Chapter Text
William Rex—the Immoral and Self-Righteous Monarch, one of the two founders of Crown—the Queen’s personal group of villains to clean up England with their curses—had met his fate earlier than expected. It was all to protect his Robin.
He had not even thought twice before shoving her down, getting hit with most of them in the process. When he dropped to the ground with multiple bullet wounds, he heard the sound of multiple screams. From Liam. From Harrison. From Roger. From Victor. From his dear Robin.
Help was too far, William would not make it.
The light flickered for a moment in his vision, then he saw darkness. He felt numb, he felt nothing.
William Rex—the Immoral and Self-righteous Monarch, one of the founder of Crown—is now dead.
But, not for long, though.
---
Sounds danced in his mind.
Talking? No. Panicking.
“Someone put out these flames!”
“AHH! MY BUTT’S ON FIRE!”
“Come back here, you beast!”
“This is the worst day ever!”
“Myahaaa! You'll never catch me!”
William stirred, his brows furrowing before his eyes slowly opened. His crimson eyes lazily moved around, staring at the ceiling that danced with a white and mostly blue glow.
Dazed, William attempts to lift his arm, but he felt numb so it did not move. The Monarch closed his eyes again, taking a few deep breaths.
Why does my body ache but I feel numb? He thought to himself, feeling the splitting headache and the throbbing agony in his stomach. It felt distant but so close, if that even made sense.
What even happened? He couldn't recall much. All he remembers are screams, but… from who exactly?
William releases a grunt from his throat, trying to move his limbs. He tried hard. Nothing. What was wrong with him?
Amidst the sound of panicking, something slammed into whatever William was laying inside of, causing it to fall over.
That was the push William’s body needed to start up quickly. He braces for impact as he lands on the cold hard floor, whatever he was in fell on top of him, trapping him.
William sucks in a breath, the pain in his stomach shooting through his body. He clutched his side, trying not to make a noise.
William, using up the last forceful strength he could muster, shoves the thing he was trapped under off him. What turned out to be a coffin fell over, showing William the show of what was happening.
A room set ablaze with blue flames, people running around to not get burnt.
Normally, he'd find this amusing—why? What about this was amusing again? What was it that he always found amusing? His head throbbed too much to think of an answer.
What the hell is going on?
William did not attempt to move, watching the blue flames dance around the room as figures panic and try to escape. Their screams only further irritated him.
William sucked in a breath, ignoring the stinging pain that only seemed to grow with each beat of his heart.
He pushes himself up, using the coffin as support. His white hair fell messily, his crimson eyes unfocused. What the hell happened? Where am I?
William sat down heavily on the coffin, clutching his side. “Damn, why do I feel like I've been shot?” He grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
In a place drowning in chaos, he seemed absolutely out of it.
His eyes shift as he senses someone watching him—lo and behold, a guy with light purple hair was staring at him from his spot. William stared back, noticing that the boy seemed curious and confused about the boy that was amidst the flames but gave no reaction.
Two boys chase a small black cat-like thing, one had pale-ish red hair, the other said a cool light-gray color and glasses.
The cat ran right past William. “Myahaaa! You'll never get me! I am Grim the Great, I belong here!” The cat yelled before blowing more blue flames.
The flames fan close to William, yet he still made no attempt to move.
“You. Grim the Great.” William said, his voice calm but loud enough for others close to him to hear. “do not move an inch.”
With that simple command, Grim froze in place.
The two boys that are chasing him slid to a stop, completely flabbergasted that a simple command made the beast stop. They turn to him.
William shifts his body weight, trying to stand up. “Ow, good Lord, that is painful…” He muttered.
William’s eyes shift over the room, the panicked screams stopped, but the flames remain to prove resilient.
William moves his gaze down to his hand, looking at his fleshed palm. “You. Redhead.” William starts, turning his gaze to the pale red haired boy. “Where am I? Place and Location.”
The boy tensed up, his mouth opening against his will. “You’re in Night Raven College on Sage’s Island.” He quickly covered his mouth, eyes widening as he realized he talked without wanting to.
William blinked a few times.
Night Raven College? Sage’s Island? Where the hell am I? This doesn't seem like England…
William finally pushed himself up, nearly falling back down but managed to catch himself. That’s when he realizes he was in a black and purple robe, unfamiliar but it fit just right.
“Hey! What's the big idea?” Grim complained, trying to move but his body would not respond. “Why can't I move?!”
William glanced at Grim, his expression blank. “What even are you?” He asked, his voice quiet in confusion.
William looked around, watching students avoid the flames. A tall man in a crow mask was still shouting for someone to put out the flames, a white haired guy with light-brown skin still holding his behind as blue flames smoked it.
“Hey,” the boy with glasses calls. “Are you in pain?” He knew signs of pain due to having to deal with someone who faked stomach aches just to not work.
William forced himself to give a sharp smile. “Don’t worry, I'm fine.” He said, waving a dismissive hand. William approached Grim, crouching down. “What an interesting specimen you are.” His hand reaches out, stroking Grim’s head.
“Myahaaaa?! Hey! Hands off!” Grim complained.
William’s smile softens into something a bit more genuine. “You are allowed to move.”
Grim’s limb suddenly stumbles forward, faceplanting into the floor. The redhead boy immediately reacts.
“OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!” He exclaimed. A red flare whizzes past William’s head, hitting Grim directly.
The blinding light doesn't affect William, he just smiles. Until it fades when he sees what the flare did.
On Grim, was now a collar. A cat collar? How unnecessary…
Grim immediately got up, trying to breath fire directly at William, but nothing was working.
“Myha?! W-why ain't my fire coming out?!” Grim exclaimed.
“Because I temporarily sealed it off.” The redhead explained. “Until you are removed from the premises, you will be collared.”
The man with the crow mask finally strides over, looking down at the cat and then at a confused boy who looked more out of place than William.
“Wait, so… this isn't your companion?” He asked, pointing down at Grim. “No, it isn't.” The boy said.
The man with the mask looked between Grim and the boy before turning his eyes up at William. “Is it yours?”
William was still staring at the collar on Grim with perfectly concealed rage. Collaring. Why does that irritate me to no end?
The man snapped his fingers in front of William’s face, snapping him out of his thoughts. His crimson eyes lift.
“Is this your companion?” The man asked again.
Before William could speak, the redhead spoke first. “No, it’s not his, Headmaster, he was the one that got it to stop running.”
William spared him half a glance, even with that, he could see the boy looked unnerved after being forced to answer a question against his will.
“Oh.” The headmaster said. He sighed and got up from his crouch.
William staggers to his feet, hissing at the sharp pain that returned. Why do I feel like I have multiple wounds?
William looks down at his clothing and then back up at the man in the crow mask. “Excuse me,” he called out before the man could fully walk away. The man turns back around. “Is there a problem?” He asks in confusion.
“Uh, yes, I think there is.” William said. “I don't think I'm supposed to be here…”
There was silence from the man and the two students. They look at him before looking down at the Ceremonial Robes he was wearing.
“Nonsense,” The headmaster laughs, waving a dismissive hand. “You are wearing a Ceremonial Robe, of course you belong here.”
William furrows his brows. “No, I really don't think I'm meant to be here.”
The man with the crow mask frowns, taking a better look at William. “What’s your name?” He asked, summoning a file.
“William Rex.” William answers, watching the man flip through the files. He scans the list of names, trying to find a William Rex.
“William Rex… No, not that, nope, William… no…” He searched hard until he could not find anything that linked William or Rex together.
“Huh, I guess you're right.” The man said. He looks between William and the boy. He hums in acknowledgement.
“Oh well, I guess I'll have to send you two home, come with me.” He beckons for the two to follow. “Riddle, take the cat to the closest security to remove it from the premises.” The man told the boy with red hair.
“Yes, Headmaster.” The boy named Riddle said before grabbing the beast and hauling it out of the room.
“NOOOO! I BELONG HERE! I'LL BE BACK, YA HEAR!” The beast wails.
William and the boy follow the man to a looming Mirror. “Alright, you two, just step up to the Mirror, state your full name and where you live, it will take you straight to place.”
William and the boy share a look. “You can go first,” William offers with a polite smile. The boy nods before stepping up to the Mirror.
He clears his throat, seeming nervous. “Yuuken Enma, my home is in Tokyo, Japan.” He said. The Mirror glimmers slightly, catching the attention of everyone.
“...That place does not exist.” The Mirror states. Everyone froze, Yuu pales. “W-what?” He stutters, thinking he heard wrong.
“The place you are looking for does not exist.” The Mirror repeats. William felt a sense of dread fill him, what if his home did not exist either.
“Oh, that… has never happened before.” The boy with the light gray hair mutters. Riddle by then had returned, his furrows furrow. “I… I can't go home?” Yuuken whispers, stumbling back. William surges forward, grabbing Yuuken before he could trip, ignoring the pain that shoots through multiple areas of his stomach.
“Well, uh…” The man with the crow mask tried to find words. “We will find an alternative, I’m sure our library has a way to find you a way back home… wherever that is.”
William rubs Yuuken’s back, feeling the boy tremble.
“It’s your turn, Mr. Rex.” The man said. William shot Yuuken a reassuring glance before stepping up to the Mirror.
“William Rex, I live in London England.” William said. The Mirror glimmers slightly. “...That place does not exist.” The Mirror states. William clenches his jaw, he is now stuck here as well.
“Well, I gue—” The man with the crow mask starts but the Mirror spoke again.
“...But,” its voice sent a chill through William. “William Rex was summoned here for a purpose.”
The room drops in temperature. William’s eyes wide, trying to catch up with what he is hearing.
“William Rex, the Immoral and Self-righteous Monarch, due to your curse, you belong to Heartslabyul, dorm of the Queen of Hearts.” The room erupts in murmurs.
“Curse?” Riddle questions. William clenches his fist, not expecting his entire day he barely remembers to go this way.
“Okay… um…” The headmaster said, not knowing what to do now. “Never has this happened, but it seems like it's meant to happen.”
William turns his head to the man. “What is this Heartslabyul?” He asks. “That would be my dorm,” Riddle says. “I am the house warden of Heartslabyul.”
How interesting.
William’s mind exits out of reality for the rest of the ceremony, too preoccupied with the process of elimination of what purpose he is here for. Before he knew it, Yuuken nudged him, snapping him out of his thoughts. Everyone is leaving.
After saying goodbye and good luck, William quickly goes off to follow the Heartslabyul students, not wanting to get left behind.
“In Heartslabyul, you will have to follow a set of rules.” Riddle said while leading the group of first years. “I expect you all to follow them accordingly.”
William took the time to survey the surroundings, taking note of every little detail.
“And I hope you are ready for any punishment without complaint.” Riddle said, leading the group into another building after a long walk.
Riddle had just listed a few major rules but William heard none of them. Inside the building were multiple open archways with insignias above them.
“Mh, what an interesting place.” William whispers to himself. He would be lying if he said he did not feel a strange pull towards the archway that said Pomfiore and the other one that said Diasomnia. He did feel a major pull towards Heartslabyul, which he did not truly understand why.
The group enters the portal to the dorm.
The dorm was nothing William expected. It was huge.
Some students stare at the dorm in awe.
“This is our dorm,” Riddle announces. “Here and in school there will be strict rules applied. In a few days we will be hosting an Unbirthday Party; your upperclassmen will explain the details tomorrow.”
Riddle leads the group to the dorm entrance, ushering them all inside. “For today, get rested and prepare for classes tomorrow.”
The new students all went off, going to explore the dorm and find their dorm rooms.
William walks around aimlessly, examining everything carefully. Soon, he comes across Riddle who was looking out the window in the lounge.
“Excuse me, house warden.” William calls, walking up to the redhead. Riddle visibly tenses up, remembering what happened not too long ago.
“Y-yes, William?” He asks, turning to face the boy with soft white hair. “First of all, I would like to apologize for making you act against your will.” William says, bowing his head slightly.
He notices how Riddle’s shoulders slump slightly as if relieved. “I- um- it's fine. Just… don't do it again.” Riddle looks away. William chuckles softly. “I can try, I can't guarantee I won't accidentally slip up.”
Riddle glances back at him, giving him a once over. “You don't seem to be in any pain anymore.” He states.
William blinks, finally realizing he did not feel the pain of multiple wounds anymore. “Oh, I suppose I don’t…” He mutters in confusion. Why did the pain feel familiar? Like he's experienced it over and over again? He smiles. “That’s funny.”
Riddle furrows his brows. “What is?”
William blinks before letting out a small laugh. “Nothing, nothing.” William waves a dismissive hand.
“May I inquire what your curse is?” Riddle asks, nervous to even know how William managed to control him to talk.
“Um… well, it's difficult to explain.” William answers. “My curse is linked to the Queen of Hearts.”
Riddle’s eyes widened in fascination. “Really?” He asks, now curious. No wonder why William was put in Heartslabyul.
“My curse goes off her command; if you look into my eyes or hear my voice, you will follow my command either way.” William explains. He could tell Riddle was hooked on his every word.
The look of amazement on Riddle’s face brought William a great pleasure. “How interesting.” Riddle said. “Do… do you abuse it?”
William’s expression does not change, but there was a noticable clench of his jaw. “...Not in the way you would expect.” He said.
“So, you do abuse it, but not in a evil way?”
“I do not believe in enslaving others for my own pleasure.” William says. “I have a ‘everyone is their own master’ code,” He gazes outside, staring at the sky. “I believe everyone should be free to choose how they live their life, I just help them achieve that by supporting them by doing any means necessary. I want everyone to become their own master.”
From the corner of his eye, William notices Riddle’s expression darken. “...become your own master.” Riddle mutters under his breath.
Before William could say another word, a new voice appears. “Riddle,” The two turn to see who it was.