castlecrumb

[castlecrumb]

SACRED POISON

Chapter Three

<<< Chapter Two

EYES GAZED WARILY, watching the chaotic scene unfold before them. The two consorts who were bearing the Emperor’s children were staring ferociously before each other.

Lady Gyokuyou, the consort with illuminating pink hair and emerald green eyes, held her face in dismay. Lady Lihua, in a fit of anger and fear, slapped her for supposedly cursing her child.

“Da Ji,” Suyin muttered slowly, “Why did you not inform me of the consorts’ giving births?”

“The maids were told not to interfere.”

The Graceful Consort felt her hands shake but decided now was not the time to get angry. She held her composure and walked towards the scene as the maids parted ways. 

As she stepped closer, she noticed in the corner of her eye the maid girl with dark green hair she saw the night prior. Her lip, hidden under her veil, quirked up before flattening once more as she turned her attention to the scene.

“You know that’s absurd! My Xiaoling is sick, too!”

“Oh my… Consort Lihua is furious..”

“I feel sorry for Consort Gyokuyou.”

“That is why I’d like you to examine my daughter’s state, as well!”

“Lady Gyokuyou,” Suyin announced loudly, “Lady Lihua. This makes for an unseemly event in the courtyard.”

Gasps were heard as the maids bowed in respect for the Graceful Consort. Both of the Emperor’s consorts looked away in shame as their ladies helped them recompose themselves. The doctor who stood weakly before them seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“What is the issue?” the silver-eyed woman questioned, her serious tone indicating that it would be best not to lie, “Both of your newborn children are ill?”

“Graceful Consort! It is clear Lady Gyokuyou cursed Lady Lihua’s children!” a lady in waiting claimed, pointing at the pink haired consort.

“Is that so?” Suyin hummed, “Then what of her own child? Did she curse her too?”

“I-I..”

The silver-eyed girl sighed and rubbed her temple. Perhaps childbearing causes people to lose their sense of reason and blame all others for their misfortunes.

“Consort Suyin is correct,” a voice entered, breaking up the crowd.

The Graceful consort was met with the sight of the eunuch, Jinshi, walking towards her with Gaoshun a mere few steps behind.

“I’m afraid there is no curse, it appears to be an illness. Doctor, can you cure them?”

“I-I… I’ll do my best!”

Suyin inwardly grimaced at the purplette’s sudden appearance, but her frown only deepened when he walked incredibly close to her. So close that his hand swept by hers as he walked to the two other consorts.

“My lady,” a voice muttered quietly, “We should leave them be.”

“Right,” she nodded, walking away.

As she did, she noticed the same green-haired servant girl muttering something to herself and eyeing her own dress inquisitively. The consort was curious, but she shrugged it off as Da Ji beckoned her to return to her own quarters.

“We must reapply your makeup,” the blonde reminded, “It’s hotter than usual.”

“I know,” Suyin sighed, lifting her veil once she entered the building, “Thank you, Da Ji.”

“Anything for you.”

____________________________________

A male with deep purple hair with locks that reached his waist stared inquisitively at the note he beheld on his table. It was cut from a dirty piece of cloth with messy ink written into it.

‘The white face powder is poisonous. Don’t let the baby touch it.’

“You said this was on your window sill?” He murmured, eyes raising interestedly.

“Yes, my lady in waiting, Hongniang, found it placed there. It was tied to this branch,” The Precious Consort, Gyokuyou, let out a deep sigh as her lips fell into a line, “It’s truly a crime to be ignorant.”

“The real question is,” Jinshi murmured, “who placed it there?”

____________________________________

“Flower girl!”

The worker girl with dark green hair peered over her shoulder, muttering some curses to herself— a habit she had whenever she heard a certain woman’s voice.

It was the same woman with dark wavy hair that always adorned a silky red veil. She was never able to see her face, which bothered her slightly, but what could a mere servant like her do about it?

“Yes,” the girl muttered, “How may I assist you, my lady.”

“Ah,” Suyin hummed, pointing to the girl, “I’m going to need you to come with me. You will be excused from your duties for today.”

“Huh..?” The green-haired girl murmured before quickly snapping out of her daze and following after the weird lady.

The girl noticed another young blonde maid, who appeared to be about her age, following the black haired mistress. She must have had some inkling of power in order to have a lady waiting on her, but not as much as the consorts who served the emperor directly.

So she conjectured.

However, it seemed that the blonde only eyed her with great suspicion and another feeling that she wasn’t quite sure of. Eh, she internally shrugged, not my problem.

Suyin led the green-haired girl to a room with nobody in it. It confused her but she still held her tongue.

“If you will wait here,” the consort smiled, “I will be back.”

“Huh? Oh,” the girl murmured before bowing in respect, “Please take your time.”

Da Ji gave the worker girl one last glance before following after her lady, Thus, the young laundry worker was left alone in the room by herself.

She let out a big sigh of relief. For she wasn’t going to be executed right this second. However that relief did not last for long as the doors were soon thrown open and the room was then filled with many other laundry workers like herself.

Ah, this can’t be good.. So many servant girls being summoned by high officials can’t be good news… 

She then looked around, Or maybe they just want more workers?

“Thank you all for coming.”

A voice rang out from behind all the servants, to which the green-haired girl turned to face him. All the servant girls in the room, minus the latter, admired him with clear hearts in their eyes.

She was good looking. Very good looking, that was for sure.

Who is this arrogant-looking woman?

Alas, those were the thoughts running in the greenette’s mind.

“I am Jinshi, manager of the rear palace,” the male introduced, his purple eyes shining as bright as his cascading violet hair.

That’s a man?

Ah, what a revelation. Good thing Jinshi couldn’t hear her thoughts right now.

Said Eunuch quickly wrote something down on a piece of paper and lifted it up to show the crowd of servants.

You with the freckles, stay here.

The greenette read the note and let out a soft gasp, only to realize that the whole situation was a trap. And he seemed to have caught her red-handed, for she was one of the very few who were literate. 

Oh no! She mentally facepalmed.

“We’re done here. You may all return to your rooms,” the purplette smiled confidently.

A million thoughts seemed to run in the servant’s mind before she inevitably made the decision to leave with the rest of the workers. However, she soon felt the palm of the purple haired male land on her shoulder.

“Come now, I just told you to stay,” Jinshi smiled cockily, “Just keep quiet and follow me.”

With an annoyed sigh, the servant girl flicked his hand away and rubbed the nonexistent dust from her shoulder. The action confused the eunuch but he said nothing as he led her to their next destination.

____________________________________

“Gyokuyou has decided to hire a new lady in waiting?”

The silver-eyed consort looked down the balcony of her room with an interested expression on her face.

“Yes, she is said to be an apothecary.”

“And her name?”

“MaoMao, my lady.”

“Oh?”

The Graceful Consort lifted the cup of tea to her lips, only to suddenly drop it clumsily. Her hand was shaking as she stared down at the shattered glass on the floor.

“I’ll clean it up,” Da Ji responded almost monotonously as she went to sweep up the mess.

“Apologies,” Suyin murmured as she placed her arm on the tabletop for balance. 

She then walked slowly to her chambers, but not before stopping before the mirror once again. Ah, it seemed she would need to wear more to cover up the thinness of her facial features. Her weakness was flaring up again. She couldn’t have that, not when Da Ji was doing her best to care for her weakening condition.

The silver-eyed consort looked out the window once again and took a deep sigh.

Apothecary, huh?

[castlecrumb]

DARLING DIVA

Chapter 3: Two Knights

<<< Chapter 2

THE NAME THOSE FOOLISH HUMANS will learn to fear will not be MuzanKibutsuji but Princess Asuna, the Angel from Hell.

Those words continued to ring in Kokushibo's head as he found himself staring at the spot where his princess once stood. She was gone, disappeared just as she had done those 300 years ago.

He began to feel something growing at the depths of his soul, something other than the immense hatred he felt towards his brother, Yorichii.

That calmness that overtook him whenever Asuna was around began to dissipate, leaving him with nothing but a cold chill down his spine.

It was.. disgusting.

He wanted that feeling gone, replaced with the warm sensation that he felt whenever his princess was around. Being separated from her for so long almost caused him to forget her presence all together.

That was until she appeared at their Uppermoons meeting, staring down at all of them in contempt. He was foolish for thinking 300 years would not change her in the slightest.

She was practically unattainable now, especially now that his master was constantly around her and holding her in high regard.

But.. that only made things more serious.

For now, he decided he'd stay close and stay her loyal servant for as long as she wanted.

______________________

"Nakime," Asuna muttered, "bring me Uppermoons 2,3, and 6. Both of them."

"Yes, Asuna-hime."

With the strum of her biwa, Nakime summoned the Uppermoons to the panel before her. The action surprised all of them, especially because they were all still lingering in the castle looking for her. Yet here they were, face to face with their newfound princess.

They all immediately bowed to her, as a smile graced her lips.

"Uppermoon 6, Daki and Gyutaro. You both trifle with the affairs in the Entertainment District, correct?"

"Yes. Asuna-hime," They both collectively responded.

"Oh lovely! So they do have a wonderful system here as well," Asuna grinned, earning some confused looks.

One moment she was threatening them and the next she was smiling widely. They truly couldn't understand her at all.

"Uppermoons Douma and Akaza. Those who serve directly below Kokushibo," she acknowledged, "You will accompany me as I make my way through the human's model agency. The Entertainment District, if you will."

"Yes, Asuna-hime," they replied, despite being totally confused why she chose them.

"Lovely. Daki, I believe you have many connections there, right little rose?"

Asuna's voice grew lower, as she emphasized the little nickname she gave the female demon. It sent chills down her spine, even going as far as to warm her cheeks up ever so slightly.

"Y-yes Asuna-hime, I can get you in there easily!"

The princess hummed in approval, nodding to Nakime.

"That is all for you. Gyutaro, I would pay attention to your sickles. They're becoming.. dull."

Within a second, Asuna had sent the sickle flying straight for Gyutaro's head. He managed to catch it before it severed it off, but it still managed to nick him in the cheek, drawing blood.

"Good. You're learning," she praised, voice lighter and seemingly more content.

This made something bubble within Gyutaro, something warm that he never felt before. Just some simple words from her had caused him to feel giddy inside. Not that he'd ever admit it though.

And how she managed to grab the sickles without him knowing was incredibly baffling.

"You siblings may leave, I shall see you soon."

Nakime strummed her biwa, sending the siblings back to the entertainment district. That left Douma and Akaza still bowing to her.

"Get up from that position," she commanded, walking over to a throne and sitting on it. She crossed her legs and leaned against her right arm as she stared down at the two confused demons.

"Seriously, how does Father do such things without tiring himself out?" She said aloud to no one in particular, "You two lovely boys will be my bodyguards. Not strength-wise of course, but as simple eye-candy."

"Eye.. candy?" Akaza repeated back slowly.

"Oh.. that's a foreign concept here. In simple terms, you'll act as princes who loyally protect their princess," she explained, eyes full of excitement, "you'll both be my pretty little dolls for a while."

"But Asuna-hime!—"

"Drop the -hime," Asuna interrupted.

"I'm afraid we wouldn't dare to do so!" Akaza replied worriedly.

"I'm going undercover with the humans. How weird would it sound if two handsome boys began calling a foreigner by the title of Princess? Don't be stupid," she quickly fired back, "I do not want my titles to be said unless it is said with worth. It is utterly embarrassing seeing you all looking at me with meager thoughts."

"Asuna, I'm afraid your father has commanded us all to return to our duties after today."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm sure I'll be able to convince him," she replied boredly.

Akaza shut his mouth, confused once again by her weird paradoxes. One moment she demands respect, then the next, she expects to be treated all the same? Douma on the other hand was only growing more interested.

"Feel free to speak out of turn, it's not all that fun being so stiff. But alas! Father demands it," she uttered annoyedly as she began to twirl a loose strand of her hair, "so you can speak freely to me for this little outing."

Nakime then sent all three of them to the Entertainment District, under Asuna's orders.

Asuna was now wearing a beautiful silk kimono with satin laced around her waist. Her glossy white hair was in a braided crown with white lotus petals scattered through it.

It seemed she had a similar ability to her father, one that allowed her to change her physical features.

Her prominent red eyes were replaced with mellow rosy ones and her fangs were hidden entirely. The two Uppermoons simply stared at her, eyes wide at her transformation.

"Mm, Asuna you're so cute!" Douma gushed, suddenly standing right beside her, "Who knew you had such a cute side as well!"

He was leaning quite closely to her face with a large smile on his face. He was close, close enough for the princess to feel his breath against her neck.

"Aren't you flirty? I knew you were a bold one when I first saw you," she smiled, her features visibly blinding. Before she knew it, a certain redhead was at her other side extending his hand out to her.

"As your loyal knight I shall lead you far away from danger," Akaza spoke stridently, insulting Douma in the process.

"Oh my, a knight in shining armor?"

The two were at each other's necks constantly, something Asuna did notice but didn't think much of.

This was going to be fun.

Asuna simply laughed to herself, denying both of their advances and instead choosing to stroll down the road by herself. The other two just stared confusedly after her.

Her hips swayed elegantly with the music of the district as her hair blew lightly in the cool breeze. While they had seen countless women, none looked quite as ethereal as she did.

But, as they both knew, this ethereal woman walking effortlessly before them was the most ruthless woman in all of their existence.

And she knew it.

Asuna then pulled out a golden fan, covering part of her face as she turned back to look at her two companions. She looked at them over her shoulder, with eyes glistening playfully.

Her voice was low and sultry as she held the accessory in her hand, "Oh, Douma, these golden fans of yours are truly captivating— strong, and beautiful. I think you may need to find a different weapon choice.."

"—..because these suit me much better."

[castlecrumb]

SACRED POISON

Chapter Two

<<< Chapter One

THE PAIR STOOD IN SILENCE, as they waited for the patrol officer to finish his walk past. Moments later after the light of his torch ceded, Suyin ripped herself free and faced her supposed attacker.

"You.."

"It's been awhile."

The Graceful Consort's eyes narrowed as she recognized the figure. Once he stepped out into the moonlight it was clear. It was the dark purple haired eunuch, Jinshi.

"You're still quite the troublemaker," Jinshi smiled, "Suyin."

The silver eyed woman relaxed a bit, pulling down the red veil from her face as she crossed her arms.

"And you're still as aggressive as ever," she frowned, not bothering to hide her distaste, "Now if you'll let me be."

"It's been three years and that's all you have to say?" the purple-haired male pouted, walking closer, "You're as heartless as ever."

"You said the same thing then."

"And I say the same thing now," the eunuch smirked, placing his arm against the wall as he trapped the newly appointed consort.

With a trying look, Suyin continued to cross her arms.

"I don't believe you should be touching His Majesty, the Emperor's concubine in such a way."

"But you're not really his concubine," Jinshi grinned, placing his hand lightly against her cheek, "You never were."

Whether it was a trick of the light or not, the eunuch could've sworn he saw something change in the Graceful Consort's eyes. Just for a moment, before it was gone.

"Don't speak nonsense," the black haired consort scoffed, swatting the male's hand away.

Before she was able to truly remove herself from their position, Jinshi noticed a certain dark patch on her left knee.

"Your knee," he stated aloud, taking a hold of the woman's hand, "You injured it again?"

"It's merely dirt."

Rolling his eyes, the eunuch pulled her towards him and he quickly bent down to examine it.

"It's healed," Suyin insisted with a smile, only to wince when he pressed down on it.

"Healed my ass," Jinshi replied, mimicking her cocky smile, "It hasn't healed since then, has it?"

The ebony haired woman could only purse her lips in annoyance. Out of all the people to find her, it had to be him.

As she stared down at him, she began to notice how long his purple hair had grown. It was so incredibly sleek that it reflected the moonlight. Not only that, it seemed his jaw was more defined and his shoulders were sculpted.

She found her eyes lingering on his figure, even under all those layers it was easy to see that he had a well-built body. Her lip quivered at the thought, only for her to stop herself completely.

"No it hasn't," she finally answered, removing her knee away from him, "never mind that. It doesn't bother me anymore."

Jinshi gave her a disbelieving pout, only to receive a flick to his forehead.

"Ouch–"

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?" she hummed, feeling proud of the dread that seemed to wash over the eunuch's face, "Doing papers, perhaps?"

"So cold," he shivered, voice dipping in defeat, "But wait.. What are you doing here then—"

"I think I see Gaoshun over there!"

With a jolt, the purple-haired male turned over his shoulder frantically, only to be met with nothing but darkness. There was no one there.

"What are you talking ab–"

Jinshi turned back over his shoulder, only to see that the consort was nowhere to be found. What was left was her red veil, which had just landed delicately onto the ground where she last stood. The scene caused the eunuch to pout once more.

"You're so cold, Suyin."

____________________________________

The ebony haired consort made her way back to her sleeping quarters, only to notice a figure shuffling quietly through the halls. Her eyes narrowed as she followed the figure, only to stop when the person suddenly dropped to the ground.

To her surprise, the figure seemed to begin to pick some plants from the ground, placing them into the basket that they carried. As she got closer, the consort was able to see that the mysterious creeper was actually a girl just a few years younger than her.

"While it's not exactly illegal to harvest those," Suyin commented with a smirk as she witnessed the girl jolt in surprise, "It's quite suspicious to do so in this manner."

The girl had deep green hair that was tied into two small loops on the top and two low ponytails below.

She also wore a baby blue bow on the top of her head, completing the simplistic yet very cute look. She wore an orange tunic with a plain white dress underneath. It was the attire of the worker girls within the inner palace.

Said girl turned around and was met with a pair of silvery eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. Her eyes appeared to wander all over the consort's body before she finally composed herself and stood up.

"My apologies," she bowed politely, "I saw some flowers that were pretty and wanted to show them to the other workers. I'm sorry if I've disturbed you."

Suyin was far from ignorant, especially to the workings of the palace. The plants that were scattered throughout the inner palace were grown specifically for the purpose of either poison or antidote. She had been treated by them several times and knew greatly of their uses.

Along with that, if the girl before her had really harvested the plants for said beauty, she wouldn't have needed to bring such a large basket with her.

It was rare for a commoner, let alone a girl, to have knowledge on such medicines. Perhaps, this was what the Graceful Consort found so interesting about her.

"That's quite caring of you," Suyin replied with a smile, "Though, if I were you, I would wait until those last lanterns die out over there. That would mean the last lady in waiting and her maids would be asleep."

"R-right," the girl muttered, only to turn her attention to the consort's pants.

It seemed that her mind was calculatingly trying to figure out who Suyin was, but it was clear she wouldn't ask, knowing full well that the lady in front of her was of at least higher status than her.

It would be disrespectful, and she quite frankly did not want to gain attention. Especially since she still had a term to live out before she was released.

She had to lay low, that was all.

"If you'll excuse me," the girl finally said, bowing respectfully.

"Of course," Suyin nodded with half-lidded eyes, "Please do take care."

She watched the strange worker scurry off in an almost cat-like way. The thought made the consort laugh to herself as she snuck back into her own quarters.

What an eventful yet successful night it was.

____________________________________

"It's time to wake up."

The sunlight streaked through the open window, warming the room with its morning glow. With a soft groan, the black-haired woman sat up and rubbed her temple.

Suyin was never an early bird, waking up early was always a hassle. Why wake up when you can just sleep through your problems?

With a yawn, she finally looked over tiredly at her maid.

"Da Ji," she acknowledged tiredly.

"Take your morning tea, Lady Suyin."

The Graceful Consort's one and only maid was a young and relatively short girl. Da Ji, her maid, had dark brown hair that was as straight as a pin needle.

She was the daughter of a fallen merchant who had been found by Suyin herself four years ago. It was a chaotic day, for the consort had saved the brunette from throwing herself into the riverbed.

Since then, the two have been inseparable.

What was most intriguing to the ebony-haired girl at the time were the young girl's eyes, which were hetero chromatic. One eye was a bright red and the other a dark brown that matched her hair.

Supposedly, she was condemned for being the devil's child upon birth.

"I've only just returned and you're already feeding me this?" she murmured, taking a hold of the cup with the steaming liquid.

Her maid said nothing as she lifted a blonde wig that was hanging on the dresser. She then proceeded to cover her own hair with the bright wig and even placed a dark brown contact over her singular red eye.

"If it were up to me," Suyin expressed bitterly, "I would burn these accessories the first chance I got."

"That's unbefitting for someone like you to say, my lady," Da Ji scolded lightly, "I do not mind wearing these articles if they are for you."

"Well, working for me is a hassle," the consort laughed sarcastically, "This is why I do not meddle with ladies in waiting. Servants for that matter."

"Do not say such things," her maid shook her head, "Let's stop talking about this. Your drink will get cold."

"I'm older than you," the silver-eyed girl muttered, "Yet you act like an old woman."

"Lady Suyin. Drink."

The Graceful Consort stared disdainfully at the cup in her hand, noticing her maid's stern eyes. With a begrudging sigh, she lifted it to her lips. The smell nearly made her gag every time, no matter how many times she drank it.

As the tea touched her lips, she immediately held her breath and gulped it in quick succession. Tears pricked her eyes as Da Ji quickly caught the cup she let go of. It was routine, every morning she would drink this tea.

It would act as a detoxifier, cleaning her body as well as strengthening the consort's already brittle bones. With a few coughs, Suyin sat down on her bed and proceeded to compose herself. She then looked at her reflection in the mirror beside her bed.

With a tired sigh, she stood up and proceeded to fix her posture and walk until she was satisfied. Da Ji proceeded to make her bed and prepare the makeup for the day.

The consort eyed the white powder defiantly.

"It's extremely hot today."

"This is to be worn through the chilling winters and blazing summers, my lady."

Suyin gave a small pout before finally allowing the (now blonde) maid to cover her face in white foundation.

Da Ji then took out the burnt sienna eyeshadow and began to pat her lady's lids, making sure to accentuate the outer top and bottom corners. With a dark powder, she filled in the consort's brows.

She then used a small brush to outline the edges of her lids with a dark ink and afterwards pulled out a silver contraption the size of a small pair of scissors. Suyin scrunched her nose in apprehension.

"Anything but that."

Da Ji curled her lashes anyway.

Lastly, the blonde painted her lady's lips with a cherry red paste, leaving a soft scarlet glimmer in its wake. After her makeup was done, Da Ji then allowed her lady to comb through her own hair, as it was naturally long and luscious.

Soon enough, the monstrous bed-head ridden woman that awoke from her slumber was nowhere to be found. Instead was a beautiful and regal young woman with deeply alluring silver eyes that contrasted her dark wavy locks.

The makeup did well to hide her cheeks that were quite bony and thin. Her dress covered all the imperfections that littered her body, giving her a healthy hourglass shape. Even up close, she looked healthy and strong— quite contrary to the truth.

"I never doubted you for a second, Da Ji."

"Of course you didn't."

____________________________________

"She's not here?"

Suyin asked the maid, only to hear that the woman she expected to meet with was not in her chambers. Turns out, she was outside in the palace courtyard but should've returned by now.

"Da Ji."

"Yes, my lady."

"Let's leave."

The two walked their way to the courtyard, only to see a commotion of sorts occurring. Suyin could see through her red veil that there was a large group of maids and lower workers bundled in a circle of sorts.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOU'RE TRYING TO CURSE MY SON, BECAUSE YOUR CHILD IS A DAUGHTER!!"

[castlecrumb]

DARLING DIVA

Chapter 2: New and Old

<<< Chapter 1

A CHILL RAN DOWN THE SPINES of all the Uppermoons who failed to recognize the woman. They had heard rumors about another demon that held powers on par to their master, but they never had reason to suspect a thing about it. Her sadistic nature, her glowing red eyes, and even the power she exerted from her words all made sense.

"Your daughter?" Douma murmured, "How have I never heard of her?"

The rest of the Uppermoons sweatdropped at his boldness. Beads of sweat were running down those who had shouted at her prior. They had just disrespected the daughter of their master.

Asuna's head tilted to the side as she looked over to her father, wondering if he was going to be the one to explain. He shook his head, signaling he was going to let her have free range over his servants for the time being. Her lips curled into a sinister smile.

"Why my dear bold priest," she spoke sweetly, "I threw a small tantrum some three hundred years ago.~"

Oh? A small tantrum?" Douma repeated, interested in this peculiar woman's swings in personality. Asuna walked closer to the blonde who had lifted his head to look at her, "Asuna what could you have done? What could a demon—"

Within a second, he'd lost his head.

"I killed his Uppermoons."

Asuna looked carelessly at the scene, grabbing his hat that had yet to even touch the floor and placed it onto her head. The lower of the Uppermoons watched the young woman in horror.

"Nobody refers to their gods as simple beings, equal beings. No, they refer to them as upper beings, those whose worths do not measure up to thousands or even millions of lower beings like yourself."

Douma, still headless, shivered under the weight of this woman's words.

"Yet here you stand, talking to me as if we're equals. As though you and I are the same kind," she sneered, crimson eyes glowing brightly.

"You all would do good to remember who I am to you. Your Princess, Your Superior, Your God."

She kneed Douma in the stomach, forcing him to bow with his forehead against the floor. By this point, no one dared to speak a word in protest.

While her actions in reality did absolutely nothing to Uppermoon 2, as he immediately regenerated his head, it sent a very clear message to the Uppermoons.

She was not to be taken lightly.

"Those blood battles you all seem to speak so highly of were started by none other than me," the white-haired woman declared, seemingly eyeing a certain pink haired demon. Akaza could feel her gaze on him, and it was terrifying.

"A tradition that I myself started. Isn't that right, Shibo?"

The Uppermoons turned their attention to Kokushibo, seeing the male continuing to bow respectfully towards her. He had been here the longest, and clearly had known of Asuna before any of them had.

"Yes, Asuna-hime."

"Hmm~" she hummed approvingly, "Maybe I'll make one of you my beautiful dolls, one that I can break—"

"Asuna."

The female's smile twitched before she let out an annoyed sigh, "You're still so uptight, daddy. Won't you let me have a little fun? It's been so long!~"

"You can have your fun later," he grumbled, unable to say no to that name. She smiled, knowing she had won this battle and proceeded to sit right beside her father.

"I will conclude this meeting with warning you all about your failures to accept her. Those who threatened her today, I will pardon just this once. Spread this news to the lower ranks. I will not tolerate disrespect towards her. Do I make myself clear?"

"As you wish," they spoke in unison.

"Pledge your loyalty to your Princess, Asuna Kibutsuji."

"We give our strengths to our Princess. Asuna-hime."

______________________

Once dismissed, the Uppermoons were free to do as they'd like, as long as they were gone by the next day. Muzan quickly left his castle to deal with the nuisance of a human family he had found himself living with. This left Asuna alone with the Uppermoons. Nearly all of them decided to stay and get to know this new leader of theirs. Well, except for Hantengu, he was much too petrified and begged Nakime to send him back– which she gladly did. There was one problem however.

They had no idea where she was.

She had disappeared within the blink of an eye, leaving the rest of them confused and even more intrigued by her. Kokushibo quickly stood up and began to walk slowly through one of the doors.

"Kokushibo-dono, where are you going?" Douma inquired, curious as to why his superior had not left the castle but decided to explore it instead. Something he never did. Kokushibo didn't reply, instead choosing to shut the door in the blonde demon's face.

______________________

"Asuna-hime."

The female demon did not stop fiddling with the flower petals within the small waterlily garden, and only hummed in response.

"What is it?"

Kokushibo stood there, watching his demon princess tenderly playing with the delicate flowers that were floating on the surface of the water. The feeling of calmness was overtaking him, a feeling he hadn't felt in nearly 300 years. He originally brushed it off as a side effect of old age, but the moment he sensed her energy, that feeling swirled within him again.

He had to make sure, so he followed her to her favorite spot in the castle. A place he hadn't visited in 300 years. Proving his suspicion, her presence alone was a divine blessing to his soul and her demeanor only made her more.. enticing.

"You've been awfully quiet," Asuna smiled.

"You.. have you forgotten about the proposal?"

"The proposal I made to you 300 years ago?" Asuna replied, her smile dropping instantly.

"Yes," he replied, a sense of relief washing over him. He still had a chance.

"Hm, yes that one," she murmured. She then shook her head and rubbed her temple, "Childish. Don't remind me of that time."

The Uppermoon blinked, unsure how to respond to her haughty response.

"My.. I'm embarrassed to know one other person knew me during that foolish era. You're really making your own demise more.. delectable," she purred, suddenly appearing behind the male. She began to trace the patterns of his purple haori, sending chills down his spine.

Kokushibo didn't know what was happening. He had never let any other creature get this close to him. Yet this woman had done it so easily, found an open point and took advantage of it. Even 300 years ago, she had always found a way to force her way through the barriers he set. He couldn't deny it.

He was utterly infatuated with her.

Ever since she proposed marriage to him 300 years ago, he had never gotten the chance to reply before she was sent away across the ocean to another country. Now that she was back, he aimed to take a stab at the chance he never had. Well, his aim might have been derailed ever so slightly.

"You mustn't worry your darling mind, I've passed that stage. That Asuna Kibutsuji is dead to me," she muttered, her voice a low breathy growl, "Erase her from your mind, you have a new ruler. The name those foolish humans will learn to fear will not be Muzan Kibutsuji but..

..Princess Asuna, the Angel from Hell."

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DARLING DIVA

Chapter 1: Return

WITH HEELS CLICKING VEHEMENTLY, a woman who looked to be in her early 20's couldn't help but purse her lips. There was not a soul in sight, other than the severed head of a human dangling from her belt. It had been a little while since she was here, about 300 years to be exact, yet not a single thing about this place had changed.

At least it doesn't look any.. uglier than before, she thought to herself. The place she had found herself casually strolling through was none other than her father's domain, the Infinity Castle.

"Asuna."

A smile finally formed over the frown she was carrying, but she wanted to have a little bit of fun. She didn't turn to face the voice, instead choosing to look at her darling diamond-encrusted nails.

"I was expecting a little more than just plain silence upon my arrival back home," she pouted, "are you really that afraid I'll break your little covenant of demons that serve under you?"

When she didn't hear a response, she decided it was worth pushing her luck even the tiniest bit.

"I'm surprised they haven't dropped dead. Like a certain someone here—"

"Asuna."

She felt the burning sensation run through her veins, though it didn't bother her one bit. She finally turned around to face the voice, the solid gold bangles on her arms clinking against one another as she did so.

"I would say it's great to see you, Father," she quickly frowned, "but we both know you're not a sight worth seeing."

"It makes life much more bearable now that you've finally grown up," he commented blandly, "much better than the foolish child you used to be."

"I am simply what you've made me," she scoffed, "you can stop with your bloody defensiveness, it's getting annoying."

The male quickly retracted the flesh-eating cells from her body, realizing his mistake.

"Asuna—"

"Yes, you're sorry for that. You can't control your anger sometimes. And you've missed this darling daughter of yours that is now a renowned Princess," she interrupted, twirling a loose strand of her cloudy white hair, "I've missed you too."

The two didn't need to say anything else, her father held a knowing smirk on his face. His darling diva of a daughter was finally home, and she held the reins exactly as he'd hoped she would.

______________________

"Huh? An Uppermoon meeting? Did one of us perish?" Gyokko, the current Uppermoon 5 muttered as he scanned the castle.

He looked over to see Uppermoon 4, Hantengu shivering as he realized he was teleported directly in the center of an open-spaced platform.

"Onii-chan!" a high pitched voice wailed, "Why were we summoned? I was just about to have a yummy meal!"

"Don't complain here, there's obviously something important he wants to tell us," another voice replied sharply.

The siblings, Uppermoon 6, Gyutaro and Daki.

They were still very much alive, which got Gyokko wondering, none of the top three were defeated.. were they?

"Oh my, this place is as majestic as I remember. I'm so glad you're all alive~"

Gyokko turned his attention to the overly jolly voice he had grown to dislike. Uppermoon 2, Douma.

"Especially you, Akaza. Ever since the blood battle, I was worried you would grow too weak. I'm glad to see that's not the case!"

H-how– Gyokko gasped. He hadn't even sensed the demon before he appeared not far from where he stood. All the demons were here, except for Uppermoon 1.

"It couldn't be, he wasn't the one to die was he?" Gyokko muttered.

"I have been here the whole time," a low voice erupted, shaking parts of the castle itself. Uppermoon 1, Kokushibo, was sitting calmly in one of the floating rooms.

"Muzan-sama has arrived."

A surge of energy rippled throughout the whole castle, sending all the Uppermoons chills down their spines. They stayed in their places but had given all their attention to the progenitor of demons.

He stood before them with a domineering glare, but something seemed slightly different about him. It was like he wasn't as furious as he usually was during their other meetings.

"I have an announcement for you all regarding the power hierarchy," Muzan spoke, his voice penetrating nearly the entire infinity fortress itself, "We have a member that has yet to be recognized amongst the newer demons."

This declaration caused many of the demons in the room to stir in confused anticipation.

"Who could this new member be? We haven't had a blood battle in quite some time, well, ever since I had mine with Akaza.~" Douma chirped in, leaning from side to side. Akaza let out an annoyed scoff in response.

"Who could it be? I haven't heard of any new members to the 12 Kizuki," Gyokko muttered.

"This is what we're working with?"

The attention of all the Uppermoons suddenly moved to the voice, shocking nearly all of them at the fact that they didn't sense the newcomer. All of them except for one.

"I knew the others weren't going to last this long."

The Uppermoons found themselves staring at a young woman. She had striking white hair as pale as snow and was wearing a long victorian-styled dress. She had long hoops dangling from her ears and her wrists were covered in gold bracelets of all sorts. Her nails were glimmering with what looked to be diamonds.

She dressed similar to that of a foreigner, but her accent was fluid and natural. What baffled the demons the most were her eyes, they were nearly identical to those of their master— blood red with a black slit in the center.

"Children, a fish, a wart, a priest, a brawler, and a demon slayer," she murmured, "you certainly have interesting taste, progenitor of demons."

Perhaps most shocking was their master's response to her clear tauntings.

He began to laugh.

Having never seen any other side of their master, their curiosity only grew. Who was this woman fearlessly insulting their master, and to make matters more confusing, causing him to laugh?

Uppermoon 1 suddenly appeared before her, bowing his head and prostrating himself perfectly.

"I am pleased to see you've made it," he stated, voice husky yet unwavering. A grin spread over her features as she lifted up her heel.

She then placed her heel right against Kokushibo's shoulder, staring disdainfully at the rest of the Uppermoons.

"This was not the warm welcome I was expecting," she spoke dryly, "Though I'm not surprised, you're all weak."

At her comment, the rest of the Uppermoons momentarily forgot they were in the presence of their master.

"What?! How dare you!" Daki shouted, more than ready to pierce the woman with her obi.

"Oi oi, we got a troublemaker here," Gyutaro sneered, annoyed at the beauty of this woman in comparison to his sister.

"Weak? This beautiful body of mine?" Gyokko gasped defensively.

"I.. I am weak.. But how could you..?" Hantengu muttered tearfully.

The other two kept their composure, noticing the reaction of Uppermoon 1 and how he continued to allow this woman to lay her heel upon his shoulder.

"Silence."

Muzan's voice rang loud and clear, echoing across every wall of the castle. Instantly, every demon shut their mouth, attention quickly following that of their master's.

"Before you go about making fools of yourselves, prostrate your bodies and show some respect."

Dumbfounded, the demons had no other choice than to do as he instructed. They followed Kokushibo, bowing their heads to her. They had no idea who this woman was, and it mildly hurt their pride bowing to someone they knew nothing about.

The white haired female removed her heel and bent down to look Kokushibo in the eye, gently placing her hand against his cheek. Then suddenly she sent a harsh slap across his face. The sound reverberated throughout the room, and it was deafening.

"Mm.. much better, you're much prettier when you're flushed Shibo."

The other uppermoons gasped, refusing to say anything more in fear of incurring their master's wrath. Finally, Muzan decided the games were over. He was amused and certainly in a better mood than usual. He decided that he had tormented his servants enough.

"The woman you find yourselves in the presence of is Uppermoon 0."

Uppermoon 0..? The demons trembled, questions flying through their minds.

"Asuna Kibutsuji, my daughter."

[castlecrumb]

DARLING DIVA

yandere kny!various x muzan kibutsuji's daughter oc

Prologue...

THEY FEARED HER. Her dark power, her gaze, her voice, the sound of her footfalls. It had not always been this way. She once was innocent, naive to the wonders of the world.

That was until she stood before him, his body battered and blue, as she watched the light leave his eyes. It was then her heart stopped with every fiber of her being frozen over. The glow in her eyes faded, along with her innocence. She lost control, tearing apart everything in her path.

The love broke from reason returned to torment her. The very idea of her childish humanity infuriated her guardian, forcing him to take desperate measures. With a command sent from hell itself, she was doomed to lay in silence for centuries.

Now she has returned, the hatred built from years of solitude had solidified within her heart, pumping black tar in rhythmic pulses through a body she now considered as merely just a tool.

As the world came to know, this ticking time bomb was none other than Muzan's very own,

Darling Diva.

☆ﾐSUGGESTIVE & VIOLENT THEMES ☆ﾐYANDERE BEHAVIOR ☆ﾐ MENTALLY UNSTABLE OC ☆ﾐREVERSE HAREM ☆ﾐDISTORTED VIEWPOINTS ☆ﾐPOTENTIALLY TRIGGERING LANGUAGE, DEGRADING ☆ﾐ SLIGHT LEMON (🍋) ☆ﾐSLOW UPDATES

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

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SACRED POISON

Chapter 1

THE MORNING SUN ROSE, illuminating the faces of the many female workers in the Jade Pavillion.

"MaoMao!" a high-pitched voice announced excitedly, bumping her friend's shoulder, "Have you heard? Have you heard?!"

A girl with dark green hair continued to lay the damp sheets on the clothing lines, but lightly shook her head in reply. The action let the excited girl know to continue.

"I heard there's a new consort coming!" she smiled brightly, "They say she's really beautiful and kind. I'm sure the Emperor will take an interest in her!"

"A new consort?" MaoMao muttered, looking down at some wildflowers growing between the crevices of the pebbled ground.

"Mhm! But I've heard some strange rumors about her," her friend whispered, "She won't stay in the Jade Pavillion like the rest of the consorts."

MaoMao looked curiously at her friend, hand instinctively going to her chin as she listened, this time more intently.

"She won't?"

"Nope! Isn't it weird?"

"Yeah.."

____________________________________

"Lady Gyokuyou," a young lady with brown hair whispered, "A letter for you has arrived."

The woman, Gyokuyou, nodded in reply, the gold hairpins in her red hair clinking against one another as she lifted the seal of the envelope.

Her head lady-in-waiting, Hongniang, glanced over her consort's shoulder, curious as to what the contents of the letters were. To her surprise, her lady began to giggle to herself.

"Lady Gyokuyou..?"

The red-haired consort turned over her shoulder to Hongniang with a bright smile on her face.

"Our troublemaker has returned to the palace."

"You don't mean..."

"Though I believe it would be rude to call her that now," Gyokuyou laughed lightly, "We must welcome our new consort."

"Lady Suyin, the Graceful Consort."

____________________________________

"Master Jinshi."

The dark purple-haired male looked up from his desk with a disinterested gaze, the incessant tapping of his pen indicating his boredom.

"What is it, Gaoshun?"

His head assistant sighed as he placed the letter he had received onto his master's desk.

"You should finish your duties up soon," Gaoshun advised, crossing his arms.

"What difference does it make?" his master murmured to himself before taking notice of the piece of paper, "A letter?"

Jinshi's advisor said nothing, letting the male do as he pleased. Soon enough, the purple-haired male's eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" he muttered, earning a subtle smirk from his attendant.

"I've heard rumors of her arrival," Gaoshun replied nonchalantly, "The eunuchs have been discussing it as of late."

"Suyin," he breathed, placing his hand on his forehead as he seemed to remember something from long ago.

"You're finally back, huh?"

____________________________________

As it was formalities, whenever a new consort was brought into the Imperial Palace, they had to walk through the gates of the Jade Pavillion. Perhaps that was what earned the Graceful Consort interest within the workers of the palace.

It was not everyday that a new consort was replaced in the palace, let alone being added to the already established four consorts.

However, when news spread that she was not going to stay in the Jade Pavillion, rumors began to circulate.

Some speculated it was because she was His Majesty, the Emperor's favorite concubine. Others speculated it was due to her being infertile, while others thought she must've been a prisoner from a faraway land taken hostage.

Either way, their new consort was going to walk through those doors, and they could decide for themselves the true reason.

It was afternoon, a warm yet breezy day.

A carriage had arrived at the gates of the Jade Pavillion, and the guards had allowed it in. The harmonious sounds of the flute began to ring within the palace, earning some curious glances from the workers.

Watching the scene secretly behind their chores, the maids of the palace saw the figure of someone step slowly out of the carriage.

It was that of a woman with noble stature. While she adorned a red veil over her face, it did nothing to cover the wavy black strands cascading down her shoulders.

Something most interesting about her was the way she moved.

Like her name suggested, her movements were fluid, almost as though she were performing to an audience with every motion.

This was the new consort?

They tried every angle to get a good look at her face, but try as they might, she always seemed to tilt away from their fascinated stares.

Alas, they watched the mysterious consort disappear into the chambers reserved for those of upper standing like her. The servants were left to ponder the mysterious aura that surrounded her.

____________________________________

A young woman no older than 20 observed the indoor pond below her, her expression veiled from the scarlet article that hung from her forehead.

"Graceful Consort."

With an elegant turn of her shoulder, the consort's ebony hair brushed against her cheek as she looked at the newcomer expectantly.

"Wise Consort," she replied earnestly, giving a light bow to her company.

"You needn't do that."

The Wise Consort, leaned against the sliding door as her ladies in waiting stood right beside her.

She was a beautiful and mature beauty with dark midnight blue hair and a voluptuous body to complement it. It also appeared she was quite along with her pregnancy, and healthy so it seemed.

"We're of the same," she smiled, her head tilting slightly, "Welcome back, Consort Suyin."

The other ladies in waiting stared at the Graceful Consort, not out of jealousy, but rather out of some adoration.

"It's nice to see you again," the consort, Suyin, replied tenderly, "Consort Lihua."

The two stood there for a few moments of silence, almost waiting for something. Then without warning, the two broke their polite and off-standish masks and they both began to laugh.

"'Consort Suyin'? That's certainly not something I ever thought I'd hear from your lips," the ebony haired consort pointed out, brushing aside the red cloth from her face.

It revealed a charming smile that only seemed to sparkle once her eyes were fully exposed to the sunlight of the noon. Her silver irises, that of which reflected the sun's rays, was something distinctly unique about her features.

"And 'Consort' Lihua? Not Lady Blueberry? You definitely grew up," Lihua remarked, a playful smile on her face, "But it would've been too good to be true if you matured."

"Now that's hurtful," Suyin answered just as playfully, "I'm not much younger than you, and look! You've already got your hands full. You've gotten yourself a mini blueberry."

"Ah.." the blue-haired woman looked away bashfully, "Well, it was about time."

"Congratulations," the silver-eyed woman said excitedly, "I can't wait to meet them."

"Why you," Lihua shook her head, "And here I was supposed to congratulate you on your return."

"There's not much to celebrate," Suyin shrugged before covering her face once more, "I'm here on official business as you may presume."

"Well," the Wise Consort sighed, "At least you're back here."

"Yeah."

The two stood there, facing one another with a mutual respect for one another. Though not many words were spoken, nothing more needed to be said. They lived in different worlds, that much was clear.

____________________________________

The sun had set, allowing its celestial counterpart the ability to cast its white glow over earth's inhabitants. The palace itself seemed to still, as the last dying candles were blown to welcome sleep's embrace.

Above the quiet atmosphere sat the newest consort, or perhaps, the newly returned consort atop the palace's roof. She had removed the red article over her eyes to cover her lips.

The various headpieces that had adorned her head upon her public return were nowhere to be seen. Her dark waves were now braided down the back with a few strands loosely framing her face. She also now donned a pair of pants that resembled a skirt by its flow.

From her position, she could see the whole layout of the government officials' office buildings. Without another word, she made her way to the bar which was the only building still lively and bright.

There he was, the one she was looking for. He had blonde hair and dark eyes, and as her information entailed, he was a foreigner. It was him, and he seemed to be having a long smoke.

The Traitor.

The one she was ordered to get rid of was him. She felt no hatred towards the man, only pity that he was assigned to be killed by her.

The Emperor's Sacred Poison has never failed an assassination she agreed to do.

It was known the emperor had a skilled fighter under his watch, but nobody could figure out who or where this person was. Or if this person really existed or not. Her persona was mere speculation and allowed her flexibility in her choices.

It was swift, for the man felt nothing before his face met with the blood chilling water below. He hadn't even sensed another presence, let alone the feeling of his neck being sliced until it was too late.

However, his movements were quicker than average and he managed to grab a hold of part of his attacker's skirt, bringing her down to the dirt beside his drenched body.

With a grunt, he could see as the assassin easily towered before him. With a dark look in her eyes, she finished the job, his blood splattering onto her hand.

Quickly, she pushed the corpse into the river, allowing his body to be taken with the current. He would be found eventually, but the evidence would be long gone by then.

She winced as she finally took note of her knee which had evidence of their scuffle. Suddenly, she heard some voices begin to echo, seemingly calling for her target.

The dark haired woman quickly left the scene, putting the blood-dripping knife into the flames of a still-burning fire presumably left from a blacksmith's earlier day of work.

As she made her way through the empty halls of the palace, she noticed the glowing of a torch moving from her right. Her eyes widened, knowing it was a patrol soldier walking towards her.

Suddenly, she felt a hand cover her mouth and another bring her whole body back into a corner. Reflexively, she attempted to break free only to hear a low voice stop her.

"Quiet, he'll hear us."

[castlecrumb]

SACRED POISON

Apothecary Diaries x inspired!raven of the inner palace Consort OC Fanfiction

Prologue...

A NEW FLOWER HAS BLOOMED, and she is sure to turn the heads of those who witness her.

Welcoming into the Emperor's flower garden is a new consort, growing the grand total to five consorts.

She's beautiful, it is clear. She's kind, so it seems. She's smart, so she'll live.

So the rumors say she is.

With the gods on her side, her destiny within the Imperial Harem was clear— she'll bear a child of the Emperor's.

Except... the emperor has not come to bed with her once.

She does not serve him.

Some of those who claim to have seen her say she is an old woman, while others say she is a young girl too young to bear children.

It is said she's an outcast. A ghostly consort. Perhaps this is why she resides outside the Jade Pavillion.

Thus is the Graceful Consort.

>>> Chapter One, Chapter Two

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BUTTERFLY MASTERLIST

All my works will be linked under this masterlist <3

Apothecary Diaries

SACRED POISON, jinshi x inspired!raven of the inner palace oc

Demon Slayer

DARLING DIVA, yandere kny!various x muzan's daughter oc

Solo Leveling

RADIANT, s. jinwoo x actress!hunter oc