“This is a bad idea,” Juni said, fluttering by Alex’s ear.
“Hush,” the princess replied, peering through the treetops at their destination - the Crow Prince’s castle.
It sat at the edge of a cliff on Crooked Mountain overlooking the Dark Forest - a gothic monstrosity if she’d ever seen one. The trademark peak of Crooked Mountain curled over the top of the castle, which seemed dangerous to Alex, but she supposed it was plenty foreboding. As was the perpetual fog covering the ground of the Dark Forest.
“I’m with the fairy,” Boudicca grumbled, eyeing the white barked trees around them suspiciously.
“Well my mind is made up, so unless either of you has a better idea…” Alex said, sighing as she crossed her arms.
“I have one - just run away literally anywhere else,” Juni huffed, landing on the princess’s shoulder.
“Yeah, and get caught in a few months and dragged back home?” Alex snorted, “No thanks - besides, you two are overreacting.”
“Overreacting?” the fairy scoffed, holding out thon arms, “We can barely see the road in front of us in this fog, and that’s with a wisp-lantern.”
“If you can call it a road,” Boudicca added wryly, eyeing the hard packed earth beneath her large paws.
Alex twisted to look back at the lantern in question - they’d brought it because wisp-light was the best at cutting through fog. The lantern hung above the small wagon containing all the things Alex had brought with her - clothing, travel supplies, and her dowry.
After all, it wouldn’t do to ask the Crow Prince to marry her without it.
The princess herself was riding on Boudicca’s back, and the dire wolf was graciously pulling the cart along. It had been quite the hassle to set all this up - stealing her own dowry had probably been the hardest part. But the point was they were here now, and she wasn’t going to turn back without at least trying.
“How much longer until we reach the castle, do you think?” Alex asked, facing forward again.
“A few hours yet,” Boudicca said, sniffing the chill air, “Though I think there is a town along the way.”
“There certainly is,” a new voice said, just before a person stepped out of the mist in front of them.
They were tall and thin, with a gray pallor to their deathly white skin. Long black hair fell down to their ankles, and their slit-pupiled eyes glowed red in the dim light. Small white fangs peeked out from under their lip, and the tips of pointed ears peeked out from under their hair.
Boudicca growled, tensing as she stopped.
“Vampire,” Juni hissed, moving to hide under Alex’s hair.
“Hello there!” the princess said cheerfully, ignoring the pair as she smiled brightly, “I’m Princess Alex of the Kingdom of Auralin , and you are?”
“Alex!” Juni reprimanded in a hushed whisper.
“A princess?” the vampire bowed, “Greetings, your highness - I am Minister Elian, and advisor to the Crow Prince. If I may be so bold, what business do you have in our kingdom?”
“I’ve come to ask the Crow Prince to marry me,” Alex said.
For a moment, Elian didn’t move at all - then slowly they straightened, and tilted their head. They didn’t say anything as they seemed to gauge the princess’s sincerity.
“It’s true!” Alex said, tilting her head up.
After a few more moments of scrutiny, Elian snorted, the smallest smile gracing their face. They bowed again, “In that case, your highness, please allow me the honor of escorting you and your companions the rest of the way to Shadowpeak Castle.”
“Yes, thank you very much,” the princess replied.
“I don’t trust them,” Boudicca growled.
“Neither do I,” Juni added, muffled by Alex’s hair.
“Well I do, so I can go on with or without the two of you,” the princess said cheerfully.
“It will not be so long a journey as you think,” Elian said, before pulling out a curled black horn and blowing through it.
Boudicca whined, “Alex…”
“It’ll be fine,” her friend said, leaning over to pat the dire wolf’s shoulder.
Soon, they heard the sound of flapping wings, and five large gargoyles landed behind Elian.
“You called, Minister?” one of them asked, arching a brow at the princess and her companions.
“This is Princess Alex of Auralin, and she has come to offer the Prince a proposition,” the vampire replied, waving at the wagon and company, “I hope you will not mind helping me escort them to the castle.”
“I suppose not…” the gargoyle said, then sighed. He turned to the trio, and bowed, “Your highness, if you would not mind getting inside your wagon, my compatriots and I will carry you all to Shadowpeak.”
Alex slipped off Boudicca’s back, unhooking the wagon harness as well, “I don’t mind at all - it certainly makes the trip faster for us!”
Boudicca growled, but huffed and padded around to enter the wagon.
Alex hummed as she climbed in after, closing the door and latching it - just to make sure no one fell out. She poked her head out the small window, “Ready when you are!”
The lead gargoyle looked at Elian uncertainly before shrugging, and sending two of the other gargoyles to lift the wagon. Elian watched for a moment before turning into a large, bat-like creature and taking wing themself.
Alex giggled in a rush of excitement as the wagon took to the air, watching their progress as the gargoyles flew them to the castle at tremendous speed.
Boudicca whined, shutting her eyes tightly against the sensation - loves were not meant to fly.
The gargoyles deposited them at the main entrance, quickly dispersing - save for the lead one.
“Forgive me, your highness, for not introducing myself,” he said, and bowed, “I am Claude-Pierre, Captain of the Royal Guard.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Alex replied, curtsying in return. She turned as Elian landed, shifting back to their more human appearance, and curtsied to them as well, “Thank you for your help, Minister Elian - but if I might make a request…”
“Of course you may, your highness - though I cannot guarantee it will be within my power to grant,” the vampire said.
“What are you doing?” Juni hissed, peeking out to take a quick glance at the castle.
“It’s been a long journey, and I would appreciate a chance to freshen up before presenting myself to the Prince,” Alex said, ignoring them.
“Of course,” Elian nodded, “Claude-Pierre, if you would inform the Prince of his guests while I escort her highness to a guest suite?”
“Minister,” the gargoyle said, nodding in agreement before turning and climbing up the side of the wall.
“This way, your highness,” the vampire minister said, leading the way into the front hall.
Alex looked around with interest, putting a hand on Boudicca’s shoulder as the wolf walked beside her.
The denizens of the castle seemed startled by their appearance, whispering to each other as she passed. Most seemed to be corvyds - humanoids with dark gray skin and black wings, as well as bird talons and solid black eyes. There were a few other vampires, as well as more gargoyle guards at random intervals.
The princess gasped as they entered the main hall - the arched ceiling was painted with a fresco featuring skeletons dancing with crows and bats, white branches of Dark Forest trees sprouting from each edge. Gargoyle faces lined the edges, and at the very center was a depiction of Luum - the moon goddess, a beautiful fat moth woman. There was a grand staircase, with a portrait of what had to be the Crow Prince at the top - flanked by impressive tapestries.
“I hope you are not disturbed, your highness,” Elian said, leading the way up the grand staircase.
“The mural is gorgeous,” Alex said, craning her neck to keep it sight, then finally looked down at the portrait, “And I suppose this is the Prince?”
“Correct,” the vampire nodded, “In his werecrow form.”
“Can you really marry that?” Juni asked, poking thon head out.
“If he can hold a single dinner conversation without singing a ballad about his own adventures, I don’t see why not,” Alex replied.
“The Prince hates singing,” Elian added helpfully, leading the guests to the western wing.
“All singing, or just his own?” the princess asked, following along while admiring the portraits of past royals - usually in a monstrous form.
“Mainly his own,” the vampire clarified.
“Oh good, because I still like singing,” Alex said.
“Entirely too much for someone that complains about others,” Boudicca growled - but there was no bite to it. After all, wolves loved singing as well.
“I complain that he only sings about himself - he has a fine voice otherwise,” the princess said.
They were speaking, of course, of her betrothed - Prince Valiance of Shimmaria, the elven lands. Alex and Valiance had been matched to be wed since childhood - and while Alex hadn’t given the matter much thought in her younger years, her father suddenly bringing up the engagement and all that would entail spurred her into action.
Elian led them for several more minutes before opening a door for them, “This is the Autumn Suite, your highness. I took the liberty of having some men bring up your things - please, take as much time as you need. I will wait out here for your return.”
“Thank you, Minister Elian,” Alex smiled brightly, entering the room without hesitation.
As soon as the door closed, Juni flew out and bobbed in front of the princess’s face, “Alex! What are you doing? This could be a trap!”
“Oh, of course, how silly - now I’m stuck in the castle I asked to go to. Fiddlesticks,” Alex replied, running to the balcony to throw the doors open and peer around, “Do you think more gargoyles brought the bags up?”
“That or vampires,” Boudicca replied, sniffing around the room and seeming to be satisfied.
“In any case, I feel a bit cheated that humans can’t fly,” the princess said, walking back inside and pulling the doors closed behind her. She opened one of her suitcases as she looked around, “I can see why they call this the Autumn Suite - though I wasn’t expecting a room so warm in the Crow Kingdom.”
“It… does have some charm, I suppose,” Juni admitted begrudgingly, crossing thon arms as thon sat on the mantle of a wide, roaring fireplace.
The suite was decorated in orange, yellow, and brown hues - and patterns of leaves and gourds.
Selecting an appropriate dress from her things, Alex vocalized nonsense as she moved into the bedroom - and gasped.
Boudicca and Juni were after her in a moment.
“Isn't this just darling?” the princess exclaimed, tossing her dress at the foot of the bed. A bed which was composed of a round mattress set in a cut out of a golden pumpkin. Vines curled down from the top to form tables on either side, and colorful pillows were stacked up at the head of it. The vines also struck up towards the ceiling, coming down to form a chandelier with maple leaf candle holders.
Boudicca huffed, finding a corner to lay down in, “Don’t scare us like that…”
“Sorry,” Alex said unrepentantly, sliding out of her fur coat and pulling off her wig. The former she left on the floor, the latter she set on a side table.
Juni moved to undo the back straps of the travel dress without being asked, “I still think this is a terrible idea.”
“So you’ve said,” the princess laughed, sliding out of the dress as well - leaving her in a shift and petticoat. It didn’t take any effort to find a wash basin in the room, and she quickly dampened a cloth to wipe off the dirt from the road.
Juni went on thon own exploration of the suite as the princess finished cleaning up. Alex called her back to help with the new dress - initially, she’d packed a mourning gown for this encounter. She’d thought it would help her fit in. After seeing the suite, however, she decided on a different outfit - one decorated with orange and red roses. Once she’d fixed her make-up and put on a new wig over her short red hair, she nodded at her reflection and rose.
“You two ready?” she asked, heading for the door.
“I suppose,” Boudicca huffed, rising and shaking out her sleepiness to follow.
Juni zipped back over to hide in the dire wolf’s fur, “If we have to…”
“Oh, Boudicca, would you grab-” Alex started.
“Your dowry?” the wolf asked, and trotted over to a small trunk, “Sure.”
“Thank you,” the princess smiled, then opened the door to the castle to find Elian waiting as promised - with a new person.
“Your highness,” the vampire bowed, “This is Steward Olivia.”
“A pleasure,” Alex said, curtsying.
“That remains to be seen,” the corvyd woman replied, looking the princess up and down coldly, “Minister Elian refuses to tell me what business you have here, your highness.”
The princess looked to the vampire, “He does?”
“They, your highness,” Elian corrected.
“Thank you,” Alex said, “Well, my business is no secret - but if the Minister thinks it best that I wait…”
“Since the matter will be revealed shortly, I see no reason your highness should explain herself so many times,” the vampire said, bowing again, “Though the choice remains yours.”
“Thank you for the consideration,” the princess said, and nodded, “With all due respect, Steward Olivia-”
“Very well,” Olivia hummed, “The Prince has already agreed to see you, after all.”
“Excellent,” Alex said, stepping into the hall to allow her companions to join her.
Olivia snapped her fingers, and a few servants in silver livery seemed to appear out of thin air. She pointed to the trunk, “Carry that - we can’t have it scuffing the floor.”
“Thank you, Steward - even if it wasn’t for my sake,” the princess said, putting her hand on Boudicca’s shoulder as the wolf walked up to her.
The woman sniffed, and walked ahead.
“This way, your highness,” Elian said, smiling slightly.
Alex hummed as she was led back through the halls, still curiously taking in the decor.
“These are the doors to the throne room,” Olivia announced as they reached them, “I will enter first to announce you.”
“Of course,” the princess said.
“If you two would enter with me from the side,” Elian said to Boudicca and the hidden Juni.
Boudicca growled uncertainly.
“Go on, I’ll be fine,” Alex said encouragingly.
“... only because I’ll still be in biting distance,” the dire wolf said.
“Be careful!” Juni said, poking thon head out for only a moment.
Alex shook her head and smiled at the worrying, watching her friends follow the vampire away before turning her attention back to the Steward.
Olivia sniffed, then nodded to the gargoyles flanking either side of the doors.
Here we go, the princess thought to herself.
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