Evelisse's breath hitched, her eyes locked on the doll's unblinking, glassy stare.
Her heart pounded, and a cold sweat broke out on her skin.
'Did someone... come in while I was gone?' she thought, gripping the door handle tightly.
Fluffy's fur bristled, floating closer to her shoulder. It whispered in a low, cautious tone, "We're not alone."
Evelisse swallowed hard, forcing herself to breathe evenly. 'Calm down... calm down... it's just a doll. Maybe I knocked it over earlier... or maybe... maybe Felix moved it while I was out. Yeah, that makes sense... right?'
She forced a laugh, hoping to sound casual. "Oh, I must have forgotten to put you back in the right spot," she said aloud, deliberately keeping her tone light and carefree. She picked up the doll, cradling it as if it were precious before walking over to the closet and gently setting it on a high shelf, facing the wall this time.
She gave a bright, innocent smile to the empty room. "There, all better!"
After a few deep breaths, Fluffy floated closer, patting her cheek with its tiny paw. "You're brave. I'm proud of you."
She swallowed down the lingering fear. 'Brave? I'm terrified. But I can't show it. If someone is watching me, they can't know that I know.'
Fluffy hesitated, glancing back at the door before nodding slowly. "Good thinking, Princess. Act clueless. Don't let anyone see you're suspicious."
Evelisse forced herself to hum a little tune as she moved around the room, pretending to organize her plushies. Her mind raced with possibilities. 'If someone moved the doll... then they were in my room. They were in here while I was gone. What if... they're still here?'
She glanced around the room, scanning for anything else out of place. Nothing seemed disturbed—just that one doll.
Fluffy seemed to sense her anxiety, brushing its tiny tail against her cheek. "You'll be safe. You're not alone. Just get some rest. Tomorrow's a new week, and you'll have a new fluffy task to focus on."
She nodded, climbing into bed and pulling the covers up to her chin. Fluffy settled on her pillow, its ears twitching as if on high alert.
"Goodnight, Princess. Sleep tight," Fluffy whispered.
Evelisse closed her eyes, her thoughts tangled and restless. 'I have to play dumb... act cute... no one can know I'm on edge. I can't let them think I'm paranoid like she was. I need allies, not suspicion.'
Evelisse forced a small, shaky smile, her heart still racing as she closed her eyes. 'Please... let this just be my imagination.'
Eventually, exhaustion won out, and Evelisse drifted into an uneasy sleep.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
The next morning, Evelisse awoke to the gentle chirping of birds outside her window. She blinked, her small hands rubbing her eyes as she glanced around the room. Nothing seemed out of place. The doll was still on the shelf, facing the wall where she had left it.
'Maybe... it really was nothing,' she thought, letting out a relieved sigh.
Fluffy floated over, its tiny wings fluttering as it nudged her cheek. "Morning, Princess! Did you sleep well?"
Evelisse yawned, stretching her small arms above her head. "I guess... nothing strange happened last night, right?"
Fluffy hesitated for a moment, its tiny nose twitching. "It was... surprisingly quiet. But don't let your guard down, Princess. You should focus on gaining the trust of those around you. The more people who care about you, the safer you'll be."
Evelisse frowned, her mind flashing back to the diary she had found. 'So... Fluffy thinks I should gather allies. That means I need to act as sweet and innocent as possible...'
Before she could dwell on it further, a bright, glittering screen popped up in her vision, the chibi-like text swirling with cheerful sparkles.
[New Task Unlocked!]
[Second Fluffy Task: Convince your brothers to host a Royal Tea Party for you.
Reward: Instant Popularity Boost and Personalized Tiara!]
Evelisse blinked, her heart skipping a beat. 'A tea party? That's... actually perfect. I can use this as an excuse to get closer to my brothers and learn more about them.'
Fluffy clapped its tiny paws, its eyes sparkling. "See? It's the perfect opportunity to show your brothers how cute and charming you can be! Go on, Princess! Make them dote on you even more!"
Evelisse rolled her eyes, sliding out of bed and heading for her wardrobe. 'Alright, time to put on my best cute act...'
She chose a light pink dress with lace trim and tiny, embroidered roses along the hem, slipping into a pair of soft, satin slippers before brushing her long, fiery red hair until it shone like a polished gemstone.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the hallway, her small feet padding silently against the polished marble floors as she made her way toward her brothers' rooms.
'Okay... who should I start with?' she thought, her mind racing as she passed the first few doors. She paused in front of the room at the end of the hall, the one belonging to the eldest prince, Lucien.
Evelisse hesitated, her small hand hovering over the polished, gold doorknob. 'Alright... deep breath. Just act cute and innocent. You can do this.'
She gently knocked on the door, her heart racing as she heard the heavy footsteps approaching from the other side. The door creaked open, revealing Lucien's tall, muscular frame. His sharp, stormy blue eyes locked onto hers, and his usually stern expression softened slightly.
"Eve?" he said, his deep voice tinged with surprise. "What are you doing up so early?"
Evelisse forced a bright, innocent smile, clasping her small hands in front of her. "Good morning, Big Brother! I just... wanted to see you."
Lucien's eyes widened, and he quickly stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "Come in. Is something wrong?"
She shook her head, stepping into his spacious, neatly organized room. The walls were lined with polished wooden shelves, each one filled with leather-bound books and shining, ceremonial weapons. A large, intricately woven tapestry depicting the kingdom's crest hung on one wall, and a small, round table near the window held a chessboard, its pieces perfectly arranged.
Evelisse glanced around, her heart still racing as she tried to find the right words. 'Okay... just be cute. You can do this.'
"I was just... wondering if you'd help me with something," she said, tilting her head and batting her long lashes.
Lucien's brows furrowed, his intense blue eyes narrowing slightly. "What is it, Eve? Is someone bothering you?"
Evelisse forced a small, nervous giggle, shaking her head. "No, no! It's nothing like that. I just... I wanted to have a tea party. You know, like the ones we used to have when we were little. Would you... help me plan one?"
Lucien's expression softened, a rare, faint smile touching his lips. "A tea party? You want all of us to join?"
Evelisse nodded eagerly, her green eyes shining. "Yes! I think it would be a good way for us to spend time together as a family. And... I've been practicing my etiquette, so I want to show you what I've learned!"
Lucien chuckled, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "Alright. I'll help you plan it. I'm sure the others would love to join too."
[Task Progress: 1/7 Brothers Successfully Convinced! Keep Going, Host! You're Doing Great!]
Evelisse's heart soared, a genuine smile spreading across her face. 'One down... six to go.'
As she made her way to each of her brothers' rooms, she repeated the same routine—knocking on their doors, batting her long lashes, and making her sweetest, most innocent requests.
Next, Evelisse visited Jared's room. He was lounging on a chaise, flipping through a book. His blond hair fell over his eyes as he glanced up with a smirk.
"Hey there, little sis. What's up?"
Evelisse hesitated but then gave him her brightest smile. "Big brother Jared! I was wondering... would you help me organize a tea party? I want to practice my etiquette."
Jared's smirk softened into a warm smile. "A tea party, huh? Alright, Eve. But only if you promise not to spill anything on my favorite shirt this time."
She giggled. "Thank you! I knew you'd say yes."
He arched a brow. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Eve. Just promise you'll make it fun."
Nodding, Evelisse felt relief. Two down, five to go.
[Task Progress: 2/7 Brothers Successfully Convinced! Keep Going, Host! You're Doing Great!]