A Fae’s Snowy Celebration (Part 3)

A Fae’s Snowy Celebration (Part 3)

●     Fandom: Twisted Wonderland

●     Characters: (Y/n) (gender neutral), Lilia, Malleus & miscellaneous characters

●     Pairing: Malleus x (Y/n) (gender neutral)

●     Word count: 4,151

●     Warnings: None

●     Author’s: HAPPY BELATED CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL! Fr though, I’m so sorry for not posting anything in ages. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this stupidly long story.

           “Excuse me, (Sir/Ma’am). Excuse me.” A faery maid knocks on the door to (Y/n)’s room. She was assigned to take care of them by Malleus’s order. Not wanting to invade the guest’s privacy, but also not wanting to have them miss their breakfast left them in quite the conundrum. Before knocking one more time, the door opened.

“Yes? How may I help you?”

“Good morning, Mr./Mrs. (L/n). Prince Malleus had assigned me to take care of you during your stay here at the castle” explained the faery maid.

“I see. I hope that we may get along with each other for however long I’ll be staying here” said (Y/n) with a smile before turning over to a sleeping Grim. “Hey Grim, wake up. It’s time to eat.”

Grim groaned in annoyance. “Five more minutes, henchman…”

“You’ll be missing out on some exquisite tuna if you continue to sleep” stated (Y/n) coyly.

“TUNA?! Why didn’t you say so” shouted Grim as he ran toward (Y/n). “By the way, you’re gonna give Lilia that list during breakfast?”

“Of course. I’ve narrowed it down to a few options, but I still cannot figure out the best one” sighed (Y/n).

“A list to Sir Vanrouge” asked the faery maid, now very confused.

“I’m compiling a list of potential gifts to give Malleus on the day, or rather night, of the Christmas celebration. While I may be a close friend of his, Lilia IS his caretaker, so he should know his tastes better than I ever could” explained (Y/n).

The faery maid smiled. “I see. How thoughtful of you. I’m sure the prince will be pleased by whatever gift you will bestow upon him.”

“Thank you. Anyways, gotta grab it now before I forget” said (Y/n) before retrieving a folded piece of paper from their desk as well as a red pen. “Let’s head out to the dining hall before Sebek hunts me down & yells my ears off.”

The faery maid became annoyed upon hearing his name. “Are you perhaps referring to that loud-mouthed boy? I swear, I’m shocked by how he has yet to lose his voice.”

“You & me both” replied (Y/n).

The Ramshackle duo quickly followed the faery maid to the dining hall where Lilia, Malleus & his grandmother, Queen Maleficia, were waiting for their breakfast to arrive. As expected, it was filled to the brim with various servants of the castle.

“(Y/n). I’m glad that you are here, my love” said Malleus, smiling while blushing. He tried so hard to not pout after hearing both his grandmother & Lilia from giggling.

           “Hi, Malleus. Sorry if I took too long. Anyways, what’s the plan for this month? I didn’t have any in mind given my previous situation back at school” asked (Y/n).

           “You see, the castle staff shall be busy preparing for the Christmas feast. I’m afraid I’ll be rather busy assisting my grandmother with her part. I hope you can understand” sighed Malleus.

           “Don’t worry about it! I understand that it’s part of your duty as the future king” replied (Y/n) cheerfully.

           “Thank you. Rest assured that I shall find the time to be with you during the event” said Malleus before discussing the matters of the Christmas party with his grandmother.

           While everyone was waiting for their food to arrive, (Y/n) tapped on Lilia’s shoulder. “Lilia. Last night, Grim & I made a list of potential gifts to give to Malleus & I need your input badly. I’ve got a limited budget & I promised Sucré some cookies.”

“Oh? Let’s see here…” Lilia had carefully analyzed the full list, including a few options that were crossed out. “No wonder you needed my assistance. This will not be an easy task as there are many fine options. However, I do believe that this is the perfect gift for him” said Lilia as he pointed to a specific bullet point. “By the way, do not worry about your finances as I will assist you in this endeavor.”

           “Thank you so much, Lilia. You’re a lifesaver” cheerfully replied (Y/n). They took out their red pen & circled the gift Lilia recommended they get for Malleus so they don’t forget.

Before long, everyone’s breakfast had arrived. The only people who continued to talk as they ate were the servants, so at least it wasn’t complete silence.

For once, Grim ate with some manners. Was it because of his humiliating encounter with the faery librarian? Regardless, he wasn’t causing (much) trouble for (Y/n) & that’s what’s important.

Once the Draconia family finished their meal, they departed to get started on their work for the day.

Lilia waited for (Y/n) & Grim to finish theirs. “(Y/n), Grim. I’ll be heading out to Holly Town in a bit. Would you two like to come with me?”

“Sure! Might as well get a taste on what this kingdom is like” replied (Y/n).

“Aww. Do I HAVE to go? I’d rather relax in our room” grumbled Grim.

“Don’t be like that, Grim. You’d be surprised by the kinds of foods my people can offer” chuckled Lilia.

The microsecond Grim heard the word “foods,” he looked at Lilia in surprise. “What?! Food!”

“Yes. Their world-renowned gingerbread castles, roasted duck & turkey, cranberry sauce & yule log are nothing to laugh at! People have to place orders weeks in advance & certain products such as the gingerbread castle will not be shipped internationally because the magic used to maintain their structural integrity could fade away over time. Even the castle staff members that are in charge of ordering the food for the feast sometimes encounter difficulties.”

“Are you serious?! We’d better get going pronto” panicked poor (Y/n).

At the entrance to Holly Town…

A cobblestone wall surrounds the city & an elegant cherry wood door with ornate carvings stands proudly. A group of soldiers can be seen inspecting visitors before permitting them to enter.

“Lilia. I know you said this place gets busy during the holidays, but this is utterly ridiculous” cried (Y/n).

Because of the sheer beauty & size of Holly Town, there were numerous people of various races (mostly fae) entering & exiting the place.

“There’s gonna be nothing left for us to buy when we get in” said Grim with exasperation. “We gotta find a way to sneak past them.”

“There’s no need for that. Allow me to speak to one of the guards” assured Lilia. He approaches one of the guards & greets them. “Greetings, sir.”

The moment the guard saw him, he saluted him. “Sir Vanrouge! It is an honor to see you! How may I be of service?”

“My friends & I wish to enter this beautiful town” stated Lilia before being granted access. He gestures (Y/n) & Grim to follow him. “Stay by my side, you two. I don’t want you two to get lost.”

Both (Y/n) & Grim nodded. Their nervousness turned to admiration after seeing the European-style homes & their elegant decorations.

(Y/n) noticed two things they all had in common: at least one type of decoration incorporated hollies & a large, elegant symbol was carved into the front doors which they surmised was the crest of the family that owned the house.

           Grim, now sitting on (Y/n)’s shoulder, saw the pretty light emanating from a nearby lamp post & jumped to get a closer look. To his surprise, he found himself in Lilia’s arms. “Agh! Don’t scare me like that!”

           “I can’t help it. You seemed to be a little too fascinated by the lights. Sure they’re beautiful, but as I’ve said earlier, I don’t want you two getting out of my sight. Cell phones have no signal in the Valley of Thorns & you two lack the means of communicating via magic.”

           “Lilia? Can we stop for a bit? I’d like to take some pictures with my cellphone” asked (Y/n). They started doing so after Lilia agreed to pause & enjoy the winter atmosphere. “I can’t wait to see the rest of the town.”

           “We should head over to the plaza then. There’s usually several groups of performers that arrive during this time of the year” stated Lilia.

At Holly Town center…

           As soon as the trio had arrived, (Y/n) began recording the performers at work. The story they chose was about three ghosts teaching a rich, old man about the consequences of being greedy.

           (Y/n) loved the story because it teaches how important it is to show compassion & generosity toward others, especially those less fortunate than others.

           Grim, on the other hand, didn’t get why one specific old man needed to be taught those lessons, but he did admire the special effects (a.k.a. magic) of the play.

           After some time had passed, the trio entered a nearby department store (that had an unknown language written at the front) to get everything for Sucré & Malleus’s gifts.

           To say the Ramshackle duo were blown away was an understatement. Seemingly endless rows of toys, sweets, Christmas decorations & much, much more were lining up the large, wooden shelves. However, the staff seem to have trouble keeping them full as many customers seem to be interested in just about everything in their inventory.

           “Wow. This place is jam packed too” muttered (Y/n). Turning to Lilia, they said “It’s no wonder you’re having to stand next to me the whole time. I would be scared of navigating the entire place by myself.”

           “Do not worry, Your Majesty, for I shall protect you with my life” Lilia joked.

           (Y/n) blushed. “Stop it, Lilia. You’re making me think of being married to Ma- Tsunotarou.” They were afraid of causing a mass panic among the masses by saying Malleus’s name out loud, so they resorted to referring to him strictly by his nickname. It does sound nice being able to spend the rest of my days with Malleus, though. To wake up every morning being kissed by him, working alongside him & more importantly… growing old with him. I’d do ANYTHING to get a happy ending like that.

           Unbeknownst to (Y/n), they were blushing. Grim & Lilia noticed & looked at each other before the latter chuckled.

           “Ok, Your Excellency. We better get moving.” The bat fae dragged (Y/n) to the area of the store where they could obtain the materials for Malleus’s gift. “Any idea what exactly you’ll be needing?”

           (Y/n) looked around in silence. They just couldn’t remove the image of being Malleus’s spouse out of their head. It got to the point where they started picking random items that even Grim wasn’t sure were necessary for the gift.

           Sighing happily, Lilia tapped (Y/n)’s shoulder. He helped them return the unneeded products back to their proper place. To think that Malleus would be in love & his feelings are reciprocated. At least he chose a kind-hearted person like (Y/n). If they do not get married soon, then Malleus may find himself feeling lonelier than ever. How can I prevent such a tragedy from occurring?… I got it! The castle library! Its fireplace is the perfect setting for a romantic confession!

“Great. First my henchman & now Lilia? It better not happen to me too” Grim mumbled.

“Lilia? Is something the matter” asked (Y/n).

           “Not at all. What else do you need” Lilia asked.

           (Y/n) listed a few items they needed, some of which were personal.

Lilia nodded & he helped (Y/n) finish up their shopping for the day.

Once all was said & done, the trio spent a little more time in Holly Town, admiring the decorations, taking a few pictures with the locals, etc. Of course, there were a couple of instances where Grim attempted to cause mischief by stealing some food, but Lilia’s lightning fast reflexes prevented him from doing so. Despite this, they had a wonderful time & before they knew it, it was well past dinnertime.

           Upon returning to the castle, (Y/n) was surprised to see everyone in a panic. “Ummm… Lilia? How long were we gone for?”

           That answer would soon be answered by Malleus as he rushed over to his friend & caretaker. “Lilia! (Y/n)! There you are!” He hugged them both tightly before glaring at them. "Where were you two?! The two of you were gone the entire day!"

Chuckling nervously, (Y/n) pulled out a box of muffins. "Care for some muffins, Malleus? We got them from a bakery in Holly Town."

"While I do appreciate any & all baked goods from that place, I can't deny that I feel upset not knowing where you two were. As punishment, you shall be spending the rest of the day as well as tomorrow under my supervision, (Y/n). Do you understand?"

Feeling embarrassed, (Y/n) replied "I understand, Tsunotarou. I just wanted to make sure I could get you something for Christmas this year. I'm not telling you what it is, of course."

"A present? For me? Well, I'll be looking forward to it."

On the day of the party…

(Y/n) observed the embellished dance hall with stars in their eyes. “Wow. This whole place looks absolutely gorgeous. The guests look about as fancy as I’d expect them to be.” They turn to look at the fae maid that took care of them this whole time. “I truly cannot thank you enough for making this outfit for me. I don’t know what I would’ve done had you not been there for me.”

The fae maid giggled. “Why thank you. I do enjoy sewing & when Lord Lilia had informed me of your situation, I just couldn’t resist making clothes for you. How many did I make for you again?”

“Enough to fill a closet… I haven’t even been here for a month, yet you managed to pull off such a daunting task. This makes me wonder what else you’re capable of that I don’t know” (Y/n) wondered aloud.

“Teehee. That’s a secret. What isn’t a secret is that the dance shall begin soon” replied the fae maid.

As if on cue, music filled the room & everyone except the Draconia family began to look for anyone to dance with.

Even if (Y/n) knew the basics of ballroom dancing, they didn’t want to make a fool of themselves by heading over to the dance floor.

“You can’t enjoy the festivities in the corner, you know” said Lilia after appearing out of nowhere.

Both (Y/n) & Grim shrieked from surprise while the fae maid simply rolled her eyes.

“Lilia! What’s it gonna take for you to not give us a heart attack” asked (Y/n) angrily. “You’re lucky I didn’t drop my present to Malleus. By the way, when can I give it to him? I don’t want to spend the entire party carrying it around.”

“I’ll take care of that for you” replied Lilia, taking the present before walking away.

(Y/n) really didn’t want to dance, but they had a feeling Lilia was going to offer himself as a dance partner & they had a bad feeling his dancing techniques were… interesting to say the least.

“Pardon me, (Y/n), but would you mind dancing with me? I have only arrived just now.”

(Y/n) turned around &, much to their astonishment, saw Sucré approaching them. He wore a stunning green suit that complimented his ghostly pale complexion & blond hair. His slicked back hair allowed anyone to get a better view of his amber-colored eyes.

“Sucré! Boy am I glad to see you. You look handsome, you know” said (Y/n). “And yes. I’d like to dance with you.”

“Likewise.” Sucré gently took (Y/n)’s hand while smiling. “Let us not waste any more time.” After the duo set foot on the dance floor, he wrapped one arm around their waist & held their hand with the other.

To (Y/n)’s luck, the first song the musicians played was a slow one. They feared the possibility of stepping on Sucré’s foot, so they felt at ease. “Sucré. I’ve noticed that quite a lot of people are staring at least one of us. Do I look that bizarre?”

“Not at all. They’re staring at me because I almost never leave the magical archives. I do not believe there’s anything wrong with that, though. After all, the existence of fae, merfolk, beastmen & humans fascinates me. I’d like to understand how each group came into existence & how each group manages to coexist despite their differences.”

“I understand you completely. As someone who lacks magic & comes from a magicless world, I’d like to know why some worlds have it while others don’t & why certain races are more magically inclined than others.”

“I’m glad someone understands my philosophy of life. It’s not often I meet others who wish to know more about the intricacies of their world. Most would make poor excuses for things they don’t understand instead of conducting thorough research. Life would be so much easier for them if they stopped gossiping for once.”

“While the pursuit of knowledge is an admirable goal, there’s likely certain things out there that are never meant to be understood by anyone other than those of divine status. After all, too much curiosity could lead someone to a rather dark path.”

Sucré, pursing his lips, expressed that he at least wished people wouldn’t be so judgemental about the educational background of others or how they chose to spend their time if it doesn’t harm anyone.

(Y/n) agreed wholeheartedly with him.

Meanwhile, both Malleus & Queen Maleficia couldn’t believe who they saw on the dance floor.

“My grandson. Is that by any chance Sucré?”

“That seems to be the case. What could have possibly caused him to be outside the magical archives? My dear (Y/n) truly is full of surprises.” Malleus couldn’t help but watch his beloved dance. If only their dance partner was him…

Queen Maleficia chuckled when she saw her grandson’s slight pout. “Oh my. How uncouth of you to express jealousy in public. Do something to wipe that expression off your face.”

“I shall in a few minutes, Grandmother.”

Once the song ended, both Sucré & (Y/n) were in the very center of the dance floor.

“Somehow, I never stepped on your foot once, although there must’ve been multiple close calls. I was nervous the whole time thinking I would ruin this moment for you by doing that” sighed Yuu with relief.

Letting go of (Y/n), Sucré smiled. “While you may have much to learn about dancing, it certainly wasn’t that bad. I’m more surprised that I managed to retain all the information I acquired from my dance lessons. I was quite young when I last had them.”

“Subconscious memory, I suppose.” (Y/n) began to see people in front of them moving to the side as Malleus began to walk toward them. He looked as handsome & regal as always with his suit & matching cape. “Tsunotarou?”

“Hmm? Is that how you address the prince? What a silly nickname” chuckled Sucré.

“It is a silly nickname that I shall wear with pride, Sucré” retorted Malleus as he now stood directly in front of the two. “May I ask why you decided to make a public appearance now? I fail to recall you as the type that enjoys public events.”

“I simply wished to thank your dear friend for the cookies they baked for me as well as  the time they’ve spent with me. Ever since that accidental encounter of ours, they have displayed quite an interest in my hobbies. I fail to see the issue here, Your Highness.”

“My issue here is that their first dance wasn’t with me.” Malleus wasn’t too pleased to be robbed of such a special occasion from (Y/n) & his expression made that very clear.

“Do I sense jealousy within you? You have a public image to maintain, you know” said Sucré, smirking.

“You should know how much (Y/n) means to me” retorted Malleus.

Not wanting the situation to get any worse, (Y/n) stood between both fae men while glaring at them. “Guys, that’s enough.” Looking at Malleus, their expression softened. “If you’d like, my next dance shall be with you. What do you say?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“To see the young prince in love is something I never imagined. I shall leave you two lovebirds ample space to dance freely.” Sucré walked to stand alongside the other guests, not caring how flustered (Y/n) became.

“What?! Get back here-”

“Do not worry about him, my love. As reclusive as he is, he still enjoys teasing others as does most of faekind.” Looking at the musicians, Malleus nodded so as to order them to play once again.

They all looked at each other & knew what song they had to play. Soon enough, the whole room was filled with a song so well known for encapsulating the love between two royals.

“This song. It’s-”

Malleus hummed to the music as he began taking his first steps with (Y/n).

(Y/n) tried their best to follow along, but had a little difficulty staying focused with how charming Malleus looked.

Sighing, Sucré casted a spell that would allow (Y/n) to dance more gracefully. He wasn’t going to permit his new friend from embarrassing themselves in front of everyone.

Once the musicians began to sing, Malleus’s smile grew wider.

For a moment in time, (Y/n) forgot that people were watching the two of them. They never could’ve imagined themselves falling in love with a prince, much less having the opportunity to form a relationship with said prince. It was hard for them to not giggle like a young child. After all, they were living in a literal fairytale. When the song had come to an end, (Y/n) thanked Malleus for the dance & that they would rest for a while.

Malleus decided that (Y/n) should stay by his side for the rest of the party. After his banter couldn’t risk anyone trying to seduce them. He offered them his arm & walked to where his grandmother stood.

“That was quite the wonderful performance from you two.” Queen Maleficia’s smile turned into a frown as she looked at Malleus. “I will have to scold you once this celebration is over, however.”

At the dining hall…

(Y/n) was simply astonished by the variety of food that was being served. Sure, there were several soups & stews, but there were several that they’ve never seen. They noticed Grim trying to scarf down his meal, but a stern warning was enough for him to eat properly.

“I take it that you find your meal delectable, correct” asked Malleus to (Y/n).

“Of course. I wish I could eat like this every day.”

Smiling, Malleus thought I would like for that as well.

At the castle library after the party…

While (Y/n) enjoyed the party, they were tired as hell. Despite this, Lilia instructed them to head over to the castle’s library. Why does he want me to be here? I just want to sleep. Their question was answered when they got to the fireplace where they saw Malleus sitting on the couch. “Tsunotarou! I’m really happy to see you.” Sitting down on the couch allowed them to notice their gift to him on his lap. “I hope you’ll like what I made for you.”

“I’m certain I will.” Carefully removing the wrapping paper, Malleus opened the box containing his gift. His eyes widened at the sight of it. “(Y/n).” Lifting it from the box, he was able to get a better look. “I’m truly speechless. What a wonderful gift you have given me. I will cherish it forever.”

“Aww. Thank you. Hmm? Why are you upset?”

“I was unable to provide you with a Christmas gift. I deeply apologize, my sweet (Y/n).”

“I thought inviting both Grim & I WAS the gift!”

“No. That was simply me not wanting you to suffer in that dilapidated dorm with no one but that feline & the ghosts. I am truly ashamed that I couldn’t have at least ordered one of my servants to procure a gift that would satisfy you.”

“Hmmm… How about a kiss? I mean, we do have our occasional romantic & even intimate moments, but I still cherish each of them as if it were my first.”

Smiling, Malleus replied “If that is what my love wants, then who am I to object?” After carefully setting his gift aside on a small table, he turns to face (Y/n) with an abnormally serious expression. “Please let me know when you wish for me to stop.” His expression softened a bit & he wrapped one arm around (Y/n)’s waist while placing a hand at the back of their head. He leans toward them, allowing their lips to come into contact.

Closing the doors to the library, Queen Maleficia & Lilia looked at each other.

“When do you suppose that the wedding shall occur, Sir Vanrouge?”

“I’d say after a few more years.”