There had been tales about the cruel ruler, tales all about his terrible temper and wicked laughter. He was feared throughout the nations, while at the same time respected by everyone; from the poorest man of Evess to his own parents. All knew the name Reynard Evess as a name that commanded respect and power. But of course, there is always one who doesn’t get the message. One person doesn’t fit the mold and refuses to sit still.

Tales link to Lupin Angelica, a girl from a low standing. Such a simple young girl had a desire to change people and be of service ever since she could walk. Each achievement she made only brought her closer to her goal of being the unofficial saint of Evess. Each wave she exchanged, each lonely child she played with, each person she truly changed without even realizing, they all built her up for the moment of truth. Her truest test of purity and patience, the ironfisted rulers of her beautiful home. The one who had been revered as a monster and criminal in disguise. The one who went through servant after servant, consort after consort. The one who held public executions for the poor bastards who even looked at him with light in their eyes.

She should have been deterred by the looks of sympathy from the guards standing by the gates, or the gentle prayers the priests and shrine maidens whispered on the way here. But despite all of that, they were only seen as signs of good luck. Everyone needed a bit of good luck, right? 

 

Upon entering the throne room, guards lined up all the way to the throne to make a small pathway for the bright and shiny Lupin. She took her time, watching her each step on the carpet, pondering how the carpet was more expensive than any clothes she had ever worn. It wasn’t as terrifying as most would assume, moreso fascinating to someone who had rarely even spent more than 15 dollars in a two week period. However, her moment of awe was cut short by the bellowing of her name ringing through the throne hall.

“Saint Angelica.” spoke the uncaring prince as he rose from his throne, slowly but surely making his presence the one that towered over all of the others currently in the hall.

Lupin’s smile was just as cheerful while she responded to his call for her. With a small curtsy, she spoke.

“Master Reynard, it’s an honor to stand before you.” Her tone was still cheerful despite the conversation being one that was clearly meant to be a heavy one. It wasn’t like she couldn’t read moods, so it was more than likely something she was doing intentionally. There was a small moment of silence before he continued to speak.

“You are here under trial, the doubt we have is that you will quit in a matter of days just like previous servants, previous desperate women of Evess attempting to become queen by means of seducing me. You will be thoroughly judged due to your feats and title of Saint of Evess. If you manage to displease me, any chances of that title ever truly existing or belonging to you will be reduced to nothing. Along with that, you will be exiled from Evess as a whole, never to see your family or anything you know again. Is that understood?” The room was silent as the king stared daggers into the small elven girl, the girl who smiled back at them without a hint of regret on her face.

"Without a question, your majesty. I’ll gladly be heading to my quarters now, if that’s what you both will allow.” An uninterested nod from the monarch elicited a giggle from Lupin, without a word or a second thought from anyone else, she turned herself around and began the tread to the servants quarters. 

​

Yet it was only the beginning.
 

There was something off about Lupin from day one, that giggle solidified it. There was no aura of fear from her, only speaking formally out of her own free will and genuine desire to do so, rather than fear-based respect like others. She showed no romantic or lust-driven interest to him despite the frequent amount of times she had to bathe and dress him. It almost felt wrong to him, just having such a wholesome woman in his presence. It drove him nearly mad just trying to not order her to tell him why she hadn’t messed up yet. Each time he heard her footsteps after ringing the bell to summon her, he found himself adjusting himself to look his best.

The slowly growing obsession made him notice small and useless things she did around him. Whether it was constantly adjusting her bangs for the least amount of her eyes to be visible, double tapping her feet each time she entered and exited her room, or making sure each part of her outfit was puffy enough to not expose her true body type. So many little things made the slow obsession grow into something monstrous that Reynard could hardly hold himself back from. Indulging in with requests of poses for drawings, reading to him every day, holding onto his arm, other things of the sort to satisfy him for small periods of time.

Lupin, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of her effect on Reynard despite how obvious he made it. She did admit she was a bit of a sucker for love but could never pick up on any desire pointed her way, no matter what kind. She assumed the strange requests he had of her were just for a reason she couldn’t fathom. Regardless, she did everything without a true complaint. Her smile never faded and her lively nature even made the other staff feel more at ease in the castle.

Month after month, far past the trial period’s end, Lupin continued her tireless work in the castle. In any situation she had gotten into she had fixed it with a smile, so much so that she had gained a reputation of sorts as the problem solver. A reputation Reynard despised, since rather than spending time doting on him even when he didn’t need her, his servant was elsewhere and helping others. 

​

Lupin was meant to be his property, she was meant to be someone who only served him, someone who belonged to him in every circumstance, not some communal wench for everyone to put their filthy hands on. He hadn’t even realized the strength of his anger until he had called upon her only for her to arrive slightly later than usual. She arrived while tying her apron, something she always had ready before even going up stairs. What had stopped her this time? He had entirely forgotten what he was saying before, only focused on why she had broken her routine.

Reynard moved his eyes up and down her figure, taking a note of the small stain on the bottom right corner. "Your apron.”

“Pardon me?” Her voice was just as cheerful as it would be every other day but confusion was even clear to people who had never heard her speak before. 

“You tied it while walking in. Why?” The giggle she let out only enraged the monarch more. 

“I was in the bathhouse with Miss Oriana and Yule. They’re both of sea dominant bloodlines, so I was keeping watch over them. I hope that wasn’t much trouble for you, since I was only a few seconds off-” Before she could finish her sentence, a chill ran through the bedroom.

“Tell both of them to burn their things. They’ll be fed to beasts in a matter of days.” For once, bliss wasn’t the most prominent emotion on her face. Reynard was almost surprised by the small question she had whispered to herself, her expression only morphed into distress the longer the silence lasted and it made him excited.

“Your majesty, I beg your pardon?”

“Slaughtered. They took your time from me.”

“A few seconds of my time for their lives? That exchange is insanity, my lord.” The chuckle Reynard let slip made Lupin regret her words as a whole. 

“Insanity? You think that’s insane? What’s insane is that you think you have a say in the words of the king. I could have their families of ‘sea dominant blood’ executed as a whole along with anyone related to that species. I could contaminate that town with a plague. I could torture them for days with milliseconds of breaks between each removal of each layer of skin and each vital organ. I’m giving them an easy death, they should be on their hands and knees thanking me for not going with a punishment fitting for such a crime as diverting your attention from me.” Lupin had hardly noticed how Reynard had begun advancing towards her until he had a firm grip on her delicate wrist. Though the saint did her best to shake him off of her, the sound of shuffling from his sleeve ruffling made her stop to see a small vial of thick pale looking liquid that seemed more like sewage than anything useful.

“I’ve been told by royal mages that the immunity of elves functions differently than most beings, so average potions won’t work on you, isn’t that right? So I have an order for you, Saint Angelica.”

“Master Reynard, please don’t...” The desperation in her voice failed her, the stone cold grip only tightened. 

“Drink this and succumb to me, or revoke your title of Saint. Let the girls die, leave your kin to rot under my will after I imprison you. How does that sound?” His voice was sadistic, the carnal desire to watch her break overflowed his veins as he stared her down. The little elf he had been craving for so long, he would obtain the relations he desired.

​

The cheers of the crowd below, the ringing of wedding bells, doves and rice falling. The delicate lace and silk of her dress and veil, the cool metal of her ring, everything was beautiful. Her beautiful prison, the reward she had worked her whole life for after years of kindness and saintlike behavior. It was all so beautiful to Lupin in her rose tinted haze. The joyful waves she had been giving the people below abruptly stopped as she was tugged close to her husband, forced into a possessive kiss that slowly began to taste of blood. Nobody was able to see the blood drip from her lips and tongue as he bit down without a care, even if they did, who would stop him? She wouldn’t dare, a blood soaked kiss was the only kind he liked.

The residue of the potion always lingered on her tongue, the taste of honey made her eyes remain rosey and lovestruck for the man who had forced it onto her. Lovestruck and ready to please him. Years of working only to result in a beautiful marriage, the marriage to begin the peaceful era of Evess. The marriage of the sadistic king and lovesick queen.