Doofazoid

❔FAQ ❔

• Can I use your fanart as a pfp?

-> Ofc! You can use any of my fanarts as a pfp or to decorate your profile! A credit is appreciated but not required!

• Can I use your fanart in an edit?

-> I'm totally ok with it as long as I am properly credited! I love seeing my art in edits!

• What do you use to draw?

-> I use an XP Pen Deco Pro tablet!

-> My programs are Clip Studio Paint, Procreate, and Magma.com!

• How can I support you?

-> I have a ➫Ko-Fi! Any bit helps!

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Things turned cloudy when Churchill turned 10. He gained the proper regalia and ceremoniously received his first unicorn blade. The transition from motherly care to princely duties slowly began but over the years Cornia grew increasingly paranoid over how the monarchy was developing. It was like she was the only one able to notice. The kingdom began to ignore the foundational values they swore to uphold, she thought. But she kept these thoughts to herself for the sake of her son and with hope he could help the kingdom prosper again. However, her behavior noticeably changed. She was jumpy, distracted, a bit more irritable with the other royals, and more protective of her son. Tensions were rising as it became more apparent Churchill was lacking ability in a few areas, namely magic.

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In Churchill's eyes, he felt his mother was slipping away, so he tried his best to stay by her side as much as he could.

Strangely, he eventually discovered that his mother had began making secret trips into the woods in the dead of night, to where and for what purpose he didn't know. Out of a fear of what might happen to her if this was exposed, Churchill kept this secret.

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After returning from one of these trips, she was found with a strange wound on her arm. No amount of remedies ever made it heal, and it would ooze this strange purple-ish substance. Since the incident her weird behavior worsened tenfold and people were starting to take notice. She’d talk to herself, say things that didn't make sense, and intermittently lose her graceful composure. The royals began to suspect her of heresy, that she was conspiring with an outside force in order to plan the downfall of the kingdom. But her behavior only continued to worsen. She was becoming someone so unlike her usual self.

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One night, Churchill awoke to a gentle shaking of his arm, and found his mother standing over his bed. She looked panicked, then urged him to follow her down the long, bitterly cold castle corridors. Churchill was flooding her with questions, but she never spoke a word, only clutching the sleeve of his nightgown as she pulled him along. Churchill never went against his mother's wishes, so he did not resist.

They exited through the back of the castle. The closer they trekked to the forest edge the more Churchill began to panic. He couldn't understand, and became terrified at any guess about what was going on.

They were deep through the trees when Cornia's foot caught on a twisted tree root and she fell. Churchill knelt in the snow to her to help her up, but this was his only chance to look her in the eye.

"Please, Mama. It's cold. Let's go back," he pleaded and pleaded. But his mother only responded with a blank, melancholic stare. He couldn't tell if she had heard him.

That was when a shadowed figure burst from behind the trees. The moment went by so quickly, it failed to register in Churchill's mind. The silhouette lunged at his mother with booming steps. In the next instance, Churchill felt a sudden warmness slap his face, then his mother fell hard to the ground. The shadow was no where to be seen. In confusion, Churchill pressed his hand to his face, and when he brought it back down, his fingertips were stained with dark blood.

It took an hour for the royal guards to find the young prince, bloody and shaking in the snow. The Queen's body sat in front of him, never to move again.

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This single event is the catalyst for the rest of the story. Churchill is frequently haunted by the absence of his mother and its what drives his strive for perfection, so he can do for the kingdom what he failed to do for her. He also gained a sense of unease in cold/windy environments, really anything that reminds him of that night.

To the royals, this looked really bad. The Queen and the Prince had attempted to run away? They had abandoned the kingdom entirely? It was unheard of, and sparked an outrage. It took a lot of damage control from those who believed Churchill to convince most that he had been taken against his will, even if that wasn't entirely true. From then on, Churchill's image was tainted with the idea that the Queen had been plotting him against the kingdom, that he was secretly planning to ruin the monarchy from the inside out. This only increased Churchill's paranoia by an alarming amount. He couldn't make a single misstep anymore. He had to maintain nothing less than perfection to constantly ease their doubts.

As for the King, this was a total disaster. He felt utterly betrayed by his wife and in his anger, guilt, and confusion, he couldn't help but believe in the rumors. She must have pretended the entire time, he thought. Pretended to love him, taking advantage of him for his power. He completely shut down emotionally, out of fear his vulnerability would be abused again. He became cold and distant with Churchill. After all, it was hard to not think about the Queen when looking at him.

From then on, Churchill was taken care of by servants and aunts occasionally. He would only make contact with his father through training and ceremonies. Queen Cornia was almost never mentioned again.

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