Maltilda walked down the long hallway as carefully as she could. She decided that no amout of lessons could make the forget the pain of courtesies in a tight corset dress. She had been carefully made up by Vivian. She wore most of her mother's jewelry and it dazzled in the lights.
She knew she looked beautiful. Well it was time to say goodbye to third sister and she had to look good while doing it.
She was almost in the ball room when princess Mikaela walked past her in a swift and careless way that both of them almost fell.
"My apologies,My lady" Said Mikaela without looking at her.
Her eyes widened. Mikaela had never apologized for anything. She had always been cold and distant towards her.
"It's fine" replied Maltilda shortly and Mikaela looked at her. Maltilda noticed she looked pale under her makeup and was almost trembling.
"Are you alright, third sister?" Maltilda asked,not because she cared but because she was curious as to what could probably make her sister look terrified.
"I am fine."She answered her voice almost hostile. She looked behind as if she was expecting something then turned back and walked into the ball room leaving Maltilda more curious.
She stood looking in the direction Mikaela looked. But there was nothing there. "Maybe she's just nervous about getting engaged "
"Are you expecting someone, my lady?" A male voice said beside her.
She turned, alarmed. It was a regally dressed man. With a thin mustache and strong cheek bones. "he must be an important noble . That's the last thing i need." She thought then quickly courtesy: "No, my lord. I was about going in."
"Well, lucky me. I was about going in too. I never expected to encounter a beauty. "
Maltilda body hair stood up in alarm. She forced a smile:"In that case I wouldn't delay you further my Lord. I will leave first."
He caught her hand in one swift motion and brought it to his lips while Maltilda thought she was going to be sick.
"I'm Lord Helia, Duke of corneal. "
Maltilda ears instantly turned red. The Duke of corneal? What is he thinking holding her like that when he is about to get married to her sister?The nerves!
She immediately drew her hand back. "Princess Maltilda fiona vanclad fifth princess of Holostoria. "
"Interesting " The Duke leisurely said and strolled into the ball room.
Maltilda waited until he was announced before taking a deep breath and walking in . She wondered what kind of power the Duke must have to casually flirted with her on his engagement day.
The ball was everything Maltilda disliked. A lot of proud snobbish class of people gathering displaying a lavish, uncalled for culture.
Her mother once told her some nobles were more heartless than demons.
Once when she was younger, Maltida's mother took her for a walk in the small village she grew up in.
While they were at a market place dressed in commoners clothes, some guards suddenly stared pushing people out of the way yelling "Make way for your betters!"
Maltilda's mother immediately tried to pull her out of the way but unfortunately a play fan her mother had got her fell to the floor. Maltilda quickly ran to pick it up since she found it very fascinating. She had never been happier before then. Unfortunately she got in the way and was nearly crushed by the incoming sedan. The guards immediately lashed out at her wanting to beat her up. Due to the crowd, Her mother couldn't see her or get to her. The noble in the sedan merely glanced at her and ordered the guards to give her a quick beating as she couldn't wait to arrive at her destination.
"I thought you would learn from your mother's mistake. Turns out an apple doesn't grow far from the tree"
Maltilda looked at the person who spoke it was her second step sister princess Elizabeth she was Mikaela biological sister.
"Second sister. "Maltilda courtseyed " I think you meant to say fall far from the tree,but never mind not everyone was born smart. And You don't need to worry. I have learnt a lot from my mother's mistake. One of them is not gracefully smiling when you ought to knock two teeth out of a miserly occasionally annoying family member. "
"You..... you are really shameless. Don't think I didn't see you batting your eyelashes at the Duke of corneal. That's an evil thing to do. You are so lowly. I see you are trying to make him attracted to you. You are just like your conniving mother. You better burn off thoughts like that, Mikaela is a lot better than you "
"Second sister, I think what you are trying to do is to convince yourself that Mikaela is lesser than you. But still you have to attend her ball and watch her marry someone you failed to attract despite your efforts. "
"How dare you? You filthy daughter of a harlot ! " said Elizabeth angrily
Maltilda turned serious "One more derogatory word about my mother and you would wish you had just kept your unattractive self in the Horses stable"
Before Elizabeth could reply the announcer announced a person coming in "Lord Alden Ballwin, General of the Great army of Holostoria. "
Automatically eyes turned. Many people started gushing. Maltilda had never seen this man before. He was dressed in military style. He was a man who looked very much in control of his body and mind. He had a chin length blue-black hair a cold looking face and predatory deep green eyes.
Those eyes were mesmerizing.
Maltilda immediately felt a strange dizziness and weird heavy weight burden. Like a dark cloud hanging over her. She had felt this way before but that was a long time ago. When her mother was about to be kidnapped by demons. She looked at the newly arrived man and was filled with an abnormal dread.
Elizabeth noticed Maltilda staring at Lord Alden and snickered: " you must day dreaming now, just incase you don't know, he's of a very high rank and a the daughter of a harlot doesn't seem to be his type"
Maltilda looked at her wordlessly.
She chuckled satisfied and walked away.
Maltilda stared at Alden and felt the weird sensation again this time harder than the first. Lord Alden was paying his respects to the king . He looked up as if he sensed something and looked straight at her,their eyes locked. Maltilda felt the dark cloud thicken and she immediately looked a way and started making her way out if he ball room. " who is that,and why does make me feel like something bad is about to come.?
She slipped away into fresh air and felt relieved immediately. But what happened earlier was bothersome. "Forget it. It's fine now I'm outside "
Maltilda walked outside lost in thoughts. She was walking farther and farther for he ball room now she was touring the lush green grasses in the courtyard. Then she heard it. A high pitched cry,of someone in pain. Like a child's voice.
Maltilda paused wondering if she heard wrong. What could a child be doing here? Were her ears playing tricks on her?
She heard it again, louder and more clearly. It was definitely a child.
"Is anyone there?" She asked
"Yes.... " The child answered immediately " Help me please. I injured myself. And it hurts"
The voice came from behind a flower bush. Sympathetically Maltilda ran to the child. It was a young girl no more than five years. She held her bleeding leg in her hands and a thorn was sticking out of her toes.
Maltilda gasped and said:" Poor you. What are you doing here all alone at this time?"
"Could you help me first, kind sister?"
Maltilda quickly nodded "Alright alright don't be scared. I will just..." She stopped, staring straight at the child. Something didn't add up. Worst of all she started having that dark cloud feeling more darker than the first time.
She stood up, dizzy. Now the child had stopped crying and was staring straight at her.
"What's wrong, sister? Won't you help me"
"You... you" Maltilda cluched her head painfully trying to stand straight.
The child smiled and stood up without difficulty. "Your soul has a sweet fragrance. Aren't I just lucky?" She flashed her teeth showing two pointy fangs. Slowly her body started shifting nails elongated, body getting larger until she stood tall with deep red eyes and a doom mark on her forehead.
Maltilda was absolutely horrified. This couldn't be happening.
"Demon, in the castle. No! Not again. Help me!"Matilda screamed and started running. The fact her head was banging made it so difficult. She couldn't believe she was about to die by demons, before she could kill them. "This can't be happening "
She couldn't hear the demon chasing her so she stopped and took a risky look behind. The Demon was no longer there. "Where'd she go?"
She was trembling so hard and she turned back to run when the demon appeared in front of her. She screamed.
"I hate beating around the bush. Let's get down to business.shall we? "
"No!"protested Maltilda "Help me plea-" The sound was caught in her throat as the demon conjured some malicious dark energy in her hands and threw it at Maltilda.
Maltilda felt her body drying up and her soul being sucked away. She couldn't make a sound all her thoughts died down as the demon sucked her soul away.
"I'm going to die. I'm really going to die." She closed her eyes as a drop of tear slipped out. She waited for death.