a writing sample from one of my fics 💕
Pairing: (yandere childhood friend/prince x servant reader)
Synopsis: your once tranquil life takes a turn when you come face to face with the crown prince, your childhood friend once again. Unfortunately for you, he has not forgotten about you, the promises you've made, the secrets you've shared, and most importantly: the fact that you are still his beloved, prized possession.
“I don’t mind being a monster as long as I’m your monster.”
“Why are you so obsessed with me?”
He pauses at that. A moment goes by in silence.
"Obsessed?" Astraeus lets out a short, curt laugh, like it was so ridiculous that you'd even bring up such a thing. He slowly approaches you, his footsteps almost soundless across the wooden floors. He seemed to tower over you as he looks down on you with a cold gaze, a stark contrast to the tender smile he used to have.
"Obsession is a word far too gentle for what you are to me.”
FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF YOUR LIFE, the only world you knew was the one within the stone palace walls. You had never really minded it at first. It was spacious and beautiful, as one would expect from the imperial palace. However, after escapading into the same ten rooms the servants were allowed in for eight years, you had grown bored. Although your mother loved you dearly, she was always busy tending to the princess, a prettier, shinier child than you, because her job required to do so. The only time you saw your mother really, was at night, when she would tell you stories about dragons and princesses with what little energy she had left, before she would cuddle you to sleep.
You understood that your mother would give anything just to spend every waking moment with you, however, life just never gave you that option. And instead, she spent her youth and life doing back-breaking labor for people who haven’t seen a day of work in their lives.
Perhaps giving her flowers would cheer her up, you thought, a tiny smile appearing on your face as you wandered around the palace halls. The least you could do as her son was to make her smile. Your mother’s smile was the most beautiful thing to you.
And where else would you search for flowers, if not the imperial gardens?
Although older palace staff, like Head Chef Grace Wang (or Auntie Grace as you nicknamed her) and Butler Benjamin (Uncle Benji, also a nickname you say with affection) would often warn you about the monster who dwelled there, you would always scoff in response, puffing your chest up in pride.
You knew something the adults didn't.
It amused you to see the adults being so silly. Auntie Grace knew fifteen ways to cook a yummy egg, while you could hardly cook one without burning the entire palace kitchen to a burnt crisp. While Uncle Benji knew how to make wooden contraptions and tools. He even made you a toy horse for your sixth birthday! Yet those two very capable and wise adults still believed in monsters? You could hardly believe it.
You chuckled slightly as you thought about it.
Adults talk such nonsense.
"YOU ARE A BLESSING, MY CHILD.", at least that's what Astraeus' mother had always told him. However, he knew they were nothing more than sweet lies. I mean, how could his mother possibly consider him to be a blessing? When he was the only link between her and his abusive father, who had always resorted to fists in order to get his way? But nevertheless, his mother loved him, against all odds.
If only I were crushed, then the link between them would disappear, and they would forever be separate entities. Astraeus mused to himself.
But then again, there was no need for that, his mother had died three years back, and now nobody loved him. His servants and maids barely bothered to serve him meals or even check up on whether he was alive.
Well it didn't matter, it's not like he was even the crown prince. He was just some bastard son who happened to inherit the imperial mana instead of the actual crown prince.
For a seven-year-old, he had quite dark thoughts, even though he himself was quite aware of that. But there wasn't necessarily anything to have "light thoughts" about. He was a bit of a nihilist as the encyclopedia in the royal library would call it, a person who believed life was meaningless.
Astraeus smiled, albeit he wasn’t necessarily happy, he enjoyed using big words, only powerful people, like his father, used big words. Using big words, felt like in a way he was powerful too.
When really, he was just another one of the emperor's illegitimate children. And from the way the maids treated him, you'd think he was nothing but scum.
If only mom didn't have me, then she would've been free. Alive, even. he thought, as he skipped along the overgrown trees of the imperial garden, well really his garden, as nobody dared to enter the garden, not even the landscaper his father had hired. Which resulted the garden into become so overgrown in the first place.
It was said that a vicious, bloodthirsty monster roamed there.
At first, his father would replace the servants every so often, with new, naive, unwitting staff who haven't heard the rumors yet. But later on, even he gave up on hiding the castle's open secret.
Astraeus often found himself peering through his iron-bar-covered window, watching as the children of fellow servants gathered in front of the wrought iron gate, casting wary glances toward the castle, and especially the overgrown gardens.
They were eager to see the devil that resided there. The monster that the adults that had whispered about oh so often. The monster that was rumored to have devoured the hearts of unsuspecting maids. The monster that was said to be the devil.
They were eager to see Astraeus.
The garden was a tangled mess of memories and neglect, a stark contrast to the meticulously maintained lawns and neatly trimmed hedges in front of the palace. As you struggled through the thorny weeds and seemingly never-ending vines, you finally approached a tiny opening next to a small koi pond. You grinned at the sight of the crocuses blooming, a vibrant array of purples and yellows, peeking through a carpet of green moss, their delicate stems swaying in the breeze.
"Oh look! It's mama's favorite!"
You took a deep breath in, filling your lungs with the scent of damp earth and the faint sweetness of the crocuses.
You had always wondered why your mother preferred the simple purple flowers over flamboyant and colorful roses or peonies; like all the other ladies in the palace. And to that your mother always said that crocuses was a sign of hope to her. "They're the first signs of spring", she'd say fondly as she looked into your eyes lovingly, caressing your cheek.
You reached over, picking a flower at random. You slightly sulked as you realized that the crocus you had picked was already withering a bit. Your mother deserved far more than a wilting flower. She deserved a bouquet of the prettiest flowers the imperial gardens had to offer.
As you reached over to pick yet another flower with your tiny hands, you felt an equally tiny if not tinier hand slap you away.
"Ow!" you yelped as you fell over. You gently blew on your hand in a pathetic attempt to ease the pain.
"Don’t touch," the boy frowned, his voice soft yet steadfast. He was much shorter than you, maybe half a head? He looked slightly younger than you, but he had all his baby teeth intact, which you wouldn’t have mentioned if it weren’t for the fact that you were both around eight. You lost your first tooth when you were five…
But anyway! Now was not the time to ponder on teeth.
Was he another one of the staff's children, just like you?
You looked down at his clothes, they were made of fine silk, similar to the ones you see the princess and crown prince wear. But they looked worn and dirty, tattered even. It seemed like he had outgrown them a while ago. The palace had been hiring fallen nobles and treat their service as their way to repay the country for their debt. Was the boy in front of you perhaps another one of the unfortunate children whose parents had landed them in great sum of debt?
he was the devil the adults had warned you about?
The devil, what was he called?
"Astraeus Kurose..." you mumbled.
"So you know my name." the boy scoffed, well the devil— I mean, Astraeus. "Then you must know what people say about me, yet you still dare to pick my flowers..." He continued, pointing at the withered crocus in your hand.
He looked much different than the rumors suggested, he was said to take on the form of Lucifer himself. But looking at him, you realized none of it was true. He was undeniably beautiful, with innocent doe eyes and platinum blond hair. Though you had to admit, he did look a bit frail. You could hardly believe he was your assailant. You slightly gasped, mesmerized by his beauty. He looked reminiscent of the pretty nymphs you saw in the storybooks you were never able to read.
"I didn't know they belonged to anyone, I'm sorry." you apologized, holding eye contact with Astraeus. "I was picking these for my mama, she loves them."
"Your mama?" Astraeus looked a bit astonished, a little intrigued almost.
"Yes, she loves crocuses..." you said, holding up the withered flower in your hand.
"So that's what they're called..." Astraeus mumbled, looking away from you before turning back. "Well, you now owe me something, in exchange for these... crocuses. What you just did was theft of royal property, it’s be such a shame that if I told him…" the boy continued.
You panicked. He was right. Even though nobody cared for the gardens, they were still technically owned by his Majesty, regardless of whether he cared for his own gardens or not, and you could, therefore, be promptly executed the moment somebody finds out. Not to mention, his Majesty executed families at a time.
You suddenly remembered. Your mama! What would happen to your mama if you were to be caught stealing the flowers?
"Please don't! I have already caused my mama so much pain... I can't get her into trouble now!" you cried, kneeling before Astraeus. "I'll do anything... please just..."
Astraeus' eyes widened by a fraction, his cold expression faltering for a second.
"What's your name? You know my name, it's only fair if I know yours." Astraeus asked, you were taken a bit aback to see him ask such a random question when he was literally threatening to have your family executed by the emperor.
"Y/n.... y/n..." he mumbled as though he were testing out how your name felt on his lips. He seem pleased as he said it, almost satisfied with himself. “You're mine now, Y/n.”
Your eyebrows twisted in confusion, that wasn’t really possible was it? Toy horses could be owned, horse ranches could be owned, peanut butter cookies from the pantry could be owned, but people? No, they couldn't be owned. A person's laughter, smiles, tears, and joy was owned by themselves.
But still, you wanted to play along with Astraeus' strange desire. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't know, that way your secret could be kept and you wouldn't forever be in debt to a stranger as strange as he was.
Perhaps this was even the beginning to a friendship, your first one, and perhaps Astraeus' too. And if you were lucky enough, it could be a lifelong one.
"Okay! Guess I'm yours, Astri!" you grin, leaning in towards Astraeus and hugging him tightly and not letting go. Astraeus lets out a small sigh as his fingers press into your body. The way you clung to him, almost as if you were reluctant to let go, was intoxicating.
So this is what the encyclopedia meant by "affection"...
He never necessarily liked human touch from others, but he'll tolerate yours for now.
After all, you were going to be his prized possession from now on.
to read the full fic, here is the link :)
https://www.quotev.com/story/16953853/PRIZED-POSSESSION
stay safe <3
