Fantasy 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘥𝘦 ! [𝘪𝘤]

[neon reverie]

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the woods

just a dress

a beast c':

Uxie

As the crescent night paints the land blue and silver, the palace of dianthus is invited to slumber, its inhabitants slowly retreating to their rooms. It is when the quiet air and loud thoughts collide and the stars whisper; the echoes of footsteps against the tiled floors dying before they reach the ears of those asleep.

Empty is the bedroom grand and opulent. Gone are few of the jewels in the white vanity. Burned are the letters holding words written but untouched. All that remains in this dark, empty room are the anchored memories of a love cruel and conditional, and the ghost of a princess who existed but wanted to live.

The wind chimes, carrying stories of the land and sky. And it is the sky, alongside the moon and stars, who watch the runaway princess disappear within the trees, the forest swallowing her figure.

"Aisshh"

a heavy-breathed exclamation leaves the cloaked figure as she rests with her palm against a sturdy tree. Blonde locks spill down when she cranes her neck to face the dark heavens, her chest heaving up and down with a heart beating fast and wild. Face contorted into stamina deprived pain, another mutter slips into the night air.

"I did not think this through. "

It is the understatement of the century. Although, in Xiuying’s defense, they made running away seem so much easier in novels; just grab some jewels, move to the country side where no one recognizes your face, sell the jewels for nice coin, and ta-da, you have a nice, peaceful peasant life. Turns out, there is more running in running away that you might think. Or, at least, what Xiuying thought.

To be honest, this whole situation still feels like a fever dream, the transportation of a soul into a novel’s character being something she deemed impossible like everyone else. The memories of before are vague and blurry; there is the flash of an empty wine bottle, the lingering taste of tear's salt, the faint rattling of sleeping pills -- is she still alive? Xiuying does not know. Awakening in a world strange yet familiar is what occupies the mind now. That, and the passages written in paper but not stone. Or so, she hopes.

Survival.

It sounds so primal, so heavy, that Xiuying has trouble grasping that this is what she’s doing. You might wonder, how a princess comes to have this mindset, living in wealth and splendor. Longevity is not something a royal should worry about, and yet, it is. Why? Because of fate. Because this novel only tells one happy ending, one that is not hers to have.

Each story has their protagonist, their heroes shining with virtues, ready to defeat the villains wicked and saturnine. Readers smile and dance on those graves, happy the good has won, and Xiuying can’t blame them. But she also wants to live. Live as Alesta, a Villainess who does not die by the hands of her own husband, hated by everyone including her parents. Live to return to a world bleeding endings fated but not final.

A trodden heart loving in shades of wrong might have weaved Alesta's demise before, but a thousands suns burn currently in Xiuying's, determined to wreathe a life iridescent.

"Let's go "

She pushes herself, knowing that with dawn, her absence would be discovered. Her hands clutches the skirt of her dress, lifting it up again to make moving easier, and Alesta takes a step forward, all while absent-mindedly noting the dark shadow in the corner of her eye. wait.... a pauze, her body freezing as the observation seeps back into the mind.

The heartbeat spikes again, though this time not due a lack of oxygen in the lungs. Her head slowly turns, may it be out of morbid curiosity or false hope for an imagination, and the dark shadow slowly takes a shape awfully resemblant of a beast. A beast you'd read about in the novels, bone crushing claws and flesh-tearing teeth and all.

Another pauze.

Another heartbeat.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH-"

the high-pitched scream thunders through the forest, disturbing the rest of birds in the trees. A flock of wings rustles the branches and the ground trembles a little. It is the moonlight streaks that colors the bolting figure of a princess.

The stars and moon watch; the beginning of a chase, and the possible ending of a life.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the woods

alesta

A full moon shines, casting a gentle glow onto the verdant forest floor. The woods are known to be dangerous, but it does not appear to be, especially when beheld so lovingly by the moonlight.

Clad in a dark cloak that camouflages them against the nighttime scenery, a lone figure stalks through the forest, their light footsteps drowned out by the ambience of woodland creatures big and small. They weave their way through the thicket cautiously, yet with an experienced step; as if they've walked this path many times.

The quiet patters against the soft grass falter, and the figure pauses— observing, listening...

And then the steps resume, just briefly. A glint of silver shines for a breath, and then the footsteps disappear altogether, as does the figure.

Aisha seems to melt in from nothingness, woven into being from slivers of moonlight, studying the horned Cerox with interest and mild distaste. It is a horrifying creature no matter how you see it, though she is interested only in the stake that rests upon its forehead. Its attention is elsewhere, though that isn't a particularly important point to the witch, who begins to wave her hand in a fluid, practiced manoeuvre.

A flash of black and white, intertwined in a beautiful mirage, engulfs the beast in a matter of seconds. The Cerox howls, the sound rumbling through the forest and causing Aisha to wince, but her stance does not falter. A clench of her fist, and she feels its heart crushed between the threads of her magic. The beast falls to the ground with a resonating 'thump', unmoving, and Aisha approaches cautiously, giving its side a gentle kick just to make sure. When the Cerox gives no response, she steps back, observing her work with satisfaction.

How good of her to come up with such a technique for killing monsters. So mess-free, and with an intact body to honour the goddess! Really, how impressive.

Murmuring a silent prayer to her lunar deity, she unsheathes her dagger and removes the horn cleanly. Held up to the moonlight, the horn almost sparkles and she pats the fallen beast, a content smile slipping onto her lips.

"Your contribution was most helpful, dear Cerox."

This one's fur is soft, perhaps a nice coat—

A whimper.

An animal? It couldn't be a beast, not so close to a monster carcass. Aisha raises an eyebrow, eyes searching her surroundings for the source of the sound as she treads forward carefully, though the result is completely out of her imagination; The curled-up form of what looked to be a noble girl, golden hair dishevelled and clutching her skirts for dear life. The puzzle assembles itself, from the sheer terror still visible within her eyes to her precarious position just inches from the jaws of the beast.

A fool, she thinks distastefully, Probably some silly noble who's fancied herself an adventurer and decided they could hold their own in the dark forest. And yet, as Aisha regarded the girl, she couldn't help but find her pitiful. There was something about her that felt familiar, a faint thread just out of reach in her mind yet accompanied by the mirage of a face so dear to her. She dismisses the sentiment without much consideration, but her mind is made up regardless.

What could she even say to her, though? The girl was still frightened out of her mind, clearly. Would she be scared of her too, since she'd already seen her use her magic? The thought was aggravating, but far too plausible.

And so, Aisha forced a half-smile in what she hoped looked non-threatening,

"Are you lost, or something? I can send you back to the nearest town."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the woods

just a dress

my savior uwu

Uxie

The heaven of stars twinkle brightly like cosmic spectators do, and the trees rustle their branches like nature's drum of doom. The wind sings a siren song heard deep in the soul, its sonic waves stinging with a night's cold.

In this pocket of the forest, time seeps away quicker, following a silver string of fate.

One that ends.

Alesta sprints through the woods, the sound of heavy thuds ringing through her ears. Her heart beats with adrenaline as its erratic pulse shares dreads unspoken; it is true that fear truly comes alive when at the edge of existence. It is in these time-warping moments, when Alesta becomes acutely aware of how much she does not want to die. Isn't this too unfair, she thinks as exhaustion starts to weigh heavy on the back and her feet become more and more chained to earth's ground, to be transported into a novel, solely to fall to a beast...

Fog enters her sight, blurring the details of wood and soil into a haze of umber. And yet, she sees it all. Crystal clear, they unfold; the prismatic memories of life. The nagging of parents now echo like love poems, the shouting of fans boom euphoria, and the laughter with co-stars glitter like gold. Time, something Xiuying thought to have enough of, now slips through the fingers like ash.

Just like that, regrets burn and hope falls, quietly in the night.

Guess some of us die this way.

Hands dig in the soil as the legs give in, the body surrendering to its fatigue. Involuntary tears sting the eyes squinted close while the discordant heart continues to whisper futile words. Live, it pushes, run and live. Oh how it beats so erratically, so alive.

Alesta takes one last shaky breathe, frame crumpling, and embraces for her death under this moonflower sky.

A howl pierces through the air, but the pain never comes.

One second passes, another one follows, and another one, and another one ―

Thump. Thump.

The sound of her beating heart makes Alesta open her eyes again, confusion coursing through the mind because... how was she still alive?

A voice flows from behind, causing her to turn her head, gaze falling upon the woman dressed in moonlight. Silver hair and Sapphire eyes; the features strike her not only because of their beauty. A gasp escapes her lips and her eyes widen in recognizance. Anastasia. It is easy to recognize the visuals of the protagonist's friend, the novel describing those lunar looks well. Silver hair as if woven from moonlight remnants, deep sapphire hues comparable to midnight heavens ― they were not exaggerating.

So pretty, Alesta thinks while gazing at the woman, mouth lightly agape.

"You... saved me... "

her tone is not without shock, if not almost disbelief. Because as pretty as the woman is, the relationship between the Villainess and the Witch was anything but amicable. Anastasia, or Aisha, hated Alesta for her wicked whims, and Alesta found the witch an infuriating nuisance. Part of Xiuying wishes to fangirl, having loved Aisha's character more than the protagonist when reading the novel, but part of her is apprehensive, knowing the Witch played a part in Alesta's ending.

Nevertheless, they aren't supposed to meet like this; in a forest under the nightsky. As Xiuying can recall, the first meeting is when Juliana enters the palace, which happens when Alesta and Cedric are already married. Neither of that has happened yet, which means no bad blood has stained the relationship yet. Xiuying quietly reminds herself, pushing her fears aside, that this can be a different realm of reality. Her future remains unwritten, the threads of fate untethered.

So, she can rely a bit on the witch, right?

A bright smile appears on Alesta's face at the thought.

"Thank you so much! I can't believe I was saved so closely to becoming a meal."

Her figure scrambles back to her feet, hands wiping the skirt, although the brown stains remain very much visible. Her gaze briefly travels to the dead beast, face grimacing at the sight. A shiver runs down her spine, vestiges of fear still lingering.

That was too close.

Her eyes quickly return to her savior and she clasps her hands, cheerful expression on her face.

"Ah, you can teleport right? What is the furthest away from here you can teleport me? An other kingdom is probably too far right?"

Staying in Dianthus is bad, but she can't be picky right now.

"The furthest away town will do. And, I can pay you !"

Her hand dives into the neckline of her dress, before pulling out a gold necklace with an emerald gem in it.

"I also have one with a sapphire, if you want one that matches your eyes."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the woods

alesta

A smile spreads across the girl's face as she gets to her feet, wiping futilely at her stained fabrics. Aisha accepts her thank-you by marginally widening her smile just long enough for the blonde to catch it, or so she thought sufficient. It's hard not to notice the fear that still lingers in the poor girl's eyes, as with the brief look she casts onto the fallen beast. The witch is not usually this kind, but her generosity seems to know no bounds tonight. She isn't quite so fond of fur coats, anyways; Palm outstretched with the inaudible whisper of a wish disguised as a prayer, and the beast melts into moonlight, the only evidence of its presence where its carcass had formerly lay.

"Ah, you can teleport right?" Her gaze returns to the girl, eyes narrowed in suspicion at her words. How did she know...? Her cheerful expression betrays no sort of visible malice, though Aisha wouldn't put it past those slimy crooks to use such an innocent-looking girl. "What is the furthest away from here you can teleport me? Another kingdom is probably too far right? The furthest away town will do. And, I can pay you!"

In any situation, Aisha might protest for her magical prowess, but if her suspicions are correct— there is no need to respond to such a feint.

The girl reaches into her dress and Aisha discreetly braces herself, fully expecting her to reveal a weapon of some sort. The surprise that flits across her features when it is a necklace she retrieves is subtle and quickly masked with a half-smile. Pure gold, from the looks of it, embedded with a brilliant green emerald. "I also have one with a sapphire, if you want one that matches your eyes." All in that dress of hers? Aisha relaxes, just slightly, as she studies the girl once more, her face still wearing with that delighted, earnest expression.

Was she wrong?

Maybe so. Perhaps she was too hasty in judgment, and in her infinite grace, she'll even overlook the disrespect in offering payment as if she were some mercenary.

Her hand reaches out to reject the necklace,

"I don't need—"

She pauses, her fingers flexing once, twice, to confirm. Of course. The hand retracts, falling into a graceful motion that commands the imperceptible threads of her magic, surging towards the girl and wrapping around her neck. The girl stumbles back, mouth dropping open as Aisha fixes her with a frosty glare.

"Dianthus must take me for a fool. The sloppiest assassination attempt, by far,"

she smiles to herself, a menacing mien far darker than her frown,

"though I suppose the Cerox was a nice touch. It was a good act, so I'll allow you your last words."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the woods

just a dress

pls pls pls-

Uxie

This meeting, under midnight skies and stardust beams, sings an euphony reminiscent of those writings romantic and charming. If there was a mind tuned to writing tales from fantasies, wouldn't they envision such a crossing of paths? A rescue from death by a moonlight maiden; the inner novel lover in the princess can only squeal at the monumental meaning behind it.

If she wasn't the villainess, this could've been the beginning of something enchanting. It could've been a rendezvous lasting longer than this twilight would stretch across the heavens. Maybe they could've held onto this thread of happenstance, weave a tapestry from fabrics truthful and telling. Xiuying is curious, always has been, what kind of prisms these characters hold in their soul ― which gems she could not come to see because the writing could only encompass so much. What kind of shards, shades and sides does Anastasia have, she wants to know.

Alas, Alesta has places to be, marriages to run from. Maybe in an other time. Maybe when fate brings her back and Aisha doesn't stand so close to her original ending. But for now, the princess relishes in having the witch on her side.

Even if it's just for one moment-

The shift is palpable, but alesta barely has the time to register the cold seeping into that gaze before she feels an unspoken force tighten her airways. Stumbling back, her hands reaches for her throat, a gasping sound escaping the lips. The pressure continues, choking her out as air leaves the lungs but doesn't come back. The words of her rescuer turned attacker are sharp but confusing.

"Dianthus must take me for a fool. The sloppiest assassination attempt, by far,"

What was she talking about?

"Though I suppose the Cerox was a nice touch. It was a good act, so I'll allow you your last words."
Did Aisha really think she was here to kill her?? It can't be ― the story still had to happen; Alesta hadn't tried to harm her or Juliana yet. Nothing was supposed to be set in stone -- not her ending or this antagonistic relationship -- so why did Anastasia's perception change so quickly??

Panic floods the figure as it falls to the ground, mouth still open and gasping for breaths that weren't there. Her mind fumbles around to find phrases, any words that could save her life here, but everything is too convoluted, too unreasonable; statements about the character would only increase suspicion, if not the motivation to silence a mouth before it could run. any words about the original story Aisha might not believe her.

So many mazes to jump through, so little time-

Ugh,, why did she have to be the villainess?!

"Why can't I be a witch?!"

the frustration releases itself in a restrained spouting, tears prickling in the eyes. A silence follows, heavy and pressing. What a waste of a final moment, Alesta thinks ruefully. Lamest last words. But then again, maybe Alesta's fate is meant to be like this; wretched and cruel.

An ending of a Villainess, as it should be.

She breathes, wait-

breathes?

Alesta's eyes widen as a draw of air flows through the body. Her gaze shoots up to Aisha, who looks taken off guard but not particularly merciful. Hope expands nonetheless, followed by determination. Time. She has gained time. Enough so to attempt dissuading her attacker one more time.

Now, Xiuying might not be one to beg, but Alesta definitely is.

And dramatically so.

"Please don't kill me!"

she bows deeply, face nearly touching the ground.

"I just want to escape from here; from my family, from my marriage, from Dianthus- I hate it. I hate my life. I hate it here!!"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the woods

alesta

The girl gasps within the grasp of her magic, her hand reaching up to grab futilely at her throat, as if it might release any of the unseeable tendrils that remain firmly wrapped around it. And unwittingly, Aisha feels her heart waver. Dianthus had never sent a girl, much less such a young, noble one at that— her manicured nails juxtaposed against the roughed-up state of her dress. Was she making an error?

"Why can't I be a witch?!" The exclamation is the last thing she might have expected and the last straw to her shaking concentration. The magic releases alongside her hand, and Aisha watches with frustrated caution as the blonde collapses, her chest heaving as her lungs finally reunite with the night air.

The witch, admittedly, is stunned. Even more so when the girl's gaze lifts to meet hers and her features reflect an impression not of fear or desperation, but resolve. She cannot detect malice in her expression, but her hand lifts to brace herself for an attack regardless—

The girl's head plunges to the ground, and once more, Aisha is left at a loss for words.

"Please don't kill me! I just want to escape from here; from my family, from my marriage, from Dianthus- I hate it. I hate my life. I hate it here!!"

Silence reigns, just briefly, as Aisha sifts through her words, stringing together the list of grievances she had rattled off that didn't seem to indicate any particular conclusion either. But as the sound of the distant birds fade in and the silvery moonlight washes over her golden hair, Aisha thinks that if she cannot manage mercy, she might at least give patience.

With the toe of her shoe, she kicks the wicked emerald necklace aside then sits herself atop a chair weaved from moonlight, legs folding as she fixes her steely glare on the girl beneath.

"Go on,"

The girl looks up, and she leans forward to close the distance between their faces. A hand props up her chin as she continues,

"But the truth, and only the truth."

The last of her sentence is unsaid, but hangs in the air regardless. Or else.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the woods

just a dress

pls pls pls x2

Uxie

As the pleading words fade into the night air and silence fills the space in between, the actress inside critically evaluates her performance. Was it too much theatrics? Not enough? There were still some tears left in their ducts from the absolute fright; perhaps she could squeeze the remainders out to drive home the image of an innocent, albeit foolish, noble.

Xiuying doesn't need Aisha to trust Alesta, just have her regard the princess as someone too pathetic to be worth the interest or the ire. That shouldn't be too difficult, right? Here she was already, bowing and spewing pathetic words. As a novel enthusiast, she could only inwardly cringe, knowing very well the second-hand embarrassment a reader would have upon envisioning such a pitiful act. Ah, the betrayal of foregoing one's own values; her performance might be an actress' win, but it was a novel connoisseur's loss. Villainess or not, this was not a good PR for female characters.

At least her eyes could witness something as pretty as Aisha.

She watches, half-mesmerized, how the witch weaves a lunar throne, its silver wisps surrounding her form and embellishing it in further moonlight. Her heart skips a beat when those selenic features edge closer, cheeks heating up at the proximate sight of eyes sapphire and striking. Alesta doesn't dare to move, doesn't dare to blink, but her inner stan goes a little crazy in the mind. Gaze twinkling, she silently commends the author; they truly knew the importance of stunning visuals.

Her captivated daze is only broken by words giving but portending.

"But the truth, and only the truth."

"T-the truth...?"

her eyes avert. Right. The truth. Aisha, although waning in aggression, looks still suspicious of her. Enough so that Alesta feels nervous and hesitant to reveal more information about herself. Would it help her case to mention who she is? It could give the witch even more of a motive to strike against her, the role of villainess clinging to her regardless of how much she tries not to be. Perhaps the mere existence of Alesta is fated to be met with disdain rather than love, but the princess can't help but wonder, hope, things can be different. All she wants is to live.

All she needs is to borrow a little more time.

Alesta lets out a breathe, one less unstable but still a bit shaky, before nodding, gaze returning.

"You probably already know I'm not a commoner but let me introduce myself properly,"

she slowly rises to her feet, hand clutching the fabric of her upper bodice.

"I am Alesta Delphinus, princess of Dianthus. And I've come here because... well...."

she taps with her finger against her cheek.

"How do I explain this....Say, do you believe in prophetic visions? Because I think I got one -- one where I die by the hands of my future husband."

A shiver runs down her spine upon recalling the details of Alesta's death; sharp steel against her neck, shadows dancing around with sneers or smirks, the utterly heartless gaze of the one holding her heart.

Fear flickers in her eyes.

" I thought it was a scary dream at first, but it felt so real... Like a literal glimpse into the future. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the truth, I swear. So, please..."

her hands clasp together as she begs, once again;

" I just want to get away from here. I just want to live."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the woods

alesta

The girl fumbles to her feet, and despite the shakiness Aisha can't help but feel impressed at her change in composure. To still pay such attention to manners, even when her life was on the line. How very aristocratic, so much so that it reminded her of...

"Alesta Delphinus, princess of Dianthus." Surprise flashes across her face, quickly corrected into her earlier stern gaze. It had caught her off-guard— How could she have possibly expected to hear those words uttered again? The memories of her beloved princess surface unwillingly, and even as the witch forces them back down, her heart grows warm. Ever so slightly.

"How do I explain this....Say, do you believe in prophetic visions?" Aisha raises a brow in response, but says nothing as the girl— Alesta— continues, "Because I think I got one -- one where I die by the hands of my future husband."

And once more, she is stunned, though her features are kept in check this time. It's almost too coincidental, but as she narrows her gaze at the frail blonde princess before her, the terror reflected within her eyes makes Aisha reconsider. "I thought it was a scary dream at first, but it felt so real... Like a literal glimpse into the future. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the truth, I swear. So, please..."

"I just want to get away from here." She purses her lips as Alesta lowers herself, and her hands intertwine to aid her plea. "I just want to live."

Had Issie begged like this before her death too? She's seeing another face as she stares at Alesta, features twisted into a grimace before she looks away, pained. No, she would've never begged, but maybe she'd have lived if she had. Her eyes flutter shut and she exhales, going through her practised motions from when she had been most stricken with her grief.

She didn't expect to still be this bothered by something that happened a century ago, but she supposes the cracks would never fill completely.

And, she concedes, who would've ever anticipated such an encounter?

"Well, I have decided in my infinite mercy to spare you tonight, so you may stop grovelling. But,"

She hesitates, eyebrows furrowing. Is there a need to ask? She was not her Alesta, so she holds no duty to help her nor any desire to, but the questions flood her mind anyways.

Curiosity, she decides to call it, as she continues,

"What exactly is your... plan after running away? Sell cursed necklaces for a living?"

Her eyes flick to the abandoned piece of jewellery in a corner, still looking positively despicable amidst the blades of soft grass.

"That is cursed, by the way, in case you hadn't realised. You must have an enemy— That husband of yours?"

she pauses, then adds,

"And leave it here when you go. I'll take care of it."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

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alesta

the woods

just a dress

Uxie

Could it be that time runs slower when nearing the possible end of a life? It surely feels that way, as Alesta counts the seconds of silence, heart beating faster than time. In these moments, the shadows of the trees seem to creep closer and closer, their ebony branches reaching like hands ready to drag her right underground. Just as if they know who she is.

[ And what kind of ending she deserves]

Half truths lay in the air, but who knows how the winds will spin these words; nature, tonight, certainly doesn't seem to be on her side. She wonders, fears, what Anastasia might make of it. Would she hear the pitch of a princess innocent and honest, or let the original story weave tunes dark and deceptive behind her plea? Time trickles on, but for how long? It feels frail, too frail — though, maybe that's just how it is. For her.

For a Villainess.

Alesta takes a breathe, and steels herself for fate.

"Well, I have decided in my infinite mercy to spare you tonight, so you may stop grovelling-" She immediately raises her head again, eyes widening in slight disbelief. On one hand, Alesta feels the urge to ask her to repeat that, just to make sure that those words weren't of her own delusion. On the other hand, she did not want to risk saying something that might cause the witch to revoke her mercy. She was still alive, and that was enough.

"What exactly is your... plan after running away? Sell cursed necklaces for a living?" Her lips parted, words forming on the tongue - a question about meanings - before closing again as her gaze followed hers. "That is cursed, by the way, in case you hadn't realised. You must have an enemy— That husband of yours?"

" What? Cursed? But this necklace, it was gifted by-"

A man flickers in her memories, one of stretching smiles, deep bows and dulcet compliments. Duke Ectorus was not someone she could remember much of, his presence often being blurred together with the rest of the dukes. She could not recall any details about him in the original novel either, so she thought he was nothing but an insignificant side character.

Was she wrong, though?

"Not my husband. — I mean, this necklace was given by someone else, for my birthday.. I- wait...does this mean my other jewelry can be cursed too??? "

Her plan, twinkling and bright, was crumbling away right before her eyes. Aisha's words shoots down the hope that had just been soaring through the midnight skies again — running away surely seemed easier in those isekai novels... A sigh escapes her lips. It is what it is. There is no use crying over it; her biggest concern right now is to get away as far as possible from here.

"You know what? It's okay. I'll figure it out later-"

her lips curve into a nervous smile and she bows again before the witch. It was time to end this moonlight meeting, have their paths arc away from one another before the story entangles them together again in ways twisted and tragic. At the very least, Alesta thinks triumphantly, she got to see those beautiful, selenian features with her own eyes.

"I'll be on my way now, but thank you again for saving me, and then, uh, sparing me. Well, take care~"

her figure turns around, takes a few steps, eyes glancing about.

The princess pauses then, before turning back, sheepish smile on her face.

"Uh, could you perhaps point me into the direction of town...?"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

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the black witch

the woods

alesta

Confusion flickers across Alesta's face, and Aisha responds with the arch of a silver brow. Perhaps the little princess had more enemies than she was aware of, though it is none of Aisha's business. She remains wordless as the younger girl stutters through her words.

"Not my husband— I mean, this necklace was given by someone else, for my birthday..." And so it seemed. She reaches down for the necklace, her magic forming a thin layer of protection as she carefully picked it up from the forest floor. It is hard to pinpoint the type of curse, but the tangled, twisted feeling of its energy is telling of the dark magic's despicable nature. It is almost repulsive to hold it in her hands.

"I— wait...does this mean my other jewellery can be cursed too???" Her gaze lifts to rest on Alesta's face. Was that a question for her? It seems not, because she lets out a quiet sigh and continues in a dejected murmur, "You know what? It's okay. I'll figure it out later—"

The smile that spreads across her lips reveals far too many of her emotions, and Aisha looks on with stifled concern as she drops into a shaky curtsy and bids her farewell. Even her steps as she stumbles off are uneasy, and perhaps she should have healed her or cast some sort of protection spell instead of just letting her—

Alesta barely makes it far before she stops. "Uh, could you perhaps point me into the direction of town...?"

The witch blinks once, twice. Would she be able to survive the week?

"Yes, of course,"

she begins, arms crossing as the necklace fades into slivers of moonlight,

"It... It's quite a distance from here, though."

A moment's thought, before she added, somewhat awkwardly,

"Your highness."

Somewhere, within a fragment of a memory, Issie's soft, lilting voice chides her for her lack of formality.

She gives herself a moment to re-think her decision, studying Alesta from head to toe. Her rationality loses, of course, as it hadn't put up a proper fight since she'd found out the little girl's name was Alesta Delphinus.

"I could take you there. Teleport, as you had asked earlier."

"You needn't worry about paying me,"

she added, gentle tone betraying her facade of prideful mercy,

"I'm not wicked enough to take money from someone who might barely make it out of this forest alive."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

episode 2

in which a princess gets stabbed and a witch goes into debt

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an alley

just a dress

u gotta be kidding me

Uxie

The small coastal village of Navitae bustles about as the sun shines its morning glow down upon white houses and blue waters. The salt air greets and embraces those out on the streets and down in the harbor, the wind hailing ships and stories from overseas. Everything seems normal and calm; it is not they, peasant and remote, who will catch the whispering rumors of a runaway princess. They know nothing.

Just as Alesta has hoped for.

What once contributed to an early end has now become the thing buying her more time. The king and queen's utter concern about withholding a reputation pretty and pristine has rarely been kind to the princess; their standards always just beyond where her fingers could touch. A royal but not a daughter — one meant to serve the kingdom in ways a pawn should serve its king and queen on the chessboard. A pawn they consider best carved out hollow, like brittle shells on the edge of breaking.

The Delphinus family is perfect, or so they wish to show. It is why they shunned Alesta in favor for Juliana in the original. It is also why no news has broken out yet about a missing princess. Alesta suspects that her parents would probably have tasked the most trusted of the royal guard to track her down, though not too many to not arouse suspicion. If any word would reach the family of her dear to-be-but-not-to-be husband, the allied betrothal could be in peril.

Oh well, they could search all they want; Alesta was well on her way to escape Dianthus and never return.

Bright eyes twinkle under golden light as a hand holds up a singular ticket, the cloaked figure strolling through the street. In about two hours or so, a vessel would arrive at the harbor, its destination one south, just about reaching the kingdom of Monarda. Feeling more than victorious with herself, the princess grins proudly. Maybe running away isn't so difficult after a-

A sentence so boldly proclaimed teeters off an imaginary cliff right as another sense settles in. One where her hand holding the ticket suddenly feels empty. Too empty. Jaw-slacked, Alesta watches in horror as her prized paper is snatched up by the wind and now flying away from her.

She blinks, spends a second or two in shock, before —

" My ticket !!!!! "

Her frame quickly dashes after it, arms reaching up towards the heavens, towards her escape. A chase wild and desperate ensues and she can feel the villagers' gazes clinging to her like rumours do. Still, Alesta continues her sprint and jump combo like her life depends on it. Though, she supposes it kinda does

It is only when arriving at the village's main square that the wind settles down, allowing the ticket to descent. Taking no chances, Alesta dives, knees hitting the uneven stones as her hand captures the ticket between her palm and the ground. Pain shoots through her knees, and her mutter comes through gritted teeth.

"Got you, you little-"

A shadow looms over her. It is something she only acknowledges because there are shoes on the edges of her periphery as well; and neither the shadow or the shoes go away after a moment. She lifts her chin to look up at the individual standing so close to her, before quickly lowering her head again. For the person is someone she recognizes all too well; tall and handsome,, baring that awful face she would last gaze upon before death.

Cedric.

He gazes down at her, eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion. Or is it suspicion? His lips part, perhaps to ask if she is alright. Maybe to question who she is. Alesta does not hear anything of it, having bolted away the second she caught his features. Nope, nope, nope. Absolutely not. It was one thing to unexpectedly catch the presence of pretty Aisha, surprise encountering her to be husband slash killer was another.

The princess finds herself in an alley, heart beating rapidly in her chest, partly from panic and partly from the running. Leaning back against the wall, Alesta allows a moment to recover. Or hide. Or both. Disbelief rattles her as her mind travels back to the moment, followed by a sense of panicked frustration. Because—

"Why the hell is he here???"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an alley

alesta

"5 gold, take it or leave it." His rough voice was grating, not unlike the sound of claws on a chalkboard, and it was dangerously close to setting her off.

It was every bit of willpower for Aisha to not begin choking out the gruff, stingy man in front of her, but it was what she needed to do to keep herself hidden. To be fair, she wasn't particularly short on finances, but it pained her to know she was getting a terrible deal of most ridiculous proportions. But what could she do? She'd run out of Azurelet dust, and she'd rather fork out the money than deal with that crazy wizard down north.

"Fine,"

she gritted out, hands tossing the coins onto the rough wooden bar between them. The gold was seized by his greedy fingers and exchanged for that irritatingly small bottle of blue dust. Aisha snatched it up promptly, her grip on it iron-tight as she left with a huff. A scam of a business. She'd forgotten that Navitae was overrun with these sort of crooked, so-called merchants.

It was out in the alley that she inspected her good, slender fingers holding it up as she studied it in the filtered sunlight of the narrow street. Just to make sure, one more time, that she hadn't been the victim of a fraudulent trade anymore than she already felt like, or else she'd walk back in there and tear their establishment to ruins— The scurry of footsteps rapidly approaching had her hurriedly slide the bottle into her bag, fingers fluttering as her body turned away from the entrance.

She had been running, clearly, from her heavy breathing, though when she spoke between her staggered breaths, Aisha's eyebrow quirked at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Why the hell is he here?"

Alesta Delphinus.

"Who?"

she asked, emerging from what must have looked like thin air to the other girl. The shock that crossed her face made Aisha hide a small smile; It was good to see she had been doing well since they parted ways. Now, who was the he she was running from? Had she committed a crime?

The witch paused, mind going back to the story she'd been told during their first encounter.

"Ah, is it your ex-husband again?"

She glanced at the entrance of the alley, towards the bright scenery of the village beyond the alley.

"It doesn't look like you're being chased."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an alley

just a dress

r we twinning rn

Uxie

"Who?"

Alesta's heart near jumps out of its place when a voice emerges out of nowhere, eyes growing wide and hand grasping the fabric of her skirt, ready to lift it up for a swift escape. Shock then befalls her upon catching day’s moonlight in a frame of silver waves and blue pools; watchful, and dare she almost imagine, glad?

It is not a sight the princess has expected to find again, the arcs of their paths only destined to intertwine in a future she is one boat away from escaping. The ticket crumples lightly under her grip as her mind tries to process this encounter so closely tethered to something eternal and dark. The relief that blossomed so quickly becomes something more alike to disquiet, her stomach turning slightly as another thought enters the mind. Cedric and now Anastasia again — are these mere coincidences, or is it fate?

Moments are changing, but that does not mean the ending will.

Maybe that death is inevitable, and the time gained is only borrowed. Isn’t that too cruel, though? Alesta deserves better, she – Xiuying – deserves better. In a world where magic and monsters are a reality, a Villainess changing for the better surely wouldn’t be too out of bounds? Her ambitions might have reached the very heavens before, but Xiuying, as Alesta, really was satisfied with being utterly unimportant !!

Somewhere, the princess is a bit spiteful, a bit defiant, and that light is what filters through the mind’s windows, breaking apart those thoughts dark and dooming. Right. It has no use to worry about endings that are yet to happen – and she’s so close, so close to escape. Just a few hours more, she thinks, while pulling the hood of her cape over her head again, gaze narrowing to the entrance of the alley as Aisha speaks.

A sigh of relief escapes her when she indeed doesn’t see the figure of her dreaded to be husband appear. Maybe he didn’t recognize her after all.

" Ah, thank god… I was so not looking forward to having to run again. "

her gaze returns to the witch and she smiles, still somewhat happy she gets to see those pretty features again before leaving Dianthus for good.

" And yes, it was him, my ex husband. Or to be husband. Or to be husband that is actually not going to be my husband anymore now that I won't marry him. Well that's unless my parents or any of the guards they've have sent catch me before i leave for Monarda-- ”

she rambles, before consciously noting how Anastasia had been in the alleyway before her. Could it be for the same reason?

“ Oh, are you hiding from someone else too?”

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an alley

alesta

The smile that spreads onto Alesta's face sends an odd shiver up her spine, as if it forebodes some ominous thing to come, but it is surely just paranoia borne from having just been robbed in daylight. As she rambles on with her list of hunters, Aisha studies her silently. Truly, the princess shared few similarities with Issie beyond their name and kingdom⁠— Yet, it seemed they were both far too kind for whatever cruel fate seems to follow them.

But this Alesta Delphinus is not her Alesta Delphinus, she reminds herself.

"Oh, are you hiding from someone else too?"

"Hiding?"

she repeats, with a sceptical raise of her eyebrow,

"A powerful sorceress like me has no reason to hide."

Alesta lets out a quiet, sheepish "Of course," and she wonders if she had come off too condescending. After all, she had cloaked herself the moment she heard her approaching; It was different, though, because she wasn't a scared little mouse like the blonde in front of her, she just despised cleaning up after herself. Would admitting to it make her feel a little less bad, perhaps?

"Well, maybe. You could say it was... precautionary."

She waves a hand dismissively in a you know action, though she was certain not many would understand her plights.

"I assume you are headed to Monarda to hide away from your family and... ex-husband-to-be, then?"

Aisha pauses, deciding if the girl's well-being is worth her concern, but the addition comes shortly after anyways,

"Have you a contact there..."

Her voice trails off, and her nose wrinkles. She smells them before she sees them— A putrid smell wafts into the alley, one distinctly magical and so very foul, heralding the appearance of a shabbily-dressed man wielding a knife. The curse coating the blade is so detestable Aisha thinks she might throw up. Fingers fly to her nose, pinching it shut as her hands fly up defensively.

"Another assassination attempt?"

Her voice is calm, even with the silly high-pitched effect added to it. She hazards a spell, only to find the shadowy tendrils conjured can only slither up his legs at that distance, fading back into nothingness as they near the dark fog surrounding the blade.

Damn heathens and their black magic. Couldn't they just stay dead?

"It'll be your last, witch."

With that, he strikes, and Aisha concocts a plan in an instant; It'd be somewhat risky, but she could do it. All she needed was for him to get close enough, and it would be enough for her to dispatch him in an instant—

"No!"

A blur of blonde and white collides with her, and Aisha is knocked to the ground, caped shoulder striking the dirty brick of the nearest wall. Her magic, too, suffers a blow, shadowy constructs tearing apart the moment her concentration is replaced by surprise. It takes her a moment to recover, but when she does, the scene in front of her makes her blood go cold; One she had never witnessed, but all too familiar in the times it had played out in her mind.

Alesta's crumpled form lays in front of her, hands clutching her abdomen where the knife now rested; Scarlet blossoms from her wound, dying her white dress a brilliant shade of red.

"This crazy bitch..." His grumbling tone is just the reminder she needs; Magic seizes his throat in an instant and she watches stonily as his eyes roll back, releasing only when his movements finally cease. He flops onto the ground, lifeless, and the witch watches him for a few moments before her attention returns to the princess.

Aisha drops into a squat, hovering over the princess' body with unease. Her head is clear now, and the image of her own princess is forced away, no longer allowed to occupy her thoughts. A hand reaches for the knife, pausing just before she touches it; A wound requires only healing, of which she is no expert but certainly adept at, but it is a cursed knife. The black magic is strong— she couldn't even begin to decipher what sort of curse it was and what repercussions might come if she were to act thoughtlessly.

This was a situation, even by her standards.

"Alesta— Princess,"

she says, voice crackling with agitation as she gave the girl's arm a few light taps,

"You... Are you alive?"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an alley

just a dress

not doing fly like a g6

Uxie

Everything was going so well, maybe Alesta should have seen it coming; that shadow shrouded in ill-will, spewing words of one’s demise. It could only be a whirlwind moment like this, with only seconds to spare before danger becomes death, that previous plans get wrecked and rationality abandoned. Call it foolish compassion or untimely gratitude; the body acts nonetheless, like a marionette played by the strings of heart, and before either of them can realize what it means, the witch is pushed aside.

“ No!!”

a voice calls out, one that sounds like hers and at the same time, it does not. At the time, realization is slow to catch up with reality, a haze heavier than time – maybe it’s shock – paralyzing all thought for a moment. Alesta— no, Xiuying – barely registers the wound; her hands travel to her stomach and she feels something hot and wet sticking to her skin. Eyes glance down at the crimson blossoming in her white dress, before catching the fall of a world as her body crumples onto the ground. It is then that the truth sinks its teeth into her, tearing apart that blissful moment of ignorance, of stupor with a severe pain that sears through the abdomen.

And just like that, the world collapses around her. Her sight becomes blurry, the sounds muffled— what happens next to either Aisha or the assassin is beyond her; her only focus being how much the ground feels cold, even though she feels hot and god– being stabbed hurts. A coughed laugh escapes the princess as she lays there clutching her wound, a funny, albeit sick, irony of this whole ordeal seeping into the mind. Maybe as a coping mechanism, probably as a distraction from the fact that she is bleeding out hard and fast. Wasn’t the last scene she had filmed one where her character got stabbed, too? And the director even told her to imagine the situation better.

Well, would you look at that mr Wong. Xiuying can imagine the pain very well now; in fact, if this even more premature death brings her back to her own world, she will be able to embody that moment like no other. Ha, ha, ha….If only she had the reassurance that would happen. Now, she can only taste the fear as much as she can taste the iron of blood, the possibility of this being the end of both Alesta and Xiuying not escaping her.

Her gaze travels to the ticket that now lays crumpled and bloodied in her hand, its cruel symbolism taunting her like a god entertained by their work of fate. A shaky breath leaves her, one that strains more than it should, and Alesta closes her eyes again, the pain becoming more and more unbearable by the second. Maybe getting that eternal sleep wasn’t so bad after all—

Tap. Tap. Tap. A groan erupts from the body upon being tapped, and half-annoyed to be touched while having a whole dagger nestled in her stomach, the princess almost shoots the person a glare. It is a half-frown that quickly gets abandoned once those pretty blue and silver features sharpen in sight. They look troubled, but alive – which means… Her gaze moves away, before landing on the other body in the alley, one that looks way deader than hers. A flash of disappointment travels through her; not in Aisha for killing that guy [ fuck that guy, he stabbed her!] but moreso in missing the undoubtedly cool feat of magic that took his life. Aisha probably looked so badass too, she silently mourns.

Ah, what did she ask again?

Right.

“Y-yes…I’m…alive….”

a smile that is a bit too weak to exude true positivity marks her face and the princess slowly holds up a thumb, as if the gesture offers more conviction. Well, it’s true that she is not dead yet, but time was ticking. Her lips part again, this time to search for words that are becoming increasingly more difficult to find with the way pain invades the mind.

“I– can you–”

the sentence dies on her lips, her attention grasped by something else. Or should she say someone else?

A voice punctures the air, followed by a figure Alesta can only recognize once the face nears them both. An expression that evolves from shock to concern greets her; it is not something she has ever expected Cedric to wear for her. Alesta might be overjoyed at the worry displayed by Cedric but Xiuying is not. And Cedric’s sudden appearance feels more like another fate induced mocking than anything else. Truly, If Juliana appears too, Xiuying might just take this dagger and make this quick; no need to drag out a main character party over her dying corpse.

But if Alesta’s expression showed any poor emotions, Cedric is not put off by it. Instead, he comes to kneel down, hand reaching out towards her.

“My Lady, you’re wounded let me help-” it's as if he only now notices the other presence close to her, his gaze snapping towards aisha, and before Alesta can process the glare on his face, she watches as he unsheathes his sword and point it at the witch.

“You” he addresses, voice pierced with a venom familiar to the Villainess. “Explain yourself, what have you done to her.”

Aisha seems unimpressed by his accusation, her face harboring a frightening neutrality. She merely narrows her gaze, before speaking, not to Cedric but to Alesta.

“Is this him?” A weak nod is enough for Aisha to turn her attention back to the prince, the words spilling casually from her lips as she regards him once more. “Should I kill him now?”

“I–what? No!”

Alesta exclaims, before wincing in regret as the pain floods her. Don’t get her wrong; Xiuying hates Cedric for the way he treated Alesta, but she doubts killing the male lead was going to do her much good in the long run,, especially with how bend the story seemed to be in making this life miserable. Not to mention there was a teeny bit more important concern at hand here; her fast fleeting life.

“Can you just… remove this dagger? Wait– no that’s bad. I mean–”

another wave of pain cripples her speech and the world begins to blur around her. Time. She was running out of time. Her heartbeat spikes, perhaps out of adrenaline, most likely out of fear, and her hand trembles as it touches the dagger.

Eyes close while lips press together. Alesta can faintly hear her own voice then, notes critically how small and shaky it sounds; it’s pathetic really, but what else can you expect from an admission on dying lips.

“I…don’t want to die…”

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an alley

alesta, cedric

As the princess ekes out her last words of desperation, Aisha's eyes leave the black-haired stranger to gaze upon her dying form; she teeters on the border between life and death. Her mind whirrs, mentally scanning every book on magic and anatomy and curses she had ever consumed in her long life.

When the princess chokes out another breath, she discards it all without a second thought. Her hand reaches for the dagger—

"Answer me, miss, or I will—" She turns a vexed expression upon the man, and with a well-aimed finger flick, he falls to the floor, unconscious, and his sword hits the cobblestone with a clatter and a clang. Vermin as he was, still waving his sword around in this situation.

Her gaze returns to Alesta, pulling the girl's shoulders to rest upon her lap. Her hands close around the handle — her brows furrow at the strange sensation that washes through her arm, but she pushes aside the feeling.

"This will hurt,"

she murmurs, and with a firm tug, the dagger is freed from the blonde's gut.

Alesta manages a soft groan of pain, and Aisha exhales in quiet relief. She moves quickly, one hand casting whatever she can manage of a healing spell — she feels the twang of pain around her own abdomen, but she wouldn't be quite the powerful witch if she couldn't handle as much — as the other wipes the bloody dagger against the edge of her cloak and tucks it into her bag. Her gaze gives a once-over to her surroundings, flitting from the corpse on her left to the prone body of Alesta's ex-husband (would-be husband...?). Nobility, she supposes, from the expensive, put-together suit he wears, and the crest on his sword draws irksome feelings, even if she can't quite recognise why it is familiar.

Nevertheless, he seems the sort to have lackeys, which means it would do them well to make themselves scarce. She isn't particularly interested in adding another crime to her long list and inviting more of those little flies to hover around her. She supposes Alesta should receive some proper healing, too.

Once more, she glances around her, and the witch lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Always some sort of trouble when I go into the cities."

And so, the blonde princess is heaved upon one shoulder as gently as she can manage, her unwanted beau dragged along in a far less ceremonious manner as she pulls them both into the shadows. A smattering of footsteps round the corner of the alley, finding only the corpse of a petty criminal and not a trace of anything else.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

gtg !!!

Uxie

Alesta's consciousness surfaces slowly, like a ship emerging from the depths of a foggy sea. The world coalesces around her in fragments, the outlines of reality taking shape. Blinking against the light, she slowly becomes aware of a figure hovering over her. A startled yelp escapes her, a jolt of panic electrifying the air. Alesta tries to move away, but a sudden stab of pain arrests her movements. Her hand instinctively clutches her stomach, fingers encountering the raw reality of a wound. Fragmented memories rush back then; Aisha, the alley, the dark figure, the dagger.... Oh my gosh, she almost died! Again! It almost seems as if fate is chasing her down every path and alleyway, literally...

With a cautious sweep of her gaze, Alesta scans the room, her eyes darting like sparrows seeking sanctuary. But Aisha, her moonlight savior, is nowhere to be seen. In her place, a figure materialises, dressed in religious looking garb – a priest? She blinks, confusion etching lines on her face. Is this some kind of divine intervention? She is definitely not ready to meet her maker just yet. The priest, deep in incantations that sound like a mishmash of ancient tongues, seems to be orchestrating a ritual that Alesta can't quite comprehend. Is she.... getting an exorcism?! Wait, is that even a thing in this realm???

Uncertainty and paranoia grapples her, not quite knowing what she should do right now. Should she tell him the truth? That she is from another world? Xiuying hesitates to reveal the truth about her otherworldly origin; the idea of sounding mentally ill on top of physically injured being something that gnaws perhaps more than the wound. But, another uneasy thought lingers as well – what if the priest senses her displaced soul, mistaking her for a demon in disguise?

At that thought, the panic intensifies, and she fumbles for an excuse to flee this impromptu exorcism. In a hurried shout, she interjects:

"Uh, Priest, Father, I appreciate the spiritual power you're sending my way, but, you know, I've got another doctor's appointment, like, right now. So I must leave at once, so sorry!"

Alesta shoots the priest a feeble smile, before immediately attempting to make a bolt towards the door. Her existing wound be damned, she was not going to let a priest touch her precious soul!

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

Truly, all this for some Azurelet dust. Aisha grumbles inwardly as she drops the silver pieces carelessly onto the counter, reluctantly taking over the tray of food with hands that would much rather be conjuring magic. She knows this innkeeper — Bruce, a bellowing fellow — to keep secrets, but she could not say the same of his various patrons. Enough that she's taken them over to the next town over, but she doesn't want to risk another incident.

She is at the top of the stairs when she hears the muffled sound of panicked voices followed by the muted thundering of footsteps. The door flings open just as she reaches it, and a panicked mass of dishevelled silk and blonde hair nearly sends the tray flying from her hands. Alesta seems alarmed to see her, and Aisha stares back, before her eyes shift to the priest, sitting by the bed looking quite flabbergasted. Her expression of silent irritation says all but

Where are you going?

, and the witch nudges her back into the room, pushing the door shut behind her with her shoulder.

She senses Alesta shift to cower behind her, and the princess' voice comes in a nervous whisper, "He was performing a weird ritual on me..."

"He was healing you,"

she said, head tilting slightly to cast an exasperated look on the blonde,

"Now, please sit back down on the bed so he can finish his job, lest you want your gut to split open again."

She moved to set the tray down, pausing when she found Cedric's body still slumped by the bed. Aisha nudges him with the covered toe of her heel. In her haste, she hadn't tempered the strength of her spell — she wasn't quite sure when he might wake. No matter, a noble like him would be more than capable of finding his way home, surely.

Her hawkish gaze returns to the young priest, and he gulps nervously. As Alesta climbs back into the bed, he asks, "How are you feeling, miss? Your life should no longer be in any danger."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

PANIKK!!!

Uxie

Alesta freezes in her tracks as the door swings open, revealing Aisha's unamused gaze. Her beloved witch proceeds to inform her that the priest wasn't performing an exorcism but rather a healing ritual. An embarrassed heat flushes her cheeks, and she can't help but cringe inwardly. Oh, well, that's awkward. The princess slinks back to her bed, praying for it to swallow her whole.

As the priest continues his work, Alesta feels the subtle currents of energy soothing her wounds. The pain dissipates, and the evidence of the dagger's attack fades away, leaving only the memory of the encounter etched in the mind. She breathes a sigh of relief, grateful she is no longer in danger. Mostly, she is thankful to still have her soul attached to this body.

"Other than slightly traumatized, I feel fine."

she answers with a light smile when he asks her how she feels. The priest let's out a laugh, one that falls a little awkwardly in the space between, as if he doesn't know quite what to do with that response. The laugh fades away then, and something heavier takes its place. Alesta can catch a flicker of pity -- or perhaps it is a silent apology -- within his gaze, before his next words break the brittle peace.

"I am glad that you feel better. But, unfortunately, I was not able to remove the curse."

Now, hold on. Wait a minute. A curse? Is he implying that she is cursed? Seriously?

""Wait, a curse? What kind of curse are we talking about here?"

Her voice teeters on the edge of disbelief and anxiety. The priest's response doesn't help soothe either emotion.

"The curse embedded in the dagger is one of ancient dark magic and requires a power greater than mine to remove. I fear only someone as strong as a saint or saintess, directly blessed by Lux, could break its hold."

Alesta blinks, her mind sputtering like a confused engine trying to process the absurdity of her situation. Its irony isn't totally lost on her; multiple near-death experiences, and now she's got a dark magic subscription service she never signed up for. It's like she joined a special Villainess rewards program where every punch, stab, or curse earns her a sticker on the "Congratulations, You Survived Another Day" chart.

Yeah, she starts panicking again.

"But where am I supposed to find one? Oh my god, how much time do I even have left?? Am I going to turn into a demonic creature??"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

"I fear only someone as strong as a saint or saintess, directly blessed by Lux, could break its hold." Aisha crosses her arms, a frown settling upon her lips. She'd made an attempt to be optimistic that a random priest-for-hire in this nobody's village might be able to dispel the black magicks, but it seemed they'd resorted to something far more sinister.

Alesta's words spill freely from her lips, like a dam let loose, and the witch allows her to ramble for a few moments before she cuts her off decisively,

"And I presume we'd find one at the temple?"

Speaking it aloud felt taboo, what with the way that old hag they called a leader conspired endlessly to have her head and the countless times she'd nearly razed the place to the ground, but divinity had long been the tried-and-true counter for black magic — it was the easiest way out, objectively.

The priest takes pause, as if hesitating to speak, and Aisha's brow furrows.

"What?"

"W-well, you see, miss, the saintess..." He falls quiet, mumbling the last of his words skittishly beneath her piercing gaze. Aisha shoots him a look, and he continues, meekly, "She passed twenty years ago. Of-of old age, if I might add."

She lets out a sigh of displeasure.

"And you are telling us this, I presume, because they have yet to find their new little vessel of god."

He nods slowly, gulping nervously.

"That's downright splendid, isn't it?"

Useless rats — is it so difficult to find a saintess? All those donations have surely gone to feeding their plump bottoms rather than to any sort of consequential search, if the saintess had been missing for twenty years. She stews silently for a few moments before she turns her gaze onto Alesta, an icy smile spreading onto her lips.

"Well, I suppose we could just leave you there until they find that saintess, no? You'd be much safer there. Become a priestess, or something, surely that would have keep this one away."

Normally, she wouldn't step within 30 kilometres of that god-forsaken place, but she would much later make a habit of leaving a debt unpaid — surely, this was more than enough.

"But, miss, if I may—"

Her head whips sharply toward him.

"What."

The priest lets out a squeak. "I-I sensed the curse o-on you, as well. Your own wound seems to have been-been touched by the same magicks... tied even, to hers..." Her eyes widen, and a hand reaches to rest on her stomach. Her face darkens, and she turns away, resting her head on the wooden panelling of the room's wall. Fool— fool! Why had she not considered the possibility? And if it involved the transference of life force, there was no telling...

There is no way she could go to the temple, but if she didn't, death might be as good as a certainty. All this for that damn Azurelet dust! Her master would gloat at her complacency—

Ah... perhaps?

Somewhere from beneath the bed, a groan sounds out — the perfect cue for the young priest to be on his way, before that black-haired hero begins spluttering. She fixes him with a stern stare, her intentions made clear with a nod towards the door. He moves obediently, gathering his few belongings hurriedly, and as he scampers to the door, Aisha adds,

"And don't you breathe this to a soul, please."

He mutters a quiet, fearful agreement before the door closes behind him with a thud.

"First,"

she says stonily, returning her attention to the princess on the bed and her (presumedly) prince, now groggily pushing himself into a sitting position on the floor,

"What shall we do with him? It would have been much simpler to kill him then, but you insisted."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

I'm so good at this

Uxie

Fate writes like a lover scorned, words burning saints and damning sinners. It does not matter what pleas find the heavens, what curses reach the depths of hell; she treats them all the same ― all like puppets who dance on her strings. And so she pulls the moon and sun closer, as if she wishes to see who would swallow the other first.

Bound by the very same affliction, Alesta finds herself once more closer to the arbiters of her doom. On one hand, there is a piece of selfish relief flickering like a firefly, the knowledge that she is no longer alone in this scary situation finding a brief resting place in her mind. On the other hand, it is a dangerous proximity to uphold, knowing what has happened and what can come to be. Aisha does not seem too bothered by her but she does not seem exactly caring about Alesta's life either. Although, she did technically save her twice now..... Could it be that Xiuying's natural charisma was realm transcending after all? She did almost win a people's choice award!

Fate croaked in response― or well, Cedric did. Shoot! Amidst the whole bleeding to near death in an alley and becoming cursed, Alesta had forgotten about the second main character who so uninvitingly had entered the scene. She bites her lip, looking down at the prince. Yes, she insisted that he should live, but that's because she wanted to avoid being framed for the murder of a prince. Prison isn't nice, and neither is getting her head chopped off for treason. Still, Alesta kind of regrets saving her ex-husband right now. These are tricky waters she is forced to swim in now, too tricky to be careless in.

" Uhm.... Maybe hit him again and run?"

she responds, only half-joking. Alas, time catches up before she could begin their escape. Cedric opens his eyes and looks around the room, as if trying to make sense of his surroundings. His disorientation burns out the moment his eyes fall upon Aisha and Alesta, confusion crushed by anger's fist. "You-" he grits out, his hand immediately reaching for his sword, ready to strike.

"Wait! Stop! Don't attack!"

Alesta panics, jumping in front of Aisha once more, this time to stop the main lead from hurting the witch. Cedric seems startled to find her defending Aisha, his movement halting for a moment, eyebrows furrowing into confusion.

"My lady, why are you defending this dark witch...?"

Good question. Excellent inquiry. Perhaps because she is the best friend of your future wife, and maybe because it could break the fabrics of this world beyond repair. But all of these are truths she could not confess. They would not believe her anyways. Alesta tries to find a plausible explanation, something that could protect all of them. Quick! Use your imagination, your grand acting skills! Sunlight streaks through the windows, forming the closest semblance to a spotlight.

Alesta steps in it, her body straightening as emotions began to play their roles on her face.

"Because we have both been cursed, doomed to fall together if one of us does."

a white lie wrapped in a quivering blanket. Alesta continues to elaborate, voice carrying a dramatic degree of graveness.

"You see, someone bestowed a terrible curse on us! We don't know the horrid depths of it, but we do know it has tied our lives together. Therefore, I plead for both our sakes to not lay your sword on her."

She bows with her hands behind her back, just so she can give a secret thumbs up to Aisha to let her know she got this all under control.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Uxie]

scroll

the black witch

an innroom

alesta, cedric, priest

The impudent rat reached for his sword again and Aisha had been all poised to attack, had the blonde princess not jumped between them like a martyr. "Wait! Stop! Don't attack!" Surely, she was referring only to her husband — the witch's fingers remained tensed in wait. He made to ask a question, and Aisha let out a quiet scoff. Blind ignorance was the only thing in that dark head of his, without a smidgen of sense for the truth. She had seen many of his sort, and struck down more than she might count on a hand for their complacency.

She did not mind adding him to that list.

Her gaze flicked to Alesta as she sensed a shift in the other girl; an imperceptible shift of posture, in aura. "Because we have both been cursed, doomed to fall together if one of us does." She spoke dramatically, but confidently, each word grand and punctuated. "You see, someone bestowed a terrible curse on us! We don't know the horrid depths of it, but we do know it has tied our lives together."

The urgent wave of a hand, and then a thumbs-up. Aisha almost laughed aloud. If the prince was a character she had seen too often, the princess must surely be of her own grade. "Therefore, I plead for both our sakes to not lay your sword on her." An admirable performance, she supposed, but she wondered if the tale Alesta had wove might be too tall.

Her eyes shifted to Cedric, watching his expression morph from anger to a wary thoughtfulness, as if considering the situation. "I... I see. However, my lady, she is still a dangerous figure; my eyes did not deceive me in that alleyway, attacking you and then myself—"

"Your brain,"

Aisha began, snark and vexation already sneaking into her voice,

"might be of better use here. If I meant to kill her, why would I have brought the princ—"

Alesta whirled around to shoot a look at her, interjecting in a panic, "Oh, gosh! It's the curse again. It sometimes makes our minds a little woozy, you know, flapping out random silly things and nicknames for each other!" An eyebrow raised, Aisha stared down at her — golden eyes pleaded back urgently — and then back to Cedric, features still dully cautious. Snippets of their first conversation floated back.

Because I think I got one -- one where I die by the hands of my future husband.

Future, to the point that they had yet to meet. Though, what kind of citizen failed to even recognise their own princess? She felt like scowling at him, again.

"Nonetheless, the girl speaks the truth,"

Her piercing gaze held a thinly-veiled challenge within, one she dared him to accept.

"You are welcome to raise steel against me to test its verity, however, though I cannot promise I will not return the favour in kind."

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[neon reverie]

scroll

alesta

an unfamiliar room

just a dress

sir pls no...

Uxie

Neither struck, but the tension between Cedric and Aisha doesn't waver: it stays like water, still and stretched. Alesta remains the figure in between, half playing mediator and half trying her best not to openly gush over the fact that two very good-looking people are kind of arguing over her. Is this how it feels to be Juliana? She places her hands against her cheeks, feeling more flattered than she should at this moment. Should she play into this sudden main character energy some more?

The princess suddenly grabs one hand each, and puts on her most pleading kind of gaze when looking between the two.

"Please, do not fight any more over this. "

In her mind, Xiuying is portraying the best image of a soft female lead; the one who weaves peace with light syllables and fluttering eyelashes. It's a character that has slipped out of reach before, chased away by what casting directors would describe as: just not fitting the role. Whatever. She always thought they were wrong, and she was going to prove it right here and now that she could act out anything!

Aisha's stone gaze makes Alesta let go of their hands instantly. Right. Maybe this was not the right timing. She clears her throat, trying to regain some respect back from her beloved saviour.

"What I mean to say is that there are far more pressing matters here at hand, like the curse!"

this time, she is looking solely at Cedric, who seems to be in deep contemplation for a moment, before sheathing his sword again. A sigh leaves his lips, nodding in understanding.

"Forgive me, you are right that the curse should take precedence over the judgment of this witch."

Oh thank god!

"Please allow me to join and help you in the search for a cure."

"Pardon?"

Alesta's jaw drops slightly, her mind immediately flashing to the sword he carries— her death at the edge of a blade. Ink drips into blood, starting on the same page as the end; dying should not feel like a memory but it keeps creeping into her mind like one. Alesta lets out a small laugh, all fake and clumsy in its hiding of panic.

"Ahaha, thank you but there's no need for the trouble. We already know where to go, right?"

another gaze to Aisha, one that spells: please do or say something!

♡coded by uxie♡