Chapter 2: -KISS-
"Welcome to wonderland, Your Majesty," the brown-haired man said, smiling, causing his dimples to appear.
"His voice differs from the voice I heard while unconscious." I thought to myself, watching him warily.
"Who are you?" I inquired as I stood up, staring him down resolutely.
"I'm Jack, your Majesty's personal guard." He stated proudly.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you've got the wrong guy. I am certain I should be in heaven, considering the fact I just died." I reply, looking around this strange place.
"Yep, that proves it. You're the new king of Wonderland," he says, smiling brightly.
"Is he smiling brighter than before, or is that just the sun playing tricks on my eyes?" I thought to myself. I raised my hand, wiping my forehead with the back of my palm.
"Oh, right! You must be exhausted; follow me to the castle so you can rest, Your Majesty."
"Why should I follow you anywhere, let alone trust you?" I questioned, eyeing the man warily.
"Either way, I'm going to have to follow this weirdo. I don't know what happens after it gets dark, how cold it will be, or what happens here in general. After all, this guy said this place is called Wonderland. If I know anything about Wonderland, it's that it doesn't make any sense."
"Because I took an oath the moment I could talk. That I shall live and die by His Majesty's side. I shall stand beside His Majesty in rain, fire, sleet, and snow. I shall do whatever it is his majesty orders me to do, even killing myself or my entire family. No matter the price, I shall do everything in my power to protect his majesty. Even if that means giving you my last breath of air." He says, staring at me, standing straighter with a proud look on his face.
"What are you so proud of? You basically just signed your life away, fool." I thought to myself, throwing him a questioning look.
"That's extreme." I state, calming my inner thoughts.
"Yes, it is, and I shall follow it to the letter, so do not fear. Okay?" He responded dutifully.
"Whatever you say, let's just go. It's getting darker." I reply, looking around the strange forest once more.
It's best I follow him for now. So far he's the only human I've come in contact with, and he's my safest bet. Hopefully, he's not a murderer.
"Sure. Follow me, Your Majesty."
"Don't call me 'Your Majesty'; call me Rean."
"Oh, no. I couldn't; Bellazard would have my head."
"I'll have your head if you call me that one more time." I say, glaring at him.
"Right. It won't happen again, Your Ma... I mean, Rean," he replies with a nervous chuckle, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck.
"Good." I respond, looking straight ahead.
——————
(Four hours later)
———————
"How far away is this castle of yours?" I asked, sweat dripping down the sides of my face. My back is now drenched in sweat. The hot gusts of wind do little to soothe my suffering.
"It's two days away on foot, half a day on horseback, and seconds with teleportation magic."
"I'm not walking for two days; there are no horses in sight, so that leaves teleportation." I say, staring at him.
"We can't just teleport; we have to have permission from the king himself or a few other trusted—"
"I AM THE KING!" I shouted, glaring at him. "Or so I'm told." I mutter to myself.
"Oh yeah! Your Highness, this humble servant asks for permission to—"
"Just teleport us to the damn castle." I cut him off, an annoyed expression etched on my face.
"Right, hold on to me, Rean," he says, wrapping his arm around my waist. Which I was very much against. After a while of awkward positions, we finally just decided on a hug so he could teleport us. "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make; I am not capable of walking for two straight days." I thought to myself, clinging to him tightly.
"You might wanna close your eyes; this is gonna get bright." Jack says, his voice steady but edged with command.
"Here we go." He said, I braced myself for some kind of pain. Instead of pain, a warm feeling washed over me. The smell of sandalwood tickled my nose. I took a nice, long whiff of the sandalwood-scented air before opening my eyes.
"Oh, you opened your eyes just in time, Rean. Look," he said, pointing at the beautiful castle. It was massive—seriously, I'm not exaggerating. The place looked like four mansions fused together; two tall spires rose from the front towers, sharp and elegant, while a third tower stood farther back, slightly detached. There was a massive, ethereal garden stretching out in front, filled with flowers I'd never seen before. Some are shaped like stars, an array of colors from gold and silver to white and midnight blue. Others are shaped like ancient Chinese lanterns with long stems. I assume you can use them as a source of light. Some are even curled like ribbons, but the one that caught my eye was a blue flower. That looked to be carved from crystal. Its petals hung lazily, dripping with water that sparkled in the sunlight.
"I wish I could get a closer look," I muttered to myself.
Beyond the garden, on the castle grounds, stood a masterfully crafted fountain. A gleaming phoenix perched atop the fountain's platform, wings unfurled in mid-ascent, its beak parted to release a shimmering arc of water that danced in the sunlight like liquid fire. Two smaller fountains featuring fire lions at their hearts are positioned on either side. There is an adequate distance between them.
"Pretty cool, right?" Jack asked, smiling at me.
"Mhm," I nodded my head a little, amazed by the sights in front of me.
"Shall we go in then?" Jack asked, ushering me forward.
I simply nodded and followed alongside him
"Jack looks a little too excited. I wonder what's going on." I thought to myself, looking at the man questioningly following Jack as he walked toward the castle door.
"It feels like someone's watching me." I thought. Cutting my eyes around, analyzing the area.
"Rean, we should hurry; someone is following us," Jack whispered to me. I nod, quickening my pace.
"Come on, your majesty, keep up." Jack says once we reach the castle doors. Jack yanks the doors open, hurrying inside and pulling me with him; just before the door closes all the way, a sword skims through.
[BOOM!!]
The door slammed shut with a deep, echoing thud—its finality wrapped around me like a shield, as if the very sound was whispering reassurance: no harm would breach these doors, not while they stood between me and the threat.
Jack walked over to the sword, bending down and scrutinizing it. "Zaphrian that fool, how dare he try to hurt His Maj—"
I shoot a glare towards Jack, causing him to abruptly stop at the end of his sentence.
"I m-mean Rean," he clarifies, lifting his hands into the air in surrender.
"Mhm." I hummed coldly, shooting him another look. I walk over to him and pick up the sword that was jammed into the floor with relative ease.
"Look what it did to this beautiful floor." Rean states, looking coldly at the gash in the floor.
"Another beautiful thing ruined at the hands of a human." I thought to myself.
"Don't concern yourself with such trivial matters, Rean. We must go; it's getting late."
"Fine." I state coldly.
"Nonetheless, people shouldn't ruin other people's hard work; I'm sure whoever constructed this castle put their blood, sweat, and tears into making it. That guy had no right to mess it up; just like this sword, he shouldn't just go around throwing precious things about like trash." I say, a cold fury burning behind my violet eyes.
"Wait, Rean, you can pick that up!?" Jack asked, well, shouted in surprise.
"Um... it's in my hand and I can lift it in the air so.... Yeah." I say, holding the sword up.
"But the sword only allows its wielder to touch it; if anyone else were to touch it—they'd turn to ash." Jack stated, his face pale and his jaw slackened in surprise, examining me.
"Well, I feel fine." I say, staring at him blankly.
"Okay... Then follow me," he says, straightening up, puffing out his chest, and walking down the hallway. I follow on the side of him, shooting him a questioning look.
"He looks ridiculous." I thought to myself, shaking my head walking alongside him.
(A Very Long Walk Later)
After a while of walking, we stop at a grand door—tall and imposing, its surface gleaming like obsidian, golden fish shimmer across it in intricate patterns, their curved bodies arranged as if mid-swim, frozen in motion yet somehow alive.
"And we're here." Jack says, smiling.
"I see," is all I say in response. I hear Jack chuckle as he knocks on the door.
"Who is it?" A calm voice calls from inside.
"It's me, Jack, and I have his Highness here with me." No more than five seconds later the grand door swung open, revealing a tall, slender man. His silver hair shimmered under the light as it spilled around his face—mature lines etched into his features, yet he was remarkably handsome; his piercing blue eyes complemented his silver hair well.
"Y-You're so young. You mean to tell me you passed on this young? How did that happen?" He questions gently. With sympathy and pity in his eyes.
"It's a long story." I muttered, not keen on talking about it.
"I see, pardon my rudeness, why don't you come in and take a seat? We will have some refreshment for you momentarily." he says, opening the door wider, stepping to the side. Allowing me and Jack to enter, I walked into the room, Jack following behind me. I take a seat on the charcoal-colored two-person couch, looking around. This place is beautiful; the marble floor is a midnight blue color with sparkly silver streaks running through it, and the walls are frosted lavender with silver flecks here and there. Little silver fishes in mid-swim are painted along the bottom of the walls. A black and gold desk that complements the two-person couch and an armchair sits in the middle of the office across from the couch. Behind the desk, there are two huge silver curtains with an intricate golden flower pattern, pulled back, revealing a big window. From said window you can see the garden. Jack sits beside me, and Bellazard, I'm guessing, sits on a charcoal-colored armchair across from us. Other than the couch and chair, there are two huge wooden bookshelves filled to the brim with books. There's also a small table by the desk with tea and a half-eaten tart on a plate sitting on it.
"I'm Bellazard, and as you may already know, this is my little brother Zapherian." A boy that looked to be my age walked out of the corner. Half his silver neck-length hair is pulled into a high ponytail that sits in the middle of his head.
"How did I not see him?" I voiced to myself, confused.
"Ah, the castle wrecker in the flesh." I say with a cool small smirk
.
"Zapherian, why did you attack Rean?" Jack snarled out, glaring at Zapherian, ready to pounce.
"Because I wanted to. Also, where's my sword?" Zapherian said, cocking his head to the other side, a smug smile playing on his face. For a second there it looked like he was puffing out his cheeks.
"It's fine, Jack; some people are just ignorant little children who refuse to grow up." I say icily, leaning back against the couch, closing my eyes.
"Why You, little…" I heard Zapherian say
-Swish-
"Zapherian, stop!!!" I hear Jack and Bellazard shout in sync as I catch Zapher's fist; I look up, scowling.
"What's all the fuss about?" I asked, opening my eyes, smirking at his fist caught in my hand.
"H-How did you…" Zapherian asked, confused
"What's the matter, Zapher? Did I surprise you?" I asked coldly at his shocked face.
"No, and don't call me that," he says, pulling his hand away as he purses his lips into a straight line, standing up straight before turning away, walking out of the office, and shutting the door quietly behind him.
"What about your sword?" I asked as I waved it in the air.
"I'll make sure he gets it; just leave it here with me." Bellazard said, sighing.
"Anyways, what were you saying?" I asked, my features schooling back into my uninterested expression.
"Ahem… I was thinking about holding the marriage ceremony today."
"Wait, what marriage ceremony?" I asked, turning to Jack
"Um, it's… Why don't you explain, Bellazard?" Jack said, shifting nervously.
"Rean, was it? In the prophecy it states that you are to find your other half upon your arrival here, and the marriage ceremony should be held the night you get here." Bellazard said, looking at me sympathetically.
"I see, I guess those are the rules." I say, icily.
"Sorry, Rean, but we must follow them to the utmost of our ability," he said, looking down sorrowfully.
"It's whatever; can I take a bath and a nap first?"
"Of course, Jack takes him to his room."
"Alright, Rean, let's go." Jack says excitedly.
"What are you so chipper about?" I asked, eyeing him, as we made our way to the door.
"Because I get to give his ma—I mean Rean—a tour."
"Who said anything about a tour? We're just going to the room I'll be sleeping in so I can sleep." I say, snapping my eyes to him once more.
"Still, it's going to be awesome." Jack said excitedly.
"Whatever you say." I respond, shaking my head as we walk down the hallway.
After walking for a while, we stop at another grand door just as tall and imposing as the last, its surface gleaming like obsidian, golden flowers shimmering across it in intricate patterns, their delicate petals arranged as if mid-fall, frozen in motion.
"So, this is where I'll be staying from now on?" I asked, my eyes flickering around, observing the area.
"Yep, the bathroom is right through that door, and there are some clothes on the bed for you," Jack stated, pointing at the king-sized bed.
"Alright, thanks." I reply, grabbing the clothes and walking toward the bathroom
"Some maids will be here shortly to help you bathe."
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm capable of cleaning myself." I state matter-of-factly.
"Okay, just call me if you need anything."
I simply nod, walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
"This place is enormous," I thought, surveying the surroundings. The bathtub could easily accommodate four people, the toilet was lavish, and the mirror was massive. The bathroom sinks, exquisitely crafted, were set into an obsidian marble counter adorned with gold streaks, and the sink faucets gleamed with a golden sheen. At the center of the counter, a blue glass vase held sweet violet flowers, complemented by the stunning blue crystal flowers I saw in the garden earlier.
"They remind me of Zapher's striking blue eyes. Wait, why am I even thinking about that?" I shook my head, dismissing the thought as I walked toward the shower. Stripping off my clothes, I turned on the water and stepped in. The warm cascade relaxed my tense muscles. I glanced down at the scar on my stomach.
"I was only eight years old when my dad shot me in my stomach and told me I was no kin of his. My mom cried her eyes out, sorrowfully apologizing to me. She held me so tightly in her arms, promising me that she would never let another person cause me harm again. In the end she hurt me the most," I thought to myself as I turned off the water, dried my wet body, and put on the clothes the maids had prepared for me.
I'm wearing black slacks paired with a midnight blue well-fitted turtleneck and a black-colored suit jacket with a crystal blue rose brooch pinned into the chest area. My outfit is paired with black dress shoes detailed with black stitching. I scrutinize my appearance in the mirror to make sure I look presentable. After I am satisfied with my appearance, I take my hair tie out, and my mini twists fall to my shoulders. I pulled half of them up into a ponytail and let the other half fall.
I made my way out of the bathroom and back into the quiet room; I took in my surroundings once more. The walls are misty grey, and similar to the door, the marble floor is an obsidian black. There are white specks throughout the entire floor, making it resemble a starry night sky.
As I sit on the bed, the realization hits me: I'm dressed, so I won't be able to sleep without messing up my clothes. Guess I won't be taking that nap after all.
"Knock, Knock"
I heard a knock on the door as I checked my outfit for the last time. I walked over to the door, placing my hand on the doorknob.
"Who is it?" I asked, my hand steady on the doorknob.
"It's me," a cold yet fiery voice called out from the other side of the door.
"Zapher, what's he doing here?" I thought to myself as a mischievous smile graced my lips.
"Me who?" I asked, a hint of challenge in my voice, as I waited for his response.
"You know who I am, now open the damn door, bastard." Zapher hissed out, the annoyance clear in his voice.
"No name, no entry." I responded playfully.
"I have no idea why I'm behaving this way, or what's come over me, but I just can't help it." I thought to myself.
"You—" A pregnant silence fills the air.
"Maybe I should open the door." I thought, just as I went to open the door, his voice cut through the silence.
"It's me, Zapher, or at least that's what you keep calling me, anyways. Open the door." A radiant smile graced my lips as I opened the door.
"What are you smiling about? Like, getting on my nerves that much?" He asked, annoyed by the sight of me.
"Wait, am I smiling? What the f*ck am I smiling for?" I thought to myself, pursing my lips together firmly.
"You should smile more; it looks good on—" Zapherian paused abruptly, realizing the words that came out of his mouth.
"Anyways, c-come on, everyone's waiting for you." He says, turning on his heels and walking ahead of me. I walk briskly to catch up to him.
"You look nice." I say, my eyes sweeping across his body, analyzing him. The way the white suit jacket hugs his frame and the dark black turtleneck fits his curves and crevices. The slacks slightly hug his butt, then loosen around his legs. His suit jacket has a golden rose brooch pinned to the chest area of his suit jacket
"So, who's the lucky lady or man?" I asked, sounding more bitter than intended.
"I…" His steps come to a halt as he turns to look at me.
"I don't know, whoever it is... never mind." He says, walking quicker than before.
"Hey, wait up. Why are you walking so fast?" I say, jogging after him.
"Hurry up, no one has time for your dawdling." He said, turning around, glaring at me, then turned back around, walking ahead, his head held high.
Soon, we reach the ballroom doors—tall and breathtaking, their obsidian surface gleaming like polished stone. A golden phoenix is carved into the center, wings outstretched. Surrounding it, fire flowers tumble in mid-fall, their petals etched with delicate flames frozen in motion.
"Come on, we need to go in." I say, reaching for the door handle
"Wait, come here," Zapher says, pulling me to him.
"What are you doing?" I asked, shocked at how easily he pulled me to him.
"Making sure you don't look like an incompetent imbecile; I can't have my people thinking that the new king of Wonderland is an idiot who doesn't know how to properly wear a brooch." He states, fixing the collar of my suit jacket and straightening my brooch.
"There, all done, well…. At least you look like an imbecile and not an incompetent one instead." He stated icily, turning his back to me.
"Am I an exception, or are you typically this rude?" I asked, eyeing him.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" He responds, opening the ballroom doors.
"His majesty Rean Knightheart!" the guard/announcer yelled. "His royal highness Zapherian Rossavelt!"
I walk into the ballroom with my head held high, back straight, eyeing everyone coldly. Zapher walks beside me, posture on point, eyes not cold but distant. "Now that I think about it. I'm taller than this pipsqueak." I thought to myself, tossing a few glances his way, until his eyes cut to me with a cold, murderous look in them. I quickly looked away and focused on the crowd once more.
"Rean, I see you made it here unscathed." Jack said, looking me over and then tossing a glare Zaphers way.
"Yes, as you can see, his royal highness is in tip-top shape, not a hair missing off his precious little head." Zapher responded sarcastically.
"Yeah, I'm alright." I say, distantly, my eyes darting around looking for the food.
"Anyway, what am I supposed to do now?" I asked, looking back at them when I failed to locate the food.
"Follow me." Jack said, guiding me through the crowd, well, not really, considering the fact that everyone parted to either side of the ballroom, letting Jack, Zapher, and me walk through. We walked through the crowd of nobles to the staircase. We made our ascent up the staircase to Bellazard.
"Rean, it's good to see you here unscathed." Zard says, eyeing his younger brother; this time Zapher just rolls his eyes, unwilling to dignify his brother with a response.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Anyway, what's the plan?" I asked, eager to get this over with so I could go to sleep. It's been a long day. My rival confessed, I died and woke up, and now this.
"Well, we have chosen 4 of the best for you. 2 men and 2 women, and do not fret, we got new candidates according to your age." Zard said proudly, checking his clipboard.
"That's right," Jack says, smiling cheerfully, though I'm certain that's his default.
"First of all, we have Lady Miriam Fortune, the daughter of one of the 4 dukes of Wonderland. She is good at all things politics, she likes to read romance novels, and she has a sweet tooth." I looked at the long brown-haired girl. She had forest green eyes. With porcelain skin and cherry red lips, she was slender and petite.
"Not my type." I thought to myself.
"Next." I say, uninterestedly.
"Right next is Sir Alexzander Cross; he is the son of one of the wealthiest merchants in Wonderland." Alexzander has short red hair and freckles and light grey eyes; he's small like Jacob and too quiet and shy-looking for me.
"Next." I say, yawning scratching the back of my neck.
"This is Lady Misa Carvoto, from the village of Lozomino. Though she is not the richest person, she is quite smart; she is even enrolled in the prestigious Roseheart Academy. Unlike Miriam, she has tanned skin, probably from working on a farm or something; she has shoulder-length jet-black hair and pale blue eyes that are nice but nowhere near as pretty as Zapher's eyes. She's a little taller than Lady Miriam and looks like she would rather be anywhere but here.
"While I commend you on your achievements." I say, pausing. "Next." She smiles and mouths a thank you to me before walking out."
"Of course, last but not least, Vander Zacrow.
He is not from the wealthiest family, but his family is financially stable. like Misa He is one of the smartest people in Spade Academy, and that's no easy feat."
He smirks, lifting his head as if he'd known all his life I would choose him. I laugh on the inside but keep a straight face on the outside. He is tall, though not taller than me. He has neck-length green hair and honey-brown eyes. His skin is a little darker than Misa's, almost my skin color—caramel brown. He has thin lips tiny ears
[Mini Council room in head + a bunch of mini Reans.]
🧐 Head of the meeting: "What do you guys think?"
😡 Mean Rean: "I thi—"
😇 Nice, Rean: "This guy is a total sh*tshow I mean, who does this small-eared rodent think he is?!"
😡 Mean Rean: "Wh-What he said!!!"
😐 Neutral Rean: "NEXT!!!!
🧐 Head of the meeting: "All in favor say, 'I.'"
🧐😡😇😐: "I" (back to reality)
"Next," I announce loud and clear, apathetic to this whole thing.
"WHAT!?"
"Your majesty, he is the last one." Bellazard says, a little shocked.
Zapher bursts out laughing while Jack tries to make him stop. I stand up and walk toward Zapher, which gets his and everybody's attention.
"Take me to the food; I'm hungry. Those refreshments never made it to Zard's office." I say yawning. Zapher glared at me, pinching my arm.
"Why should I? Go get food by yourself. You've barely been the king for a day and are already trying to boss me around." He said, crossing his arms over his chest, an displeased look settled on his face.
"Don't be a smartass." I say, throwing my arm over his shoulder turning to look at Zard
"While I get food, you get new people, Kay." I nodded to him.
"Okay, but be back in an hour or two." He said, sighing.
"Sure." I say, grabbing Zapher's hand.
"Take me to the food." I say, not knowing which way to go.
"I told you to stop telling me what to do," he said, glaring at me.
"Wait, just one moment! How dare you not choose me?! Do you know what I can do to you?!" The boy yelled exasperatedly.
"There's always that one, isn't there." I thought as I sighed and turned towards him, "Just leave." I say, turning back towards Zapher, who is struggling to keep from laughing at his cliché villain line.
"Watch out!" Zapher shouted, pulling me towards him. I tripped over my foot and landed face-first on Zapher's face. 'Ar—are we kissing!!!' 😱 A bright light engulfed me and Zapher.
"I probably won't be getting any food or sleep anytime soon." I thought to myself.
To be continued