27th October, 1652. Laffrith State Academy.

A blue-haired girl stood at the back of a classroom. Her eyes, just as blue as her hair, did not leave the windows to her left. Raindrops falling on the glass made a satisfying sound that cleared her mind. Her classmates, unlike her, listened intently from their desks to the teacher, who was about to make an important announcement.

"As you already know, the entrance exams for the knights' academy will begin on the summer solstice. However, you will have to prepare yourselves well before that date. Starting today, I will take notes on your academic performance to determine whether you will be able to pass the tests or not. Only a few students will have the opportunity to enter, so try to do your best."

All the students responded with excitement, especially the boys. The girl at the back of the class did not move in the slightest and continued to stare at the cloudy sky and the incessant rain. The teacher then asked for silence and took out a stack of papers from her desk on which she rested her right hand.

"Last week's exams are corrected. I have to say that on the whole you have done very well. You are the class with the most potential this year. Sunny, since you are the student with the highest mark, could you help me hand them out?"

Sunny, a giggling blonde girl, instantly stood up and nodded happily. The exemplary student handed out the exam papers with a smile on her face. Her happiness was so contagious that the other students were quick to flash smiles of their own as they received their exam papers. The girl, with only one paper left, walked to the back of the class and stopped in front of the silent blue-haired student, the only one who did not yet have her exam.

"The marks go from highest to lowest. That means..." Although she wasn't allowed to do so, Sunny discreetly glanced at the last student's grade. The number fifteen occupied one corner of the sheet. "Fifteen out of one hundred and twenty-five possible points. Juno... You can't continue like this. How do you expect to get into the knights' academy with these grades? Don't be prideful, I can help you to..."

Juno snatched her exam out of her hands roughly. "It's not your problem, Sunny. If you look at my exam again without my permission I'll tell Miss Wardren."

"You're welcome, I guess. Don't come to me on the last day of exams asking for my help." Despite the provocations, they both smiled and went about their business without rancour. Sunny returned to her desk at the same time as Miss Wardren made her way to the back of the class. The girl of the golden curls turned quickly after she heard the clatter the teacher made as she hit her hand with a ruler. "Oh, no. That's not good at all."

"How could I only get a fifteen? I couldn't do any worse! Why is maths so demanding!? All that's left is to get points deducted for not putting my name in! Wait... That's happened to me before. Shit." Juno was immersed in her thoughts until Miss Wardren's shadow stopped her from watching her exam. Knowing that nothing good was in store for her, the young woman raised her head and smiled, though her lips were quivering more than a flan. "Nice day, don't you think?"

Her body stiffened as the teacher tapped her left shoulder with the ruler. "Yet another failing grade... I am no longer surprised at this point. You're a stain on the image of this academy. While everyone strives to become knights to defend Ivonia's honour, you rest on your laurels and waste the opportunity of your life. I could not expect much more from a peasant like you, Juno Hysteria. Your father is just wasting his money."

The situation had become tense and uncomfortable. Her companions watched her with pity, but they saw her not as an equal, but as a stray dog that had been battered with stones and sticks. Sunny was the only one who was genuinely concerned about what Juno was suffering, but she could do nothing to change her situation.

"I am tired of waiting for a change. I will report your academic performance to your family. I don't care if you improve your grades or leave the academy, I'll settle for something changing." The teacher immediately turned her back on her. Juno wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she held back her words and just cried. Tears streamed down her reddened cheeks, and no one bothered to comfort her. "Well, I would like to congratulate again all the other students who have done well in this exam. I'm sure your names will be praised by the people of Ivonia one day. Especially yours, Sunny. You have immeasurable talent."

"Thank you, Miss Wardren. I'll do my best." Sunny replied with an almost imperceptible smile. She had no desire to be praised for her virtues after her best friend was humiliated for her faults.

"Enough. Juno, you can sit down now. Next time you eat in class you'll stay to feed Professor Rushell's horses. Did you hear me?" Juno nodded reluctantly. Miss Wardren then opened one of the history books and adjusted her glasses between her grey hairs. Her slender eyes flicked to Juno again. "Read from page sixty-six. Or have you forgotten your book at home too?"

"No, I have it here..." The girl, still teary-eyed, rose from her chair to read. "Two thousand years ago, the emperor..."

Two hours later. The two girls were walking towards the exit of the academy.

"Sunny, I'm serious... I've never been humiliated like that before. Miss Wardren looked down on me for not being of the nobility and said she didn't give a damn about my future. Is that what all teachers are like?" Juno's voice began to tremble. She stopped a few feet from the exit of the academy, when she could no longer hold back her tears. Sunny turned and saw her clenching her skirt in frustration and helplessness. "If only they would pay attention to me..."

"Juno..." Sunny put a hand on her back and gently led her to the exit. "It's because of things like this that I consider nobles to be despicable people. They have done nothing to gain their privileges, and yet they look down their noses at the rest of the people. They are incompetent but they are in control of everything." Sunny rested both hands on Juno's shoulders. "Don't let them intimidate you, Juno. They have no idea how strong you are. To put up with all that... They would never be able to."

"Easy for you to say, you're a noble too. You're the student with the highest grades, the beautiful girl every boy drools over, the best fighter... They have no reason to humiliate you. But I'm not like that. I'm dumb and clumsy, I'm not fit for the knighthood no matter how much I want to be. It's... Sunny, it's..."

"Unfair? Yes, it is. But you decided it to be. Look, Juno... I might be a noble, but I wasn't born who I am now. It wasn't dreams, motivation or talent that got me where I am. It was discipline. I learned to be consistent, and over the years that consistency has shown results. Great knights like Gabe Macria weren't special either. They trained day and night, through serious injuries or starvation, until they achieved greatness. Do you understand that? If you follow the path of discipline you can achieve anything."

Juno nodded to agree with her friend, but deep down she felt that Sunny was giving advice out of ignorance. "I wish I could tell Sunny what's really going on. Her words are sincere but obstinate. She, who was born into a loving, close-knit family, can easily say it... But me? Would it really be any different if I had a family like hers?" the girl thought.

Sunny stared at her for quite some time as she noticed that Juno's mind was elsewhere.The blue-haired girl finally reacted to Sunny's beaming gaze and tilted her head to the side in response. "Why are you looking at me like that? You've been thinking for a long time! Come on, let's go home at once - maybe we can buy some sweets at Reyndell's shop! What do you think?"

Juno lunged towards her friend and put her arm around her neck. They both walked hopping with joy towards the snow-packed streets of Laffrith. "Yeah, sounds good! Let's go get some sweets!"

When dusk arrived.

Darkness took control of the sky. Gelid weather spread through the streets of Laffrith. Windows were frozen, tree branches frosted and roofs covered with snow. The streets were so slippery that they could break anyone's ankles. But Juno, fighting the bone-chilling cold, made it to the door of her house, which was in the heart of the kingdom. From the windows she could see that some candles were lit inside. Uncertainty invaded her body.

"Miss Wardren said she would notify my mother of my academic performance... Is it possible that...?" Juno's trembling hand reached for the doorknob of the front door. Only one thing could fit in her head; if her mother had already received the news, nothing good would be waiting for her behind that door. "No, I mustn't be afraid. I'm sure Mom will understand. Damn, it's starting to get too cold out here... What's wrong with the weather?"

Cold overcame fear, and the girl hurried inside to regain her body heat. She left her damp boots and wet coat in the doorway and scanned the halls of her home for any presence.

"The chimney is lit. There are candles everywhere, but it's still very dark. Hello! Is anyone home? Mum? Cristel?"

Juno reached the stairs leading up to the second floor, to her and her little sister's room. No one seemed to be home, so she decided to go upstairs. But as she set foot on the first step, a cold, slender hand rested on her shoulder. Shivers ran through her body, but the hand was not unfamiliar to her. Rather, she knew what it meant that it was there.

"Juno... Where are you going so fast? I got a letter from the State Academy. Wardren says that you have failed all the midterms for this evaluation. They're considering expelling you from the academy for poor performance..." Juno's mother kept her tone calm, but the letter crumpled in her hand said otherwise.

The young girl's eyes widened like two full moons. She hadn't been told anything about being expelled, both she and her mother were equally surprised. "Expelled? Mom, I don't know anything about...!"

A loud slap cut her words short. The eyes of both filled with tears, but her mother's reflected an emotional pain, not a physical one. She shook her head as she clutched her chest. Her tears turned into cries. "You can't do this to us, Juno. You don't know how hard your father works to pay for that academy. His only wish is to be able to give you a good education so he can retire peacefully... If he finds out about this, I'll... Do you know what will happen to me?"

"Mom..." Juno was shaking more than crying. Her mother wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth to give her another slap, but something she saw on the stairs made her change her mind. Juno noticed and looked up too. From the highest step a little girl was watching, hiding half her face with a stuffed rabbit.

"We'll talk about this later. Go to your room. I need to... think." Juno nodded frantically, the fear she felt made her obedient. She grabbed her little sister's hand and they both ran to take refuge in their room. At the same time, the girls' mother walked to the kitchen and lit a pipe by the window. "I don't know what to do with this girl... Her father will kill me if he finds out she's going to be expelled. Really... Will it never stop raining?"

Juno isolated her room completely from the outside. The curtains hid the faint moonlight and the door was shut tight. Not even the winter breeze could invade that room full of solitude and silence. The two sisters stood at either end of the room, one looking at the older sister, the other pondering everything and nothing at the same time.

"I can't take it anymore. I hate this house, I hate this family, I hate this life... I wish I could run away forever to a place where Dad can't find me." Juno untied her bun, freeing her blue locks on either side of her face, reminiscent of the flow of a waterfall. She left her school uniform on the chair next to her desk and dressed in more comfortable clothes. Finally, she let herself fall onto the bed with her arms outstretched, followed by a deep sigh.

"But I'm still here... For some reason. I wish I was older like Lazuli, I could make my own decisions. What will she be doing now?" With her left hand she reached for a hand mirror on the edge of her desk. Still lying down, she put the mirror in front of her face and glanced at the mark her mother's slap had left. "I don't know, but she's probably happier. She'll have a nicer home and the Prince Charming she always dreamed of. I hope so..."

To Juno's surprise, her younger sister appeared on her knees in front of the bed, watching her intently with her bright little eyes. The young girl's sadness had caught her attention, so Juno quickly flashed her a broad smile. Her sister was even more happy than she was. "Juno, Juno! What's a Prince Charming?"

"Huh? A Prince Charming? Well... It's a perfect man. Someone brave, kind and romantic who rescues princesses from the clutches of fearsome dragons. They're amazing, but they only exist in fairy tales, or so I think."

"Oh... But would you like to have one? A Prince Charming?" Her sister's innocent question caught her by surprise.

"I, um, no... I hadn't thought about it. I guess it would make a nice story. The princess bound by the chains of her family, with a life she hates and no hope of fulfilling her dreams... Saved by the appearance of a Prince Charming. Maybe that's just what I need to change my life." Cristel lay down next to her, resting her head on Juno's arm. "Our lives. You know I wouldn't leave you for a thousand Prince Charmings."

"Yes, you promised, Juno. You said we'd be together forever, remember?" Cristel showed her pinky finger. Juno smiled at her sister's sweetness and joined her finger with the little girl's. Cristel shook her legs in euphoria and hopped off the bed. "Come on, let's play a game! We have to be happy, Juno!"

"All right, all right! Calm down!" Juno replied with a chuckle. "Ok, let's play tag. I'll start! You can run and hide all over the house, but keep one thing in mind... You can't run forever from the witch Juno! Now run, little creature, if you don't want me to cook you in my cauldron!"

"No! You're not going to eat me!" Cristel bolted for the door, dulling the silence with her laughter. Juno waited a few seconds before going for her, after all even witches play fair. As she left the room and headed for the stairs, she saw that Cristel was still coming down them. Her small size wouldn't let her go any faster. "The witch has seen me! It can't be!"

"Oh, little one... You weren't fast enough!" Juno went down the steps two at a time, her long legs allowing her to do so. Cristel also quickened her pace until she reached the living room, but her attempts to escape the witch were in vain. Juno reached out and grabbed the child easily, but with strangely excessive strength. The girl hid with her little sister behind a wall, covering her mouth. "Cristel, don't make any noise... Please don't make any noise..."

Cristel felt Juno's heart racing. Her heavy breathing ruffled the little girl's hair. Cristel deduced that the thing Juno was so afraid of was in the kitchen. The little girl tried to look that way, but the big sister made her look at her instead.

Juno whispered. "We can't go any further, Cristel. You know why? Because the whole floor is on fire! If we step on it, we'll burn! We have to go back to the room and find a high place. Come on!"

The young girl carried her sister in her arms and walked quickly but quietly back into the room. Cristel thought it was just another game Juno was playing, but the reality was not so fanciful. Juno was running away from real danger. Outside the room thumps and screams of pain could be heard. Two people were in the kitchen, the girls' parents.

"Jenny, Jenny, Jenny... You should know perfectly well what happens when I'm angry!" Gareth, Juno's father, snapped a wooden stick across her mother's back. The woman lay sprawled on the floor, her clothes torn from the whipping. "I won't tolerate it any more... I won't tolerate it any more! Look at me, woman!"

The man grabbed the mother's hair and lifted her head. His disgusting breath was noticeable as he began to scream. His eyes were red and he also showed cuts and bruises on his face.

"Even a whore from the worst district of Trinity can cook better than you... How could your rice be burnt!? And how could you even think of serving me that filth!? You have so little respect for me, huh!? Your own husband!?" Gareth slammed her to the ground multiple times until it was stained red. Jenny, despite all the physical punishment, pleaded for no mercy at any point and took all the pain. "Listen to me, bitch... I deserve better than a plate of shit for all the hours I have to lick the king's ass. So don't ever make a mistake again, or I swear I'll kill you and those parasites you call daughters. Did you hear me!?"

Jenny finally reacted to hearing Gareth name her daughters. She wiped the blood gushing from her nose and replied. "You will never lay a finger on my daughters. You're not their father, you're just a drunk who never knew how to endear himself to those girls. I'll swear something too... If you hurt Cristel or Juno, I swear I'll kill you myself!"

The man let out a laugh before kicking her face. The blows continued unabated. Jenny wished that exhaustion would stop his fists or someone would end his life for good. But nothing happened. The suffering continued, the blood continued to flow and the wounds grew in number, but she resisted to prevent her daughters from knowing the same pain.

"Cristel, dear sister, keep playing and do not stop dreaming. I will protect you from reality. I always will..."