for Stygian Sleep, Briar heading to her next class... Which was fortunately a vacant one since there was a mishap in the classroom earlier before she even entered. (Some jokesters were just taking their pranks a step too far this time.)
Since the time seemed to be ripe to look for Malefina's older brother, Briar took off with haste. There were a lot of places where Malleus could be at the moment and Briar narrowed it down to two: he's in a part of the abandoned building and he's by the tallest oak tree at the edge of the school property.
He wasn't found at the former, so Briar headed off to the latter place.
Sure enough, Malleus was there.
Briar approached the tall Draconia royalty and when she reached him, she peered over, and saw that he had been sleeping all along.
His beautiful, stone cold, and pale face was endearingly framed by the filtering leaves. His lips were slightly quirked upwards, his eyes softly closed, as if he's a deep, deep slumber. His head was tilted to one side and his body was lax against the strong trunk.
As Briar peered closer, she saw something at the corner of Malleu's black lips. A stain of crimson with shimmering gold.
The essence of Stygian Sleep!
Briar began to put two and two together...
Malefina, you cheeky, cheeky troublemaker!, Briar thought as she realized what kind of plan Malefina had conjured up.
It was so simple, but how on earth was she able to for it like a gullible brat???
Stygian Sleep would definitely make mortals like Briar severely faint and sickly while sleeping like one was induced in a comatose. But if it was used upon the likes of Malleus, he'll be likely just be in a deep sleep since the powerful essence was no match to inflict pain of any sorts.
There were, admittedly, different kinds of Stygian Sleep and it had many antidotes, but with this kind, the one with red and gold, its antidote would be similar to the Draught of Sleeping Death - a kiss.
Briar was almost ready to make sure she'll give Malefina an earful for meddling with such intimate business but there is a bigger problem at hand. (It honestly wasn't that much of a bigger problem but we're looking from the perspective of an agitated, flustered young lady.)
Briar knelt softly down on the patch of grass. She bent forward, down to Malleus's face. Her lips were quivering, her blush was deepening more and more, and her eyes were beginning to get fuzzy because of the wild thoughts pondering in her head. Malefina was crazy enough to take this one step forward!
She parted her ruby lips together and gently surged in for a kiss to awake Malleus from his undignified sleep.
Piercing emerald eyes opened and Malleus found himself being kissed by the only darling he ever pined from afar.
When Briar pulled away and looked up, her soul nearly jumped outside from her skin. She was expecting Malleus to be awake but never scrutinize her under his gaze!
"M-Malleus!" Briar stammered, pulling back.
"What happened?" Malleus asked, sitting up, his rumpled robe straightening out. "Why am I here?"
"Malefina must've given you a dosage of Stygian Sleep," Briar said. "Probably... Probably one of her schemes again."
Malleus controlled the urge to groan. Ever since the appearance of his younger sister, his life seemed to just spiral out of his control. It's not like Malefina was stronger than him, but she had assets he didn't know of yet and those certain assets were troublesome.
"I see," Malleus said, taking Briar's statement in stride. Or so he thought because his cheeks were dusted with light pink. With such pale skin, the tinge of color was so obvious. "How long was I out, Briar?"
"I-I honestly don't know..." Briar admitted. "Malefina said she hadn't seen you since yesterday."
Fate is so cruel to grant me the presence of my mysterious sister, Malleus thought. He looked around his surroundings and figured this was where Malefina left him unguarded after he took a drink of her red, exotic tea—
Stygian Sleep, Malleus mindfully concluded. He made a mental note to ask Jack to hide all the plants carried Stygian Sleep essence since Malefina was clearly having fun with it.
"W-We have to go, Malleus. I don't think skipping classes, even with a valid excuse, is alright," Briar said, urging the taller gentleman.
"Of course."
Malleus stood up and he towered the short girl. With his tall stature, sharp and piercing glowing, green eyes, erected, curvaceous horns, and dark, morose aura, it seemed like it was enough for someone to quickly rethink their decision to stay by him and just leave without looking back.
Not with Briar.
Her expressive doe eyes only looked up to him and her lips were wearing a soft smile, despite having a shade of red on her cheeks herself; a sure sign of her flustered since the brief kiss of awakening.
She, too, stood up. She still locked her eyes with him and said, "You're welcome."
Malleus processed her words and realized he hadn't said his gratitude from her highly successful attempt of waking him up from his accidental sleep.
He had a divinity to look after, but after being saved from shame by a maiden like her... She deserved a thanks.
"Thank you..." Malleus softly said "Very much."
As the day progressed, Malleus couldn't help but think he had, indeed, gone soft and, admittedly, fluffed up to an endearing mortal named Briar.
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"WHO SNUFFED ALL THE STYGIAN SLEEP ESSENCES?! I DEMAND TO KNOW OR ELSE I'LL SMITE YOUR EXISTENCE TO SMITHEREENS!"
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➵ SHIBIRU KIZUNA ➵
YOU ARE READING
VOORPRET | Celebratory Offering
Fanfiction→ the thrill of a party before the party itself is called "voorpret ". → twenty-three prompts until the twenty-third day of june = twenty three spins of the torture wheel until the twenty-third day of june.
