Archive of Our Own

Once upon a time, in a castle far, far away, lived a dragon prince and his three loyal followers.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu really shouldn't be here.

This castle is old—so old that it is said to have been standing since the age of mages when magic was as common as the leaves on the trees. Rumor had it that the castle itself was magic. At least, that’s what the elders in the past town Yuu was in said. They said it was forbidden for anyone in the village to go in there. No one came into the castle, and no one left the castle.

Unfortunately for Yuu, they are lost. So very, very lost. Right now, the castle is the only landmark in this snow-ridden land.

Fortunately for Yuu, they aren’t one of the villagers, so they aren’t forbidden to enter the castle.

Little wins, they guess.

Yuu knows they won’t survive in this weather. It's the dead of night, and the snowstorm raging outside is only gonna get worse. Right now, their best bet is this castle. The bread in their bag should last them a few days, or just enough until the storm ends. Hopefully, with a bit of luck, there might even be surviving maps in here. The maps may be very outdated, but they will help Yuu somewhat navigate themselves back to the main road.

However, before anything else, they should find a way to warm up. Yuu can’t feel their toes.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon was quite powerful. In fact, he was said to be one of the most powerful mages in the entire world.

However, this power came at a price.

The dragon prince’s magic was strong– so strong that it scared others.

This made the dragon prince quite lonely.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu is currently standing in the main foyer, with the main entrance sitting right behind them. They could hear the howling winds of the blizzard behind the closed doors. However, it was too dark to see anything in front of them. There were no windows in the main foyer, and Yuu highly doubts that they would be able to see anything even if there were. It was nothing short of a miracle that they found the entrance to the castle; the raging storm outside blocked out any natural light from the moon.

At this point, Yuu doubts that any of their matches would provide enough lighting to traverse this castle. Perhaps they should find a torch, or maybe a lantern. With a new goal in mind, Yuu takes a nervous deep breath, pushing past their nerves to explore the castle. However, as soon as they take a step forward, the room lights up. Yuu flinches as torches that align the wall light up, each flame as bright as the next. They stand in place as they process what happened.

Guess the magic rumor wasn’t just a rumor after all. That is the only way Yuu can justify what just happened. They must have triggered an old spell that turns on the torches. At least, Yuu thinks that's how magic works.

Yuu knows very little about magic. It just wasn’t common anymore. While Yuu doesn’t have a problem with it, others, like their old village, do. Yuu vividly remembers visiting a city where they held witch trials. That village’s priest was rather young, but quite the pyromaniac. He tried to convince Yuu to stay there, claiming it was the only place in the world that was pure and untainted by 'unholy' magic.

Yuu hightailed out of the place before the dawn of the first night.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Realizing his prince was lonely, his bat advisor tells his dragon prince he should go out to make friends.

‘Explore the world!’ The bat advisor said.

The dragon prince sat on this. What place would accept the dragon prince for who he is?

A week later, a letter comes in the mail, inviting the dragon prince and his retainers to a school.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Now that the main entrance is properly lit up, Yuu surveys the surrounding area. A large staircase stands in front of them. Before the stairs reach the next floor, they split into two sections: a hallway to the left and a hallway to the right. On the ground floor where Yuu is currently standing, there are also two different archways, once again, on the left and right of Yuu.

Now that the light situation has been solved, Yuu needs to find a fireplace. However, Yuu doesn’t know the first thing about castles; their family was never that rich, and they could barely afford to upkeep their own house. The lord who owned the land Yuu’s house resided on wasn’t much better. Even if he did own a castle, Yuu doubts that he would have showcased it to the villagers of Yuu’s town- that old man was stingy like that.

The fanciest place in their village was the church, but Yuu never set foot in it, not after they kicked him out.

It was one of the many reasons why Yuu decided to leave home. However, Yuu really doesn't want to think about that, especially when their toes feel like they are gonna fall off.

In the end, Yuu isn’t the one who decides on where they should explore first. As if to decide for them, the torches in the right hallway turn on. They take a cautious step forward, leaving behind a puddle of melted snow with each step. Hopefully, the clothes in their bag aren’t wet; they specifically bought this waterproof bag to protect their belongings.

Yuu enters the newly lit hallway and takes a look around. The hallway is filled with many windows and multiple closed doors. Looking through the windows, Yuu could hardly see past the snow. Though Yuu is willing to bet it’ll look pretty outside when the morning sun finally makes its way through the clouds.

However, that probably won’t be until late tomorrow, and the weather outside is currently trying to kill Yuu, so it doesn’t deserve their compliments.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Together, with his silver retainer, his crocodile retainer, and his bat advisor, the dragon prince set forth to this school

There, the dragon prince meets many people. A teapot king and his clover, diamond, spade, and heart cards. A lion prince, a hyena, and a wolf. An octopus with his two eels. A heir and his snake retainer. A beauty queen, his hunter, and his poison apple. Two flaming brothers.

A human from another world.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

As they continue to walk down the hall, a loud creak fills the air. Yuu freezes in place. They slowly turn around to the source of the noise. One of the doors they walked past is now wide open. When nothing steps out of the door, Yuu takes a nervous step towards it.

Then another.

And another.

Once they get to the entrance, they take a peek inside. It is a giant bedroom. Sitting to the left is a bed, a desk, and some accompanying chairs, and right in front of them were two doors. None of those is what caught Yuu’s attention, though.

The big fireplace alongside the right wall was what made Yuu most excited.

They quickly scramble towards the fireplace. It was already pre-lit, probably using the same magic as the torches in the main entrance and hallway. Yuu doesn’t put much thought into it. Instead, they need to get out of their wet clothes; they won’t survive the night if they stay in them. The castle may be warmer than it is outside, but that doesn't mean it's any better. They walk over to the desk on the opposite side of the room and gently place their bag down. After they open their bag, Yuu groans at what they see.

The entire bag was completely soaked. Not a single item was spared. Yuu should have known better than to trust anyone who names themselves “Honest Fellow.” They curse out the stupid, un-waterproof bag and the con man. They hope the fox-like man stays awake tonight with a bad case of hiccups.

After successfully cursing out the conman’s entire bloodline, Yuu looks around the room. Seeing as this was once a bedroom, perhaps there is old clothing Yuu can borrow. They walk over to one of the doors. It took a bit of brute force to open the door, but once it's open, they are rewarded with the sight of thick cloaks, beautiful dresses, and expensive-looking pants and shirts. Something throws Yuu off, though.

Now that Yuu thinks about it, for an abandoned castle, everything here was surprisingly spotless. They peek back outside the closet door. There is not a spot of dust on any of the furniture. The sheets and blankets are not filled with moth holes.

Could this also be magic? Yuu shakes their head. It doesn’t matter now.

Yuu turns back into the closet. With its massive size, it takes Yuu a bit to find something that fits. All they can find is a long white night gown, like the ones Yuu used to see on the elders in their village. Yuu isn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so they change out their clothes.

Yuu sighs in relief when they exit the closet; they feel warmer already. They walk over to the fireplace and lay out their wet clothes, along with everything that was in their bag. Once they finish, Yuu yawns. That run to the castle took a lot more out of Yuu than they realized.

Yuu stumbles towards the bed. They pull back the blankets and tuck themselves in.

They fall asleep before their head even hit the pillow.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

However, almost everyone at the school saw the dragon prince as untouchable.

Some did not like his presence, and others were too afraid of the dragon prince. Only a handful of people would talk to the prince; even then, it was at a respectful distance, rather than as a friend.

While everyone else was too afraid to talk to the dragon prince, the human from another world talked to the dragon prince like he was just another person.

The dragon prince was wary at first, but soon began to see the child of man as a friend.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu can’t figure out what time it was when they woke up, nor do they know how long they slept. However, what they could tell was that it was the best sleep that they had had in a while.

Yuu sits up in the bed and stretches. They yawn so wide that their jaw cracks, and tears pool in the corner of their eyes. They wipe away the remnants of sleep and glance towards their clothing. It looks much drier than it did when they fell asleep.

Yuu almost doesn’t want to get out of bed. However, there aren’t any windows in their room, and they want to check on the storm outside. With a hefty sigh, they swing their feet out of the warm blankets.

They hiss when their bare feet touch the cold ground. Yuu quickly pads over to their items by the fireplace.

Yuu blinks when they see their clothes. Something seems… off about them. Yuu kneels to get a closer look at the clothes. They seem cleaner than normal. Stubborn stains that stuck to Yuu like bees to honey seemed to have vanished overnight.

Yuu shrugs; perhaps the melted snow on their clothes gave the clothes a much-needed wash.

Speaking of wash, Yuu feels gross. Their face feels caked and oily, while their gums feel grimy and textured. They sniff their armpit and scrunch their nose. Yuu needs to wash, and desperately. Yuu stands back up and walks away from the fire. They feel a bit bad now; they should have washed before they slept in the bed and put on fresh clothes. They’ll just wash the blankets, sheets, and sleep clothes later.

Yuu glances around the room. This place seems fancy enough to have its own bathroom. They walk over to the other door, next to the closet.

Yuu gasps when they open the door. Inside was a fully built bathroom. A sink and mirror are situated on the left side of the bathroom, and a toilet is on the right. Against the back wall was a claw-foot tub. Yuu hurries over to the tub.

The tub was already filled with water, with steam rising from it. Lavender, jasmine, and chamomile petals float on the surface of the bath. Yuu is glad they stopped in that city of flowers, even if that pyromaniac priest was there, or else they would not have recognized or named any of them.

Yuu sticks their hand into the tub. It was the perfect temperature.

Magic castles are the best, Yuu thinks with a smile.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

However, the child of man was not happy at the school. They longed for their home in their own world.

They searched and searched for a way home, but many months, along with many trials and tribulations, passed without a single answer.

Until one day, a solution finally appeared.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu sighs in relief as they dry off their body. Is this what luxury feels like? No wonder Yuu’s old lord was stingy.

They wrap the towel around their body and walk back into the main section of the bedroom. They throw their pajamas on the bed, pick up their old clothes, and walk into the closet to change.

Yuu finally exits the closet, all clean and changed. They roll their loose shoulders as they walk over to the bed. Yuu promised themselves they would clean the sheets; it's the least they could do.

Expect.. The pajamas were all folded up and clean, and the sheets were already washed, with the bed made.

Yuu is starting to feel bad now. They’ve been raised to believe that everyone should do their fair share of the work. From children helping clean the house, to teens harvesting the seasonal crops, to adults selling the crops, and even the elders passing down stories and lessons from each generation. Even if this was a magical castle, it doesn’t mean Yuu should laze around all day having the work done for them.

(No matter how tempting that sounds.)

What is done is done, they suppose. They’ll find a way to pay back the castle.

Now that Yuu thinks about it, is the castle sentient? They once again find themselves wishing they could figure out how magic works.

Most magic books were destroyed a long time ago. While every once in a blue moon, someone is born with magic, most magic users have to learn to use magic- it never came naturally.

Yuu’s village never discusses magic. It wasn’t outlawed when Yuu was a child; however, once the church dug its roots into the village, everything began to change. Laws that were scoffed at before were now followed to an almost zealous degree. Left and right, people were shoved out of their homes, accused of being mages and practicing witchcraft.

Yuu suspected that there was a magic user who lived in their village, but he always acted really weird when magic was brought up.

Truthfully, Mr. Crowley was weird in general, but was Yuu really one to judge?

Perhaps that is also why Mr. Crowley lasted that long before he was run out of the village. Deny, deny, deny, he used to parrot.

Yuu shakes the thought away; it doesn’t matter now. They should go see how the weather is faring.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The child of man was overjoyed! They could finally go home.

They rushed to their friend, the dragon prince, and told him the good news.

The dragon, upset that their newfound friend was leaving so soon, only nodded and congratulated them.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The snow hasn’t let up at all; if anything, it was worse.

Yuu stares at the snowstorm through the window. It is a blanket of white as far as the eye can see. They can’t even tell what time of day it was. It was brighter than it was when Yuu fell asleep, but that’s all Yuu had to go off of. That clues them in that Yuu slept through the night, but not how long.

Yuu sighs. There goes their sleep schedule.

As if to agree, Yuu’s stomach grumbles. Yuu sighs once again. That’s right, they haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Even then, it was only a slice of bread with some preserved fruit that Yuu had been babying.

That last temp job did not pay enough for what Yuu did.

They walk inside the room where they are residing. Yuu reaches their bag, then freezes. They smack their head with their palm. They completely forgot; everything got soaked. They pull out a paper bag that is supposed to hold their bread and a glass jar.

The bread was one mushy mess. Yuu picks it up and cringes at the texture. It practically melts in their hand, before pathetically falling to the floor with a ‘splat!’ Yuu is used to eating less-than-desirable things, but even they can’t consume that. The preserved fruit survived, though, thanks to its mason jar container

Yuu’s stomach groans again. They feel nauseous from hunger. Yuu can handle a few more days of hunger, though; they are used to that. Growing up, there was never guaranteed food on the table. They open up the mason jar and take a few bites.

The fruit was sticky and overly sweet without the bread to pair it with, but Yuu wasn’t going to complain now– It’s all they had after all.

What they had was enough to make their stomach stop revolting against them, but they should restock at the next town. Even if it means staying there longer than necessary to stock up on funds and on food.

Speaking of towns, they need to find a map.

Yuu closes their fruit jar and stores it away on the desk. They set their bag back by the fire, hoping it would dry a bit more. Yuu stares at the sad pile of bread. They aren’t too sure what to do with that. For now, they pick it up and toss it in the mini trash can underneath the desk.

They’ll throw it out later, when they leave the castle.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince was unsure of what to do. He couldn’t bear to see his only friend leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask the child of man to stay either.

It wasn’t until his bat advisor announced his retirement that the dragon prince got an idea.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu is lost. Again. At least they were inside this time, not in the still raging storm that was outside.

It was to be expected, honestly. They haven’t been to a castle before, especially not this one.

However, they didn’t think a library would be so hard to find. Do castles even have libraries? Rich folk must be able to read, right? Yuu may be slightly illiterate, but it’s not like they needed to read anyway. They were taught enough about maps to know what certain symbols mean.

The hallway they find themselves in is fairly lit, with torches evenly placed on the wall. Many different decorations also align this hallway, including banners, side tables, vases, and even chairs.

An interesting pattern Yuu has noted is the delicate stitching of roses and thorns decorating every cloth-related item. The chairs had a splatter of rose buds, while some of the tapestries had a castle surrounded by thick lucious vines. Sometimes, Yuu will also catch a quick peek at a dragon in some of these patterns. It always seems to be sleeping or protecting random objects in its nest.

However, none of these beautiful items is of any help right now.

“If I were a library,” Yuu murmurs. “Where would I be?”

Yuu yelps when all of the lights in the hallway turn off, leaving them in complete darkness. Slowly, some of them start to turn on. None of the lamps to Yuu’s left turn on, only on their right. Some stay on, but every other lamp, the fire slowly flickers between natural red and an emerald green. Yuu freezes, trying to figure out what the castle is trying to say.

A lamp by Yuu turns on, then slowly fades away. The one next to it does the same. The lamps turn on and off, repeating in a pattern, until it finally connects with Yuu.

“Are you leading me to the library?” Yuu hesitantly asks. Can the castle understand human speech?

Evidently, it can, as all the lights blink rapidly before turning back to their smooth blinking pattern.

If this were to happen yesterday, Yuu might have thought twice before following random blinking torches, especially ones with unnatural coloring.

Today, though, Yuu leisurely follows the magical signs.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince was talented in many fields of magic; however, there were two he most excelled in, protection magic…

…and sleep magic.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

As soon as Yuu stepped into the library, its massive chandler turns on, illuminating the entire room. The sight leaves Yuu breathless.

If the foyer was beautiful, the library was stunning.

The library is massive. It’s larger than any building Yuu has ever seen before. Tall pillars reach the ceiling, while multiple balconies peer down below. There are also more books in here than Yuu even thought imaginable.

Yuu truly regrets not being able to read. They could only imagine the information stored in these books. Were they filled with spells? Did they tell stories of a princess trapped in a tower, or of bell keepers? Did they speak of magical shoes, spotted puppies, or talking frogs?

Yuu shakes their head. That is not something they should ponder right now. They carefully walk towards one of the walls and pull out a book. They can only recognize some of the lettering on the spine, the same ones that pop up on maps, and some vowels.

_ _ e - _ ise - an_ - _a_ _ - o _ - Ni_ _ _ - _a_ en - _ o _ _e_e.

Yuu frowns at the words. This is a lot harder than they realize. They turn the book to the top side. Decorated on the cover was an emblem of a bird holding a key in each hand. Yuu traces the imagery. Something in Yuu’s chest aches. They were mourning something, but what?

“Quite a tragedy, isn’t it?” A deep masculine voice whispers in their ear.

Yuu’s breath leaves their body as they drop the book in surprise. Their heart freezes alongside their body, and Yuu is not even sure if they are breathing anymore. Every single cell in Yuu’s body is screaming, ‘Danger! Danger! Danger!’ A heavy pressure sits on Yuu’s shoulders, and the sweat comes pouring out of every pore in their body. Their throat feels oddly dry when they finally speak up.

“I’m-,” Yuu swallows. It’s hard and painful, “I’m sorry?”

The voice by Yuu’s ear hums. “What are you apologizing for?”

What is Yuu apologizing for? For the words on the book? For even touching the book? Because they don’t know the words on the book?

Because this castle is not as abandoned as they thought it was?

Yuu whimpers.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

He gathered everyone: The whole student population. Every teacher. The teapot king and his card soldiers. The lion prince, the hyena, and the wolf. The octopus and the two eels. The heir and the snake retainer. The beauty queen, the hunter, and the poison apple. The two flaming brothers.

The child of man.

And he put them all to sleep.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

“Ah,” The voice slowly backs away from Yuu’s ear. “It appears I have frightened you.”

Yuu does not squeak, but it is close. They feel their limbs finally unlock. There is barely any strength in their body as they collapse onto the ground. As their knees harshly hit the floor, Yuu finally finds their voice again.

“I’m- I’m so sorry si-sir,” Yuu pants as they stare at the ground. The book that Yuu dropped taunts them. “I did-didn’t know this place be-belonged to anyone.”

They can’t look- they don’t dare to look back. The aura behind them is too strong to do anything else.

“Ah, many apologies, it has been a while since I spoke to anyone.”

And just like that, Yuu’s breath returns to their chest. The great pressure the person was exuding behind them was gone, and only the soothing scent of roses and ink envelops Yuu. They sigh in relief, taking short, quick breaths, trying to calm their racing heart.

“Do you feel better?” The voice asks.

“Y-yes,” Yuu rapidly shakes their head, then slaps their cheeks. “I mean, yes!”

The voice laughs. “How spritely."

Yuu slowly turns their head to the side. When the voice doesn’t reprimand Yuu, they finally twist their body around.

Expect… no one is there. Yuu makes a confused sound in the back of their throat. Even if their knees shake with each movement, Yuu slowly stands up using the wall of shelves as a crutch.

“Are… are you still there?” Yuu hesitantly asks.

“Hm, yes.” The voice responds. “I am surprised you turned around. Usually, humans wish to hide until they can no longer feel my presence.”

Yuu shivers at the word ‘human.’

“Excuse me if this seems rude, uh, sir?” Yuu shakes their head. “But if you wanted to harm me, I would already be dead.”

Something in the air sharpened, before smoothing down. Yuu shivers as the temperature dips as well.

“You are right, I do not want you dead.” The voice says. “I was a bit curious when someone stepped foot into my castle. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was you.”

“...me?” Yuu takes a step closer to the voice.

“Yes,” The voice turns melancholy. “I have been waiting for you to return for quite some time.”

Yuu frowns. “I am afraid we have never met, sir.”

The voice huffs amusingly. “Sir? I know I may be older now, but there is no need to call me ‘sir’.”

Yuu smiles nervously. “I am not too sure what to call you then.”

The voice hums once more. “You truly don’t seem to remember. I knew humans’ memories were quite fickle… but to forget even my name…” The voice sighs. “It does not matter, I suppose. You were quite fond of nicknames, even after I told you my real name.”

Something ruffles Yuu’s hair. They turn their head around to try to view the culprit, but once again, no one is there. The voice laughs again.

“For the time being…” The voice trails off. “Please call me Tsunotarou.”

Yuu shivers as a wave of trepidation rolls over them.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince wove beautiful dreams for his friends. Each one unique to each person. Each one a dream come true.

However, there was some resistance to this. The dragon prince was not sure why.

He just wants to protect his friends.

His family.

his horde

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

“Tsunotarou? Rather… childish isn’t?”

Yuu tries to rack their brain together for the definition. Tsuno means horn, right? Horned boy? What a silly name for a being that nearly crushed Yuu with its presence alone.

“That’s what makes the name all the more special to me. Names are very powerful things, especially ones as old as mine.” The voice- Tsunotatou sounds fond. “It’s the first-ever nickname I was given. Thus, I shall let you use it once more.”

That sounds… rather sad, actually.

“Well, Tsunotarou,” The words fit weirdly in Yuu’s mouth, as if every cell in their body prevents them from ever speaking that name. “I do apologize for invading your castle. I was trying to take shelter from the storm outside.”

“Quite the awful event, isn’t it?” Tsunotatou replies. “The snow is far too cold; I prefer a nice rainy day instead. Don’t you?”

Not at all. Rain means Yuu has to stay in one place for a long time. Yuu is built for a lot of things; staying idle is not one of them.

“Sure,” Yuu answers instead.

“Now… just what are you looking for in my library?” Tsunotatou asks.

“I was…” Yuu hesitates. They look down behind them at the book they dropped. “Looking for a map. I got lost before finding this castle, and I was hoping any maps I find would lead me to the nearest village.”

“You… wish to leave?” Tsunotatou’s tone gets dangerously cold. So does the rest of the room.

“Y-yes! I do not want to bother you much longer than I need to!” Yuu yelps.

“Ah…” The room warms up again. “It appears you have misread my intentions then.”

“Not too sure what other intentions that could be then…” Yuu murmurs. They shake their head and walk over to the book they dropped. As they pick it up, an idea hits him.

“Could, uh, actually help me? I…” Yuu’s face darkens with embarrassment. “Don’t know how to read... nor do I know how to find maps in a library.”

There is a beat of silence. Then another. Finally, Tsunotatou speaks up.

“How about I teach you how to read? Then afterwards, you can find the map on your own.”

Yuu blinks, trying to stomp down the glee rising in their chest. “I don’t know… I don’t wish to be taking your time.”

“You aren’t,” Tsunotatou immediately disagrees. “With the storm outside, this will also be an opportunity too… pass the times let’s say.

Yuu shifts in their spot. “What, uh, would you like in return? If I do agree?”

Even if Yuu can’t see Tsunotatou, they can tell he was smiling. “Just your company, my dear Yuu.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

It appeared the dragon prince was not the only person adept in sleep magic.

His silver retainer was also blessed with sleep magic.

More specifically, dream magic.

So, with the silver retainer’s help, one by one, everyone woke up.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

“Just your company, my dear Yuu.”

As Yuu cleans off their body in the bath, they think back to that sentence. Something about it bothers them.

Just as Tsunotatou promised, he taught Yuu how to read. Predictably, the task was quite hard.

However, instead of getting frustrated, Tsunotatou stayed patient. He used books from his childhood to teach Yuu how to read.

There was one tale of a little girl getting lost in a strange and wacky world. Another one tells of a lion cub and his uncle. One of a mermaid and a seawitch, and another of a magic lamp. Then, they move on to a story of a poisoned apple, then of a hero who had to defeat 12 labors to return to his family in the sky.

They finished with a book about a sleeping princess, a spinning wheel, and a dragon.

Tsunotatou hummed when they reached that one.

“It’s my favorite,” He said. “My… father would read this one to me as a child.”

Yuu found themselves quite liking the tale too.

Oddly, Yuu found themselves exhausted by the time they finished the tale. They had a hard time containing their yawns by the end, and Tsunotatou had noticed.

“I see your terrible sleeping schedule has still not been fixed,” Tsunotatou laughed. “It is quite late, though. Just follow the lights back to your room, dinner and a fresh pair of clothing shall be awaiting you there.”

Just as Tsunotatou promised, a fresh set of clothes and a warm meal awaited Yuu when they stepped into their room.

The meal was a rather mundane soup, but Yuu was thankful it was simple. They do not think they could stomach anything else.

After their fulfilling meal, they found that the bath was filled once again to the brim with flowers and steaming water. Yuu has never taken two baths in the same day, let alone in the same week; they always had to use a wet rag and whatever water source they found to clean themselves off. However, they knew better than to waste water, so for the second time that day, Yuu jumped in the bath.

Yuu sighs as they dry off. They shake the waters of their ears and head towards their folded clothes. As Yuu places them on, they notice these fit a lot better than the ones they found in the closet. It’s almost like they were made for Yuu.

Yuu isn’t too sure how they feel about their host. Tsunotatou seems nice; however, he is quite insistent that he knows Yuu. Perhaps it’s a case of mistaken identity? Yuu has been told they look like a lot of people. At least, Mr. Crowley always claimed they looked like someone he used to know. However… he always looked so sad when he mentioned that, so Yuu never bothered asking for details.

Yuu yawns once more. Thinking of the past will not help in this situation.

Yuu slowly scuffles their way towards the large bed. They pull the covers back and tuck themselves deep into the blankets. Their limbs feel oddly heavy, and their eyes shutters close.

As they finally fall back asleep, it finally hits them what was wrong with that sentence.

‘Ah,’ They think. ‘I never told Tsunotatou my name.’

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

However, while the silver retainer’s magic was strong.

The dragon prince was stronger.

Most of the students were able to evacuate, except for a select few.

The teapot king and his card soldiers. The lion prince, the hyena, and the wolf. The octopus and the two eels. The heir and the snake retainer. The beauty queen, the hunter, and the poison apple. The two flaming brothers.

The bat advisor. The crocodile retainer. The silver retainer.

All of his acquaintances, friends, and family.

Expect one.

The child of man.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu is dreaming. That is the only thing that could explain this situation.

Yuu thinks they are in a ballroom. Large tapestries dangle from the ceiling, and large pillars box Yuu inside. There is a staircase to the side and big, beautiful glass windows by the ceiling. The floor is clean and pristine, and Yuu can nearly see their reflection in it.

While there were no other dancers, Yuu isn’t by themselves. Someone holds tight onto Yuu, leading a dance across the floor. Music plays just vaguely out of Yuu’s hearing, but they don’t see any musicians anywhere. Yuu also can’t see the person they are dancing with, but they
intimately know who it is.

Each time Yuu faces Tsunotatou, something always blocks their vision of the man. A gleam in their eyes, or Tsunotatou pushing their head a bit way down.

Yuu guesses that's the power of a dream, though. If they never seen his face, they don’t know what to imagine.

Despite the fact that Yuu has never ballroom danced in their entire life, Yuu never misses a beat. Even if their anxiety and inexperience tells them they would, Yuu never once steps on Tsunotatou’s feet either.

(Visions of a masquerade ball and a mysterious fire-like flower pop into Yuu’s mind, but the unfamiliar memory is gone with the wind before Yuu can think about it any longer.)

Tsunotatou dips Yuu down. They close their eyes and let out a startled laugh. Tsunotatou hums a soft song in their ear. It’s the same melody that the surrounding invisible musicians play.

“That’s a lovely tune,” Yuu compliments.

“Thank you,” Tsunotatou replies. He brings Yuu back up. “My mother would sing it to me.”

“A lovely lullaby then,” Yuu smiles softly.

With a huff of amused air, Tsunotatou swings Yuu away from his chest. Yuu instinctively spreads their arm, trying to touch the wall, before Tsunotatou swings them back towards him. Instead of standing face to face like Yuu expected, their back hits against Tsunotatou’s chest. They slowly look up, trying to view the face of the man they’ve been dancing with.

A hand covers their vision, and Yuu is careful not to jump.

“Am I still not allowed to see you?” They ask instead.

Tsunotatou hums. “It’s not that you aren’t allowed, it’s that I fear I may scare you. I scared you last time. Before we saw each other again in the library, at least.”

“Before the library?” Yuu asks. “I’m afraid I never met you in my entire life.”

“We met,” Tsunotatou begins to step in place, and Yuu carefully follows his lead as they dance across the floor once more. “Once.”

“In what?” Yuu scoffs playfully. “A dream?”

Tsunotatou laughs. “Yes, perhaps in a dream dreamt a long time ago.”

“...I hope I don’t offend you, my dear host, but you do say the strangest things.”

Yuu can practically feel Tsunotatou laugh behind them, but the host does not respond. Instead, he spins Yuu away from his chest, and together they fall back into step.

Yuu does not know how long they danced, minutes? Hours? Days? They can feel their senses grow dulled and dizzy. The hands around their shoulder and waist tighten.

“As much as I wish we could continue this dance…” Tsunotatou sighs. “It’s time to wake up, Yuu. Breakfast has been served.”

Yuu gasps, sitting up in their bed.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The silver retainer was able to send the child of man away before the dragon prince got them.

Furious, the dragon prince sent everyone to sleep again.

He had hoped the child of man would come back, if not for him, for their friends.

They had to.

They had to. They Had To. Theeey hahaad tooo. TheyHadTo. ThEyhADtO

theyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyhadtotheyHadToTheyHadToTheyHadToTheyHadToTheyHadTotHeyHAdtOTHEYHADTOTHEYHADTOO-

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu’s cheeks darken with embarrassment. Why did they dream of dancing with their host? They only just met them! Yuu rubs their hand, the phantom touch of the dream still present. That dream felt oddly real.

They need to meet more people.

Yuu yawns and stretches in bed. They move one foot in front of the other. Once again, they hiss at the cold ground. Yuu quickly stands up and shuffles over to the prelit fire. The fire today has an odd green tinge to it.

They sit in front of the fire, the heat oddly soothing on their face. Yuu reaches for their bag they left sitting on one of the chairs. It’s finally dry and no longer damp to the touch. Yuu hums the tune from their dream as they pick the rest of their items up.

The storm should be dying down outside, so Yuu should be able to leave soon. As lovely as this castle is, Yuu is starting to get antsy. They’ve been on the road for a while now, and settling just seems… unnatural, they guess. That unnatural feeling is what led to Yuu leaving the village. They never felt like they belonged there. Especially since the Church ran Mr. Crowley out of the town.

Mr. Crowley felt like the only person who actually knew Yuu, even if he was flighty one moment and melancholy the next. He was actually the one to teach Yuu the vowels and how to read maps, before their parents put a stop to it.

Maybe they were afraid that the church would also go after Yuu, too. Yuu found it hard to blame them, even if a piece of them felt like it was ripped out of their chest that day.

As the last of Yuu’s clothes is safely packed into their bag, their stomach makes its presence known. Yuu sighs in defeat.

As if replying to Yuu’s stomach, the lights and fire in the room slowly fade on and off; the same pattern as yesterday.

“It’s time to wake up, Yuu. Breakfast has been served.”

Something weird washes over Yuu. A weird combination of confusion, anxiety, and awe. Did they…? How did their dreams know?

Yuu hesitantly stands up and walks over to the one set of clothes they set out.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

And so, the dragon prince whisked the students away to a forest in the middle of nowhere.

With his magic, he built a castle that lived and breathed magic.

A safe place where everyone could sleep without interference.

The only person who could ever visit was the child of man.

Expect… the dragon prince could not find the child of man.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Breakfast was delicious, and more fulfilling then Yuu has ever had in their entire life. There seemed to be just enough made for Yuu to finish, and not still feel hungry or overstuffed.

While the bountiful meal brought up Yuu’s mood, the storm outside did not. The storm was still rough and heavy. Yuu doesn’t understand why it has lasted this long. From what the village elders predicted, it was only supposed to last overnight. It’s been three days now, and there is still no sign of slowing.

With the dream still fresh in their mind, Yuu is hesitant to head to the library. They are not too sure if they would be able to visit Tsunotatou with a straight face.

On the other hand… Yuu found their time with Tsunotatou enjoyable. It also keeps the jitteriness at bay. Having something to do is better than sitting around, in Yuu’s opinion.

So, rolling their shoulders in an attempt to feel brave, Yuu makes their way towards the library. Hopefully Tsunotatou was also there.

The hallways are vaguely familiar, but Yuu can’t tell if it's because all of the hallways look the same or because this was the hallway they were in yesterday.

Actually, this hallway isn’t the same as yesterday; Yuu can see that now.

While the torches, furniture, and mysterious doors are the same, the banners that were hanging above each door are not. The colors of the banners clash against the dark greens and silvers of the hallway, but they feel like they’ve been there longer than anything else here.

Each banner looked different from the other. The only similarity in each banner was a dragon circling around the subject of the banner. As Yuu slowly walks down the hallway, they study each banner.

The first one is a rose red. Rose bushes, tea cups, and a lone rabbit dance around the border, while a dragon circles around five objects in the middle– a tiny crown with a heart printed on it, a card with a heart, a card with two spades, a card with three clovers, and a card with four diamonds.

The second banner is orangish-yellow and filled with trees, rocks, and paw prints. This time, the dragon circles around a wolf, a hyena, and a lion.

The third banner is a light grey. Shells, bubbles, and tiny fish swim along the border, while the dragon encircles two eels and an octopus.

The fourth banner is the liveliest. It is a deep maroon red. Coconuts, jasmine flowers, and what Yuu thinks is confetti decorated the border. A snake and an otter dance in the middle, while the dragon watches along.

The fifth banner is the most regal of them all. A deep royal purple entrenches the banner, with glass bottles of different sizes embroidered along the edges. In the middle, the dragon protects an apple, a beautiful crown, and a crossbow.

The sixth banner is a shocking electric blue. A three-headed dog runs along the border. Weird hexagonal patterns are also stitched into the banner. The dragon doesn’t seem to circle around the two objects like it does the other ones, but it does lie next to two fires, one bigger than the other.

The seventh banner makes Yuu feel homesick for an inexplicable reason. Unlike the rest of the banners, the dragon seems to be actively interacting with the figures in this banner. The banner is a bright green, which reminds Yuu of the fires lining the hallways. Instead of circling the objects like the other banners, the dragon plays alongside a tiny bat, a tiny bird, and a large crocodile.

It’s the eighth and final banner that makes Yuu pause.

It is quite plain compared to the others. It was a dark grey, with its border striped black and white. Interestingly enough, no dragon is guarding this one. It seems… almost incomplete. Only a tiny cat plays in the banner. It chases something around, but whatever it is, it isn’t in the banner.

The door below the banner is also open, unlike the rest of the closed doors in the hallway.

Curiosity takes over Yuu as they take a step forward.

The door opens wider, as if beckoning Yuu in.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince searched high and low for the child of man, but not a wisp, whisper or even a spark of the child of man could be found.

Eventually, the dragon prince had to stop his searches. People had gotten too close to the castle.

Too close to his horde.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The inside was plain. A lone fireplace to the side is the only thing lighting up the room. A large mirror sits above the fireplace. Other objects also make it’s home there. Yuu can see a wall hanging clock, a coat rack, a chair and foot rest, and even an easel and canvas sitting in the corner.

In the middle of the room, with its headboard against the wall, is a large four-poster bed. There’s something small and round lying on the bed.

Yuu lightly places one foot in front of the other, trying their best not to make a sound. Once they make it closer to the best, their face brightens in delight.

A small cat lies curled in the middle of the bed. It has its little face and tail tucked inside its body. Yuu cooes at it. They hesitantly reach out to pet the cat.

“Ah,” Tsunotatou’s voice makes Yuu jump. “It appears you’ve found, Grim.”

“Grim?” Yuu doesn’t bother looking up; they know they won’t see Tsunotatou anyway. “Is that his name?”

“Yes,” The voice sighs. “He was your companion."

Yuu freezes their hand over the cat, before laughing. “I fear you are mistaking me for something else. I’ve never had a pet cat.”

Yes, barn cats were slightly common in Yuu’s village, but no one was actually allowed to own one. The church saw them as bad luck and accused anyone of owning one of witchcraft.

(Yuu would still feed some of them in secret, anyway. It’s not like they have any magic. They had a feeling their parents knew, but sometimes it's better to turn a blind eye than to bring something public.)

Yuu finally places their hand down on the cat. The cat was slightly dirty. Maybe he was playing outside before he came to rest in here? Yuu carefully brushes off his coat, and the cat begins to purr. It curls deeper into its ball, squishing its little face with its paws. Yuu has to swallow any noise of delight that threatens to leak out of them.

“It seems he approves of you either way,” Tsunotatou laughs. “How about we leave him alone for now? We don’t wish for him to wake up.”

Yuu sighs but leaves Grim alone anyway. They stand up and brush the cat fur and dirt off their hands.

When they turn towards the door, Tsunotatou is nowhere to be seen.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince decided to solely reside in the castle. To protect his horde from the humans who settled near his castle.

The dragon prince waited for his child of man for years.

And years.

And years.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu is bored.

The snowstorm is still a raging body of pure hatred, and Yuu’s nerves keep getting worse.

It’s been days since they stepped into this castle; however, they are having a hard time telling just how long it has been. They stopped counting after the fifth sleep.

Yuu sits by one of the windows in the hallway and stares at the storm outside. They can’t even tell what time it is anymore, and it’s starting to mess with their head. Yuu feels like they have been sleeping more than they’ve been awake.

While they are grateful for Tsunotatou and his hospitality, lately it seems like he is… too familiar with Yuu. He talks to Yuu as if they are a old friend, rather than a stranger taking shelter in his castle.

That’s another thing that is bothering Yuu, is that, in the so many odd days Yuu has been here, they have never once seen Tsunotatou. Sometimes Yuu will catch glimpses of someone in the corner of their eyes, but the being is always gone by the time Yuu turns their head.

Yuu rubs their hands along the cover of the book they hold in their hands. While their reading skills still aren’t the best, they have a better time putting together words.

The book they hold is the one they first touched when they entered the library. For once, they could actually read the cover, even if they don’t understand some of the words.

The Rise and Fall of Night Raven College.

Yuu doesn’t know what a ‘college’ is. When they asked Tsunotatou, the host only said it was ‘just a school’ before changing the subject.

Yuu may not know a lot of things, but even they know that ‘just a school’ would not warrant enough to be written down in history. There is something deeper about the book. Something is telling Yuu there is something deeper about it.

Yuu just needs to figure out how to read the words.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Until one day, their child of man finally came back.

The dragon prince was overjoyed!

He welcomed the child of man into his castle.

He kept them warm, fed them, clothed them, and shared his favorite books with the child of man.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

One morning, the book is gone.

Yuu has been keeping it under their pillow, reading it at night, trying to figure out the history behind this ‘Night Raven College.’

There were a lot of words known to Yuu in the book. What is a direbeast? What is blot?

Yuu was able to pull some words out of Tsunotatou, but he refused to answer Yuu's question about blot. He demanded to know where Yuu learned that word, and Yuu hadn’t answered.

That was last night, and now the book is gone.

Hot boiling anger rises in Yuu’s throat. How dare he? How dare he?

Tsunotatou doesn’t get to decide what Yuu should or shouldn’t learn. Yuu throws their pillow against the wall. They hurry to place their clothing on and double-check that their bag is packed.

Yuu is done with this place, snow outside be damned. They were tired of the mind games, of always sleeping, and of the way Tsunotatou is treating them.

Yuu’s footsteps echo throughout the hall. Each torch on the wall flickers and expands. The castle’s walls seem to be closing in on Yuu, but they ignore it all.

Suddenly, all the torches in the hallway went dark. The only light Yuu has is from the light outside the window. That was, until the curtains started shutting themselves closed one by one.

The entire hallway becomes eerily quite and not a hint of light shines through.

Something freezes Yuu in place. All of their limbs lock up and their bad drops from their shoulder. They stand in the middle of the hallway, breathing hard. Something is keeping Yuu stuck in place, and it feels the same as when Yuu first met Tsunotatou in the library.

Something creaks in the hallway. Yuu slowly turns their head towards the noise, the only movement their body is allowing.

Behind them, a door sits wide open, and a tiny green spark floats in the doorway.

Yuu’s feet move before they realize it. One foot in front of the other, Yuu slowly makes their way towards the light.

Their mind currently has no control over their body, and Yuu can only watch helplessly as they get closer to the tiny green spark. When they finally make it to the doorway, the green sparkle floats into the room.

Yuu looks into the doorway, instead of a bedroom like they were expecting, a large spiral staircase sits in front of them. A pillar in the middle of the staircase works as a railing, while also blocking any view below. Yuu can’t tell how long the staircase is. A faint green light shines just around the corner. It beacons Yuu towards it.

Yuu finds themselves taking a step down the stairs.

Then another.

And another.

It was a long way down, and the green spark stayed just out of Yuu’s line of vision. It’s the only thing lighting up the staircase. Yuu isn’t too sure how long they keep walking until they finally reach the bottom.

Honestly, they were more surprised that there was a bottom.

They find themselves in a new hallway. However, unlike the hallways above, it is barren and lacks any furniture. There is only a handful of torches that align the wall, and they each flicker with a sickly green glow instead of fire.

At the end of the hallway stood the only door in the hallway. The tiny green spark floats in front of the door, then phases through it.

Yuu picks up their step and rushes to the door.

They stare at the door, trying to reason about opening it.

All logic goes out the window, though, when their hand subconsciously goes to grip the door handle.

Yuu takes a deep breath, then opens the door….

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Eventually, the dragon prince got too impatient with the child of man.

The child of man kept insisting they didn't know each other, and the protests got to the dragon prince's head.

He needed to know if this was truly his child of man.

So, he foolishly decided to finally reveal himself to them.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

….only to immediately gag on the overpowering scent of ink, and something else. Something sharp. Something sinister.

The room is dark, so dark that Yuu can barely see their hands.

They can definitely see those toxic green glowing eyes, though.

Yuu cries out as the being it belongs to stands taller and taller, it’s head almost touching the ceiling. It yawns wide, its dark, sharp teeth on display.

It was only the books in the library that Yuu could tell what the creature was.

A dragon.

It didn’t look like any of the illustrations the library had, though. Instead of shiny scales, it was a creation of torn and shredded fabric. Its head seems part fabric and part glass, as if the fabric was trying to cover the glass.

It growls, low and deep.

The dragon moves slowly. There was no rush in its movements, like it knew Yuu wouldn’t- couldn’t run from it. Its body stretches, like Yuu just woke it up from a deep slumber.

Yuu stays frozen in their spot, and it limbers closer. The room shakes with each step.

Yuu hiccups and wills their body to move. They only move a step back, as the dragon takes another step forward. Yuu takes another step back, fearing that if they ran, the dragon would chase after them.

Yuu is about to reach the door when they run into something cold.

Arms wrap around their body, pinning Yuu’s arms to their sides. A chin is placed on their head.

“Please stay still. Let it smell you,” Tsunotatou’s voice breaks through the chaos of Yuu’s mind.

“What- what is this?” Yuu questions, their limbs locking in place. All their willpower fades away while trapped in Tsunotatou’s arms.

“Shhh,” Tsunotatou grabs one of Yuu’s hands. He rubs it, like he is comforting Yuu.

A warm, sticky breath of air hits Yuu in the face, making them gag. They shut their eyes, scared of what they might see. Yuu’s heart begins to race as the dragon takes quick breaths of them. They squirm around in the hold, but Tsunotatou’s grip gets tighter.

The seconds tick by slowly for Yuu as the beast sniffs them. They can feel their heart in their throat.

A purr resounds in the room, and the grip around Yuu loosens.

“You’ve finally come to me, friend,” Tsunotatou sighs, loosening his grip a little. “You really are Yuu.”

Yuu slowly opens their eyes. The fabric dragon tilts its head at Yuu, and they hiccup again.

“Friend? What- what the hell is this? What did it do?” They gasp out.

“Please relax,” Tsunotatou rubs his cheek against Yuu’s head. “You’ve passed the test. It shall not harm you.”

Yuu feels sick. “What? Test? What test?”

“Hm,” A clawed hand enters their visions. It gestures behind the dragon. “The phantom wouldn’t have allowed you to live if you weren’t the real deal.”

Yuu tenses up and finally glances around the room. They gag at the sight. Bones upon bones lay bare in the room, making a morbid nest. Some bones are shiny, carefully preserved. Others are old and rotting, tossed aside like last year's trash. Gems of all different colors were also added to the bone pile. A handful of them are a light and dark red, and others are yellow. Some are gray, some are purple, and some are bright blue. There are even green ones that matched the dragon's eye color.

Yuu feels hot tears streaming down their face. Yuu hiccups.

“Did I frighten you? I do apologize, that wasn’t supposed to happen,” Tsunotatou wipes the tears from Yuu’s face. “But it’s alright now. Now we can continue where we left off.”

“Continue where we left off? No! I don’t like this, this isn’t funny.” Yuu cries out.

“Yuu-”

“No!” Yuu finally breaks free of the grip and turns to face Tsunotatou.

Yuu’s knees weaken at the sight of him- of the monster that Yuu has been living with this entire time. The being in front of them could not be described in any other way.

The monster is tall and disguises himself as a human, with slicked-back black hair and grey, sickly skin. Large horns sit on it’s head, their grooves shining that same toxic green as the dragon behind them, while black scales pepper it's forehead. Ink seems to drip from every surface of its body, inculding is torn and warped clothing. Its eyes, though…

The eyes of a monster should not have that much despair coated in them, not with the ink-like veil that covers half of it. Those toxic green eyes, the same green eyes as the dragon behind Yuu, look so devastated, and Yuu can’t figure out why.

“Yuu… please,” The monster pleads- no, it begs. It slowly reaches out to Yuu. ”We should discuss this-”

“No, NO!” Yuu hits the clawed hand away. “This is bad! You are bad! I- I am not who you think I am!”

Tsunotatou’s face hardens. “Yuu-”

“Stop that!” Yuu snarls. “Stop saying my name like it actually means anything-!”

The dragon behind Yuu roars in anger, and Yuu flinches in surprise.

“Ah, no wait-” Tsunotatou rushes over to the dragon, stopping its rampage.

Yuu takes that as their chance to leave.

They ignore the grunts and growls behind them as they run up the stairs.

Yuu leaves all of their items behind as they force their way through the front door. They don’t care about the snowstorm raging on outside, nor how it seems to get worse as the shouts for Yuu get louder and louder.

They don’t know where they are going, nor how to get to a village.

All Yuu know is that they need to get out of there.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

It was them. The dragon prince was right!

However... it seems the dragon prince scared his child of man.

They did not recognize him.<

(They think he is a monster)

They ran out of his castle into the desolate snowstorm outside.

The dragon prince was hoping that, by making the snowstorm stronger, the child of man would not want to go outside.

His child of man has always been stubborn, though.

And so, tired of waiting and with no other choice, the dragon prince went after the last piece of his horde.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yuu ran and ran and ran. They ran till their chest hurt, until the bottom of their soles bled, and until they collapsed on the snow-covered ground. On their hands and knees, they felt a wave of nausea run over them. Yuu’s vision swarms as they pant. They closed their eyes just for a moment.

A 'crack!' echoes throughout the forest.

Jumping up like a startled deer, Yuu only gives themselves a moment of repose before bolting again. With their newfound energy, they continue running through the forest until they find a cliff.

Yuu stares at the scenery below them. On the other side of the cliff, a massive waterfall flows over its ledge. Down below, a large body of water has yet to freeze, due to the contrast pressure of the waterfall.

Another crack echoes behind them. They slowly glance towards the noise.

A pair of venomous green eyes stares at them through the treeline.

Without much thought, Yuu jumps into the river below.

A roar echoes throughout the forest.

It’s the last thing Yuu hears before they reach the icy waters below.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The dragon prince ran, and ran, and ran, after his child of man.

They were fast, but the dragon prince was faster.

It only takes a second.

The child of man, so tired from their game of cat and mouse, collapses to the earth in exhaustion.

With a ‘crack!’ of the dragon prince’s magic, the child of man fell into a peaceful sleep.

The dragon stared at his child of man lying in the snow.

His poor child of man, so scared and so alone.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

“...but don’t worry.” Malleus smiles at Yuu. “The dragon prince brought the child of man back to his castle, where he wrapped his beloved friend in the softest blankets.”

Yuu doesn’t say anything, fast asleep. Malleus didn’t expect them to.

“Rest well, my friend.” Malleus leans down and kisses their forehead.

Malleus stands up from the chair he pulled to the side of their bed. He pats Grim’s head as he passes by. The cat curls in deeper into Yuu’s lap.

As Malleus exits the room, he glances up at the banner above.

The once lonely cat now plays with a human, while a dragon curls protectively around the two. Malleus smiles and turns to walk down the hall. As he walks through the hallway, he passes many filled rooms.

A room where a teapot king and his card soldiers dream of endless tea parties and unbirthdays.

A room where a lion, a hyena, and a wolf dream of endless games and fights.

A room where an octopus and his two twin eels dream of a successful restaurant, with many deals to be had.

A room where an heir and his snake retainer dream of endless adventures, free from duties and heavy last names.

A room where a beauty queen, his hunter, and his poison apple dream of endless praise and success beyond any reason.

A room where two flaming brothers dream of video games, never to be parted by duties and death again.

A room where his retainers and advisor dream of a little cottage in the middle of the woods.

In their room, Yuu dreams of reaching a shoreline.

Where they meet a spoiled cat who loves tuna.

The castle sighs in relief, as if finally realizing it’s hoard is complete.

(And the dragon prince no longer feels alone.)