WINTER'S SWEET EMBRACE

"MMMF! MMMMMFF!" Lucianne thrashed wildly against the ropes binding her to the wooden chair as her face contorted in muffled shrieks.

"Quiet now, Lucianne," Maelle said in an almost friendly tone. "Now that we are all gathered here in comfortable company... Let me tell you how we got here. It’s a good thing I saved this."

She reached beneath her jacket and pulled out a torn envelope. She then flicked her wrist, tossing the letter straight into Lucianne’s face. The paper hit her cheek and fell onto her lap, revealing the crimson wax seal pressed to it – the official crest of the Crown Prince of Solara, Quinton Solara.

"I recall the night I vanished," Maelle continued while slowly walking around the tied-up girl in a circle.

"A letter was slid under my dormitory door, bearing this exact seal. It claimed Prince Quinton requested a private meeting out at a restaurant in the city to discuss the political future of Ebonspire without "student" or "court" interference. A tempting bait for a princess isolated in a foreign land who had their engagement annulled."

She stopped and leaned down until her face was mere inches from Lucianne’s.

"So tell me... did you steal his official royal seal to lure me out into the dark? Or did the two of you orchestrate my execution together? Don’t bother lying. My Familiar already told me those bandits mentioned you specifically."

She gestured faintly with her head toward Gwen, who snatched the cloth gag down from Lucianne’s mouth.

The moment her mouth was free, she gasped violently for air, her face twisting into a furious, snarl.

"You arrogant, miserable bitch! Yes! I did it! I hired those filthy bandits! I stole the seal from Quinton’s study after I fucked him! So what?! I have hated you since the second you set foot in this academy with your indifferent attitude, your disgusting white hair, and your pathetic Ebony bloodline! You think you’re better than us?! You! Are! Nothing!"

Vincent crossed his arms and let out a dry whistle. "Damn. Caught red-handed and she goes straight to the villain monologue. Classic."

Maelle didn’t flinch at the girl’s venomous outburst.

"Your fate is already sealed, Lucianne. You will remain bound in this hidden location until two conditions are met. First... your public expulsion from the Imperial Academy. Second... your transfer to Ebonspire, where you will serve a life sentence in the lowest royal dungeons for the attempted regicide of a princess."

Lucianne’s jaw dropped open. For ten seconds, silence hung in the room before she burst into hysterical laughter.

"Ahahahaha! Expulsion?! Life imprisonment?! Are you insane?! My family controls half the Academy’s board of directors! And the moment Quinton realizes I’m missing; he will crush you into fine dust! I know your relationship with your family! They don’t give a damn about you! What makes you think you have the high ground here?!"

Maelle’s violet eyes blazed with a terrifying confidence that caused Lucianne’s laughter to die in her throat.

"If your family, or Quinton... hell, even the entire kingdom of Solaria dares to attack me... I will retaliate without a shred of mercy. For I no longer stand defenseless. I now possess the strongest Familiar in existence."

Lucianne stared at her, her breathing shallow, before her eyes darted over to Vincent – who was currently leaning against the wall, idly looking confused at a strange piece of fabric that seemed to be torn off from his shirt.

Then, she erupted into a fresh wave of mocking screeching. "AHAHAHA! HIM?! THAT IS YOUR TRUMP CARD?! A worthless, weak, filthy human slave–!"

Before she could finish her rant, Gwen shoved the cloth gag violently back into Lucianne’s open mouth and pulled the knot tight behind her head.

"MMMMF! MMMMF-MMMF!"

"Much better," Vincent sighed.

With Lucianne secured, Maelle turned her gaze to the second captive – the young man bound to the chair beside her.

Gwen reached down and slipped the cloth gag off his face.

The young man immediately burst into tears. "P-PLEASE! Don’t kill me! I know me following you seemed suspicious, but I’m not a spy! I’m not an assassin! I swear on my life!"

"Then speak quickly," Gwen warned with her dagger to his neck. "Why were you following us?"

"B-Because of him!" He pointed his head at Vincent.

"I know I heard him mention the ’Black Market’ at the inn this morning. I followed you because... because rumor has it the market sells a rare, forbidden medicinal potion! A potion that can cure my little brother and sister!

"They’re terminally ill with mana-rot! The official fees are something I cannot afford! I was just desperate to find the entrance in hopes to make a deal with the one who sells them!"

Gwen listened silently before turning to Maelle, her expression hardening. "Your Highness... it is safest to ’take care’ of him. He has witnessed our illegal abduction of a high ranking noble. If he speaks, it’s over..."

Hearing the word ’take care of,’ the young man’s face drained of all color. He threw himself forward as far as his ropes would allow, weeping uncontrollably onto the floor.

"PLEASE! I’ll do anything! Spare my life! Y-You’re the Ebonspire Princess, right?! I’ll become your slave! I’ll sign a lifetime servitude contract right now! Just please don’t kill me! My siblings need me!"

The moment the word ’slave’ left his mouth, Maelle’s eyes flashed with genuine, deep disgust. Her posture went rigid and her brows furrowed into a dangerous glare.

"Never say something like that again. I do not buy, own, or accept human beings as property."

"Wha... I-I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I’ll mind my own business! I swear I’ll never speak a word of what I saw here today! Just let me go, please!"

Staring down at the weeping man, her mind began racing.

She knew she couldn’t simply let him walk away – he possessed information that could ruin them if leaked to the authorities. But execution was entirely out of the question. She was not that heartless.

"I will make you a deal," Maelle stated. "I will personally guide you into the Black Market and secure the medicine for your siblings. I will even cover the financial cost myself."

The young man froze, looking up through his tears with wide disbelief. "Y-You... you would do that?"

"Yes. On one condition. You must become our accomplice. Right now."

Maelle nodded toward Gwen. Gwen pulled the dagger from his neck and sliced through the ropes binding his wrists and ankles.

The young man stumbled out of the chair, rubbing his raw, red wrists as he looked at the princess in confusion. "An... accomplice?"

She gestured toward the bound, gagged Lucianne, who was glaring at them with pure hatred.

"Smack her across the face. Hard. I don’t like the look she’s been giving us."

"W-What?"

"Smack her," Maelle repeated, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Once you strike a high-ranking noble such as her, you’ll be tied to this crime. If you betray us, you hang alongside us. Now strike her. Make sure you throw yourself back into it."

He swallowed hard as he looked nervously between Lucianne who was glaring at him with a murderous, blood-chilling stare that screamed, "I will kill you if you touch me!"

He took a deep breath, remembered his dying siblings, squared his shoulders, and wound his arm all the way back.

SMACK!!!!!!

A loud, stinging impact echoed through the small wooden shack.

Lucianne’s head snapped violently to the side. Her eyes went wide with absolute, stunned shock as a bright red handprint bloomed across her cheek and blood trailed down her nose.

"MM..MMMF?! MMMMMFFF?!"

"Oouuu... Clean hit." Vincent winced.

Maelle let out a soft laugh, sounding of quiet amusement. "Good. You are officially an accomplice now. I’ll get you that potion."

The young man fell to his knees, bowing deeply to Maelle with tears of overwhelming gratitude flooding his eyes. "Thank you... thank you, Your Highness! I-I am Toby! My name is Toby! I am forever in your debt!"

"Hm. Toby. You will remain here with my attendant, Gwen, to guard our prisoner. Tomorrow or the day after, once my affairs are settled, Vincent and I will return to take you to the Black Market."

"Y-Yes, You Highness Thank you *sob* Thank you so much!"

"Gwen, stay vigilant," Maelle instructed. "We shall return soon."

"Understood, Your Highness."

Maelle turned and walked out of the sewer shack to return to the academy dorms with Vincent following close behind.

.

..

...

Meanwhile, back at the Imperial Academy...

The nurse pushed open the door to the infirmary room, balancing a wooden tray of potions and medicine.

"Sorry I took so long, my dear. I brought the soothing tonic; this should help calm your–"

The infirmary bed was empty.

Across the room, the glass window stood wide open with the sheer curtains billowing in the late afternoon breeze.

"Urgh. Kids, I swear..."

High above the campus rooftop, a figure stood in the shadows casted by the tall spires.

It was Ava. But she no longer looked like the shy, awkward teenage student in glasses. She was a mature adult woman in every sense of the word.

In her hand, she held up a glowing, purple communication crystal.

"Why hasn’t she been dealt with yet?!" a distorted voice complained through the crystal. "You were given three days, Ava! I am getting very impatient!"

Ava stretched her arms, letting out a raspy chuckle that dripped with dangerous charm.

"Patience, my dear employer~ Princess Maelle just up and for three whole days. I couldn’t exactly assassinate a ghost, could I? Also, blending in with a bunch of kids is pretty hard, you know? Besides... an unexpected anomaly got in my way today when she finally returned."

A dark blush touched her cheeks as she remembered the sweet scent of the fabric tucked safely inside her cleavage.

"Her new Familiar... Vincent. He is... exquisite."

"I don’t care about her pet! Maelle had her chance to prove her worth! But after summoning a lowly human Familiar, all bets are off the table! Her time has run out! Kill her by tonight or else!"

Ava’s sultry smile faded slightly, replaced by a lethal glint in her glowing magenta eyes.

"Very well," she purred softly, stepping up to the very edge of the rooftop, her spade tail whipping playfully through the air. "Rest assured... The job will be finished tonight."