This is a writing submission for Gmrsugarart's contest ! This is probably going to be my only submission since I have no motivation to draw so don't expect any drawings from me this time around !

~ the prompt ~

~ story ~
This was originally going to be a poem; however, I decided to mash some themes together. There are motifs and symbols in here so if you wanna do some analysis, this is probably the perfect story for this (although this could be a weaker story ??) xD

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"When is a monster not a monster?" Asked a petite girl who sat upon her throne of marigolds and lilies, and her freezing eyes pierced the ruler of the winter realm; however, not a shiver slid down his spine. 

"Oh, when you love it." The sentence was brief, coated in a kiss from a blizzard as his eyes never gazed off her. The Queen of the Summer realm only gave a miniature chuckle, ignoring the mimsy comment. 

"How do you apprehend, Wolf? I know that people from your court are the monsters who browbeat my people; however, when my son marries you, you will be educated and given culture. The valid culture." 

"Trust me, Camilla, everyone loves a monster." He departed on his heels as he began to trot towards the bubbly and bright entrance. The Summer Queen's eyes only rolled in their place as the Winter King rubbed the bright marigolds, feeling the soft petals that froze into a withering flower. "Oh, Camilla?" 

"What?" Camilla snapped as she touched a weed on the grassy floor and grew it into a healthy marigold. She placed the plant to her nose as she softly inhaled, taking the sweet scent of summer. 

"The way you dictate is much more different than how it is back in my home with the people electing what we should do." 

"And? When my son weds you. The Winter court will be great allies." 

"You rule with an iron fist. I don't want that of my people, and I know Jake believes that way. We've talked about it." He stated smoothly as Camilla only circled her eyes, not engaged in whatever debate he wanted to start. 

"It's for the best of my people," she cooed as a smug slugged itself onto her face. Her eyes remained cold as he took one step forward. 

"How does one feel when they are converted into something else?" The subject seemed to switch instantly when Wolf heard what she had said and crisscrossed his arms. 

"Depends, foolish king." 

"Like your dandelion into a marigold." 

"Oh!" Her posture shot up as green vines began to slither down and grab her wilting weeds. "I turn these sad subterfuges into something more beautiful. More relevant."

"What if a dandelion was a symbol of a person? Wouldn't changing life be vicious to meet your standards?" Wolf murmured as Camila only shrugged off his tongue-tied question. 

"What does this have to correlate to anything? Your people are in no place to negotiate. Espouse my son and become educated, or war will befall." 

"I have deep affections for your son, and I don't wish conflict." 

"Good! Dilemma solved. You can leave now—"

"However," Wolf cut the Queen off as he uncrossed his arms and his icy eyes glanced around the place. "My people would be like dandelions to you. Something you can change, however, one can't." 

"People aren't dandelions!" Huffed Camila as she rolled her eyes, her interest getting lost. 

"I'm sure you're not as stupid as you seem, Your Majesty," Wolf responded. His feet ripped themselves from the pavement and inched closer, closer, closer, and closer to the Summer Queen. 

"I don't follow." She pressed her lips as he stood. Six. Feet. Away. 

"You take one thing your kingdom built superimposed," Wolf murmurs, placing a freezing hand on her face as his icy blue orbs pierced through her warm, two-faced eyes. 

"Weeds?" Camila derided as Wolf snagged the marigold away from her. The color began to ooze from the beautiful plant as frostbite at the blossoming petals that giggled softly. 

"You take what you want for granted; however, you're hurting them. You're hurting everyone." 

"You can't hurt weeds!" Camila launched herself out of her chair as her nails dug into her ombre dress. "You've overstayed your welcome." 

"By holding your 'weeds' up to a standard, do you realize what you're doing?" 

"You must get going. Leave before your court gets overtaken by heat!" Her eyes glanced around for knights; however, she heard them in a small chat with her son. 

"I once looked up to you, loved you," Wolf turned away from the Queen that froze in place at the statement he had said. He chuckled darkly to himself while rocking his head as he stepped down the steps as vines slithered by his feet. "I loved, worshipped a monster." 

"... Monster?" Her dumbfoundedness left her in confusion as Wolf strolled past the decaying setting as the beautiful marigolds that once decorated the place began to fall apart. "Your weeds loved you too. Loving a monster is simple. Can't you see? They're rebelling in the streets for your tyranny to end."  

"No! I'm not a monster—! You wanted to come for my crown!!!" She tore the crown off her head as he watched his guards with their sharp dark blues and gray armor clunk towards him. 

"NO!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as her eyes widened. Her arm extended out as vines circulated him. "We. Aren't. FINISHED." 

The vines gathered themselves on him and clutched him in an iron grip. "I'm NO monster! I'm the most righteous and cleaning up the sin of my mother!! THE ONE WHO RUINED THIS!!" 

"You're blinded in your mirror image," he scoffed as he watched Camila smirk in the shine of her crown. She gazed coldly at him as she didn't respond. "You make people love you, wrap them in their insecurities and gaslights. You are the monster." 

"I'M the monster??" She began to snigger as she leaned over, placing her hands on the side of her royal chair rest and hunched over. Her balance quaked as he spoke up again. "YOU. YOU are the monster we all fear and hate. Coldness and all." 

"MOM—!" a male voice shouted off behind him as the summer prince stared in dismay. "... What are you…?" 

"He TRIED to kill me! Hurt me—!" Camila sat down on her throne as the King didn't bother looking at the gray fox. She began to weep as his dark green eyes moved uncomfortably as the King finally spoke up. 

"Camila. You don't have to go onward with this." 

"I think I wanna use you as an exemplar," Camila smiled cunningly, her tears planting weeds as a vine slithered with a dark red ax caked in drying blood. 

"Mom— wait!" Jake tried to move towards them; however, the jungle of vines refused to play fair and courteous. "Mom!! You'll cause a war because of this—!" 

"You think I worry?" Wolf's guards launched forward as Camilla began to summon more vines to cover the doors. The sun harshly bit at the cold guards, their icy blood leaked into the ground as their armor was the only visible object of the deadly loyal guards. 

"Mom—! If this is about marrying him although I'm twenty-five and he's thirty, I don't mind. I mean, you and Dad had a nine-year gap…" 

"Don't tell me you've grown… soft," Camilla scoffed at her son's comment as the icy King didn't say anything back. "Don't tell me you love a savage. Nobody could ever love a monster!" 

"Love blinds people," Wolf muttered as Camila smacked the male's cheek, her eyes wide and pupils small. 

"Who gave you the right to speak to me? Your Queen and executioner?" 

"Mom!" Jake shouted as his mother gazed at him coldly. "He isn't a savage. He isn't a weed in a garden full of roses." 

"Oh-? I was fucking right," she muttered as Camilla heaved the ax over her shoulder, ready to swing. "You are a succumbed, worthless son aren't you? You must think you're keen; however, you're fucking disgusting. You give us Fox's a bad name." 

His ears lifted down as he turned his concentration towards the snowy male, who finally locked gazes with him. The gaze sent a shiver down his spine, although he felt warm and comfortable. 

"You're... You're just obtuse mom," Jake muttered as Camila only coughed a smile. 

"You're the disappointment of the family just like your two sisters running off with turbulent winter folk." Camila turned her attention towards the King as she placed a hand under the male's jawbone. "Last words?" 

"Jake. I want my last words to be this. Your mother is blinded by the shine in her crown. Furthermore, is turning beautiful weeds into flowers. I know you'll be a great ruler. Farewell, my love." 

The ax his mother swung down, and Jake heard the revolting thump make an impact with the grassy, lifeless floor. 

"What did you do!?" The comprehension didn't hit the Summer Prince until the body of his soon-to-be-husband slammed against the dead court. "How… could you…?" 

Camila moved from her position as he slithered her way towards her son as she slammed her hands on her son's narrowed shoulders. 

"Riddle me this son," Camila whispered hauntingly into his ears as Jake tried to shove away from her. 

"GO TO HELL!" 

"When is a monster not a monster?" 

"You will ALWAYS be a monster in my eyes," he growled as his mother only shagged her curly hair upwards. 

"That's too bad. Sadly, there isn't anyone out yonder that loves the son of a monster," her eyes coldly rested on him as he shoved his way through the vines that blanketed the door and threw them open. 

"Nobody will love you to keep you here. You will never be remembered as a hero," Jake muttered as his eyes began to eye a weed that wielded a torch. 

"We won't stand for this inequality!" 

"BRING THEM!!" The monster that stood before him began to wail like a manic, pressing her hands to her face and scratching her porcelain face with her jagged fingernails. 

How would this swallow the one who was once his mother in a dark shell? Jake thought as the enraged proletariat thrust him towards the earth, their faces blurring together as the monster's howls never ceased. 

~

Words : 1744