I can’t believe this is happening.

“Good day!”

I am actually doing this.

“Hello!”

I am finally escaping!

Hours have passed since the incident in the hallway. Being able to hide the knocked out guard in her old cell, she now walks ahead, among the pathways of her prisoner, none of the knights having suspicions as she’s disguised as one of their own.

This is real! This is real. This is real.

She repeatedly touches the different parts of her armor, unable to find words to describe this feeling of a long-lost freedom soon to reappear in her grasp.

It’s been so many years since I was able to use my flames! Without them, I felt as if my entire body was tied up to the ground, everyone walking over my body as I was unable to do anything about it. And now they’re here. All thanks to him. I can’t believe he managed to find the keys! Was that what he was up to the last few days? I can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am! I need to make it up to him! But how…oh!

A small jump flowed into her steps.

I can help him find his family again! Yes! That’d be amazing! Just imagine, every one of them coming to embrace him after so many years, all the while I stare from far away… with Mom next to me. 

She stops walking, an image of her mother, smiling in the midst of a large field on a sunny day. In a blink of an eye, it’s gone.

Please be alive! You have to be alive! It’s all I-

“Soldier!”

“Yikes!”

Ah yes, she is definitely alive and I’m still here. What do they say again?

She turns around to see the guard shouting at her, the feather tied to her helmet slapping her face as she does, it “Good day, sir! Did you call me sir? How can I help, sir? Don’t need me, sir? Good, sir! Bye, sir!”

I am never saying sir again.

“What did you just-ugh, I don’t have time for this,” the guard sighed, grabbing her by the shoulder, “Didn’t you see what time it is?!? Just-stand still!”

“...”

“..."

“... Uh.”

“Yes?”

“By standing still, you mean I should just… stand still?”

“No, I mean you can go out and frolic in a field of pink flowers-Of course I mean you stand still, dumbass! Kids these days, I swear…”

“Okay…”

She looks around to see several guards standing against the wall. Their posture was weird. They all looked in one direction of the hall, bending their backs and even jumping in excitement for whatever reason.

“Ah, I can’t believe I get see her in person,” they began chatting with one another.

“Me neither! Do you think she’s as beautiful as they say she is?”

“I once had a glimpse of her during my duties back at the capital and have become a changed man since then.”

“Psst, keep it down you fools!” the shouting guard shouted, “We have to keep it professional! We can’t let the master of the imperial vassals think of us as shameless peasants! Our reputation and pay grade are on the line!”

They all made a sad sigh, “Yes sir…”

“...One another note, do you think I should take off my helmet or-”

Welp, I have no idea what is happening nor do I want to know.

“Everyone,” a knight suddenly slides through the pathway, “She’s coming!!!”

“She’s coming!”

“She’s coming?!”

Who’s coming?

“Yes, yes! Don’t make it seem like you’re looking at her-”

“Something the matter, my dear?”

Hearing a gentle voice, all the guards went back to their stoic positions, Alice copying them despite her never-ending confusion.

“N-nothing ma’am! Please, don’t mind me!”

“You sure? You just ran off when I appeared. Are you sick? I have some medication with me…”

Footsteps echoed through the entire hallways, heels. This person seems to be wearing. All the knights began to shake from head to toe.

Who is this woman? What the heck did she do to make them all act like this-oh.

She didn’t know what to say, seeing who came in. A beautiful purple gown, its silk sliding through the rowdy ground. She moved away her strawberry blonde hair as she greeted smiles to everyone in the room.

“Good day everyone! Thanks for helping us in the short notice,” she bowed down, lifting her dress like a princess, “I am Victoria Scarletborn! And I am here on the behalf of the Knight of Miracles!”

The guards all began clapping at the same time, sighing in unison somehow. Alice just tilted her head.

Who… is she?

Alice felt weird. Things didn’t line up in her head.

She’s here because of that knight guy? Is she his mother or what? I don’t think I’ve seen her before, but…she looks familiar for some reason.

“Now young men,” the lady spoke out, “As much as I wish to learn more about you all! I must get going! Can one of you come and help!"

The guards raised their arms, all shouting to help her.

“Oh, I appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm. But I only need one of you. So, how about…Oh.”

She cought the glance of Alice, who tried her best to sneak out of this situation.

“You!”

Shoot.

“Pardon me, but are you busy, by any chance?”

“Well,” she awkwardly said, “Not anymore…”

“Splendid,” Lady Scarletborn clapped her hands, “Come with me then! Everyone else, please inform the others that the ceremony is starting soon!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

They all left the area, giving Alice a thumbs up as they did, saying things in line with “Sweet my friend! Get her! Nice!”

Please don’t ever say those things to me again.

“Come now! We can’t be late!”

“Oh-of course,” she followed along, “Just one question, ma’am. Where are we going?#

“Hm? Oh, I forgot, my apologies!

She walked towards a nearby wall, pressing one of the bricks, which cause a sudden pathway to form there!”

“Uh-”

“We just need to grab something!”

—

The two struggled to make their way as they entered an underground tunnel. The uneven path and lack of any light made it almost impossible to walk through. And a strange thick fog made Alice cough several times, and it’s barely been an hour.

Great, just great. What even is this place? I can’t see anything in here. I can’t use my flames or else that lady will see. And where the heck is that fog coming from? Is it from some nearby torch? It can’t be, it's too thick. I just hope Mister Miroslav is still alright. Is he still with that general? I hope not. Please be alright. Please!

“Sir,” the lady suddenly grabbed her arm, “is everything well! I noticed you clenching your fists!

“I’m-I’m fine! It’s just really hard going through this dump, you know what I mean?”

“I guess that’s true! They would have renovated this place had the government sent them more money…but oh well! Prisoners are not their priority!”

“You could say that again…”

“What was that?”

“N-nothing. We should be reaching the end point soon, right?”

“Why yes! You’re really observant! We should be getting there… Now!”

Lady Scarletborn stopped in her tracks as they both reached a giant empty room, with nothing but a small bent cage placed inside. An animal's silhouette was noticeable in the midst of the gray fog forming around it.

What the heck? Is that some dog or…

Her mind went blank. Inside the cage, biting through many weapons, smoke formed from the fire flowing through its sharp teeth. Eyes staring into nothingness as its wings were tied by chains. What could one do? Seeing with their own eyes, a rampaging dragon

That can’t be… they aren’t-

“Hisss!”

It bumped its entire body against the cage, unable to get out. Nor did the flames melt the cage. It kept biting and jumping at the bars for nothing to change. How long was it doing this for?

“Poor thing. At this point, it should just accept its reality. But we can’t bring it out at this rate. Guess General Benedict was right. We should wait for him then. What do you say, Sir?”

“...”

“Sir?”

She is unable to keep her eyes off the dragon. Unbridled rage, shouts and tears. Wounds all over his blue scales, blood flowing through its purple fur. Again and again, injuring itself to get out. Alice couldn’t help but to see herself in it.

“... Can I ask you a question?”

Lady Scarletborn whispered in her ear, “What do you think of Zvezdoprah?”

—-

That’s the end of this SUPER late update! For those who don’t follow me on twitter and such, I was accepted into college!!! The past two months have been really busy for me so I couldn’t update it sooner! But I should be able to return to my original posting schedule from now on! Thanks to everyone being patient with me and I’ll be sure to not make another unannounced hiatus like that. Next update marks the end of this chapter! Thanks for reading and goodbye!