"........," 

Leading Callisto through the twisting corridors of the manor, I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "This way? No, wait, the other way… or was it this way…? Ugh, forget it!"

Callisto's tall form cast long shadows that danced on the walls behind him. 

"Strange,"

I mumbled to myself, the recent turn of events causing unease to bubble in my stomach. 

Could it be true? Had someone cursed him, and he mistakenly thought it was me?

'Probably nothing serious,'

I reassured myself, pushing the thought away.

'He did say 'strange dreams'… what does that even mean? Nightmares?' 

A shiver ran down my spine at the possibility.

Emerging from the grand halls, we stepped into the cool embrace of the moonlit night. 

Reaching his carriage bathed in silver light, I gestured towards it. "Here you go."

Callisto glanced at it briefly, but didn't climb in just yet.

"Isn't Cedrick supposed to be here?"

He inquired, a hint of surprise in his voice.

'Whoops. Didn't even register that the guy wasn't around,'

I admitted to myself with a mental sigh. 

"Honestly, I'm not sure where he could be," I replied truthfully. "The manor's quite sprawling – he could be anywhere. Should I fetch him?"

"No need for that," Callisto said with a slight grin, pointing towards the entrance of the manor. "There he is now."

Cedrick, looking like a whirlwind had just swept through him, hurried towards us.  H

is usually composed demeanor was replaced by a state of disarray – his hair messy, tie loosened, and an alarming amount of… makeup? 

"Covered in lipstick and hair ties,"

I muttered under my breath, unable to stifle a snort at his peculiar appearance.

Callisto raised an eyebrow at my comment but didn't ask further. 

Instead, he tilted his head in confusion as Cedrick approached, a red smear staining his cheek and multiple hair ties dangling from his usually immaculate hair.

"My apologies, Your Highness,"

Cedrick began awkwardly, his voice strained. 

He clearly wasn't thrilled about his present state.

"Looks like you ran into some… unexpected company,"

I ventured, trying to lighten the mood with a chuckle.

Cedrick gave a sheepish smile.

"Not quite the plan I had in mind, Your Grace,"

He admitted, glancing nervously between me and Callisto.

Callisto's curiosity peaked further. 

"Explain yourself,"

He demanded, a hint of amusement battling with his growing confusion. 

"What happened here? And what on earth is all… that?" 

He gestured to Cedrick's disheveled state.

Cedrick sighed heavily, bracing himself to explain the events that had led to his current predicament.

He cleared his throat, his face flushed a shade that rivaled the lipstick stain. 

"Alissa, Your Highness," he stammered, avoiding eye contact. "I fear His Grace… well, let's just say he's in for more than just fatherhood." He trailed off, muttering something about "make-up wars" under his breath as well as me being Alissa's next "Lab rat".

I fought back a laugh. 

The absurdity of the situation, combined with Cedrick's disheveled state, was truly comical. 

"Ah, that explains everything,"

I quipped, gesturing towards his appearance.

Callisto, on the other hand, burst into a hearty laugh, slapping Cedrick on the back with surprising force. 

"Bravo, Cedrick! Dare I say, she made a breakthrough in the field of… lipstick application?"

His teasing was met with a grimace from Cedrick, who frantically scrubbed at the remnants of red staining his face. 

"Well then,"

Callisto declared with a chuckle, clapping his hands together. 

"We shall take our leave." 

He climbed into the carriage with surprising agility.

Cedrick exchanged a wary glance with me before following suit and disappearing into the other side of the carriage. 

"See you,"

I waved goodbye lazily, a silent prayer escaping my lips that it would be a while before they graced the manor with their presence again.

'Hope not anytime soon,'

I closed the carriage door behind Cedrick, watching as it rumbled away into the night.

Turning back towards the manor, lost in thought, I collided with a small figure.

Looking down, I found myself face-to-face with Alissa, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Apologies, sweetheart," I said, offering her a reassuring smile as I steadied her. "Didn't see you there."

"Don't worry, Papa!" she chirped, her smile radiating pure joy. "I'm okay!"

I chuckled at the sight of her and bent down to pet Bun-Bun, who seemed relaxed now in her arms.

"So, why do you seem so excited?"

"That's because I found the perfect dress, Papa!"

Alissa gushed excitedly as she twirled around in her new attire.

The dress was indeed stunning – an emerald green color that shimmered like a precious gemstone, perfectly complementing her eyes and hair.

"........," 

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

"........,"  

"You look... absolutely lovely, Alissa,"

I praised her sincerely, a flicker of unease sparked by Cedrick's earlier words playing at the back of my mind. 

'A lab rat?' 

The thought caused a humorless chuckle to escape my lips. 

As if!

"........," 

A beat of silence hung in the air. 

Then, a giggle erupted from behind me, shattering the contemplative mood. 

Turning around, I saw Alissa entering the room once again, a mischievous glint in her eyes, brandishing a new makeup brush like a wand.

"Don't move, Papa!" she commanded, her voice filled with seriousness. "You have to look perfect or else the Prince won't give you that love kiss!"

A bewildered laugh escaped my lips. 

'Wait a minute… a what now?'

Ignoring the nonsensical part, I allowed her to continue her self-proclaimed makeover session, my heart swelling at her spirited enthusiasm.

"How do you expect me to run the manor dressed like this, my little artist?"

I teased, gesturing at my attire.

"Running is for boring people," she declared, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Tonight, we're practicing being fancy!"

"Practicing?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

Her small hands flitted across my face, applying a light dusting of powder with surprising accuracy. 

She adjusted my collar with a flourish before tackling my hair. 

In minutes, she had crafted an elaborate yet stylish ponytail that somehow managed to look both charming and playful. 

Bun-bun, perched on a nearby chair, watched the entire scene unfold with a knowing smirk on his furry face. 

Little traitor.

"Is there someone special we're trying to impress?"

I asked, watching her movements with a hint of amusement.

Her hand paused mid-air as she considered my question, a playful arch to her brow. 

"Well… maybe?"

She confessed, her voice barely a whisper. 

A silent plea for confirmation and approval seemed to hang in the air.

"Alright, alright," I conceded, my lips curving into a smile. "We'll see how it goes. Just remember, when it comes to appearances, sometimes less is more, okay?"

I added with a wink, glancing towards the door in case of any unexpected visitors.

Despite my initial bewilderment at being turned into a living doll, a wave of warmth washed over me as I watched Alissa work. 

The contagious excitement in her eyes was impossible to resist. 

My mind drifted away from the day's troubles, focusing solely on the gentle touch of her hands and the soft murmur of her voice as she styled my hair.

Then, a pang of sadness struck me. 

'What if this is the last time? I can't stay here forever, can I?'

I pushed the thought aside, determined to savor this unexpected moment. 

After all, days like this were rare – days when I allowed myself to be pampered and cared for. 

Besides, tonight was a special occasion.

Finally, she stepped back, her face etched with pride as she admired her handiwork. 

I took her small shoulders in my hands and looked into her eager eyes.

"Alissa, sweetheart, you did an amazing job! I'm so proud of you."

A blush crept up her cheeks at my praise, and she let out a delighted giggle. 

"Now," I said gently, "let's get you back to bed. We wouldn't want you getting tired tomorrow, would we?"

She nodded her agreement, and we began our slow walk towards her room. 

'Thankfully, the hallways are deserted at this hour,'

I thought, grateful for the privacy.

Reaching her doorway, I stopped and knelt before her. 

"Before you go, sweetheart, there's something I wanted to tell you."

Her eyes, filled with trust and innocence, met mine. 

"You'll grow up so fast,"

I said softly, my voice laced with a hint of sorrow. 

"I don't want you to ever forget, no matter how old you get or how much you change, you'll always be my little girl."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she threw her arms around my neck in a fierce hug. 

"I love you, Papa,"

She whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

I hugged her tightly, feeling my heart swelling with love for this precious soul.

"You'll always be my princess," I murmured into her hair.

'These feelings of attachment… they're going to be my undoing,'

A silent thought echoed in the back of my mind. 

But for now, I pushed it away, choosing to focus on the warmth radiating from the small girl in my arms.

With a tender kiss on her forehead, I watched her disappear into her room, the door closing softly behind her. 

Bun-bun slipped in after her, leaving me alone in the hallway.

Sighing deeply, I straightened my clothes, the remnants of Alissa's makeover clinging faintly to my face.  

'...Today was a gift,' I reminded myself, a determined glint flickering in my eyes. 'And tomorrow is a mystery.'

Whatever awaited me, I was ready for. 
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╰┈➤ ❝ [Ɒσи'τ fσяɢєτ τσ vστє αиɒ cσммєиτ!]

₊❏❜ ⋮ ⌒(A/N): How do I feel writing three drafts since two days but publishing none? Nice ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

Imagining things! Help! ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

Happy reading! >ᴗ<

ִֶָ๋𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐