Making her way up the floral mountain with the woman and boy not too far behind her, the girl hears whispers, very faint whispers. There was someone watching them, but they weren’t too careful at hiding the fact. She wondered how rookie they had to have been.

They couldn’t be that strong, probably nothing more than a gang of rascals or thugs. But, wasn’t a bit too early to go through her first trial in this world? And fourteen-years-old at that? What were the powers that be doing?

This kind of test? Oh well, she died once already. The people she was scared for were the two boys looking at her as a lead.

Theo as she froze in fear, stopping in her place. They were coming closer. She mind swam in panic. She’d have to prove herself as a protector. As a loyal servant to their kingdom.

A kingdom she’d worn to protect with her life. As the footsteps she heard began to come closer, she unraveled the harness that she had the crown prince and gently, without a word, she’d have to protect the crown prince at any given time. Perhaps this was a test for her.

As the rustles becomes more apparent--test or not the threat had become too real for her not to act accordingly. Noir stops in her place, taking out the hunting knife she was given for their exploration that day.

“Boy? What’s wrong?”

“Take your His Majesty and run.” She mutters, gritting her teeth and shooing them away. Adele didn’t have much time to react or to ask Noir what his words met. She heard an audible gasp and saw Noir clutching his chest. An arrow had struck his heart.

“J-JUST RUN!”

Adele stood there in shock. There was Noir, mortally wounded, in the forest by mysterious people. And neither she nor the child she was holding could help him.  The woman did as he was asked, and ran. She clutched the boy tight to her chest, reaching the castle in a panicked hast. She stopped a nearby maid and guard, who in turn called for a doctor and Sir Monet.

Meanwhile Noir could feel her body sting and slump from the arrow wound. She thought about the possibility of the arrow being poisoned. She couldn’t be too sure. To an adult being poisoned could draw one to an ill state, but recovery was possible. However, to a small child, that poison could mean death. She also had the fear if she were to take the arrow out, with fears that it would break while in her body.

After contemplating, she decides to take the chance. 

She braces herself, chomping down are her bottom lip for the string to hit her.

Slowly, she yanked the arrow  from her chest. Luckily, it missed her heart. It didn’t look like it was a mistake either. 

Just who was targeting them?

Lost in her thoughts, she looks up to see a group of people heading her way. Leading them was a girl, around her age, maybe a bit older, stood in front of her injured body looking utterly disgusted. Her hair was dark, almost raven and her eyes were a cool grey. She had haunting looks and cruel attitude at such a young age could only at the very least prelude to the villainess she’d be in the future.

Antionette duBois. 

“You’re His Majesty’s bodyguard? You look strong enough. Although you look...different. Your name is Noir, right? I’m aware that you’re still a child, but doesn’t mean you cannot improve in the coming future.”

The girl had been born from her mother, a teenage girl and her father a much too old aristocrat. Due to arrangements while they were both young, they married around the time Hilarie turned eighteen. In the novel she ruled along with Hilarie as his queen, until the night he had killed everyone in the castle. Instead of being killed by him, she ended her own life through poison. Having been controlled her whole life, she wanted her last actions to be dictated by herself. The Princess, at fourteen-years-old, despite her beauty and sweet demeanor, was a terrible person.

Slowly bleeding out, she grabs the princess’ pink, frilled dress. The teenage girl glances back at her with disgust, kicking her off in response.

“Your staining my clothes you dirty commoner!” She screams, looking at her dress as if she intended to burn it after. 

“Listen well. I’m going to be your Empress one day so you will have to do what I say, ok?”

“Yes...My Lady.”