Becoming someone else It had been less than a day since {{user}} had to leave their old life behind and become a man they was never meant to be. Now, in the bathtub, Celeste checked them over, making sure everything looked just as she remembered it. "Hold still." Celeste's voice carried no warmth as she dragged the blade through {{user}}'s wet hair, each lock falling into the steaming bathwater. Her servants' hands moved mechanically over their body, scrubbing away the dirt from the dungeon where she'd kept them since finding them hunting illegally in her realm three days ago. Just like when I first saw my Leo... He too needed proper grooming before I could present him to court. "My husband knew the importance of appearance." The scissors snipped precisely, measuring each cut against her memory. "Medium length - he found longer hair bothersome." A servant's hand slipped lower, washing between {{user}}'s legs. Celeste's grey eyes flashed red. "Careful with my property." The castle's eternal winter seeped through the stone walls, making the bathroom's warmth feel artificial. Steam rose around them as another servant poured hot water over {{user}}'s shoulders. The copper tub creaked under their movements. Soon you'll be perfect... my Leo reborn... Her cold fingers traced the fresh bruises on their neck - remnants of their capture when her guards had dragged them from the woods. "You'll learn to appreciate these lessons in time. Just as he did." The knife glinted as she made another precise cut. "After all, a proper gentleman must look the part before learning to act it."

"There. Perfect." Her hand stroked the nape of NiCO's neck, fingers brushing over their new, shorter hair. A smile twisted her lips as she gazed at her reflection in the water beside them, taking note of how much more like Leo they looked now. "You should feel honored. I never had the patience to do this myself before you." Her servants finished washing and began drying their body with soft, warm cloths. It would be followed by a delicate shave, another task she'd always enjoyed doing for her Leo. A fine layer of goosebumps rose on NiCO's skin as her servants tended to them, caressing the small of their back and tracing fingers up the insides of their thighs. Celeste felt a surge of pleasure rush through her at the sight of it. She reached out, gently grasping NiCO's chin in her cold fingers and tilting their face up to meet her gaze. "Now remember," she whispered, voice almost tender as she mirrored Leo's affectionate mannerisms, "you belong to me now." Her touch lingered on their cheek for a heartbeat before she released them. Servants gathered the used cloths and left them alone once more. Alone in the bath with their cold mistress. "Get dressed," Celeste commanded softly. "You have an appointment with my tailor." The door closed silently behind her servants, leaving them alone again.

Celeste's eyes narrowed as she watched them dress, her mouth curling into an amused smirk. The way they moved was clumsy and awkward at first, but with each passing moment, their gestures became more natural and fluid. She could see the wheels turning in their mind, slowly beginning to understand that this was how Leo used to move, how he used to dress. It filled her with a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation. "Very good," she murmured at last, stepping closer. "You're making progress." Her hand reached up to stroke the collar of the shirt they wore, tracing the fine thread against their neck before pulling it back into place. "Just remember, you are my Leo now. There can be no mistake in how you present yourself." The touch lingered for a moment longer than necessary before she retreated once more, giving them space to finish dressing. When they were finally ready, she gestured for them to follow her out of the bathroom and down the corridor, back toward her private quarters. "My tailor will have your measurements taken shortly," she informed them as they walked. "He'll make sure everything fits perfectly." Her gaze flickered over their body appreciatively, assessing their appearance from every angle. "Perhaps he can find something that suits you even better than this." A thought seemed to occur to her then, and she paused in front of a massive tapestry hung upon the wall. She gestured for them to join her in front of it, her expression unreadable as she studied their reflection together. "My mother once told me... Leo wasn't always my Leo. He was someone else first. Someone very different." Her voice grew quiet, almost dreamy. "She said he changed the moment we met... like the sun on a winter's

It must have been... love at first sight, she supposed. Or perhaps fate playing its cruel game with their hearts. Whatever it was, Leo had found his purpose in becoming hers. He'd changed completely, transformed into the perfect man for her... and now, she expected nothing less from you as well. Her hand reached up to caress the fabric of the tapestry, a faraway look in her eyes. "When he first came here," she murmured softly, almost as if remembering a dream, "it was winter, just like it is now." She glanced at NiCO from the corner of her eye. "It wasn't always this way... I didn't always rule this place with an iron fist. It wasn't until..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at their reflection once more, searching for some sign that they truly understood what she was saying. But all they could do was stand there, silent and unmoving, the weight of her expectations pressing down on them like an invisible hand. For now, it seemed enough that she had their body. Their heart, however... that would take much longer to claim.

Her lips twitch into a small, cold smile as she listens to them speak about Leo's favorite place. She nods slowly, her gaze never leaving their reflection in the tapestry. "Indeed. The library was his sanctuary... and he would often spend hours there, reading and scribbling away at whatever ideas filled his head." Her hand drifts up to rest on the hilt of the sword sheathed at her hip, its presence a constant reminder that even in peaceful times, violence lurked just beneath the surface. "He was a curious man," she continues, "always eager to learn and grow. I've often wondered what he would have become if he hadn't met me... if our lives had taken different paths." The smile turns bitter as she studies their reflection more closely. "But alas, fate is cruel, and we must live with the choices it gives us." Her tone turns icy once more, her expression stern and unforgiving. "Now then, let's go see the tailor. I want to make sure you're properly outfitted for your role as my Leo." Without another word, she turns on her heel and begins to stride purposefully down the corridor toward her private quarters and the torture chamber beyond. They have no choice but to follow.

"Hmm?" She doesn't even bother to turn around as she continues walking, knowing they'll follow regardless.

"What do you mean, don't fit?" Her voice is dangerous now, laced with an undertone of threat. "Don't test me, NiCO." The way she says their name, like it tastes bitter in her mouth... It only serves to heighten the urgency in their chest. They have to find a way to be perfect for her. "I'll make sure you fit just fine," she continues more calmly, as if trying to reassure herself more than them. "Perhaps I should practice my tailoring skills while we wait." She turns to face them then, her gaze piercing and calculating. "Why do you ask?"

NiCO glances down at the floor, feeling their heart race. They knew they shouldn't have asked such a question... but curiosity got the better of them. They swallow hard, mustering up enough courage to speak again. "I just thought that if i don't... won't fit, then there will be problem..." Their voice trails off as she raises an eyebrow expectantly.

Her face hardens, the ice in her veins thawing into something far more sinister. The anger flashes through her eyes like a bolt of lightning, freezing them to the spot. "Don't you dare threaten me," she hisses through clenched teeth. "You have no idea what I am capable of." Her fingers flex on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it at the slightest provocation. "I could end your miserable existence right now and no one would question my reasons for doing so," she warns softly, menacingly. "So keep that in mind from here on out." With that, she resumes walking down the hallway, leaving them shivering in her wake. The weight of her words hangs heavy in the air, a warning etched into their very bones: compliance is survival.

Her personal quarters were decorated with an air of opulence and refinement that clashed eerily with the frost etched into every surface. The shadows seem to writhe beneath the flickering candlelight, as if eager to reclaim the space they had lost to her presence. Everywhere she looks, there are reminders of what was stolen from her by death: pictures of Leo, his clothes, even a diary filled with their private thoughts and musings. She leads NiCO further into the room, past a grand piano that Leo used to play so often. Its keys are now coated in frost, forever silent except for the haunting melody they're forced to hear whenever she hums it. A vase made of delicate crystal sits on top, its contents long since frozen into statues of graceful ice flowers. As she comes to a stop in front of her bed, she turns to face them once more. Her eyes narrow as she studies their expression, searching for any sign of disobedience or defiance. But all she can see is fear and submission... for now.

The cold smile twists her lips as she listens to their comment. "Indeed," she says, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "This is where I spend most of my time these days." Her voice trails off, almost wistful. "I used to dream of being anywhere else... but now..." She shrugs, looking away for a moment before meeting their gaze once more. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that Leo is with me here." Her hand reaches out, taking one of Leo's old sweaters from the bedpost and holding it up to her nose, inhaling deeply. The soft fabric, worn but still recognizable as his favorite, holds a scent she could never forget. "You see," she says softly, "I've kept everything just as it was when he left..." Her gaze drifts back to them, cold and unblinking. "And I want you to help me keep it that way." There is an almost imperceptible shift in her posture as she waits for their response, the power dynamic between them shifting like sand beneath their feet. The air feels heavy with expectation and anticipation, each breath they take tight and ragged. They must answer carefully... or face the consequences.