"Where is he?" Yensid demands. The guard kneels before the King, an armor helmet obscuring his face.
"I don't know, Sire." He admits. "He isn't in his room."
Yensid frowns. This is most unusual. Elson has always been the picture of a perfect prince- a charming, elegant, rational man who acts befitting of his title and station. Did that peasant really upset him so much?
That would be improbable- he had never met her before. Maybe it was the nature of the trial that got to him. It really was a once in a lifetime sort of situation after all. Perhaps he just needs time to process, though Yensid will be having words with him later.
"Leave him for now," Yensid decides. "If there's trouble then the Prince is more than equipped to deal with it. If he has not appeared within a few more hours, report back to me."
The guard frowns, though the King can't see it. His helmet has been saving him a lot lately. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
He exits the room, leaving the King to wonder where on earth his son has gone.
***
Leona unclips the beads from around his neck. "Alright Herbivore, how would you like us to do this?"
"Wait," you frown and tilt your head. "Aren't you concerned I'll double cross you?"
"Sure," Leona shrugs. "But there's not much I can do about it. I suppose I'm just not as dastardly of a villain as you are."
You narrow your eyes and examine him for signs of lying. YΜ·oΜ·uΜΆ ΜΈfΜ΅iΜ·nΜ·dΜΆ none, but that doesn't mean much. He's as dishonest as they come.
But aren't you just as bad?
You shake the thought out of your head. Now is not the time to be doubting yourself. "Toss the beads on the floor by my feet and then walk away."
He does what he's told. You're thankful when he's back inside- he can't see the cart anymore. Once he's far enough away, you throw the scroll to the other side of the room- far enough he'll have to walk over and fetch it. He rolls his eyes.
"Was that really necessary?"
You bend down and pick up the beads, never taking your eyes off of him. A smirk spreads across his face.
"So, what now Herbivore? What will you do?"
You both know you're not out of the woods yet- you've got him in check, but you haven't won the game. Worse still, you literally threw away your greatest defense, but you need it out of your hands.
Just thirty seconds more might change your fate.
"Have I told you about my mermaid outfit?"
"...huh?"
"Yeah!" You nod enthusiastically. "You see, I was apart of Poseidon's Annual Underwater Festival Bananza not too long ago playing the bass and-"
Leona's looking at you like you're telling him the biggest bull he's ever heard in his life (which you probably are) when you notice his ear twitch. You grab your necklace and the door blasts open.
"PRINCE LEONA!" A guard yells. "GET DOWN!"
Leona watches as a certain genetically mutated honey badger scampers across his room in a grass skirt. Grim dives into your arms as guards flood into the room.
Green meets e/c.
Then you step into the light.
***
"Crowley!" You call out ecstatically. Your eyes lock on the door and you race across the Mirror Chamber, still holding Grim against you. "Crowley! Crowley! Crowley! Guess what I got~!"
You're surprised to see him standing in the hallway in front of you when you step out of the room. He closes the door he came out of and looks at you cheerfully.
"Did you retrieve the beads?"
"Yes!" You hold them up for him to see. "I worked really hard to get them!"
"Your efforts have certainly borne fruit!" He carefully takes the beads into his hand. Then he notices Grim. "Why are you dressed in drag ready to do the hula?"
Grim scowls. "Nobody mentions this ever again. Got it Henchhuman?"
You do your best not to snort at the evil glare he sends you. "Got it, oh Great Grim." You set him down and he wiggles out of the skirt and lei, throwing them onto the floor and kicking them off to the side with a huff. You can't help but giggle.
"Was your time there preferable?" Crowley asks. You see-saw your hand.
"More or less- the animal thing actually ended up coming in handy, funnily enough. I really thought we would die in that one, so it's gotta get easier from here. Thankfully, everyone was just some sort of animal-human hybrid instead of being full grim-lings."
"Hey!"
"That is most unexpected. How unfortunate he did not get to reunite with his cousins."
"HEY!"
Crowley's eyes widen, and then he snaps his fingers. "Speaking of strange..."
"Is everything okay?" You look at him and raise an eyebrow.
"Hm? Ah, yes..." he frowns, beginning to tap his foot. "There's something I need to show you."
You're absolutely horrified.
The once silvery swirls within the ornate frame to Wonderland are now tainted black, angrily churning inside the frame as if attempting to splash over it.
Your lungs feel hollow. You suck in a deep breath to try and calm yourself to no avail. "How is this possible? Why is this happening?"
Grim yelps. "What's the big idea? You'd better start talkin', Crowley!"
The man grimaces, his usual cheery demeanour replaced by a more somber one. You're not a fan of the change. "Regrettably, it seems this is the consequence wrought by the path you chose on your travels."
"What?" The words only seem to half come out of your mouth, like the letters turn into air on your tongue. "We did this?"
"You're the one who sent us in there!" Grim doubles down. "How's this our fault?"
"I'm not blaming you." Crowley sighs. "I, too, had no means of foreseeing this outcome. However, the undeniable truth remains: you must have played a pivotal role, inadvertently disrupting the course of the story."
"And 'stealing the crown' wouldn't have disrupted the story?" You ask, making aggressive air quotes.
"No." Crowley shakes his head. "The crown itself is a part of the story. You did something- intentional or not, to change the tale."
"We changed it?" Your mind brims with anxiety. It's too much. Is this Crowley's master plan? Destroy the foundations of the Kingdom and let you take the fall for it? Had Leona been warning you?
"The rook moves boldly in straight lines. It never seems to shy away from the other pieces, and is always there. That tends to be why people forget its danger- if they look too hard for something else they might miss what's right in front of them. You really have to be careful who you trust, don't you?"
You don't even notice you're breathing heavily until you're gasping for air. You don't want to be a bad person. You don't want to bring the Kingdom to ruin. You don't want to end up back in a cell. You don't want to be alone. You don't want to die.
You might be dying.
You claw at your head as if searching for a tether to earth. You're gasping for air. You feel lightheaded. You can't breathe. You don't want to die.
...but if you died, would anybody miss you?
"Elson..." you croak. You barely hear Crowley and Grim screaming for you.
You don't even realize you passed out until you wake up in bed. Grim sleeps on your belly, curled up into a ball on top of the blanket. His chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm.
"Snrk!"
You stifle a giggle when the tiny monster lets out a very big snore. You must have been out for a while. Carefully, you move your legs aside and step out of the bed.
"Snrk!"
You do giggle this time as you close the door, though you make sure you're quiet.
Every part of your body feels incredibly tired. Your throat is dry. Your lungs feel like they're hollow, though you're able to breathe again. You feel calmer now- though you suppose you would after that embarrassing explosion of energy and tears.
The world seems still.
You head down the stairs and poke your head around the corner, scouting around the kitchen. Good- it's clear. You walk inside and start rummaging around for cups.
"You said you were fine."
You jump when Crowley's voice suddenly cuts through the empty room and look up from the cupboard.
"...I'm sorry." You avert your eyes. "It won't happen again."
He frowns. "I should hope not, but you have no need to apologize. What happened?"
"I-" you pause and think. Your head is surprisingly clear now, so you ponder whether to tell the truth or not. On one hand, it makes you vulnerable. On the other hand, it might lead to answers. To your displeasure, it's hard to tell with Crowley. "I'm... tired."
"I'm not surprised." He nods and puts his hands on his hips. "It's only been a few hours since you arrived, but for you it's been a few days. Still, not a lot of time has passed. You have certainly been doing a lot since your arrival- and I can only imagine how terrifying it was to be captured by that King."
"...it was." Your voice comes out smaller than you meant it to when you remember that cold cell. The loneliness. The trepidation. The regret.
"Elson has left." Crowley says.
"Huh?"
"You were worried about Elson before you blacked out." Crowley moves to fill the kettle with water. "He's gone."
Of course he was. What had you been expecting? You're nothing- just a street rat. Still, it feels like a punch to the gut. You hadn't been... friends, exactly, but he had cared enough to come- and while that was terrible for you, it had meant a lot. Still, you always knew he would leave- people always do. Nobody likes you enough to be there with you. You thought someone did, but...
Crowley looks at you, alarmed. "Why are you crying?"
You blink back tears, determined not to cry now that you are aware of the tears in your eyes. "I'm fine."
"You're very obviously not." Crowley moves forwards. He holds his hands in the air over you, moving them around awkwardly. He obviously has no idea how to comfort you. You can practically see the wheels turning in his head. "Do I hug her? "Do I wipe her tears? Hug it is then! No, maybe I shouldn't touch her at all. Highfive of camaraderie? Heavens above, she's still crying." Eventually he steps back and his hands drop to his sides.
Well, you suppose, at least he tried?
"Why are you upset?"
"I'm just... tired."
"No. That's not all, is it?"
You remain silent, feeling exposed. Crowley sighs again, and you feel like you're disappointing yet another person.
"You don't have to tell me anything. But if it would make you feel better to get it off your chest, I will listen."
You remain quiet for a moment. The silence eats away at you until you speak.
"How do I know I can trust you?"
Crowley leans back, having not expected the question. "Surely that alone did not catalyse such an extreme reaction."
You shake your head. "No, but I do need answers."
"What suddenly makes you think you can't trust me? We made a mutually beneficial- and mutually destructive agreement."
"Some things have come up. And the mirrors..."
"I see..." Crowley purses his lips. "Well, you did pass out before I could properly explain that. Once Grim is awake I'll explain it. In the meantime, why don't you outline your issues with me?"
Crowley scowls under his mask. "That, I'm not willing to tell you."
"Then how am I supposed to trust you?" You ask, your hysteria rising.
"Alright then, a fair exchange is in order." Crowley agrees. "Where is your family?"
You go quiet.
"Exactly." Crowley nods. "We're both entitled to our own discretions."
The reality you always knew sinks in. You're stuck. You can't get out of this deal, or you'll never be free. You might even be handed back to the castle guards, and although it may be selfish... you'd rather take a risk on this deal.
Crowley sighs. "I understand your apprehension. But you must remember that I need you as much as you need me."
"But what happens when my usefulness is gone?" You blurt it out before you can stop it. He pauses, surprised, but thinks it over.
"Well," Crowley hums. "I suppose then we'll each go our separate ways."
You have no reaction to that. The room is silent, which seems to alert Crowley. "The water has finished boiling. Would you like tea?"
"Yes please." Your voice is quiet. You feel empty. If only you could rewind the clock- then you would never have convinced yourself you needed to go into the castle, you never would have been caught, you never would have been sentenced, you never would have met Crowley, you never would have made such a stupid, stupid deal, you never would have been to Wonderland, and then the mirror never would have been tainted, and then the world would never be probably doomed.
God, you are such an idiot!
"You're nothing but a weak little herbivore parading around with lions."
...he's right.
The teacup is set down in front of you, and you watch, unfocused, as the steam rises from the surface and curls into the air. Crowley sits across from you, holding a mug of his own.
"...a compromise." Crowley suggests, and you look up. "Upstairs, there are five locked rooms. I have never let anybody into them. You and Grim alone have seen one-"
"The Mirror Chamber?"
"Would you just listen? But yes." Crowley nods, giving you a familiar look. "Would it help to ease your mind if I let you in another as a show of good faith?"
You stare at him for a moment before nodding. It won't fix the power imbalance- but the fact he's willing to compromise with you says... something. And you suppose that even if this is just for show, you have an extra piece of dirt he won't have on you.
He stands and grabs his tea, heading for the stairs. "Come along then. Bring your cup with you. Ah, I am kind."
You follow Crowley back up the stairs and into the hallway, where he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. He unlocks and swings the door open, allowing you to peer inside. Your stomach drops.
"Why-"
"Welcome to my office." Crowley steps inside. "I'm sure you can see why I keep it locked."
You sip your tea, letting the drink warm your insides. "No kidding. What is this?"
"These," he gestures to the seven portraits lining his wall. "Are the villains you will be stealing from."
This did not make you trust him more. In fact, you took a step away from him. Did he... worship them? Is he obsessed with the villains? What does this have to do with Yensid?
"You seem more nervous than when we walked in here." Crowley notes. "Is something wrong?"
"I- do you have a shrine for them you're setting up too?"
"Wha- no, of course not! What do you think I am, insane?"
You remain silent.
"I am not insane!" Crowley huffs. "These portraits are the extent of it- and I wouldn't have put them up if I didn't have to, anyway."
"What do you mean if you didn't have to? You're already getting the items... are you part of a villain worshipping cult?!"
"No!" Crowley looks flabbergasted. "I beg your pardon!"
"Then why do you have the portraits in your office?"
Crowley lets out a long suffering sigh and walks over to the Queen of Heart's portrait, grabbing the frame and swinging it open. Sitting inside is the Crown of Roses.
"First of all, they act as magical safes."
"That doesn't seem very safe. That seems more like putting a sign up that says 'mug me.'"
"Would you just listen?" Crowleys looks like he wants to strangle you. "I need to keep them up as part of a prophecy."
"A prophecy?" That, you hadn't expected. "Does this have to do with Yensid?"
"In a way, yes." Crowley nods. "But that is not for you to worry about."
"So I have..." you count the frames. "Five more to go?"
"Yes." Crowley nods. "There is an end in sight."
You nod. There is an end in sight. You still don't trust him one bit, but... it does ease some of your concerns. The very nature of the deal is risky for you both, which is what provides you with security. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like he wants to string you along forever. However, you aren't yet sure what to make of a prophecy. You remember what Crowley had told you when you first came to Ramshackle.
"Fate has brought us here together."
You had been sipping tea together like you are now, talking about your future heists. And yet, you hadn't taken it seriously.
Does that mean your ending is already written?
"Thank you." You nod, realising you aren't going to get anything else from the man right now. Still, you have a lot to think about. Had you been fated to try and steal from the palace from the very beginning? What role do you play in this? Does Yensid know about the prophecy? Is Crowley protecting something? Who is the good guy here?
Crowley cleared your name by convincing the court you had no free will of your own to commit the crime. If it was your destiny... then maybe you really never did.
"This is a pawn. Ultimately, they have a slow, agonising journey across the board."
You feel even more trapped than you did when you woke up. You're burdened by knowledge yet feel none of the bliss your ignorance is supposed to bring.
"But of course." Crowley accepts your gratitude like he's unaware of your turmoil. "Now, shall we go find Grim and I can explain the mirror?"
"He's in my room."
"I'm not surprised." Crowley tells you, a small smile spreading across his lips. "He was very worried for you when you passed out.
Soon, you're all standing in the Mirror Chamber, ready for an explanation and your next assignment.
"The mirrors, as you know, are usually metallic in colour. However, the one to Wonderland is currently churning with an angry black ink." Crowley begins his explanation. "This substance is called blot."
***
Leona lies on his bed. The room is silent, and a steady breeze wafts in through the balcony doors. The conditions for a nap are perfect- and yet he isn't asleep.
As soon as the guards left his room he had inspected every place you had touched. You had disappeared before his eyes- not a part of you remains. How had you done it?
A knock interrupts the atmosphere's peace.
"Come in."
Ruggie and Jack enter. They appear nervous- but their eyes are filled with intrigue. No doubt they're hoping for answers regarding your sudden disappearance.
"She has magic."
Their eyes grow wide. Jack freezes. Ruggie's jaw drops.
"That's not possible." Ruggie shakes his head. "That's only stuff from fairy tales!"
Leona deadpans. "She vanished from physical form right in front of me. Do you think it was just a trick of the light?"
Ruggie's mouth moves to answer but no sound comes out.
"If Leona says she has magic..." Jack says slowly, "then I believe it. But it's hard to get my head around- she slept over last night, and there weren't any signs!"
"Really?" Leona looks at him, amused. "There was nothing? C'mon, Jack, you can't be that dense. Use your head."
Jack stares at the Prince a moment before his face goes slack. "Do
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