Hello! Welcome to my newest project. Don't worry, Butterfly Wings will still be posted on a regular basis. This fic will also update every Friday as well.
Chapter One: The Fall of Royalty
"Come and dance with me!"
Mabel laughed as she grabbed her brother's hand, dragging him out to the crowd of elegant dancers. They all had their own dresses, and fine clothes, but nothing they wore was even close to being as finely made and tailored like Dipper's and Mabel's clothing. After all, the prince and princess of the land should be the most finely dressed.
"Mabel!" Dipper gasped, before he relaxed and let her lead.
They were getting to the age where Mabel was going to have to pretend to be a fine young woman, and where Dipper would have to train to take over the throne from their uncles, but for now they could just dance and ignore everyone else.
"Kids!" Stan shouted over the crowd as Dipper tried to lift Mabel into the air but failed, just letting them both fall to the ground in a heap. Their giggles pierced the air over the music that was still playing.
A couple servants helped them to their feet, including a blond boy that looked to be Mabel's age. He stared at her in surprise when she thanked him, but Mabel didn't even spare him a second glance before she dashed off to her uncle's side, hauling her brother with her.
"There's my princess." Stan wrapped his arms around Mabel, hugging her tightly, making it hard to breathe. Dipper laughed, hanging off Stan's arm and for once not trying to act like a grown up.
"Where's Ford?" Dipper asked when Stan was finished with his hug. The old man pointed at Ford, who leaned against a wall almost blending into it.
"He got you a surprise, Dipper, go bug him about it." Mabel pouted slightly in envy as Dipper hurried off, but she didn't say anything about it. Still, Stan knew her well enough to scoop her into his arms and take a seat on the nearby throne, placing her on his lap so she wouldn't interrupt Ford and Dipper's moment.
They stayed silent for a moment, just waiting for the song to end and watching Ford present Dipper with an old book that reeked of use. Ford knelt down to be at Dipper's height as Dipper excitedly looked through the pages, and Mabel couldn't help but wonder what it was.
"I got you something too, princess, don't worry." Stan reached behind the throne for a moment, turning back with a small, elegantly decorated box in his hand. Mabel gasped at the sight of it, holding it in her hands.
"I didn't know if you'd like any of the ones they had, so I had it made for us." Stan looked quite proud of it, and Mabel thought it was the best thing she had ever seen. As she turned the box over in her hands, trying to see through the golden lace decorations around it, Stan produced a key, showing her just where it went.
As she wound up the music box, it started playing, showing a man and woman dancing. Mabel teared up, hugging her uncle as the tune played.
"Happy birthday, pumpkin."
Mabel gasped as she remembered, almost disappointed in herself. She had nearly forgotten that this was their party, and she scolded herself for forgetting something so important. Mabel just loved seeing all the people wear such lavish clothing, it made her feel like she was a part of something so wonderful. The guests all chattered away with themselves, talking business and politics that Mabel sometimes found boring, but not tonight. Not on the night of her party.
"So, this isn't all of your present." Stan drew out, laughing as her face lit up in excitement. "Isn't there one place you've always wanted to visit?"
"Paris?" Mabel almost shouted, jumping off of Stan's lap excitedly. The old man chuckled, nodding his head.
"Paris. I think it'd be good for you to go out and see the world." Stan almost teared up with laughter as she bounced around happily, though she calmed down enough to take her necklace off and slip the key on it, only so she wouldn't lose it..
"Thank you, thank you! We're gonna have so much fun, I can't wait! When do we leave?" Mabel shot one question after another, but all of her excitement and everything around her paused as the ballroom grew dark.
The music cut off with an abrupt sharp note, and people gasped as Gideon slowly walked towards the throne with measured steps. Mabel could only hear the sound of her own breathing and his footsteps as no one tried to stop the boy from walking towards them, and the guards only came forward when Gideon reached the steps of the throne. Gideon didn't even seem to see them, in fact he appeared just as proud as he always was.
"Aw, now Stanley, are ya really gonna forbid an old friend like me when I just wanted to wish Mabel a happy birthday?" Gideon's voice even seemed darker. Mabel stood up as Stan did, having never gotten out of his lap, and saw Ford and Dipper come close to them as well.
"You're not welcome here, you should leave." Stan stood firm, even as more lights in the ballroom went out, seemingly on their own. Mabel mimicked her uncle, standing tall.
"Not until I give the perfect birthday present." Gideon sneered, opening another old book, this one oddly identical to the one Ford had given Dipper just moments before.
"We don't want it, Gideon!" Dipper resounded, despite how his voice was a bit shrill and even cracked. Mabel nodded furiously along with her brother.
"Good. I curse the Pines family! Not one night of rest will any of you have, until you right the wrongs and learn from your mistakes. You rejected my advice, when all I ever did was try to make your country great! Well, I won't be ignored anymore, and I've finally had enough. I will personally see to the death of every single one of ya! Curse you, Pines!" Gideon screeched, making them all take a step back. "I will take away everything you hold near and dear!"
Whispers rushed through the room, as Gideon said such biting words for such a young child. Stan stepped in front of Mabel as Ford came forward, but before any of them could make a move, Gideon disappeared in a flash of light and smoke, and the lights came on as though they had never been off in the first place.
The night resumed, even if the party ended quickly. Mabel didn't say anything about her worries, but she trusted her uncles to make sure they were safe from harm, no matter where that harm came from.
Yet, tension was in the kingdom after that. Were the Pines as powerful as they claimed to be? How could they let just a child get away with so much? Something needed to be done, their kingdom couldn't be ruled by such incapable rulers. They couldn't even protect their own family from a child who spat words of hate, how were they expected to protect a whole kingdom. Almost overnight, the kingdom was full of whispers doubting the ruling of the kings.
It wasn't even a month before the riots started, when people protested having a monarchy ruling over them. Mabel would wake up in the middle of the night to hear people outside in the ice and snow protesting her uncles' terrible rule. Sometimes she would lean out the window and watch them, sorrow in her heart that she couldn't do anything for them.
It was on such a night like that, when snow fell from the sky and clung to her hair that Mabel leaned out the window and saw more than just protesters. She saw a mob of angry men and women tying ropes to the famed statue that represented her uncles' rule, tearing it down easily. They cheered as it hit the ground and cracked into a thousand different pieces.
"Mabel!" Stan rushed into the room, Dipper scrambled in behind him, both of them still in their pajamas despite the chill in the air.
She could hear the shouts, as the door to their palace were broken down below. Stan reached into her room, grabbing her hand when she reached for him, clinging as tightly as she could to the old man. Dipper looked just as frightened as she was, reaching out to hold his sister's hand so they wouldn't be separated.
"Whatever happens, don't get separated and don't let go of me. I promise everything's going to be okay." Stan picked Mabel up, trusting Dipper enough to let the young child race behind them.
"I forgot my music box!" Mabel gasped, squirming out of her uncle's arms despite the cold fear that went through his features. Stan had put her in charge of it, she wouldn't let him down by losing it, even when she was afraid.
"Mabel, no!"
Dipper and Stan bolted after her, calling for her to come back as the mob raced up the steps towards them, the promises of bloodshed on their lips and blood still on their hands. Mabel made it back to her room just in time, throwing herself behind her bed, where she kept all of her most important items, and grabbed the music box.
"They're right outside!" Dipper hissed, locking the door. Mabel felt dread pool in the pit of her stomach and ice course through her veins as she realized they were trapped, and it was all her fault.
Yet the door didn't remain locked, for a moment later it was opened by a young blond boy who had the key. Mabel felt a flash of recognition as she met his gaze, his wide blue eyes sparking the memory of the party that now seemed so long ago.. He slammed the door shut just as rioters started to pound on it, trying to break in.
"Here!" The blond pushed against the wall, sliding it to the side and revealing the old stone path it hid. Stan didn't even give Mabel a choice, grabbing her in such a tight grip that it made Mabel drop her music box in surprise
"Run!" Dipper shouted, pushing Stan into the doorway just as the men broke through the door.
Mabel reached back for her brother, hand extended and fingers reaching, but she couldn't reach far enough. Stan looked back just in time to see his nephew one last time, as the blond boy slid the hidden door closed so they wouldn't be seen by the men, and gunshots rang out through the castle. Mabel gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as Stan looked ready to turn right back and save his nephew from the men. Yet, all the man didwas turn, still carrying Mabel in his arms as they unsteadily through the hidden tunnels, sometimes Stan pausing to look back as though he was considering going back just to have the chance at saving his nephew.
"Where's Great Uncle Ford?" Mabel asked quietly, afraid to break the silence, and even more afraid that she wouldn't like the answer she was going to hear.
"He didn't make it."
Mabel was quickly silenced, laying her head on her uncle's shoulder and not bothering to hide her sniffles as she mourned her uncle that she lost, and because of her own foolishness her brother wasn't with them anymore. If she hadn't gone to get her music box, Dipper would be right there, walking with them.
The tunnel eventually let out to the courtyard that looked as though it had been through a war. The smell of gunpowder was in the air, and luckily in the dark she wasn't able to see the blood staining the snow, to her it simply looked as though there were blotches on there, soaked into the icy ground.
The whole city was awake. Stan eventually placed Mabel on her feet to walk next to him, too exhausted to carry her any longer, as he was an old man. She was still right against his side, hand clutching his own. There were trains going out, but before they could board one, a couple men stopped Stan to talk to him, no doubt recognizing him even in his ragged and torn pajamas.
"See, the funny thing about that is-" Stan gave a powerful left hook at the station master, knocking him out cold before rushing after the train, practically dragging Mabel along.
"Grunkle Stan! I can't keep up!" Mabel yelled, rushing further but her short legs unable to keep up. She kept stumbling with every step, trying to get close but already falling behind.
Stan hopped up on the train, reaching out his hand desperately for Mabel, but unable to get anywhere close to the young girl. The train was already building up on speed, while Mabel still reached for him and him and tried to grasp his hand. Mabel shrieked in fright, not wanting to be alone in the city with nothing to her name.
"Mabel!"
Her feet slipped on ice, sending her tumbling onto the tracks and into darkness. People surrounded her after a moment, making sure the young child wasn't harmed, not recognizing her in her tattered clothing. Yet she lay on the ground, knowing only darkness.