Marked by the Ruthless Princess

The snow fell thick and fast, draping the bustling city of Ravenwell in a mantle of wintry white. This year's weather was especially bitter, leaving the streets deserted.

On Nymor Avenue's eastern end stood the grand estate of the current Grand General, Reginald Riley. Two imposing stone lions flanked the entrance, their heads piled high with snow. A pageboy in a grayish-blue jacket swept them off, soon restoring the lions to their former splendor.

Rubbing his hands for warmth, the boy grumbled under his breath, "Why fuss with all this in such freezing weather?"

Another boy, cheeks flushed from cold, remarked, "Stop complaining. It's a harsh winter, and Mount Wulfham's bound to be worse. Miss Sophia's poor health forced her back here to recover. Watch your mouth, or the General will have your hide."

The first pageboy muttered a few more words of discontent but, mindful of being overheard, fell silent. Just then, noticing someone at the gate, he jumped—then relaxed upon seeing who it was. He managed a half-baked salute. "Second Miss."

Without waiting for a reply, he returned to his sweeping.

Reginald Riley had two daughters. The elder, born to his legal wife, was Heavenblessed but born premature and frequently ill, which led her to recuperate at Mount Wulfham for years. The younger, also Heavenblessed, came from a concubine. People thought her dull and seldom paid her much heed.

Yet, as Lina Riley extended her hand to catch a drifting snowflake, the chill against her palm jolted her senses awake. Around her, there was no roaring flame nor crippling agony—only a searing cold, a stark contrast to her recollections. Pressing her hand over her right one, she broke into a soft laugh.

Her hand, her eyes—both were still there. This was no dream; she had truly returned to her eighteen-year-old self in midwinter. Eighteen… It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Miss! Miss Lina!"

A familiar voice rang out, drawing closer. A moment later, a heavy cloak was draped around Lina's shoulders. Daisy Harper, her neat-faced maid, carefully fastened it at the collar, then resumed her usual anxious chatter.

"Miss, it's so cold today, and you still insist on coming outside in such thin clothes. You're barely recovered—you should be resting!"

"And it'll be two more days before Miss Sophia arrives—there's no need to stand here so early."

"Oh! You're crying, Miss? Don't mind me—I'll keep quiet!"

Noting tears on Lina's pale cheeks, Daisy panicked—her mistress was clearly smiling, yet silently crying. A strange dread filled Daisy, as though if she so much as blinked, Miss Lina might vanish far, far away.

Flustered, the little maid clumsily used her own sleeve to blot her mistress's tears. No one could possibly grasp Lina's emotions at that moment. It was like she'd woken from an agonizing nightmare: she had sacrificed her right hand and her eyesight for someone who never deserved it, and Daisy had drowned in icy water. Yet now, everything—her hand, her eyes, Daisy—was intact.

"Daisy."

"Yes, Miss?"

Seeing those bright, earnest eyes just as she remembered, Lina wiped a few more tears that threatened to spill and fibbed, "Some of the cloak's fur got into my eye."

Daisy believed her at once. "Sorry, it's my fault!"

Lina merely smiled. "Help me back inside, will you?"

Unlike the desolate streets outdoors, the estate bristled with excitement over Sophia Riley's impending return. No one spared a thought for the recently ill second daughter. Daisy's face couldn't hide her displeasure. Lina found it amusing.

She tapped Daisy's forehead lightly. "Why the long face?"

Slipping away from the mansion's festive atmosphere, Daisy scowled at the next empty corridor. Once certain nobody else was listening, she whispered her grievance. "You nearly died of illness, and the General barely checked on you. You're just as much his daughter!"

Lina paid it no mind. She was only a concubine's child, her father's attention always reserved for her elder sister, and she herself had intentionally kept a low profile. Besides, at the moment, being overlooked suited her fine.

They returned to her room, closing out the wind and snow. Seeing the coals nearly burnt out, Daisy swiftly added more fuel. Sparks flickered, orange flames leaping over black lumps of charcoal. Lina gazed into the fire, dazed by memories of that dreadful conflagration from her past. The roar of flames, the acrid smoke, the sorrow…

On the battlefield, she had gained renown as a fierce warrior, only to be destroyed by her own ruler, her so-called beloved. Poisoned wine had choked off her voice, leaving her in burning agony. She could only hear the hiss of flames, coupled with Victoria Ashwood's venomous tirade: "You've overstepped, General Lina."

Roused by the flashback, Lina realized she'd nearly thrust her hand into the embers. She yanked it away, though not before it blistered with painful welts. Daisy entered just then with a bowl of medicine. Spotting Lina's injury, she panicked and nearly dropped the bowl as she rushed forward.

"Miss, you have me, and you have Madam Johnson. Don't do anything rash…" Daisy assumed Lina's father's indifference must have pushed her to despair.

But Lina, who had died once, didn't care about that. All she wanted this time was revenge. And Victoria Ashwood, at this stage, remained a powerless Fifth Princess locked away in a neglected corner of the palace.

Gently, Lina patted Daisy's head. "You silly goose, I was just distracted."

Daisy anxiously set down the medicine, then rummaged for burn ointment. Lina realized the gesture warmed her still. This time around, she wouldn't let anyone else die in her stead.

While Daisy applied salve to her wounds, Lina asked, "Daisy, you're nearly sixteen now, aren't you?"

Daisy's cheeks flushed, and she nodded. "Yes, Miss, I am."

Lina nodded. "Then you'll be having your shift soon?"

In the previous life, Daisy had ended up as an Earthbound—something she'd complained about, yearning instead for even the Lowland rank so she might join Lina on the battlefield. Lina used to tease her with references to The Princess Royal as an example that Earthbound could be formidable indeed.

Daisy brightened. "I hope I become Heavenblessed, so I can protect you!"

Lina's heart felt a gentle warmth. She recalled telling Daisy a similar thing before. "Is there no way you can protect me if you're Earthbound?"

The girl pouted but had to concede. "Well… but The Princess Royal is something else."

Lina's eyes gleamed with momentary humor, but then she remembered The Princess Royal's merciless reputation. She, having survived war, had never truly feared steel swords or spears—only Lucille Everard. This nascent monarchy was not old, and when the previous monarch, Alexander Everard, died unexpectedly without naming an heir, Lucille had seized the throne through brutal purges, sparing only her infant siblings as puppets. Anyone who tried turning the young monarch against her met a swift, bloody end.

In that old life, Lina had forced herself to deal with The Princess Royal for Victoria's sake, barely avoiding death countless times—thanks mostly to luck. The memory of Lucille's cold, mesmerizing face flitted through Lina's mind, making her gather the cloak around her shoulders, as if warding off an imagined chill.

"All I want in this life is to be a proper general—and to settle old scores. Best if I never see The Princess Royal again," Lina whispered to herself…