Chapter Text
When she was born, Shadow was the only child of what other monarchies called the “The Herald of Doom.” He was a ruthless king that founded his whole empire on war, conquest, and ruthless obedience. Yet, as the only heir to the Black Arms Kingdom, Shadow was doted upon by the ruling tyrant for years.
To ensure that her future as Queen would be fortuitous, King Doom secured an early engagement to a young Prince of Camelot and taught the girl that she was to command both kingdoms by any means necessary. As she aged into adolescence, Shadow understood that she was to essentially marry into Camelot and quietly assassinate the only male heir, named “Manic,” once Queen Aleena had passed. When she finally ruled over Camelot as the sole monarch, she was then to assimilate its people into the militant culture of the Black Arms and overthrow the other countries rulers with their combined forces. Thus, uniting the continent under one indomitable dictatorship.
But, as it usually goes with fate… Three unexpected events occurred in the young woman’s life that eventually led King Doom’s plans of conquest to go up in flames.
First it was Maria
At age seven, Shadow received her first set of enchanted golden bangles for her wrists and ankles - which secretly modified her natural appearance - and met her first Lady-in-Waiting named Maria Robotnik; whose sole role was to help her become accustomed to court life and constant travel. Gerald Robotnik was Maria’s grandfather, the king’s highly trusted advisor, and the one who convinced Doom to give his granddaughter over to Shadow. He knew his role came at the cost of keeping the king's favor and he wanted to keep his own child safe from an unfortunate fate - should Doom decide he was not useful anymore - so, he taught the thirteen year old girl about the local court’s behaviors towards King Doom and the dangers that existed outside the castle walls.
Her knowledge proved useful to the monarch, as it spared him the daily toil of teaching his own child. But, this bright young girl taught Shadow many other things… such as the importance of compassion and empathy. These two emotional factors to ruling a country were foreign and unimaginable concepts in Shadow’s strict and formal education. Yet, the fear of being caught never deterred the teen from imparting her gentle care to the princess, and the two became steadfast friends as the king’s heir slowly learned the difference between love and power.
Next it was Sonic
When Shadow turned ten, she was finally allowed to meet her fiancé, but his first impression wasn’t the one that changed her life. It was actually his sister’s. From the minute he could walk, Manic found himself in all sorts of trouble. He had no sense of responsibility, no care for royal duties, and definitely no interest in marriage. However, his sibling, Sonic, took interest in Shadow right away and eagerly stepped in to fill his place, so-to-speak.
As the blue-quilled girl arrived at the official introduction ceremony, she stormed through the dining hall door late, disheveled, and wearing pants. Manic’s other sister, the third of the triplets named Sonia, was wearing a dress… much like every other lady present. But, Sonic seemed like a special case considering her white and gold embroidered tunic - alongside her torn slacks - were covered in dirt and grass stains. The Queen of Camelot was horrified at her daughter’s indignant display, and yet… Shadow couldn’t help but be immediately intrigued by this girl.
Sure, Manic’s rebellious side was a bit amusing, but he was refusing to even look at Shadow, let alone attempt any conversation. Sonic, though, once she returned after her mother ordered her to change, took the empty seat on the right of Shadow, instead of joining the side of her own family, and began chatting away… asking her so many questions that Queen Aleena had to frustratingly tell her to be quiet so their guest could have some peace. It was truly flustering for Shadow at first, but as the years went on she found herself quite charmed by the other hedgehog.
Multiple times during their early teens, when Manic wanted nothing more than to go gambling and train with the young squires, Sonic kept her company during her mandated visits and showed her the fields of flowers that the local farmers grew. She even taught the reclusive princess the names of the ones that Doom’s kingdom didn’t have and began pressing them in between the pages of the books she was meant to study while Shadow was visiting. Each carefully preserved flower was cherished by the dark hedgehog, and Maria had her grandfather make a special album for her to keep them in once her collection grew far too extensive for a single book to contain.
Shadow’s initial intrigue soon grew to what Maria called “a crush” by the time she was sixteen, and it seemed her silent feelings were returned, for one day, when the girls were out in the fields picking flowers to press and preserve… Sonic tucked a piece of lavender behind her ear and told her that she wished it was her and not Manic that held her engagement.
The flustered princess couldn’t sleep for a week straight after that event, and was scolded by King Doom for having a weakened constitution. Thankfully, though, no one but Maria seemed aware of what ailed her, and after a few applications of a sticky and foul smelling poultice, along with a new set of enchanted golden bangles, she feigned better health and attempted to return her focus to her studies of war, combat, and assassination.
Then it was Eclipse
But, everything truly came to a head when she turned nineteen… Because someone cloaked in fabric from head-to-toe turned up at the castle’s doorstep claiming to be King Doom’s actual heir.
Now, it was true that the king was hoping to have a son before Shadow was born. However, the conception of the princess was… different than regular Mobians. The process of creation took a lot out of the monarch and made him weak for an uncomfortably long period of time, so he only had one attempt to create what he considered as the Ultimate Heir. It was unbeknownst to even the close nobles of the court that Shadow was born not from a mother, but from her father’s own blood and black magic. Hence, why the kingdom received its moniker as the “Black Arms.” For they were rumored by the common folk to strengthen their armies with the dark arts in order to overcome any enemy they faced.
Only the royal family could practice this type of magic, and it was kept a strict secret from everyone, including the palace staff, but the mystery behind King Doom’s behavior and actions usually led his people to come up with such wild tales. “For that’s all the peasants and serfs are good for these days… idle chatter,” as the monarch had once said to his daughter. It is true, though, that this ability to control what King Doom calls “Chaos Energy,” is what made Shadow a fierce fighter during her upbringing and why, on the days she cried as an infant, storm clouds would appear over the kingdom and bring forth the warring winds. But, again, this was only known to him, Gerald, and his daughter once she turned sixteen and was given her second set of what the scientist called “inhibitors.”
The issue of legitimacy was immediately raised with Gerald, who was the only one who took part in the princess’ creation with the king, and would have knowledge of this so-called “true heir” of the throne. Everyone in court that day who was in view of the fiasco was executed on the spot, so word wouldn’t spread around about a bastard child and ruin the monarch’s image. But, once the throne room was emptied, and the visitor shed his cloak and mask, Doom could see that there was an uncanny resemblance between Shadow and the unnamed stranger. Their appearances both sported the red-streaks and dark colors of their father’s lineage, and he had the same, winding tail that the princess possessed when she did not wear her inhibitors. However, his eyes possessed black scleras, yellow irises, and slitted black pupils… which did not match his sisters, nor did he sport any fur on his body… Showing that something wrong had occurred the day of Shadow and now his birth.
Sensing trouble when she received news of a possible sibling, Shadow immediately arranged for Maria to travel to Camelot in a trade wagon and sent a letter with her, requesting Sonic to keep her safe. When asked about the young woman’s whereabouts, the princess lied to her father that she had taken care of the handmaid herself and presented a dagger smeared with fresh blood.
Both girls knew it would be hard to trick the king, considering his otherworldly insight, so they made a cut across Maria’s arm and smeared the dagger she kept in her boot with her own blood. Their plan appeared to have worked, because after he examined the blade and - to Shadow’s horror - tasted the crimson liquid upon it, Doom was prideful of the fealty his daughter showed, and rewarded the princess for it with a private viewing of the interrogation.
Truthfully, she did not want to be present since Gerald was like a godfather to her, but knowing that this “brother” of hers could cause problems later in the future… She had no choice but to join the king and gain what intel she could on this stranger.
As Gerald was thrown into a cold, empty room within the castle and interrogated by Doom, Shadow learned through his confession that this strange, furless creature was indeed her biological brother, and that he had been a long kept secret by the scientist and a palace maid that went missing on the night of her “birth.” Doom had originally writ the news of her escape off, simply thinking the maid had fled the harsh rules of the palace during his moment of weakness to escape punishment should she be caught. But, learning his mistake, the king grew furious at his own oversight until his son added to the story that he had already disposed of his “fake mother” in order to “bring honor back to the bloodline.” Upon hearing the lost prince’s words, the monarch calmed long enough to hear his son’s side of the story and learned just how careful the traitors were in making sure he was to never be found.
Shadow could only dig her claws into her wrists that were hidden behind her back. The more this stranger explained, the more hope appeared on her father’s face as they listened to how he harshly interrogated his “mother” for information on his birthright and how he had escaped from the depths of the forest where he was raised in private by taking her horse and riding it all the way to the kingdom.
Gerald pleaded for the king’s mercy after listening to the son’s story, because he knew full well that his fate was about to be sealed with the prince’s quest for revenge. “Please, please your majesty. Spare my child. Spare Maria. She doesn’t know anything!” The old man had begged.
King Doom removed his mask in response; it was a solid gold oval with a twisted star engraved over the whole face, and it possessed a single eye in the center that was gilded with a bright red jewel. But, his hood had still obscured the top part of his face, effectively hiding the third red eye that resembled the jewel on his mask. The eerie grin on his scarred tan muzzle was all they could see, and that alone was enough to send a chill down the poor scientist’s spine.
“Your pleas fall on deaf ears, Gerald.” Doom had said so plainly, as if he was talking about the swirling clouds outside. “My child has already dealt with that traitorous girl of yours.” He had then walked over and lifted the old man’s head up with the tip of his boot, fear and tears filling the eyes of the once most trusted advisor in all of the kingdom. “I truly didn’t believe that you had the courage to scheme like this behind my back… But, it seems that having a child of my own has made me grow soft.”
The implications behind her father’s words made Shadow’s ears flatten against her skull, and she had felt her brother’s eyes bore into her like a hot iron against her skin. Jealousy was a dangerous thing within the stone walls of this hell, and it led to many servants and nobles betraying each other just so they could have more of her father’s attention. Even Maria wasn’t spared from their ire as many times the princess had to step in and defend her from the scornful old servants and noble daughters who wanted her position.
But, now… in this room with no one to turn to… Who was to protect her from her brother’s schemes?
That moment of her life still haunts Shadow’s dreams, and all she can remember past the next second, trapped in that hollow room with no one to guide her… is the heavy drum of her heartbeat, a pair of broken glasses, and the color red pooling at the tips of her shoes.
A few blurry days later, the princess had received word that Eclipse, as her father had titled him, was to have his own ceremony for his grand “return to the kingdom,” and begin his training as an official prince under her care… Which meant that Doom had truly tossed her out to the wolves and wanted her to take her rightful place on the chessboard that made up his court…
Thankfully, though, after a few anxiety riddled weeks had passed, Sonic wrote a correspondence to the princess and explained that her “broach” arrived in one piece and that “Manic” requested to see her at “her earliest convenience.”
Shadow eagerly wrote back that “as his bride-to-be,” she would honor the request and would be accompanied by her brother, who had returned home from his tutoring in another land.
It was a tricky dance with her brother present, but after a quick diversion thanks to Sonia, and a run to the flower fields… Shadow was able to tell Sonic about everything…
Which brings her story to the current day… where she is twenty years old and less than a year away from her official marriage to Manic, the brother of the woman who swore her undying love and loyalty to Shadow on one dreadful and terrifying day amongst the windswept stalks of lavender and daisies.
“Shadow,” a woman’s voice calls through the chamber door, “his majesty is requesting you to join him for dinner. Do you need help preparing?”
With a sigh, Shadow tucks a dried lavender sprig back into its proper place and closes the pages of her album, rolling off of her back and onto her stomach where she currently lounges on her bed. “Yes, come in, Rouge.”
The new Lady-In-Waiting steps through the door and quickly shuts the heavy wood behind her once safely inside, leaning back against the stained ebony surface and taking a deep breath of relief. “I swear,” the Mobian bat grumbles, signaling she’s about to go on one of her usual rants. “You would think these nobles would learn that I serve you and not them. Do you know how many times the duchess has requested for me to bring her things from the kitchen? The gall of it.” She then huffs and strolls over to the ornate wardrobe in the corner of the room and starts digging around for proper dinner attire. “I wish you saw her face when I told her that I do not serve the… lesser nobles. Oh, it was the highlight of my damn day.”
Shadow can’t help but snicker at the image of the duchess’ face going blood red under her pale yellow fur. There was sure to be a complaint later about the boldness of her handmaid later, but she can’t say that Rouge was wrong. King Doom specially picked the bat to replace Maria for her loyalty as a spy for the empire, and ordered her to keep an eye on his daughter’s actions at all times. But, little did he know that Rouge had other allegiances as well… Such as one to a certain blue hedgehog and her family over in Camelot because they saved her own lover from danger and enlisted him as a royal guard.
“Oh, I should warn you, doll. Eclipse will be there. This seems to be an important family matter, so brace yourself,” the bat hums, bringing over a modest maroon dress that flowed all the way down to the floor and was adorned with a single shoulder cape. “I will be stationed right outside the chamber doors in case you feel… ill… at any moment,” she then winks, helping the amused royal to her feet and untying the strings of the simple gown she currently wears.
“Thank you, Rouge. I wish it would be that easy to get out of, but if I were to guess, it will be about the upcoming wedding. I’ve heard some troubling rumors from Sonic that I’m sure you’re aware of,” Shadow groans while stepping out of her loungewear and into the pick of her trustworthy servant.
Rouge pulls the dress up along the curves of the princess’ body and proceeds to tie the strings of the underbust, making the dark hedgehog grunt a little at how uncomfortable the tight fabric feels. “I have…” the maid states uneasily, “But, I doubt Manic will put his family at such a risk. To back out of a marriage this soon… It would be a massive slight on your father, and would lead to war. Yet…” She then trails off, adjusting the cape on Shadow’s shoulder and smoothing out the silken fabric.
“Yet?” the heiress pries, curious as to what the insightful older woman had to say.
“It’s blasphemous to say it, but it will be a war I don’t think your father can win. Camelot has immense wealth and is just as rich in allies. If he doesn’t secure this marriage, well, it could be the end for-” A knock at the door quickly silences the bat, and both women jerk their heads up towards the sound.
“Sister, are you in there? Father is waiting for you,” Eclipse calls impatiently through the door.
“I know, brother,” Shadow calls back, not bothering to hide the annoyance that laces her voice. “I dare not show to dinner in my undergarments, so give me a damn minute. These dresses are a pain to fit into.”
Both women can hear the eyeroll the prince gives behind the door, but he doesn’t budge from his spot, his shadow under the wooden surface simply adjusting in its stance. “What charm you have, dearest sister. It is no wonder your fiance wants to cancel your marriage. Hurry up, father’s mood is worsening by the second. I doubt he would care if you showed in jester’s clothes at this point.”
With a growl, Shadow bats away Rouge’s hands as she attempts to lay her quills in place and simply does a quick brush over with her hands. “Enough, let's get this over with.” She then takes a fistful of the fabric at her waist and pulls it up far enough to expose her bare feet, grumbling as she pads over to the door and allows the exasperated bat to open it for her.
Eclipse takes note of the disheveled state of his sister, who has obviously spent her whole day in bed and shakes his head disappointedly at her. “Such a perfect representation of what our kingdom-”
“Shut up,” Shadow curtly interrupts, not bothering to stop and give the imposter any time of the day. Rouge quietly titters right behind her as the two hurriedly make their way to the royal dining hall, and ignore Eclipse’s cursing the whole way behind them.
When the siblings reach their destination and enter the room, Rouge pulls the double doors shut behind the two royals, and Shadow strolls over to the long table and curtsies in greeting to her father, who sits at the head of the table with his arms crossed and a black leather finger tapping slowly against his elbow.
Before Eclipse can get a single word of complaint in, the princess ducks her head and explains, “I apologize for my appearance, father. I was busy with my studies when-” but, she is cut off by a single lift of the king’s hand. Immediately, she nods her understanding and takes her place at the opposite end of the table, directly across from her masked father and next to her brother. The right of the firstborn still irks Eclipse to this day, so Shadow makes sure to sit proudly in her chair despite the chill that radiates throughout the dining hall.
A single snap from Doom signals the servants and cooks to spill out of the kitchen, their stiff movements reminding Shadow of desperate ants who are out harvesting just before fall, and soon the table is lined with a multitude of cooked meats that could feed a whole army, or, at the very least, a small group of demonic creatures. And sure enough, once everyone has returned to their assigned positions behind closed doors, Eclipse and the king shed themselves of their golden masks and reveal their warped, otherworldly appearance to one another.
It was a ritual for the two to hide their ghastly faces from the prying eyes of the commonfolk because, “Fragile Mobian minds cannot comprehend the superficies of greater beings,” and Doom did not want to give his people any reason for an uprising. If the nobles realized that their home was ruled by a family of monsters, then it would no doubt lead to a disastrous witch hunt and ruin the king’s chance of trade with other kingdoms. So, early-on in his ruling, to protect himself, Doom established a cultural norm that any unmarried individual should wear a mask in order to keep their “propriety.” Since Shadow was in an arranged marriage, she was allowed to forgo the expectation and give the public some insight to what her family’s “natural” appearance was under the facade.
But, her so-called “freedom” came at a cost.
“You may remove your rings, Shadow,” Doom states, his gravely voice echoing off the stone walls as he slides an entire roast chicken towards himself.
The princess hesitates for a moment, daring to glance up at the way her father’s third eye - a vertically aligned organ with a yellow sclera, red iris, and black slitted pupil - stares straight through her while his main pair focuses on the removal of his black leather gloves. She doesn’t need to glance over at her brother to know he is doing the same and, with a soft sigh, Shadow sees she has no room to disobey today, and proceeds to slide off the golden bangle on her right wrist.
The moment the heavy object clatters against the table surface, the princess can’t help but take a deep breath and relish the way unfiltered chaos energy floods through her veins. It always feels like she is being reunited with a missing piece of her soul, and the power that follows is nearly as intoxicating as a pitcher full of spiced wine. When the second bangle is placed next to the first, Shadow finds herself shuddering as the world spins and her third eye adjusts to the overwhelming presence of two other chaos users, their bodies surrounded by pulsating and fluctuating colors all based upon their individual strength and emotions they feel.
Currently, the king’s surrounding aura reveals that he is in a bad mood, much like Eclipse said, and it takes everything in Shadow to control her reaction and steel herself for what is about to be discussed. She dares not reveal her true emotions, unlike her brother who shares a similar hue to their father, and knows that the rings help prevent Doom from reading her energy like an open book. They are both a curse and blessing that has been bestowed upon her, and already she rubs at her wrists from the foreign feeling of their missing presence.
“I have called you here to discuss your marriage to Manic. Aleena has directly expressed her worries about the upcoming ceremony to me through letter, but you will be pleased to hear that this…” Doom’s scarred tan muzzle curls, revealing his unnaturally sharp fangs and highlighting the missing chunk taken from the corner of his mouth. “Unfortunate,” he spits out, "discovery is no fault of your own. It seems that it is a normal occurrence for mortal husbands-to-be to get cold feet, but I refuse to accept any possibility of this union failing.”
Shadow diligently nods along to her fathers words, watching the way he brings a chunk of chicken to his maw and snaps the bones within in a single bite. He chews for a moment, all three of his yellow and red eyes finally glancing off towards one of the walls while Eclipse mimics his father’s actions, selecting a whole dish for himself and tearing at the meat with his bare hands and serrated teeth.
“Your heat is coming next month, is it not?” the elder hedgehog finally asks once he’s swallowed his morsel.
The princess cannot control the way her eyes widen, each one locked onto her father in pure shock. “It- yes, but-”
“Good,” the king hums, tearing into the next portion of his meal. “Next week, you will spend the month in Camelot. I want you to secure an heir before the fool has a chance to annul your engagement.”
An heir? He wants an heir out of wedlock? A natural born child with Mobian blood?
Shadow’s hands begin to tremble and she cannot stop the waver in her voice as she asks, “But, isn’t that improper? Father, why not wait and allow me to create an heir like you did and-”
A fist slams down on the table and the orange hue surrounding the king fades to a dark, billowing red. “Absolutely not,” he snarls, causing his son to even feel unease as his own annoyed yellow hue suddenly brightens to a vibrant green. “You see what happened the last time the ritual was performed!” Doom slings his hand towards Eclipse, knocking off a silver platter with not a single flinch. “And with the level of deceit our family has faced, we cannot risk another finding out about our kind!”
The princess’ ears flatten against her head and Eclipse quickly stands from his seat, eyes wide as he attempts to plead, “Father, what if I-”
“Enough of your blathering,” Doom hisses towards the prince, his eyes glowing a vibrant and dangerous shade of red. “I’m sick of your voice. You are nothing more than an oversight on my part… A mistake, boy. And you will learn your place or else. Do not think for a single second that you can-”
“Father,” Shadow blurts out, unable to stop herself as she watches Eclipse's proud hues fade into a sickly grey. “I’ll do it… I’ll- I’ll go to Camelot… I’ll secure our future.”
King Doom turns his attention away from his illegitimate son and focuses all three of his eyes on the princess. An eerie silence fills the chamber for what feels like an eternity before finally the king orders, “Go pack. Your brother and Rouge will accompany you as chaperones. Do not fail me, Shadow… Or you will regret it.”
“Yessir…” Shadow shakily responds, quickly gathering her rings and slipping them back on before leaving the dining hall in a hurry. “Eclipse,” Doom’s voice echoes behind her, “you want to prove your fealty to me? Fine. This is what I need you to do…”
After slipping through the double doors, the princess finds herself falling to her knees on the cold, stone floor and panting to catch her breath. Her heart pounds against her chest, and she barely recognizes Rouge’s hands grasping at her arms and shoulders before her face is pressed against the soft warmth of the older woman’s breasts.
“Easy, love. Easy. I heard everything. You’re safe, I promise. Listen to my breath. Follow my breath, okay? In… Hold… Out… Good, again,” she directs, her voice soft and calm despite the raging storm flooding Shadow’s rational thoughts.
“Rouge-” the young woman hiccups, “I… I can’t-”
“Shhh, shhh,” a silk-gloved hand cups over Shadow’s muzzle, effectively hushing her for the moment. “We’re still in the hall, love. We don’t need nosy nobles seeing you like this. Can you walk?” The shaken princess nods in response, though most of her weight still leans against her maid’s strong embrace. “Then, let's get you to your room. We have a lot to discuss.”
With slow and unsteady steps, Shadow somehow makes her way back to her bedroom and immediately collapses upon her bed, unable to even look at Rouge as she buries her face into her pillow and clutches at the bedsheets. The maid allows her charge to have a moment of quiet once the room door has been shut and locked, and she sits on the edge of the bed while she patiently waits for the dark hedgehog to muster her thoughts and strength.
“... There has to be a way out of this, Rouge,” Shadow eventually croaks out, moving her mouth away from the embrace of her pillow and laying her head sideways to look at her only friend.
“Mm, give me a few days to think of something, my dear,” the bat sighs. “I’m certain your sweetheart won’t be happy either when she hears about this and will try anything to keep it from happening.”
A gentle hand is then placed against the heiress’ head, and her eyes close as she takes in the comforting touch of her caretaker. “I don’t want Sonic to get hurt…” she weakly pleas. “I’ve lost too much already. I don’t think I can bear to lose her too.”
“I know, sweetie, I know. Like I said, just give me a few days, okay? Let me see what I can work out underneath that nose of your brother’s.”
Shadow gives a small nod in response, and, after falling asleep, she surprisingly finds herself and Rouge left alone to their own devices for the rest of the week. Which becomes a major relief for the shaken royal as she needs the reprise from her brother’s rage and father’s control to gather her own thoughts and prepare for what she has to do next.