And just like we discussed, the next day I came to the ballroom where Kianna and Marko were waiting for me.

I had only been to the ballroom once before, when Kianna showed me around the castle. It was a very spacious room that was two floors high. Along the walls was a balcony with beautiful white fences.

The ballroom had a gorgeous golden chandelier that was dangling under the celling. The room had a lot of outstanding paintings and portraits.

A lot of social gatherings and celebrations are held here, and I'm still wondering why my ceremony isn't.

"I'm not late am I?" I questioned.

"Oh no, I just dragged Marko here a bit early so that he wouldn't get lost.." Marko nudged Kianna because of that comment.

"It is my first time here, the area is very nice I must say." I nodded in agreement.

"We should probably get started!" Kianna clasped her hands in excitement, which kind of confused me. "Marko, you will be Papers dance partner for today!"

"Wha- no! I said anything but that, are you serious.?" Marko looked very shaken.

"Ha! This is revenge for that stunt you pulled last week!" Kianna chuckled.

"You're not over that.! You knew I was curious about her, and you wouldn't tell me anything!" Marko defended himself.

"Well.. it's not my problem.. I was told to stay silent. Besides, I'm convinced that you want to know just to throw Seven off his game.."

Kianna accused Marko. I was honestly still in a state of confusion. It's obvious that Marko and Seven have a bit if a rivalry.. and that Marko wants Sevens position. But what kind of dirt could Kianna possibly have that could overthrow Seven.?

The rest of the argument was just them going back and forth and jumping around the bush, so I didn't bother listening to it.

Instead I opened a book about the coronation that I had borrowed from the library yesterday.

The ceremony is more complicated than I had imagined. This challenge is very interesting tough. If I lose it, I will probably blow my cover.

"Anyway since Marko is still protesting, let's start with your solo." Kianna finally said

"The Snowflake Dance you mean?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, exactly. Can you put down the book? It won't prepare you for the dance." She said tiredly. I complied.

We practiced my stand alone performance for about two hours thirty minutes and three seconds, and after that we spent another hour and four minutes practicing the waltz with Marko, much to his dismay.

"I'm exhausted.." Marko said.

"Okay..! That's it for today! Seriously, watching you was very painful." He turned to Marko. "But I'm actually very surprised with you Paper! You are a quick learner, this may not be as hard as I thought.."

"She stomped on my foot like four times." Marko sighed.

"That is two times less than you did me!" I added.

"Hey Kianna." Marko called out, Kianna turned her head to face him. "Please don't overwork yourself. We haven't been on the best terms lately because if your secretive behavior, but you're still my friend.."

He waved at me and Kianna and left the ballroom.

My opinion of Marko is very conflicted. He is childish and pulls pranks with Kae all the time. Plus he always goes out if his way to annoy Seven. On the other hand, he is sharp and considerate of his friends. He has a lot of outsider info, but is out of the loop in this current situation. Because in this instance.. we are considering him an outsider. Along with Kae, and everyone else outside of Charlottes inner circle.

"Kianna, are you okay?" I asked cautiously. I noticed as well the sudden lack of humor in her words and the lack of relaxation in her voice. She seems like a totally different person from the one I had met on my first day in the castle.

Kianna sighed softly. "I-.. It's just.. this is the biggest job I've ever had. And Charlotte trusts me, and I can't mess this up..! But I, I have to keep quiet about a lot of important things about our mission. I never said anything to my sister or Marko or any of my other friends. Not even my parents! I even keep some information from you.."

I wasn't really sure how to comfort her.

"I am a bit frustrated that I am not informed enough, angry even." I confessed. "But I can understand the stress you where put under."

"It is stressful. Marko has been interrogating me ever since well,.. you know..

I don't want you to think I'm selfish.. I know you have have much on your plate, and I'm grateful for every time you helped me out, I even consider you a friend.. "

Kianna explained.

A friend? I smiled.

"Thank you, really.. you don't have to be as tense around me, I won't pry information out of you. I will start to worry if you become a lame party killer all of a sudden." I said laughing.

Kianna laughed with me. "Geez, never!"

We started to walk out of the ballroom, but just as we opened the door a bucked of water splashed onto Kianna and me.

"Ugh, Marko! I'm going to kill him." Kianna shouted.

"I'll clean the mess, you should go and change." I told her, seeing that she was more soaked than me.

"Thanks again! You'll have to help with payback!" Kianna exclaimed as she ran off to change her uniform.

I waved her goodbye and took a nearby mop in the storage room. After I cleaned the mess exited the room and returned the book I borrowed from the library.

I met up with Kianna again at dinner time. I usually come earlier to the kitchen ti help Kianna and eat as soon as I can to avoid queen Charlotte. Eating close to her isn't exactly pleasant, with her jeeping an eye on me the whole time I'm eating.. silently judging me.

I helped Kianna prepare the table. I was getting a sort of deja vu felling from our conversations. We planed a little prank on Marko to get back at him at the ceremony.

"Could I ask you something?" I inquired as the thought came into my mind. Kianna nodded in response.

"What was the real Paper like?" I finally said, as quietly as possible.

"Well, I didn't have much interactions with her. I only ever saw her as a bratty teenager thirsting over boys, but I really can't tell you. Oh! Can you please pay Seven a visit and give him some letters? I was planing on doing it myself, but I am very busy." Kianna requested.

"Sure, not like I had anything planned in particular." I said, grabbing the envelopes that Kianna gave me.

After dinner, I helped her do the washing up and went to pay Seven a visit. He sadly is stranded in a hospital bed at the moment. Even though he seemed fine at first when he talked to me yesterday. His fever worsened and he is in very weak shape. This happened overnight and I'm not sure how it got to this point. I looked at the beautiful sundown as I made my way to the hospital.

To be frank, I am vastly concerned for him. His condition is getting worse with no sign of recovery and his health is declining rapidly.. Kianna assured me that this happens often with him and that he'll be fine but I'm just not sure..

I arrived at Snowfeis hospital after fifteen minutes and thirty three seconds of walking. And immediately as I stepped in.. I could feel the heavy air of the uncomfortable silence. The place was crowded with people but no one said a word.

I walked up to the front desk.

"Good evening. I'm here to see Seven." I was surprised myself to find out Seven actually had no surname.

"Good evening Princess Whiteblind. He is located on room 405 on the fourth floor." The man behind the desk said.

"Thank you. What brings so many people here.?" I said formaly.

"Sadly we just started to have many strange poison cases and a lot of people from the north rural area have been affected. A lot of people are dying because of it." The man explained looking at the other people with pity.

"Is my sister informed if this?" I questioned.

"Yes, she said she will deal with the matter swiftly." I nodded and made my way up the stairs to the fourth floor.

I knocked and slowly opened the door and saw seven lying down in the hospital bed.

"Oh, it's you.. hi." He waved a little.

"Kianna requested that I give these to you." I handed him the letters.

"Thank you. It looks like work duties. I will handle it later." He said as he sat upright from his bed.

"How did it get this bad?" I asked him.

"It's not a thing you should worry yourself with." Seven told me smiling slightly. Why does he dodge the question every time? Is he being conditioned not to say anything?

"You were also unwell on our mission back in Armia." I pointed out, pushing him to tell me what is happening.

"Look, there are a lot of things I haven't told you. I'm sorry, but this is just something you can't help with." Seven admitted, I crossed my arms and stared at him.

"Alright I will be off, send a letter if you need anything." I waved him goodbye and headed towards the door.

Looks like no one can tell me anything. I'm guessing this is because of Charlotte also. Just what does this woman have to hide? After all of thus, I realize that there is more to this fake Paper scheme than I first imagined. Perhaps.. I will find my own answers, even if everyone is hiding information from me.

I put my hand over the door handle.

"Wait a second." Seven stopped me suddenly. I turned around with complete confusion.

"There is something important that I have been meaning to tell you actually.. you're going to want to sit down."

I slowly sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed and silently waited for him to start talking.

"So," Seven started. "Truly this is a rare time when I'm at a loss for words.."

I said still said nothing.

"You are pretending to be Paper.. but in reality, you are number 7222 knight correct? Why don't you have a name?" I was only slightly suprised thaf he knew that I was usually addressed by.

"I thought you were going to tell me something. It's not deep. It's just that nobody gave me a name. I never bothered to name myself.. it felt wrong I guess." I answered in a monotone voice. He nodded before coughing slightly. But I still don't think he knew what I meant.

"Before I got to Snowfei, I was The Dark Knight Cylix Rain." My eyes widened at his claim.

"You two look like completely different people.. you can't be serious.." I said in utter shock.

"It's true.. I am knight number 6897." seven "I worked with Zack."

"Why are you telling me this..?" I finally asked.

"Because I feel as though we are similar in some regards.. because I was fired from my job after snooping around, around two years ago." I've heard about it from the knights in my district who like to gossip a little too much. But even that one girl who always knew what was going on, only knew that he was fired, no reason stated publicly. Everyone who was pining over him cried that day. It was pretty hilarious.

"I found myself in Snowfei because a relative offered me to live with them. I had no where else to go so I accepted. I was so afraid of being recognized that I changed my appearance. I dyed my hair black and changed my clothing style." Seven continued. I wanted to say something but instead I just listened carefully.

"A little while after that I got in a little 'accident' that brought me many troubles. Queen Charlotte noticed the condition I was in and offered me a job as her informer. I took the codename Seven and I was the Queens eyes and ears ever since. I inform her of anything that isn't purely personal." Seven started a coughing fit because he was talking too long. I handed him a glass of water.

It was then that I noticed. He was clenching a feather in his right hand. This is the second time I encountered something like this.

The former knight also stared at me while I eyed him suspiciously.

"And.. let me guess.. you wont tell me what this accident is." I said, pointing at the feathers.

He shook his head as he put down the glass of water.

"I can't." He looked looked away examining the feathers.

"Do you miss your old life..?" I asked curiously.

"Well.. it's a more complicated question. It's just weird. I've been a knight almost my whole life.. even after two years I still fall back on my tendencies. What about you?" Seven asked.

"Me..? I am going to go back to being a normal knight after all this is over and my suspension gets removed." I answered blatantly.

"That's not what I asked." Seven chuckled at my answer.

How I felt about my time away from being a knight?

"My feelings are undecided. My only hopes are that I can prove myself and get my badge back." I said to him.

"The knights aren't the most pure and the whole system is broken." Seven stated.

"I know. But what else do I have?" I muttered the last part quietly, I'm not sure if he could hear me.

He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "Trainee, you have the potential to be something.. I will admit."

At that moment I think I smiled back. At that moment it really dawned on me that Seven and Cylix were one in the same. Though he had drastically changed. Not just physically, but his demeanor as well. And I think he improved as a person.

We had a little conversation about Marko and I asked him if he wanted to join in on our revenge plan, to which he gladly agreed, snickering.

The doctor said he would be out of the hospital in three days or so.

After that I went back to the castle and practiced The Snowflake Dance in my room.