Alice found herself waking from her sleep. Her eyes slowly parted, finding a soft blanket resting above her. A soft, white pillow cushioned beneath her head, yet the pillow remained rather stiff to her liking. The bed she found herself in was not as large as she imagined it to be, but just the right size to fit two to three people. That however, wasn't the issue.

What was the issue... Well, before her eyes, Adrien had for the first time fallen asleep. His back was exposed to her... without the dark cloak he often wore covering it. She could scarcely see his toned back muscles, but a blanket covered the rest. Her breathing was calm, but her mind was far from it. She couldn't pull her eyes off of him, and as her eyes took in more of him, the more she noticed them. Dozens of scars, all faint but just enough to see. They appeared to stretch down his back, and up to his neck. At a closer look, she could faintly see the scars left behind by the chains that were put on him for so many years. What he said in the woods wasn't a lie.

While she only bore the chains for a mere day at most, Adrien had done so for who knew how many years. Those crude... revolting chains... She instinctively rubbed her neck, imagining how much worse it would've been if they weren't broken, Adrien certainly knew.

In the past, there would've been no way for her to stay calm in such a situation. After everything that's happened, this was a time of tranquility, a time to rest. She knew deep down that he was tired, far more than her. Being awake for so many days would take its toll on anyone, even a demon such as him.

She was so restless that her eyes kept returning to the back of his neck, looking over his scars, over and over. She could almost feel the pain, yet for some odd reason, despite how brutal the thought was, they fit him, and she liked it, so much so that she wanted to touch it. She restrained herself, her feeling of guilt bearing down on her. How could she even think that? What was wrong with her?

A faint knocking could be heard from the door. Alice's ears quickly picked up on its sound, but it appeared Adrien was yet asleep. She slowly sat up as to not disturb him. Her hair was bad yesterday, but it was even worse now. She needed to fix herself, fix her clothes, a bath and so much more. But this was not the time, and she was curious who was behind the door. She stood to her feet, slightly wobbly from how comfortable she had slept, and made her way to confront whoever dared knock while Adrien was asleep.

As she opened the door, her eyes were met with Klaus's. He held his scythe in his right hand, and a book in his left. "Good morning Lady Alice." Klaus said. "I hope you've had a comfortable night."

"Thank you Klaus." Alice said, her eyes moving to the book in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

It was still early in the morning and the sun had barely given rise. "There are some matters that require Lord Adrien's attention. I wanted to discuss it with him."

Alice turned to look at Adrien who remained in bed. "Oh..." She mumbled, her voice lowering slightly. "Adrien is very tired... If you want, you can discuss it with me?" She said, almost as a question.

Klaus's eyes looked past Alice, "Oh... I didn't know... I apologize for the intrusion... I'll be more than happy to discuss it with you, but are you sure Lord Adrien wouldn't mind?"

She looked to him again, this time knowing the answer. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't."

"That's perfect then."

Klaus took a moment and added. "Please come to the throne room once you're prepared. I'll make some more arrangements."

Alice had promised Adrien to visit the spa with him, but even then she didn't want to go when she was so filthy. Before Klaus could leave, Alice grabbed his hand, her words hinting that she needed a bath, or at the very least a quick shower. "Hey uh, Klaus. Is there some place I can... You know..."

Klaus's face flushed red, "Oh uh... There is a bathroom down this hall..."

"I need it to be a secret." Alice said with a hushed voice. "I don't want to wake him either."

"Don't worry. The walls are incredibly thick. I doubt he would hear it."

"Thank you, Klaus, you're a life saver."

"Mhm. Take your time. I'll be waiting then."

Alice let go of Klaus's hand, and with the directions he had given her, she knew where her destination was set. Once Klaus was gone, Alice looked back to Adrien one last time. He remained sound asleep, and with it, she took her opportunity and slipped out of the room.

Once outside, she looked up and down the hall. All the way at the very end of the hall to her right was a rough reinforced door. That had to be the room Klaus was talking about. Carefully she walked down the hallway, arriving before the intimidating door that stood before her. She pushed the door inwards, and with a quiet creek, she took a look inside.

There were a few unlit candles placed around, and something that resembled a sink, with a mirror placed above it. Everything was chiseled out of stone, but it was clear that the bathroom wasn't used in ages. Dust had piled on top of itself, which made her unsure if the water would even run. Additionally, there was a shower to the far end of the small bathroom interior, and a waste basket to the left of the door.

She had no means to light the candles, instead, she whispered beneath her breath, "Illuminate." which summoned a dozen small magical spheres of light that hovered around her, shedding their light onto the surroundings. They were dim, yet they exceeded just enough light for her to see inside. With it, she took her first step and closed the door behind her.

She turned on the faucet, and to her surprise, water flowed. The water was slightly foggy at the start, but quickly cleared as it continued. With the palm of her hand, she wiped down the mirror to the best of her ability, using the water from the faucet to clean it even more. Once clear, she took one look at her reflection, revealing a mess.

She sighed as a strand of hair fell in front of her eye. "I'm a mess."

Turning off the faucet, she slowly undid her dress while looking in the mirror to guide her. As the dress lowered inch by inch, her smooth, pale skin reflected in the mirror. The buildup of sweat had caused the dress to cling to her with each step, refusing to be taken off.

But then it was off, and she was fully nude. Adrien's bite marks reflected in the mirror along with everything else. Alice pressed gently against her scars, then shifted her gaze to the shower.

The water flowed, warm to the touch. It was a relaxing sensation. Without a second thought, she removed her shoes and stepped inside. The shower had no curtains or barriers to prevent the water from spilling out. A more pressing concern was that the bathroom had no locks. With no barriers in place, if someone entered, they would see her entirely naked.

She could only pray that people would have the decency to knock. However, she knew the only person who wouldn’t was Adrien himself.

Enough with the anxieties. Alice needed to clear her mind and relax. The warm water flowed over her head and skin, easing her soft muscles. The experience was something she hadn’t thought she’d feel again since the day she became Adrien’s hostage, but now she couldn’t imagine life without him. Had it only been a few weeks? She wasn’t sure, but time certainly flew when he was around.

She ran her fingers through her hair, letting the water wash away any dirt and debris. The weight of everything that clung to her lifted once she cleaned her hair. A piece of fabric rested by the shower. She extended her hand, grabbed hold of it, and brought it into the water to clean it. It was perfect for scrubbing her body, and so she did—starting with her chest and slowly moving down to her legs. She scrubbed her skin with enough force to remove any stubborn dirt and sweat. Soap would’ve been nice, but it was a luxury. Her eyes moved around the room, and to her surprise, a green bar of soap sat on the sink. She hadn’t noticed it when she entered, but often, things went unnoticed when one wasn’t paying attention.

She got out of the shower, quickly grabbed the soap, and returned. The soap smelled incredible—an aroma that was hard to describe. She pressed the fabric against the soap to capture some of its magic, then scrubbed her body even more vigorously, spreading the soap all over her skin—from her neck to her chest, then her arms and legs. The dirt that had tormented her no longer clung to her. She then used the same soap to clean her hair, gently pressing her soapy hands to her scalp and running them through her hair.

She rinsed her hair thoroughly, soaking it for some time to wash away the soap. She was finished, but the water held her. She didn’t want to leave. It was so relaxing, and the warmth of the water made her want to remain there forever.

She rubbed her eyes to remove any water that would otherwise blur her vision or cause an irritation. With that, she looked at her hands, then her arms. Her eyes examined every part of her body. She was as clean as could be. Her pale skin and silver hair were given the attention they deserved. She let out a sigh of relief, her back relaxing as she remained in the shower. Compared to Adrien, she had such a soft, delicate body. That was the only thing she lacked. She was already short—roughly five foot six at best. Adrien, on the other hand, was at least seven feet tall, taller and leaner than anyone she had ever seen.

It was time to leave, and she knew Klaus was waiting for her in the throne room. Once the water stopped running, she brushed through her hair with her fingers one last time and used her wind magic to dry any excess water that clung to her. Her hair glowed faintly with a silver light, but it remained disorganized. She had no means to fix it except with her hands, and she did her best, but a few strands wouldn’t budge. After spending some time trying, she simply gave up. She looked at herself in the mirror. Strangely enough, even with her hair as it was, she didn’t look any worse—if anything, she thought it made her look better.

Her eyes darted to the floor where her clothes lay, and that’s when it hit her. She had forgotten to bring any replacements. Her heart sank. She felt incredibly anxious, her mind racing for a solution. There was no way she was going to wear those dirty clothes. They needed a thorough cleaning. She approached the door. If she could sneak back to her room, maybe she could find something—anything.

She slowly opened the door, her eyes scanning for anyone nearby. Her eyes caught something on the ground. Strange. She opened the door further, only to see one of the dresses she had noticed yesterday. A note rested on top of the dress, with Klaus's name written on it.

She quickly picked up both the note and the dress and brought them inside. In her mind, she thanked Klaus a thousand times. He was a lifesaver.

The dress was simply beautiful. Its light blue fabric glowed softly under her Illuminations. The top was fitted with soft thread, featuring fluffy, flower-like patterns that, though subtle, added a cute touch. The waist was designed to cinch inward, giving the wearer a more delicate look. On the back, small white buttons ran down, making it easy to slip on.

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The skirt flowed gracefully to the ground, each layer soft and puffy. The edges had a similar thread pattern, though less detailed than the top. The entire dress felt delicate to the touch, covering up to her chest and neck but leaving her shoulders bare.

It was far better than wearing her dirty clothes. Without further thought, she slipped into the dress. It was tighter than expected but fit surprisingly well. She worried it might slip off since it had no sleeves, but by adjusting the small threads at the back, she tightened it enough to keep it securely in place. This did come with drawbacks, if they could be called that. With how tightly she had adjusted it, the fabric snugly pressed against her chest. There were paddings inside the dress, making her small, firm breasts less noticeable. It gave her a more defined shape, yet she still felt a bit self-conscious.

She was done—fully dressed. She turned to the mirror, and her eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed as she took in the sight. She was... breathtaking. The dress fit her perfectly, as if it had been made just for her. She was absolutely in love with it. Never in her life had she seen such luxury, such delicate fabric. Her heart fluttered, with a warm smile forming on her face.

With an affirmative expression, Alice spoke to herself in the mirror as if preparing herself."Right, I should go meet with Klaus, I've kept him waiting long enough."

----------------------------------------

Klaus stood by the throne as he issued his orders to his subordinates. The lunatics acted awfully cooperative under his leadership. With him stood an advisor, a senior amongst their ranks, guiding him and offering explanations. There were dozens of people working in the throne room itself, members of both the reds and blues.

During the fight against Adrien, the pillars of the throne room had taken immense damage, needing repairs. To remove the pillars would've endangered the entire structure, so instead, they used a sort of filling to patch it, and painted on top of the fixture to make the stone seem smooth and natural. These, however, were all trivial matters when met with the force under Adrien's command. There were many different things that needed to be mended besides the pillars. A long list of every detail was written in Klaus's notebook.

Klaus and his advisor were in their own conversation as three of the lunatics carried with them a bookshelf. He pointed at the men who were busy with their task, "You three, I want the bookshelves to be taken to the second floor for the time being."

His words were more of a command than a request, but the reds obliged, nodding their heads as they carried on with their task. Klaus opened his book, as the advisor approached and glanced inside. "So? What do you think?" Klaus asked.

"Efficient, effective," the advisor said. "Yet we may lack the resources."

"Why don't you send your men to steal them?"

"Theft is not in our beliefs, my lord," the advisor said. "Of course, if that is your order we shall obey, however, doing so may tarnish your own reputation as our leader. I do not suggest it."

"So you're fine with murder and not theft?"

"Hmph, there is no need to be coy, my lord. As I said, we will steal it if you demand it. I am simply informing you of how things function within our ranks."

Amidst their discussion, their sights turned to the second floor. Alice marched down the balcony with pride and a smile on her face, her silver hair cascading behind her gracefully as she took each step. She arrived before the fencing, her hands placed above them as she looked to the throne room below. Klaus's eyes widened, and so too did the advisor's. Alice was an absolutely breathtaking sight, one which sunk Klaus's throat. She was as if a goddess before them, her radiating beauty out of this world.

She approached the steps and descended to the throne room. She marched down the red carpet with dignity and pride until she arrived before Klaus and the advisor who remained in awe. "I'm here now, Klaus," she said, her warm smile, melting the tension within him. "What is it you wished to discuss?"

"Uh... yeah... That can wait..." Klaus said as he looked to his advisor. "Please leave us."

The advisor nodded, "As you will it, my lord."

The advisor left, but not fully. He stood at the corner of the throne room, waiting, watching. "Alice, you look... incredible. Blue suits you far better."

Alice was pleased by his words, "Do you think Adrien would like it?"

Klaus held a faint smile, his voice gentle. "I'm sure Adrien would adore the sight of you."

Alice returned his smile, though her uncertainty lingered. "Speaking of Adrien, this place looks much better already. You've done an amazing job here."

The throne room had only been renovated slightly, but the changes were immediately noticeable. The once tattered red carpet had been patched, and the pillars now stood firm and strong. Although the room still lacked a certain warmth, it was undeniably a step forward. Her gaze drifted to the throne, an imposing sight. It was obscenely large—far more so than its predecessor, which had been discarded. "Klaus, why is that monstrosity here?"

Klaus sighed. "Ugh, I know... It's Adrien's throne. He wanted something grand."

"Oh, so he chose it himself?"

"Mhm. A demon with an ego as big as his throne," Klaus muttered with a wry grin. "I'd expect nothing less."

Alice chuckled softly. "Well, he is our demon, after all. And I believe in time you'll grow fond of him."

Klaus's expression shifted slightly. "Forgive me, but I must ask... What is this relationship you have with him? An elf and a demon—it’s unheard of."

Alice’s eyes grew more thoughtful, her voice quieter. "It's complicated, but... I believe he loves me, in his own way."

"And... you? Is it one-sided?"

Alice's smile returned, soft but certain. "No. It's mutual."

Klaus's gaze dropped to the floor. "I see. Well, he's a lucky demon to have you by his side."

The conversation fell into silence, the two of them lingering in the cold, drafty throne room. "Why is it so cold in here?"

"You haven’t noticed? It's been snowing all night."

"Snow?" Alice repeated, her eyes widening as they drifted toward the fortress gates. "It must have settled by now... Do you want to go outside?" Klaus asked.

"Do you think we can?" Alice asked, her eyes shifting to the advisor who remained at the back of the room. "Is he staring? I don't think he'd appreciate you coming with me."

"He can wait. After all, Adrien told me to watch over you." Klaus explained, "I'd rather invoke their wrath than his."

Alice chuckled. "Fair enough."

They made their way toward the fortress gates, but before they could leave, the ever-watchful advisor stepped into their path. Klaus sighed, hoping to avoid an encounter, yet there was no escaping him. With a half-hearted smile, the advisor blocked their way. "Lord Klaus, might I inquire as to your destination?"

Klaus’s patience was wearing thin. "I’m taking her outside. She wants to see the snow."

"Snow?" The advisor questioned as he raised an eyebrow. "My lord, forgive my candor, but our esteemed master, Lord Adrien, would not be pleased with your decision. It would be prudent to remain until the throne room is restored to a suitable state."

"That room will take more than a day’s work to clean up. I think Lord Adrien would prefer that I spend time with her, especially now. Besides, I trust you’re more than capable of managing things in my absence. Or have I overestimated you?"

"It is not a matter of capability, my lord. You are our leader. If you neglect your responsibilities, it will erode the respect you command within our ranks. And without that respect, you risk losing everything."

"I don't need the respect of murderers."

From behind, Alice tugged at his shoulder. "Klaus, don’t..."

He shot her a glance over his shoulder. "What? It's true. He didn’t even deny it."

The advisor remained calm, merely nodding in acknowledgment. "I have delivered my warning, my lord. The choice now is yours. Choose your path wisely."

"My path is with Alice," Klaus said as a finality, "As per Lord Adrien’s decree."

The advisor’s eyes flickered with something—displeasure, perhaps—but he only nodded. “As you say, my lord.”

With a final bow, the advisor turned and walked away, leaving them alone once more. Klaus exhaled sharply, his frustration barely contained. Alice shook her head disapprovingly. "You shouldn’t have said that."

"Ugh... They’re insufferable," Klaus muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Especially him. He’s always telling me what to do, like I’m a fool. I know he’s supposed to mentor me, but sometimes I swear he despises me.”

Alice's mind trailed off, and as it did, a vivid image came to her mind, as if a haunting dream. She could see flashes, as if peering into a distant future. She could see... Klaus, his back against a stone wall. His eyes held no expression, they were cold, with a faint smile on his face, like the one he always has. She could see a pentagram etched into his neck. Blood stained his clothes, pooling beneath him. His scythe was broken. There was no movement, Klaus was dead.

Klaus rubbed the back of his neck to ease his frustration. Alice was trembling slightly, as if something troubling weighed on her mind. Klaus took notice. "What is it? You're thinking of something, just say it."

Alice's heart pounded in her chest. What was that vision. She blinked, only now able to hear Klaus. She looked to him, but she couldn't shake off her troubles. "I know you don't like them but, it's just... The way you talk to them, it's not helping."

"Alice?" Klaus questioned, seeing her body shaking. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright... It's just... cold."

Klaus didn't buy into her answer, yet his own thoughts remained on her earlier statement. "They're the ones trying to provoke me, you saw him, how he talked down to me, like he knows better."

"Maybe he does..."

"What?" Klaus questioned.

"Look... I don't know what happened between you and them. I can see there is some resentment between you, but... You're under Adrien's service now. They've been in this game far longer than you have, they know everything Adrien likes and dislikes. It's just a fleeting feeling but, you have to play their game. If you don't, they'll find a way to break you."

"I refuse to lower myself to their level," Klaus said with frustration.

"KLAUS! Listen! If you keep fighting them head-on like this, you'll only make enemies. You need allies, ones that have served Adrien. You need to be smart. If you don't, they'll find a way to turn Adrien against you, and when that happens... well, tell me, what happens to you?"

Klaus's eyes searched Alice's. Her troubled expression left him uneasy. "...You saw something, didn't you?"

Alice didn't answer. How could she? She herself had no idea what she had seen. She looked at him, dumbfounded, unsure of how to proceed. "It's nothing... I'm just worried, that's all."

The image of his lifeless body lingered in her mind. Her breathing was ragged, as if she were suffocating. Alice stammered, feeling faint. "Alice...?"

Alice looked like she was about to fall. Klaus quickly grabbed her, holding her arm to provide support. "Alice, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine!" Alice’s voice cracked, her words escaping more forcefully than she intended. She pulled her arm free from Klaus’s grasp, her heart racing. The image of him lying dead still haunted her, but she couldn't let him see the fear gnawing at her insides. “Please, just… just stay here with them for now. I can take care of myself.”

"Alice, you’re not making sense. Why would I stay behind?"

"You're their leader now. They need you... I need you to trust me. Please, Klaus, just listen to me. I need some space... to clear my mind."

Klaus could see just how much trouble Alice was in. Perhaps it was the air in the throne room itself. He didn’t know, but her pained expression and worried look spoke volumes. The fear in her eyes was something Klaus knew too well. He sighed, "Alright... I'll stay with them. For now, anyway. Alice, if you need anything—"

"I'll be fine," she lied, forcing a smile.

Klaus nodded, but his worry didn’t fade. He watched as she struggled to leave, holding on to pillar after pillar for support. She struggled to walk away, and as she did, her heart began to ease. She forced herself not to look back, for though she wanted to tell Klaus of her vision, she had no grounds to believe in it, and to speak whispers of darkness would only give rise to evil.

With that, she was gone, leaving Klaus guessing on what bothered her. He looked to the advisor, and as he approached once more, Klaus spoke.

"Let's get started."