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The white ribbon clung to her arm.
She kept it on ever since Kris offered it to her way back in Card Kingdom. Though, when things got serious, Ralsei often changed into something more fitting. More substantial than a tiny ribbon.
Just in Castletown, however, she let herself have small pleasantries like this. Ever since Susie and Kris had in every sense bombarded her with decor for "his" room, it has felt weird not wanting anything.
He never wanted anything before, so why does she?
Has she really gotten greedy?
"Hey, Ralsei! You dozing off again?"
"I won't stop Lancer from doodling on your face if you actually fall asleep, y'know."
Her hand dropped from the white ribbon.
Right. They are decorating for Noelle's soon arrival. How did she get sidetracked again?
She ducked her head, gathered the plates into a proper stack from least to most wrinkled, top to bottom. "Ah, sorry. I've just been thinking about some things."
Ralsei paused, confused. "Wait, you stopped Lancer from what?"
Susie grinned, leaning back on the chair she was definitely leaning way too far back to be safe—seriously though, does she not care about concussions!?
"Kid was gonna do it in permanent marker. Would've been funny, too!"
Ralsei smiled. "Oh. I wonder what he would've drawn. Maybe some freckles?"
Susie said something that was definitely not PG-13.
Ralsei's mouth opened before closing. Right. Kids can be a lot sometimes. How does she put up with him?
How does Ralsei even put up with him?
Poorly, in all honesty. But the kid is having a fun time... all the time, so what more could a prince of the dark want?
Ralsei's immediately winced her eyes shut. No... that saying she does has to stop sometime soon. If she keeps saying that, she will literally–
Susie's smile dropped as Ralsei roughly (or at least less gentle than normal) pushed her chair into place so it was no longer leaning on its back legs.
"Hey uh... Ralsei?"
Ralsei opened his eyes, looking almost... disgusted.
"Yes Susie?"
"...You alright?"
"Perfectly peachy!" Ralsei flashed a smile. Small. Genuine.
Too genuine?
Susie's gaze drifted to the side. "Listen, I know our last adventure wasn't entirely enjoyable, at least not for you. What was up with you and that Flowery guy anyway?"
Ralsei seems fine on the outside.
Inside? She was practically screaming every profanity known to Darkner kind at a no-longer-existent flower.
The princess turned around and walked toward the kitchen instead of answering, already knowing the kitchen timer was going to ding within the next thirty seconds.
"It was nothing, really."
Susie's eyes, though Ralsei couldn't see and only feel staring at the back of her head, looked down after a moment.
"...if you say so."
Ralsei's put her little gloves on, letting the cloth of the gloves take the barrel of heat as she pulled out a Hazel Nut Shadow cake from the oven, placing it gently on top of the stove cover.
The princess found peace at domestic chores. Baking treats for Kris and Susie had always been a thought of hers long before she ever met them. Long before she ever thought about tasting one herself.
The frosting would go onto the cake next.
Ralsei loved frosting. It made things pretty. Hid all the imperfections that the oven baked into the cake's shell.
And it tasted good, so who cared if the cake was a little burnt at the edges? Susie wouldn't know with the way she swallows it whole.
The image made Ralsei giggle.
The repetitive motion of the knife across the cake top was soothing, honestly one of Ralsei's favorite activities.
(Is it sad her favorite activity is frosting a cake? No, surely not...)
And then, after spreading cinnamon dust and snowflake sprinkles onto the cake's top, Ralsei put it into the fridge to cool down for Noelle's arrival.
When Ralsei turned back to Susie, the girl seemed to be looking off in a direction, not necessarily at him (obviously), but thinking.
Ralsei waited patiently for the reptile to come to her senses. Softly rocking on her heel, waiting for her to notice her waiting.
...
"Susie?" The girl snapped out of it.
"Huh? Oh... nah, I'm fine."
Odd.
"I didn't ask..."
Susie looked up, and Ralsei noticed her wording. "Ah- I mean, I wanted to! I just... are you okay?"
"I mean, really okay."
Susie let out a snort, the sound not helping balm Ralsei's nerves. It sounded rehearsed.
Fake.
"Nah, just... worried, is all. I mean, she's coming here and... I just..."
Ralsei moved around the table to sit across from Susie, watching as Susie laid her head on her arms, black hair pooling around her face. Her expression was hard to read now.
"Kris mentioned... something about Noelle's dad earlier, I just..."
Susie's voice went soft. "It's stupid, sorry."
Ralsei shook his head.
"No feeling of yours is stupid, Susie. Your heart is never wrong... only what you do with your hands can make you out to be..."
A monster.
"...stupid."
Susie chuckled. "Wow... and here I thought you ditched your storytelling in the sanctuary."
"Didn't make you out to be a liar, Ralsei!"
Ralsei flustered immediately. "I- I didn't–! Oh, you're just doing this to get a rise out of me, aren't you!"
Susie's laugh echoed into the castle dining hall. Despite herself, Ralsei laughed too.
Ralsei missed times like these. When everyone was happy and enjoying Castletown. When there was no fate weighing them down. No titans. No knight. No flowers.
When it was just... a game!
Her finger mindfully twisted the end of a white ribbon, the one wrapped around her wrist. Covering his pulse. Her life force.
"Angel... you are gonna be the death of me."
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"WELCOME TO CASTLETOWN!"
Noelle hadn't necessarily liked the loud introduction to the small place, but she was quickly pulled into it by Susie and has been adapting fast.
"Deer girl!"
"N-not my name!"
"Oooh, your no fun! Gotta blast!" Lancer didn't stick around long, much to Susie's disappointment. Perhaps for the best, all things considered.
Ralsei, despite setting up majority of this celebration, had said... not much of anything, actually. Was not present much either. Just watching.
Always watching.
Noelle noticed his absence... but only after the first hour. Typical.
"H-hey, whatever happened to that... guy that looked like Kris's brother...?"
Ugh.
Susie looked at Noelle like she was crazy. "What? He's been here the whole..."
Susie looked left to right before spinning in a circle, Noelle's beautiful hair swaying in following Susie's gaze. "Uh... am I blind, or has Ralsei been here the entire time?"
"Ralsei?"
Susie paused. "...that hypocrite! He gave me a whole lecture on not being stupid–"
Noelle chuckled, which made Susie startle. "Wha– DON'T LAUGH AT THAT!"
Noelle stopped.
"...okay, I kinda deserved it."
Susie smiled when Noelle did.
"But damnit... he then avoids us for your entire introduction to this place? I thought he would, y'know, like meeting you." Susie seemed a little downcast at the thought.
Ralsei sighed from her room, tossing the seering mirror onto the other side of her bed as she stood up. Well, seems like Susie wants her there.
Guess no more time for the lovers!
Noelle proceeded to jump out of her skin when in a shimmer of green light the fluffy boy appeared into his peripheral vision.
The deer shriek startled Ralsei, which made Susie laugh even harder.
"Holy shit! Ralsei, you can teleport? Since when!?"
Ralsei scratched the back of her head, keeping her posture formal: "Ah... since I was born?"
Susie looked at her like she just said something blasphemous.
"Dude."
"DUDE!"
"Do you KNOW how many puzzles we wouldn't have needed to solve if you said that in the first place!?"
Ralsei huffed. "Well... I wanted to keep you sharp! I can't save the world with dim witted minds, Susie!"
"We can't be dim witted, idiot... we are Lightners. Light can't be dim!" Susie struck a semi fashionable pose, and Noelle blushed.
"...that's not–"
"Let me have my moment."
Ralsei smiled, letting out a small sigh into her scarf. Susie and her antics... honestly kind of–
"Oh!" She had almost forgotten to take out the cake. Good thing Noelle is entiely too patient with her.
Ralsei appreciates that in a... friend.
The cake was actually just hazel nuts and shadow marshmallows baked into normal cake flour. (Don't tell Lancer that though. It'll break his poor peach boy heart.)
Ralsei gently held up the cake in front of Noelle, closing her eyes for the inevitable thanks.
"Oh! Uhm... you made that... for me?" Noelle's voice had pitched up, to the point where Ralsei could hear the blush.
That's... not what she expected.
"Of course it's for you, Noelle!"
Susie coughed into his fist. "I thought it was for–" Noelle elbowed Susie, and the reptile grinned.
They are so for each other, honestly, it makes Ralsei sick to her core. Wait... should she feel that?
"Here, Let me go cut this up real quick. I assume Susie will get you comfortable, yes?"
Ralsei turned, hearing a Susie sputtering and saying a "Yeah... yeah, I totally was gonna do that!"
.
.
.
Ralsei likes holding knives. Usually because they are so shiny! It makes her happy that she takes such good care of them.
If you don't keep a knife in good condition, how will it ever cut to the core?
Ralsei likes cutting, similar to frosting things. The repetitive motion gives her something to do with her hands. Something to preoccupy her mind.
Except, really, it wasn't working. All she could think about was Noelle's arrival.
Was the girl feeling okay? She seemed scared... or was she just skittish?
Was Castletown not feeling homey enough? Ralsei wished she put up more welcome banners. Or maybe that was too much?
Would the girl even like the cake she made? Oh Angel, Ralsei really hopes she does!
Ralsei held the knife up then, crumbs sticking to its duller shine.
His eyes reflected back anyhow.
Sometimes glass can lie, and that's true. Not everything you see in the mirror is reality! Not everything you see is really what's happening underneath.
If Susie pushed her away, Ralsei would assume the girl had a bad day.
If Kris didn't talk, Ralsei would assume something went south!
If Noelle offered her neck up to her, why wouldn't Ralsei?
.
.
.
Why wouldn't she... what?
Ralsei snapped back, dropping the knife with a clatter to the counter as her breathing picked up.
No... no no no–
"CAKE'S DONE!" She definitely said far too loud, but her muddled mind wasn't paying much attention then.
Her feet carried her as fast as they did when Susie saw the prophecy. Oh boy, she hasn't had adrenaline this bad... ever!
What the fuck is wrong with her?
Susie sat up straight, which Ralsei hoped wasn't worry, looking at his entrance with slant concern. "Cake done?"
"Yup!"
(Too loud. Unprofessional. Shut up, idiot.)
"Here we are for our castle's lovely princesses!" She gently placed a cake cut in front of Susie, and then one in front of Noelle. "Hope you enjoy your time here, Noelle!"
Ralsei's smile softened. "I wish I could've seen you sooner, but being a prince takes..."
"Time? Oh- you're fine! I don't... know much about royal duties, but..."
"It must be stressful, no?"
Ralsei froze.
.
.
.
"...I manage," she weakly supplied.
Noelle grinned, taking a spoon of the dessert with glee. Ralsei watched her with more intensity than she intended to. When Noelle took her first bite, Ralsei's breath almost hitched.
Almost. Not quite.
But seeing Noelle's face light up made her day, maybe even her week, honestly. Ralsei really wanted to make a good first impression, and– well...
"It's r'lly gud!"
Noelle then covered her mouth, her manner kick in back in. Ralsei just laughed softly. "Oh, no need to compliment a chef."
Yuck.
Her expression dripped into a bitter smile, thankfully unnoticed by the two girls. "It's just what I do."
Noelle swallowed. "Make people happy?"
Ralsei nodded, her throat suddenly tight.
Susie, noticing then, complimented the prince rather loudly. "Yeah, it's even better than his cheese cake!"
Ralsei sputtered. "I- I make my desserts with equal love!"
Noelle snickered. "I assumed so! My mother's never made something this good for me before..."
Susie's expression soured. "Yeah, she could never compare to Ralsei." Her hand dropped to the table, leaning forward as if whispering something illegally good. "Have you ever tried Shadow Muffins?"
Noelle tilted her head. "Is it like... chocolate?"
Susie turned her head, a sudden glare in her eyes. "Ralsei."
"We are making Shadow Muffins for Noelle."
"Already planning on it!" Ralsei turned, walking towards the main hall before pausing, turning slightly.
"Oh, and Noelle,"
Noelle looked up from Susie making silly faces. "Hm?"
"...welcome to Castletown!"
The doe smiled. Angel, it was a beautiful smile. "Thank you..."
Ralsei turned, her heart feeling warmer than before.
.
.
.
Closing her bedroom door behind her, she sunk to the floor, knees huddling up to her chest. He chin dropped in between her knees, staring at the green fuzzy carpet before her.
Oh, she is doomed. Utterly, painstakingly doomed. So doomed the prophecy never mentioned it in her tale.
It seems Susie has great taste in friends.
And lovers.
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.
.
Ralsei's heart lurched at the thought of Noelle's smile, and it... makes her laugh. Oh, that's such a funny sensation.
Is this was LOVE feels like?
Oh, this so terrible, isn't it? Noelle loved Susie—she has eyes, after all—and the feelings were mutual.
.
.
.
If Noelle opened to her, why wouldn't Ralsei?
Because good princesses don't ruin good things.
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.
"Got it, Princess?"
Ralsei shook as her breath hitched. "No... I don't..." How could she? She's never felt love before.
Oh Angel, isn't that just sad?
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It was dark in the night, darker than the Dark World normally was. Purple refractions of light littered the floor, the windows decorating around the present wrappings from a presumed gift.
Lancer had outdone himself, giving Noelle a giant... snowflake plushie (coated in actual snow, too). Wherever in darkness that boy got it from, Ralsei didn't worry too much about it. Harmless gifts were from harmless thinking, and right now, her thoughts were far from harmless.
It fact, it made her heart ache.
She needed a drink. Maybe a cup of cool water to calm the senses. Or maybe a piece of cake?
It left her empty anyhow.
Entering the main hall, she walked down the corridor to the kitchen quietly. It would be foolish to assume she was the only one up this hour, Castletown had a lot of inhabitants with... rather interesting motives.
It was foolish to assume fate wasn't a cruel, cruel Angel.
There, sitting in front of the fireplace, was the one her heart kept lurching for. Antlers reaching up as if asking for an Angel to bless them.
As if she wasn't blessed already.
The prophecy never mentioned Noelle in its tale, did it?
"Why?"
Noelle jolted in place, and Ralsei covered her mouth. Shit- she said that out loud!?
"Oh! I'm sorry–" She waved her hands in front of herself, trying to placate the interaction.
"Ah... sorry! You... you just startled me, is all!"
"I'm not used to people being up this late..."
Ralsei's footfalls sounded weightless against the carpet of the resting area, leading her quickening heartbeat toward the girl. "Are you normally up this late?"
The deer smiled, though Ralsei could tell it was somber in nature. Oh dear...
"Yeah. Just a habit from when I was younger."
"Dess would stay up playing her music. Irritated me to the point where my dad had her room soundproofed."
"But then I missed her music so much that I ended up staying up late in her room anyhow."
"I still miss her music..."
Ralsei gently sat down next to her, keeping a good foot between them, brow furrowing.
"This... girl sounds wonderful." Ralsei's played with the ribbon on her wrist before stopping. "...why'd she stop playing?"
Noelle looked at the prince before softly laughing. "Fahaha..."
The laugh wasn't as cheerful as Ralsei thought it should've been. Perhaps she knew nothing.
Huh... a strange feeling to grasp for someone who once thought she knew everything.
Everything to nothing.
Prince to princess.
Lover to hater...
...or just love and hate?
After all, Ralsei experiences both of those nowadays. How strange.
Where were they again?
The fireplace's core flickered in front of them, its emerald flames casting cool toned light across their bodies. It envoked a feeling similar to being in spring sunlight or perhaps showered in greed.
It left her feeling colder. Was that possible?
Noelle was quiet for a long moment, as if reminiscing something.
"...I had a favorite song of hers. It's silly that... I ended up liking her more dissonant songs. Hah, I even learned that word from her!"
Noelle's hands clutched at the fabric of her robe, curling it into spirals. Ralsei wanted to hold it, but refrained, instead looking up into Noelle's distant gaze.
"'Black Knife'..."
Ralsei froze.
"...that's the name of the song?" Sounds oddly familiar to her, but she doesn't spend much time listening to music, having a castle to tend to and all.
"I used to love hearing it! Now it just..."
The doe sighed.
"...it just reminds me that she's not here anymore."
Oh.
"I'm... so sorry for your loss."
Noelle finally looked at the prince, now with confusion rapidly turning into horror. "I– oh my gosh– no!"
Ralsei blinked, taken aback. "Wait did I– I'm sorry!"
Noelle laughed hard. "No! No, you're fine! My sister's..." Noelle's tone trailed off into something more somber. "...missing, is all. Has been for years."
...
"7 years."
Ralsei gently took Noelle's hand on hers. "I... really hope she is found."
She looked down then, suddenly bashful. "Out of anyone, you deserve to have your sister again."
Noelle's tears glistened. "I..."
She then paused. (Or is froze a better term?)
"Your... hand. Is it... hah, is it supposed to be that cold?"
Ralsei's eyebrows rose. "H-huh!? My hands? They're not–!"
Her palms were freezing. They've always been that cold. Right?
"Well... your hands are cold too! I– agh, it isn't a competition, is it?"
Noelle smiled. "No... but I think... the powers I get from being down here make me colder, no?"
Noelle then smiled. "Maybe you'd get colder if you came out of the closet and got some sunlight!"
Ralsei wants to tell her... the multitude of things wrong with that statement, but her eyes were just glued to their hand contact.
Noelle slowly follows his gaze. "...Ralsei."
"That was your name... right?"
"I think?"
"...you don't know your name?"
Ralsei sniffled.
(Why is she sniffling? She isn't gonna cry... is she? That would be embarassing. Stop. Stop that.)
"I don't know much of myself anymore."
Noelle's hand gripped his tighter. "I... I think that makes two of us, then."
Ralsei's other hand grabbed Noelle's free one, pulling their hands together. Why is she shaking?
Why is it so cold?
"Are you using your p-powers?"
"No..."
"O-oh..."
Ralsei's hands gripped Noelle's tighter then.
"I'm fine."
Noelle's brows furrowed. "...you sure?"
"No... not at all, actually!" Ralsei tried to smile then, but she couldn't hold it any longer.
Noelle flinched when Ralsei buried his face into her shoulder, but her flight instinct quickly shifted into worry.
"...are you okay?"
"No..."
Noelle nodded then, her arms gently coming around Ralsei's back.
She noticed the white ribbon.
"Aww..."
Ralsei sniffed harder. "W... what?"
"Nothing, it just suits you, is all."
Noelle felt her heart jolt in pain when Ralsei began crying, like a knife stab to her core.
Oh Deltarune, did she– did she do something wrong?
Why is he...?
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Oh.
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OH!
That... that makes so much sense actually.
"...Ralsei?"
The goat gave a soft shake of the head against her shoulder, and Noelle didn't pry.
"It's okay... I understand."
Ralsei pulled away suddenly, tears still wetting her eyes and cheeks. White. Not clear. White.
Noelle noticed her shoulder was colder. Perhaps it was soaked in tears. Cold tears?
"I'm sorry.... I'm sorry I ruined... I ruined y-your–"
Noelle's hands softly came up to cup the goat's face, making Ralsei twist her eyes shut.
"Nonsense... I don't want you to ever think you aren't royalty just because of... this."
Ralsei wiped at her face with a paw, her heart swelling. With what?
Appreciation?
Love?
Envy?
"You're still you..."
Noelle smiled.
"...got it, princess?"
Ralsei's heart stuttered with...
Validation.
She buried her face into the doe's neck, and while she couldn't see it, heard the smile in Noelle's voice as she hummed.
Ralsei's voice broke. "Thank you... thank you thank you–"
"What are you thanking me for?"
"For... f-for noticing."
Noelle couldn't respond to that, and instead let her arms wrap tighter around Ralsei's back, fingers curling into the white ribbons on Ralsei's fur.
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.
Susie and Kris have known him for days.
Noelle knew her for less than that and clocked her almost instantly.
Isn't that embarassing?
Getting noticed so fast that you have no defense but to cry into their neck?
No... embarrassing is the wrong word.
Acknowledged, perhaps?
Or maybe envious that it took her years to figure it out when the doe got it in an hour.
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Does it matter?
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"You feeling better?"
"...maybe."
"Still cold?"
"...yeah."
"Wanna move?"
"Angel, no."
"Fahahaha..."
"..."
"You remind me of a friend of mine."
"...?"
"Intelligent. Passionate. A nerd, even."
Ralsei huffed. "Hey..."
"Acts like nothing can stop him. And yet... he still finds it in himself to care. I know he does. All cold to meet, yet warm to know."
"..."
"Though, I guess he isn't a girl, so..."
Ralsei smiled, her eyes already drifting off as she curled further into the doe's arms.
"Tired?"
Ralsei nodded her head.
Noelle rested her head atop the goat's.
Ralsei thinks Susie will kill her in the morning.
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.
.
Worth it.