About The Emperor Of Magic Series, Lets Say In The Future She And Kaz Have Something Going On, Can She

So beautiful said 😭😭😭

I keep rewatching that epilogue scene and, the way Hunter and Omega talk about her joining the Rebellion... You can tell this is not the first time they're having this conversation. And I just can't help but wonder what the previous one(s) must have looked like.

Because something tells me it wasn't peaceful.

I just can't imagine Hunter having any other reaction than an immediate, definitive "absolutely not" the first time he hears about Omega wanting to join the Rebellion. Just like I can't imagine Omega being okay with that reaction.

Were they arguing about it? Were they butting heads and not backing down from their respective points? Because they would. Absolutely, they would.

Did their brothers have conversations with both of them separately? Did Wrecker tell Omega to give Hunter a break because he's old and worried? Did Crosshair convince Hunter that he can't keep a grown woman grounded just because he's scared about her? Did Echo tell him that if this is Omega's calling, he has to let her do her thing?

She tried to sneak off. As if she didn't want to go through this again. As if she thought leaving without a goodbye would be easier on everyone and this way no one can stop her. After all, she made up her mind. She's going. But when she turns the light on and spots Hunter sitting there, she's not even surprised. She nods to herself like of course. Of course he's here.

This literally sounds like they've been over this before. But this time the conversation is surely more peaceful. They both have the other's perspective in their minds now.

This is my choice and I know it scares you but I need you to understand.

I know I won't change your mind but I don't want you to go, I want you to be safe.

This must have been said before as well. Maybe in anger. Maybe in pleading. Or desperation. I wouldn't be surprised if Omega got very frustrated with Hunter for treating her like she's still a kid. Nor would I be shocked if Hunter had trouble articulating his point of view in all his worry and panic. But here, it's a confession. It's very vulnerable. It's the truth Hunter doesn't want to hear and gives a reason why.

Omega is a grown woman now. Skilled, capable, brave. Hunter doesn't doubt that. But to him, she's always going to be his little girl no matter how old she is and I am still speechless at the fact that we actually see him not only struggling with it but also admitting to it.

Back on Pabu, after they escaped Tantiss, Hunter told her: "We've all fought enough battles for one lifetime." And now, years later, Omega echoes this back to him. "You've all fought enough." Almost like she's reading Hunter's mind and knows that if he can't stop her, he's going to want to join her.

The way he wants to reach after her here when she gets up. Like he wants to say wait, no, don't go yet!

But this is her fight, just like she says. She's never been able to sit still, we know that, we've seen that. Just like Echo back in season 2, she can't stand the thought of staying down and doing nothing when there are people out there fighting for freedom. People she can help. She's a skilled pilot now (I can bet she'll become most famous in the Rebellion for her flawless Tech-Turn), she has absorbed everything her brothers have taught her over the years like a sponge and now she wants to use that. After years of living away from the fight, she's finally ready to get back out there and make a difference in the galaxy. Fight for peace because that is her calling.

She's ready, but Hunter is not.

You can tell it's literally tearing him apart to watch her go. That's his baby, the whole reason he's living the life he has now. He gave his blood, sweat and tears so she could grow up safe and happy and away from the Empire's clutches. And now she's going back right into them, willingly.

But she's all grown up. And he has no choice but to let her go do her thing. So he holds her close and I don't doubt sends out a prayer that she comes back to him safe and in one piece. He closes his eyes and commits the feeling to memory because who knows when will be the next time he gets to do this?

And it might be destroying him inside but he's so damn proud. And he knows she's got this. She doesn't need her old man to watch her back anymore.

And yet still this old man, with gray in his hair and beard, this old man whose posture is hunched and who is moving slowly and having difficulty standing up because of his accelerated age, is telling his very grown up and very capable daughter that if she needs him, he's going to pick up his blaster, don the armor and join her in the fight.

Because that's what fathers do.

ive seen the reblog with the gif when you posted and i was like …okay? but I JUST GOT IT OMG OMG

if you know, then you know ;)

brick by brick (crow by crow)

The Royal Family | Sneak Peek

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Prince Thomas wondered.  He was quick to drop down to her side. He had lifted his hand to hover over her body, checking for any exterior signs of injury. But he wouldn’t touch her without permission.

The princess had lifted her hand towards the front of her face, roughly brushing her hair out of the way. She didn’t seem to tear her dress (thankfully), but the silky material was absolutely drenched in wet mud. She could feel this sharp white pain in her ankle. She whimpered softly to herself for the pain was growing stronger with each passing second.

"M-My ankle. I must have twisted it," Princess Y/N groaned. She had gripped onto the skirt of her dress, maybe hoping that it would relieve her pain. The prince turned his head and looked in the direction of her feet. He directed his gaze back to her, choosing his next words very carefully.

"Mind if l have a look at it?" Prince Thomas questioned. 

The princess turned her head to stare directly at him in disbelief. She had half expected to find this smug look on his face, but she was greeted by this look of innocence instead. He was joking or teasing her. He was being serious. He was staring down at her with the utmost look of worry and concern in his bright brown eyes. 

It was not proper to have some boy looking underneath a woman's skirt, especially if she was unmarried. If a woman lifted her dress to show her ankle, it was considered very provocative. It was even worse since it was a flirtatious practice to gain attention or arouse interest. It would be deemed as indecent. It was a scandalize thought.

She wouldn’t dare...

COMING VERY SOON

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The Emperor of Magic | Part 5

Summary: Now trapped inside their worst nightmares, the crows need to find a way out in order to stop the emperor. Thankfully, Kaz is always one step ahead and figures out a solution.

Warning: +18 Warning, verbally and mentally abusive parent, deceased relatives, blood, gore, many mentions of death, working in the menagerie, choking, attempted murder and suicide

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader

Type: Series

Word Count: 6.8k

Author’s Note: This is the end of the series! I really hoped you enjoyed reading this because I have had this story concept in my drafts for a long time. Let me know your thoughts and have a great week!!!

Series Masterlist

The emperor of magic stood in the center of six fallen bodies. She could feel a single bead of sweat rolling down the side of her temple, uncertain if it was from the blazing hot heat waves or if it was from mental strain. Her eyes remained shut as she struggled to keep the six crows under the veil of darkness.

Normally, it wasn’t hard to get inside someone’s head and drive them towards the point of insanity. But this time was different. She needed to take all six crows down, which was no easy task at hand. It didn’t help that they were all incredibly clever and intelligent; they weren't just dumb witted folk. This made the mental battle all the more challenging for her. 

Despite this, the emperor was determined to succeed. She needed to keep them unconscious, forcing them captive within their worst memories and nightmares. With great struggle, the emperor managed to break the chains that bound her. She also was able to get loose from the customized straight jacket that had failed to hinder her powerless. She threw those to the side. 

Afterwards, the emperor pulled the bag off her head. She discarded it by tossing into the heap of sand. She removed the final eye covering and ear pieces strapped around her head. She was now finally met with the blinding rays of the sun for the first time in nearly three years. 

Wylan’s Nightmare:

As soon as his eyes changed black, Wylan’s body succumbed to a dream-like or comatose state. When he managed to regain consciousness, his eyes began to flutter open and he could see a completely different atmosphere. He quickly sat up upon realizing where he was. 

The mansion was known to be one of the most beautifully constructed and decorated house in all of Ketterdam. It belonged to the a well-respected member of the Merchant Council which just so happened to be Jan Van Eck himself. 

Naturally, Wylan recognized the house that he had spent his early childhood years in. It all came flooding back into his memory; the marble floors sparkled as they must have been polished to perfection and the high wooden beams that stretched across the ceiling held brilliant chandeliers. The furniture was the most expensive thing on the market at the time. The mansion couldn’t be anything less than perfect.

Now looking down, Wylan saw that he was dressed in one of his old beige suits which now explained why his collar felt so tight around his neck. He went ahead and loosened it immediately. He also realized that his wild hair was tamed and combed down like it always had been when he was a young boy.

In the short distance, Wylan heard a voice talking in the other room. He carefully rose to his feet and made it way over to the door that was slightly cracked open. Peering through the crack, Wylan’s eyes fell on the man he once called ‘father.’ And his breath caught in the back of his throat. 

“You stupid, stupid boy.” Jan Van Eck said with a shake of his head. 

That familiar pang of guilt shot straight to his heart; he had gotten too squinted with those words in his childhood. His father always shaming him, calling him stupid or worthless. He clutched the frame around the door, squeezing his eyes shut to keep the tears at bay.

“You’re a disgrace!” 

All of the sudden, Jan Van Eck slammed his hands down and discarded everything that lay on the desk which included books, pens, and papers of the sort. The burst of fury only caused Wylan to flinch something terrible; something else that he still hadn’t grown accustomed to.

“Can’t read, can’t write.” Jan Van Eck scoffed to himself. He gritted his teeth together. “You’re absolutely worthless!”

Without thinking, Wylan burst through the slightly open door in a rage of fury. For once in his life, he was going to tell it straight to his father and he wasn’t going to let him push him around anymore. His fists were clenched at his sides and his jaw was locked. 

Upon hearing the door slamming against the wall, Jan Van Eck turned to face his disgrace of a so-called son. He narrowed his eyes at his approaching figure, not expecting much from him anyways.

“You...” Wylan began, but he struggled to find his voice as it was laced with red hot anger. He pointed a finger at him accusingly. “You do not know me,” Wylan claimed with tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“I know you’ll never evolve,” Van Eck spat. “Spent years trying to change you, trying to shape you.”

“I don’t need to be changed!” Wylan yelled back. His face turned beat red in his fit of rage. 

“You weren’t enough,” Van Eck said with a shake of the head. “You could have been so much, but you're worthless.”

“We never were the same person,” Wylan seethed. He jammed a finger directly into the man’s chest. “I am not you and I was never going to live up to your name.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Van Eck’s lips shifted into a sinister smile. “Because I’ll still always be there to haunt your nightmares.”

Very slowly, Wylan took a step backwards in his place upon coming to the realization that he wouldn’t be able to get rid of the image of his father in his mind. It will always haunt him and he can’t change that. He suddenly became aware of the situation; that he was living his worst nightmare. And his worst nightmare was being stuck with Jan Van Eck.

Backing away, Wylan wanted nothing more than to leave. He hurried out of the room, charging upstairs to escape to the place where his old bedroom was. He closed the door behind him, twisting the lock in its place. He moved away from the door then. But he didn’t know of the dark figure that stood behind him, watching his every move.

Back in reality, the emperor was left standing and staring directly at Wylan’s limp body in the sand. She studied him carefully. She caught a glimpse of a small tear escaping the corner of his eye and rolling down his cheek.

Jesper’s Memory

When Jesper finally awoke from his unconscious state, he too was most surprised with his surroundings. He shifted into a sitting position, rubbing the back of his neck as if he had a kink in it. He came to realize that he wasn’t in Ketterdam and he wasn't in Ravka either. It almost looked like...

Upon further inspection, Jesper found himself in the middle of a field. He rose to his feet slowly. His long trench coat danced in the breeze. His heart sank in his chest. The memories of his childhood came flooding back into his mind.

These fields were all too familiar to him. Amid the wheat, amid the soft golden ears, moved the unseen wind. The wheels of straw rested on their earthen bed, soaking in the brilliant sunshine. Under the sky that is made all the more pretty for the scattered clouds, the white puffs that radiate white light. It was a simple scene. 

His softened gaze fell on the small little house in the short distance. It looked like something from an old photograph; a deep memory that he had almost forgotten. His feet began to carry him to the house. The dark figure followed after him without his knowledge.

Coming to the house, Jesper lifted a hand to pull the colorful blanket away from the doorway. He stepped into the entrance. His hand fell to his side and his heart had never felt more heavy.

It was a small house in the sense that it was all one room. The ground was made of fresh orange dirt and the walls had been lifted by his father at one time. A small stove sat in the corner. And there was a little wooden table for eating. Two beds lay on either side of the room. One of them had an occupant. 

“Mama?” Jesper asked just as horrified as the moment he had found her years ago.

His mother always wore the most magnificent colors that made her complexion glow. Her favorite color was yellow in which she was dressed in. She wore these orange and yellow heavy beads around her neck. And her hands rested on her chest. She must have been asleep.

“Mama,” Jesper called again. He felt the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He approached her bedside, dropping to his knees to be at her side.“Mama, wake up. I’m here,” Jesper pleaded.

He took her hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips to press a firm kiss to it. He failed to keep his tears at bay, feeling them now cascading down the sides of his face. He shook her hand gently as if half expecting her to wake up and rid him of this horrid nightmare. 

“Mama. Wake up. I need you,” Jesper cried. The dark figure stood looming over him as he was forced to once again grieve the loss of his mother.

Leaving the memory, the emperor of magic shifted her gaze away in order to face her next victim. The heartrender lay motionless in the sand with a hand near the side of her face. She looked so peaceful in the moment, but she knew she was already experiencing the worst thing she could imagine. 

Nina’s Nightmare:

The Little Palace had been home for so many years. All the Grisha were sent to live at the palace after they had been tested for powers at a young age. Depending on which order one was classified into, they would be dressed in the appropriate color coordination.

Every room was created by the most beautiful and delicate hand. The hallway floors were made from the finest marble, sparkling in the early morning hours. Grand oil paintings hung on the craved marble walls. The quartz pillars upheld the vast ceilings in the grand staircase. 

For some reason, Nina found herself walking through those hallways she used to call home. She felt a little disoriented because, with every turn, the palace just seemed so empty. She’d peek into rooms and poke around a corridor, but still, nobody was in sight.

She called out for others. “Zoya? Alina? Where is everyone?”

When Nina finally approached her old bedroom, she saw that the door was already cracked open and a blood stain painted the once golden knob. She pushed the door open gently, cautiously stepping into the old room. Her breath caught in her throat.

Because what Nina saw was something she hoped she would never have to see. All of the Grisha she had once known and who she had grown up with were laid lifelessly on the floor. Their colored uniforms were burnt, torn, destroyed, and soaked in blood. She couldn’t tell if it was their blood or soemone else’s.

Glancing past the bodies, Nina named every single face she saw. Her heart never felt so heavy and burdened. She choked back a sob because even though she had left the little palace long ago, she still called it home. The Grisha were her people; nothing would ever change that. But now, they all lay dead in front of her. 

At one point, Nina’s eyes settled on the still body of her old friend Zoya. She rushed to be at her side, dropping to her knees. Her hands went to hover over her heart with every intention of helping her. But Zoya’s hand came up to clasp her wrist to stop her. Her pained eyes shifted to face the heartrender beside her.

“Y-You,” Zoya grunted through her teeth. She felt blood seeping past her lips. “Y-Y..You left us,” Zoya claimed.

“I-I didn’t want to,” Nina said with a swift shake of the head. “I never wanted to leave you behind.”

“But you did,” Zoya pointed out. “You abandoned us. And for what? A Fjerdan who only murders your people.”

“H-He’s not like that,” Nina insisted. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, Matthias would never hurt me.”

“It’s because of his people that we are left scarce,” Zoya said. “They came in the night. They slaughtered us.”

This comment made the heartrender glance around once more to see the familiar faces that surrounded her. She saw the red blood that painted so many faces. She felt only one heartbeat in the room besides her own.

“I didn’t know,” Nina claimed.

“No,” Zoya shook her head. “No, you knew. You’ve always known that they hunt people like us. That they kill people like us. You’ve known, but you chose to ignore it.”

“I-I’m so sorry, Zoya.”

“And now, you will have to live with the fact that you got us killed. You let them in and made us vulnerable,” Zoya claimed. “Y-You are the reason the Grisha will be extinct,” Zoya finished.

All of the sudden, Zoya began choking on her own blood. It spilled out of her mouth in waves. Though Nina tried to help her, it was already too late. Her body became relaxed after the coughing came to a halt. Her eyes were glassed over in a haze. And her breathing came to a final halt. 

All at once, Nina felt an overwhelming amount of shame and guilt in her heart. She dropped her head down, feeling the tears streaming out of her eyes at a fast rate. She raised a shaky hand to cover her mouth in hopes of muffling her sobs. She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to regain composure. 

The dark figure that stood behind her took one final glance around the room. It took a single step backwards before choosing to return back to reality. Her eyes fixed on the person laying beside the heartrender.

Matthias’s Nightmare:

For some reason, Matthias thought he was dreaming again. He only thought this because he always saw her in his dreams. His dreams were quite often unsatisfying since he never really knew what he wanted. There were times that he dreamed of finally killing the heartrender that tormented him and then there were times he dreamed about how her lips felt when he kissed her. She was always a mystery to him, which made him realize that he didn’t know what he wanted. 

Now Matthias didn’t know where he was or where he was going. He had a feeling that he must have been within Fjerdan territory since there was a blizzard waging around him. He could barely see in front of him from all the snow and wind blasting in his face. 

For a moment, Matthias shifted his focus to his footing. He watched himself lift each foot in front of the other, trudging forward through the heaps of snow. That’s when he saw red. 

The dark figure had been following him this whole time. She watched carefully for his reaction. The splotch of red in the snow must have been blood. He followed the trail of blood until his eyes fell on a body laying in the snow a couple feet ahead of him. His heart sank.

“Nina!” Matthias called out. 

He hurried to her side, basically collapsing beside her in the snow. He was able to pull her body to lay on her backside before taking a look at her wounds. His hands hovered over her lifeless body, unsure of what to do in the moment.

Her face was so pale; her lips were already blue from the cold. Her eyes remained shut since they had been closed long ago. Her hair was frozen from the blood that leaked from her head. In fact, Nina’s body was covered with various wounds. She must have bled out from them.

His eyes fell on a particular wound near the junction of her neck. It honestly looked like some creature had taken a large bite out of her neck, which ultimately caused her to bleed to death. But those bite marks looked all too familiar. 

When Matthias lifted his head, there was a grand grey wolf standing in the short distance. It stood calmly as the wind brushed past it’s striking grey and black fur. However, the wolf’s mouth was dripping with the blood of its victim. It was in that moment that Matthias realized wolves might not have been as tame as his people once believed. 

“You did this?” Matthias said in utter disbelief. He stared at the wolf blankly. “W-Why? She didn’t do anything. She didn’t deserve to die like this.”

Slowly, Matthias looked back down to the beautifully calm woman in his arms. He held her tightly in fear of letting her go forever. He lowered his head to press it against her own. He rocked back and forth with his love in his arms, crying quietly to himself. 

“She was all I had left. She was the only one to love me for who I was,” Matthias sobbed. “She loved me even though she wasn’t supposed to,” Matthias whispered.

All Matthias could do was press a soft kiss to the center of her forehead. He stared off into the distance for he was unable to look at the wolf the same again. He cried for what felt like hours on end and he refused to leave her side. 

Inej’s Memory:

The Menagerie was most commonly known as the House of Exotics. This was mainly because the menagerie advertised the exotic beauties of foreign women. They always dressed as specific animals that came from their country or region.

The House of Exotics was almost always filled to the brim with men looking for a good time. They often smoked which filled the house with a thick cloud. There was always heavy liquor seeping from their lips, which made their breath smell awful and their discernment rather thin. The men were able to do whatever they pleased as long as they paid the right price.

During Inej’s time at the Menagerie, she had never felt so low and empty in her life. Now she stood there once again. She wore her old clothes which painted her out to look like a lynx. Her soft brown skin reflexed wonderfully against the brilliant purple silks that hugged her body.

With each step, Inej heard the little bells that wrapped around her ankles. She maneuvered her way through the heavy crowd, passing by drunks and other girls dressed to impress. She didn’t think to question how she got back there or the fact that she was just relieving her worst memory.

When she was there, she felt numb to the rest of the world. And she entirely was  right then and there.

For the moment, Inej was leading this half drunk man upstairs to the private rooms. He had already paid her for her time spent with him. She felt the kruge jingling in her pocket. She brought him to one of the rooms, letting him inside before closing the door behind them.

It didn’t take more than five minutes for the man to emerge from the private room, still in the process of buckling his pants back together. He closed the door with a satisfied smirk on his face before heading back downstairs to the bar for another round. 

Back in the room, Inej lay on the soft bed in a heap of sheets. Her beautiful purple silks had been discarded on the floor. She stare blankly at the ceiling, feeling entirely numb. She felt a single tear seep out of the corner of her eye.

Her core was filled with a sense of shame. Her legs felt weak as if she already knew she’d have trouble walking. Even her shoulder ached slightly since he had bitten down during their time together. She pulled the sheets to cover her bare body, shivering at the memory engraved into her mind.

For a second, Inej closed her eyes as if to wish she could just disappear into the next life. She hated being there. She hated the things she was forced to undergo. She just wanted to be free. Why couldn’t she be free?

The dark figure that stood by the window was looking directly at the saddened woman laying in bed. She even went to turn away from the scene, because it was too much, even for the emperor herself.

Back in reality, the emperor was truly struggling to keep all six of the crows under their own spell. She only needed to hold off for a little longer because they’d eventually discover that they’ll be stuck. They won’t be able to escape those nightmares. That is, not unless...

Kaz’s Nightmare:

When the black clouds came to settle around him, Kaz Brekker was able to get a sense of his surroundings. He had come face to face with his greatest demon.  The familiar eyes of his dear deceased brother were staring right back at him.

Very slowly, Kaz found himself rising to his feet with the help of his cane. He stared at his brother blankly as if he wasn’t at all surprised to see him after all this time. He observed him ever so carefully because one wrong step could be the end for him.

“Hello Kaz,” Jordie said. His lips curved into a mischievous smile. 

When Kaz didn’t say anything or do anything in particular, Jordie furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion. He took a single step forward. He raised his hands in defeat.

“What? No hello for your long lost brother?” Jordie questioned.

“I know you are not real,” Kaz claimed. He still wore a blank stare on his face.

“Oh, aren't you the clever one?” Jordie almost mocked him. “Even if you think this isn’t real, you're trapped here with me until your brain starts to rot. You’ll never find the way out,” Jordie laughed.

Kaz’s lips twitched into a wicked smile. “Won’t I?”

Just then, Jordie’s face fell blank. He looked at his younger brother with a hint of confusion behind his eyes. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other. “Whatever do you mean?” Jordie laughed cautiously.

“You made one vital mistake,” Kaz claimed. 

Though this time, Kaz wasn’t speaking to the image of his brother. More so, to the dark figure that stood behind him. In a slow manner, Kaz had turned around to face the emperor of magic herself who had been watching the conversation all along. Out of all the crows, Kaz had been the only one clever enough to notice her presence. She was slightly impressed.

“What mistake did I make?” The emperor of magic spoke through slightly gritted teeth. She clenched her fists at her sides to contain her anger because she hated being outsmarted by others. 

“You discovered all our names,” Kaz began. He tipped his head to the side. “Through the same memory,” Kaz added.

Now the emperor tried her hardest to keep a straight face, but he could already see the small sense of panic hiding behind her eyes. She shifted from one foot to another in a nervous manner. She held his gaze strictly.

“Which means, all of these nightmares are connected in some way or another.” Kaz noted. He went to look at some of his surroundings, not necessarily recognizing where he was at the moment. “I wonder if they can hear me,” Kaz said mostly to himself.

“Who?” The emperor asked curiously.

“The other crows,” Kaz seethed through his teeth. He lifted his head to look towards the sky once more. “Jesper, Inej, Nina--” Kaz called for his crows loudly.

“You can’t get out,” the emperor said rather hastily. He directed his attention back to her.

Despite this, Jesper heard the message through his own memory. He raised his head and looked into the distance. All of the other crows were able to hear their boss too. Though it sounded more like a distance echo than anything else. They listened carefully to the conversation that followed.

“You're trapped here. You’ll never figure out how to get out,” the emperor claimed. She breathed a nervous laugh to cover up her slight fear.

“You underestimate me,” Kaz spoke. “Another mistake.”

Just then, Kaz took a single stride forward in his place. In a way, it was almost like he was taunting her or challenging her with knowledge of his own. Because if anyone knew something, it was that Kaz Brekker was always one step ahead of the game. He knew this was going to happen all along.

“Let me ask you something: when do you wake up from a dream?” Kaz questioned. He now stood directly in front of her, staring down at her through hooded eyes. “It’s always right before something terrible happens,” Kaz stated plainly.

The emperor couldn’t have predicted his next move. He immediately seized her throat with his glove clothed hand. She breathed a small gasp of shock as his digits began tightening around her neck. She clawed at his hand, desperate for some form of release.

“Sometimes, you get shot at. Sometimes, there is an accident. And sometimes, you fall.” Kaz recalled some of the dreams he once had and the ways he managed to wake up from them. “But you always wake up,” Kaz said while tightening his grip.

“And my guess is that if you die in this dream, you wake up. Is that right?” Kaz wondered. When the emperor said nothing, Kaz went to tighten his grip again. She winced at the contact. “Is that right?” Kaz repeated himself.

“Y-Ye-s-s,” the emperor struggled. “Y-You’ll w-wa-wake u-up.”

In the meantime, the other crows heard the entire conversation between the two of them in the distance. They finally understood what was happening and what they needed to do in order to get out of their nightmares. There was only one solution to waking up.

Without hesitation, Wylan found his old stash of chemicals in the floorboards of his bedroom. He riffled through various glass vials, searching for two in particular. He raised the two glass vials in his hands, seeing the bright colored liquid that they contained. If mixed together, those chemicals would create a deadly explosion. He popped the corks off them.

In the other dream, Jesper had been slow to rise to his feet. He looked down at the body of his deceased mother, still feeling the tears coming out of his eyes. He reluctantly pulled one of his shiny pearly guns out of his holster at his side. He cautiously raised the gun to the side of his head, squeezing his eyes shut in preparation for what was to come. 

Now Nina was still sitting amongst the bodies of her dearest friends. She contemplated things for a moment, basking in the reality of the situation. She raised her hands in a particular manner, focusing all of her attention on the speed of her own heartbeat. 

Meanwhile, Matthias discovered that he was moving towards the wolf that stared directly at him. He forced himself to place one foot in front of the other. He heard the wolf growling in a threatening manner. He knelt into the snow as if ready to accept his fate. He closed his eyes just as the wolf lunged for his throat.

In the menagerie, Inej had climbed to the rooftop of the institution. She peered over the edge, looking to see several stories below her. She climbed onto the ledge, keeping her arms out at her sides for balance. She put one step forward before falling to her death.

Back in his own nightmare, Kaz carried the emperor’s face a little closer to his own. He studied her carefully as if searching for any sense of faulty. He narrowed his eyes at her. He kept his grip firm, despite her desperately grabbing at the lapels of his trench coat. She was begging for release.

“B-Bu--t I’ll be l-long gone by then,” the emperor claimed. Her lips curved upwards into a smile. “Y-You’ll ne-never catch u-up to me.”

“You’re bluffing,” Kaz called it. Her smile fell. “You haven’t left yet. You’re keeping us under as long as you can. And once we are lost, then you’ll make your escape.”

And indeed he did call it.

“Y-You have n-no idea what y-your up a-against,” the emperor struggled to speak. She was quick to send a firm gab into his stomach, which caused him to release his grip on her neck. She ran past him as quickly as she could. 

With the nightmares being connected, the emperor was able to open a portal into one of the first nightmares. She jumped through the portal, taking a brief moment to look at the scene in front of her. It was the old mansion.

But the once pristine bedroom was now covered in a thick layer of blackened ash and dust. The soft brown floorboard had been burnt, laced with an unknown chemical burning through the wood itself. The velvet curtains had caught on fire. And the wallpaper had been destroyed beyond repair. Amongst the destroyed scene was the small lifeless body of the demolitions expert. 

“No,” the emperor whispered to herself. “He’s gone already.”

Which only meant that Wylan was awake in reality. In haste, the emperor went to open another portal into the next nightmare with every intention of stopping the next crow from waking up. All she was able to find was a limp body laying on the ground. The sharpshooter still held one of his guns in his hand, but a bullet had already entered his skull. He lay there as the blood spilled from the headshot.

The panic began to take over. The emperor dream hopped to the next one through the access of another portal. Amongst the bodies of deceased Grisha was the familiar heartrender. She lay peacefully amongst her own people, having chosen to slow and stop her own heart.

Now the emperor was growing agitated and frustrated. She went to open another portal which led her to the ice cold lands. She squinted through the blizzard storm only to find a wolf feasting on the body of a unmoving druskelle. The wolf raised its head and bared its now blood stained teeth.

Finally, the emperor forced herself to run as fast as she could through the final portal. She hurried to the edge of the building, being quick to peer over the edge. She spotted a motionless body nearly six stories below the building. She had jumped. 

The emperor of magic had failed to keep them at bay. They all managed to escape their worst nightmares, which meant that they were all awake and ready to take her on in the real world. She needed to get out of this dream.

“You’ve lost. Admit it,” a familiar voice said from behind her.

When the emperor turned around in her place, Kaz Brekker was looking directly at her. He wore an infamous smirk on his face. He had followed her through every single portal, dream hopping right behind her. This also meant that he had seen each of his crows dead which couldn’t have been easy. 

“They are back in reality by now. Getting ready to put a stop to you,” Kaz stated as a matter of fact.

“What about you? You can’t leave unless you die,” the emperor took notice. 

“That was never part of the plan,” Kaz claimed. Her face fell. “The plan was to keep you under as long as possible because that is the only way you can be stopped from the outside. You can’t fight me in here and them out there at the same time,” Kaz explained.

Back in the desert, the five crows came to surround the emperor who stood in the center of them. The others turned to face the heartrender amongst them, giving her the signal through the form of a single nod. She raised her hands in a particular motion, slowing the heart rate of the emperor of magic.

In the dream sequence, the emperor grunted at the feeling of her heart being squeezed and slowed down. She clutched at her chest in attempts to stop what she felt. She lifted her head to look directly at the man himself. Realizing that she had been bested, the emperor was quick to turn around in her place and charge towards the edge of the building.

Without hesitation, Kaz followed directly behind her with every intention of stopping her from jumping over the side and waking up from this nightmare. Just as the emperor leaped from the ledge, Kaz grasped onto the emperor’s forearm to stop her.

From the mere pull of gravity, the emperor’s body slammed against the brick wall of the institution. He had been pulled down slightly, but he was still able to keep a firm grasp on her while hanging over the side of the ledge. She fought against his tight grip, trying to get loose so she could fall. 

“I won’t let you,” Kaz grunted. He struggled to maintain his hold on her, but he shook his head at her careless behavior. “I can’t let you hurt them.”

“Then you’ll just have to come with me,” the emperor told him. She pushed off the brick wall with both of her feet. She used all of her strength to pull him over the edge of the building. 

Together, both bodies began to plummet to the ground from the force of gravity. The two of them stared at one another, sensing that familiar feeling of falling to the ground with no control whatsoever. Just as the two of them would hit the ground, their bodies jolted awake back in reality. And the real challenge began.

It was rather odd. It was almost like the heartrender was holding the heart with her own two hands, forcing the heart rate to slow down. Just as Nina thought the heartbeat would come to a final halt, it was like she felt two hands envelope her own from within the chest. 

Those invisible hands holding her own began to pry her fingers off of the heart itself. She eventually realized she didn’t have a grasp on the heart anymore; that it was probably back to its normal self in terms of heart rate. The feeling of those hands covering her own began to close in.

In a split second, Nina let out a terrible scream of pain as her hands got crushed by the ones that kept hers captive. The emperor of magic kept her hands clenched into tight fists as she broke every bone in the heartrender’s hands. 

Naturally, Nina ended up dropping to her knees on the ground. She clutched her hands close to her chest for some form of comfort, but she wasn’t able to stop she blood from spewing from the joints in her fingers or the bones from poking out of the back of her hands. She never felt so much pain in her life.

“Nina,” Matthias called out to her. 

Though part of him wanted to rush to her side, a bigger part of him wanted nothing more than to stop the emperor once and for all. With a mighty war yell, Matthias charged towards the emperor of magic who kept her back to him. He raised his two fists above his head and brought them barreling down.

But at the last second, the emperor spun around on the heels of her feet to surprise him. She drew her own fist back and sent it directly into the center of his chest. With the force of her magic, Matthias was forced backwards in his place. His body dragged across the desert sands as he felt the wind truly knocked out of his chest. His chest burned painfully.

Now the emperor went to face the other three crows standing amongst her. With Jesper drawing his two guns out of his holsters and Inej wielding her precious knives, Kaz waited to signal them to attack her with his cane. She went to take a step towards them, but was stopped when something hit the side of her head.

A bright pink powder escaped from the small glass vial that hit the side of her head. The powder sparkled in the bright sunbeams that beat down on them. She didn’t even realize that she managed to breathe the powder in, but it began to greatly affect her senses. She turned towards the small person who had through that at her. 

In the short distance, Wylan went to grab another vial from his pouch. He hoped to hit her with something to make her sense weaken so it might be easier to take her down. Just as Wylan pulled the vial out, he felt an invisible hand wrap around the expanse of his neck. He was dragged forward by an unforeseen force until his neck made contact with the emperor’s cupped hand. 

Without warning, Wylan’s body was slammed to the ground by the emperor. She went to straddle his chest, keeping him pinned to the ground. He grasped at the hands wrapped around his neck, desperately trying to loosen her grip on him. He gasped her air. He felt the life being squeezed out of him.

Before Wylan lost the oxygen in his chest, a gunshot rang through the air. The bullet managed to lodge itself directly into the emperor’s shoulder, which caused her to release her grasp on the boy’s neck. She slumped backwards in her place, reaching up to grasp the wound on her shoulder. 

The emperor scurried to stand to her feet with every intention of finishing off these crows. Her vision began to blur and her head felt dizzy. Despite this, the emperor managed to raise her hands to put up a fight. 

The three crows worked in a synchronous harmony, taking timed turns to throw different strikes. Now Inej was the first one to step forward with her knives drawn at her sides. She took a couple swipes which the emperor managed to dodge barely. Then Jesper fired a couple rounds from his pearly guns. He manipulated the bullets to fly exactly where he wanted, but the emperor waved her hands to direct the bullets elsewhere. Finally, Kaz went to step up. He raised his cane and swung with all his might. He struck her once or twice, but it wasn’t enough to take her down.

Suddenly, the emperor felt a large arm wrap around her backside which put her into a tight headlock. Her knees were knocked out from behind, forcing her to drop to her knees. Behind her, Matthias tried to maintain a tight grip on the smaller body. He grunted upon feeling her fight against him.

Slowly, Kaz went to approach her. He raised his cane in the air, bringing it towards her face. He stared her down carefully.

“Admit it,” Kaz repeated himself. “You’ve lost. We’ve bested you.”

The emperor choked upon feeling the grip tighten around her neck. “B-But I haven’t lost,” the emperor claimed.

“We’ll kill you,” Jesper explained. He came to stand beside his boss. He raised his guns to point directly at her head. “No hesitation,” Jesper stated firmly.

“And it will be slow,” Inej added. She pressed the edge of her knife against the emperor's check, swiping it away to leave a sharp mark. “And painful,” Inej said. 

“You can kill me,” the emperor of magic told them. Her voice grew heavier as if the demon inside her was speaking. “But it will be your mistake because I always come back.”

Before the emperor could say another word, Kaz raised his golden cane above his head and brought it barreling down into her skull. The body ended up collapsing to the ground from the mere force of the swing. He continued to beat in her skull until there was nothing left, but a pool of blood and brain. The blood painted his face in a gruesome manner.

“Kaz!” Inej called out. She had hoped to bring him back to reality. He finally stopped beating the body to death. “It’s done,” Inej claimed.

The crows had gone through so much within the past few days. They had schemed their way back into the court and somehow managed to escape. They ended up having to relive their worst memories and became temporarily trapped in their own nightmares. They needed to escape those nightmares in the form of killing themselves. And they had to defeat the emperor after taking some heavy hits from her. Despite all this, they managed to survive, just like they always did.

But for some reason, Kaz just had a feeling that she’d be back just like she said. 

THAT IS THE END OF THE SERIES! PLEASE TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS! SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST.

TAGLIST:

@d34drapunzel @adorawritesalot @vixythepixie @theghostofshadows @lonelywitchv2 @arcadialine @zeeader @cleverzonkwombatsludge @shara-ne @iloveinej @ireallydontcareanymorebrooo @mystic-mara @missymisha @tremendoushearttaco​ @home-of-disaster​ @gh0stgirl333​ @harrydimples @marina468 @phoenix666stuff @grippleback-galaxy​ @mariar31 @theghostofshadows​ 

Holy shit!!!! I just had an amazing idea for a new Eddie Munson oneshot! I’m gonna start working on it either tonight or tomorrow. But tomorrow is my birthday so we’ll see😄

Sneak Peak Coming Soon

Once Y/n was sleeping, Eddie quietly exited his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He shuffled back into the living room. He found his uncle rearranging the living room, settling up another bed on the ground for his nephew. Upon hearing his approach, Uncle Wayne turned around to face his nephew. He looked at him expectingly.

“I—I got her pregnant,” Eddie choked. He had a build up of tears in the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment.

“Oh Eddie,” Uncle Wayne said softly. He looked at his nephew with such sympathy in his eyes. He wasn’t going to yell at him or scold him like his father would have. 

Instead, Uncle Wayne brought his nephew over to the couch in the living room. He helped him sit down with a single hand on his back for support. He didn’t want to ask any questions. He didn’t want to overwhelm him, because he probably was feeling an overwhelming sense of various emotions. So he sat quietly and waited for his nephew to talk to him.

The Royal Family | Chapter Five

Summary: When two royal family’s decide to conjoin their countries, they arrange a marriage between their eldest children. Once the two royals meet, it takes a lot of convincing before they are ready to begin their reign together...

Warning: flirting, courting, kissing, dancing, mentions of a pervert, mentions of illness and death

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Type: The Royal Family Series

MASTERLIST

The lingering light was obliterated by the rapidly falling night. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. 

The lake glistened, mirroring the dazzling assemblage of glittering stars and the luminescence from the small houses in the villages across the land. The faint wind brushed against the water's surface, the ripples ruffled the stillness of the surface, and shattered the reflection of the harbor. 

The entire royal family was fast asleep, laying in their comfortable beds with their heads resting against the soft feather pillows. One tiresome soul was tossing and turning in his sleep, feelings sudden pain of discomfort in his chest.

The King of the East slowly leaned forward, sitting up in his bed. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and placed his hands on the mattress, staying completely still for one moment. He closed his eyes and groaned to himself, wincing in an uncomfortable pain. He reached up and placed his fingers against his chest, pressing against his throbbing heart. 

The king slowly stood to his feet, placing his hand on the side table for support. A tingling sensation coursed through his veins, briefing numbing his arms. He grunted in pain, pressing deeper into his chest in hopes to relieve himself of some pain. 

The king turned his head and grabbed the small glass of water on his side table. His old and wrinkled hands wrapped around the dainty little cup, bringing it towards his chapped lips. He could feel the fresh and cool water dripping down his throat, relieving himself of the dryness.

When the king set down his empty cup, he couldn't help but look at his wrinkly hands. He turned them over and examined his palms. He breathed a small sigh. The king was getting older and older every day. It was only a matter of time before... 

The king closed his eyes, pushing the negative thoughts into the back of his head. He laid back down in bed, pulling the covers over his body again. He stared at the ceiling and shook his head slightly. He didn't want to think about the possibilities of one's life ending shortly. He had to force himself to think more positive. He needed to make the best of these last few days he had on earth. He had to make the most of his time. 

His mind drifted to his daughter, thinking about the events that would happen if he were to die soon. She would most likely have to move to the southern kingdom. She would be forced to live with her future-in-laws. She would have to live in a foreign place without any help or assistance. He closed his eyes because he couldn’t bare to think about all the changes she would endure within the next couple weeks. He could only pray that the good lord didn’t take him instantly.

The king secretly wished that his parting would be painless; that the king of the heavens would take his soul as he slept peacefully in his bed. He was afraid of death. He didn’t want to leave this cruel world for the sake of the only family he had left which was his own daughter. He didn’t want to leave her, but he knew that he would have to soon enough. Little did the king know, death would be knocking on his door much sooner than he would have ever expected...

The young princess was currently seated in her father's chambers, gazing at her father as he looked at himself in the mirror. He reached up and straightened his royal attire, fitting it to his liking. Three servants crowded around him, stitching and sewing the new fabric together to the exact specifications. 

"It will be any day now," the king of the east said, smiling widely. 

The young princess looked up at him, furrowing her eyebrows in contusion. The king gazed into the mirror, looking at his daughter with teasing eyes. Her shoulders slumped slightly, lazily glaring at the king. 

"Pretty soon," the king said, nodding his head. "The prince of the north will be getting down on one knee for you," the king said, stepping down from his high place. He turned around and walked towards his desk, grabbing a few documents.

The princess looked down at her hands, hiding the evident blush creeping onto her face. The king turned his head and looked at her, smiling softly at her sheepish demeanor. 

"Afterwards, the prince will most likely have to change his title to the king of the north. I suppose you'll have to move to the southern kingdom with your new spouse," the king added. The princess slowly lifted her head, looking her father with saddened eyes. "There...you can raise a family together." 

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, papa." The princess said, standing to her feet. "He hasn't even proposed yet," she said with a gentle smile on her face. She took a few steps forward and reached out, grabbing her father's old hands in her own.

The king tilted his head to the side, gazing* his daughter with loving and caring eyes. He shook his head in disbelief. He chuckled softly to himself, wishing he was dreaming. He no longer saw his little girl. She was a young woman know who would most likely be engaged in a few short days. He couldn't believe his eyes. 

"My..." the king's voice trailed off. He raised one of his wrinkled hands towards her face, cupping it gently. The tears were forming in his eyes, threatening to fall at any moment. You are looking more and more like your mother with each passing day. My little girl is all grown up now. She's not a little girl anymore; she is a woman. She won't need me anymore." 

“You know that's not true, papa. You've helped me in more ways than one. I don't know what I would do without you,” the princess said, shaking her head slightly. “A-And I am sure I can visit you. We might be able to come here in the summers or winters. That way, we would be able to see each other at least twice a year. That wouldn’t be so bad.”

The king looked down as the tears streamed down his face, dripping onto the floor. He slowly nodded his head understandingly. The princess's eyes softened as she looked at her broken father. She reached forward and wrapped her arms around his large and round figure, hugging him tightly. 

The king closed his eyes as the tears streamed down his face. He buried his face in her, soft hair, breathing in the sweet scent of wild daisies. He couldn't help suppress the growing smile on his face. 

“The prince is a good man. He will take care of you, and he will love you. He will keep you safe," the king whispered in her ear. The princess smiled to herself. 

“I know,” the princess said, nodding her head in agreement. 

The princess's little hands rubbed up and down his back reassuringly, soothing him into a form of contentment. They simply held onto each other for a few moments, savoring the sweet time they had together as father and daughter. It very well could have been their last.

The young prince was seated at his writing desk, scribbling on a piece of paper. He raised to paper upwards and looked at the words. After reading, he shook his head in disapproval. He crumpled the paper in his hands, tossing it aside. He pulled out a fresh piece of paper, starting over. 

"My dearest Y/N," the prince said aloud, writing the words neatly on the paper. "From the moment I first met you, I...knew there was something special about you. You make my heart flutter with joy. Your smile brightens my day. My love for you is unconditional and everlasting. Would you...do me the honor...of becoming...my wife?" 

The poor boy had been practicing his long speech from the moment they started their courtship. He probably went through at least a million sheets of parchment, perfecting and correcting the speech to his own liking.

He didn't want to come off as a cheesy romantic with his silly little words. He wanted this moment to be perfect. However, from the way his speech was turning out, he was beginning to doubt himself.  

"You make my heart flutter with joy," Thomas repeated, pondering the words for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that sounds too cliche." He crumbled the paper into a small ball, tossing it. 

The prince fiddled with his pen, dipping it into the small or of black ink. He leaned forward and placed his elbow on his writing desk, settling his chin into the palm of his hand. He pursed his lips together in thought. 

"What to say?" He whispered to himself.

The prince thought long and hard, running over a million different instances on how to express his true feelings to the love of his life. He started smiling to himself, imagining how happy they would be it she accepted his proposal. 

Suddenly, a thought entered his mind. He furrowed his eyebrows and straightened his back in posture. He shook his head, hoping to deny himself from the negative thoughts. 

What if she said no? 

However, the prince's father and brothers walked into the room before he could pursue the question further. He shook his mind free of the negative thoughts, throwing a fake smile on his face as he looked at his small family.

Prince Sam walked towards the lounge chair, flopping down on it. He lifted his book towards himself, burying his time into the book. Prince Harry strutted over towards his older brother, grabbing a nearby chair. He swung the chair around and sat down, pushing his chest into the back of the chair. He folded his arms over the back of the chair, leaning forward.

The king of the north walked towards the window, putting his hands behind his back as he stared out the window. His oldest son looked up, gazing at his father from across the room. He picked up some papers, pretending to be focused on something work related instead of having to listen to his brother’s taunting voice. He ruffled the papers around in his hands, trying to distract himself.

"You’ll have to propose," the king of the north said, keeping his gaze on the outside gardens. The young prince did not look up, but he nodded his head in agreement. 

"I know," Thomas said. 

The king turned his head and looked at his son with concerned eyes. The young prince quickly turned his head, diverting his gaze back to the blank paper in front of him. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking up. 

"I am working on it," Thomas explained. 

"Do know have any idea what you are planning on saying to her? Do you have a little speech prepared? Are you going to take her someplace special?Are you going to get down on one knee or are you going to ask her standing up?" Harry's questions were flying out of his mouth at a rapid pace.

“I-I don’t know. Maybe,” Thomas said, shaking his head slightly.

The king of the north walked around the room, kneeling down to grab the crumpled pieces of paper. He unraveled one and tilted his head to the side, reading the small speech. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. His son's writing wasn't so bad. 

"Why are you not using these drafts?" The king asked, lifting the crumpled piece of paper. The young prince sunk back into his seat, feeling the heat burning his cheeks a vibrant red. He didn't say anything fore moment. 

"I-I don't want to use those," Thomas said, stumbling over his words. 

"And why not?" 

"They are not that good. When I propose to her, I want to be able to speak from my heart. I want to speak freely to her. I want to express my thoughts and feelings without any difficulty. It’s best that I just don’t write it down,” Thomas said, fiddling with his hands.

The haunting thought came back to him, making him feel sick to his stomach. The one syllable word with only two letters was his one big fear. He wouldn't be able to bear hearing that word escape through her lips after he would ask herthe most important question in his life. The word... 

No 

The young prince grabbed his small pen, twisting it between his fingers. He could barely look into his father's worried and concerned eyes. The probability of rejection was just as equal as the probability of acceptance. The thought of rejection scared the young prince. 

"I-I am afraid that proposing is not going to be so easy," Thomas said, stuttering. The king stepped forward and furrowed his eyes together in confusion, tilting his head to the side.

“Why is that?”

"B-Be...Because I am not sure she will say yes," the prince said. He could feel the hot tears filling his eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment. He clutched onto his little pen tightly, holding it close to him. 

"But at least you will know that if she says yes, it will be with her heart. You will never know until you ask her, Thomas." The king of the north said, tilting his head to the side. His eyes were filled with love for his eldest son. 

The king raised his hand into the air, summoning his other two children. They scurried to their feet, following their father. The king looked over his shoulder, gazing at his eldest son one last time before they exited the room. They left the room and closed the door behind them, leaving the young prince to his own troubling thoughts.

The prince walked through the hallways of the palace, looking for one of his brothers. He rounded the corner and nearly collided with the king of the east. The old man grunted slightly, startled in the young prince’s sudden appearance. The prince’s eyes widened in realization.

“Oh! Your Majesty, I am so sorry,” Thomas said, stumbling over his words. He reached out and touched the king’s arm, making sure the elderly man wasn’t too startled. He hoped he hadn’t given him a heart attack. The older man placed his hand on his heart, feeling the sudden pain return. “I am so sorry. Are you hurt?”

"No, i-it's nothing,” the king said, shaking his head in denial. "I was actually coming to find you. I would like for you to give these invitations to your family members. We will be hosting a ball this next upcoming week, and you are all invited," the king said with a proud smile on his face.

The prince took the four small invitations into his hands, reading the titles of names on each one. "Thank you, sir. Might I ask for what occasion?" The prince tilted his head to the side in confusion. 

The corners of the kings' lips tugged into a smile. "I think you know the occasion," the king said, smiling uncontrollably. Thomas could feel the blood rushing to his head, the heat warming his cheeks.

"I-It wouldn't happen to be an engagement party, would it?" The prince asked, almost afraid of the answer. The king nodded his head in confirmation. The prince closed his eyes, mentally cursing to himself. 

"I wanted to give you this," the king said, reaching into his pocket and grabbing something. He pulled out a small velvet box, opening it up to showcase a priceless diamond ring. 

The prince gingerly reached forward and grabbed the box in his hands, examining the breath-taking ring. "I-I don't know what to say. It's beautiful," Thomas said, shaking his head. 

"It was her mother's ring," the king stated. "Her mother wanted me to give it to her the day she got engaged. My little girl used to gaze and admire that ring, fiddling with it on her mother's dainty little finger. I think...she secretly hoped it would be her's one day. I want that to come true.”

Carefully, Thomas closed the little ring box and held it in his hands. He pursed his lips together in thought He turned his head and looked at the king with worried eyes. He breathed a nervous sigh. 

"I hope to be a good husband to her," Thomas said, nodding his head. The king reached forward and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, smiling at him reassuringly. 

"You will be," the king said, reassuring the boy not to be so nervous. The corners of the prince's lips lifted into a small smile. His brow was wrinkled because he was still afraid of the possibility of rejection. "She thinks very highly of you," the king stated. 

"Really?" Thomas asked, looking at the king with a surprised expression. The king nodded his head slowly, confirming his little question. The prince looked down at the ring box in his hands, moving it around slightly.

"She talks about you as if you put the stars in the sky," the king said, smiling profoundly. The prince looked down at his feet, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks for about the hundredth time that day. "You are a good man, Thomas." 

The prince lifted his head, gazing at his future father-in-law. The corner of his lips tugged into a brief smile for the next moment; it disappeared entirely. He moved the little box around in his hands again. 

"I know you will take very good care of my daughter. I want you both to know that I am very proud of you. You have made my little girl very happy, and for that, I am forever grateful. Thank you," the king said. 

The prince couldn't seem to form any words. He pushed his lips into his mouth and gazed down at his feet, nodding his head in acceptance. The king reached out and patted the young prince’s shoulder. The king stepped forward, walking down the hallways of the palace.

The prince turned his head to look over the small stretch of his shoulder, watching the king’s retreating figure. The king had lifted his hand to touch his chest, pushing slightly to relieve the pain. He grunted to himself, hoping and praying that the pain in his chest would go away. He pushed a little harder, successfully relieving himself of the pain.

The night of the grand ball, the princess was standing in front of the mirror in nothing but her corset. The servant was kneeling behind her, tugging at the strings tighter and tighter. The woman breathed a small gasp as the forest tightened around her waist. As the corset was tied off, the princess looked at herself in the mirror.

The servant stood to her feet and approached a chair, grabbing the princess' light pink ballgown. She turned around and carried the dress back towards the princess, slipping it over her head. The servant walked around the princess, fitting the dress around her small body nicely. 

"Tell me something," the princess said, furrowing her eyebrows together. "Do you...do you think the prince handsome?" 

In response, the servant looked up and shrugged hershoulder in defeat. She went back to fitting the dress around the princess's frame. "I-It's not in my place to say, your highness." 

"I am asking you," the princess defended. The servant pursed her lips together in thought, wondering if she should freely speak her mind in front of the royals. She lifted her head, meeting the princess's stare in the mirror. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat.

“Then...” the servant’s voice trailed off. “Yes. He is very handsome.”

The princess's lips lifted into a smile. She turned her head and looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hands over her pink dress. She tilted her head to the side as her smile left her face. 

"Do...do you think he might propose tonight?" She asked. 

"One could only hope, your highness." The servant said. The princess stepped off her stand and walked towards her vanity, sitting down properly. The servant walked towards her and grabbed her brush, working it through the princess's long hair. 

"I will never forget the moment I fell in love with him," the princess said, sighing with a smile on her face. The servant briefly looked up before grabbing a few silver pins, placing them in her hair to hold it up. "A few months ago, I sprained my ankle." 

"I remember."

"The prince carried me over the threshold. He carried me effortlessly throughout the palace, insisting that he escorted me to my room. I had grown to like him a lot, but it was in that moment thati truly knew...that I loved him," the princess added. 

"You must be very happy," the servant said. 

"I am," the princess replied, nodding her head in agreement. She stood to her feet as soon as her hair was fixed. She walked towards hertable, grabbing a few white daisies and placing them in her hair. 

The princess turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hands smoothed over her dress, wringing out any wrinkles or creases. Her soft pink lips lifted into a gentle smile. She turned her body towards the door and opened it, leaving her chambers behind. 

The servant smiled to herself as she watched the princess leave the room. She reached down and grabbed one of the little daisies on the table. She brought it to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent. She gently placed the flower in her hair, feeling like a little princess herself. 

The grand music streamed throughout the entire ballroom. The room was nearly full of guests from across the land, arranging from friends and family. The beautiful arrange of different colored dresses swung around the room in tune with the music, dancing with their partners. 

Some people stood off the to side, watching the younger people dance with a kick in their step. The rich champagne was passed around the room on silver platters from the servants, offering each guest a glass. 

As the music dialed down and the song ended, the princess looked down at the small tag attached to her wrist. She narrowed her eyes, reading off the next person she was supposed to dance with. She looked around the room before spotting a tall man walking towards her; her partner for the next dance. She politely curtsied, and he bowed his head in response.

The music started up, the violins and flutes singing their own little tunes happily. The people danced in time with the music, swaying around with their partner. As they held each other for the dance, the man couldn't help but drink in the princess's breath-taking appearance. 

On more than one occasion, the perverted man looked down at the princess's cleavage, sneaking a little peek. His one wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to his chest. The princess was more than uncomfortable in this situation. His breath reeked of the alcohol that lingered on his lips. ››

The prince could not keep his eyes off the young princess. Though he wanted to spend time with her, he had not reserved a dance with his lover. Not even one.

The various people crowding the room, talked amongst themselves. They were mostly talking about the young couple, spreading gossip and talking nonsense with each other. 

The two kings turned their heads and looked at the prince who was staring at his lover from across the room. The king of the east smiled to himself, looking at his future son-in-law. He nodded his head in approval. 

"He is such a fine looking boy," the king said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"Yes, he is," the prince's father said, nodding his head in agreement. The man couldn't help but smile, gazing at his eldest child with the utmost pride swelling in his heart. 

Some eldedy ladies were standing across the room, whispering amongst themselves about the young prince. The three ladies leaned closer together, talking of nothing but pure gossip.

"Do you see how he is gazing at her?" One of the duchesses said with a giddy smile on her old face. The two other ladies nodded their heads in agreement. 

"What is he gazing at though? Is he gazing at a princess or a future spouse?" The other elderly woman said. The ladies chatted amongst themselves, talking about the prince and the princess. 

The prince watched from afar, observing each dance carefully. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, looking at the perverted man trying to get under the princess's skirt. But he wouldn't have that happen. 

"The princess looks uncomfortable," a woman said, whispering to her friend. The prince turned his head slightly, listening in on their private conversation. The other woman nodded her head, stuffing a little cake into her mouth in the process.

“She has a courter. Why is she dancing with all these men then?" The other woman asked, shaking her head and eating another little cake happily. The woman shrugged her shoulders in defeat. 

"It's not required that she dance with her courter for every dance. She can dance with anyone she likes. I have heard that the prince of the south was supposed to propose tonight," the woman gossiped. 

"Really? That can't be!" 

"It's true. I heard it from the king myself," the lady said, lying to her friend's face. "Personally, I think that the prince backed out of the proposal. He got cold feet, and he decided that he wasn't going to ask her after all. That's why he isn't dancing with her. He probably doesn't even love her anymore," the lady said, scoffing slightly. 

The prince clenched his fists in anger, spinning around to glare at the two women. The ladies froze in their place, seeing the young prince standing before them. Thier mouth's dropped open, and their eyes widened in disbelief.

“Y-Your Highness,” they said, simultaneously curtsying. They kept their heads low for they were ashamed to even look the royal in the eye. The man gritted his teeth together before speaking to them.

“You...have no idea how much I love that woman,” the prince said angrily.

“O-Of course, your highness. W-We were foolish to think otherwise. We do apologize,” one of the ladies said, fumbling over her words. She nudged the other woman in the stomach.

“Y-Yes. We do apologize,” the other one said.

"I do not want to see you two ever again. Begone with you," the prince said, throwing his hand into the air. The two ladies were quietly escorted out of the palace by the guards, never to set foot in it again. 

The prince turned around and looked at his lover, making sure she was still there. In response, Thomas's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight before him. He clenched his fists together upon seeing the strange man with his grubby hands all over the princess. 

Suddenly, the man's hand sneaked a little lower than need be. He was nearly groping at the princess's arse. The prince could hear a number of women gasping in disbelief around him, saying that the strange man's actions were quite scandalist.

The princess's eyes widened in lean She squirmed around in the mans embrace, desperate to get away from him. He squeezed her tighter, pulling a small yelp out of her. 

That was his breaking point. The prince charged up towards the man and placed his hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from the princess. He stumbled back slightly, clearly drunk out of his mind. 

The music slowly dialed down. An awkward silence stretched throughout the room with all eyes on the little accident. The prince looked around before nodding his head at some guards. They walked towards them, bowing their heads politely. 

"I want you to escort this man out of the palace," Thomas said quietly so nobody could hear him. The two guards nodded their heads and stepped forward, grabbing the strange man. They dragged him away from the party, forcing him to leave the palace for good.

The man argued with the guards, saying that he was a duke of the west and that they had no right to throw him out. The guards ignored his ranting nonsense and forcefully shoved him out of the grand palace. 

A soft, familiar tune streamed through the air as the musicians started playing a waltz. The prince quickly stepped forward, looking at his lover with concerned eyes. She placed her hand on his arm, smiling at him reassuringly. 

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" The prince asked. 

"No, I am fine. Thanks to you," the princess said. Their lips tugged into a smile. The prince looked down at his feet, contemplating whether or not he should ask her to dance with him. 

"May I have the pleasure?" Thomas asked, reaching out a hand. The princess looked down at her small tag before looking around the room. She nodded her head hesitantly, making sure nobody was suppose to dance with her.

“I believe this one is free,” she said.

The princess reached out and took hold of the prince's hand. He led hertowards the center of the room, wrapping his arm around her waist and slowly pulling her closer into his embrace. Their hands entwined together. His other hand rested on her hip while her other hand rested on his shoulder. They swayed to the music. 

"You dance beautifully," Y/N said, furrowing her eyebrows in slight confusion. She didn't know that he could dance, let alone very good. They swayed in tune with the music, dancing with each other happily. 

"I think...before...l was afraid," Thomas admitted. His voice was low and deep, coming out in a whisper. The princess furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion, looking at the prince questionably. 

"Afraid?" 

"I was afraid of humiliating myself in front of you. I didn't want to step on your little toes,” he whispered, leaning closer. “Sometimes...it can be hard to find the right rhythm, but not with you.”

“Thomas,” the princess whispered.

“Come with me,” the prince said, pulling away from her. He reached out and offered his hand which she gladly took hold of. The prince led the princess away from the party, leaving the palace to go and walk through the gardens.

"Where are we going?" The princess asked, feeling the darkness surround her. He pulled her through the gardens until they came across the fountain. They turned their heads and looked at the palace from afar. Nobody seemed to notice their sudden disappearance. "What are we doing out here?" 

"There is something I need to ask you Thomas said. The princess placed her hands on her ones, hoping to bring herself some form of warmth. Her lips parted slightly. 

"I...I-I...I-I..." the prince couldn't seem to form any words. His breath had caught in his throat, preventing him from speaking another word. He thought fore moment, collecting his words. 

Instinctively, Thomas reached forward and cupped Y/N's face in his hands. He quickly leaned down and smashed his lips against hers. She stumbled back, taken back slightly by his sudden actions.

Slowly, she melted into the kiss. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms laced around her waist, holding her against his body. He tilted his head to the side, deepening their connection. 

When they pulled apart, the princess panted heavily in hopes to regain her breath. The prince leaned forward, pressing his head against hers. He stared at her lips, thinking of how badly he wanted to kiss her lips again. 

"I love you." 

Those three little words effortlessly rolled off his tongue. The princess pulled away from him, staring up at him with disbelief. Her lips were slightly parted. She blinked a few times, pondering his words. 

"W-What?" Her voice quivered.

"I love you," he said. His voice did not waver once. It was steady, solid. He looked her straight in the eyes. He wasn't lying at all. He meant it. He really did love her with all of his heart 

The salty tears streamed in the princess's eyes. A small smile stretched across her face. "I love you too," she said. The prince lifted his head and looked at her surprised. 

"You do?" 

"Yes," the princess said, nodding her head. The prince reached forward and cupped her face in his hands, feeling the tears begin to fill his eyes. His tears blurred and clouded his vision, but he needed to speak his mind.

"When I say I love you more, I do not mean I love you more than you love me. I mean I love you more than the bad days ahead of us. I love you more than any fight we will ever have. I love you more than the distance between us. I love you more than any obstacle that could try and come between us. I love you with my whole heart," the prince said, looking her in the eyes. 

"Thomas," she said with a broad smile on her face. The tears in her eyes streamed down her face, dripping onto the flooring beneath them. The prince shook his head, silencing her with a simple gesture. He wasn't done yet. 

"Ever since I met you, nobody else is worth thinking about. I always think of you before I fall asleep. The words you have said, the way you looked. The things we laughed about, the silent moments we shared together. And when I dream, I dream of you. Because its about you. It has always been about you,” Thomas added. 

The smile on her face only grew with each words corning out of his mouth. He used his thumb to wipe away her happy tears. She reached up and grasped onto his wrist, holding it in place as he continued speaking. 

"I may not get to see you as often as I like. I may not get to hold you in my arms all through the night. But deep in my heart, I truly know you're the one that I love. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. And I can't let you go because I love you with all my heart," he said. 

The princess closed her eyes, pushing the tears down her face. The prince dipped his head down and looked her in the eyes as soon as she opened them again. He smiled down at her. 

"Something tells me that I am going to love you forever. I don't think I will ever stop loving you. You are my future. You are my life now. A-And I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said.

Slowly, the prince lowered himself to the floor, getting down on one knee. The princess smiled uncontrollably, holding his hands in her own. The prince reached into his pocket and pulled out the black velvet box, holding it in front of her. He opened the box, drawing a small gasp from her lips. 

"Thomas!" 

She had recognized the ring. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was slightly open, staring at the ring with disbelief. The prince smiled at her little reaction, finding it the cutest thing on earth.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" 

The princess nodded her head in response. The tears were effortlessly streaming down her face for she almost couldn't control herself. "Yes," she said happily. The prince straightened his back in posture upon hewing her positive response.

“Come here, darling.”

The princess moved slightly, sitting down on his perched knee. He carefully pulled the ring out the box before sliding it onto her dainty little finger. She covered her mouth, admiring the ring's stunning beauty. It was a perfect fit. 

The young woman turned her head and wrapped her arms around the were neck, pressing her lips against his. She was still crying out of pure joy and happiness. They pulled away from each other. She rested her newly dassled hand on his chest, staring into his chocolate brown eyes. 

"I love you,' she whispered. 

"I love you," the prince said. They wrapped their arms around each other's figure, holding one another dose to their bodies. They buried their faces into the crook of each other's neck, breathing in their intoxicating scent. They stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, embracing each other like a lifeline. What a way to end the night...

The celebration had ended hours ago. The young couple finally showed up near the end. They walked towards the front of the room and gathered everyone's attention, publicly announcing their engagement. The people were beyond thrilled, expressing their congratulations throughout the rest of the night. 

A few hours later, the guests had left the palace. The servants were currently cleaning up the mess downstairs while the royals were all fast asleep in their own cozy beds. The night was quiet, peaceful, tranquil. 

The king of the north felts sudden tight pain in his chest, stronger than ever before. He gasped for air, clutching his chest in attempts to relieve himself of the unbearable pain. The pain was overwhelming, draining the king's life.

The elderly man wheezed for air as he slowly lost feeling in his body. A final breath escaped his lips before the pain came to a halting stop. The king's eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling of his chambers. The life drained from his eyes. His soul had left his body in the most painful way possible. He didn't think that death would be knocking on his door to soon. The king of the north was dead. He only wished he had said goodbye...