New! Improved! Sophia Route

Sophia’s Route: Part III

#FanFiction #MyNextLifeAsAVillainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (#Bakarina #Hamafura)
#Wss366 #MastoPrompt

[Continued from Sophia’s Route: Part II]

“You look hot,” Sophie said after Gerald disappeared. “Let’s get something to drink.”

“And food. I haven’t eaten anything. Kevin will be so proud of me.” Katarina eyed the mountains of meat. With Sophia there, Kevin couldn’t say she had disobeyed him.

“Refreshments first,” Sophia replied, knowing exactly what Katarina was thinking and what Kevin was worried about. “I don’t want you to collapse from the heat. While we refresh ourselves, I can tell you about what I have been reading. It’s such a romantic bad-boy book.”

As they walked toward the punch bowl, Sophia began. “There’s a scene in it that is just like this moment. The hero, Prince Alexandros, leads his love interest, the #virtuous Katherine, to a bowl of punch, just like this one, complete with an ice swan. Isn’t it lovely?”

Katarina admired the sculpture. “Then what happens?”

“He gets them both a drink in #Champagne flutes just like these. They intertwine their arms and sip from each other’s glasses. Want me to show you how? It’s a divine scene.”

Katarina nodded and took the glass that Sophia offered her.

“Cross your arms like this. Good. Now sip. Kampai!”

The position was embarrassing, but the drink was sublime. Its gentle sweetness embraced her mouth, and the bubbles tickled her nose. Looking over the flute's edge she noticed it had lovely multi-colored sugar rimming it, and Sophia’s face, which had turned a cute shade of pink. She made a silent toast: “I’m glad I have friends like this. Sophia’s the best.”

“You liked that,” Katarina said.

“Yeah,” Sophia replied, turning even redder.

“It was so nice, and I love the bubbles.”

“I could tell. You drank that fast,” Sophia said. “Let me get you another.”

The second glass followed the first while Sophia sipped slowly on hers.

“It’s so good!” Katarina said getting a third.

“You should sip that,” Sophia warned, but it was too late; that glass disappeared too.

“Sophia, the room’s dancing.” Katarina spun spilling some of the #Champagne cocktail.

That’s what happened in the book, too. The girl wasn’t used to alcohol and started acting silly. The bad-boy prince swept her off her feet and whisked her out of the ball to unknown places. She left her selfish fiancé fuming and her frantic friends behind.

“That’s so… romantic.”

“Shall we?” Sophia asked. “I could be a bad-girl. I’ve read lots of books with bad-boys and know what to do.”

“Let’s,” Katarina said as Sophia led her away.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #Serial #NMFic

New! Improved! Sophia Route

Sophia’s Route: Part II

#FanFiction #MyNextLifeAsAVillainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (#Bakarina #Hamafura)
#Wss366 #Mastoprompt

[Continued from Sophia’s Route: Part I]

Before Gerald could respond, Katarina found her voice. “You can put me down. I’m all right now. You shouldn’t keep Geoffrey waiting. It might be important.”

“You heard her,” Alan and Sophia said together.

Gerald put Katarina down and peered into her face. “You’re flushed, my dear. Are you sure you don’t want to leave with me? I have a quiet room where you can rest. I don’t mind if Geoffrey gets upset. He’ll always take second place to you.”

Katarina’s face flamed even hotter. “How is a romance dunce like me supposed to deal with that?” she thought.

With shoulders sagging, Gerald gave up. “I’m entrusting her to you, Sophie. Please keep her away from the wolves.”

“Wolves?” Katarina looked around.

Everyone rolled their eyes, but it was so Katarina-like that no one said anything.

[Continued in the next post: Sophia’s Route: Part III]

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New! Improved! Sophia’s Route

Sophia’s Route: Part I

#FanFiction #MyNextLifeAsAVillainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (#Bakarina #Hamafura)
#Wss366 #MastoPrompt

[Continued from “Encounter with Gerald”]

When Katarina came to, the first thing she noticed was her nose pressed against Gerald’s chest and his manly scent. They weren’t dancing anymore, yet there she was.

The blood rushed to her face, and she gave a little squeak.

With eyes tightly closed, Katarina began holding a mental council with herself.

      Chairperson Katarina: “As chairperson of the Council of Katarinas, I call this meeting to order. Our job today is to find out what is happening.”

      Katarina Two: “Why don’t we open our eyes?”

      Katarina Three and Four: “Tooooo scary!”

“She squeaked. I think she’s awake,” a man said.

      Katarina Two: “Prince Alan sounds upset.”

“Out of my way, brother.” Gerald’s voice rumbled under her ear.

      Katarina Two: “He also sounds upset. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

“Maybe he didn’t hear what you said. The party is loud.” A new voice chimed in.

      Katarina Three: “That’s our Sophia! She’ll straighten it out. We can always count on her.”

      Katarina Four: “Yea, Sophia,” and did an arm pump.

“Then let me repeat myself. The messenger said Geoffrey has something important to tell you. Right away,” Alan said.

“About what?”

It was then that the committee noticed:

      Chairperson: “Our feet aren’t on the ground!”

      Katarina Three: “He’s holding us!”

      Katarina Four: “In his arms!”

      Katarina Two: “Bridal style!”

“This is embarrassing,” the four Katarinas agreed, and she began wiggling.

Alan responded to Gerald’s question. “He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. It’s probably a state secret that Geoffrey wouldn’t have shared with a mere messenger.”

[Continued in the next post: Sophia’s Route: Part II]

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New! Improved! Sophia’s Route

“Encounter with Gerald: Part II

#FanFiction #MyNextLifeAsAVillainess! All Routes Lead to Doom! (#Bakarina #Hamafura)
#Wss366 (Old word)

[Continued from “Encounter with Gerald: Part I”]

The duel of sharp-edged glares may have been interrupted, but it didn’t stop the drawing of dagger’d words, with the prince drawing first blood.

Keith grimaced and bowed. “Many people who wish to bid her a joyous new year, so please refrain from taking her away from the main room.”

Gerald smiled and swept Katarina onto the dance floor. He nodded to the orchestra, and they increased the tempo. What had begun as a stately waltz had become a whirling dance requiring both extreme grace and stamina. Only his skill kept his feet from being mashed by his partner, who was forced to hold him tightly.

For her part, Katarina found herself clasped close to the prince. His whispered voice tickled her ear. “At last, I have you to myself. You really shouldn’t make me work so hard for this. We are to be married. Being with you is all I have ever wanted. Isn’t it the same for you?”

“Hmmm, actually, I was hoping you’d take me to the dessert table. Wouldn’t that be better than dancing?” Her muffled reply reached him through the lace of his shirt, and he sighed.

“My Katarina. So cute, sweet, and innocent. I will have them bring some to my room for us to enjoy.”

Her heart fluttered. Gerald was always so kind. “And cake.”

His clothes had been lightly perfumed with a soft musk, but it didn’t hide his natural scent. “It’s kind of nice,” she thought. As she breathed the scent, it filled her head. Her mind spun faster than the waltz. “It’s like a #gyro-copter,” she thought. “We go round and round. Or whipped cream, yum!”

Prince Gerald swirled the couple to the tempo of the fast waltz that was playing, and her mind spun in time with the whipped delights she imagined.

“I feel faint,” she finally said, unused to dancing. Her last thought before passing out was, “Keith will be pleased that I fainted.”

[Continued tomorrow in “Sophia’s Route”]

#TootFic #MicroFiction #Serial #NMFic

New! Improved! Sophia’s Route

Encounter with Gerald: Part 1

#FanFiction #MyNextLifeAsAVillainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (#Bakarina #Hamafura)
#Wss366 (New word)

[Continued from “The Party Flag”]

“Keith, it was kind of you to escort my fiancée.” Prince Gerald Stuart said from behind the couple.

Keith jumped and turned toward the prince. The stern yet loving expression on his face faded and was replaced by something colder. “It is my duty. As her brother, I must protect her from all dangers.”

The two smiled at each other, like swords crossing before a battle. Their eyes hinted that neither would give the other quarter.

“Gerald, I’m so pleased to see you,” Katarina said. “Keith was just talking about you. He was worried I might get ill and embarrass you. He worries about you.” There wasn’t a trace of irony or sarcasm in her voice. “With both of you looking after me, I’m sure nothing bad will happen. I have Pochi as well,” she said, referring to her dark-magic familiar.

The pair of men blinked, their bladed looks pausing midair.

“Indeed,” the prince began again. “I am grateful that your brother looks after you so well. Ah, but the first dance is about to begin, and as your fiancé, it belongs to me. Not even your brother can begrudge me that. I promise to take care of this precious jewel in your absence, Sir Keith.” He handed his rival his half-finished #drink and concluded, “And if you would be so kind.”

[Continued in the next post]

#TootFic #MicroFiction #Serial #NMFic