1 A Cold Place

She could hardly see anything in the dark surroundings. The only source of illumination was a torch glowing brightly near the building's door, but even that was far away. The air seemed cold tonight, or maybe it was just the average temperature of this place given how far below it was from the surface.

She could hear mice scurrying about even in this pitch-black darkness. There was a stench in the air, a metallic, sticky one. It felt heavy against her chest, or perhaps there is another reason for her heavy feeling. She would have felt disgusted to even enter such a filthy place but now she doesn't care anymore.

It's been at least a week since she was abandoned here, and no one had come to rescue her. The betrayal was so painful to feel. When she was thrown down there, she remembers screaming and crying but now she was worn out.

Her body ached maybe because of the unexpected environmental shift from her luxurious environment before and this unaccustomed cold. Her father, brother, and even the person she loved the most in the world had all abandoned her here on her own. The people she spent devoted her entire life to.

Long ago someone asked her 'This life that you are giving up for others, will they do the same for you?'. She disregarded that woman's advice at the time. She had trouble recalling who that individual was. She used to believe that her team would always have her back, which is why she never cared about other people. She consequently, never paid any attention to anyone or anything.

Ah, if only she could go back in time, she would make everything right.

She had always promised herself to die without having any regrets, but that now seemed to be wishful thinking.

She turned her gaze to her hands, which were trembling.

A thin peach silk dress, a silver hairpin with a butterfly design, embellished with pearls and diamonds, and these beige silk gloves. She adored their ruffles and embroidery. It was her absolute favorite outfit, something that suited Leo's taste.

She snickered. It's always Leo.

She rubbed her shivering shoulders. If she had worn something that would have covered more of her skin, then she wouldn't be trembling like this. Now that she thinks about it, was this outfit something that she liked?

Leo had always said that she looked good in neutral colors. So the majority of her wardrobes were filled with spring colors. Everything she owned was suited for Leo's taste, everything. Nothing was hers.

The only thing that was hers was the necklace around her neck. A little water drop-shaped frame with a red stone in the center. Although it is not entirely her style, the pendant is one of her favorites.

She reached for the pendant that was hung over her neck. It was her mother's last memory or the only thing someone gave her out of pure love.

She held it tight, close to her chest as if it was her lifeline. In this pitch-black, chilly environment, the small piece of stone felt so warm. "I'm sorry Mom. I couldn't even complete your only wish"

The sound of footsteps began to come from the entryway. Hearing the sound Layla hurriedly tucked the jewelry away inside her dress, pulling the dress up to conceal the red stone jewelry.

"Tsk. you really are alive" a scornful male voice came from outside of the iron bars. "Pests are hard to kill" he continued.

She wanted to respond, but she was simply too worn out to do anything. And looking at him would just only enrage her, draining more of her energy.

"Hmm... only one week, that's all it took to silence you. If I had known this earlier, then I would have done this sooner" the man sighed, shaking his head. He then put one hand in his pocket, and with a smug face, he said "The emperor declared that all assets and lands of a traitor like you would now belong to the royal treasury. Not only that, he even gave the 'swan lake' to Ms. Madeline. Tsk, tsk sister, I expected you to play better than this".

"I already knew you were a loser, but now I know for certain you're a coward. I don't remember Dad being like this, it must have come from the other side then."

Bang. A loud band echoed through the empty hallway.

The man hit the iron bars and grabbed them firmly. His enraged eyes looked straight at the person behind bars. He then let out a long, deep breath trying to calm himself. And then he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I must applaud you, sister. Even in such a situation, you dare to make me angry" he said.

"Well, sister, guess what, the king gave me the Viri-la territory. The territory you worked so hard to get. I can now finally display my skills to the world." He grinned, looking down at his sister, "And they will see how much superior I am to you"

Layla cast her gaze at her hands. The environment was still cold, but her hands were not shivering and this time it was not because of the cold. "Oh well what's the point, you are going to die anyway," he laughed.

"Just having the crown doesn't make one an emperor. Things received from charity don't make you a Lord, Elijah"

"What did you say!! Do you even know the situation you are in, sister?" he laughed manically. Then he cast a mocking gaze down at his sibling, "The 'proud and beautiful angel' of this Empire being imprisoned and forgotten behind bars. Kind of pitiful, isn't it? You will be rotting away in this filthy, disgusting place while I will be known as the emperor's right-hand man."

He then sighed, "It's a shame, really. I was here to propose a deal, and now with this nasty attitude, I don't think I want to save you anyway", he shrugged his shoulders.

Layla smirked. Unable to hold herself back anymore, she replied, "Ha. Making someone work as an undercover agent is not saving them, Elijah. You're crazy if you believe I'd ever want to work for someone else again. Moreover, I would rather die than be someone who works under a fake. I have pride, unlike you."

"Someone, who is about to die shouldn't say things like that. Or has the cold and hunger stopped your mind from functioning properly, sister", he commented.

Layla heard faint rhythmic sounds. Footsteps. She smirked and looked at him directly in his eyes. "I don't need your help to get out of here."

"What did you say?"

"What's going on here", another voice interrupted them. A feminine, angelic voice yet commanding.

Layla recognized this voice, she always had. Layla's eyes now settled on the third presence in the room. She clutched her dress tightly to suppress her increasing anger to not let it foil her plan.

Elijah swiftly knelt on his knees, bowing to the third person. "H-Her majesty, w-what are you doing here? I thought you were still at the banquet" he stuttered. He had no idea Charlotte would be coming here at this time.

Charlotte glanced at the woman behind the bars before looking back at him. "What are you doing here, Elijah?". Her voice was demanding and dominating, which was quite the opposite of what Elijah had seen and heard before.

"Are you here to free your sister" she chuckled and continued, it sounded innocent but far from that.

"N-NO No! Her majesty, how could I?-"

"Then what were you doing here?" she asked in a cold tone and serious voice.

"He is here for the same reason you are my queen", Layla intervened, unable to restrain herself anymore. It's like a criminal condemning other criminals for stealing.

With one eyebrow raised, the queen replied to Elijah, "Is that so?". She then turned and said to Layla, "Then you better tell us soon, since that will be the only useful thing you can do in this pitiful life of yours."

The queen's chuckles were echoed, as Layla bit her lip. "Fine. I will tell you but-" she looked up at the elegant royal "-someone else is also present here".

The queen looked at Elijah and then laughed. "Haha, no problem, he is more like a friend. It wouldn't be a problem if he heard this. So speak". The queen spoke with confidence.

Layla glanced at her brother, who was slightly blushing and scratching his head. Flustered at being called Her Majesty's friend.

Stupid brother, she thought. A secret like this one is no joke. Nobody knows about this secret except for her and the queen. Her gaze shifted to the queen's bodyguard, who was standing behind all of them. Isn't it obvious the princess plans on killing him after he hears this?

She sighed. Not her problem, since she would die anyway. "Redvo's stone, it's real. And from what I could gather, it can be used by someone with a pure heart and body" Layla smirked. "It's a shame her majesty can't use it". Layla knew what she was doing was foolish and dumb, possibly even hastening her doom, but she couldn't help it. As powerless as she was right now, this was the only way she could hurt someone like her. Plus it was more fun this way.

In contrast to the smiling women behind the jail, the queen's expression turned stern. "Bring the key", the queen ordered to her bodyguard.

"Yes mam" After bowing, her bodyguard quickly went to get the requested object. He unlocked the jail cell and pushed open the door.

The cell's four walls reverberated with a sudden, loud slapping sound. A kick followed by another one. "Just because you got to spend time with Leo, you think you're his lover or something. You vermin belong under my foot, not above it. Someone like you dared to be my equal."

The abuse continued for several minutes until the queen decided to stop. The queen's neatly styled light blond hair fell out from her bun. She was heaving while Layla lay motionless on the ground.

"Stupid girl, you thought you could challenge me" The queen turned around. "Sir Dan set fire to this palace". To her command, her bodyguard bowed and walked to the corridors to grab the torch that was burning near the entrance.

As the queen was about to step out of the cell, she was yanked backward by her hair. She fell on the dirty, cold floor. And before she could make sense of anything, she felt a force on top of her form.

"Did no one tell you not to turn your back on your enemy, my queen" With that, a sharp object was thrust against the royal's eyes? A hand tightly grabbed her mouth before she could yell out in pain.

Layla's irises dilated, and a thrill ran through her body as she twisted the hairpin while shoving it deep into the woman's eyes. All of her pent-up anger and rage went into it.

Layla heard her brother scream as blood began to spill all around her. Layla simply grinned, not caring.

The commotion alerted the bodyguard, who came running and discovered his lady lying bloodied, motionless on the ground with Layla on top of her. In a rage, he unsheathed his sword and slashed it right through Layla's chest.

Layla fell onto the ground as the bodyguard sprinted to his mistress's lifeless body. Everything was starting to get blurry. She couldn't feel her body anymore. Yet, her lips were stretched from side to side.

She heard her brother's remark one last time, "How could you? You're a monster!" and after that, he rushed over to the queen's side. Even during her last breadth that man would rather run to a stranger than to his sister, who did so much for him all her life.

Her whole life she tried to be a good human being. She did everything for everyone, as far as sacrificing her own needs to help others. She had always been a righteous person.

She chuckled. Not anymore. "Fine, make me your villainess."