#yaatrickyassification

The celebration was in full swing, as the palace doors opened welcoming you in its otherworldly presence. Even though your goal was to kill, it isn’t too much of a distraction to the mission if you just stop for a minute and take in the fantastic structure of the palace, this wasn’t the first time you have come to the palace. But there was a difference between seeing it on the inside, of course, all you’ve ever done before coming to this party was survey the area and observe the rotation of palace guards that will take the watch at night.

As you make your way through the ballroom and to the buffet section, you watch with a stoic expression as nobles from all nations frolic around the ballroom, your [h/l] [h/c] perfectly masked the disgusted expression slowly overtaking your features. Everyone in this ballroom knows how Snezhnaya rules their land at the hand of its Empress and her 11 children.

They don’t rule with warmth and comfort like blankets made for enduring the winter night, they rule with iron fists and stormy blizzards. Taking up their nation by its neck and squeezing for all its worth, villages were left with no money and crops due to the long winter nights and the high taxes, and children and parents were left to starve. With every protest to the Tsaritsa to control the weather and bring the sunlight back again, the snow seems to worsen leaving all protesters to shut their mouths and stay all day long in their cabins.

You glance at the grandfather’s clock situated on the right side of the ballroom, it’s almost time for their arrival and it also means that you need to act fast with what you’re doing. The plan was simple, as the clock strikes midnight the Empress will raise a toast, a cup filled with red wine, and a small piece of bread. The poison was in the wine and the antidote was the bread, you have heard that the 6th Prince has refused to eat the bread every time the ceremony took place. Without the antidote, the prince will die. But if things go south, a push in the right direction will do the trick. You glance at the dagger that was skillfully hidden beneath your dress.

You might ask, why the 6th Prince? Not the crown prince Pierro who’s next in line for the throne? Well, it is said that the 6th Prince was a gift from the mighty ruler of Inazuma, and look how things are going inside the castle (thanks to your informant) the Tsaritsa has bestowed power unto the 6th Prince, the power that was normally gifted to the next heir on the throne. And together with the support from the nation of eternity and the newly bestowed power from the Empress, it was no-brainer that there is a possibility of the 6th Prince becoming the next emperor.

Unfortunately, rumors of the 6th Prince’s tyranny spread through the land, and it spurred the little terrified hearts of poor civilians. Willing the rebellion forces that have kept quiet for five years finally move and tonight will be the setting stone for a civil war that may last for years.

The trumpet made a sound and the doors to the palace opened, the Tsaritsa walked through the red carpet and lay straight on the floor. Your ears picked up sounds of shock gasps and breathy mumbles of gossip through every noble present in the room, of course, they couldn’t let their mouths stay shut when the 6th Prince Scaramouche was walking side-by-side with the Tsaritsa while the crown prince was left behind together with his siblings.

As the murmurs and whispers fade into the background your [e/c] orbs made contact with the 6th Prince’s and you let out a small whisper of amazement, the prince’s eyes were purple mixed with lighter shades of blue, and for a moment you can see a small strike of lightning in his mesmerizing eyes before it vanished as quickly it appeared.

11:55 PM

The Tsaritsa gathers everyone into a circle before raising her hand in the air, a golden cup filled with red blood wine and white bread in her other hand. You glance around before making contact with your other accomplice that was assigned in the kitchens, she gives a small nod signaling that the deed was done.

11:56 PM

You glance at the side of the Tsaritsa expecting to see the 6th Prince raising his cup, but the place beside the Empress was empty.

11:57 PM

You hurriedly look around everywhere as you scope the surroundings trying to find any man of short height, with purple hair, and striking mesmerizing eyes. In the corner of your eyes, you spotted a white coat making its way to the royal gardens. It has to be him.

You run with your heels making noise but the loudness of the cheers for the Tsaritsa drowns it out, you made your way to the gardens and came upon the man standing beneath the white moonlight basking in the light that the moon gives. As if sensing your presence, the man’s relaxed facial expression turned furrowed as his eyes opened revealing his intense stare that settles down deep into your bones.

11:58 PM

“Who are you?” His voice was cold and it battled the stormy blizzards that Snezhnaya has, you inhaled as you felt your muscles contract at his deathly stare. Your limbs froze due not to the cold but to his menacing aura that he is giving out in waves, you bite your tongue so hard that it drew blood as you crossed your legs and gave a shaky curtsy. “Your Highness, I apologize for intruding on your time, then I shall excuse myself.” You were no match for him, it was the bitter truth, you can’t take him down now when you’re not fully prepared.

You stop in your tracks as the wind behind you picks up, and you can feel small currents of electricity stinging your skin. You turned to face the prince with a shaky but polite smile on your face. “I said, who are you? If you turn your back to me once more, I will behead you.” This wasn’t going well.

“I am [Y/n] Sokolov, your highness.”

“I have never heard of any Sokolovs in the empire.” You smiled.

“That is because we have just moved to Snezhnaya, Your Royal Highness. You see my father is a merchant—”

“I didn’t ask for your pathetic background.” Wow, rude. You tried to stop the myriad of insults that will soon spew out of your mouth.

11:59 PM

“Who sent you? Is it from my mother that hails from the land of Inazuma? Or my siblings? Which one are you?” His eyes struck you down, his weapon Tulaytullah's Remembrance floats atop his right hand as he waits for your word. “Your Royal Highness, I assure you I have come with my own two feet, no one sent—” The prince then laughed and created a sword made of wind, if you keep your eyes a little more you can see lightning slashing through the ripples of wind.

He then steps forward, and forward, your legs betraying you in this very moment as you stay still on the ground. He looks you straight in the eyes, as the tip of the sword finally made contact with your neck. The sharp edge pricks the skin and a trail of blood flows from your neck down to your collarbones.

“Your Royal Highness, there seems to be a mistake—”

“I don’t see any problem here; you’ve come to take my head but you’re the one getting beheaded.” He scoffs as he pushes the blade more into your skin, you can almost feel it stabbing into your throat.

“Your Royal Highness, I have not one inch of the intention of trying to kill you!”

12:00 PM

“Is that so? Then explain why you were following me around.”

“I—”

“If you don’t give me an answer in three seconds, this blade will strike you with no mercy.”

“Your Highness—” You gasp out as you can feel the wind around you constrict, leaving no place to escape.

“3.” He counted.

“Wait! Please take a moment!” You cried out to the man before you to have a bit of mercy.

“2.”

“It’s because—!”

“1.”

“I love you!” You shout as you close your eyes, waiting for the blade to strike you and welcome you in its embrace. You waited and waited but felt no movement from the man before you. The blade that was tightly pressing onto your throat disappeared and you will yourself to take a peek, gently opening your eyes, you spot the prince staring at you with wide eyes, his mouth agape, aided with the moonlight, you spot a small blush creeping onto his cheeks.

He dispelled the sword and you watched in silent amazement as the sword melded with the wind, but the air around you that constricts was still there but its hold that was hostile before is now gentle like a breezing wind.

“Say that again.” He looks you straight in the eye, and for a second you thought you saw his eyes turn vulnerable before they disappeared as quickly as his irises steeled.

“I—I love you?” The prince nodded his head before tilting it to the side.

“What did you love about me?” He looks at you inquisitively and with every passing second the wind around you constricts to a tight hold. “I like your eyes, and your hair too. And your clothing style, your voice too.” At this point you were just spitting out everything your mind tells you too, every word that comes out of your mouth, Scaramouche turned even redder under the pale moonlight his eyes glistening with an emotion you can’t describe, a laugh left the prince’s lips as he holds your face close to his, “how interesting.”