Chapter Text
When people think of happy endings, they don’t think of death. They think of stories with daring adventures, funny quotes and unexpected twists. Well, this fairy tale has all of those things, including death. This is the love story between a rebellious Mer and a Lost-Fae, how two people so different can find such love within each other.
We are getting ahead of ourselves, after all, every good story starts at the beginning. The beginning of this story takes place many years ago, when a young and talented mage met a lovely fae man. They adored each other's prowess, and fell in love with one another.
For a time, they were the most powerful and beloved couple within the whole kingdom. The fae, Rowan Rosehearts, soon rose to become the trusted advisor of the king. His powerful firefly nymph magic made him stand out amongst the crowd. Meanwhile his wife, Edith Rosehearts, continually practiced magic, becoming an extraordinary magical doctor, one the whole kingdom trusted with their lives.
Soon, Edith became with child, and gave birth to a handsome little boy. His hair was a bright red as the roses in their gardens. The couple decided to name their new son “Riddle”. To showcase their new son, the couple gathered all the fae they knew, and hosted a special lights show on the day he was born. The lights were so magnificent, they enchanted the whole kingdom, showing everyone the love this family shared
Alas, not all good things can last.
See, even as a baby, Riddle showed great magical prowess. He was half-fae and the son of one of the Queendoms greatest mages. Edith wished to raise him as such, completely focus on his talent, raise her son in her shadow. She was convinced he could become the best mage the world had ever seen, and was determined for that to be her legacy.
Rowan had different ideas, however. He knew his son would be powerful, but he wanted Riddle to come into that power on his own. He wished to raise his child as if he were no different than the children they would see everyday in the playground. All he wanted was for his son to have a normal childhood.
Edith believed this was a disservice to what could be a prodigy in the making. Rowan thought she was setting their child up for failure. Edith argued he only wished to raise his son as human to compensate for the fact he wasn’t. The arguments held in this once happy household became viscous, and soon both dreaded coming home to their partner.
One night, after a particularly nasty argument, while Rowan was fast asleep in the guest bedroom, Edith was with their son. She could only look at him and see his potential, the potential she never had as a human, the potential every human child should have. So she made a decision, she would take Riddle away.
See, something Edith had never told her husband is that she owned her own estate. It was far away, tucked into an alcove in the middle of the woods. Somewhere nobody would ever look. She also had money tucked away, something her own mother had once advised her. It was a large sum, enough to always take care of herself and her son.
So, in the middle of the night, she packed her and Riddle's things, and took off. She hid them both away in that estate, once thought abandoned. Edith swore that she would raise Riddle to only know his human side, his superior side. Yet, she would raise him knowing his full prowess, and he would become the most powerful mage to ever live.
Rowan woke up the next morning, unable to find his wife or child. He went to her place of work, went to the castle, anywhere he could think, and still couldn’t seem to find them. He convinced the king to gather a search party to find the lost child. For the entire year, no one could turn up anything.
By the time Riddle's first birthday rolled around, there was still no sign of him or Edith. The king was forced to call off the search party, as everyone believed the perfect doctor and her son were dead; lost to the wilderness. Rowan wasn’t so convinced.
He managed one last bargain with the king, something special for Riddle's birthday. Every year, fae would gather, lighting the night in bright colors, just like they did the day Riddle was born. This became such a special phenomena that fae from all over the lands would travel to the Queendom of the Roses capital just to take part in it.
Rowan hoped that one day his son would see the brilliant light show, that maybe he would be called back home to witness it or take part in it. He prayed every day that he could see his son and wife again, and this was what he believed would bring them home.
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“Azul~” Floyd and Jade swam around a little unsuspecting octopus, watching him startle at the sound of the twins' voices.
“What are you two doing?”
“Why, coming to gather you of course!” Jade snickered, he always took much enjoyment out of startling the poor thing. Floyd would feel bad for Azul if he also didn’t have so much fun watching the octo-mer jump out of his own skin.
“I have already told you two to leave me alone!”
“Yeah, but we don’t wanna, so no.” Floyd said, a lazy smile placed on his face as he lazily drifted in front of Azul.
“How annoying.” The twins only snickered at Azul’s reluctant sigh.
“Say,” They had some idle chatter before Jade decided on a very curious topic, “Azul didn’t you just go into a shipwreck recently? Did you find anything interesting?”
Azul thought for a minute, tapping a finger against his chin. “Well, I found a coin I’ve never seen before, but I don’t think the two of you would think that’s any fun.”
“Lame.” Floyd stuck out his tongue. Azul stuck his tongue out as well.
“So nothing fun? That’s sad,” Jade pouted off to the side. It has been awhile since he was able to sneak off very far. After the last time he was chased by a shark his mother hadn’t been very eager to let him off again.
“I found another book!” Floyd exclaimed.
“A new one?”
“Yeah, it’s a really nice story book.” Floyd pulled it out of the small bag he had around his shoulders, “It’s using that really cool human magic that protects the pages from water.”
Jade pouted yet again. “How are you allowed to sneak off and I can’t? I’m so much more mature than you.”
“Not true, and you’re the one who got chased by a shark.”
Azul snatched the book from Floyd and started thumbing through the pages. “Well, if you’re not careful, you’re gonna get chased by something a lot worse than a shark. To get something this nice you have to go close to the surface, and Mama always says that it’s dangerous to go that far up.”
Jade nodded his head solemnly, “That’s right. Mother and Father also say the same thing. So you should stop doing it.” Then a lot quieter, “at least until I get to escape too.”
Floyd still heard it and smacked his brother with his tail. “Stop making it my problem you got caught. That’s so not my fault.”
Azul raised his voice, “I’m serious Floyd. Apparently it’s super dangerous up there.”
Floyd floated above Azul, turning until he was looking at the boy upside-down. “Yeah, but it’s also super interesting. Mama tells us a bunch of stories from there and they are all so cool.”
Jade grabbed the book from Azul and started looking through it too. “You think she’ll read us this one? There are some human phrases I haven’t learned yet in it. We can just tell her that Azul got really lucky on his recent shipwreck.”
Floyd smiled with all his sharp teeth, “Only one way to find out!” Both the twins immediately sped off towards their home.
“Hey! Wait for me!”
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Riddle was studying downstairs in the drawing room. He liked this room, it was always decorated nicely, and it had this massive window right next to the desk. Riddle adored the natural light that would flood in through the window, and when he got bored of doing so much school work at once, he could look out into the lovely rose garden surrounding his home.
Yes, most of the time he loved that window. Right now, it was proving a major distraction.
Well, less the window was a distraction and more like those who were on the other side of it.
The small thunking of pebbles being thrown at it was disrupting Riddle's study time, and his mother would be furious to know he had gotten behind. After nearly 5 whole minutes of that annoying noise, Riddle finally decided to do something about it.
He opened the tall window and started at the two boys on the other side of the roses. A purple cat beast-man and a green haired boy with glasses. Trey and Che'nya, his two best friends, his two only friends.
“If you keep throwing rocks at my window, then it might break.” Riddle said, puffing out his cheeks in annoyance.
“Sorry,” Trey spoke up. “That was all Che'nya, I tried to get him to stop–”
“We were only trying to get your attention, Riddle.” Che'nya, the purple cat, spoke, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face that proved he was, in fact, not the least bit sorry.
Trey sighed, already sounding like an over-worked mother rather than the child that he was. “Che'nya, you could at least act sorry”
The two of them squabbled for a bit over if Che'nya really had to be sorry, until Riddle cleared his throat, reminding the two of them what they are there for. “Sorry, but I cannot play today.”
Che'nya lost his smile immediately and replaced it with a pout. “What? Why?”
“I’ve already played with you two far too often this week. I’m behind on my studies.”
“So? Just catch up another day, come on we wanna play!”
“I can’t.” Riddle said, scrunching his nose. Che'nya could be rather annoying with his persistence. “If mother finds out, she will be furious with me. Then I might have no time to play at all.”
The boys gasped. “Ever again?” Che'nya looked shocked.
“Ever again.” Riddle confirmed.
Che'nya frowned and looked downwards, Trey walking over to pat his back. “Well, that’s okay. We don’t want you to get in trouble. We can always come back tomorrow.” He had a sad smile on his face.
Now Riddle started to feel guilty. “I really am sorry.”
“We know.” Trey kept that saddened smile on. “Let’s go Che'nya.”
Just as Riddle was about to close the window, Che'nya spoke up. “We just wanted to share a story with you.”
Riddle paused, “A story.”
At that, both Trey and Che'nya looked hopeful. “Yeah! A really cool one we just learned about in school. It won’t take long, I promise.”
Riddle turned his head and looked towards the clock…he had time. “Well, as long as it won’t take long.”
The boys giggled as they helped Riddle climb out of the window. He was small enough that even that much was a feat. Yet he never failed to try.
The boys started walking to the entrance and exit of the alcove, the grass squishing beneath their feet. “So, what’s this story about.”
“It’s about the fae lights!” Che'nya chirped.
“The…what?”
“You know, those really pretty lights during summer?” Trey asked, tilting his head in confusion. Everyone knew about the pretty lights.
Riddle shook his head. “No, I’ve never seen them.” Trey and Che'nya both looked at him flabbergasted.
“How is that even possible?” The purple-haired cat exclaimed, completely taken aback.
“I dunno, I’m pretty busy normally. That might be it.” Now Riddle was feeling self-conscious, and started shrinking in on himself.
“Yeah, probably.” Trey conceded. “Well, once a year, at the end of summer, there’s this huge light show that the fae in the capital put on. It’s like, the biggest and prettiest thing ever!”
Riddle blinked “Around the end of summer? That’s near my birthday.”
“Wait, when is your birthday?”
“August 24th.”
Both Trey and Che'nya gasped. “That’s not around your birthday!” Che'nya squealed. “That is your birthday!”
“What?”
“August 24th is the day of the light show!” Trey pointed out, a happy and beaming smiled on his face.
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Positive, my sister has it marked on her calendar every year.”
“That’s so cool, Riddle! You’ve gotta watch it this year!” Che'nya jumped and wrapped an arm around Riddle's shoulder, nearly making them both fall on the ground.
“Yeah, now you can say that the coolest holiday in the Queendom is like, just for you!” Trey was also extremely excited, his smile had yet to fade.
“Yeah,” Riddle smiled shyly, his focus on the ground beneath him. “I guess, it is pretty cool. I’ll be sure to see those lights this year.”
His two friends cheered loudly, excited that they now knew someone who had a birthday on a holiday. What a rare thing that was.
“Wait, what does this have to do with a story?” Riddle inquired
Che'nya scrunched up his nose, “Uh, oops. I forgot.”
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“Mama, I don’t wanna be here!” Floyd cried. They had taken a three-day long trip to the other side of the Coral Sea, a trip Floyd was adamantly against.
The Leeches and the Ashengrottos lived near the capital of the Coral Sea, closer to the Sunshine Lands. It was this area that held the deepest parts of the sea, perfect for eels and octopi such as themselves. But, for whatever reason, Georgina Leech had decided to take her whole family on a trip that landed them closer to the Queendom of Roses.
It’s not like Floyd has never been there before, in fact they made this trip plenty of times. They made this trip so often that there was a second house in the Leeches name in the area. It’s just that this trip was always so boring.
For one, Azul almost never came along. Something about his family being busy with a restaurant or something, Floyd never really paid attention. That was upsetting for two reasons; one, because it meant no Azul to mess around with. Two, because it meant Jade was the only one around his age nearby.
Floyd loves his brother, don’t get him wrong, but sometimes he could be so annoying.
Also, there were less shipwrecks in this part of the ocean, which meant less chances to explore places. And his parents were always more cautious about the twins going to the surface, something about the Sunshine Lands being more accepting than the Queendom. Again, Floyd doesn’t really care, all he cares about is the fact that he is bored.
“Oh hush, my little eel. We are here for a reason this time, one I think you’ll quite enjoy.” Georgina had a sweet smile on, petting the top of Floyd's head.
Floyd perked up at that, Mama's surprises were always good. Even Jade, who was busy unpacking, turned his head in their direction to hear more of the conversation.
“Oooo, what’s the surprise?” Floyd asked animatedly.
“Patience little one, you’ll learn all in due time.”
Floyd groaned again, “But I wanna know now!”
Jade swam towards his mother and brothers side, settling near them before speaking up. “I think it might help Floyd’s patience if you give him a little hint, Mother.” Jade suggested, as if he wasn’t just as curious. Floyd still nodded vigorously.
Georgina put a perfectly filed claw to her chin, tapping it in though. “Oh well…alright. I suppose a little taste won’t spoil anything too much. Now settle in dears.” Both of the boys cuddled close to their mother on either side of her. “Do either of you know what today is?”
“Friday…no, Saturday! Is it Salmon Saturday?” Floyd shouted excitedly! Georgina chuckled as she shook her head.
“August 24th, right?” Jade asked, tilting his head.
“That’s correct. Today is August 24th. Now, can either of you think of anything special that happens today in the Queendom of the Roses?”
Both boys thought for a long second, then proceeded to shake their heads in unison when neither could come to an answer.
“Perhaps you might remember when thinking of a certain, fae tail. One with lights during late summer?”
Both boys thought a little harder, then Floyd came to an answer. “Oh! Are you talking about the fae-light show? The one for the lost son? Is that today?”
“I am speaking of that, and yes, it is today! Good job, dearest!” Georgina smiled down at Floyd, petting the top of his head yet again.
Jade pouted at not knowing the answer first, “How did you remember that?”
“Duh, because it’s like my favorite story? I read it like, all the time.”
Their mother chuckled. “Yes, that is true, and why I brought you both here today.” At that both boys tilted their heads and looked at their mother curiously. “Tonight, the four of us, your father included, will venture up to the surface. I know of a nice little out cropping of rocks near here. From there, we will all get to watch the wondrous fae-light show from the legend.”
Stars immediately overtook both twin’s eyes. “Woah, really?” Floyd shouted, immediately escaping his mothers grasp and swimming in circles excitedly.
“Yes, really.”
Jade, while just as excited, remained seemingly much more calm. “Thank you mother, this is very exciting.” His smile was radiant, showing off all his sharp teeth.
“I can’t wait!” His brother shouted.
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Riddle still hadn’t recovered from his mother’s shouting that day. He curled further into himself on his bed in the tall tower.
It had only been one tart, one small strawberry tart. But his mother never wanted him to have a tart. She said they were bad for his health. He should’ve just listened to her. It didn’t matter that it was his birthday. Now his best friends in the whole wide world were getting yelled at, all because he was selfish.
He doesn’t even know if he can call them best friends anymore, after all, it’s not like he’ll ever see them again.
That’s what his mother ordered. She said he should’ve known better than to leave.
“Clearly I have given you too much freedom.” Her words echoed inside the tower chamber as she dragged Riddle up the stairs. He tried to avoid staying in the tower for much of the day, aside from sleeping, he always felt it was too cramped.
“Mother, please, let me go back downstairs! I’ll tell everyone it was a mistake, that it was all my fault! Please let me fix this!”
“No!” She shouted, her voice carrying a rage Riddle had never heard before. And he had heard her angry plenty. “I cannot trust you, not with independent study time, and certainly not to fix anything.”
“Mother, I’m sorry! Please, just let me see them again!” Riddle was crying, sobbing, freely. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks in waves that made it hard to see. His mothers nails were gripping his arm so hard he could hardly feel it.
“See them again?” She stopped as they entered the top of the tower, Riddle's room. “Riddle, dearest, you will never see those two… scoundrels, ever again.”
“But mother, they are my friends–”
A loud smack rang through the room, his mothers hand hitting cleanly across his face. “Those two boys are not your friends, they are not good enough to be your friends. They are distractions from what you are meant to be, from your greatness.”
Riddle sniffled, holding his cheek in his hand as his lip quivered. His mother sighed and took his face into her hands, gently guiding him to look upwards. “My darling, you do know I only want the best for you, right?”
“Of course mother.”
“Then you should know I mean it when I say those two are no good for you, that I am trying to help you.”
Riddle sniffled again, “I know mother.”
She smiled sweetly at him, “Good boy.” She stood up to her full height yet again, “Though, it seems you are not as immune from distractions as I had hoped. From this day on, you are not to leave this tower, do you understand me, Rose?”
“But, mother, the drawing room–”
“Is a distraction, one we will not be having again. Do not fret, everything you could possibly need will be in this tower. You will have no reason to leave. Not into the main house and certainly not into the outside world. “
Riddle stepped back, he knew when there was no winning an argument. He could never win against his mother, he just had to listen to her instructions. “Okay, mother.”
“Good.” She started walking down the stone steps again, then paused halfway down, “I love you Riddle.”
“I love you more.”
His mother smiled at that, “I love you most.”
Riddle curled into his bed impossibly further, grabbing his comforter and pulling it up to his face. He already cried a lot today, he did not need to cry anymore. What a lousy birthday. He was sure his mother returned the gift she had gotten him, and he was so excited for it. If he had just listened to her, then maybe he could still have his friends.
Oh, who was he kidding. His mother was probably right, they were just a distraction. He never did much work when the two of them were around. This was probably good for him. No, it was definitely good for him, because his mother said it was.
Still, that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
He turned his head towards the small window in the tower. It wasn’t nearly as large or impressive as the one in the drawing room. The thought he would never get to see it again made him tear up once more. No, no more of that.
It was dark, the stars were shining brightly and the sky was clear. What a lovely night for his birthday. Or it would've been if…
Just then, Riddle remembered something Trey and Che'nya told him. Something about lights on his birthday, ones that the whole kingdom adored watching. Slowly he gathered the energy it took to slide out of bed. He took a nearby chair and propped it by the wall underneath the window, then stood on it to look out.
His mother likely wouldn’t like that he was doing this, he could hurt himself.
But it was something Trey and Che'nya wanted him to do. They told him he should look out the window on his birthday night, and he promised them that he would. Riddle Rosehearts always keeps promises, even to friends he didn’t deserve to have.
He leaned his arms on the window sill, crossing them before laying his head on top, waiting for something brilliant to happen.
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Rowan Rosehearts gathered fae every year to set off those lights. He wished for everyone in the kingdom to see, everyone in the world to see. All he wanted was his wife and son back.
Little did he know, his son was watching. Every year since being locked in that tower, his son waited for those lights to shine above the whole kingdom. The only time he felt connected to the whole world.
And neither of them knew of the little eel, obsessed with their story, who once a year made his way to the Queendom of the Roses. The little eel who also loved to watch the lights in the sky, wondering if the lost fae-child would ever return home.