Entwined | 𝘠𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤

Heritage

Elle seethed. Of course they would send her.

Charlotte Roselei.

One of the most renown Magic Knight Captains and the most beautiful woman in all of Clover Kingdom. All the villagers fawned over her. Children begged to see her royal blue roses, women complimented her elegant armor, and men stared with hungry eyes from afar. Even the sun decided to chase away the gloom that perpetuated this backwards place, highlighting Charlotte's cursed golden hair.

No one ever regarded Elle with such awe, not even when she created her first snow statues. Her fists clenched at the memory—how the villagers' mouths hung open at her field of sparkling snow daises, then pressed to a thin line as they turned their attention to the creator. Like she was a disappointment. A bruise on the village that ignored its own roots, hated its own ancestors.

If the capital had sent a few of the rag-tag Black Bulls alone, Elle might've cackled with laughter, been filled with something akin to joy instead of hate. Seeing a bunch of outcasts looking for her could've even coaxed her to be found, played the innocent victim to give them credit. No, they had to send the pageant queen; Charlotte had to be the one to save the day.

Well, Elle wouldn't let that happen. Her plans involved something else entirely.

She hid behind snow covered trees, camouflaging herself with magic. The dark circles under her mother and father's eyes had deepened, her brother all but lifeless. Elle clenched her jaw. They deserved more, they deserved to be loved and cherished, to represent the village instead of being shoved in a corner.

At least Captain Charlotte took the time to interview them, though they knew nothing useful. The other Captain, gruff with a permanent frown etched in his set jaw, got stuck with Albina's family. They looked visibly disappointed and Yami looked just as bored with them.

Elle reached down and pulled her newly altered grimoire in her hands, half glistening white and half shimmering green. Albina had been more useful than planned, even learned a new spell while serving as Elle's prisoner, one that not only animated objects but allowed them to follow set commands until released. That combined with Elle's snow magic provided the perfect assistant— snow golems.

Those were what this village needed, not a new lodge. Ever since the new chief had taken position, the townspeople adopted his philosophies. Slowly at first, then wholeheartedly.

Ever-present winter cast a stigma of isolation and depression over the village, repelling most visitors and keeping the population at a steady decline. The chief was worried that one day the village would be left defenseless, and suffer tragedy from lack of protection from the capital.

His solution was to increase tourism, build a new lodge and embrace a culture of light and warmth— the one thing Elle's family lacked. Unspoken yet not unpracticed, the villagers began to worry about appearance, manners, and presentation. The more stunning one's physical and magical attributes were, the more they were loved and respected.

The Damants were, needless to say, the least impressive. Their magic was native to the area, and so far no one had been attracted to snow so there was no need to show off more of it. Their dark hair and gangly features came to represent everything everyone hated about living in the mountains.

The Clarise family, on the otherhand, had moved here several years ago and were all but worshiped. Their bright blue eyes reminded people of the sky that was almost always hidden by clouds, their hair and pink cheeks reminiscent of summer warmth. They were put in charge of maintaining the lodge and Albina was given special leave from school to train as a hostess.

Her animation magic would've been the icing on the cake— a cake that wasn't rightly hers. This village needed snow and ice, thrived on surviving despite their climate, and yet no one recognized that.

Their noses were bent so high up they could no longer see the blanket of glistening snow under their feet. Though Elle's family lacked charm and charisma, they knew the secrets of the land and weren't ashamed of it. If those secrets were lost, this village would die along the visitors it managed to bring in. And what pierced Elle's heart the most, her family would die as well.

Taking one last glance around the village center, Elle double checked that all the magic knights were present, then dipped into the forest. Her army was waiting.

A/n: I hope this is making sense.