My apologies if the explanation part of the post is super lazy. It's late at night, and I've not been feeling well this evening. I have a huge headache that's telling me to go to bed, but I can't miss posting this story up for TWSTober.

Ace and Victoria are the latest couple from my TWST fanfic universe. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I'm going to make this short to spare my eyes. Ace and Victoria are kinda a Cinderella story in a sense. Victoria has been coronated as the new Queen of Roses after her mother's sudden death (according to Victoria, her mother had been sick as far back as Vic could remember). She is like Riddle in being a stickler to the Queen's rules, but at the same time, she wants to have freedom for just a little bit. She meets Ace at the Coronation Ball after she picks him to have her first dance with, and learning of his personality, practically uses him to learn of the rebellious ways.

Link to original post: https://old.reddit.com/r/TwistedWonderland/comments/xe5lzy/twstober_prompt/

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The court debate was more hostile than usual today. Hearing a group of delegates argue over a simple problem solution like a bunch of children fighting over a plate of cookies was like someone slamming a sledgehammer into Victoria’s eardrums. All she asked was for the court to vote, not to converse. Was she speaking a different language, or was there some virus spreading about that she and her messengers had no idea about? Regardless of what caused it, she was going to be the one to finish it.

“ORDER IN THE COURT!”

With that command, everyone’s voice cut off, and the court delegates began to cough air as they were cut off from speaking mid-sentence each. When they realized what had happened, they stared at their queen, shaking in all of their boots.

“I have no idea what is going through each of your minds right now, but this shouting match will not sort anything!” Victoria stood from her throne and reorganized her royal cape. “I am giving you until supper for each of you to write a reasonable response to today’s problem. Until that written answer is received at my bedchamber, you will not speak a word. Do I make myself CLEAR?”

The delegates nodded frightenedly.

Victoria dismissed the court, and she was the first to leave by exiting via the hall on the left side of the throne chair. She rapidly walked to her bedchamber, refusing to look anyone in the eye as she marched. The soldier guards at her chamber door stepped out of the way as the queen approached. They bowed, acknowledging her presence, and she was not seen for the rest of the afternoon.

​

Ace prepared his shot. When he released the bowstring, the arrow zipped across the lawn and shot the red ring that was just outside the starting yellow rings of the target. It was so close to the yellow that he cursed himself.

“Ten points!” Deuce called out.

“Nice shot, Ace,” complimented Riddle. “You have been improving since our last archery match.”

“I don’t get it. I shot the center multiple times during practice.”

“Don’t let your nerves get to you, Ace,” advised Deuce.

“As Deuce said. If you focus too much, you will lose your aim. Observe.” Riddle set the arrow and pulled back on his own bowstring. He unleashed the arrow, and it darted straight into the center for the second time of the match.

“Fifty points!”

“Easy for the both of you to say,” Ace muttered.

“Mr. Trappola!”

All three of the boys halted their game and turned to the hill, where the Queendom messenger came running in as if his life depended on it. He stopped at the edge of the archery field, gasping for air before he’d pass out.

“Whoa! Easy does it, Hopper,” Ace told the poor man. He dropped his archery set, despite Riddle warning Ace to be gentle with his equipment, and jogged over in case Hopper were to faint. “What’s goin’ on?”

“It’s Her Majesty,” the messenger responded, managing to regain some composure. “She is in need of your assistance, Mr. Trappola, and she wants not another moment wasted for your arrival.”

Ace’s face paled. “Oh boy, this ain’t good.” He turned to his friends and bowed apologetically. “Sorry, Riddle, but I’m afraid this archery match needs to be put on hold until further notice.”

“Rule number one, the very first: When the Queen calls you, you better hightail it over there,” was all Riddle could respond with, as his eyes were wide with fear at what Hopper had said.

Ace nodded, bid farewell to his companions, and followed the panicked Hopper back to the castle.

Deuce leaned over to Riddle and said, “I hope his tongue-lashing isn’t too rough.”

“Deuce, I doubt that’ll happen. In fact, I even doubt that whatever happened on the Queen’s end that Ace is to blame for it.”

​

Ace’s arrival at the Queendom Palace made the servants run around like rats in a kitchen, fetching whatever they could to please the guest. He politely refused and told them that he was here to see the Queen upon her order. The royal soldier guard guided Ace to the Queen’s chamber, where she had hid herself since the disaster of the court meeting. The female soldier knocked on the door and announced Ace Trappola’s presence.

“Proceed,” Victoria answered but in a quiet call.

The soldier slowly opened the chamber door, gesturing for Ace to enter with caution. The kid with the heart birthmark on his face slipped in through the ajar crack, fixing the collar of his shirt.

“Hey, Vic. Uh…”His fingers brushed through his hair like a rake through a shaggy rug. “I came as soon as I heard. What’s goin’ on?”

The squeaking of a chair jilted Ace toward the direction of the sound. Victoria had pushed herself from the writing desk, where she had been reading the written statements from the courtiers. Ace thought her soul had been ripped from her body after seeing Victoria almost slump over as she stood up. She had her eyes hidden by her dangling bangs as she shuffled to meet Ace full way. Victoria’s forehead connected with Ace’s chest, she bombarded him with a hug, and tears shed from those hidden eyes onto his shirt.

Ace accepted Victoria’s sudden embrace and gently laid his face into her soft, pink hair. His right hand massaged her upper back, and he whispered that whatever occurred, it was going to be okay now.

“Oh, Ace, it was awful. I’m awful,” she cried.

“Oh, you are not. Regardless of what happened, you are absolutely not awful.”

“I can’t control my delegates. For the past few days, they’ve done nothing but argue over each other. How can a court get anything done if all they do is squabble? I lost my patience and used my spell on them.”

“Sheesh! That bad?”

“They all sent me written statements, so they got their voices back, but this can’t be the routine. What queen would I be if I have to punish arguing on the daily? But to have the court not listen to me is in complete violation of the rules.

“No kidding. That’s stress at the all time high.”

“Oh, I’m dreading the next meeting tomorrow, Ace. What do I do? Share with me your magical school wisdom.”

Ace sighed. “I’m not much of a leader, but this reminds me of how Riddle runs our dorm. When we get accidently wild, he steps in to re-establish order.”

“Re-establish order?” Victoria questioned.

“LIke reminds us of how we’re supposed to behave. We represent our dorm with manners and grace, so we can’t show anything otherwise unless we want our reputation to go down.”

“So if I make clear of what I expect from my delegates, the rowdiness should cease?”

“If you got a normally good bunch, hopefully.”

Victoria threw her fist into her other hand. “That should work then. I promise to try that tomorrow when I go over the written responses with the courtiers. Oh, Ace. Would you do me the favor of joining this meeting tomorrow?”

HIs face flushed in embarrassment. “For real? Am I even allowed to be in the room where it happens?”

“You are the future Prince Consort of the Queendom of Roses. You must gain some experience in these matters somehow. Also, don’t forget the first and most important Queen’s Rule.”

“Ah, right. Whenever you call, I come running.”

“That’s correct, but regardless of the rule, you know your presence at this meeting is more important to me than that, right?”

“If it’s that important to you, then, I’ll be there, early and very overdressed for the occasion.”

Victoria giggled and blushed. “That’s the Ace I know.” She embraced him again, which like before, he gladly accepted. “Thank you so much for coming over, and I thank you so much more for your advice.”

Ace snickered. “I try my best. Anything for the Queen of Roses, of course.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head. “See? You know what you’re doing after all.”

“I’m happy you still believe that,” she replied, wiping her face of the tears that messed up her makeup. She squeaked in realization. “My mascara!”

“How do you wanna fix it? Reapply or full cleanse?”

“I don’t have any more plans today. I want this whole face cleaned soon as possible.”

“That is definitely something I can help with.”

And the smile that slithered onto her face that moment would not disappear for the rest of the day.