"My lady… Lady Calista!" Daisy shouted in fear. "My lady—!"
I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
My face looked as though it had aged ten years in a single moment.
"My lady… why do you look so pale?" she asked, concern etched across her face. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," I said, though my breath came out heavy and uneven. I looked like someone who had seen a ghost
"Let's go," I added quickly, desperate to leave this place—this room, this mirror.
Daisy still looked worried, but she said nothing.
And neither did I.
I couldn't tell her what was happening to me—
or why fear had suddenly wrapped itself around my heart.
Drawing room....
The room was large, filled with luxurious furnishings that spoke of wealth and nobility.
A lady in her late thirties sat there, a cup in her hand. Her crimson hair framed a face that could rival any woman in her prime, and her green dress radiated status and elegance.
When I knocked, she looked up.
"Oh, my darling, you've come! I was waiting for you," she said, smiling—but the warmth never reached her eyes.
"Oh, honey, look how beautiful you are. Every piece of what you're wearing—from head to toe—was chosen by me," she added, brushing my diamond necklace.
She shot a glare at Daisy. "Didn't I tell you to remove her ring?" Then, turning back to me, she smiled again. "Honey, you should let go of your past."
Her hand touched my hair, but the gesture was far from gentle—it was a warning. Obey her, or else.
"I… I will remove it," I stammered, my body shaking.
Her smile vanished instantly. "Why are you trembling? Did I do something to frighten you?" she shouted, sharp and accusing.
I could only shiver, silent. She looked at me one last time before turning back to her seat, as if I had never been there.She lifted her cup and said calmly,
"Win the selection. That is the only thing I expect from you."
She didn't even look at me.
As I turned to leave, the door opened.
A man entered—tall, broad-shouldered, his body shaped by years of war. He was in his mid-forties, with white hair that shone like starlight and a face still strikingly handsome. At nearly six feet tall, his presence filled the room without effort.
My father....
He looked at me and raised his hand, as if to touch my face—then stopped mid-air when he noticed Lady Thalorien.
He lowered his hand immediately.
Trying to break the tension, he spoke,
"So… you're leaving today?"
His hands weren't steady. He looked nervous—about something.
I almost laughed at myself.
Duke Thalorien—cold, calculating, unshaken by war—getting nervous? How ridiculous.
"Yes, Father," I replied, my face expressionless.
"Did your mother say anything to you?" he asked, his tone unreadable.
Mother placed her cup on the table.
The sound wasn't refined.
It wasn't gentle.
"No, Father," I answered.He looked at me—truly looked at me—with eyes that held emotions buried far too deep.
For a moment, I was confused.
The man standing before me didn't feel like the father I knew.
"You should get going," he said quietly.
"Yes…" I replied.
"If you don't win the selection, don't—"
Mother stopped mid-sentence.
It was as if someone had tightly gripped her tongue.
I turned back.
For the first time, she didn't look like the woman I had always known. Her face held an expression I had never seen before—something close to concern.
Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them.
I left the room as quickly as I could.
Outside, Daisy looked at me, tears already filling her eyes.
"W-why…" she stammered, hiccupping between words. "Why are y-you crying, my—"
"Why are you crying, Daisy?" I asked, forcing a laugh.
"If… hic—if you cry, then I will cry too," she sobbed, breaking down completely.
Without a second thought, I pulled her into my arms.
"My lady, your dress will be ruined," she said softly, pushing me away just a little.
We both took a deep breath.
Then we calmed ourselves.
And prepared to head toward our battlefield—
THE ROYAL PALACE