A/N: Hello darlings, please read this before continuing forward. So during the time I took off to rewrite this entire fanfiction, I hit a point where I realized I was making myself rather miserable. It wasn't as if I didn't like the story, cause I do I love my characters very much along with the plotline I have build up over the years, but I couldn't help but felt I was limiting myself. There were many things I wanted to do with this story when I first started writing it, like this was suppose to be 3-5 part long story with lots of world building, main/side character growth arcs, etc but as time wore on I kept hitting a wall.

I wanted to work on my original stories, and dedicating so much of my time and efforts towards this fic made me really upset. There was also the fact that certain stuff in canon I generally either didn't like or wanted to throw away, but if I did that too much then it would be more of an original story just borrowing characters from another person's work.

I want to write the story I want to write, something I can actually share with people and to even later make money off of. I can't do that with a fanfic. So instead I have decided to drop this story entirely and use what I learned to create an original story that I will love. I greatly thank my best friends Mary and Gabihime for helping so much over the years by encouraging me to pursue the things I want to do in life I wouldn't be where I am right now without them.

Anyway, as you can see I updated this fic with the last two chapters that were already on AO3, there isn't anything more after this. If you wish to follow me for my art and writings I have updated my profile with my social media usernames. I may write some other fics in the future, but for now I'm solely working on my original story (which by the way, if you happen to really love Iris and Twila seeing they are my own original characters I am reusing them for the story I am working on currently). I will update my profile again when I am done creating my portfolio site where I will post my art and writings to.

Alright well that's all for now hope to see you guys again in the future!

It was yet another Saturday morning in which I would find myself awake at 5 am. I was far too tired to comprehend much, except the fact I really wanted to return to bed as quickly as possible. So I dragged my body from my warm cozy bed, threw on some clothing, and put my hair up in a messy ponytail.

I yawned, stretched, and rubbed at my eyes before finally heading out the door.

The walk down the hallways was always long, more so for the reasoning of me taking my good old time. The mail would get out, sooner or later so there was no need to rush.

One nice thing about getting up so early was the peace and quiet it brought. The only sound to be heard were my footsteps alone.

And yet I felt dread within me. I shook the feeling off, deciding it was caused by my nightmare from last night.

As I got closer to my destination, I saw a light emanating from the mail room. Huh, I guess either Minnie or Professor Grabiner was in there right now. I was hoping for the latter.

With that thought in mind, I opened the door and quickly was filled with fear.

Professor Grabiner was laying on the floor stagnant, around him were these glowing markings, runes perhaps? None of the words made any sort of sense to me. Though the bigger issue was the spirit floating nearby him that bore sharp teeth and even sharper claws.

And what scared me more was when it started to speak to me. "Run away little girl. This one is mine and I intend to devour him." What...did I just walk into?

Anxiety fills me. This...is really happening right now. That thing is going to eat him!

I barely know any Red Magic, what am I supposed to do? I can't just leave him here, what if something were to happen? Fuck.

I can't let him die, I've lost enough people as it is, I am sure as hell not going to lose him too! I rush across the room, straight into the glowing symbols and try my best to shake him awake.

"Wake up! Wake up please!" Please be okay, please be still alive! Fuck I wish Grim was here, I should have brought them with me. I could message them right now, but would they even be able to help me in time?

I need to calm down, freaking out isn't going to help me. I just need to-

He groans. Oh, thank goodness he is still alive. I shake him some more, but of course, he still refuses to actually wake up.

I start to think of another way of waking him up, but then I realize I can no longer move, let alone breathe properly. My neck starts to hurt, which I assume may be caused by the spirit which I completely ignored.

As the pain worsens I hear the spirit laugh at me. "Fool. This one was protected, but you, on the other hand, have crossed the wards that bind me." Are you kidding me?

He was safe this entire time, I, on the other hand, was not.

I am such an idiot. Is the last thought that comes to mind before I black out.

I awake lightheaded and confused. The room now looks normal, no glowing symbols, no demonic spirit trying to eat me, Professor Grabiner is definitely awake, and very pissed off.

"You absolute imbecile!" He yells at me. Of course, he is pissed off at me. I nearly went and got myself killed again.

I don't speak, there is nothing I could say in my defense, or at least nothing that I think would make this situation better for me.

"Not here Hieronymous." Oh? I turn and find Professor Potsdam is here too, well she doesn't seem angry at me at least.

"Do you know what you have done?" He continues to yell at me not caring. It's official he really must hate me now.

She speaks again. "She was trying to save your life. Surely you wouldn't want her to lose her soul for such an act." I wish she wouldn't defend me I wouldn't have nearly lost it in the first place if I ran for help instead.

His words are bitter. "I am not sure this is an improvement." What? What does he mean by that? I missed something else, didn't I? As if this situation isn't horrible enough.

"I don't understand what is going on?" I barely manage to croak out of me. Nice to see my throat still hurts.

"In the future Miss Araceli, you should learn not to meddle with things you do not understand!"

If I could curl up into a ball and die right now, I surely would.

Professor Potsdam sighs. "Not here, please. We should speak away from the watch." The what? "I will take her away and explain. We will see you again at noon?" For what?

"As I appear to have little choice." He glares at me once more before leaving the room.

The situation was explained to me yet I could hardly bring myself to care. I was exhausted, physically and mentally at this point, the fact I was still standing was a miracle in itself.

I was really in a wedding dress. It was long and beautiful and ill suited for me considering the circumstances. This is really happening. This is really my life now. I have never been kissed, or in a relationship before, and yet here I was to be married off.

There was some horrible irony to all of this. To be married off to a guy I love and yet he hates me. It's official I'm cursed.

And dumb so very fucking dumb.

Yet I couldn't be angry, or sad. I just wanted everything to be done, over with, so I could sleep for a very long time.

" Hey listen...everything will be fine. " And of course, Grim was now with me too having been alerted to my state of distress.

I reply bitterly. " How would you know? You didn't see how angry he was! He had every reason to be upset, I was a fucking idiot! "

Grim sighs. " Look, Iris, I'm not good with the whole making people feel good thing and I tend to be an ass from time to time, but I do care about you, I want you to be happy. " As if there was anything to be happy about, sheesh.

" Okay, so maybe running across wards wasn't the brightest idea, but you're not the only one who fucked up Iris. Grabby did too, I mean who experiments with a fucking Manus in an accounting room, which was unlocked as well. Anyone could have stumbled in there and ended up in this situation, and he should be happy it was you. "

A shaky laugh escapes from me. " In what way should he be happy? I'm nothing great, asides I'm sure I'm the only one who would make this type of mistake. "

The next thing I know I am being hit in the head by Grim. I put my arms up in defense.

" Can you not be so negative right now! What happened to looking on the bright side of things? Really Iris, seriously, you're not an awful person nor are you a stupid one, most of the times. You did what you did cause you were scared. You learned your lesson, you won't make such a mistake again. "

Grim continues on. " Anyway don't let his anger get to you, more than anything he is angry about the situation rather than you. Just give it a few days, he will cool down, you can patch things up with him then. "

" I hope so... " Suppose I am back to hoping things turn out well for me as if that ever worked in my favor.

" ...But on the off chance he is just a major asshole and blames you for everything, I will gladly kick his ass on your behalf. "

Professor Potsdam once done with preparing me for my...wedding, leads me down a narrow stone corridor behind some hidden door.

There are hidden doors in this school? That was interesting knowledge if I were to travel astrally in the future, I might want to look out for them.

Grim scoffs. " Of course there is Iris, I could have told you that easily. This place is ancient as fuck, could you really not tell? "

" Well, of course, I knew this place was old, but...still this is quite the uh typical magic school out of a book huh? " With the dungeons, monsters, and now secret passageways.

Grim sounds disgusted. " Ugh, you read those type of things? "

" I will read anything really as long as it's interesting, though, mostly I'm fond of historical fiction, supernatural mysteries, fantasy, and anything folklore related. I'm surprised you didn't know that? "

" I don't pay attention to what you read I have better things to do. " Oh really?

" ...Like what? "

" It's none of your business... " Grim changes the subject. " Boy, this seems like the least romantic wedding ever. " Thanks for reminding me that this is an actual thing happening to me right now, for a moment I didn't think about it.

Dread and anxiety fill me once again.

" I-Its not suppose to be romantic. " I could feel my heart thumping hard in my chest as my breathing becomes uneasy.

" Wow calm down, like you said it's not romantic, no need to uh faint. "

" I'm not going to faint, just need a moment to- oh no. "

We arrive at the destination, a large open stone room, lit with candles. Yup, nothing romantic about being married off in a literal dungeon at all. Oh god, this still feels like a nightmare of some sort. I truly wish it was.

Minnie, who is here to witness this awful situation, walks over to me, smiles, and squeezes my hand for comfort. She doesn't seem to react to Grim's presence oddly enough. Nonetheless, her trying to comfort me doesn't help, and the more I think about it I actually might faint or hurl, or both.

Doesn't matter if I do though, I will not be getting out of this.

She soon steps away and I hear a noise behind me, I turn to see Professor Grabiner. Wow, he looks uh different and still very pissed off. Before we meet eyes I turn away.

" Hahaha, this is so great! Look at what he is wearing! "

" Grim shut up, please. " This was far from a laughing matter.

Professor Potsdam claps her hands cheerfully. "Shall we begin?" Yes please let this nightmare end.

I simply nod and Professor Grabiner mutters something in agreement.

So the ceremony commences. I do everything I was told to do, though rather clumsily for I seriously cannot stop shaking right now. Most of what Professor Potsdam says I don't even register until-

"-You may now kiss the bride." Wait for what? Oh goodness please tell me she is joking right now?

"Is that strictly necessary?" Professor Grabiner quickly says.

"...Well no." That's great! I let out a sigh of relief.

" Aww, that sucks she should have lied. " It's like Grim wants me to die.

He speaks bitterly. "Then I have no intention of demeaning myself."

...Did he just? Well then, I guess that is uh to be expected but...but- I find myself crying. I never thought he would actually say something like that about me. I don't understand how though I've pretty much gone and ruined his life.

There is no bright side to any of this, he literally hates my guts now. Nothing is ever going to go my way and the fact I thought so for even a second is hilarious to me now.

Professor Potsdam speaks. "Hieronymous don't be cruel she is your wife now." Why is she even still trying to defend me? There is no point in any of this.

"Yeah, fuckface! You made her cry!" Ugh.

There is this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, I feel like it's been in there for a long while, building over time till-

I stop shaking. "Shut up! Just...shut up. I.-" I don't know what else to say, so I bolt off.

I teleported into the forest, where exactly I wasn't sure, nor did I care much. To admit this all sort of reminded me of long ago back when I was little. I had the habit of running away into the forest near where I lived when things got too horrible to deal with.

I've always felt comforted being surrounded by nature, out here there is no one who can judge me. I would usually curl up into a ball and cry, other times scream at the top my lungs. No one would ever come for me, though I was sure to be reprimanded when I did finally return home. It was worth it though.

I wish I could just sleep all of this off. Just simply lay here and wake up with all my troubles gone, but they won't. They never will. This is my life and I have to deal with it.

But at least just not right now. So I lay on my side curled up and listen to the sound of the wind blowing around me.

It's so cold out here, this wasn't the best idea to come out here in the middle of winter with barely anything on, but I don't think I can bring myself to move.

I'm such a fuck up, I always ruin everything. It was surely what my old family thought, and they did make it vocal from time to time. I tried my best to be positive, but how can I, especially right now?

It was going to rain soon, I knew that for sure from the way the sky looked all dark and dreary. I need to move.

Still, I couldn't find a reason to actually get up.

Then I hear a noise, it was faint yet distinct. I knew who it was before they even spoke. "How long are you going to wallow out here in your misery girl?"

Hello, Belladonna. I didn't question it, I lacked the energy to do so. "I don't know."

She crept closer to me till I finally saw her in my field of vision. "You're going to get sick."

"I know," I respond despondently.

"You aren't worried?"

"Can't you tell how I'm feeling right now?" My words were full of spite.

She inches away. "...Yes. I don't know what caused you to feel this way Iris, but you can't let it get to you like this." In this moment she sounded exactly like my mother. It made me feel even worse.

"Go away, just leave me here for a while longer. Please." I begged.

"You know I cannot leave your side, but alright. I will be up in a tree nearby waiting okay?"

I simply nod and Belladonna takes flight.

So I close my eyes and lay for a while longer before the silence is broken yet again.

"There you are you goddamn idiot!" Ugh, of course, it would be Grim now.

I open my eyes and sit up. Oh...of course Professor Grabiner is here as well, though no longer in the robes from earlier.

"What do you think you are doing out here?" He was angry, but I didn't care.

"Why should it matter to you? I think you made it fairly obvious earlier you don't think much of me." My words are full of venom.

He does not take kindly to that. "I-" I cut him off.

I pull myself up, though I'm still quite shaky and nearly fall over in the process. "I don't want to hear it!" It starts to finally pour down rain, but I continue on. "I fucking get it. I am a totally fuck up, I'm an inconvenience to everyone around me. I've been told this since the day I was born, I don't need to hear it from anyone else!"

I take another breath before continuing on. "Though I thought...I really thought for a moment that maybe I wasn't or at least maybe I could do better. You made me feel that way. You made me feel like I was a good person, but I'm not. I've gone and ruined your life and I'm sorry."

My words at this point can barely be heard. "Everyone in my past wished I was like Violet, maybe if I was I wouldn't of mess things up so horribly, but...I don't wish it. I don't want to be like her, I never could want something like that. I'm so so sorry."

I start to cry and just when I think I'm about to fall down again, he catches me. I try to pull away.

He stops me. "Stop. Just stop. If anyone should be apologizing right now it should be me. I acted out of line earlier and I did not mean what I said about you. You do make a lot of mistakes...but you are not stupid. You are very passionate, you work very hard to try and better yourself, and I can see that. You still have a lot to learn, but you are very willing to do so. And-"

He sighs for a moment. "If it makes you feel any better I do not wish you were like Violet. I never could wish for such a thing."

"Thank you." I hold him and bury my face into his chest.

"Let us get you back inside before you catch a cold."

I pull away from him and nod. "Yeah...let's go."

Later that night I am finally returned to my warm cozy bed feeling utterly exhausted. Yet considering all that happened today, I can't sleep. Good thing I know someone else has trouble sleeping too.

" So just to make sure you don't find the thought of kissing me degrading right? "

I can tell he is grumbling. " No, I do not. "

" Good. I mean I never kissed anyone before, but I don't think I'm that bad. " Or trying to think that anyway.

I then sneeze. " I'm pretty sure I am sick. "

" Maybe next time you'll think before standing out in the pouring rain. "

" Yeah I'll try and keep that in mind...you didn't see anything earlier did you? " Pretty sure I was soaked to the bone.

" E-Excuse me? " Oh god, he did, didn't he?

" Cause you know...I was uh drenched? "

" I...did not see anything. " I don't think he is lying...

" Okay...anyway I know this won't really help our situation, but...earlier when I try to uh save you I did it for a reason, a dumb one, but still. When I saw you just lying there on the ground I thought you were going to die. It scared me so much. I just freaked out and I just had to do something, anything! If I lost yo- "

" Iris in such a situation you would be better off saving yourself or running for help, which you now know to do...but thank you I suppose. " I want to go against him about the first part, but I'm too tired to do so right now.

" ...I really felt so useless though. I'm not for using red magic obviously, but...if I could protect someone in the process... I think I'm going to start learning it again. "

" That would be for the best. "

" Yeah... " Belladonna lays down next to me and lets out a little yawn. " So...what did you think of my familiar? "

" She seemed interesting. " That's all?

" In what way? " I continue to watch Belladonna she is finally asleep.

" Well, familiars are generally a rare sight. Not many possess one, nor have reason to do so. That and the fact familiars tend to have powerful masters. "

" ...Well, I guess I am powerful? I mean you said before it is quite odd I am able to do the things I can do with white magic. "

" Yes, that is true. Though it makes me wonder if it's a part of your family line. "

" What? " I sit up in bed now.

" I'm fairly certain that Evangeline is in possession of one and she herself is a very powerful white magic user. " That can't be right.

" I never saw her with one! "

" You wouldn't have been able to tell your magic was sealed, Iris. "

" ...Still, if that is the case scenario...if my family just so happens to have this amazing ability, why wouldn't they say anything to me? Or to my sisters for that matter? Why is everything so hidden? "

" I don't know, it was just a speculation. "

" Sorry...I'm not upset or anything. Just...ugh. I have no idea what I am supposed to do about all of this. When this is all under control, what am I supposed to do with this ability? I mean if I am this powerful I should put my magic to some sort of use. "

" Right now it would be best for you to focus on your studies. You cannot actually do anything with your abilities until you have graduated from here. "

Wait... " So after all of this is under control I am suppose to just live a normal school life? "

" Yes. "

I want to laugh. " I don't think normal really applies to me anymore especially with us being married now. This is still so insane, the fact that something like this can literally happen. This hasn't happened before at this school right? "

" No it has not and don't worry this union is only for a year, you can return to your 'normal' school life after that. "

" You know...I don't mind being married to you, I mean, if I had to be stuck in this situation with anyone, I would hope it would be with you. " I feel so flustered now, why did I say that?

It takes a while for him to respond. " I suppose in that situation I wouldn't mind it as well. "

After that, I wish him goodnight. I stay awake for a while longer just processing what he said and trying my best to calm down. Once I do manage I lay back down and fall asleep.