Four days passed in a blur of soft, fluffy pillows, warm blankets, and the constant, doting presence of her seven brothers.
They visited her every morning, noon, and night, each trying to outdo the others with gifts, treats, and affectionate head pats.
Lucien, the eldest, brought her a beautiful hand-carved jewelry box inlaid with mother-of-pearl, his sharp, stormy blue eyes softening as he placed it on her bedside table.
Jared, the second eldest, presented her with a thick, hand-stitched quilt, its intricate patterns depicting scenes of the royal gardens in full bloom.
Callum, the quiet, serious one, gifted her a collection of delicate hairpins he had picked out with Marcus, each one shaped like a tiny, blooming flower.
Even the twins, Leo and Lance, managed to sneak in between their training sessions to bring her small, fluffy stuffed animals, their eyes sparkling with mischievous delight as they watched her hug the plush toys to her chest.
'Is this... what it feels like to be loved?' Evelisse wondered as she clutched a small, white rabbit plush to her chest, its soft, velvety fur warm against her cheek. The warmth in her heart felt foreign, almost overwhelming, but not entirely unpleasant.
Felix, the youngest, was perhaps the most persistent, his wide blue eyes never leaving her face for more than a few seconds. He hovered by her bedside, constantly offering her sweets, fresh flowers, and handwritten letters filled with heartfelt messages and doodles of the two of them holding hands.
'They're... really trying to make me feel loved,' Evelisse thought, her small hands trembling slightly as she traced the delicate, flowing script of Felix's latest letter. 'I don't... I don't deserve this...'
Fluffy, sensing her uncertain emotions, floated closer, its tiny paws gently patting her cheek. "Hey, don't get all mopey now! You've got a second chance at life, remember? You're a beloved princess, and your brothers adore you! So, hold that fluffy head high and show them what you're made of!"
Evelisse huffed, brushing the tiny fox away. 'Easy for you to say... you're not the one stuck in a tiny, chubby body with seven overprotective giants breathing down your neck...'
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
Finally, after four long days of pampering and constant doting, the royal doctor declared her fit enough to leave the infirmary. Evelisse had nearly choked on her morning tea when she realized the room she had spent the past four days in wasn't even her actual bedroom but rather a private infirmary suite reserved for recovering royalty.
'Of course... a princess would have her own private recovery room...' she thought, pinching the bridge of her nose as the doctor fussed over her, adjusting her blankets and fluffing her pillows one last time.
The moment the doctor gave his final approval, her brothers practically leapt into action, each insisting on carrying her to her real room. Lucien, of course, was the first to scoop her up, his strong arms cradling her small, chubby body as if she weighed nothing at all.
"Hey! I wanted to carry her!" Felix protested, his blue eyes narrowing as he tried to shove his way past his older brother.
"You can carry her next time," Lucien said firmly, his deep voice leaving no room for argument as he strode toward the door, his jaw set with the fierce determination of a knight protecting his princess.
Jared, never one to back down from a challenge, smirked and ruffled Felix's hair as they followed Lucien down the hallway. "You'll have to fight me for the next turn, little brother. I'm not letting you hog all the sister-carrying privileges."
Felix huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at his older brothers. "She's my favorite sibling! I should get to carry her!"
Evelisse felt her cheeks heat up, the unfamiliar sensation of being cradled like a small child making her heart race. 'Is this... what it feels like to be doted on? To be... cared for?'
Fluffy giggled in Evelisse's mind, its fluffy tail swishing back and forth as it floated beside her head. "Aww, look at you, being pampered like the princess you are! This is exactly how it should be!"
Evelisse shot the fox a withering glare, her green eyes narrowing as she resisted the urge to smack the tiny, floating nuisance out of the air. 'This thing is enjoying this way too much...'
As Lucien carried her down the long, marble-floored hallway, her other brothers trailing behind like an overprotective pack of lions, Evelisse felt her heart race, her mind spinning with a thousand questions.
'If this isn't my room... then what does my real room look like? Am I about to walk into some kind of over-the-top, frilly nightmare straight out of a fairy tale?'
The hallway stretched on, the walls lined with grand oil paintings of past kings and queens, their eyes following her as if judging her every move. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, their lights casting a warm, golden glow over the polished floors and intricately carved pillars.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached a set of massive double doors, each one carved with delicate, swirling patterns of roses and vines, their golden handles shaped like blooming flowers.
"This is your room, Evelisse," Lucien said, his voice softening as he gently set her down in front of the doors. "Your real room."
Evelisse blinked, her wide green eyes scanning the towering doors as her heart skipped a beat. 'My room... my very own room...'
Before she could fully process the moment, Felix darted forward, his blue eyes wide with excitement as he reached for the door handles. "Can I open it? Please? I want to see her face when she walks in!"
Jared rolled his eyes, smirking as he leaned against the doorframe. "Let her walk in on her own, you overgrown puppy. She's not a doll."
Felix stuck his tongue out at his older brother but reluctantly stepped back, his hands still twitching with the urge to throw the doors open and drag his sister inside.
Evelisse took a deep breath, her small hands clenching the soft fabric of her nightgown as she slowly reached for the polished, gold door handles. Her heart raced, her fingers trembling as she pushed the doors open, the heavy panels swinging wide to reveal her room.
She froze, her jaw dropping as her wide green eyes took in the sheer, overwhelming extravagance of the space before her.
'What the hell?!!! It's freaking HUGE!!!' She screamed in her thoughts.
"Langu—"
'I know, Fluffy. But you have to admit it's beyond what I placed as expectations in this world.'
Her room was massive, nearly the size of a ballroom, with high, arched ceilings painted with delicate, swirling patterns of gold and silver. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their countless facets catching the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows and casting a thousand tiny rainbows across the polished marble floor.
The walls were lined with rich, velvet drapes in shades of soft pink, cream, and lavender, their thick, luxurious fabric rippling like the folds of a princess's gown. Plush, overstuffed chairs and couches in various pastel hues were scattered throughout the room, their surfaces covered in fluffy, embroidered pillows and soft blankets.
A massive, canopied bed stood at the center of the room, its four polished, gold bedposts draped in layers of sheer, glittering fabric and adorned with delicate, hand-sewn flowers. The bed itself was piled high with fluffy, overstuffed pillows and thick, downy comforters, their edges trimmed with intricate lace and delicate ribbon.
'This... this is my room?' Evelisse thought, her heart racing as she slowly stepped inside, her small, bare feet sinking into the thick, plush carpet that covered the marble floor like a soft, welcoming cloud.
Before she could voice her shock, Jared's arms lingered around her for a moment as if afraid she might topple over. "Alright, Eve. We'll let you explore for a bit. Call for us if you need anything, alright?"
She forced herself to nod, her small fingers clutching the fabric of her dress as her brothers slowly filed out of the room, each one pausing to give her a gentle pat on the head or a ruffle of her hair as they left.
The moment the doors clicked shut, Evelisse felt her small shoulders sag, her heart still racing as she turned to take in the overwhelming, pastel nightmare that was her new room.
Fluffy floated in front of her, its tiny, fluffy body bouncing in midair as it clapped its tiny paws together, its tail swishing back and forth with excitement. "Well? What do you think? Isn't it the perfect room for a pampered little princess?"
Evelisse resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 'If cotton candy and glitter had a baby, this room would be it,' she thought, her small hands brushing against the silk bedspread, which was so thick it looked like a pile of whipped cream.
"Too much pink. Too much frill," she muttered under her breath, scrunching her nose at the overly decorated canopy. 'It's like they tried to recreate a princess cliché and went a little too far.'
Fluffy giggled, spinning in a glittery loop. "But it's supposed to be cute! You're a pampered princess now, so you need to embrace the fluff!"
Evelisse gave the fox a deadpan look. "Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I want to drown in pastel vomit."
Fluffy paused mid-spin, its eyes widening. "Language! You'll lose pampering points!"
Evelisse huffed, tugging at one of the glittery heart pillows and tossing it to the side. "Why is everything here so impractical? I can barely see the bed under all these pillows."
Fluffy watched as Evelisse dragged the pillows off the bed one by one, creating a growing mountain of fluff on the floor. Once she had cleared the bed, she flopped onto it, sighing as the silk sheets caressed her skin.
'At least the bed is comfortable,' she thought, pulling one of the simpler, cream-colored pillows closer. She stared up at the ornate ceiling, the swirling patterns of gold and silver making her feel dizzy.
Fluffy floated over to the grand walk-in closet, its tiny paws pushing open the door. "Maybe you should add a few more plushies! That will make it feel more personal!"
Evelisse eyed the closet warily. 'I bet it's just as ridiculous in there...'
Taking a deep breath, she got up and padded over to the closet. When she stepped inside, she nearly choked on her own breath. Rows upon rows of dresses hung on golden racks, each one more elaborate than the last. There were gowns of silk, satin, velvet, and lace in every shade of pink, lavender, and cream imaginable.
'It's like someone raided a bridal shop and decided to add glitter to everything...' Evelisse thought, gently tugging on a particularly frilly dress with way too many bows.
Fluffy fluttered around the closet, its tiny nose wiggling. "It's perfect, right? You can wear a different dress every day for a month and still have plenty left over!"
Evelisse rubbed her forehead. "I'll look like a walking cupcake."
Ignoring Fluffy's enthusiastic chirping, Evelisse wandered deeper into the closet, finding a small chest in the corner. Curious, she opened it and found a pile of more simplistic, comfortable clothes—soft cotton dresses in light pastel shades, simple nightgowns, and a few pairs of leggings and tunics.
'Finally, something practical,' she thought, pulling out a light blue dress with tiny daisies embroidered on the collar.
She changed quickly, grateful to be out of the over-the-top gown she had woken up in. Once she was more comfortable, she started gathering items that felt more her style—plush throw blankets, a few stuffed animals that weren't overly frilly, and a couple of soft cushions with embroidered patterns instead of hearts.
Fluffy watched her work, clearly pleased. "You're making it cozy! Great job, Princess!"
Evelisse rolled her eyes, placing a cute stuffed bear at the head of her bed. 'At least it's starting to feel a bit more... me.'
As she decorated, Evelisse couldn't help but hum softly to herself—a habit she had when focusing on something.
Fluffy bobbed in time to the tune, clapping its tiny paws in delight.
After rearranging the room to her liking, Evelisse took a step back and admired her work. The bed now had fewer, more tasteful pillows, and the oversized, garish canopy had been swapped for a simple, sheer curtain. The stuffed animals were neatly arranged on a low shelf instead of being scattered everywhere, and the pastel rugs had been replaced with soft, cream-colored ones.
'It's... not bad,' Evelisse thought, smiling faintly. It almost looked like a room out of a fantasy movie—like the ones she used to watch in the hospital when dreaming of a better life.
[Task Complete: Personalize Your Room! Reward Unlocked: A Special Keepsake from the Real Evelisse's Past]
Fluffy beamed, its wings fluttering with joy. "Great job, Princess! You've really made it your own!"
Suddenly, there was a soft click from the other side of the room. Evelisse turned, startled, as one of the decorative drawers in the vanity slowly slid open on its own.
"What the...?" She whispered, walking over cautiously.
Inside the drawer was a small, leather-bound book, its cover faded and worn. Evelisse carefully picked it up, her fingers brushing over the delicate stitching. As she opened it, the faint scent of old paper wafted up, and she realized it was a diary.
"The real Evelisse's diary?" She whispered, glancing at Fluffy.