A young woman with long red hair that fell past her hips walked slowly toward the guillotine, her hands bound tightly behind her back. Beside her, a man with dark blue hair moved forward calmly, as if accepting his fate without a shred of resistance.
The execution device stood tall upon a raised platform, surrounded by a sea of people cheering and shouting in delight.
"Kill the Queen!"
"She's a monster!"
"End her life!"
Those shouts pierced Elowen's ears—she who was once known as the Queen of Hearts, a title that was now nothing more than a mark of shame. Her clothes were tattered and torn in several places, mirroring how the entire world had turned its back on her.
The man beside her turned his head slightly to look at her.
"Your Majesty… let me bear all the blame and punishment alone. While they are busy with me, run away," he said, offering her a gentle, calm smile despite the situation.
Elowen looked at him for a long moment, her expression hollow yet strangely soft.
"There is no need," she replied quietly.
The man gave a faint smile in return, then stepped right up to the guillotine without hesitation. He lowered his head and placed his neck into the designated slot, ready to face his end.
In the very next moment, the heavy blade came crashing down.
For a split second, the whole world seemed to fall into silence.
"Elowen!"
A voice cut sharply through the noise and chaos—a voice she recognised more dearly than anything else in existence.
Her younger sister, a girl with long, snow-white hair, was pushing her way desperately through the thick crowd, fighting against the wave of people to reach the stage.
"Don't look at me like that..." Elowen whispered almost soundlessly, her eyes glassy. "Am I not the worst sister you could ever have?"
Without waiting for an answer, she walked steadily forward and stood where he had stood just seconds ago.
Her sister was getting closer and closer, screaming her name over and over again, but it was already too late. There was no turning back now.
Elowen bowed her head, resting her neck into the final place that awaited her.
"ELOWEN!!"
With a loud whoosh, the iron blade fell.
Years before that tragedy took place…
Elowen and Celestia were princesses of the royal lineage of Wonderveil, a mysterious kingdom home to countless races and magical beings. Yet, from the moment they were young, the way they were raised could not have been more different.
Elowen grew up in an atmosphere of harshness and cold indifference; her own parents often treated her as nothing more than an unnecessary burden. In stark contrast, Celestia was raised wrapped in warmth and affection, treated as if she alone represented the future and hope of the entire realm.
This difference in treatment was no accident. An ancient prophecy had once been spoken—one which foretold that Celestia would grow to become a wise and powerful queen, destined to bring perfect balance and harmony to Wonderveil. Ever since that day, it seemed the line of succession was decided even before they were born; the throne was reserved solely for her.
However, Elowen never once desired the crown or the authority that came with it. Even though she was constantly pushed aside, ignored, or treated unfairly, she never harboured hatred or jealousy toward her younger sister. On the contrary, despite being showered with love, attention and privilege, Celestia always sought her sister out in secret. She would quietly sneak away to visit Elowen in the quietest, most forgotten corners of the palace, for it felt as though only in those lonely places were the two of them truly free to simply be sisters, without the weight of expectations or royal duties hanging over their heads.
Back in those childhood days, it was only within these hidden moments that they truly belonged to each other. Everything remained this way… until the day their parents passed away.
After their deaths, silence fell heavily over Wonderveil. The kingdom, which had once been vibrant, colourful and full of life, was suddenly swallowed by uncertainty and anxiety. Naturally, the people and nobles alike demanded that Celestia ascend the throne as the rightful heir—just as the prophecy had promised.
But fate had other plans, and circumstances soon took a drastic turn. Threats began to emerge from every direction, both from within the kingdom and beyond its borders. Dangerous, monstrous creatures started to move through the shadows, and dark forces began plotting their rise. Elowen realised very clearly that Celestia, who had always been sheltered, loved, and protected from the cruelties of the world, would never be able to survive, let alone rule, in such dangerous times. She knew her sister's gentle heart and kind nature would be her undoing.
And so, to protect Celestia from the cruel destiny awaiting her… Elowen changed completely.
With the power granted to her by an ancient dragon—an immensely powerful creature known to yield to no one and nothing—Elowen seized the throne. Her takeover was swift and met with barely any resistance, for no one was strong enough to stand against her newfound might.
From that day onwards, everything changed.
The throne, which was meant to belong to Celestia by birthright and prophecy, was now firmly in Elowen's hands. The close bond they had cherished for years began to crack and fall apart; the warmth between them slowly turned cold, distant and bitter… until eventually, there was nothing left but a vast, uncrossable gap between two hearts that once had always searched for one another.
Inside the silent palace, Celestia sat alone on the main balcony. All around her, the white rose garden bloomed beautifully, yet such beauty was unable to soothe the turmoil in her heart.
Standing faithfully by her side was Charles, the court jester. The man with deep green hair had always accompanied Celestia quietly, like a shadow that never leaves its master.
"Princess Celestia… are you truly well?" Charles asked softly.
Celestia gazed toward the rose garden with sorrowful eyes. "I do not understand… why my sister desired the throne so much. Yet, I firmly believe she never harboured ill intentions."
"Your Highness..."
Before Charles could continue speaking, a white rabbit hopped into the area. The little creature wore a hat and clothing of black, creating a striking contrast against its pure white fur. It bounded lightly towards Charles before stopping right in front of Celestia.
"Your Highness, I shall go and find our saviour," the rabbit suddenly declared.
Celestia fell silent, looking at the small creature in confusion. "A saviour?"
The rabbit nodded firmly. "I will find the one capable of bringing down the dragon. That creature is the root of everything."
"Silas… I am not sure if this is right—"
"Do not worry, Your Highness."
Without waiting for a reply, Silas the rabbit hopped away from the palace and vanished into the shadows of the world beyond.
Five days later.
A young woman with golden-blonde hair arrived at Celestia's residence together with Silas. She was led directly to the guest chamber, where Celestia was already waiting for her. The newcomer had a captivating face, paired with sharp yet calm golden eyes.
"Greetings, Your Highness… My name is Alice," she spoke respectfully.
"Just call me Celestia," the princess replied gently.
Alice bowed her head slightly before stepping closer. "Your Highness… I believe the only way to truly save this kingdom is to launch an offensive against Queen Elowen."
Celestia froze in place.
"I am confident in my ability to defeat the dragon that stands behind her power," Alice added firmly.
"No..." Celestia shook her head slowly. "I do not wish for war."
Alice lowered her voice, as though sharing a deep secret. "Queen Elowen is cruel, Your Highness... I have been inside her court myself. She... she orders punishment upon innocent people without mercy or hesitation."
Celestia looked down, her eyes wavering between hesitation and heartache. Silence filled the room.
Finally, she lifted her gaze. "...I place this matter entirely in your hands, Alice."
A faint smile touched Alice's lips. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Alice rose as the leader and formally declared war against Elowen. Without the slightest hesitation, Elowen accepted the declaration, refusing to back down or show fear.
War erupted across the open plains—the armies of the White Queen and the Red Queen clashed violently. The air was filled with the deafening sound of swords striking against armour and steel, mixed with the agonised screams of the wounded and dying, creating absolute chaos and devastation that was impossible to stop.
Right in the centre of the battlefield, Alice stood tall, fully clad in knight's armour, her gaze sharp, determined and brimming with absolute confidence.
From the opposing side, Elowen stepped forward accompanied by her personal guardian and source of power—the great dragon; a magnificent, terrifying beast that had long stood as the ultimate symbol of her authority and strength.
Upon Elowen's command, the beast launched itself into battle. A massive stream of scorching fire roared straight toward Alice, yet the young woman stood perfectly still, not flinching or moving even an inch as death approached her.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Alice moved. With terrifying speed and perfect precision, she leaped high into the air, straight toward the enormous creature—and with a single powerful swing of her blade, the dragon's head was severed cleanly from its body.
The entire battlefield instantly fell dead silent. Soldiers from both sides froze in shock, while Elowen herself stood motionless, completely blindsided. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Alice possessed such terrifying strength and ability. With the fall of her dragon, Elowen's reign came to an end. She was captured immediately.
Together with her most trusted aide and loyal companion, Ashveil, Elowen was thrown into prison and locked away, stripped of all power and given absolutely no chance to fight back or defend herself.
Back inside the palace, Celestia desperately tried to arrange a meeting with her sister. "I must see her... I need to speak to her," she insisted repeatedly.
However, her path was blocked by Alice, who stood firmly in her way. "Your Majesty, now is not the right time," Alice said softly, yet her tone was firm and left no room for argument.
Celestia fell silent, torn between her desire and her doubts. In the end, her hesitation got the better of her, and she yielded, stepping back. That decision was the biggest mistake of her life, one she would regret forever—a mistake that could never be undone or corrected.
The day of execution finally arrived. Before the eyes of thousands of citizens, Elowen and Ashveil were led up onto the execution platform, towards the waiting guillotine. Celestia could only watch the heartbreaking scene from a distance... helpless, powerless, and unable to do anything to save the only family she had left.