Rubiella had always been adept with dancing. After all, her father had her trained rigorously to be the perfect dancing partner for the prince ever since she started walking. Her dancing teachers gave her tips on the prince's dancing style. The timing of his steps, how high he would hold his partner's hand, his sway, and his other dancing nuances.

She was so nervous years ago when they first danced so she wasn't able to apply all the things taught to her about his dancing style. This time, she regarded him so low, she was able to focus on becoming the perfect dancing partner.

It wasn't for the prince's enjoyment.

It was for the favor that Hansel asked.

And for Euphee's sake too, of course.

The only thing she had trouble was acting clumsy during the dance and faking the fall. She should have hit his eye harder for Euphee's sake.

"Excuse me, kind sir, I am the viscount of House Summers and my daughter and I are guests of the crown prince. I would just like to know where can I find the court musicians?"

Oh no. Her father!

Rubiella hid behind a pillar.

"They must be in the music hall practicing. Go over there and . . ."

Rubiella stuck out her head a bit to look. Her father was talking with an old butler. She looked around and saw another hallway. They were still busy talking so she just have to run now and risk being caught now or run now and risk being caught later.

She ran. The ribbon of her cap began to unravel by itself from her running and it flew off, freeing her long red curls.

"Ruby!"

Rubiella froze then frowned. A nickname. There was only one person who called her with that nickname. Well, for now.

Rubiella turned to see who it was. She was dressed in a maid uniform but there was no denying it.

Skin as white as snow, raven black hair barely hidden under a maid cap, and autumn eyes.

"Euphee!"

Rubiella ran towards Euphemia and hugged her tight.

"Euphee! I was looking for you!" Rubiella squealed.

Euphemia smiled in relief.

"I was looking for a way out. I'm so glad you're here. How did you know?" Euphemia asked.

"No time to explain. Let's go!" Ruby insisted.

"You're going to take me with you?" Euphemia asked.

"The carriage is just outside the palace gates. If anyone asks who you are, just tell them you're a maid given to me by the prince as a gift," Rubiella said.

Euphemia looked bewildered.

"It's a common thing here in Aderlan. Nobles can give away a servant as a gift or as punishment. Hurry. Go straight to the carriage. Now!" Rubiella said.

Euphemia nodded and darted towards the direction Rubiella was pointing at.

*

*

*

Lucien's body was giving orders. It was telling the servants to light up all of the candles and oil lamps in the Ashburn Residence. The servants were hesitant because they were given no explanation of why they had to light up all of those when the sun was still shining so brightly.

Hansel tried to stop the commotion but the servants had to obey Lucien because he was the duke.

"Your Grace, please stop this," Hansel said.

"If you are going to obstruct my command, I will have to detain you, head butler," Lucien's body said.

"Your Grace, please tell me why you are doing this?" Hansel asked.

He could not comprehend the reason behind all of the candles and oil lamps being lit up. What was the connection with the engagement contract?

"Someone have the head butler confined in the wine cellar. No one shall let him out until I say so," Lucien's body said.

Two male servants began to drag off Hansel. Hansel was strong so the two male servants had a hard time restraining him. Two other male servants helped too.

"Your Grace!" Hansel shouted but Lucien's body only looked at him coolly

Hansel was dragged off to the wine cellar which was located at the very bottom of the mansion where the stones were cold and sunlight never touched.

When all the candles and lamps had already been lit and the inside of the mansion felt like a furnace, the servants waited for their next command. But the Lucien who was not really their master but only a slave of the Queen, gave no commands. It only knocked off one lit candle and watched with an expressionless face as the curtain caught fire.

The servants scrambled in panic.

They tried to put out the fire but it was too late. There were too many flames to be put out and they were no longer littles flames. They had become monstrous raging flames already.

The servants gave up on saving the mansion and spread out to save themselves. They gave no regard for their master. They would be insane to try to save their master who had just started it all.

The house creaked noisily as if the wood was being consumed by a raging beast. The wood cracked and burst. The smoke was filling up the house.

Lucien's body went to the study with no trace of panic despite the hot flames licking beside him. He opened the book he had just been reading. The one with the lines: "An engagement is nullified if any of the engaged dies before marriage."

Then Lucien's body closed its eyes.

*

*

*

The smoke must have filled up his lungs too much. He must have lost his consciousness. Hopefully, it was just that and he wasn't dead already.

Lucien was back in the scene of the past again, inside their old family mansion.

"The fire begins again," the voice said.

The fire blazed inside the mansion. The flames consumed the furniture with such ferocity. There were screams all around him. The servants of the mansion. The servants who all died because of his mother.

Lucien was not there when it all happened. He was mercifully sent away by his mother to buy some white flowers. He did not know how she was able to do that. Perhaps it was the only thing she could tell him even after struggling with all her might.

He looked around frantically.

"MOTHER!" Lucien shouted.

The flames burst around him but he felt none of the heat as he was merely a visitor inside a fragment of the past.

"MOTHER!"

Lucien went to her bedroom. She was not there. He went to his father's study. She was not there either.

There was only one place left he could think of. He went to his childhood bedroom.

There she was.

His mother was on the floor. She was crying. Her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

"Mother! You have to get out! Please!" Lucien shouted at her.

But she could not hear him of course. This was only a scene in the past. The flames were getting closer to his bedroom. He could see the flames underneath the crack under the door.

"Mother! Please! Get out of the house!" Lucien pleaded.

It felt all so real. He never saw the fire happening when he was little but now it was happening right before his very eyes. His mother was going to die in front of him and he couldn't even save her.

"Mother! Please! Get out of here!" Lucien still screamed, tears streaming down his eyes.

"My dear Luci," Cathryn whispered, clutching Lucien's toy horse to her chest.

Her eyes were no longer fogged as before. Instead, tears were falling from her emerald green eyes.

"I am so sorry," Cathryn said softly.

Lucien was filled with anguish.

"Mother, why?" Lucien asked. "Why did you hurt me?"

"I never wished to hurt you, my dear Luci. She made me. The Queen made me. She made me sign something and after that my body just started moving and I could not stop myself from hurting you. I wish I was stronger. I could not protect you when I'm living so maybe now . . ." Cathryn said in between tears.

He crouched down on the ground with Lady Cathryn and put his arms around her.

He could not feel her and she could not feel him but at that moment, it felt like they did.

"It's not your fault. I never really hated you, Mother. Perhaps deep down I knew there must be some kind of reason why you hurt me and why you made me leave the house before starting the fire," Lucien said.

"I wish for you to find happiness, my dear Luci," Cathryn said, her voice beginning to weaken.

"Why didn't you just leave Father? He hurt you so much. Why did you let him?" Lucien asked.

He knew she couldn't possibly hear him but he still wanted to try to get answers from her.

"I should have just taken you away with me. I already lost my first love when I was still young and when the Duke said he wanted to marry me, I thought he would cherish me. I just didn't wish to be alone again. I'm so sorry, my dear Luci. You will now be alone but now that we're gone perhaps you can start finding happiness," Cathryn said.

The flames burned down the bedroon door and spread across the room.

"I love you, my dear Luci," Cathryn whispered and shut her eyes.

"I love you too, Mother," Lucien said.

The flames reached her dress.

Lucien shut his eyes and hugged his mother's body.

He could smell all sorts of burning things.

Burning wood.

Burning cloth.

Snowdrops.

His mother's perfume.

Her own subtle scent.

Her tears.

Then everything went quiet.

*

*

*

The raging fire was gone. Lucien opened his eyes. The scene must have fast forwarded to the morning after. Ash all around him. The mansion fallen, with no trace of its former grandeur.

He looked down. His mother's burned body was on the floor in front of him. Burned beyond recognition but he would be able to tell that it's her with every fiber of his being.

"Are you trying to make me get revenge?" Lucien asked.

"Is that what you wish for?" The voice asked.

He gazed at his mother sadly.

"She would not want that," Lucien said.

"What do you want, boy?"

"For you to let me out," Lucien said in almost a growl.

"Why?"

"Because I command you so!" Lucien's emerald green eyes seemed to flicker to a lighter shade.

"Cease this game and let me out or I swear I will make your life a living hell whoever or whatever the hell you are. I have to save my woman," Lucien said.

It was time to get out of the past.