𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 [TWST x Ballerina (Odile) reader]

✿𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓✿-9-

🦢

As we traversed the main street, my eyes were drawn to the towering statues that lined the thoroughfare. Each one stood as a testament to the storied history of this realm, their imposing figures casting long shadows upon the street.

These were the seven sovereigns of Twisted Wonderland, revered and respected by all who dwelled within this world. Their likenesses captured in stone, immortalized for eternity.

Yet, as I gazed upon these majestic monuments, a pang of sorrow tugged at my heart. For among them, there was no statue of my father, the eighth sovereign whose memory I held dear.

How I longed to see his face once more, to hear his voice echoing through the halls of our castle. But with each passing day, the fear grew within me that his face would fade from my memory, lost to the sands of time.

And so, as I stood in the shadow of these magnificent statues, I whispered a silent prayer for my father, hoping that somewhere beyond the veil of death, he would know that he was not forgotten.

"Wow, so this is Main Street, huh? This is incredible!
I didn't get to see it much yesterday. What's the deal with these seven statues? All their faces look pretty scary."

Grim declared as he tightened his grasp on his diminutive broomstick.

"Frightening? Quite the opposite, I find them utterly exquisite, each with its own unique allure," I  continued, my eyes twinkling with fascination.

"Seriously, Like, this lady here looks like she's got some real anger management issues."

Grim said as a shiver went down his spine, his small frame trembling slightly. I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction as I directed my gaze towards the imposing figure of the Red Queen.

Though I knew little of her story, a twinge of envy crept into my heart. How I longed to leave my mark on history, to be remembered and revered as a formidable queen for generations to come.

"You don't know the Queen of Hearts?"

Grim and I glanced to the side, catching sight of a boy with vibrant orange hair and a bold heart tattoo adorning his eye.

An air of mischief surrounded him, piquing my curiosity and drawing me in with its tantalizing allure.

"She was a queen who lived in a mazelike garden of roses long, long ago.
She was a strict woman who prized order above all. She wouldn't tolerate a rose being off-color, or her playing-card soldiers being out of step.
She basically ruled over a kingdom of madness, but not one of her subjects dared to defy her.
You wanna know why? Because the punishment for breaking a rule was immediate decapitation!"

With graceful eloquence, the boy began to enlighten us about the enigmatic Red Queen, his tone laced with a deep sense of admiration. Neither Grim nor I possessed any prior knowledge about her, so we listened intently.

His words resonated with me, evoking memories of my past life. Respect born of fear was a concept all too familiar to me, a delicate balance that often led to instability and ultimately ended in betrayal and treachery.

Considering the volatile nature of such dynamics, it wouldn't come as a shock if the Red Queen's downfall was attributed to this very phenomenon.

"Pretty cool, right? I'm a big fan.
I mean, who would bother to obey a queen that was kind all the time?"

The boy's grin widened as he directed a mocking gaze towards Grim, his words dripping with immaturity.

His narrow-minded comment underscored his lack of understanding. While it's true that excessive kindness might result in disobedience, it also garners genuine respect from others. Furthermore, one can leverage kindness to their advantage in various situations, turning it into a powerful tool rather than a weakness.