"What was that?" Catherine asked when she heard a scream near the forest. Ria looked at her shaking her head. Ria does not want Catherine to put herself in trouble. Catherine looked at Josephine and she also shook her head.

"But-"

"No, Your Highness." Catherine sighed and run towards the place where she heard the scream. Josephine and Ria looked stunned but they were still able to follow Catherine in the forest.

Although it was day time, when the three ladies entered the forest, their surroundings turned dark. It was almost as if night time fell in that place for a really long time. The wind brushed passed the ladies who stopped their tracks when they entered the forest. Ria looked back to see where they came from but all she found was vast darkness behind them. No sign of people roaming around and no town to be seen.

Catherine flicked her finger and there was a fire lit in her fingers. She placed her finger in the ground and a trail was made using the fire. It served as their light that illuminated the place. Catherine scanned the place and so did Josephine and Ria, getting ready to defend themselves in whatever may come their way.

"What is this place?" Catherine commented as they started walking to the trail she created. There was no one in the place but trees in different forms.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

"There!" Catherine pointed at the far end of the forest. They run their way and Catherine saw a girl with a ripped dress, from running away from her beast-like pursuers. There were three men who were too big to be called a human. Their muscles were almost torn for being too compact with each other. Their eyes were red and dilated while there was foam in their mouth. They had claws in their hands trying to grab the helpless girl.

Catherine rushed in and used her earth elements to get the girl behind her. The girl clings to her dress, crying in fear. Catherine looked closely at the beast-like creatures and she could tell that they used to be humans.

"Who would do such a thing? Ria!" She called but no one answered her. She looked around and she saw no one, not even a shadow of Ria and Josephine.

While looking around, the creature swung his mighty claws across Catherine. With her reflexes, she pushed the girl and jumped, but her long dress got stuck in a branch, making her fall down. When she got up, she ripped her dress, making it short. She ran to the girl who was about to be attacked by one of the creatures. Catherine moves her hand in a horizontal way towards the beast and vines appeared, restraining the beast. She did this to the other creature while protecting the girl.

"LOOK OUT!" The girl cried. Catherine was clawed by the creature in her arms and it jumped towards her. She used her free arm and pointed at the beast. The vines she used to restrain the other creatures, became sharp and was covered in fire. It pierced the beast right across its stomach in mid-air as it coughed up blood.

The girl helped Catherine stand to her feet. As if on queue, the darkness around them vanish and they were met with blue sky. Ria and Josephine came running to Catherine who looked wrecked, with her ripped dress and a bloody arm. Josephine runs towards Catherine who looked at her with a smile.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The girl she saved cried on her knees. Catherine helped her up and hugged the girl who was shaking in fear.

"What's you na-" Catherine coughed and fell to her knees. She looked at her hands which she used to cover her mouth when she cough to find it with crimson red blood.

"Catherine," Ria said in disbelief as she stared at the creature on the ground covered in his own blood. The creature with a beast-like appearance turned into a human and so did the creatures she restrained with her element.

"No." Catherine held her throat as she coughs blood in her dress before the darkness consumed her.

"CATHERINE!" Ria screamed and rushed towards the unconscious Catherine who was now on the ground. Josephine, Ria, and the girl carried Catherine back to the palace.

When they arrived, they shut the door close and cleaned Catherine from her bloodied body. They changed her into a new set of clean clothes while Maria and Elle stood by the door. They wondered what happened that they were all in a rush and a girl who looked like a commoner was also with them.

"Should we tell His Majesty?" Maria asked, worried. Elle nodded and they went to his office.

"What are you doing here? Are you not serving Her Highness?" Konnor asked the maids, for it is very uncommon for maid from the princess' chambers to come to Lucas' office.

"Is there something that matters?" Konnor asked again, worried that something may have happened to the princess.

"Uhm." Elle stuttered.

"Tell me." Lucas coldly said that made them shiver. Unlike, Catherine's friendly demeanor, Lucas shouts of 'do not disturb me or I will kill you'. With his golden eyes, that seem to dig into people's souls, no one dares to look at him straight in the eyes.

"Her Highness came back being carried by Lady Ria and Lady Josephine," Maria stated.

"Being carried?" Konnor wondered.

"YOU MEAN UNCONCIOUS?!" Konnor shouted. Lucas stood up and went to Catherine's chambers. He knocked on the door but silence answered him.

"Open the door, His Majesty the King is here to visit," Konnor announced. Immediately, Josephine opened the door with sweat in her forehead. They tried so hard to conceal Catherine's wounds. Lucas entered the room to see Catherine sleeping in her bed, peacefully.

"What is the problem?" Lucas scanned the room to see an unfamiliar girl in the corner, trembling in fear with her head bowed so low.

"Her Highness got so tired that she passed out. She will wake up after a good rest." Ria said to Lucas as he moved closer to the bed where Catherine is sleeping. He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed Catherine's sleeping face.

"Who is that?" Lucas asked without removing his gaze on Catherine's face.

"She will be serving Her Highness from now on," Josephine answered politely.

"Is that so? Why haven't I heard anything about this?"

"She is a new recruit." Lucas nodded.

"Very well, then," Lucas said and stood up and returned to his office with Konnor.

"What will happen to her?" The girl Catherine saved asked.

"What's your name?" Ria ignored her questions and move closer to her.

"I-I'm C-Catalina S-Stryker." 

"Where are you from? Why were you in that kind of place?" Ria bombarded her with questions. Josephine held her back because Catalina started crying again.

"I.... I was just trying to making ends meet. I needed money and they told me that if I go to the forest at noon, they will get me a job." She sobbed as she wiped her tears.

"When I got there, the place suddenly turned dark and the three beasts run after me. T-then that girl came. Please, I'll do anything. Don't kill me." Catalina begged on her knees while crying.

"We will not kill you." Josephine massaged her temple due to the frustration she felt.

"B-but that girl has some weird abilities."

"Calm down. She saved you, didn't she?" Ria handed her a cup of water which she gladly took. Josephine and Ria explained to Catalina what they were since she already saw what happened in the forest. They decided to keep her as Catherine's handmaiden for the time being until they find her a permanent job.

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