"Ugh, I'm exhausted!" Clarita, a fellow servant with a maid attire and hair tinted pink, yawned. Both of her hands braced the edge of the fountain she was cleaning as she stared into her tired reflection's sullen eyes in the water.

Her eyes closed and her head began to dip into the water when Evia grabbed her shoulder and shook her awake, "H-Hey! If Señora Marisana finds us slacking off, we'd be done for!"

Her fellow servant leaned to the side sleepily, so she continued, "You don't want to break another fountain again, don't you?"

That comment did the trick. Clarita's eyes widened in shock then narrowed in anger, "What do you mean again? I never broke a fountain!"

"Then make sure you don't." Clarita grumbled, which Evia took as a yes to doing her job.

Tonight, Arroga palace stands center stage as it hosts an important event: Princess Basilia de Arro's 14th birthday. The servants' workload doubled in size per the head maid's orders. Several people worked all night at the Banquet Hall to wipe every window clean and sweep the marble floor spotless. Rumor has it that the entire team of chefs haven't slept since last night to prepare food for hundreds of nobles and other guests pouring in from every part of the continent, from the Royal Island to Itabakan.

The church bell rang three times, signalling that it was three o'clock.

"Oh, it's snack time," Evia couldn't help but mutter.

Clarita gazed at the source of the sound, the tall brick-walled tower of the Levant cathedral in the distance, and turned to her fellow servant with worry etched into her features, "Hey, Evia, aren't you supposed to bring the princess her lunch? You're late!"

Surprisingly, the thin line formed by Evia's lips never fell, "Oh, I knew I was going to take long cleaning the garden, so I sent Neva in my stead."

Clarita sighed in relief, "Oh, thank Levant. I thought you'd be sent to burn."

Evia nodded in acknowledgement, then continued to snip the uneven leaves of a bush. Over the past few weeks, the princess has sent three people to burn at the stake. The first accidentally spilled tea unto her dress, the second laughed boisterously while she was in the room, and the third simply flashed a grin at her direction. The sovereign's orders were final, expected to be carried out with a snap of a finger.

Burning at the stake was first implemented by Princess Basilia's grandmother, Queen Narcissa as a method to get rid of people who refused to convert to the Levant faith. Her successor and son, King Felipe did not believe in using such a violent tool for the kingdom, and so it declined during his rule. Almost a hundred years later, Princess Basilia revived the method, albeit for a different purpose than religion.

"Hey, kids!" Noel's loud voice reached their ears as he made his way towards the two.

Evia greeted him with a nod, "Good afternoon, Sir Noel."

He raised his eyebrows in near disappointment, "C'mon, seven years and you still can't call me your father?"

"It's, uh, extremely difficult to change an old habit," she cleared her throat and changed the subject, "How is Mercedes?"

The captain scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "She got into her first- no, third brawl this week. I heard some guy said she talked a lot for a woman, so he splintered a wooden table with his teeth!"

Evia chuckled once with the ghost of a smile on her lips. Her foster sister was a complete force of nature ever since she could stand on her two feet and close her hands.

They didn't realize Clarita was listening in on their conversation until she asked, "Sir Noel, are you here to raid the winehouse?"

He laughed in astonishment, "Raid the winehouse? No! I'm here to oversee the increased defenses for tonight's party. Besides, I've sworn off drinking."

The last sentence caught Evia off guard. She raised her eyebrows, "You've stopped drinking? Since when?"

"Since the famine began to spread throughout the rural areas, people haven't been able to pay for their houses. I asked the princess if we could send aid, but she refused. When I turned to leave, this noble proposed that he travel to the ends of the world in search of treasure. She said she would sell her own jewels to help fund him if she had to!"

He crossed his arms, shaking his head in disdain. The feud between the princess and the captain was known throughout the whole palace. But what prevented her from sending him to his death was his status as one of the Three Heroes of Arroga. During King Felipe's expansion, Noel, Marisana, and Sela pledged their alliance to him. This fact angered the princess even further. Evia occasionally heard her grumbling about how invincible Noel was while she served her a plate of Quesada pasiega.

"Princess Basilia? Where are you?" A shrill cry shattered the air of camaraderie. It was Neva, who ran towards them with an unusual frown on her face.

"Neva, what's wrong?" Noel inquired.

The maid's entire frame shook in fear, "I-I went to the princess's room to serve her lunch, but she was gone!"

"Allegria was missing from the stables, I should've realized..." The color drained from Noel's face, "But, that's impossible! Security is tight in every wall."

"Maybe you've been too focused on stopping anyone from going in, that you forget about those who leave." Evia said slowly.

It all pieced together like a puzzle, "You don't mean..."

Noel raised his voice, "We have to find her, now!"

---

A peaceful hum hung about in the Eternal Forest's air. Birds of all shapes and colors fluttered about, singing songs only spirits and the magically-gifted could understand. The tree god, Sophos stood in the center as Sela talked to him.

"It's strange," she crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes in disbelief, "Seven years ago, I expelled a demon of gluttony from the princess. The obvious answer is that Temperance is around somewhere, but I found no traces of magic afterwards. And now it seems a demon of pride has taken residence in Princess Basilia's body. A simple exorcism is not enough, and I need to find Humility's Eye soon."

What do you propose? Sophos's voice shook his branches and rustled his leaves.

"Send me two of your spirits. One of them will stay with me to locate Humility if it is within the castle, and the other will search the neighboring kingdoms."

But another problem is in the way. Isn't the host of the demon and her sister the reincarnations of Hansel and Gretel?

"Correct."

The tree god tutted, which came out as three mysterious knocks on his bark to those not well acquainted with magic, The magic they hold amplifies the demon's influence and strengthens its anchor to the mind. If you don't find Humility and seal it sooner, the demon may cause more destruction.

"Which brings me to the vision I had a few days ago," she took a deep breath before recounting, "It was four images: Princess Basilia is burned at the stake, her palace surrounded by armed men, Arrogan soldiers attack Vergeduld, and the fourth is head maid Marisana-" her breath caught in her throat as tears pricked her eyes. But she quickly rubbed them away with her sleeve and continued, "Head maid Marisana lying dead in the garden."

Which of them were golden? Prophetic dreaming is one of the rare abilities only those born with magic can possess. All of the images were bound to occur in some form, but can still be changed. Those appearing in golden, however, would happen exactly as they appeared.

"The invasion of Vergeduld," she replied, "Arroga is doomed to destruction. I will flee before all this occurs. I don't want to get caught up in this mess."

Is that really the reason? the god's question earned him a glare from Sela, You don't want another incident like the destruction of Qecem. You can't bear to once again lose people close to your heart.

The sorceress's face turned red. She stomped on the nearest root she could find, "Shut up, you old man!"

Yet the tree god remained firm to her attack. A yawn echoed from within his wooden wall, I'll think about the apprentices... In the meantime, consider a magically stronger vessel to seal a Spirit next time, eh? Not just a- Another yawn, random object you...found nearby...

Sela knew it was a half-hearted jab at her previous mistake; both of her hands curled to form a fist, "Hey!"

However, the tree god was already slumbering, deaf to the outside world. No wonder he's lost followers over the years, She thought bitterly.

She swung her foot back to kick at his trunk, but a small object bounced off of the back of her head. A quick turn helped her realize it was a small acorn with a small portion chipped off from the impact. The culprit was easy to guess, it was a squirrel resting on the branch of a nearby tree.

Don't bully Lord Sophos! It chastised her with an ethereal voice disguised as a single enraged squeak, Violence is never the answer.

"That is a valuable insight, Yoana," Sela shrugged as sarcasm dripped from her reply, "especially coming from someone that just threw an acorn at me."

Yoana scratched its cheek, Why, thank you.

Sela's shoulder slumped as she sighed in exasperation, "That was not a compliment."

She regarded Sophos's slumbering form with a brief glare before she turned to the spirit, "Well, I should leave now. The palace might be wondering where I've gone to."

As she walked along the clearing, a small bluebird fluttered about before perching on her shoulder, Humans are very interesting people, Miss Sela.

It was Ambrosia, another forest spirit. Sela was surprised such a cheerful being often hung around the practical Yoana's side.

"That they are," She chuckled, "they always make mistakes. And it's always too late when they try to fix it."

But at least they tried, the spirit retorted, The humans who visit Lord Sophos these days always vow to fix everything: their love, their lives, their everything!

Sela said nothing. Moments later, Ambrosia flew away, saying she could smell a fresh bunch of grapes nearby. The sorceress walked alone, the soles of her shoes trampling the blades of grass. The bushes rustled nearby. She quickly jogged to a nearby tree and hid. A young woman made her way to Sophos, her clasped hands in front of her chest. A few strands of ghastly white hair stood out from the hood covering her head.

It was strange for Sela to see a member of the Daraku tribe in the woods. She had met one of their early ancestors a hundred years ago, one of the women King Lucas Cameron manipulated into his palace. Even though it was clearly the king's doing, the Daraku were tainted with his sins for the years to come. Their defining quality- silky white hair- made them easy targets for scorn.

The Daraku woman knelt down in front of the tree god. Her frame shook as tears slipped down her face, "I'm sorry for being alive."

Sela silently emerged from her hiding place and left the forest.

---

The woods outside Arroga castle was filled with a frantic and anxious energy as servants scoured the area. To prevent any rumors reaching the people, only those deemed closest to the princess were dispatched to find her: Evia, Neva, Clarita, and Noel. They began their search at the princess's empty bedroom, where the fireplace on the wall was replaced with a small, square tunnel. It led to a place devoid of the stone walls that surrounded the castle- the Eternal Forest.

As they followed the fresh muddy hoofprints of Allegria, the princess's beloved horse, Evia couldn't help but feel sorry for Neva. Her fellow servant was the only one expected to look after the princess, a task that she now failed.

"Hey," She placed a hand on Neva's shoulder, "it's not your fault."

Hours ago, Neva was calm. Clarita once joked that she and Evia were twins because of their similar demeanor. Now a few strands of her dark hair hung off of her ponytail from running, and tears pooled below her blue eyes.

She nodded quickly, "Thank you."

The search brought the group near the edge of the forest, where patches of grass spilled into the sands of the shore. A convent stood just a few feet away, but it was impossible for the princess to hide among the nuns.

The trail of hooves stopped in the middle of the muddy clearing, and the trampled patterns on the grass only puzzled their search.

"Stay with me, everyone," Noel announced, "I don't want you to get lost in this forest. Right, Evia?"

It was a halfhearted jab at the past, a few weeks after Evia joined the Barros family. Clarita was captured by bandits, and Evia and Mercedes decided to confront them without telling their father. Miraculously, they drove the bandits out and rescued their friend, but Noel was waiting for them back home with several lectures.

"Y-Yes," Evia replied, but she was distracted as she gazed at the endless expanse of water behind the trees. A hopeful thought lingered in the back of her mind. The secret passage in Princess Basilia's room was only known to two people- the princess herself, and Evia. If she remembered how to move the fireplace frame aside, then she must've gone to...

"Sir Noel, I'm going further ahead."

"You have an idea?"

"Yes, I do."

The last time they've been to the beach was seven years ago. That memory could've been wiped away along with Evia's existence, but it was the only possibility. She made her way to the sands, feeling the soles of her shoes sink into the ground again.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she spotted two figures in the distance. Princess Basilia sat on the ground with her head resting on her hand. The hem of her emerald green dress was covered in specks of sand. Next to her, Allegria pawed at the ground and snorted.

"We've been looking everywhere for you, Your Highness," Her eyes widened as Evia spoke. She turned her head towards the servant, her back slumping in defeat, "Oh, Evia. Of course."

Her voice still carried the usual arrogant tone she used with the people below her- everyone. Evia's stomach couldn't help but drop in disappointment.

"How did you find me?"

"I followed your steed's tracks to the beach," It was a lie, of course, "Captain Barros is worried about you."

"Good," The princess blew a strand of dark hair away from her eyes, "If only you didn't find me until the party, then I can finally send him to burn."

She dug her fingers into her palms and gritted her teeth, "I'M SICK OF HIS COMPLAINTS! DAMN IT ALL!"

The shaking of her frame from her outburst disturbed the sand she sat on. She only lost her temper in front of those she trusted, but immediately calmed down seconds later.

She slumped back down again, the fiery anger gone from her eyes, "Thanks to you, my plan for his death has failed."

Her nonchalant wish for the man's death, no matter how frequent, troubled Evia, but her voice showed no hint of such a reaction, "I'm sorry."

"Well, no matter. I suppose we have to return." She rolled her eyes and took Evia's extended hand as she stood up.

Evia noticed the scratch on the princess's wrist, which was possibly from her journey. A finger brushed against it, and Princess Basilia's eyes narrowed.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU INSOLENT GIRL?" A loud smack! thundered in Evia's left ear as the princess slapped her cheek. Yet she persevered; from the inner pocket of her coat, she produced an ointment made by Sela. Once the princess laid her hazel eyes on the small glass bottle, she calmed down and relented; her hand remained in the servant's grasp.

"Your hand is injured, Your Highness," One half of her face stung, but Evia applied the white cream to Basilia's cut. The court mage had given it to her for injuries as minor as this one, saying they would disappear quickly.

"Hmph, maybe I could blame this cut on Barros," The princess mused aloud.

Evia's thoughts were far away, deep into the past. There was a time when she fell on the sand and grazed her knee. Though she had no ointment in hand, Basilia comforted her with the words, "Don't worry, the silly sunset's just trying to trick ya!"

She laughed, taking her hand. Even today, seven years later, even after the lives she crushed, Basilia's hand was warm.

"Evia?" Her consciousness returned to the present, her gaze still trained on Basilia's hand, "You're finished. Release my hand."

She realized how suspicious she must have been, staring at the princess's hand for a long time. Her face turned red as she took a frightened step back and apologized, "I-I'm so sorry!"

Princess Basilia responded by laughing heartily into her palm, "Haha! You should've seen the look on your face! You were calm when I slapped you, but when I just spoke?" She bursted into giggles.

Once the princess recovered from her joy, she held Allegria's leather led rope. The defeated look returned to her eyes, "I suppose we have to return to the palace."

"It's best if we make our way to the port town, Your Highness," Evia explained, holding her waist to support her as she swung a leg over the horse's saddle, "the route is much more quicker and safer. We'll reach it before nightfall."

The princess grabbed the reins, and said to the servant in a teasing manner, "It's a shame I didn't steal another horse from the stable for you."

"I don't know how to ride a horse," Another lie. Noel taught her around the same time he began the training with her sister, but a lowly servant possessing such fine skills was outrageous in the eyes of the nobles, "But I will accompany Your Highness by foot."

The setting sun's reflection stained the vast ocean in crimson, expelling all of its bright power right before the time for slumber. As Allegria traveled across the sands, the princess gazed at the sinking star, "You're looking at the sun, aren't you?"

The odd question surprised Evia, but she turned her head while walking ahead, and nodded, "Yes."

The light danced on her eyes as she looked on wistfully, "It's alone... Just like me."

She rarely expressed such solemn thoughts.

---

The princess's unexpected presence drew a curious crowd at the port town. Noel pushed past them and approached the princess as her steed halted, "Your Highness, it was not wise for you to escape the palace unsupervised!"

She matched his raised voice with a calm yet equally enraged, "Yet it was your job to make sure such an incident never occurs, is it not?"

The captain looked down, no doubt hiding gritted teeth, "Yes, Your Highness."

Princess Basilia stepped down from her horse.

"Well, I have successfully been returned. Why not celebrate it?"

She raised her chin high and placed her hands on her waist as her eyes scanned the crowd, "Bow to me."

The crowd rippled as each person fell to their knees. Evia looked up at her with an expressionless gaze.

Princess Basilia de Arro, the sovereign ruler of Arroga, protagonist of tonight's ball, and Evia's elder twin sister, beamed triumphantly.

(A/N: A lot of the text was heavily inspired by MOTHY's Closure of Yellow and Wiegenlied of Green novels. This book is a fanfiction and alternate of the Evilious Chronicles, but there are a few aspects that deviate from its canon.)