There was silence as two women stared across from opposite ends of the bedroom. Still connected to Helia, Flora looked at the teary face of the princess in the doorway. Krystal's olive-toned cheeks became a bright red and her nose was puffy from crying as she looked at Flora naked on top of Helia, her fiancé.

Flora could feel her heartbeat still in her chest and the saliva in her mouth instantly dry up when she realized that Krystal now knew. Flora was going to tell her about her and Helia, Krystal had the right to know but she enjoyed the secrecy, she enjoyed having something that was hers. Everything she now had was thanks to the princess, but Helia was hers. However, Flora didn't ever want Krystal to find out like this. She didn't want Krystal to catch her and Helia in bed together, naked, and his hands all over her. She didn't want Krystal to walk in on her moaning as she made love to the man she treasured most in this world. She wanted Krystal to know, just not like this.

With the mood quickly gone, Flora climbed off of Helia's lap and out of his arms as she pulled the fur blanket that was on his bed over her naked body. Linpheans were never a people to shy away from nudity, understanding that the body was its own form of nature that was meant to be celebrated, but Flora had never felt more ashamed in her entire life. She wanted to cover every part of her body and hide herself away from sight.

"Your Highness I-"

Flora snapped her mouth shut when Krystal quickly turned on her heels and stormed out of Helia's bedroom, a sob coming from her mouth as she ran down the corridor. Jumping out of the bed, Flora ran towards the door, bending down and picking up the sweaty shirt that Helia had discarded earlier from after his training. Flora was glad that he was substantially bigger than her as the off-white shirt covered everything it needed to, save for her legs and her shoulder as it hung precariously on one side.

She ran down the hall after the princess, the sounds of Krystal's sobs filling the corridor. Flora could also hear Helia's footsteps behind her as he followed. She glanced back to see that he was back in is black pants, but his upper half remained uncovered. Flora returned her attention to the princess in front of her, now stopped at her door.

"Please, wait!" Flora called out to Krystal.

Krystal snapped her head around and glared at Flora, her green eyes full of rage, sadness, hate, and tears. Flora had never seen Krystal so upset before and the worst part was that Flora knew that it was all her fault.

"No!" Krystal shouted back, "I don't have to do anything you tell me! I am the princess! You have no right to ask me for anything! I owe you nothing!"

"Your Highness..." Flora sighed as tears began to form in her eyes as well.

"Why are you crying?! Don't you dare cry!" Krystal exclaimed as she rolled her eyes, "You're not the one who had to walk in on their best friend in bed with the man that you are supposed to marry! How could you do this to me, Flora?! After everything I have done for you!?"

Flora was silent as she lowered her head and stared at the floor, too ashamed to answer Krystal.

"Hmm?!" Krystal crossed her arms over her chest, the tears drying as anger overtook sadness, "Nothing to say!? You have nothing to say to me?! I defended you in front of my father! I begged him to save your life! I begged him to change the laws! You would be dead without me! And this is how you repay me?!"

Helia took a step towards Krystal, "This is just as much my fault as it is Flora's. I-"

Krystal ignored him as she continued to yell at Flora, "I can see why His Highness never kissed me or felt the need to show me any kind of real affection, it's because he has you! I thought that you were my handmaiden! I never thought that you were his whore!"

Flora's head shot up and she returned Krystal's glare. The two women stared at each other, Flora shocked by Krystal's words, but Krystal was not finished, not even close.

"Ever since you stepped foot in the Linphean palace, do you not know that I didn't notice the men of the court looking at you? The men who visited the palace? All of them looked at you and you alone! I am the princess and they all wanted you! A little nobody from a nothing village. You were, are, nothing and they still wanted you. And you know what? I was fine with that because I had a husband waiting for me and you were so insistent that you would never marry, turning down every proposal thrown your way. But Helia? My husband to be? The one man that I thought was mine? You decided that out of all the men who have thrown themselves at you to share a bed with the man that is supposed to belong to me!?"

"Krystal, you-"

Helia was cut off when Krystal whipped her head around to face Helia. Flora stood in between the two royals, her shoulders quivering as she continued to cry.

"You were supposed to be mine, Helia! And I find you in bed with her! She's just a poor, dirty, disgusting, stupid, evil village girl who murdered her entire village and her parents. I took pity on her and believed her little sob story but now I see her for who she truly is! She is a monster and it is best that you leave her before she betrays you as she has betrayed me! Nothing good can come from a lying, filthy,-"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Helia yelled, immediately shutting Krystal up. His blue eyes were full of rage as he looked down at the small princess. He never thought that Krystal would be capable of such mean-spirited words. The words she spoke...it reminded him of his father. He knew what heartache could do to a person, how it could quickly turn them into their worst selves. Helia had seen Krystal at her worst and it disgusted him. He would not have her talk to Flora like that. He would not allow for Krystal to go down a path like his father.

"You will not talk to Flora in that way! You will not talk to anyone in this palace that way, do you understand me!?" Helia stepped in front of Flora, guarding her broken body with his own, "I love Flora and that is something that I will not apologize for!"

"Love?" Krystal's eyes widened, "How long has this been going on?"

Helia sighed, "We began spending time together in July, but I think that I fell in love with her the minute she stepped off the ship."

"Please, Your Highness," Helia turned around to look at Flora, her voice so small, "I was going to tell you. I didn't-"

"When were you going to tell me? The night before my wedding? After my wedding? When I just had my first child? On my deathbed? When Flora?!" Krystal then narrowed her eyes, "Does the general know? Does he know what you are!? Does he know?!"

"No..." Flora lowered her head again.

"You will not tell Duncan!" Helia commanded as he returned his glare back to Krystal. "If you tell him then I will tell you that you will have much more than an unhappy marriage. I will make every last minute you spend here miserable. You will tell the general nothing. Am I understood?"

Krystal was silent, Helia's threat sinking in.

"Good." Helia's face relaxed and he took in a deep breath, invoking the advice of his grandfather, he closed his eyes and softened his voice. "I think that it would be best if we all take some time and calm down. We can talk about this when our heads are clear."

"Oh my head is perfectly clear," Krystal put her hand on the handle of her bedroom door as she looked back at Helia and Flora, "it has never been more clear. The person that I thought was my best friend, someone I considered a sister, has been lying to me and sleeping with my fiancé. Flora, you are a liar and a whore. My father should have left you in that cell to rot."

Krystal opened the door and slammed it in Flora's face. The slamming echoed down the hall and Flora fell to her knees, the stone floor cold against her skin. She sobbed in her hands as she thought about Krystal's words and the pain she must have caused the princess. She was being selfish, she knew that Helia wasn't hers and she still gave in anyways. Krystal was right. She was a whore. She was a liar. She was a monster.

Feeling an arm wrapped around her shoulders, Flora raised her head to see Helia had lowered himself onto the floor beside her. He ran a hand up and down her arm as she cried. His touch was warm and comforting and she leaned into his chest as she cried.

"What have I done, Helia? I have ruined everything." Flora gasped out through sobs.

"You have ruined nothing. Between Krystal and I, there was nothing to ruin. I am just as much of a participant in this as you are. I should have been the one to stay faithful to the woman who was intended to be my wife, no matter how hard it hurt. If I hadn't pursued you the way that I did, if I hadn't asked you to forget everything and love me the way that I love you..."

"I should have gotten on that boat..." Flora sighed.

Helia pulled Flora away from his chest and brushed her messy and tangled hair behind her ear. With a tender swipe of his hand, he wiped away Flora's tears from her face. Her nose was swollen, the whites of her eyes were red around the gleaming green of her irises. And still, she was more than beautiful.

"No, I was blind to see it but you belong with me. You belong here. You belong with Krystal."

"She hates me, Helia. I don't think that she will ever forgive me. And why should she? I am a terrible person and a terrible friend. I should have told her. I should have been honest with her. Helia, I…I…I…she hates me." Flora sniffled as she finally looked up at Helia and met his deep, blue eyes.

"If there is one thing I know, it is what it is like to be hated." Helia let out a soft chuckle as he thought about his hostile relationship with his father, "And the princess doesn't hate you. She is hurt and angry, but she doesn't hate you, Flora."

Flora gave Helia a weak smile, "Since when did you become so well versed in emotions, Your Highness?"

"I have learned from you, and I have been spending more time with Saladin." Helia chuckled. "Plus, I have found it easier to not be so damn moody all the time. Being so angry all the time takes far too much energy and when I am with you, all I feel is happiness and love."

"And to think I was starting to like my moody prince."

"But I am serious, you belong with me, and Krystal just has to accept the fact that I love you. So dry your eyes and don't worry about the princess right now. She will hopefully come to forgive you, forgive us for what we have done."

Helia leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on Flora's lips before rising to his feet and holding out his arms to Flora. She placed her hands in his and he pulled her up. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Helia led Flora back into his room deciding she would stay there for the rest of the night, his father be damned.

He would read to her, get her whatever dessert that she wanted, and hold her all night. He didn't care; whatever made her happy. He would prove to her that she had not made a mistake coming back to the palace, back to him. Helia would prove that he could make her happy in spite of all the unpleasantness of the palace. He would gladly die to keep her safe and risk everything to make her happy.

Days passed into October and Krystal had still not spoken to Flora. Flora would come to her room every day, and each day, Krystal would send her away. She claimed that she didn't want someone as dishonorable as Flora serving her, that it would look badly on her. While it broke Flora every time she heard Krystal say such things to her, Flora took it all in stride. She was used to being called a monster and shunned by the people who loved her most, this was no different.

This time, however, she had Helia and Saladin by her side. Saladin would be there in the kitchen with her as she helped to prepare the meals for the day. While she no longer prepared the teas for Krystal, Flora still found some joy in baking the daily loaves of bread and helping to cut vegetables. Saladin would echo what Helia had told her in the hallway the day that Krystal discovered her in a compromising position with the prince. She was hurt and that it would take time for her to heal. How Flora hoped that it was true. She missed her friend.

Helia would read to her at night as she sewed in his room. He couldn't care less what his father thought now. If he were going to harm Flora, he might as well harm him as well. But if he even threatened Flora again, Helia wasn't so sure how composed he would act. He promised himself to make Flora happy and no matter if he were in the kitchen or in his bedroom, his father would know.

He hadn't even seen his father in days. Helia had been so busy and Azrael, well, Helia didn't really know what Azrael was doing and he didn't care. So long as his father hadn't bothered him, Flora, or Krystal, Helia could relax. But that didn't mean that he wasn't on guard. He knew his father. Evil, conniving, and ruthless. Helia would always be vigilant so long as his father was still alive.

Currently, Flora was walking through the halls with a pile of purple fabric in her hands, attempting as she did every day to come to the princess. Reaching Krystal's door, Flora took a deep breath and raised her hand. She knocked on the wooden door and waited with bated breath for Krystal's reply. If it had been anything like the past few days, Flora prepared herself to be yelled at and cast away.

"Go away!" Krystal's voice called from the other side of the closed door.

"Your Highness, you must get dressed." Flora softly replied.

"Someone else is attending to me now. I don't want your hands anywhere near me."

"Your Highness, I-"

The door swung open, and Flora jumped back. Krystal was still in her night gown and her hair disheveled. She had never seen the princess in such disarray. It was clear that nobody else had been dressing the princess or brushing her hair. While Krystal could do all of those things for herself, Flora could sense when someone was not themselves. She remembered Miele would look the same when she was sick and her mother would stay in bed all day during her monthly Rose Day, well, Rose Week. This was not the princess that Flora knew and loved, and she wanted to help.

"I told you to leave." Krystal glared as she seethed, "I don't want to see you. Surely you must understand that, you stupid farm girl."

Flora swallowed as she tried to maintain a steady face. She could not and would not cry in front of the princess.

"I can see that nobody has been to your room in quite some time, Your Highness." Flora did her best to change the subject.

"So I lied." Krystal folded her arms across her chest, "You should know all about lying since you have lied to me every day since July. Lucky for you though, at least my lie doesn't involve me with your fiancé's-"

"I will leave this here." Flora interrupted, no longer wanting to hear the vitriol coming from the princess's mouth. Just like her outward appearance, the princess's insides were not the same princess that Flora knew and had grown to love. "I hope that you have a pleasant day, Your Highness."

Flora set the purple fabric on the floor at Krystal's feet. She rose and gave Krystal a bow before turning around and making her way back down the hallway. She heard Krystal's door shut behind her and Flora turned back around to glance at the shut door. Looking at the ground, Flora frowned when she saw the pile of purple fabric on the floor. She walked back to the princess's door and tenderly wrapped her arms around the fabric and brought it to her chest. Holding in her tears, she made her way back to Helia's room, needing a moment for herself before she continued with her chores.

Opening the door to Helia's bedroom, it was empty as she had planned. Helia was still at training and would not be back for some time. Placing the dress on the edge of the desk, Flora made her way over to the small washroom where she stood in front of the mirror, a large bowl of water on the stone ledge. She reached down and scooped up some water and splashed it on her face. She would not cry. She did not have time to cry, she had tasks she needed to complete for the day. But her will was once again overtaken by her heart and body.

Flora placed her hand on the stone counter and her shoulders hunched as she began to cry. Krystal had become like a sister to her after the death of her own. Krystal always smiled and always saw the bright side of things. She never backed down and she was so hopeful, just like Miele. And Flora feared that she had lost Krystal too. It was all her fault. Everything was all her fault. Her parents would still be alive if she had managed to keep her composure and Miele would still be with her if she had not been engaged to Anagan. It was all her fault, everything.

Reconciling herself to self-blame, Flora began to sob harder. She just wanted the pain in her chest and head to go away. Her hands gripped the edge of the stone counter until her tan knuckles turned white. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror, hating the person she saw staring back at her. She looked more tired than she felt, and she felt exhausted. It made the situation with the princess that much more difficult to handle. Flora just wanted to hide away and sleep. She wanted to escape the realities of the palace and bury herself in the warm blankets on Helia's bed and become wrapped in his arms as she drifted off to the world of her dreams where nothing could harm her.

"Flora?"

What was he doing back so soon? Flora loosened her grip on the counter and gave her face one more splash before she dried it off with a towel. Making her way back into the main bedroom, she saw Helia had already discarded his shirt and was sitting on the edge of his bed, taking off his shoes. He looked up at her and smiled.

"How did you know I was in here?" Flora asked, keeping her voice as still and calm as she could.

"I saw the dress on the edge of my desk and...what are you doing in here?" Helia asked.

"I needed some soap and I like the smell of your soap and I thought that I could use it while you were away to wash my hands and I..."

"Flora..."

"She is never going to forgive me, Helia." Flora wiped a tear from her cheek that had escaped her eyes. "She wants nothing to do with me. I don't think that I will be able to go on with her hating me like this. I'm just so tired and I just want it to go away."

Helia sighed as he stood up from the edge of his bed and made his way over to Flora. Placing his hand under her chin, he slowly raised her head so that she was now looking at him. It pained him, more than any physical wound ever could, to see Flora this way. He could relate to how she was feeling, he had felt that way for so long. He knew the pain that she was feeling that it wasn't until she had told him she loved him back was that pain able to be lessened. It still came back but every time he looked into her eyes, heard her laugh, caught the smell of fresh peaches, or felt her touch on his skin, he was able to let go of the hurt caused by his father and just be completely happy. He knew that Flora was hurting but he also knew that Krystal was hurting as well. They should have told Krystal what was going on.

"I know that none of this was ideal, but she knows now. She might have reacted like this if she had found out in better circumstances, we don't know, Flora. But what we did does not make us bad people, Flora. Not being with you..." Helia took a deep breath, "I don't care if the whole world hates me and wishes me dead for loving you. I would feel like absolute shit if I had never told you that I loved you, if I had never felt your lips on mine, if I never had the chance to become one with you. I am not saying that you shouldn't feel terrible, I just want you to know that I don't regret a single thing that we have done together, Flora. Do you?"

Flora quickly shook her head, "Of course I don't. I don't regret a single moment spent with you. I love you, Helia."

"And Krystal will come to understand that." Helia gave Flora one of his rare smiles, "I just hate to see you so sad. I can try to talk to the princess if you would like. She doesn't seem to be so...hostile with me on the very rare occasions where she has left her room and I so happen to walk past her in the corridors. Though I cannot lie and say that the moments aren't uncomfortable."

"You would talk to her for me?" Flora asked.

"When will you learn that I would do anything for you, Flora?"

Krystal sat in her room, nibbling at the toast that had been left over from the breakfast that had been brought to her. She was not in the mood to see anyone after Flora had come to her room in the morning. It had been the longest that she had talked to Flora ever since she walked on Helia and Flora in bed together. As the days passed, it wasn't that Krystal was no longer angry at Flora for having a relationship with Helia. Looking back, Krystal could see that Helia had no interest in her, she could tell that whenever Duncan was mentioned that Flora's body would tighten up, and she saw the way that they would look at each other at afternoon tea. What hurt was that Flora didn't tell her.

Krystal thought that Flora was her friend and friends were honest with each other, even when the news might make the other upset. Krystal never lied to Flora, she told her everything. She wished that Flora would have had the decency to do the same for her. Would she have been hurt? Yes, Helia was her fiancé after all and he had proven himself to be a good man despite his chilly disposition at times. But as her mind flashed back to seeing Flora on top of Helia and the way he looked at her with such love and adoration, Krystal knew that deep down she would never have a place in Helia's heart the way that Flora did. He loved Flora and Flora loved him. Krystal just wished that it wasn't a secret to her. She wished that Flora hadn't lied.

Maybe there was a way that she might be able to forgive her friend, but she just needed time. Flora made her feel hurt, betrayed, and like a fool for thinking that she and the prince had a chance. Why would Flora keep encouraging her if Flora was secretly sleeping with the prince behind her back? Krystal thought that she had found a real friend in Flora, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe Flora was just like everyone else she met. Only being kind to her because they had to, because she was a princess.

It would hurt to see Flora and Helia together, but Krystal was not dumb enough to stand in the way of their love. And why would she want to be with someone who didn't love her? She might be bound by a marriage contract, but she deserved to find someone who loved her for her. Maybe she could write to her father and ask him to nullify the contract based on the fact that Helia had been unfaithful to her. No, she thought, best not to let her father know the reason. She might be unhappy, but she would not want to anger her father and start a war. It wasn't Helia's fault for falling in love with Flora...Krystal sighed...

And it wasn't Flora's fault for falling in love with Helia.

Still, she had to find a way out of the contract. She deserved love. It was stupid that people even had to enter into an agreement without any consent given by the engaged couple. She was able to talk her father into changing an unjust law, why should disbanding a contract be any different?

There was a knock on her door and Krystal turned her head to face the large wooden door.

"Who is it?" Krystal called out, hoping that it wasn't Flora on the other end. She still didn't want to talk to her.

"Prince Helia, princess."

Krystal shot up to her feet and grabbed the purple silk robe on the back of her chair and quickly put it on her body. She took one of her hands and began running her fingers through her hair, hoping to quickly get rid of any knots that had developed. Glancing at herself one more time in the mirror, Krystal made her way over to the door, opening it to reveal Helia standing in front of her dressed formally with his hair pulled back.

"If I had known that you were going to appear at my door so formally, I would have gotten more presentable, Your Highness." Krystal gave Helia a small smile, but he did not give her one in return. This was not a social call, he meant business.

"I have meetings to attend today, I did not dress this way for you, princess." Helia replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Krystal dropped her smile, "I understand."

Helia sighed, remembering something about flies and honey or something stupid like that. His voice lost part of its harshness as he responded.

"I was wanting to request an audience with you this evening. There is much that we need to discuss, and we should not let this unfortunate situation fester for much longer."

Krystal closed her eyes and inhaled and exhaled through her nose. She nodded before opening her eyes, "I agree, Your Highness. We need to talk."

"I will see you tonight in the study after supper."

Helia gave Krystal a small bow before he turned on his feet and made his way down the corridor and away from Krystal's room. Closing the door behind her, Krystal leaned against the wooden frame and sighed. Helia wanted to talk. That was a good place to talk. Maybe she would get some answers. Maybe it would help give her some closure. Maybe he too would want to find a way out of this marriage contract that their parents had made for them when they were still children.

Maybe she would be able to forgive.

"Yes, yes, very good." Azrael smiled as the woman rose up from her chair in front of his desk.

Azrael had been sitting in his study, looking over documents when there was a knock on his door. He had been a good mood but suddenly his day got much better.

"Thank you, Mitzi. You are always a help." Azrael looked up at the dark-haired woman in front of him.

"Anything to serve my king and Hademort." Mitzi gave a coy smirk as she gave the king a low curtsy.

"Your services have been greatly appreciated these past few months. I see that your time with our general has served you well. Now, you will do as we planned. Nobody else must know."

"I understand, Your Majesty." Mitzi replied.

"Excellent, you may leave us now."

With one last curtsy and a smile to the other person in the study, Mitzi turned and left the king's study. As the door shut behind her, Azrael reached forward on his desk and picked up the glass of vodka on the corner. Raising it to his lips, he smiled and took a sip.

"I have been waiting for a moment like this to teach the prince and his little Linphean whore a lesson, don't you think?"

A low voice replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Flora was in the kitchen, crouched in front of the oven as she pulled out a loaf of bread from the oven. As she rose to a standing position, Flora lowered her nose down to the hot loaf of bread and inhaled. Nothing like smelling fresh baked goods to make her feel happy. Well, maybe except for spending time with Helia and the princess. If only the princess would see her.

No, she would not think about the princess. Helia said that he would try to talk to her and arrange a meeting with her after dinner. Hopefully the princess would grant him that small request.

As Flora lifted her head, she almost dropped the fresh loaf as standing in front of the large wooden kitchen table was a woman with black hair and dark gray, almost black eyes. Flora had seen her in the halls of the palace but never had the opportunity to speak to her. In fact, Flora barely spoke to any of the other servants, learning quickly that when she tried to, she would be immediately shut down.

"Oh, dear!" Flora exclaimed, "You startled me."

"My apologies." the woman said, her voice nasally and her affect low.

"That is quite alright." Flora smiled as she set the loaf on the table just in case she was to encounter another fright. "You must have feet made of feathers; I did not even hear you."

"I have been told I am light on my feet." the woman replied, the same nasally and unaffected voice coming from behind her pale pink lips. "I am here to deliver a message, from your princess."

Flora's eyes lit up in pleased bewilderment. Krystal had a message for her? She was communicating with her?

"She wants to meet with you tonight, after supper, in her chambers." the woman announced the message as Flora's mouth turned up into a wide smile.

"Of course, of course!" Flora exclaimed, "I shall make her one of her favorite desserts. You have no idea how happy you have made me..." Flora had to admit that she didn't know the woman's name.

"Just be there after supper. Her Highness asked that you keep the meeting a secret. She doesn't want anyone else to meddle."

"Yes, I understand. Thank you again." Flora beamed, "Thank you."

Carrying a warm cake topped with the last of the ripe summer berries that Saladin had received from Lucian, Flora made her way to Krystal's room, ready for whatever it was that Krystal would say to her. She hoped that the cake would be a good peace offering and that it would help to lighten Krystal's mood. She wanted to talk to her, that was all that she could ask of the princess that she had so badly hurt. Flora just had to make this work, had to make the most of this opportunity or she feared that the princess would be lost to her forever.

Flora kept to Krystal's request and did not tell anyone about the meeting that she would have with her. Then again, Flora did not see anyone all day except for the servants who would come in and out of the kitchen while preparing dinner. Helia had been busy the rest of the day with meetings and for the first time she hadn't missed him more than usual, the anticipation of seeing Krystal and speaking to her for the first time in what felt like forever kept Flora's mind occupied. She thought of every possibility of what the princess could say to her. She had Krystal's favorite dessert. She was ready.

Flora knocked on the princess's door and when she did not hear a response, she knocked again. As her fist left the door, it opened ajar, letting the dim candlelight flow out to the corridor. Flora placed her hand on the door and opened it as she stuck her head in and took a quick glance around the room.

"Your Highness?" Flora looked around and saw the empty room. Perhaps she was in the washroom, cleaning up after dinner.

Opening the door wide, Flora stepped inside before shutting the door softly behind her. She walked through the room and to the small vanity where she set the cake down. She turned the plate that the cake was on, hoping to present the best side with the freshest berries. She wanted everything to be perfect.

Content with the presentation of the cake, Flora gently wiped her hands on the apron around her waist before quickly taking it off and setting it on the plush stool in front of the vanity. Raising a hand, Flora fixed her hair before bringing her hand back down to smooth out her periwinkle-colored gown. Flora hadn't felt nervous until now, but with the princess appearing at any minute, Flora was in Krystal's room, and it was too late to turn back now.

"Your Highness? It's me, Flora. Are you here?" Flora continued to look around the room. She took a step towards the washroom, thinking that the princess might be in there washing herself after her supper.

"The princess isn't here."

Flora jumped and turned to the sound of the voice behind her. She looked and her eyes widened. Sitting in a chair by the door was a figure dressed in all black, a glass of whiskey in his hands, and a wicked smirk on his face. How had she not seen him? How had she not known he was back?

Flora gulped and did her best to stay calm as his golden eyes met hers. She felt her heart jump up to her throat and her stomach started to flip. What was going on? Where was Krystal?

She had to say something.

"General."

Dun dun duuuunnn…(That was supposed to be dramatic music haha). What is going to happen? Any predictions? I would like to hear/read what you think but I will disclose that it is not going to be good. Because of that, there will be no chapter lottery for chapter 30. Chapter 30 might be a traumatic and emotionally taxing chapter for some of you and I will have warnings at the beginning of the chapter and at the place where you might want to stop reading if you feel so inclined. If you choose not to read the section, you will not be missing anything important as it will be (hopefully) be made clear in the latter part of the chapter.