She'd misjudged the strength of the tree branch, not taking into account the stronger winds that blew higher up in the tree.

And now the sickening plunge that sent a pit of ice into the pit of her stomach continued to bore deeper while her body accelerated towards the ground.

A limp noodle.

A very soggy, limp noodle.

That's what Sera was right now.

That's what she needed to be, to protect herself and distribute the impact.

The wind whistled in her ears, long strands of brown hair whipping into her face. Hopefully she wouldn't break anything important (like her neck!) and die.

Sera grits her teeth, forcefully relaxing her body for the impact-

-that never came?

Was she still falling?

A soft humming noise buzzed in her ears, but there was no sound of the wind blowing by as she fell..

Rustle.

Her back felt itchy.

Sera blinks watery eyes in confusion.

Blinks again, hard.

There was no pain? Why was there no pain?

Another gust of wind sends the tree waving over her as she laid flat on her back, the sharp scent of fresh grass tickling her nose.

She should have fallen from quite the height from atop the tree?

Sitting up, Sera pats herself down, checking to make sure every bone was still where it should be. Tilting her head in confusion, she looks up at the broken tree branch that she'd fallen from, still hanging off the trunk of the tree.

During the time she'd fallen, imagining herself as a noodle, she'd already reached the ground.

Breathing deeply, Sera's gaze travels upward between the broken tree branch and the grass she now sat on, the confusion making her mind go awry.

Something had slowed her fall?

How was she okay falling from that height? Was the limp noodle method that effective?

But-

The cool blades of soft green grass tickled her fingers as she skimmed her palm over the ground. A shimmering glint on her finger makes her pause, making her notice the ring that Lucien had given her shining brightly atop her finger.

It was eerie in the way the light pulsed, like the heartbeat of a dying creature, as the red light spilling out of her finger dimmed and brightened, dimmed and brightened...

Entranced, Sera gazed at the ring, her expression relaxing. It was soothing to look at the ring, reminding her of Lucien.

Lucien!

With a start, Sera looks around groggily, the sounds around her registering as if she'd only just ascended out of a deep pool.

How she hadn't noticed the racket, she wouldn't know.

"The Queen is dead!!!! I've let the Queen take her life! My life is finished- the R-Red King- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The maid that had accompanied her was screaming into her palms, hands cupping her face as she sobbed noisily. Lucy wept in the exact same location she'd watched Sera climb the tree from.

This girl...

With a heavy sigh, Sera stands up, brushing off her skirts with her free hand while the maid continued to wail.

"Lucy-" She called out towards the girl hunched over with shoulders heaving.

"Lucy!"

The young maid still doesn't hear her, too busy crying her heart out.

In Sera's other tightly clenched hand was the burlap sack with the beehive within it. Somehow before she'd fallen, her hands had hooked the bag on the branch to capture the hive and the precious honey it contained.

Buzzing angrily, a yellow bee escapes out of the sack when Sera momentarily loosens her hold. Luckily, it seemed as disoriented as Sera felt, heading off into the gardens.

Before she could go let Lucy know that she was still alive, it was better to tie the sack shut. Sera didn't want to give Lucy another fright by having a horde of angry bees swarming her way.

"I'm finished!!! Arghhhhhh!!!"

Lucy was also a soprano, Sera cooly observes as she begins to tie a leather strap around the mouth of the sack.

That girl sure did have a set of lungs, wailing in a high pitched voice that could shatter glass.

Wincing, Sera loosens the ribbon under her chin holding her hat tightly on her head. Lucy's sobbing was enough to give her a throbbing headache.

In response to Lucy's cries was the sound of shouting and pounding footsteps running towards the clearing. Heaving another deep sigh, Sera slings the sack over her shoulder.

She needed to calm Lucy down before the matter became bigger than it already was. If Lucy kept saying things like she was dead when the knights got here- Sera shakes her head. No that wouldn't happen. Everything worked out. She got the honey safely(?), all that was left was go back to the cottage and prepare it for the surprise.

No harm, no foul, right?

Another piercing wail as Lucy finally lowers her hands from her face, wiping snot from her nose and crying out into the blue skies: "The Queen is dead!".

Ok, now might be the time to let Lucy know she was still alive.

Gathering the tools she'd dropped from the tree, Sera takes heavy steps towards Lucy, frowning.

High up in the tree branch, the beehive had looked a lot smaller. The beehive was a lot bigger and heavier than she'd expected.

A detached part of her observes the side profile of Lucy that shines with the tears continually spilling down her cheeks. Now that was being overly dramatic. Was Lucy a former opera singer?

It might not have been the best idea to choose one of the younger maids helping in the cottage. Sera had chosen Lucy seeing that she seemed the most fit out of the group. Finding and gathering honey from the beehive took physical labor, and most of the maids working at the cottage were sort of on the plumper side.

"Lucy!"

Sera calls out again, but to no avail. With shuddering cries, the maid was busy rummaging through the basket she'd been carrying for Sera. Auburn hair falls across Lucy's face, fallen out of her two tight braids and hiding her expression from Sera.

There was only a jar of rose water Sera had made to drink later on and some extra knick-knacks and tools Sera thought she'd might need later on.

Sniffling, Lucy finally pulls out something that dully glints in the sunlight. Eyes widening, Sera drops everything, pulling at the roughly dyed tulle fabric slowing down her movements, and starts to sprint towards Lucy.

Those were gardening shears! Why was Lucy taking those out!!?

She can see Lucy sucking in a breath, finally growing quiet as she bares her wrist and-

"Lucy!"

Lucy finally hears Sera's call turning around in shock as the Queen comes running at her, arms pumping, with her skirts still tucked into the belt at her waist.

"Your Majesty!!!!?"

tofu_moon

Thanks for your patience guys! My personal life was too hectic for me to write, hopefully I can release more chappies over the holidays~ <3