Laughter echoed throughout the grounds as everyone came together for a joyish occasion. Ladies in brightly colored skirts fluttered across the grass in hopes that they would catch a husband; though they flirted in a way that didn't horrify their mothers. Well except for a lone girl in a light blue dress, who was far away from the crowd. Not wanted anyone to see the heartbroken expression on her face. Especially her mother who expected her to hear of a proposal by now, that the man courting her for months now was going to make her his wife.

But when she saw the man who was playing her like a fiddle proposing to another woman; and the proud look on the faces of family and friends as they cheered for the happy couple while celebrating this private event- as they were the first to know.

It was only a matter of time before everyone here knew too and that she would become the laughing stock of the whole country. Not to mention that her mother would be so disappointed… and Aerith Gainsborough didn't know what would happen if her mother saw another relationship fail.

"I should have sent you to that school," her mother's words echoed after the first man decided to go to America. See Aerith didn't act like the other ladies of London. She didn't like gossiping and being stuck indoors for most of the day. She loved to run through the gardens and help out around the house. She didn't care if her dresses were stained from the grass and mud. And she never really expected a prince-or lord- to come around or to fall in love.

She wasn't heartbroken with the first man, he was only the son of a family friend her mother wanted her to marry. So Aerith didn't feel anything when he packed up and left; she even went to the docks to wave goodbye at him. Showing him that there were no hard feelings, at least on her part. Her mother was a different story. The women was absolutely livid.

Part of her mother kept pushing men onto her that weren't interested, while the other part almost gave up on her daughter finding a husband. Aerith was pretty sure that her mother was going to send her away and forget about her. Have her join a convent, and allow Aerith to live out the rest of her life alone.

At least until he entered their lives. when Aerith met Genesis Rhapsodos, she thought him kind and intelligent. That he was the only man who didn't care about what she did, that he was interested in the girl who didn't like sitting around all day gossiping and other… girl things- his words not her's.

it disgusted Aerith to know that Genesis managed to worm his way into her heart, and here he was destroying it. That he was only playing with her, all those talks about love really meant nothing to him. That he enjoyed seeing her lovesick expressions and how he had her eating out of the palm of his hand.

Just thinking about Genesis and his trickery made the tears fall from her eyes, causing Aerith to turn away from Genesis and his bride to be- Minvera.A pretty blonde haired woman; about a year younger than Aerith herself, Minvera was a cunning creature who enjoyed bring people up only to tear them down. Like Aerith, they were friends and Aerith told Minvera everything. Secrets about her… along with her relationship with Genesis.

Maybe they were perfect together. They were both cruel creatures. And they both managed to tear Aerith's heart into pieces.

"I'm such an idiot…" Aerith cried, hating how naive she was at Twenty-three. She thought that her life was all figured out… maybe it would have been better if she had stayed away from men forever. Not to allow her self to fall for a wicked man.

"She's too close, big brother," Aerith heard a voice whine, "if another outsider finds the portal- Ow!"

More hushed voices… voices that sounded close. Voices that surrounded her. It made Aerith pause to try and find the source of the voices. But she was alone. At least that's what she was telling herself, but the hair on the back of her neck rose up and she could feel someone or something watching her. Even though it was silent now, or so she thought

"Or we can use her as our scapegoat," one of the voices said, "have her distract big brother so he won't be angry with us for running away when the Queen's resistance attacked."

"It could buy us time," another voice replied.

"Hello," Aerith said, against her better judgment, "is someone there?"

"We could use her as a vessel for mother too, couldn't we my brothers?"

The voices started to blend together as she was roughly pushed towards the ground. Aerith didn't have time to scream as she descends down into the dirt… only her face never hit the hard ground. Instead, she felt like she kept on falling… and falling