Chapter Text
Long ago, in a kingdom high on a mountain top, something quite marvelous happened. Within the span of just a year, two nearly identical boys were born.
The younger of the two, a baby prince, with hair of lavender and eyes of aqua blue. The king and queen were overcome with joy and vowed that Prince Epel would have only the finest in life.
The older of the two was namedRiddle, a baby with hair as red as a freshly bloomed rose and eyes of a lovely slate gray. However, his family wasn’t nearly as well off when it came to finances, so how could they care for their little boy?
As the years passed, Epel learned his royal duties, much to his dismay, while Riddle was forced into work as a seamster for his overbearing mother. With lives this different, it’s unsurprising the two boys never met… however, fate loved to twist the rules a bit.
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In order to understand the story, we must first start at the royal mines, more specifically, when the miners had to inform the queen that the gold had run dry. Queen Vil was shocked; his kingdom was now bankrupt. How could he afford to care for his people?
He had wanted to call on his royal advisor, Rook, but unfortunately, he was away on royal business. Queen Vil had to think of something and fast, but what? And that’s when it struck him. Far off in the kingdom of Briar Valley lived a rich young prince who was seeking a spouse.
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“Oh, we’re late! Late! Late!” A butler exclaimed, rushing around Epel’s bedroom as the lavender-haired boy stood on a small pedestal to be fitted for his wedding ensemble. “We have twenty, maximum twenty-two, minutes for your royal fitting! Then it’s move! Move! Move! To your speech at the historical society!” Pulling a scroll out of his coat, the butler unfurled it, the parchment being so long that it hit the floor. “Then we have to rush! And I mean rush! To the horticultural society tea! Erm… then there’s your math lessons… your geography–”
The butler’s words slowly became drowned out as Epel stepped off the pedestal, walking around his room with no real destination in mind.
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(AN: Yep, this is happening. That line means a song, so like, deal with it. “Italized Quotes” for Epel, “Bolded Quotes” for Riddle, and (Bolded Parentheses) to describe the scene happening. More will be added later, but yeah.)
(Epel stepped off the podium, feeling a little extra floaty today)
“All my life, I’ve always wanted~ To have one day just for me~ Nothing to do, and for once, nowhere I need to be~!”
(Epel continued to walk around his room, not really singing to anyone in particular)
“With no lessons, lords, or lunches~ Or ‘to do’ lists in the way~ No one to say when to eat or read or leave or stay~~ That would be the day~~~!”
(The scene transitions to the main village, singling in on a specific dress shop’s upper window)
“All my life, I’ve always wanted~ To have one day for myself~ Not waking up with a pile of work on every shelf~!”
(Riddle sings as he places a stack of fabrics down on a table, his cat looking up with his tongue out)
“With no hems in need of pressing~ And no sleeves in disarray~ No wedding gown with a thousand stitches to crochet~~ And no debt to pay~~!”
A soft gasp broke through the boy’s singing. “Riddle… your mom.” Riddle turned from his friend, Trey, up to the staircase where a fierce-looking woman descended.
“What do you think I’m running here, a cabaret?” Mrs. Rosehearts asked, scowling at her son.
“I would’ve said a debtor's prison…” Riddle muttered, but not quietly enough, as his ear was sharply tugged.
“Keep laughing, boy. Remember, you’ll be working for me for another 37 years.” Mrs. Rosehearts spoke, releasing her son’s ear with no remorse.
“Wha… but you said–” Riddle started, but was swiftly cut off.
“There’s the interest, isn’t there? Honestly, this is the thanks I get for raising you?” Mrs. Rosehearts said, walking back up the stairs she had come down from.
“You’re the one who decided to have me!” Riddle argued, but he knew it wouldn’t make a difference.
“Yes… our mistake.” And with that, Mrs. Rosehearts slammed the door, leaving Riddle and Trey alone once again.
“What would it be like to be~?”
“What would it be like to be~?”
“Free~~~!”
(The two boys, in their respective rooms, raised their arms up, as if waiting for something to pick them up from their imprisoned states)
“Free to try crazy things~!”
“Free from endless IOUs~!”
(Walking over to their respective windows, the two boys open them up to look up at the clear sky above)
“Free to fly~!”
“Free to sing~!”
“And marry whom I choose~~”
(Epel looks down, and there in the garden was his best friend and tutor, Jack Howl)
“I’m so sorry, my dear, but as you know, it’s vital you marry Prince Malleus.” The familiar voice of Queen Vil spoke up, and sure enough, he was standing right behind the boy. “It is the only way to take care of our people.”
“Yes, yes… It’s my duty.” Epel sighed, understanding what was at stake, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
“Excellent,” Vil responded before turning around and spotting a maid carrying a box. “Oh, and look. Another engagement gift.”
“You would think that I’m so lucky~ That I have so many things~ I’m realizing every present comes with strings~”
(Epel continues the song, examining the pile of presents before gently pulling a ribbon off of one)
“Though I know I have so little~ My determination’s strong~ People will gather around the world to hear my song~~~!”
(Riddle grabs a sleeve of fabric, holding it behind his back like a cape as he runs past Trey, who smiles at his friend)
“Now I fear I’ll never be~”
“Soon I will forever be~”
“Free~~~!”
(Approaching their balconies, the boys swing the doors open, letting the fresh air in)
“I close my eyes and feel myself fly~ A thousand miles away~!”
(Epel walks out onto his grand balcony, looking at the mountains in the distance as he reaches for them)
“I could take flight~ But would it be right~? My conscience tells me stay~~~!”
(Riddle slowly inches onto his tiny balcony, small enough that it can barely fit him, as he picks a rose growing on the banisters)
“I’ll remain forever royal~!”
“I’ll repay my growing debt~!”
“Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret~!”
(Epel picks an apple from a small tree on his balcony as Riddle places the rose behind his ear)
“But I’ll never stop believing ~!”
“She can never stop my schemes~!”
“There’s more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and seams~~! In my dreams~! I’ll be free~~~!!”
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Night grows quickly, the village hushed with sleep; however, deep within the royal mines, the sound of pickaxes against stone could be heard. Within the lower levels of the mine, two tall, identical, lanky men swung at the rock, searching.
One of them, reaching into the minecart beside him, pulled out a dull rock. “My my. Oh brother, may I ask who put this in our cart?”
“Heh?” Said brother responded, turning around to see the spherical rock in his brother’s hand. “Oh yeah, that was me~ What’s wrong with it, Jade?”
“I see. Shall we review, Floyd?” Jade answered, holding the rock up to Floyd’s face. “We are stealing gold, yes? Now, is this shiny?”
“Nah.” Floyd answered, clearly bored out of his mind.
“Valuable?”
“Nope.”
“Going to make our boss happy?”
“Nope.” Floyd finished, prompting Jade to toss the useless rock behind him, missing how it split open.
“It seems you need more focus, dear brother. That, and a brain perhaps.” Jade smirked before the sound of chains rattling caught his attention. “Shh…”
Within moments, the twins quickly blew out any candles they had set up before jumping into the minecart. Peeking over the edge, they saw not but a light down the dark passageway, prompting them to once again duck back down.
Whoever it was walked closer, the sound of heels clicking on the tracks beneath their feet. It wasn’t until the lantern in their hand was directly above them that they saw who it was.
“Ah, Monsieur Prémédité, Monsieur Spontané, how good it is to see you both once more.” A blond man in a hat spoke, smiling down at the two men in the cart. “I see zeh both of you have been hard at work, qui?”
“Yo, Seagull, it’s just you.” Floyd laughed, sitting up straight once more. “Didn’t expect to see you again so soon~”
Rook, not saying a thing to the two, turned his back on them and walked away to place his lantern on a nearby hook. His dog took this opportunity to bark at the two, causing them to flinch backwards.
“Come now, Jamil. There’s no need to get worked up quite yet.” Rook said, causing Jamily to back down.
“Ahem, here you are, sir,” Jade spoke, holding up his hand with a small chunk of gold sitting right in his palm. “The last piece of gold from the royal mines. There’s not a sliver left.”
“Ehe~ Yeah, cause it’s all yours~” Floyd chimed in as Rook took the gold and stashed it in his coat pocket.
“Qui, all mine. Oh, how I’ve waited for this day~” Rook spoke, a sadistic grin plastered over his features.
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(AN: Yep, another song. “Underlined Quotes” will be for Rook. Also, since this is Rook we’re talking about, I tried to change the lyrics ever so slightly. Deal with it.)
“Qui, I’ve been bowing~ I’ve been scraping~ I’ve been lying like a rug~ And for dix long years I’ve had to pay my dues~!”
(Rook smiles as he assists the twins out of the minecart, circling around them)
“But today I’m escaping~ For zeh last gold has been dug~ It was waiting there, so how could I refuse~?”
(Walking behind the twins, Rook pulls off another loose chunk of gold from the cave walls)
“I’m returning home a hero~ Whose discovered mighty wealth~ And what better husband could royal choose~?”
(Holding up a mirror, Rook envisions himself sliding down a mountain of gold, landing right in front of Queen Vil and Prince Epel)
“I’m zeh suitor who will suit him~ Bring zeh kingdom back to health~ And I’ll wear zeh crown, for how could I refuse~?”
(The daydream continues, with Rook imagining Vil placing the crown on his head as Epel swoons for him)
“Raise every glass~ And arouse every cheer~! Praise that zeh reign of zeh Hunt is here~!”
(Lowering his mirror, Rook walks back over to his associates, circling them once more)
“Master in charge of all that I see~ All hail me~!”
(Leading him to a rock, Rook steps up onto it as the twins give a short bow to the advisor while trying not to laugh)
“And by marrying zeh prince, I’ll get all that I desire~ Like a moat, an ermine coat, and palace views~!”
(Stepping down, Rook gives a little spin before petting Jamil on the head)
“Even though he treats me coldly~ Tis a sign of inner fire~ For inside he’s thinking ‘How could I refuse?’~”
Before Rook could continue, Jade cleared his throat. “Apologies, but there is one, tiny problem, boss.”
“A problem? Qui, do tell.” Rook spoke, but his voice held an edge to it that caused the twins some nervousness.
“You see, the Queen decided to marry him off to the prince of Briar Valley… next week,” Jade explained. The silence that followed was deafening.
Walking behind the two, Rook grabbed them by the shoulders, bringing them in close. “Monsieur Prémédité, do you mean to tell me Roi du Poison has been making decisions… without me?”
“Eh, but he’s the Queen… ain’t that his job?” Floyd remarked as he tried to get away from Rook.
“Monsieur Spontané, you are truly a simpering simpleton,” Rook stated, squeezing the two even harder than he was before.
“But, he is the Queen.” Floyd doubled down, like an idiot. “He’s got the crown, scepter, and sits in all those fancy chairs.”
“Si! Lance!” Rook shouted, which was rare for him to do. Tossing the twins aside, he marched forward in a silent huff.
“Non~! I shan’t let go~! This peasant’s son shan’t turn and run because some reckless royal chose another beau~!”
(There was a brief moment of silence as Rook’s eyes lit up and a smile crept onto his face once more)
“Ah~~ But~ A~ Temporary setback~ But a momentary lapse~!”
(Rook pointed toward Jamil before backing up and turning towards the twins once more)
“But conveniently, my ego doesn’t bruise~ And zeh moment I get back~ I shall show them who’s zeh boss~ You can bet your bullion there’ll be no ‘I do’s’~!”
(Walking over to a nearby wall, the shadows produced from the lanterns provided the perfect show for Rook to explain)
“Qui, suppose the boy goes missing~ Thus zeh prince says ‘Au revoir’~ Then I find him~ Bring him back~ And make zeh news~!”
(Using the twins as examples, Rook shows off his plan, describing it all in detail)
“Thus, my queen will be so grateful that he’ll pledge zeh heir to moi~! Thus I’ll humbly tell him, ‘How could I refuse?’~!”
(When Rook finishes his explanation, Floyd gives a little laugh of excitement, clearly into this plan)
“When our ceremony’s over~ I shall rise and take zeh throne~ And poor, sweet Epel can kiss my shoes~!”
(Sitting atop the rock from earlier, Rook holds his foot out as Jade and Floyd pretend to pamper him)
“For zeh kingdom and zeh castle will be mine~ And mine alone~ If zeh crown shall fit~ How could I refuse~?!”
(Picking up their pickaxes, the twins join in the song, dancing around with smiles on their faces)
“So~ Get ready with zeh (the) roses~ And stand by with zeh (the) champagne~ When you’ve got a brilliant plan, you never lose~!”
“Qui (yes) before this chapter closes~ I’ll (he’ll) be big as Charlemagne~ It’s a thankless job~ But how could I (he) refuse~?”
“How~! Could~! I (he)~! Re-Fuse~!”
(The three close out their little song with some laughter as it echoes through the dark reaches of the mines)
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