Chapter 1

The sun shone on the cloudless skies of the Kingdom of Mendacium, an old and powerful country. It's history rich with various culture that swept past its lands. The kingdom was known for its prominent and active church, Saint Fraus.

The structure of the white and shining towers of the holy palace of the Goddess glittered in the afternoon sun. The locals eyes that caught the light from it, felt their heart swell with happiness and hope for the future of their great country. Their faith unwavering to the Pope and their beloved goddess. Foreign onlookers and passing travelers marveled at the beautiful building in the capitol, Tacitia. They felt at peace with the prayers they offered everyday, their belief unquestionable.

But in the city however, the people bustled about their business. Smiling and stopping once in a while to greet someone they crossed paths with, mostly the occasional nobles shopping and eating at restaurants.

The commoners that ran the said shops smiled at their shoppers, some leading the buyers to their requested jewelry or something or other.

The people were at times boisterous and loud, the streets were always filled with stalls from merchants scattered along the street. Various materials from far out countries being sold, their voices loud as they rallied customers to buy their products.

"This precious fabrics are from the far Eastern countries!"

"My, madame you ha a good eye for jewelry. This is from..."

"Come and buy..."

And as any other country, some swidlers had hidden amongst the money hungry merchants.

Their beady eyes rapidly following those gullible enough to believe them, without a good eye you would have trouble seeing the malicious edge of the smiles plastered on their faces. They sold their materials to nobility mostly, especially those young and sheltered children of aristocrats. Some sold fake blessed trinkets that they commercialized were blessed by the church. They told the young nobles that the small trinkets would grant anyone in possession of it, good fortune.

But one stall stood starkly against the swindlers and merchants, far shabbier than those flamboyant stalls. In fact, it looked almost run down. It walls dirty and scrached, and it appeared to be leaning on one side a bit too much. Most buyers avoided this unknown stall, as its appearance was most harsh in the eyes of the posh nobles, while the commoners looked on with pity at its less than stellar appearance.

In such stall a little dark hooded child stood, marveling at the shiny objects that she usually found in their household.

But her father said she was forbidden to touch any of the glittering jewels, as he said that she may tarnish their beauty. She didn't really understand why, but her father said so, so it must be true. She didn't want to ruin those beautiful jewelry.

But today she got separated from her nanny. She couldn't find her, so she wandered aimlessly on the streets in hope that her nanny would somehow find her and vice versa.

Then she saw these glittering necklaces, she likes shiny things so she had to take a closer look, since they were so pretty.

The little girl gasped as she caught sight of a small golden necklace. In the center of the pendant was a delicately carved yellow jewel, its petals elegantly curved upward to add to its ethereal air. She realized she had already seen this kind of flower from the books at the library. A Strelitzia.

"Why hello there young miss."

The short little girl flinched slightly and pulled back from her concentration on the necklace. Her deep flush was covered by the hood that she pulled even closer to her face. She fidgeted slightly, before remembering her manners and looked up.

Soft yellow eyes glanced shyly at the also hooded, elderly woman that greeted her.

The yellow eyed girl gripped her worn dress and lifted it up lightly, gave a small tilt of her head before saying, "H-hello, maam."

The graying lady behind the display smiled kindly, the wrinkles in her face growing prominent at the action.

"Such a polite young lady you are." The other blushed more at the unexpected compliment. She had never been praised in anything before. Not even her tutors, and they always complimented her older sister.

"T-thank you " The little lady replied.

The older smiled once more. "Do you like that necklace young miss?" At the answering hesitant nod, the woman slowly opened her display, with the elegance that an old woman her age shouldn't posses. She reached out and lightly grabbed the sparkling object. She closed the display and opened her hand in front of the younger.

"Why don't you have it little miss?" She spoke , her vacant hand reached out and softly grasped the child's small wrist.

The girl in respose to the sudden action froze, whil the elderly woman placed the necklace on the girls awaiting hand, that was when the girl broken out of her stupor.

" Ma'am I can't accept this! Y-you seem to be already struggling, I don't want to recieve something that is supposed to feed your income!" The young lady exclaimed sofly.

" You are kind and compassionate young miss, that's why I want you to have this." The woman smiled once more appearing younger than she seemed to be.

After one hesitant beat, the girl pulled her hand back to examine the small carved rock in the necklace.

"Is it really o-Ok?" She asked, her golden eyes still fixated at the pretty necklace. Her touch didn't seem to tarnish it, so this must be a special one she found. She thought giddily.

"Yes, young miss. This one calls to you, hope is not lost after all. I hope you dont get swallowed by the aconite hidden in your midst." The young lady looked up as she heard those cryptic words.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.

"Don't mind me my lady, just an old womans grumblings" She replied, after a beat. Her voice warm and that comforted the girl, even though this woman was practically a stranger.

"T-thank you for this ma'am." Said the yellow-eyes youth sincerely.

"It is nothing at all, young miss. The only payment I require is for you to live happily. May they bless you, Child of Isis."

"Who..." In a blink or an eye, the stall along with the kind woman disappears, as if it was never here in the first place. The child felt shocked at the others sudden depart. A small part of her mind idly wonder what sorcery could manage such disappearance.

The child wipped her head around, almost stepping on her ragged cloak. But the stall and the old woman were nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps she was hallucinating?

She looked into her hand still saw the necklace that the nice woman gave her.

The pretty necklace was real.

But where did the nice lady go? She thought to her self, before grunting out an 'oof' when another body barreled towards her. Thankfully her stayed on. The girl saw a wisp of long brown hair from the body hugging her.

"My lady! Where did you run off to!? I am sorry for my incompetence!" A feminine voice cried behind her, from the young woman clutching her tightly. Honey colored eyes staring at her worriedly, she tried to wiggle from the tight hold, only to fail miserably.

"I'm fine Marian, I just got swept up by the crowd." The girl giggled, the young maid seperated herself from her miss. The girl noticed the basket her nanny was carrying. "What's that?" She asked curiously, sighing in relief as her maid let go of her.

"Oh, I picked up some things while I was trying to find you. The chef wanted some things and..." She began to babble on about the chef's order for her. While the woman was distracted, her charge tuned her our while slowly dropping the pretty necklace into a secret pocket in her dress. When she was confident it was safe and secure she focused on what her nanny was saying.

"...and so I bought some extra cookies for us to nibble on while on our way back to the Manor." Marian smiled, looking down at her lady.

"But that's your money isn't it?"She paused for a beat." You should save it, for your family back home."

"My Lady its fine, I have more than enough in my savings for my family." She smiled.

"If you say so." The younger said.

"Let's go back to manor, my lady. We shouldn't be out too long, or the Duke will be furious." The older said, the mood dropped as she mentioned the girl's father.

"Right." She replied quietly, sadness blooming in her chest. She guessed it was back to the manor they go.

Marian grabbed the smaller hand into hers as they easily walked through the flood of people in teh streets. The child watched each pattern of the sidewalk, purposefully avoiding the eyes of the others. The unsubtle whispers seemed to outshow the loud cry of the vendors.

When the crowd began to lessen did the tension on her shoulders loosen. She looked up and saw a old wooden carriage. Bare of any adornment or family crest, which nobles wore proudly. At first glance people wouldn't think that such a simple carriage would carry a person with noble blood , even less likely for someone who is related to the Duke himself. But it was, she was used to recieving the barest things the family could offer. So this wasn't a surprise when the carriage was presented to her. She could barely reach the steps with her small legs, without help.

But what made her smile was the large and intimidating coachman pacing beside the carriage.

When his eyes landed on the pair, his broad shoulders hunched in relief. He ran his hand through his ebony hair, a sign that he was still agitated.

"My Lady!" He exclaimed.

They stopped in front of the carriage, and the girl smiled up at the giant in front of her.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt? Who did it? I swear I'll beat them and proclaim their sins to the goddess herself!" He voiced loudly, surprising the passersby's.

"I'm fine, Beau. I just got a little lost." She attempted to smile but it came more as a grimace.

The coachman went to argue, but clamped his mouth shut when he saw how strained the child's smiled was and how tired her eyes seem.

"As you say, my lady." He opted to say. He helped the small lady up the carriage steps.

Once she was uncomfortably seated onto the wooden bench he gestured for Marian to go inside, sharing a look with her on the way. Once they were seated he closed the door and seated himself on the driver's seat, and commanded an old chocolate colored mare to pull the carriage.

When it was ensured that the constant clicking of hooves were steady, the little lady let mind drift. Munching on a simple cookie Marian had given her when the carriage door closed. Her mind wandered to the whispers following her every time she went out.

"Look its her..."

"Who?"

"You don't know who she is ?"

"Is she some important noble perhaps?"

"No she's..."

"Alisha Audrey Magnas."

"Magnas? But aren't they-"

"My Lady!" She jumped from her seat, startled at the sudden voice cutting through the air. She also hadn't noticed she already finished her cookie.

"Marian?"

"We've arrived." Marian said simply.

Alisha looked outside the window and indeed they were passing the gates of the manor. She took off her cloak, revealing her beautiful flowing ink black hair tied in a ponytail with a pink ribbon , she gave her cloak to her nanny who in turn folded it neatly in her lap.

She looked down at herself and stared at the thin red dress she wore, it had sleeves that went up to her wrists, her burgundy bodice looked old, and her shoes were almost torn. She noted to herself to borrow some extra thread from Marian later.

The carriage turned right, away from the main entrance. Before finally stopping at the stable, a deep familair numbness overcame her. The door was opened and she stepped out Marian following right behind her, the others demeanor also changing to what a maid was supposed to be. Submissive. Ready to serve. Head and eyes down, neck bent slightly.

Alisha looked forward to the side of the manor, a small door meant for the maids and coachman to come in and out from the haughty building as they please.

"Welcome back, Alisha" She whispered to herself, sarcastically. Before opening the door.