Being with her fiance made her smile, giddy and elated. A feeling that she craved for more just like some kind of drug. It made her forget the sadness, loneliness, and especially grief of losing Haisley.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The clackety-clack of horses' hooves on the cobbled street provided a somewhat soothing sound in the background to the changing scenery outside the carriage window.

As the sun rose, the street became more crowded with people going about their daily activities. Some were in a hurry to get to work or complete their morning errands as quickly as possible, while others were strolling and enjoying the new day.

I scooted a little closer by the window with wide eyes while the carriage went further down the street. It had been a while since I went out of the palace.

"Lady Elaine, we're nearing the orphanage," Ruiz, the knight disguised as a hard-working coachman, announced.

When I informed Lucas this morning that I wanted to visit the boy at the orphanage, he immediately provided me with a carriage and assigned a few knights, after informing the king of course.

According to Lucas, the boy had suffered abuse at the hands of his father and begged not to be taken back home, which was why they brought him to an orphanage.

As the carriage rolled to a stop, cheerful voices could be heard as children played in an open area beside the orphanage. It looked like a normal orphanage at first glance, there was nothing suspicious about it.

But the cheerful screams and laughter were abruptly interrupted by the sound of an angry shout.

"So this is where you've been hiding?!" A man was gripping a small boy's arm with one hand while clutching a bottle of alcohol in the other. "You ungrateful brat!"

Without a second thought, I leaped out of the carriage, ignoring Ruiz's concerned call as I approached the pair at a quick pace.

"Hey ass-I mean, excuse me!" I called out, quickly correcting myself. Even though I was disguised as the daughter of a wealthy merchant, it's not yet time for my inner barbarian to be exposed. The knights accompanying me would rat me out on how foul-mouthed I was to the captain, Lucas, who would eventually inform Edmund. And surely it will reach the news to Haisley's ears and likely cry to me while giving my punishment.

I could already see the scene unfolding. "Oh princess, how could you speak of those words? Did I not tell you to not use such language? Have I failed to raise you as your guardian? Where did I go wrong? Oh Queen Selene, I've brought you shame! Princess, please hold your tongue properly. I'll stop purchasing your chocolates and instruct Sir Bismarck not to give you also until you fully reflect on your actions."

"Nyot mai nyoholate!"

Fuck.

It's Haisley I should be afraid and not Edmund.

As the sudden predicament had dawned upon me, I slowed my pace. I locked eyes with the boy, who refused to get dragged by the drunken man. He was adorably cute with white hair and large bluish-grey eyes. The boy had the successfully broke free from the grip and ran towards my direction, almost stumbling in the process. Tears fell down to his cheeks but instead of fear, his eyes glistened in joy and relief.

"Get back here, you damn brat!" The drunken man bellowed, causing the children flinched in fright.

The shorter boy tackled me into a hug nearly making me lose my balance. He then tilted his head looking at me with wide teary eyes.

Oh!

With the boy now clean and fed properly, he definitely looked different.

The forming smile on my lips falter when I heard disturbing words from the man's mouth.

"I should have cut your legs instead of that tongue of yours. You are like your mother, useless!" He stomped towards us, his hands reaching out to drag the boy away from me.

Quickly I pulled the boy behind me and glared at the man.

His flushed scruffy face turned into an even deeper shade of red as I stood in his way. "Move aside, little girl. I'm taking my son back with me," he snarled, booze reeked heavy on his breath.

"No," I declared firmly, staring at him dead in the eye. "What kind of father are you to cut your son's tongue? If you don't want to end up in prison, leave now and never return."

At first, he seemed taken aback, almost intimidated by how I carried myself, not cowering like any normal child against an angry man. But even so, I was still a child, my words wasn't enough for him to back off. With a sinister smile creeping across his face, he spoke with a mocking tone, "A little girl ordering me what to do? Let's see you're still high and mighty when I smash this bottle over your head!" He lifted the bottle, spilling some of the alcohol in the process. "I'll fuck your mother when I find out where you living."

For some reason I was enveloped with the feeling of outrage when I heard him on what he'll do to the dead queen-a stranger to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my escorts draw their swords, ready to strike.

To insult and threaten two members of a royalty was enough for the knights to execute the man on the spot. I wouldn't mind seeing him dead in front of me. The thought of him cutting his own son's tongue sickened me to the core. But it would be an awful sight to let these innocent children witness such violence.

My hand grabbed the thing that children should not grab. I gripped it hard, making him release a pained scream. The bottle fell on the grass with a soft thud as its contents spilled out and the scent of liquor mixed with the air.

"Prin- Lady Elaine, please, I beg you, let that thing go," Ruiz pleaded urgently.

As the man fell to his knees at the sudden pain, I released my grip.

Staring down at him with masked pity, I spoke mockingly, "Aww, you speak so bold and proud like some big strong man but," I opened and closed my hand a few times and the smirk that I could no longer contain had formed on my lips, "oh my, how small."

"P-p-p-p-pri-" Lost for words, that's all Ruiz could say.

The man's face flushed in embarrassment and rage. "You-you-you little sh-" He was about to attack me when another knight swiftly intervened, pressing his sword against the man's throat.

"I dare you to continue and I'll make sure you'll die a slow painful death," Leo warned.

"Princess!" Ruiz, who was now out from being dumbfounded called, still too shocked that he called my title. He then held my wrist moving away from me as if he was making sure my hand wouldn't touch my body, treating it like it was infected with some sort of disease or curse. He spoke as he removed his white buttoned shirt and covered my hand, "We must disinfect your hand and soak it with holy water for an hour!"

I looked at the half-naked Ruiz and almost laughed but saw how serious the knight was. "I don't think that is necessary, Sir Ruiz."

But he wasn't listening, lifting me up. "We must go back!" He looked at me and said, "Hang in there, princess."

Do I look dying?

"Ah! Wait!" I protested as he started to walk back to the carriage. "The child. He'll come with us."

It did not take ten minutes after arriving back to the Royal Estate for the news of the ding-dong grabbing incident to travel to some certain people.

I quickly directed one of the servants to escort the mute child to one of the guest rooms at the Emerald Palace before I got dragged away by Ruiz to perform a cleansing wash for my hand, while Leo placed the boy's father to the prison.

While my dirty hand was being soaked in holy water, in just a couple minutes Haisley entered the room, her face was drained of color. Her eyes gazed on my soaked hand before she exchanged few for words with Ruiz and took charge, guiding me to the Moon Palace where a ready bath was waiting to be used.

Haisley was awfully quiet, too focused on scrubbing my now red hand, while the other maids were washing the rest of my body with a confused look. Haisley left the room without a word after.

I couldn't help but wonder. Aren't they overreacting a bit?

Fresh from the bath, I headed back to the Emerald Palace with stinging hand and a purpose to see the boy. I had just stepped inside the palace when Mykel appeared in front of me out of nowhere. As I calmed myself from the sudden fright, I noticed the royal adviser was staring at my hand that I subconsciously hid it behind me.

"Please follow me, your highness," he said with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Even if I didn't want to, I had a feeling that I'll be drag one way or another, so I followed him silently out the Emerald Palace.

Soon, we arrived at a very familiar building. Mykel opened the door of the church. At the altar, there stood the priestess waiting for me. Priestess Irene beckoned me while Mykel closed the door behind me.

"Shall we begin, princess?" She asked gently when I arrived at the front. Begin with what? Without waiting for my answer she continued, "I will now perform the purification ritual."

A spiritual cleansing?!

This was too much! Why are you doing this to me?! You all are overreacting!

Irene started the purification ritual while glaring at my hand as if it had came from the depths of hell. But at some point in the process of this ridiculous ritual I felt a pricking pain on my hand.

What in the world?

After the unnecessary cleanse I was left exhausted that I decided to call it a day even though the morning was just about to end and locked myself in my room.

Thank the moon that neither the king and the crown prince made an appearance. I don't know what they might do and I don't want to find out.

"Might as well just cut off my hand if this continues," I muttered in frustration.

When Haisley arrived with my lunch I tasked her with looking after my guest. My instructions were somewhat vague but I let her do the judging on how she interprets my words.

I woke up with the sun had already set. The room was dark with the moonlight spilled into the room enough to see the silhouette of the object.

And see someone seated beside me.

I immediately closed my eyes hoping I was wrong, but I couldn't ignore the steady stare directed to me.

"You're awake," the king's voice broke the silence. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes once again and met his gaze. His features were partially illuminated with his pair of gold eyes that seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. I couldn't help but be entranced by his beauty.

But I was quickly broke from the spell when Edmund took my hand inspecting it closely.

...Surely he isn't considering cutting off my hand, is he?

Did I just cursed myself when I spoke of cutting my hand? Stars, it was merely an exaggeration.

I was about to defend myself by telling him all the cleaning procedure that my hand had gone through but he beat me to that and spoke.

"Don't. Don't do that ever again, Elaine."

I blinked at him. A wave of relief washing over me as I realized my hand was safe.

"Or else I'll chop every men's private part in all Luville Kingdom," he continued. In the darkness, his menacing expression was the most frightful I have ever seen.

Nightmare will definitely visit me.

"Yes," I answered but my impulsive thought made me continue and asked, "even yours father?"

"..."

A short silence hung between us, staring at each other with out unfazed yet tired face.

"...Yes, even mine." He nodded and mumbled after, saying, "Starting with Lucas."