LILIAN STARED at the dress that Lady Tori gifted her for the first time. She remembered vividly how worried she was for the young miss. But after Lady Tori fell from the stairs, the latter's somber and sullen eyes flipped. From there on, she witnessed how the indecisive mistress Lilian served became a fine young lady. She saw how Lady Tori swallowed her tears to strengthen the fortress that she built around herself. Lilian also saw how the said indestructible fortress crumbled when Lady Tori found out about the second prince's sacrifice.

For the first time, Lady Tori sought Lilian's help. The feeling was unidentifiable for Lilian who agonized about Tori's lonesome actions. She knew that behind those villainous actions hid a lonely person.

Glancing at the dawn breaking as it reflected in her windows, Lilian realized that today was the day that Lady Tori was going to fight for Prince Corean's life.

Dusting off her dress, the loyal handmaiden opened her windows to welcome the white owl that she was waiting for since last night. As Lilian opened the message holder, she read the reply that she waited for so long. "I see," whispered Lilian as she stared at the scribbled handwriting on the torn parchment in her hand. She took her ready-made reply and rolled it. Inserting her rolled parchment to the message holder, Lilian ushered the white owl. "Go and make our master happy."

Lilian watched the white owl flapped its wings away from her. She had hoped that after this day, her master would finally smile genuinely.

The growing spy network among the noble's or aristocrat's handmaidens stretched to the servants from the royal palace. And now, she was in cohorts with one. Lilian realized that to win battles among the beasts that hid behind the higher society's façade, she needed information. And most of all, she wanted to be the ears and eyes for Lady Tori.

I don't want to see that scene again.

Lilian hated watching her mistress surrendered against the enemies. She blamed herself for being lacking, resulting in Lady Tori suffering in front of the empire. The young handmaiden's eyes glazed with determination. She swore to do everything in her power to avoid that scene from happening again.

DUKE ROWAN Cristof Castaña spent his entire day just to complete the mission that Tori gave him. The hue of crimson red and purple splashed at the sky as if warning him of the impending battle this day. The young duke knew how Tori prepared for this day. He saw how she neglected her sleep to oversee every detail of her plan. Rowan knew how Tori anticipated every move from the enemies, which strengthened his resolve.

This empire needs someone like Tori.

The young duke strode inside the Castaña Duchy. The butler welcomed his return. "Blessings to the Empire's spear and shield, Duke Rowan Castaña."

"Prepare me my bath; I have a noble trial to attend."

Upon hearing his words, the butler froze. The latter knew how hectic the young duke was since the commotion with the heir apparent of the Rozenreff Duchy. His master was attending secret meetings here and there that he could not help but worry if Duke Rowan ever rested. But looking at its cobalt eyes, the butler knew he could not stop him. All he got to do was support the lord of the Castaña Duchy. "Yes, my lord."

When the butler left, Rowan stopped his strides in front of the gigantic painting of his ancestor. Looking up, he knew that if he was still alive, he would condemn Rowan. The Castaña Duchy was known for being loyalists to the imperial family. But what he was doing right now was the contradiction of what everyone expected him to do.

But he did not regret the devotion he showed toward Tori, not one bit, because if it was not for Tori, he would surely remain in the Back Alley until his unfortunate death. Orphans like him would not survive in the slums.

The gratefulness he felt came with an underlying gentle feeling that Rowan refused to decipher. But even if he did, seeing the tender emotion from Tori as the latter stared at the second prince, he knew it was already a losing battle. So he chose to protect her as her knight until death would take his breath away.

But not today, I will win this battle for Tori and the empire. I am a knight first before I am a duke. That truth will never change.

Stepping away from the imposing painting, the young duke headed towards his chambers to prepare for the battle that he awaited. "It is high time before I avenge Tori from all the pain she suffered."

CROWN PRINCE Yei Lin and Crown Prince Allistair stood before the calm but buttered second prince. The raven-eyed crown prince smirked. "You are calm for someone who is about to die today."

The two crowned princes were the ones tasked by Lady Victoria Rozenreff to ensure the safety of the second prince before the noble trial began. All the knights in the capital's prison cell were from the aristocratic faction, personally handpicked by the two princes to ensure that no harm would happen to Prince Cory. Multiple assassins tried to kill the latter, but the knights from the aristocratic faction would always rescue the second prince. Over the days, this exhausting cycle became a routine.

Princ Cory chuckled before he replied with his signature tyrannical grin, a contradiction to his gentle image. "Do you think that Victoria will allow that?"

"Your confidence irks me, but I agree. Tori losing later will devastate her. I don't want that." Crown Prince Allistair's irritated voice replied to Prince Cory. The former's mood worsens every time he entered the capital's prison cell. This place brought various memories for him. Most of them were painful ones, memories that were not worth remembering. But one memory stood out. It was the memory of him, staring at Tori, who was enjoying the scene in front of her as she watched a bloody scene. He never knew that it was the start of their tangled fate.

Crown Prince Allistair remembered how it felt to be alone with no hope of being saved. He was bought, surprisingly, by the same lady whom he never forgot since he saw her enjoying a rather gory scene.

As the crown prince of the Monakre Kingdom stared at the smiling golden-eyed prince, he could not help but compare the second prince to him. Staring at the beaten Prince Cory, even the latter was behind bars, Crown Prince Allistair knew that Prince Cory was the lucky one. Though jealousy coursed upon him, he could not bend according to his will. He valued Lady Tori's wishes more than his own.

"Are you going to keep on guard until Victoria comes here? You can leave me be, you know," said Prince Cory as he sat comfortably on the cell's floor. He was now looking up at the looming crown princes.

"As much as I want that, I can't do that. Tori will skin me alive if something is to happen to you. You want that, don't you?" Crown Prince Yei Lin sharply answered Prince Cory with an irritated voice though his face was passive.

The grin written on the second prince's face told them that he was right. "You rascal," said Crown Prince Allistair.

The first ray of sunlight pierced through the small cracks of the prison cell's walls. The three knew what it meant for them. It marked the beginning of the long battle that would change the history of the Eckrett Empire.

"The lady should be on their way," Crown Prince Yei Lin mumbled to himself which caused spontaneous reactions from the other two.

Crown Prince Allistair nodded his head. The plan flashing in his mind, while Prince Cory stared blankly ahead as if his head was not at stake depending on the result of the trial.

A ROYAL in a noble trial was a big thing for the high echelon and even the common folks. And it was today, the battle that she fought hard with her vassals for the first time. Tori felt fear for the first time, the fear to lose Cory. Standing before the gigantic mirror, her cold red eyes stared at her reflection without an ounce of emotion upon her made-up face. Contrary to her mood, she was wearing a regal red outdoor dress. A black lion's fur scarf was being readied by the handmaidens around her as it was at the winter season already.

Lily led the handmaidens with ease and cautions not to disturb Tori's reverie. As the latter stared at her reflection, she could not help but stare at her bun-styled hair which she specifically ordered. Touching her head, she could practically feel the weight of the crown.

"Lily, should I change the crown's jewels to ruby?" Tori asked Lily who remained in her room with her.

Lily politely answered with earnest honesty. "Yes, Lady Tori. It will match your eyes, a befitting crown for the empress of this empire."

Glancing at the sunlight penetrating the room, Tori knew it was high time to leave the pavilion. She walked straight to her bed where the specially crafted parasol laid. The bloodstains were long gone. As she grasped the parasol's handle, her grip tightened.

"Let's go, Lily. I need to go and get my chosen king."

Her red eyes flare with fervent passion. Determination and hunger lurked beneath her red eyes. The moment she stepped into the carriage, she knew that this day would mark a new beginning and an end to many things.

The streets were lively as if the people were celebrating a feast. Tori hated how the people regarded the noble trial. As they went closer to the walls of the prison, the commoners started to thicken.

"Lady Tori, I think we should wait here." Lilian's worried voice announced that they already arrived. The flock of commoners shifted their gaze to the newly arrived carriage.

Tori grabbed her parasol, her voice stern. "No need. I need to get my man, Lily. No amount of savage commoners will stop me."

The moment that Tori stepped down from the carriage, the rigorous yelling of the common folks ensued once again. But Crown Prince Yei Lin's men surrounded Tori and Lily immediately as if they were trained precisely for this moment. Shields covered the two ladies in a tactical turtle formation. The procession was slow from the carriage to the entrance of the prison, but they arrived without single dirt on their bodies. The frustrated yells of the commoners resounded, but Tori remained passive as she walked with grace like she was not being targeted at all. She never cared in the first place. After all, she was there for the second prince.

It is time to be with Cory.