The level that had followed echoed the three that the girls had already traversed through, leading them to an outdoor scene next. The king and queen sat outside with two other nobles at an iron table, a pitcher of lemonade and a three-tier tray of snacks shared between them. A large parasol was set over the pair to block the strong afternoon sun and although there were clear signs of a coming autumn, the queen wore only a light dress better suited for summer. Several meters away, chasing each other across the manor grounds, were two familiar children with gold and copper hair.

Vanessa and her prince were older now, with maybe only a year or two over Hat and Bow. While this was Bow Kid's first time seeing the pair together like this, it was almost painful for Hat to watch having already witnessed firsthand the inevitable fallout of their relationship and the disaster that followed it. They looked incredibly happy, still bright and innocent.

"They do get along well, don't they?"

"I should hope so! They were practically raised together."

While the atmosphere was generally pleasant, the ever-constant watch of the guards was still hard to feel comfortable around. It certainly wasn't a way that Hat or Bow could live, however, the nobles seemed used to it. They acted as if no one else was there except them, keeping up the casual chatter as they watched the children play.

Then the subject eventually drifted to the prospect of marriage. The princess' mother raised her glass to her lips, draining nearly a full quarter of its contents before she spoke again, "Vanessa's always been a romantic, but I think she's coming to that age where she's starting to think of courting a little more seriously. She's very fond of your son."

Her husband sprang off her words with a light smirk, "'My prince, my prince—' it's all Vanessa ever calls him! Blame it on parental instinct, but I think she should still be young enough where the most impressive man in her life should be her father. I'd be jealous if I hadn't watched your boy grow over these years myself."

The other nobleman shared a look with his wife and folded his hands in his lap with a shrug, "It's still a bit too early for such talk though, isn't it? It's still years before either of them even has their coming-of-age."

"But wouldn't it be wonderful? The last of Subcon's Great Families finally united as one. It would be a mark for our history, and would certainly help the neighboring nations take us a bit more seriously."

"The two of them still have yet to see much of the world beyond the forest. Let's at least wait until they're introduced into greater society."

The prince's mother plucked a berry tart from the tray with a delicate hand, "Well, it isn't as though they share no affection. They can decide when the time comes… I say let children be children. Our boy has been burying himself in his books these days. I'm proud that he's taking his studies so seriously, but sometimes, I wish he would slow down and stay a boy a while longer."

Vanessa's father nodded, "I understand that. I wish our daughter could stay innocent for as long as she can. She still loves fairytales, you know."

His wife took another drink from her glass, "You spoil her."

He snorted at that, "As is my right to, love! There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you or Vanessa."

Soon, the girls were spirited to an abstract graveyard. The cloudy void that surrounded them was washed in a dark, cool grey. Tombstones littered the broken apart landscape, whether as platforms or decoration. Cobwebs sometimes bridged the gap between them, and the quietness of the setting was only made all the more off-putting by the looming presence of the many statues that watched over the dead.

Hat and Bow made sure to keep their distance. The latter turned to her companion with a worried look, "I don't think even the real Subcon is this creepy…"

Hat Kid had to agree. Over time, she'd grown immune to the forest's terrifying aura. It's long shadows and scattered graves were all a part of its atmosphere. Nevertheless, there was still light that broke through its overwhelming darkness, from the eternally burning section of the wood to the safety of the lanterns strung along its many paths. The night was never silent, thanks to the Dwellers' mischief or the animals that still hung around. This was not the Subcon she had come to know, be it in the past or present. This was not a haunting—if still beautiful, in its own way—forest, but an empty netherland.

They pressed forward.

They were back in the foyer again. All of the curtains were drawn tightly shut, and it was so cold that even the ever-stoic servants couldn't keep themselves from shivering. It was still dark, but someone was screaming—a broken, lamenting wail that threatened to tear down the manor itself. It was coming from the cellar.

"Mother, you can't do this! Let me go, let me see him!"

"Try to control yourself, Vanessa. It's for your own good."

The queen had her back to the girls, looking down the hatch. On the opposite side of them, a maid squeezed into the parlor, leaving the door just enough ajar for them to peer inside. The grand piano had been moved closer to the wall to make room for a long table, and on top of that sat a dark, closed coffin.

Hat Kid's throat tightened. Both aliens had to pull themselves away from the sight. Bow took the lead, grabbing her friend by the shoulder to usher her int the other direction. It was easy enough to squeeze by the queen to look inside the manor's basement level, even if what played out before their eyes there wasn't much better than the scene they left behind.

Vanessa was hysterical, dressed in a black gown that matched her mother's. The girls walked over in time to watch her knight shove her to the ground, where a thick layer of ice and snow already surrounded her. She fought against him furiously to reach the stairwell, but he blocked her path with ease.

All the while, the queen looked down from above with a stone-faced expression. Even exhausted after childbirth, she had once been as beautiful as her daughter had grown up to be. Now though, she truly looked haggard. Her hair and skin were paler than before, and her cheeks had grown thin. As steady as she carried herself, her breathing also seemed somewhat labored.

"My good?!" Vanessa shrieked, her face slick with frozen tears, "What good can come from keeping me in here—from his burial?! I deserve to be with him!"

"And do you really think you could keep yourself together when you're already like this? So much stress isn't good for you, you know it—and nevermind your own health, think of your people. The ice is stronger in you than in me; you can barely contain it," the older woman countered, "Your absence will be noticed, but we'll say you became sick with grief. No one will question it if you stay put."

"I don't care about my image: I care about father! I loved him, something a heartless, old crone like you could never manage—!"

A blistering wind suddenly tore through area, emanating from the queen. The blast was so powerful that Hat and Bow nearly stumbled back from it, bracing each other against the harsh chill. For the first time, the queen showed true, raw emotion: A kind of agony that clawed at the heart enough to draw physical pain.

"I couldn't love your father like I wanted, but I loved him nonetheless!" she screamed back, "And because I loved him, it's killing me! Just like it's killing you! Why won't you get it, Vanessa?! This curse is going to swallow us whole! And it won't just be the end of our lives, but the end of our family!"

She placed a hand to her chest, her breathing getting worse. Her eyes widened and she ground her teeth together in a mute, aching hiss. It took a few seconds for the queen to reign herself in and, when she did, her gaze was distant.

"I am weak. I could only ever have one child… and it had to be such an emotional girl. If I at least had a son, then one more generation would be secure. But it's just you, and I'm just hoping you won't die before having a child of your own. Somehow, I hope you can fulfill my wish of the long life all women of our cold blood have been denied.

"So, stay here. And if you want to honor your father's memory, then do it by properly carrying out your role as princess."

Seeing her mother turn to leave, Vanessa became desperate. She lunged forward in one more attempt to get by only to be caught in the guard's arms. As she struggled, she turned to him and pleaded, "Why are you doing this…? Why are you listening to her?! You can't just leave me here!"

The flat line of his mouth faltered and his brows twitched. He looked conflicted, eyes flickering with remorse, as he found himself caught between the queen's direct orders and the princess' cries for help. His gaze drifted to the floor and he held onto her a bit more gently.

The queen waited for him, having regained her full composure, "It may seem harsh, but you know I'm in the right, knight. Remember your oath."

The moment's reluctance passed. Whatever trickle of doubt had appeared in his mind evaporated like a vapor at her words. His eyes took on the same strange, red glow they had during his knighting ceremony. His touch once more became harsh and he pushed her further back. Before she could grapple with him again, he spun on his heel and marched out of the cellar.

"You can come out after you've calmed down."

"Don't do this!" Vanessa yelled after them, scrambling back to her feet as fast as she could. However, the hatch dropped before she could reach it. Ice continued to creep around her, spreading along the walls and crackling against the wood. She paused, frantically searching around and then tearing across the isolated space to yank at the bulkhead doors. They didn't budge either, thick chains loudly rattling on the outside.

Still gripping the handles, Vanessa sank to her knees in defeat and her heavy, visible breathes turned to sobs. Gradually, the memory began to deteriorate around them to where only her trembling voice could be heard echoing through a dark daze from where the knight must've still been listening.

"Don't leave me, please don't leave me! Someone save me—prince, come save me…"

Mere minutes later to them, the girls intruded on another funeral: The queen's this time. Although she was covered from head to foot in a delicate dress and was made over with thick makeup and a veil, it was impossible to ignore the frostbitten coloration of her skin and ugly blisters that bubbled over it. She was barely in the middle of her years, but the warm glow of her youth had been put out by the cold that had grown with her.

There was a bigger crowd than before, all dressed in mourning. Her body was carried through the village and into the depths of the wood, Vanessa and her knight riding behind her carriage, the prince's family behind them, and a troop of knight s following at the back in a solemn parade. Hat and Bow tailed after the group with the rest of the Dwellers.

It was a simple, if elegant ceremony. The community of Dwellers had always come across as pretty tight-knit, so there was little division between nobles or commoners while it took place. People from the village freely approached Vanessa to give their condolences and stepped over to the coffin for their chance to honor the deceased. Flowers piled high around the coffin and in the princess' arms. All the while, once given the chance to stand by her, the prince never left Vanessa's side. He held her close as a shoulder to lean on throughout the service to when it came time to bury the fallen ruler.

In contrast to her father's death, Vanessa held herself together pretty well as her mother's remains where carried into a fenced off mausoleum. Whether it was thanks to their poor relationship or practice was hard to say. While her eyes were puffy from tears already shed, she didn't break down once. If anything, she wore a soft smile as she leaned into the prince's arms.

"You know I'm here for you," he whispered in her ear, "for whatever you need, my princess."

Her grin slipped a bit. She mumbled into his sleeve, "I'll be queen soon…"

"You'll always look like an adorable princess to me," he replied, "You have nothing to fear over your coronation. Everyone already loves you."

"And my prince?"

He raised her hand to his lips, "Completely enchanted by you…"

She sighed deeply, content to hear him gush over her. Despite this, it wasn't long after the last rites were said and the crowd began to thin that she pulled herself away. She stepped forward, pausing before walking into the mausoleum, "Could I have a moment alone please?"

The prince nodded, looking away as he answered her in a soft voice, "Take as much time as you need."

He followed the others away from the gravesite and began to talk to some of the Dwellers. Vanessa watched him go, then turned to face the guard that had remained close to her for all those years. Rather than dismiss him, she walked past the priest and into the small confines of the stone chamber. The remains her ancestors surrounded her on all sides, with little room left for future generations. The guard waited by the door, just within earshot, but giving her an otherwise respectful amount of space.

"I wish you'd given me a sibling," she said to the sealed away queen, "that way I wouldn't have to take your hideous crown.

"Are you happy, Mother? I carried myself flawlessly, just like a princess should. I have everything under control. I'm not crying over you. In fact, I think I'll be quite happy now. I've merely overcome one more tragedy until my happily ever after."

Tentatively, she reached out and placed her hand on the coffin's smooth surface. A wisp of cold air slipped out of her as she sighed again. Carefully, Vanessa arranged her flowers with the rest and then turned to go without another word. Before the vision ended, Hat Kid was able to get a good enough look at the bundle to see that the petals that had been full and vibrant only moments ago had turned a dreary black.

The blinding, freezing winds that greeted the girls in the final memory threatened to cut them down. They stood just outside of the manor grounds, its gates quivering and moaning under the stain of the deadly weather. A clear evening sky was swallowed by encroaching shadows and a violent whiteout. The grass was withering right before their eyes, turning black before the snow could cover it. In the distance, coming from the manor itself, was a swiftly advancing wave of ice.

It was a state of mayhem the girls had already seen through the eyes of the Dwellers. People were screaming, running as fast as they could to flee the village. Parents screamed after their children and children cried for their parents. Someone's door had frozen shut and their family scrambled to get them out of the house as fast as they could. The ice pierced through some and encased others.

A small group of knights had gathered together, hardly paying attention to the danger even as a couple of their own were struck down. One unsheathed their blade, breaking the gates latch to lead the charge past their fallen comrades that were caught unawares at their posts.

Before the last solider could rush through, someone called after him. He stopped in his tracks, turning his familiar gaze to where two of the villagers—a burly, dark-haired man and a curly-haired woman cradling a toddler in her arms—were standing against the cold. They shouted at him in angry terror.

"You idiot! Hurry this way!"

"There's nothing you can do! We need to leave—now!"

However, the knight only stared vacantly in response. Neither the storm nor their presence seemed to faze him. The delay in his answer alone was enough for the pair to understand his horrifying choice even if they didn't know why he'd made it. The man cursed under his breath, shaking his head and pushing the woman away—urging her to run. Together, they took off as swiftly as they appeared, vanishing in the swirling haze, never to return.

"My queen needs me…" the knight said to the wind just as another powerful gale tore through the forest. The crash of a tree somewhere nearby could barely be heard against the roar of air.

He raced after his brothers and sisters in arms, unwittingly passing more of their snow-covered forms as he drew closer to the manor. There, he entered a new term of service to the crown that would last well beyond his final breath—loyal to the end.