Guardian of the Twins

Nightmare and Lumine

Lumine explored her room while she waited. She wasn't used to all the dark tones that surrounded her. The walls and ceiling were black with with a chandelier positioned in front of the window so that when the moon hit it, it reflected in onto the black walls like little stars. The carpet was a sea of dark green, like grass during the nighttime. All the furniture was made of dark wood and the pillows and blankets were smokey grey. There was a toy box full of fun looking things to play with. She did amuse herself with some of them for a bit, but she found herself particularly favoring a black beanie baby cat with yellow eyes. It reminded her of Cimmarian's comforting presence. So naturally, whether it had a name already or not, she named it CiCi the Cat. Someone knocked on her door, a Skeleton with red and blue eyelights cracking the door open. "princess, mind if i come in?" Lumine hummed. "yeah, go ahead." The door opened wider. "lunch's ready so i came to get you." Lumine immediately went to the Skeleton at the mention of food. "your dad'll probably introduce us at the table, cool?" Lumine nodded.

🌑☀️🌑

Nightmare was there, along with three other Skeletons, two of which Lumine had met. There was a spot open next to papa Nightmare, Lumine scurried over to it quickly and put CiCi the Cat in the chair. Nightmare quirked a brow, ready to question why she had the thing, but Lumine was already talking. "are you ok papa nightmare? i didn't mean to upset you." Nightmare blinked and sighed. "... i'll be fine. i see you've found your toys." Lumine smiled as she picked up CiCi the Cat. Nightmare used his tentacles to pulled out her chair for her. She gratefully sat down and he pushed her in. "uh-huh. this kitty reminded me of cici, so she's staying with me until i see cici again." Nightmare nodded slowly. "i hope that will be soon. so lumine, i should introduce you to my boys. the glitchy one is error, my right hand." Lumine waved at Error and he returned the gesture. "beside him is dust, the one who retrieved you. across from him is killer, the only one you haven't met yet. next to him is horror, the one who, um, brought you here so we could meet."

☀️🌑☀️

With the promise that Lumine could meet the others after dinner, Nightmare took her hand when she offered it to him. Lumine missed her mom and sister and Nightmare was the closest she had right now. He didn't seem to reject her, though he definitely wasn't like her mom either. Lumine brought CiCi the Cat closer to her. "this is my library will we will teach you all that you need to know. you can use it at your own leisure, just don't make a mess of it." Lumine looked around the ginormous place in awe. "if i'm not in here, i will most likely be in my office or throne room, which i will show you next." This time Nightmare offered his hand first which Lumine gladly took. "you can have access to my office only if i'm in there with you, my throne room is free for you to use whenever you wish" Lumine liked the sound of that. "dust called me princess earlier. is me and cici really princesses?" Nightmare chuckled quietly as he let her check out his throne room. "i am a king, so yes, that would make you both princesses." There was no offer this time. Lumine and Nightmare simply latched onto each other as they headed to the office.

The more I think about it, the more I realize this could've been a great Empireverse book. Oh well.