La Vie en Rose
Summary: The best thing about being seen as nothing more than pitiful, traumatized children is that no one would believe it possible for any of them to conspire with the Fae to kidnap the Girl-Who-Lived. FemHarry.
Just a warning: FemHarry, AU, Language, Clichés, Non-Cannon Character Death, More in the Future…
Just so you know (Name): FemHarry's name is Andromeda Rhoswen Potter. The name Andromeda means "Ruler/Protector of Men" and was the name of an Ethiopian princess whose mother angered the gods. To placate the gods, Andromeda was fastened to a rock to be used as a sacrifice to a sea monster, from which she was rescued by Perseus. In astronomy, Andromeda is a large northern constellation between Perseus and Pegasus as well a galaxy located two inmillion light years away. Rhoswen is a Welsh name meaning "White Rose" as well as "Fair/Blessed Rose".
I don't own anything related to Twisted Wonderland or Harry Potter!
Chapter 9. York and Lancaster Rose for Conflict
BALDUR
Baldur stepped back when the shadows rose up from every corner and cracks, pooling on the floor until he found himself standing what looked like endless sea of ink-black waters.
He couldn't look away, much less blink, as the shadows coalesced into hellish beings with different characteristics from the heads of animals to multiple arms. There were hearts chained to the shadowy beings' chests, blood dripping with every beat — Not that Baldur noticed it at first as he tried and failed to ignore the hands gripping his legs, and the ringing in his ears caused by the distorted chatter and cold laughter echoing through what had once been his favorite place in the property, booming much like thunder during one of the more unforgiven storms the mage had witnessed a few times during his childhood.
A wailing shriek pierced the air, making Baldur jump. With his heart stuck in his throat and blood freezing in his veins, he turned his head in direction of the balcony with fear of what he could possibly find there.
And he was right to do so.
Wide eyes, Baldur watched as Ymir's body was wrenched away from the balcony before being pulled around much like a puppet controlled by invisible strings. The scientist's stopped screaming at some point to not give the Lord Raven any kind of entertainment, gritting his teeth and gripping his shirt tightly until he was forced to stand next to his worried assistant.
Baldur opened his mouth to speak, to ask if his boss was alright (And what was a stupid question that was. Of course, he wasn't alright) but his tongue suddenly felt heavier and no matter how much he tried; nothing came out of his mouth.
"You see, Ymir Tecuampil," the Lord of Shadows spoke, walking elegantly down from his perch on the balcony as though there were invisible stairs under his feet instead of air, "I need someone to watch over my greatest treasure."
Shaking, Ymir winced at the sound of his name. The purple-haired man raised his head, staring at the Lord of Shadows with unblinkingly a mix of fear and anger.
"And isn't it such wonderful coincidence," the Fair One cooed, every word sounding like it was dripping poison to anyone who heard it, "that you applied for a job at the very school she will attend in the next few years?!"
Lord Raven clapped slowly.
Mockingly.
Baldur winced, heart dropping with guilt at the reminder. He had been so proud of himself when he sent that application, thinking about how nice it would be if his boss managed to get a job in their former school. But now, the dark-eyed man couldn't help but wonder if Fair One would've still decided to come to their home in search of Ymir if he hadn't wanted to surprise his old friend and boss.
Wait, he thought, repeating the green-eyed Fae's words a few times in his head. Did he say 'she'…?
Beside him, Ymir's nostrils flared. His pale skin gained a shade of purple not all that dissimilar to his own hair's, blunt nails sinking into his legs.
"She?" the scientist asked through gritted teeth, noticing the same thing as his assistant.
The Fair One smiled at the question, baring his teeth like the predator he was.
There was a moment of silence, the beat of the shadowy beings' heart getting louder and louder. The shadows moved in sync, twisting and coalescing in a way that reminded Baldur of a more morbid mix of sewing and sculpting. Soon, the shadows stopped moving, taking a more feminine and delicate shape with no distinct features.
Standing behind it, Lord Raven placed his hands over its shoulders. There was an ominous silence after that and there wasn't even a single hint of a whisper.
"May I introduce you to my Rose?" the Fair One said after a moment, tilting his head much like a bird.
Both Baldur and Ymir flinched back in surprise when the shadow started melting until they found themselves staring at a petit and clearly female clone of the Lord of Shadows. Raven-black hair, otherworldly green-eyes, pale skin…There was very little difference between the two, and Baldur didn't even need to be a mind-reader to guess what Ymir thought about that.
It was a wonder he hadn't exploded yet.
"This," Lord Raven's low, imperious voice eventually broke the silence, his dark amusement having been replaced by something uncharacteristic soft as he looked down at his little clone, "is my granddaughter. She'll be in your care from now on."
Ymir made a chocking sound at those words, gripping the front of shirt with poorly hidden horror and disgust (Forget his previous question. What he truly wanted to know was how his boss didn't have a heart attack yet). Anyone privy to Ymir's past knew about his hatred and fear towards the Fair Folk and the High Lord of Shadows.
And now, to hear that said Lord was ordering them to care for his granddaughter for an undetermined amount of time — Well, Baldur had very little talent in the art divination but the dark-haired man could already predict a future filled with tension and anger if he didn't find a way to stage a intervention somehow.
Sighing, Baldur looked at the little Fae once more only to blink in surprise when he saw that she was staring at Ymir with what he thought to be understanding.
He didn't even have time to process or question that. Suddenly, she turned her attention over to him, and Baldur had to resist the urge to squirm under the scrutiny of those eyes. She blinked slowly, taking the older man by surprise again, and giving him a minuscule, almost unnoticeable, curl of her lips.
Baldur felt his heart dropping at the tragic picture she made; it was like she had forgotten how to smile. As though she had lost all reasons to do so a long time ago.
And maybe, that was exactly what happened.
But she still decided to try, he realized a second later. Even if smiling pained her, the little Fae still wanted to try if that was what would bring him some semblance of comfort and to distract him from whatever heavy thought were plaguing his mind.
This time, it was Baldur's turn to blink. He had never seen such unFae-like behavior on one of her kind before. Granted he knew very little about the Fair Folk, but there was something about her that set her apart from her own grandfather and some of the Diasonmia students he remembered from his time in Night Raven College.
"Merry meet," the little Fae said gently, dipping her head slightly as she curtsied with as much grace as she could muster. His trained eye immediately caught just how carefully she was with every move she made. "You may call me Andromeda."
The dark-haired mage frowned, not seeing what was so different about her until he looked into her eyes again – truly looked into her eyes.
Oh, he thought faintly, she was more than just a another Fair One or Lord Raven's Granddaughter, wasn't she? Maybe it was her genuine kindness to a stranger, or maybe it was the raw pain he could now see reflected in those expressive green, green eyes. Baldur couldn't tell for certain. What he did know, without even a semblance of doubt, was that there was something imperfectly human about her .
Something that made him wish to warp her in a blanket burrito and feed her.
Something that made it impossible for him to regard this one Fae – this hurt and scared little girl – with the same wariness and hatred Ymir had written all over his face.
Nodding to himself, Baldur knew what he had to do. He grinned at her almost unconsciously, waving his hands in a silly way that never failed to make his littlest scouts laugh. Unfortunately, she didn't really react much aside from the way her eyes softened with amusement but, to him, it was a start; there would be time later to find a way to help her relearn how to smile again.
"Dearest, this is Ymir Tecuampil and his assistant, Baldur."
Ymir's shoulders tensed, sending him a side-eyed glare. Baldur shook his head, noticing the flash of relief in the other man's eyes when he understood that no, Baldur hadn't been stupid or ignorant enough to freely give his full name to the Fair One.
Lord Raven moved to the side so he could look into his granddaughter's eyes and continued speaking. "They'll watch over you."
The small girl frowned a little, pursuing her lips with a look of discomfort. At first, Baldur thought she was unhappy with the thought of being left in the care of two mortal strangers. But then, he caught the fleeting glance she spared towards his boss with those expressive eyes of hers and understanding dawned on him.
What a sweet girl, he thought with a soft smile. She didn't wish to intrude in their home and make Ymir even more angry and uncomfortable.
Lord Raven, noticing the expression on her face, turned his head to stare at Ymir with glowing eyes.
"You don't mind if she stays with you from now on, do you, Ymir Tecuampil?" the Fair One asked calmly, the unspoken threat hanging over their heads like an invisible guillotine.
Ymir winced like he always did when the Fae said his name. His boss inhaled a lungful of air, clenching his shaking hands before raising his head a little more and a forcing a fake, tense smile to appear on his face.
"No, I don't mind," Ymir lied through his teeth. There was a pause before he added, " my Lord."
The Fae turned his attention back to his granddaughter and arched a perfect eyebrow as if to say "See, darling? He doesn't mind, so there is no need to worry". The look in her eyes spoke volumes about how much she believed in his assurances. Andromeda didn't bother to argue though, sighing softly and nodding her head.
"I'll be taking my leave then," the older Fair One said, clasping his hands behind his back.
Andromeda shifted a little. "Will you be back?"
"For you, lovely," he leaned closer a little, the tip of their noses touching lightly, " always."
Her eyes softened but there was a flash of sadness and bitter sweetness that was impossible to miss.
"But if you do miss me too much," he said, stepping back. Baldur jumped when he felt the hands holding his legs letting go. Looking around, he noticed the shadows evaporating in a rather macabre way or disappearing into whatever corner they had come from, "do not be afraid of calling me."
"Ok," she replied softly.
The Fai One tilted his head, a cold and malice-filled smile appearing on his face. With the way he turned his head, Andromeda couldn't the nightmarish way the shadowy being reached to him, covering his body as it dissolved little by little. Bloodcurdling laughter reached their ears, making Baldur curl into himself while Ymir paled and started shaking like a leaf.
"Farewell," he said.
Do not forget, mortals, the dark-eyed mage heard under the echoes of laugher.
"I do hope you'll treat my beloved rose with the utmost care," he said.
There is nothing you can hide from me, Baldur heard, gasping for air as invisible fingers wrapped around his neck. There is nowhere you can run to.
"I'll see all of you later."
I'll be watching.
Baldur gasped for air. Ymir practically collapsed, grasping his neck with wide eyes as he watched Lord Raven disappear completely, leaving only laugher and screams echoing in their ears.
The two mages turned their heads to stare at one another, neither of them saying anything. Having noticed the looks Ymir sent their new ward's way, Baldur spared a glance at Andromeda who was staring at the empty space her grandfather had disappeared from before giving his boss a trembling smile, hoping that he won't try his luck by taking his anger on her — Not only because her grandfather would know, but also because she was innocent; it won't hurt to treat her with kindness and some decency.
He forgot that, to Ymir, being even if relatively nice to a member of the Fair Folk did hurt (There was too much bitterness – too much anger – for him to even remember what being nice meant when faced with someone who was the female version of the Fair One that had helped ruin his life all those years ago).
Ymir snarled, turning around with a stagger and practically running to the house as fast as he could after what they had just experienced.
"You want to be nice to it? Fine, see if I care!" He screamed over his shoulder. "But keep it out of my way!"
Baldur watched him enter the house with a helpless look on his face, lost as to what he should do, what he could possibly do to keep the peace in their house for the unforeseeable future. He didn't even have time to think about it when a small hand, cold and scarred hand reached to touch his arm gently.
The dark-eyed man turned to look at Andromeda, a lite ashamed to admit that he had forgotten about her for a moment.
"Don't worry," the sweet and innocent girl said softly, her otherworldly green eyes lighting up with understanding. "I'll make sure to stay out of his way and pretend I don't exist," her lips curled up, face twitching with he could only describe as a self-deprecation. "I'm good at that."
His heart dropped.
No, that just won't do, Baldur thought.
Even if he hadn't already decided to care for her, even if Lord Raven hadn't left her in his and Ymir's home without even a by your leave, Baldur won't have turned his back on her and allowed her to feel unwelcome.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back and Baldur grinned widely.
"Nonsense!" Baldur assured her, withholding a wince at hold uncomfortable it felt to have his voice back. "He just need some time. I'm sure the boss will come around."
And Ymir would come around even if Baldur needed to get his hands dirt to make the man understand that no child should be blamed for the actions and sins of their families.
For now though…
"But forget him for a moment." Baldur made a motion with his hands, leaning closer as though he wanted to share a secret with her, "I have a very important question for you."
Andromeda tilted her head the same way her grandfather did.
"A… question?"
"Yes," he replied happily, eyes glimmering with anticipation. "Tell me, little bird, what do you think of spinach puffs?"
Otherworldly green-eyes blinked slowly with incomprehension.
"Of what?"
Baldur's grin widened.
YMIR
Light filtered through his poorly covered windows and consciousness was upon him before he could even think of turning away. Not that he could move or think for the matter — At least not with the way he laid sprawled on the floor of his lab, covered with paper and a hellish migraine trying to split his brain in half.
Ymir blinked slowly, trying to ignore the smell of alcohol clinging to his clothes and the disgust taste of something foul in his tongue as though it was used as a latrine by some small animal, and then as its mausoleum.
All in all, he felt like shit.
A bitter laugh left his lips. That was an apt description for the last two weeks or so of his miserable life, wasn't it?
He tried to ignore the little creature haunting his house, tried to forget it was there. But it felt like it was playing with him; every time he as much as stepped out of his lab, Ymir seemed to catch sight of its raven-black hair or hear its accented voice echoing from somewhere in the house. It was maddening if not infuriating.
His house, his sanctuary, now felt more like a prison.
Maybe this is just another way for Lord Raven to torment me, he thought before shaking his head. It was better to not try his luck, one could never know if the ancient being wasn't listening to his thoughts from the shadows.
Ymir winced, having moved a little too fast. His body felt heavy and each movement sent jolts of pain down his spine but, before the purple-haired scientist passed out again, he pushed himself to sit up on the floor. Ymir hissed and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying and failing miserably to make the few brain cells he still had left from his bout of stupidity work like they were meant to.
Easier said than done, he thought sluggishly.
Ymir couldn't remember what he was doing before he raided the winery, much less when it happened or why he had done such thing. And, no matter how much he tried, the answers refused to come to him; his migraine was far too powerful and his memories a mess.
Despite his lack of brain power, it was easy for Ymir to reach the logical conclusion that he had enough of the little creature presence and wished to forget about it. Even if forgetting about it meant trying to drown himself on alcohol or putting himself in a alcohol induced coma.
Mumbling a curse under his breath, the purple-eyed man forced himself to check his wrist watch. He won't gain anything by staying on the floor and, if he was luck enough, Ymir would be able to get something to eat without being forced to face the more softy looking clone of the monster haunting his every nightmare before Baldur decided to drag it to the kitchen for breakfast.
Decision made, Ymir braced himself against the table on his left and stood up with a wince, stumbling out of his lab. Thankfully, despite his inability to walk in a straight line, the purple-haired man somehow managed to drag himself towards the kitchen. When he did get there, he collapsed on his favorite chair and scanned his surroundings with squinted, bloodshot eyes — Now, what was the best kind of breakfast food to deal with hangover?
He didn't have time to even start trying to think about it before someone spoke up.
"Good Morrow, Mr. Tecuampil," a sweet, overly polite voice said from the other side of the table.
A shiver ran his spine.
There was a pause as he froze in place.
Then, with drawing horror, Ymir raised his head. He felt himself sober up immediately when he what was staring at him and threw himself from his chair without even giving his brain enough time to process what was happening. The little creature moved its hands as though it wanted to reach out for him but stopped when he jumped back and crashed into the counter, hissing in pain and screaming for Baldur like the drama queen his former classmates used to say he was.
It took only a minute or two for Baldur to come running, holding a basket of vegetables with one hand and pulling a spatula out of nowhere with the other. Dark eyes stared, flickering from Ymir and to the little creature and then back to Ymir.
"Why're you screaming?!" he asked, confused. There was a hint of disbelief in his voice but the purple-haired mage ignored. "I thought someone was dying!"
Ymir pointed at the Lord Raven's mini-me sitting in his kitchen while he was there.
Hadn't he already made himself clear already?
Ymir wanted it as far from him as possible!
"That!"
Baldur gave him a stupid look. "What?"
"What's that thing doing here?!" he spat out.
" What thing?!" his assistant asked, shoulders dropping as he lowered his spatula and his face twisted with helplessness.
Baldur looked around the kitchen again, trying to find whatever Ymir was whining about.
The scientist narrowed his eyes.
" That thing!" Ymir gritted his teeth, growling every word out slowly as he pointed to the little creature's pretty face. ( Otherworldly and far too beautiful face — As though nature itself was trying to warn its possible victims from getting too close much like it did with poisonous frogs and other animals). "Why is it in my kitchen?!"
He ignored the way the little creature tried to make itself smaller, curling into itself and giving him a sad but understanding look (Ymir refused to meet its eyes and fall into its trap. He refused to believe it could feel anything other than amusement for the pain its kind caused).
There was a moment of silence.
Then, Baldur stepped back. The dark-haired man gave Ymir a uncharacteristically look and pursued his lips when he finally noticed the deplorable state the older man was in.
" One," Baldur said a little louder than necessary, making Ymir wince in pain, "Andromeda is here because I want her here."
Ymir shook his head, opening his mouth to scream at the buffoon but Baldur cut him off sharply.
"And two — My kitchen, my rules."
"I told you to keep it away from me!"
The taller mage's nostrils flared and he puffed his chest out in indignation. "If you're so bothered about it, then maybe you should hide in your lab like a coward like you've been doing for the past few weeks!"
Flinching back, he clenched his jaw and tried to push down the hurt he felt. Baldur was a fool; a giant with more muscles than brain, and far more heart than logic. But Ymir never imagined that, even knowing everything he suffered and lost because of the Fair Folk, his oldest and only remaining friend would take the little creature's side.
He must've have said it out loud because Baldur's severe expression faltered and his shoulders dropped. The look on his face was enough to keep the purple-haired scientist's complaints at bay and make him clamp his mouth shut; the last time he saw that mix of sadness and exhaustion on his assistant's face, the younger man's mother died and he was left to collect the pieces of his shattered family.
Ymir hated it.
He sank his teeth into his tongue, refusing to give in and ask if his assistant was alright or when was the last time he actually slept.
"You…" the usually happy-go-lucky man seemed to struggle for a moment, voice almost inaudible. "You need to stop doing that."
Purple-eyes narrowed as Ymir crossed his arms. "Doing what exactly?"
"You're not even trying. You keep running away and treating her with hostility," Baldur stood straighter, managing to look taller than he already was. "Andromeda didn't do anything to you. She is just a kind and sweet girl who —"
His lips curled up in a sneer, cutting him off, "I can't believe you are falling for that. The little creature isn't kind or sweet, it is just like the High Lord. A cruel, lying little mons —"
"Stop. Just — Stop." Baldur clenched and unclenched his fists, reaching out to grab the front of his llama-themed apron. "Are you hearing yourself right now? I know that you don't like the Lord of Shadows –" Understatement of the century. "–, but Andromeda is not him. We won't be able to be good guardians if —"
That was it.
Enough was enough.
"I don't want to be its guardian!" Ymir snarled. "I want this thing out of my house! Do you have any idea of what the High Lord will do if we as much as sneeze wrong and the little monster decides to tattle just for the shits and giggles?! Have you even stopped to wonder why it is even here? Or why —"
"SHE IS HUMAN!"
Ymir jumped when a fist collided with a wall. The whole kitchen seemed to shake from the impact but Ymir didn't notice, staring at his assistant with wide eyes as though he had never seen him before.
It was in moments like this that he was reminded of the fact that Baldur was a former Savanaclaw alumni, and no one survived in that dorm for more than a month without having a bit of a temper or being a little wild themselves.
"She is human," Baldur repeated, inhaling a lungful of air. "You would actually understand that if you actually took the time to get to know her."
Forcing himself to relax a little, Ymir snorted.
The Fair Folk were as far removed from humanity as one could be.
A large hand gripped his shoulder tightly, making him turn to look at Baldur again. The other man pursued his lips, glaring. Ymir winced at the sight, having seen it only once before when he had stupidly fired his assistant while insulting his late mother's spinach puffs recipe (Which, in Baldur's eyes, was the same as spitting in the woman's memory).
" No! Wipe that look from your face!" Baldur snapped, leaning closer to Ymir and baring his teeth angrily. "There is no it, creature, thing or monster. She is human — Maybe not as much as us, but she is still a teenage girl who is hurt, traumatized and alone in a strange place. And you're making everything worse."
"I didn't do anything!" Ymir snapped back. He certainly couldn't say the same for the little monster and its Grandfather.
Baldur scoffed, looking at him as though Ymir was the idiot in the room. Angrily, he snarled at the younger man and pushed him away. His head was killing him and Ymir was neither in the mood nor the right state of mind to argue with his assistant about the creature now loving under their roof. Instead, he turned around and started making his way back to the lab.
"Aren't you going to eat?!" he heard Baldur shout in annoyance. "I'm not going to bring food for you!"
"I can take care of myself!" Ymir snarled over his shoulders, "And I'm not hungry! I've far too much to do!"
He was sure he could find something to distract himself. Surely, brewing a potion would help him forget the turncoat and the little monster living under his roof. If not, there was still some wine left.
Baldur waited until he heard Ymir slamming the door of his lab closed before turning to look at Andromeda who was playing with the sleeves of her sweater. His heart dropped at the look in her expressive green, green eyes.
He opened his mouth to speak, maybe even to apologize or make some kind of excuse but she shook her head slowly.
"It's ok," she said tiredly, a distant look on her face as her lips curled up in a pained grimace. He had interacted with her enough in the past two weeks to know that she was trying to give him a comforting smile but didn't know how. "I understand what must be going on in his head."
Baldur averted his eyes, knowing that with how things were at the moment, Ymir would more than likely get anger by her easy understanding instead of seeing it as a demonstration of compassion as it was meant to be.
Grabbing the front of his apron, he wondered if he should even keep trying to make them interact at all. This morning had proved to be a terrible idea — One that he should've known would fail. After all, two weeks wasn't enough to cool down decades of hatred and resentment.
Maybe, he thought, it was better to give his Boss more time.
Hopefully —
"Well," he forced himself to smile, "what do you think of pancakes for today?"
Hopefully, Ymir would learn the differences between Andromeda and her Lord Grandfather before the school year started.
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– Cissnei.