Their shoulders brush past and he turns back only to see Lilith wrap her arm around Ariana's and hand her the handkerchief. He watched as Ariana grinned at Lilith, watched as Ariana took the hand that was previously wrapped around her arm and kissed the back of Lilith's palm with a smile against the fair skin.

Chase's mouth shut to a grim line and he merely stared at Lilith and Ariana as Rienne as well as Alice joined them and gave Ariana their handkerchiefs. Watching her laugh like that, paying no mind to him... It felt strange. Perhaps it was because in the past, during events like these, the receiver of her handmade delicately crafted handkerchiefs was him. It was always him. He should've had the foresight to see that the girl who always patiently followed his back is gone. Now, every glance over the shoulder feels hollow. All that remains is the faint echo of a laughter he would always recognize and the gentle footfalls he once detested. He missed it now, he yearned for that sincerity he so pathetically failed to notice. He knew he did, there was no denying it and it was selfish. But he could not help but indulge in these selfish thoughts and the vain hope that maybe someday, he would turn back and see her there, following him with that childish stubbornness he used to hate.

"Your grace...?" the girl called to him, her features displaying her confusion at his long silence. Goodness, he almost forgot she was there.

"Oh, my apologies... Thank you for your generosity." He accepted her handkerchief and smiled. She left giggling, but he stayed right where he was for a few more seconds before sighing and getting on his horse.

The event began soon after. The trumpets roared and the heavy hoofs of each steed beat the ground with thumps. The participants rode into the forest, leaving the echoes of cheering behind. Swarms of women waved their hands at the distant backs of the contesters, shouting praises and well wishes. Lilith looked away from the backs of the riders and spotted a little grumpy prince sitting with his hands crossed.

"My dear prince, why the pouting?" Lilith muffled a laugh behind her palm, and couldn't resist pinching those chubby cheeks.

"Big sis, it's not fair! What's the use of all these months of horseback riding if I'm not even allowed to join?" the second prince muttered, his little feet dangling off the edge of his seat.

"Didn't they say you are still too young, your highness? You've only been able to ride on a pony. How could they let you compete with a pony against the other lords riding on grown steeds? Not to mention they have had much more training with hunting on horseback than you. It's also dangerous, how could we let our favorite prince get hurt?"

"I can do it- Wait... I'm your favorite?" the young boy paused, eyes bright.

"Shh... don't tell your brother." with a finger to her lip and a sly wink, she whispers to him.

"Don't worry, I know how to keep secrets!" he smirks, giving her two thumbs up. His mood appears to have lightened up. "I'll catch you one of those pretty worms I saw earlier!"

"What an... honor." Lilith rubbed his cheek gently with her thumb, tickling him. He giggled and ran off to who knows where to reward Lilith with a precious worm. How generous indeed.

"My... What an admirable bond you two possess, your highness." a woman spoke to her nearby. Hearing that familiar tone, Lilith flinched. With a slight turn of the head, Lilith recognizes the woman immediately. She swiftly plastered a neutral smile on her face before facing the great Marchioness Bailey.

"Greetings your grace, I failed to see you there." Lilith takes her seat as she watches the older woman curtsy to her. The Marchioness takes pride in her etiquette and perfect cruises. They were so perfect, Lilith despised watching her perform them. Lilith recalled how harsh the marchioness's etiquette lessons were back in her first life. A wooden plank would hit the back of her legs each time the marchioness deemed Lilith's curtsy not low enough. How odd, that now the curtsy the marchioness had just performed barely bent her knees.It didn't take long for Lilith to assume the reason.

Ever since Lilith's ascension to princesshood, she had not lacked an invitation from Marchioness Bailey. The Marchioness certainly spared no effort to bombard Lilith with countless invitations to every little event of celebration. Lilith had refused all of them and now it appears the Marchioness's patience had run dry. At that moment, her eyes were cold and chilly, perhaps Lilith had been too arrogant now?

"Did you also fail to see my letters?" The marchioness chuckled, her frown lines apparent and only aging her more. Unlike Beatrice, who remained looking quite youthful in appearance even when she suffered the miserable fate of being wed to duke Skyler, that beast dressed as man. Lilith guessed that perhaps this was another reason why her two stepmothers never got along, neither in the past or now.

Readjusting her expression, Lilith laughed at the marchioness's little remark, "Don't jest with me, your grace. I never knew this humorous side of you."

"...Jest? What do you take me for, your highness?" The marchioness sighed, her face coated with a silent frustration willing to burst free. She takes a seat, rubs her wrinkled forehead, before continuing, "Why have you been neglecting my invitations, your highness? I hear you are quite close to my daughter."

Daughter? As Lilith remembered, it was mostly marquess Bailey's idea to welcome Harper into their house, with the marchioness's protests being quite the reassurance. Now Harper is her daughter? Even in her past life, this so loving mother hesitated calling Lilith her daughter even when she swore that she did love her. But now here she is, proudly declaring her relation to the new Saintess... Lilith would only be lying if she said it didn't sting at least a little. She had so much she wanted to say, so much to ask.

She might never forget when her "family" turned their backs on her when the world abandoned her too. She can still sense the faint ghost of the tears that streamed down her face that night, locked away in a cell with the rats, tainted with the smell of manure, the beatings of those guards who took such pleasure in degrading a forsaken aristocratic woman, who they never would have been able to reach previously.

But now that doesn't matter huh? There's nothing to be discussed. Because Lilith Bailey doesn't exist in this world, she was gone, erased, that's it. Nothing exists between now, this pair of "mother and daughter". Marchioness Bailey taught her almost all she knew, from a scrambling common born girl, she was transformed into a noble lady. Lilith has experienced many mothers during her two lives, it's 4 now isn't it? But among them, perhaps the marchioness taught her the most, even with her strictness. In the past, Lilith had learned to find comfort in the harshness of the marchioness's ways. She never knew her real mother, perhaps forever she will think of the marchioness as her first mother.

So what now? Perhaps forgive and forget?

Now the marchioness taught her many things, forgiveness and mercy were not one of them.

"Neglecting is a strong word, your grace... The saintess Harper is a dear girl to me, your grace. I've just been so exhausted lately, so many events and parties and what not... Being a princess is quite exhausting, no?" Lilith sat as well, leaning back leisurely and sighed. With a discreet peek, she caught the sight of the marchioness's brows twitching.

Lilith sat up, taking the marchioness's hands into hers and smiled brightly, "Oh forgive my recklessness, your grace! Worry not, for I will be sure to accept your invites if another were to come. I have been careless, I hope your grace will find it in yourself to make amends."

The marchioness was stunned for a moment, perhaps perplexed even, but she looked aside, seeing how so many of the noble womens' heads were turned at the sight of such a "intimate interaction" between the two. Relishing the attention and envy, the marchioness raised her chin and smiled at Lilith, "Oh princess, there's nothing to forgive, you are one of the most honored ladies in the empire. I simply wanted to be acquainted with such a fine lady such as yourself, please do keep your promise."

She shook Lilith's hand quickly before withdrawing herself with a much lower curtsy than before, and Lilith watched, with much amusement, as the stone hearted marchioness proudly walked back to the crowd of ladies with her chin held high and ears eager to hear the questions of the other ladies.

From the first moment she stepped inside the Bailey house as a little girl, the marchioness was this formidable example of nobility and grace. But now, Lilith saw that the marchioness was... quite simple after all. Lilith had once admired the authority the marchioness possessed that came with being born noble and high, she found beauty in her arrogance and coldness, now she finally sees the ugliness of it all.

"Maybe everyone was right to detest me as I was before..." Lilith quietly muttered to herself. Once, she felt frustrated, why did they hate her so? She played the part of a true born noble well, didn't she? For a while, it was like she was accepted. Then Evelina came along, and it all changed. Maybe they just never fully let go of the fact she was merely a lie, a commoner playing the part of a noble. Perhaps Evelina was just the right excuse and push they needed to unify themselves against one common enemy.

"Big sis? Why are you just sitting like that, staring at nothing?" A voice startled her awake from her entrapping mind. She looked down and found herself staring at prince Leon, in his hand was a squirming worm. Lilith sighed and took the little squirming fellow into her fingers and smiled at the prince.

******

"...And the time has come to end! May the contestants all return!" The servant announced as his eyes remained focused on the pocket watch in his hand. The trumpets groaned for a while before releasing their cry to the sky for all to hear.

The crowd of watchful eyes waited with bated breath for the sounds of thumping hoofs, and when it came they cheered and called out for whomever they were eagerly waiting for. Lilith, alongside Rienne and Alice, stood together as they searched for Arianna's long hair amongst the mass of men.

"There she is!" Alice pointed. The other two rushed to search and there Arianna was, riding behind a few riders with her hair rebelling against the restraints of her ribbon keeping them in place. The three ladies rushed to meet her and Arianna carefully stopped her horse at their approach. With laboring breaths and sweat leaking down her cheek, she dismounted from her horse and waved to them.

"Arianna, what did you catch?" Rienne asked impatiently as she watched as all the other contestants showed off their achievements. Most brought back bloodied rabbits, some brought goats.

"Take a look." Arianna, wiping off the sweat coating her forehead with Lilith's handkerchief, pointed her head to her horse who seemed to be dragging something quite big that's been tied to it's saddle. When Rienne moved to see, she gasped.

"4 boars on your first hunt! Well done, my lady! You're the winner aren't you?"

Arianna chuckled but shook her head, "Unfortunately the winner is over there..."

The four turned to look, and found the announcer, along with the emperor and empress by the side of the crown prince, who brought with him a large blood drenched stag.

"The winner is none other than our marvelous crown prince, congratulations your highness!" The announcer shouted as the emperor bestowed the golden metal around the eldest prince's neck. The empress spoke a few words before pinching her son's cheek and hugging him, despite the few bloodstains on his clothes...

Rienne's eyes twitched and she crossed her arms, huffing with disapproval, "What's so impressive about a stag anyway..."

"It's alright, lady Arianna, you already did so great! Way better than him anyway..." Alice pointed at Rulias who presented 1 single rabbit to a blushing lady who was definitely not his wife, who was actually standing not very far and very much rolling her eyes to the skies at the scene of another one of her husband's conquests for a beautiful lady. The four chuckled at the sight and Lilith took the handkerchief in Arianna's hand before wiping away the blood, dirt, and sweat away from Arianna's face herself.

"His highness might be the emperor's winner, but you can be mine and really what's the difference?" Lilith smirked. Arianna was dumbfounded for a moment before a smile bloomed on her face.

"Who wants to be his majesty's winner when one can be the greatly honored second princess's winner anyway? I would choose the latter anytime!" Rienne laughed and brought them all for a group hug before dragging them away to the tables where all awaited to gloat and boast.

******

Ladies gathered around Arianna, asking if it was difficult keeping up with the men. Arianna shook her head and said a simple, "No."

Rienne's laugh rang through the crowd as she took the delicious pleasure in degrading every man that fared worse than Arianna, who was supposedly less experienced and weaker than them, accompanied by the silvered haired second princess who nodded at the side with a grin and the lady Alice who clapped and clapped.

"Please, it's just a few boars, no need to go on and on about it..." Rulias, who was one of those lucky men, sighed.

"Quiet you! I don't see your boar, my lord! Why don't you return to showing off that single scrawny rabbit you're so proud of!" Rienne rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so nonsensical, Rienne... Your emotions are getting the better of you." Rulias turned away.

"This bastard..." Rienne muttered under breath with gritted teeth as she suppressed the malicious words waiting to escape the confines that are her shut lips.

"My lord, go terrorize some other poor maiden." Alice added, pulling Rienne back away from him. Rulias glared but couldn't do much else, after all, those two were under the second princess's protection, what could he do? With a curse, he marched on off.

"Not going to go after him, lady Evelina?" Lazily resting her head against her hand, Lilith raised her brows at the slouching young lady sitting a table away who jolts in response.

"Why are you sitting so far away? Come here." Lilith beamed, her smile ever inviting and Evelina had no choice but to comply under the curious eyes of the ladies who whispered amongst themselves.

"Oh dear, you're so pale, is the weather too harsh for you?" Lilith stood, her face painted with concern so vivid it was almost touching. She smiled as she pressed the back of her palm against Evelina's cheek, "How about we let you rest up inside my tent, hm?"

Evelina slapped her hand away, inciting a few cries of shock from those around, but she didn't care. She glared hatefully at the "frightened" princess before her and sneered whilst uttering softly, "What the f*ck do you want, b*tch?"

Arianna stands, moving to approach but Lilith stops her with a reassuring smile.

"Oh dear Eve, look, everyone's looking. Don't cause a scene now, it's especially undignified for a married lady such as yourself." Lilith smiled and patted Evelina's sunken pale cheek. She turns back to the crowd and reassures, "Lady Evelina is simply feeling a little distressed under such hot weather, she'll be fine after a few moments under the shade."

Inside the tent, Evelina shoved Lilith away, eyes glaring and wary.

"Why the worry on your pretty face, Eve? It fills my heart with such sorrow seeing you diminished to some frightful animal." Lilith grinned.

"Is this where you're gonna murder me, huh, is that it Lilith? Come to drink my blood? Well go on then! You think I fear death?! I don't!"

"No, no of course you don't, if you did you wouldn't have done what you have. Tsk, tsk..." Lilith pressed a finger to her temple and shook her head, wearing a helpless expression on her face.

"This makes you happy, right? Taking all I have... And now you're gonna what? Stab me to death here? Is that it? You psycho b*tch..." Evelina sneered. "Was it tiring?! Hiding under the guise of a righteous and kind princess, when in reality you have always been a mad sadist?!"

"Maybe in the end, dear sister, we'll both go mad." Lilith twirled a lock of her silver hair and grinned ear to ear. "But no, I won't be dirtying my hands with your blood today. But I will bless my ears with your screams of agony."

"..." Evelina stands there for a moment, puzzled and she looks around. There are no blades in the tent, just a few couches, a set of spare clothes, a long mirror, that's it. Nothing that posed some sort of threat... What was she planning? Evelina contemplated running out, but that's ridiculous! She isn't some coward! She will not give in to this mad woman's attempts to scare her!

Lilith stepped closer, and closer until she was but a few inches away. She chuckled and rubbed Evelina's cheek, almost tenderly. Then abruptly, she pushed Evelina so roughly she fell back against a table and something shattered on her gown. Momentarily stunned, Evelina was shook back to reality by Lilith's gasp, "Oh dear! My lady, your gown!"

Evelina looked down and there it was, a lantern that had shattered upon her gown, spilling the flame onto her cotton pure gown. Evelina felt the sting of the fire against her leg and barely had time to scream or move before the flame rose up and consumed half her form. She yelled and ran around but she could barely see or even feel, nothing but searing heat and terror.

"Someone! Help! Lady Evelina is in danger!" Lilith pulled apart the tent's entrance and pleaded for help. Servants rushed in search of buckets of water and the ladies screamed and screeched as they watched the commotion unravel into chaos.

Evelina, delirious and confused, was finally doused in water. Her ears were ringing, she could barely lift one eye and when she did, she came face to face with the scene of all crowding around her kneeling self. Her dress had been, well in ruins now, leaving almost nothing to cover. But that wasn't even the worst bit.

"Oh my... Her face...!" Someone, Evelina couldn't recognize whom, shouted so loudly it overwhelmed the ringing. With great pain, she swept her gaze elsewhere and saw Lilith, in the embrace and comfort of her friends, sobbing so beautifully it was out of a fairytale.

Evelina, slowly, with all the strength she had, raised a hand and touched the part of her that hurt the most. Her left cheek was... Was it even flesh anymore? It felt like melted wax... hot and sticky and... oh that smell! Evelina fell back, laid on the floor, her realization came just before succumbing to unconsciousness...

Half her body was burned, and now half her face was ruined. She was half of what she was...

Half maiden and half a monster.

____________________

A/N: long chapter for the long ass wait... Hope this was worth the wait and I'm so thankful to all for reading this far! Tysm for being rlly, rlly patient... :D (forgive me for any typos or errors as I am rushing)