Author note: Warning beforehand, Darethend is like thousands of years old (the reason he's till alive will be explained later in the story so don't wonder about it too much) and Grape is 25 in my AU (since her age is technically unknown I can do what I want), and Dareth is physically like...60? Ish? (No, I hate pedo and its nature [I'm not entirely sure this would be qualified as pedo since they're both technically adults, but the age gap is huge and it's just ewwww] and this is NOT a ship in any way, shape, or form.)
A few notes about this because I know people and I'm pretty confidant at least one person will take this chapter the wrong way:
1. Neither of them love each other. At ALL.
2. He lies about it being a 'desire' spell, as it's actually a love spell. (as he kind of admits but not fully.) The love spells/potions in this universe make anybody fall in love, EVEN IF THEY HAVE NO ACTUAL ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER, as what Darethend uses on Grape IN ORDER TO USE HER. It's more of a trick of the mind/emotion type spell rather than just magnifying the love they already have. (If it was, she would just hate him even more.)
3. This is not a ship. THIS IS NOT A SHIP. I already have TragedyDemon as a ship (I'll have to look up the guy's age though before actually making it official) and won't plan on making any other with Grape unless TragedyDemon has a weird age gap or something. (Then I'll have to think of somebody else who fits.)
4. THE LOVE SPELL DOES WEAR OFF LATER! So this isn't going to last very long. Darethend is playing her heart to use her, since she has no idea how to react to love or being in a relationship and he knows he can use that to control her. (The reason he knows that is also mentioned later, so again, don't think about it too much right now.)
On the other hand, a more upbeat note:
This chapter and the next two take place at the same time, so some events might overlap with each other, and a conversation might be repeated but on the other side of the PoV. Also, thanks again draco07 for the design you're making me! (I know she won't see this, but I still find it completely needed to credit where credit is due. [You'll find out what the design is later, so don't worry!])
Also, a story about Daisy (inspired from side scroller beat 'em ups and Kung Fu Peach from PPS) is in the works! I'm still not 100% sure about the story or anything, but it'll be a side story for this series as well, along with a story about Rosalina, and one for Pauline.
(Chapter is inspired from the chorus of I Love You Like An Alcoholic by The Taxpayers.)
Grape no longer had the map, so she had rely on her memory to get to the treasury. She stopped when she heard music. The room nearby was the grand ballroom, the gentle tunes of a violin drifting out the open doors. Curiosity overtook her, and she went to the room. The chandelier hung high above the floor, sparkling in the light of dusk. The door slammed shut, her whipping around and pulling out her scepter.
Somebody grabbed her wrists from behind. "Hello there. What's such a beautiful woman like you doing in a place like this?" His grip wasn't tight, but strong enough she couldn't get away. His voice was calming, but still held venom in it.
"Release me right this moment, or else you will suffer."
He spun her around. His white beard and hair showed he was older than her by quite a bit, his silked-back hair, crown, and royal clothing style proved him to be some sort of king.
"Darethend?"
"Ah, so you already know my name! No need to introduce myself then. But what of you, hm? Would you mind telling me your name? A person of your beauty must not keep herself a secret!"
"And why should I do that? Last I recall, you were vile, evil."
"Ah, I do come off that way to others. But I'm only doing what's best for my kingdom. We're running low on supplies and I need to run an invasion to provide for my citizens."
"I understand that feeling. I need to provide for my Sour Bunch and myself."
He bowed, still holding one of her hands. "Come, have a dance with me; my fair maiden."
She pulled her hand away. "Excuse me, but I shall be leaving now. Unfortunately for you, I already have a-"
Her body started moving shakingly against her will, forcing her to accept his hand again.
"I know you don't have anyone special, Madame. And your luck has struck, because neither do I." He pulled her in close.
"H-how are you doing this? My body is betraying me..."
"One dance, then you may leave. Now, be a dear and tell me your name."
"Grape. My name is Grape Lyre." She gasped. "What?! How are you controlling me? I would never admit that to anyone, especially not the likes of you."
"Lyre? Like the harp?"
"A lyre is more than just a harp. It was an instrument used in ancient times, and it's far too small to be called a harp. It had a similar style and way to play it, but I still don't think the phrase 'harp' fits for something so small compared to the size of an actual harp." She glared at him. "You best educate yourself first before deciding to become a king."
He chuckled gently. "Ah, I knew that. I was only curious to see if you knew. A well-educated woman goes far in life, you know."
"Pfah, sweet-talk me all you want. I will never return it."
He spun her rather quickly, and she took a second to recover. He grabbed her before she could finish recovering, and begun the dance again. She shook it off and tried to pull away, her hands not moving from their proper positions. The rest of her upper body disobeyed her next, forcing her to stop fighting him. She tried to force him off with the skirt of her dress, but that turned against her desire as well.
He brushed her hair and removed her hat. "You truly are a beautiful woman. What are you doing with the likes of them?"
He dipped her, and she saw Attila and Robbie tied in rope, hanging from the chandelier.
"Attila! Robbie!"
He pressed a gloved finger against her mask. "Shh, a woman knows not to raise her voice." He removed it. "I'll make a trade for their freedom."
"I will never make a deal with you. Set them free, now."
He tipped her head up to look him in the eyes. "For me to set them free, you will be my bride. We can wed immediately."
She tried to yell in shock, but no words came. She began to shudder in his grasp, worried for her Sour Bunch but knowing he could just force her to agree even if she had no desire to.
"I would never do such a thing. I do not feel love, or compassion. I only watch over my Sour Bunch, and help them become better thieves. I would never sacrifice everything I am just to save them. Set them free, or we'll be forced to fight."
He turned her around, still remaining calm. "You'll change your mind."
"The Sour Bunch are like my brothers. I would never let them be injured by your hand."
"Then you will marry me."
"Never. If I did, it would end like the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Both of us will be dead, lying on the cold hard stone and drowning in our mistakes."
"I love the way you talk to me."
"Well then, you would get my message that I want you to hush your mouth, you creep."
"Ooh, playing hard to get, are we? Well keep going, I want to see just how long you'll last against my spell." He carried her from the ground, doing a small spin and put her back down.
"Your spell? I knew something was wrong. I could feel it once I entered the door."
"But by then it was already too late. Once you entered, it took affect."
"Will you amuse me for once and tell me what you did? Or will you leave me in the dark forever?"
He chuckled again, pulling her close again. Her mask nearly touched his face. "Oh, you love humor? Alright, I'll tell you what I did."
Grape glanced back to Attila and Robbie.
"I put a desire spell on you. Once it takes full effect on you, you'll fall head over heels for me. Like a...love potion, but one you can cast in a whole room rather than have to have the other ingest it in some way."
"Desire? If you really knew me, which I assume you don't, you should know that the only thing I desire is a decadent tragedy."
"All good tragedies start with a romance, my sweet Madame Lyre."
"Using my own interest against me? Oh, I can tell you're bad." She stopped talking when she realized she hit a tone she had never used before, and it actually sounded like she enjoyed his disgusting personality.
"Why not marry some other woman who actually loves you? Or are you such a terrible king that they all abandoned you at the alter like I would?"
"Your words won't work on me, Madame Lyre. I can tell it's working already."
"You've done nothing to me."
"Then what of that tone? It sounded to me like you had started to...fall for me?"
He dropped her, then grabbed her hand again before she hit the floor. He spun them both, picking her back to her feet.
"I only joke, Madame Lyre. I would never hurt you. I would never use you, or steal your magic. I would only love you until the end of our games..." He dipped her one last time, leaning in close. "So, what do you say? You marry me, I set them free, and you can have all the riches you could imagine. You will go down in history as the Sour Bunch's beast leader. You'll all be rich beyond your wildest dreams."
She touched his cheek. "Oh, but how could I say no to such an offer as that? You really care for me and my Bunchlings, don't you? A selfless man, who's strong and sweet...all I could ever hope for. One who would care for my Bunchlings, and one who had suffered a great tragedy...That would be the perfect man for me."
He smiled. She was finally under his full control. "Remove your mask, show me your beautiful face."
"I-I can't."
"What's the matter?"
She touched her mask. "Dareth, this is my face. Removing it would be the end of me."
He noticed she sounded less loving than before, meaning the spell still didn't have a complete grasp over her yet. "Ah, I see. I can change that, I can give you the body you always desired. I can give you anything you want."
"You can really do that? You can make me real?"
"Of course I can. Nothing is impossible with a little bit of magic. I would just love to kiss those beautiful human lips of yours once we complete the spell." He swept his pointer finger under her chin, looking into her kelly green eyes. "But, who says I couldn't kiss you now?"
"But, you cannot?"
"Let's try and see."
He leaned in, seeing a small pink shine cover her iris for a second. The spell had finally worked. She closed her eyes and he pressed his mouth against the cold metal of her mask. Attila winched and Robbie nearly fainted. He moved from her, and she blinked a couple of times from shock.
"Oh...That..."
"Isn't love a wonderful thing? Come, me must wed straightaway!" He opened the door and let her leave first.
"Are you coming?"
"Wait for me, I need to do something first." He shut the door.
He chuckled, which turned into a full laugh as he pushed himself from the door. He went to the wall opposite the piano and pulled the lever down. The chandelier lowered to the floor, and he tore the tape from the Bunchling's mouths.
"You're worthless to her now. I'll make her forget you, all of you."
"You're insane!" Attila accused.
"Perhaps. But I do whatever I can to help my work. And if romancing Grape was what I needed to do to get her to the dungeon for her torture session, then so be it."
"T-torture?" Robbie asked. "You're going to torture her?!"
"Yes, her, Davidonell, and all those stupid princesses that tried to disobey me. They will all learn that I am not something to be stopped. And once I get Dimitri..." He clenched his fist in their faces, a twisted smile spreading across his face. "The Midnites will die together and see each other in hell."
"Midnites?" Attila asked, trying to stall a bit so he can escape the ropes. "Madame Grape's a Lyre, just like the rest of the Sour Bunch!"
He laughed, then grabbed Attila's face, crushing his cheeks. "You fool. How do you not know? She's not a Bunchling. She's not a Sour Bunch. She's not a Lyre. She's Darkle, she's just magic, she's a Midnite."
"She's a real person!" Robbie yelled. "More of a person than you ever will be!"
He released Attila's face. "But anyways, I have some business to do. I will see you all later." He moved the chandelier back up, and left.
"Don't worry, Madame Grape." Attila finally undid the knots. "We'll save you, I promise."