Chapter 5

Chara put his head under the water, eyes closed, sighing. He stumbled and put his hand on the wall to steady himself when Frisk shoved him aside, to get under the spray.

"Really?! I'm taking a shower!"

Frisk, her hair pinned up, began to soap herself down. "You're finished. Move along."

Chara groaned. "Oh, come on! The name joke aside, I was nice all day, yesterday. Not even a peep during dinner with the king and queen, and I still don't get to shower in peace? Wasn't staring at me while I worked out enough?"

Frisk raised an eyebrow at him and turned to rinse off, water running over her breasts and down the soft roundness of her stomach.

Chara turned away, face red as he grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist. "Is this just the way you're going to be?"

"Yep." Frisk turned off the water only to have a towel hit her in the face.

"Fine."

She lifted the towel away from her face, and gave it a little shake while blessing him with a self satisfied smile. "Thank you."

There was a knock on the front door and Frisk quickly wrapped herself in the towel. Chara reached over and gently pushed the door to the living room so it was only open a sliver.

The front door opened slightly and Isadora stuck her long eared head in. "The Queen is coming to have breakfast with the three of you. You've got about ten minutes until breakfast is up."

Asriel waved from the bedroom. "Thank you, Isadora!"

The rabbit saluted him and shut the door.

Frisk finished drying off. "What are we wearing today?"

Chara scrubbed his hair for a minute with the towel before answering. "Az and I have two engagements this afternoon: the Waterfall High School's Young Poets Club monthly reading, and then high tea at the New Home Art Museum. So Az and I will wear matching off white button downs under brown sweaters and black pants."

He paused only to pull on a pair of boxers before heading into the bedroom and opening Frisk's closet. "One of the dresses Isadora dropped off yesterday afternoon will match well."

He flipped through the dresses, pulling out a frock with a cream colored top and light brown skirt with lace edging that would hit her at the knees. He tossed it to Frisk before digging through a row of long skirts, picking out a lacey, off white confection, and grabbing a linen duster in taupe to go over it all. Frisk grabbed a bra from those hanging on a hook in the closet and quickly dressed. Chara adjusted Frisk's skirt and dress so that they laid properly. She, in turn, made sure his button down was straight and unwrinkled under his sweater.

Asriel, long ready to go, gently placed Chara's knitting in the basket by the couch, and laid Frisk's embroidery on top. Snapping his fingers, the fireplace, ashen from the night before, was suddenly empty and clean. He finished folding a knitted throw blanket, placing it gently over the arm of the couch, just as Isadora knocked on the door again and opened it for Queen Toriel.

Toriel, wearing a pastel blue, pencil skirt and matching jacket, sat in the chair that would put her at the 'head' of the coffee table and waited while Isadora and Asriel laid out breakfast. Frisk followed Chara into the living room demurely and curtsied to Toriel before sitting next to Chara on the plush couch. Breakfast went quietly with only a few pleasantries exchanged, something obviously irking the Queen. Once breakfast was finished, Toriel produced a letter.

"I have received a request for Frisk to attend an engagement specifically." She smiled softly at Frisk's humble look of worry. "Do not fear, my child. Such a thing is not an offense. You are member of the royal household and it is only proper that you represent us in an official capacity just as my sons do."

She frowned suddenly and fiercely at Chara, jumping to her feet to stand over him. "That being the case, I will not stand by and let a member of my family be denigrated as a 'pet.' And I will not allow my son to keep a mistress. We are Dreemurrs and above such base actions. I have spoken to your royal father about this, we have come up with a solution that we both agree on. Hold out your hand."

Chara huffed, and held out a hand. Toriel placed a small ring box against his palm. He opened it, revealing a beautiful ring of gold set with a pink diamond center and white diamonds down either side of the band.

Toriel smiled gently, her hand out to Frisk. "Your left hand, child."

Frisk delicately placed her left hand in Toriel's, blushing brightly.

Toriel rose an eyebrow at her son. "If I have to tell you what to do, I will be most displeased."

He stood. "As you wish."

Chara pulled the ring from the box, holding it gently in his right hand as he knelt on one knee. He held out his left to Frisk and Toriel placed her hand in his.

"Will you marry me?"

Frisk nodded softly, her right hand trying to cover her blush.

Chara raised an eyebrow. "Speak your answer."

"Yes."

Chara slipped the ring over Frisk's finger and stood, looking miffed, but resigned.

Toriel smiled happily. "Excellent! Now that it's official, we can begin planning the marriage of Lord Chara and Lady Frisk." She bodily moved Chara so that she could sit down next to Frisk. "For only being here a day, you have proven very popular with Our subjects and We will see more requests for your attendance at engagements. The one your presence has been requested for is a week from today which is plenty of time to show you what to do. This morning, I have an engagement that will be an excellent opportunity to shadow me and 'learn the ropes.' In the afternoon, you will be with Chara and Asriel at their engagements."

She took Frisk's hands and lifted her arms so as to look at Frisk's attire. "Very lovely. This will be fine for today. But then, Chara always did have an eye for dressing well." She brought Frisk's hands down, holding them warmly. "I will send Isadora to retrieve you in half an hour. Wear comfortable shoes."

Frisk kept her eyes down cast. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Toriel leaned in, gently placing a kiss on Frisk's forehead before she stood. "I will see you soon." She turned on Chara. "And if I hear even the slightest rumor of you making a lewd joke at your fiance's expense again, you'll find yourself working for Isadora for a month." With that, the queen left, the door slamming shut behind her.

Chara sat down next to Frisk. "I did not see that coming."

Frisk pulled off the ring, immediately checking it over before sighing in relief and putting it back on. "There's no magic on it, not even a tracer for later spells."

Asriel frowned. "She used the phrase 'your royal father.'"

Frisk looked between them. "What does that mean?"

Asriel sighed. "It means that my parents are presenting a united front. She drops the 'royal' part when it was an argument."

Chara frowned. "Even so, that doesn't mean they have the same reasons for the agreement. They're both notorious for having multiple hidden agendas and ulterior motives."

Asriel grimaced. "I'm placing my bets that mom wants grandbabies and dad wants you to breed souls for him."

Frisk's mouth fell open. "I don't have words for how incredibly evil that is."

Chara's shoulders sank. "It makes sense. As a mistress, the idea is to not reproduce. As a wife, children are expected." He sighed. "Thankfully, boss monsters are so long lived that we could delay anything like that for a decade or more."

Asriel raised a disappointed eyebrow at his brother. "Mom and Dad will be suspicious after two years." He clapped his hands together once. "Let's focus on the positives. Now the guard won't even think about laying a hand on you."

Frisk looked between them. "Really? Because I am dead sure they'd mob me the moment you weren't looking."

Chara shook his head. "You aren't 'Frisk the pet' anymore. You are 'Lady Frisk, betrothed of Lord Chara.'They aren't going to touch you unless they think they can get away with it."

"The example dad made of the guard who tried to kill Chara when he'd first arrived was the most brutal I'd ever seen him. It was awful." Asriel poured himself a cup and tea and drank it quickly.

Chara nodded. "After that, I would come home from school and be sent directly to training with the Arms Master. Once the Arms Master was of the opinion that I was good enough to defend myself, Asgore sent four of the guard to take my soul." He shivered. "I'd made short work of them but… It's been nine years and I still can't get that cold feeling to go away." He poured himself a cup of tea, drinking deep to stave off his sudden trembling.

Frisk reached over, rubbing his back to help warm him. "I don't get it. Does he want you dead or not?"

Chara's face scrunched up and then went slack, staring into his cup. "He doesn't hate humans. He just wants something that doesn't belong to him and human souls will get him that. Right now, he only has three souls in containment. If there'd been five when you fell, you'd be dead, and a trident would be stuck through my chest. His goal is to get out of the prison and gain the Dreemurr throne for himself."

Asriel stared down into his cup. "He learned the current king's name was Asriel and named me Asriel, so if a brutal take over wasn't going to win the day, he could switch us and make me a puppet king. Plans within plans within plans."

Frisk snorted and then fell back laughing. "Really?" She sat, up arms waving. "Okay. Okay. I know King Asriel. I see him just about everyday. I was babysitting his kids when I was kidnapped. Let's leave aside that you aren't nearly old enough or even have the same force that he has just in his personality. You look NOTHING like him! His fur is black, his horns are brown and curve a completely different way, and he's taller than Asgore by a good foot."

Chara and Asriel both sat up, looking at her oddly.

Frisk froze. "What?"

"I was under the impression that he and I were a match. I learned it from Mom…" Asriel snorted. "Oh God! Mom lied about what the current king looks like to Dad!"

Chara shook his head. "And now the question is, why?"

Frisk waved her arms. "No. The question is, how did he believe it? King Asriel fought in the war alongside his father, King Kezef. He's Asgore's nephew."

"Okay. Now this is weird." Chara began stacking the breakfast plates, preparing the tray for pick up. "You need some shoes. Isadora will be here soon."

Ten minutes later and Frisk was dutifully following Toriel along the streets of New Home, eyes downcast and hands held in front of her demurely. When Chara tried to come along, Toriel had sent him back to the palace with a book on etiquette, the pages on how to treat a lady earmarked specifically.

After walking for a full two blocks, Toriel stopped and turned to Frisk. "Walk with me, my child. You are not some lowly servant. You are now a member of the royal family. I want you to act the part."

Frisk timidly stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Toriel gave the girl an indulgent smile. "Today's engagement is a conception celebration. We will be witnessing the Mayor of New Home and his wife combine their souls and produce a child. Have you ever witnessed such an event?"

Frisk nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. Then I do not need to explain the specifics of the ceremony." Toriel rested a hand on Frisk's head. "And I must ask your forgiveness for the flimsy pretext to steal you away from Chara, since you know that such a ceremony is brief and Our appearance just as brief. But I wished to have you to myself at lunch today."

"I am honored that you think me worthy of your time, Your Majesty."

When they arrived for the ceremony, Frisk and Toriel were whisked to the front and a comfortable couch for them both to sit on. The mayor, a large, lion monster, and his wife, a cat monster, looked both nervous and hopeful as they combined their souls and in doing so, created a third. After many congratulations, Frisk followed Toriel around the reception, taking the queen's lead on what to say and how to say it. A brief mention by Toriel of Frisk and Chara's soon to be announced engagement spread like wildfire through the crowd, and Frisk was suddenly overwhelmed with lots of loving congratulations.

After a bit of cake, they took their leave, Frisk walking with Toriel through the streets of New Home. Pausing occasionally to look in this or that shop window, Toriel eventually stopped at a small restaurant run by a family of snake monsters. There was much slithering as Frisk and Toriel were led into a private room painted a warm, golden yellow with a single, white clothed table set for two. In the middle of the table rested a silver soup tureen, its contents steaming. Artistic photos of New Home were mounted on the walls. To one side was a buffet for two of salad, sandwiches, and petit fours with a bottle of wine and a pot of tea.

Toriel gestured to the table. As soon as Frisk sat down, Toriel's hand lifted, casting a spell to block all noise from the interior reaching the outside.

"And now, we can talk freely." Toriel turned with a smile. "Miss Everdawn."

Frisk hunched in on herself. "I'm not-"

Toriel pulled a newspaper from her purse and dropped it on the table, the front page covered in information about Frisk's kidnapping, including a photo of her smiling as she posed with the royal children.

"Drop the act." Toriel sat across from Frisk. "While convincing, it is unbecoming." She ladelled out soup for both of them from the silver tureen. "Even if I hadn't had other confirmation, I am a scholar of human history. You don't name a child after the greatest human wizard to walk the Earth just for giggles."

Frisk sat up straight, frowning. "If you knew, why haven't you told Asgore?" She held up her hand, the engagement ring flashing. "Why the engagement farce?"

Toriel placed a bowl of soup in front of Frisk. "The engagement is not a farce." Toriel took a sip of the soup. "The soup is rather good today."

Frisk's eyes narrowed. "It's a piss poor last meal."

Toriel raised an eyebrow, still looking at her soup. "Oh, this isn't your last. Just one of many more to come." She lifted her spoon, indicating Frisk's shoulder. "The cosmetics covering your family tattoo, that's Christopher's little trick. It's not a bad one. It's fooled his father for years."

Frisk eyed her and Toriel smiled into her soup.

"Yes, I know my son's name, not that he's ever breathed a word of it to anyone other than Asriel." Toriel lifted her head, yellow eyes on Frisk. "And you, apparently. Has he asked about his family?"

Frisk said nothing.

Toriel sighed, eyes downcast. "Even if it's to be expected, it still stings."

Frisk lifted her spoon and stirred her soup listlessly. "If you aren't going to kill me, what is your plan? To use Chara and I to breed you more human souls?"

The goat woman shrugged. "It is an interesting idea, and one that I'm sure has occurred to Asgore seeing as how, of the twelve humans to fall, only five survived the drop. But gathering human souls is not my priority."

Frisk frowned fiercely. "You are not going to convince me that a monster nicknamed 'The Reaper' is not interested in gathering human souls. Do you think history books on the surface gloss over your crimes?"

Toriel set down her spoon, eyes on Frisk. "I will not deny that I was zealous in the support of my husband's bid for the throne three hundred years ago. But it has been a long three hundred years. It's a considerable amount of time to 'cool off' as it were."

Toriel stood, walking over to the small buffet to uncork a bottle of wine and pour herself a glass. "Asgore and I tried many times to produce a child before Asriel. He is the only success out of fifty attempts. As much as I wanted a child, I felt a betrayal deep in my soul. I'd committed multiple, horrific crimes in pursuit of my husband's goals and my reward was a kingdom of ash. Makes it hard to conceive a child."

She gently waved the bottle at Frisk. "Would you like a glass?"

Frisk shook her head. "No, thank you."

"Courteous, even in captivity." Toriel sat down with her wine. "When I finally held Asriel in my arms, my priorities changed. From the first moment he could, he begged for a sibling, something Asgore and I could not provide for him. When, by chance, a human fell into the Ruins, and their soul provided a means for escape, I was the one to come up with the plan that would send a trusted retainer to the surface to find the hidden entrance and to drop more humans into it."

"I gave the retainer strict orders that he would only kidnap adults and ones that no one would miss with one exception. I wanted him to find a little boy to be my son's companion. I took Asriel to the garden in the Ruins to play frequently and the action paid off. Asriel found Chara. And it was easy to convince Asgore to adopt him. Asriel had begged for a sibling for so long and I mentioned the usefulness of having a human lieutenant, one who supported us when we finally opened the prison."

Frisk eyed her suspiciously. "You don't care whether the barrier opens or not, do you?"

Toriel sniffed, as if the idea was beneath her. "No. As a mother, it is my priority to see that my children are well off in life. As a Queen, that includes the arrangement of their marriages to suitable mates. Asriel will not find an appropriate mate in this prison. My only hope is for him to see the surface."

She pointed to Frisk. "But you are a marvelous match for Chara. You have similar backgrounds, similar interests, and come from good families. And, if the many magazines from the surface I've garnered are any indication, both a good match on a physical level as well."

Frisk huffed. "And it doesn't matter to you at all that Chara or I might not want such a thing?"

"I understand that it is fashionable among humans today to find love matches rather than negotiate a partnership. But I also know that, as an Everdawn, you don't get a choice in who you wed." Toriel waved it off. "Despite having only just met, you both work together very easily, both sliding into and out of the appropriate roles as needed. You'll have plenty of time to grow on each other, and after the wedding, it won't be long before you both succumb to very human desires."

Toriel coughed lightly. "Despite the crude joke my son made yesterday, I know that he has not done such a thing with you. Indeed, he is quite innocent on that note. As an Everdawn, I expect that you are pure of body. But as a young woman from the surface, you would still have more knowledge of such private matters. You can take heart in knowing that your future husband has never known another and will only know you."

Toriel smiled softly, sorrowfully. "Indeed, despite his steel exterior, my son is a soft and gentle young man on the inside."

Frisk frowned deeply, arms crossed over her chest.

Toriel leaned back in her chair, appraising Frisk. "You don't believe that I care for my son?"

"His LOVE sits at a solid eight. Parents do not put their children in situations where they are expected to kill for survival."

Toriel's eyes closed. "There are many things I can do, but that was not something I could dissuade Asgore from." Her eyes opened, filled with a deep pain. "Chara had finally felt comfortable enough that he'd called me 'mom.' He'd been very close to calling Asgore his father. When the fight was over, my child was covered in dust. Asgore was so very proud to have made a killer of a child. He did not notice the look of awful betrayal in Chara's eyes as it turned to a deep seated malice. While Asgore and I freely call him our son, he will not breathe a word of familial loyalty unless it is forced."

Toriel sat up suddenly. "As an Everdawn, do you know of any way to escape the prison?"

Frisk shook her head. "Other than the hole I was thrown down, no."

Toriel nodded. "Then let us treat this as a bargain. Marry my son. Make of him a happy husband and father. Give me the chance to hold my first grandchild. In exchange, I will take the three souls in containment, bond with them, and use that power to lift you, Asriel, Chara, and my grandchild out of the prison from the Ruins entrance. And all of you will have your freedom."