Chapter 5 - Act II

A Blissful Year, Act 2

Summer of Light

I.

"Come on! You're big, Madoka," Leopride said as they dueled. The weight of his practice sword crashed against hers. The impact caused her grip to slip and her sword went flying. Madoka felt a surge of pain in her legs as her world went reeling to the ground. Leopride's sweeping attack got her. "But I am bigger. You should focus on your movements instead of taking strikes head on."

The word "big" made Madoka uncomfortable when compared to her for odd reasons. She climbed back up on her own and refused his hand for help. The pieces of her practice sword lay strewn about in the grass like old, unearthed relics.

"Wood's broken," she muttered as she stared at it. Leopride laughed, though not out of old malice.

"What are we on, now, the sixth wooden stick broken?" He laughed. Then he signaled her to wait and walked off to his carriage. Madoka wondered what the Cherish-man was up to this time. He approached with an object in his strong arms, covered by a piece of cloth. "You swing like a brute, so I brought you a gift from my Homeland. Practice with Lord Zeron."

He placed it in her hands and Madoka felt the weight lean on one side. She wobbled a bit but managed to stay balanced.

"What is this?" Madoka shook the cover off it.

"A hatchet. Or ax," Leopride told her. "Once you are strong like me you will like it better."

The hatchet's head gleamed in the sunlight, though it was ordinary in a way. It was also half of Madoka's height. If she was being honest, it looked like it belonged to someone else.

"A-Are you sure a slave like me should own something?" Madoka trembled at the realization. She was not allowed to have things to herself.

"I am sure the princess will insist you keep it," Leopride chuckled. "The steel is forged from my homeland as well. It will break people, but it will not break itself."

"G-Good to know," Madoka was a little taken aback by the gift, as heavy as it might be. "I will take care of it with all my heart."

Leopride furrowed his whiskers and brows, then chanted something beneath his breath. Madoka stepped back as she knew what he was doing. With a grunt, magic made the ground tremble beneath her feet. More stone formations than last time emerged.

"These will help," he laughed. "I will return soon, I suspect these will be broken by the time I come back. Goodbye, Madoka."

"Goodbye, Lord Leopride," Madoka bowed. He waved back as he walked to his carriage.

She tried to swing the ax, but found its weight much heavier than anything she had held before. Elise chuckled at her new gift.

"Ho? He gave you this?" Elise inspected the ax. Madoka could only hang her head low for she imagined a Royal would simply take away a slave's possessions. It was unheard of for one to own things. Elise was no ordinary Royal, however, who chuckled. "He is such a savage, I know. Have you tried to use it?"

"I, erm, yes," Madoka stammered sheepishly. She hefted the hatchet up. "Though it is a little too heavy."

"Hmm," Princess Elise looked at Madoka's shaky grip on the weapon. "Maybe you don't have enough strength stat points in your character build yet... I mean. We just have to train harder then."

"H-Harder," Madoka gulped. She already had her schedule full, but the princess grinned.

"Even harder," she laughs. The sunset complimented Elise's beauty well. It was Summer, but Spring still danced delicately between the days despite everything being sunny. It will soon be warm and the food harvests will be different. Madoka would have to break all those rocks sooner than later before the Sun brings its fury on the earth.

Still, the ax was quite taxing to hold. Madoka thought back to what Lord Leopride's movements and forms were training. She guessed, as a commoner with way less fighting experience, should just go on about her duties and continue her workouts day by day.

"Hello, Madoka, are you in there?" Elise's voice broke Madoka's concentration. She did not budge from her workout routine, merely remembering that she was in the middle of a conversation with Elise. Elise raised her hands in a circle, forming more bubbles that splashed on the ground. "Look! I'm a human sprinkler, now."

She began to splatter large water bubbles out that watered the dying grass beneath them. Elise laughed, Madoka sighed. At least this new spell of hers only makes a mess and does not set anything on fire.

"What is a sprinkler?" Madoka asked, trying to be engaged. These days, she's managed to hold the ax and complete her first two forms Leopride showed her.

"It's ahh, a little water pump that goes pszt pszt pstpstpst and - crap!" The princess lost her concentration and apparently the bubble popped and splashed all over her dress. She hung her head low. "Oops. Sorry, Madoka."

"What am I to do with you?" Madoka instinctively went for some cloth to clean the mess, but when she returned she saw a horrifying sight. The princess was wiping herself off. "No, no, no! I am your servant, princess."

"Soon, you won't be," Elise said. "We'll stand as... friends I hope."

"Hmph," Madoka wiped her off and guided her with her hand. "We already are friends, princess. Though you should really remember your place above me."

The princess stopped with a dark look in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

Elise shook her head like a bright candle light, as if to fend off the darkness in her eyes. She smiled, the hurt receding from her face.

"I'm fine. You really need to accept apologies," she laughed.

Madoka considered it, but did not understand what accepting an apology for doing her duties truly meant. "V-Very well, princess."

"Good. Take me away, my friend," the princess instructed her. Madoka led her to be cleaned and changed. Dinner was next, then cleaning the dining hall, cleaning her, dusting the hallway windows... Oh so much work to do.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Madoka said instead.

It was late but the night was clear unlike Madoka's thoughts. She finally managed to get time by herself. Without the ax that she rested against one of the stone formations, she would practice her forms by herself. The ax certainly was what she wanted to practice, but she did but couldn't use it now and woke the whole estate up. She could swing it with some effort but there was something she knew she was missing with every swing she performed. When she attempted to break the stone pillars earlier, her attacks simply bounced off. She was secretly amazed by the Cherish-crafted ax, for it never broke against the rocks.

While quickening her breathing exercises, she jumped from one formation to another. The tips of each were no wider than one of her feet and falling off or losing balance would be a painful lesson to learn. Swiftly, she kept up the pace until she grew tired that night.

II.

She jerked awake, feeling cold and hot at the same time. Instinctively, Madoka felt herself all over, before reaching between her legs and stopping. She cursed herself and got up to get her sheets and herself cleaned. Damn nightmares. Her time in the Palace with nobles was not always the easiest to live with. Madoka turned down the hallway to her quarters after cleaning herself and her dripping bed sheets.

She'll have to ask Elise to conjure those soap bubbles later.

The moons hung high in the sky, their lights just a little brighter than the canvas of stars above. Distant, but kind gods waiting and watching her. As she crept through, a whimper sounded from the princess's room.

Madoka dropped her sheets in her room and nearly bolted to investigate Princess Fiara. She cracked open the door as if to avoid something sinister, peering in with aid from a sliver of the kind moon's light. The princess was flailing. A sickness?

"Please," she gasped and grasped her sheets. The room became illuminated as the princess flailed again. Elise was using magic in her sleep, her sobs and muffled screaming accompanied with the low hum of the arcane energies threatening to tear apart the room into a mess. Immediately Madoka rushed to her side, seeing the core's circle begin to swirl inside her chest. "Don't do this! Please! L-Let go of my neck, Dad! I-I'll promise, I'll call you Dad from now on! Mom! H-help me!"

She was choking and her eyes were closed shut; but she suddenly latched onto Madoka's shoulders with a surprisingly strong grip. Madoka was horrified that she couldn't break free, but also did not know what to do. "Elise! Princess! Wake u-up!"

The princess stopped her flailing but still held tightly onto Madoka, breathing and crying.

"D-Don't kill me," she breathed. How was she even able to do this in her sleep? Madoka had to think quickly. She felt like her arms were going to be ripped off under the sheer pressure of Elise's grip. The humming from her glowing magic core stopped.

"I won't!" Madoka solemnly swore to her sleeping princess.

"Don't let me die here," she choked. Madoka struggled to raise her hand, but she wiped Elise's tear stained cheeks with her sleeve. "I-I'm so alone here."

"I promise, Elise," Madoka answered. "I will not leave your side."

The grip was loosening. Yes, that's it!

"M-Mom, I'm s-sorry," Elise started choking again, letting go of Madoka. "I'm sorry I was b-born."

"You don't have to apologize, Elise," Madoka hugged her. The heat emanating from Elise's magic core burned her up, but she held on tightly.

"B-but—"

"Quiet, now, princess. It's late and it's time to sleep."

Madoka pulled away as the princess's posture slackened. Her sapphire eyes opened briefly, searching rapidly in her sleep for a way back to close. The moonlight illuminated them, though they were very much vast universes of their own. A pair of celestial oceans Madoka could dance in. But they were shut again as her glowing core flickered and faded like the last embers of a firepit.

She toppled back onto her bed, now a completely disheveled and chaotic mess of sheets and blankets. The night was somehow soporific despite the storm that passed through, with nothing but the two girls and the two kind gods watching over them. Madoka smiled at her sleeping princess. She sat next to the bed leaning over her princess, stroking her hair for what seemed like a long time and holding her hand.

It was not long before exhaustion overtook the maid. Her knees were a bit sore from sitting on them for a long time. Madoka chuckled to herself, she didn't want to think of the marks the princess's supposedly noodly arms left on her. She decided she'll fall fast asleep tonight, just in case.

III.

"Madoka?" Elise's voice penetrated through Madoka's stirring like a ray of sunlight. "Why are you here?"

"Mmm," Madoka yawned, before realizing she was in the presence of her princess. She jerked awake and bowed her head. She also found herself still at the side of the princess's bed and must have tipped over on the floor. She smoothed out her dress and her hair. "Good morning, Your Highness."

"You look beautiful down there, but next time you can crawl in the sheets with me, okay? Come on, get in! Get in!"

"Your Highness, I..." Madoka hesitated.

"I don't bite, I promise! Not too hard, anyways."

That phrase alone made Madoka worried. She remembered that Elise nearly strangled her while she was sleeping. Tentatively, she got under the sheets and blankets by her princess's side just as she promised. Elise attempted to snuggle in her arms but stopped.

"Gah, my head feels like it got shaken, like, a brick hit me!" Elise clutched her head. Her hair was a complete mess as well. "A-And my room! What happened last night?"

Madoka looked and saw the aftermath of Elise's magic. Clothes and curtains were cluttering the floor. "A-Apologies, princess. You had a night terror and called my name."

"A... night terror?" Elise looked confused for a moment, but sat slowly up again. "That wouldn't be right. Are you sure you just couldn't resist a sleepover with me?"

"N-No, it's just that," Madoka noticed something on the princess's hand. A stain? "What's that?"

"What's what?" Elise inspected her hand and noticed the strange mark. "Yo, what the hell?"

The odd marking slithered down her sleeve out of view. The princess felt it, recoiling from the shock of the marking's movements as if she got stung. Madoka and Elise looked at each other with odd expressions.

"Ach!" She shook her hand. "Was that a bug? Oh hell no! Ach!"

She snapped her arm out in an attempt to shake out the bug, but nothing showed itself. "Ach!"

She slipped her sleeve down revealing a mark on her skin, clearly moving on its own. It writhed and made the princess wince. The two girls looked at her arm - spellbound in a strange fascination.

"It's kind of like a dragon tattoo, huh?" Elise remarked. She winced as the marking's jaws clamped down on her arm before wiggling further up her shoulder. "Not that you would know what a tattoo is, anyways."

"Does t-that mark, or ah, 'tattoo' hurt you whenever it moves?" Madoka was almost too afraid to ask. "Forgive me, princess. I forgot to mention this: You used magic in your sleep and the commotion made me enter your chambers to calm you down."

The princess rested her arm back down and squeezed Madoka's hand.

"You saved me from myself," Elise smiled. "And you will keep on saving me, Madoka. This pain is nothing. Like being zapped by violent static or a fork in an electrical socket. What more could I ask for?"

"Your Highness?" A maid's voice called from outside the chambers. Madoka yawned. "Lord Leopride has arrived with the object you've requested."

"Really?" Elise sprang up, suddenly awake at the news. "Let's go, Madoka!"

"So soon," Madoka calmed her down with a look. The princess stopped in her tracks. "We must get you changed and this room cleaned."

"Gah!" Elise pouted and then let out a long breath. "There's no stopping you."

"Precisely, Your Highness," Madoka smiled. She was worried still, about that living mark that marred her skin. Was it truly alive? Did it come to life when she used magic? There was no use asking, for the princess herself did not know. As she stripped the princess down, the tattoo moved along her shoulder blades.

An odd skin condition, Madoka attempted to scrub it off but it caused the princess pain so she stopped. After she was done tidying both Elise and the room, they marched down to meet Lord Leopride in the foyer. He bowed to them both, giving Madoka his homeland's salute. The gesture made her uncomfortable as it should not be done to servant-slaves like Madoka. Furthermore, he had a large object in his hand.

Was it a spear? Madoka wondered.

"I have something for you, Princess Fiara," he said, nodding his head at the item in his hand. Elise looked excited.

"Finally!" She looked at it with joy. "Thank you, Uncle Leo!"

"Now, now," Leopride chuckled. Then he dropped the object in the ground, startling a nearby maid. Princess Elise appeared to be in disbelief. Madoka chuckled at his actions, for she could tell what the Cherish-man's intentions were. "Your first workout, Princess. Take it away. Madoka, you can allow this, yes?"

Madoka simply remained quiet, but Leopride laughed.

"Nae waaah!" Princess Elise looked at the object. It was shaped like a staff, with two large objects at both of its ends. "Why are you two ganging up on me? A secret alliance?"

"So," Leopride spoke to Madoka as the princess dragged the object to the room where the pair of girls worked out. Elise called it a gym, she remembered. "You look like you have a question to ask me, no?"

"I was never good at hiding my questions, I suppose, Lord Leopride," Madoka chuckled again. Leopride shook his head.

"Ask away, do not be afraid anymore, little one," Lord Leopride laughed.

"Why are you so loyal to the princess," Madoka asked. "She has caused a lot of trouble for King Fiara."

"Aye, that she did," Leopride said, his eyes distant in thought. "I was once a suitor for her. She called me 'cute.' It was the first of many surprises she had for me."

Madoka could envision the princess being an unbridled mess for any suitor, but for Leopride especially. Something about him made her heart flutter, Madoka had no clue what emotion she felt when looking at the Cherish-man. A strong man like that should be more than enough to get anyone besides her.

"She went on to save my life in a way," Leopride continued. "A small conflict happened within my homeland and Fiara's soldiers. My homeland exists within Fiara and is allowed to 'cohabitate and be self-autonomous' within Fiara's borders. Don't know what those words mean? Ha! I didn't either."

"The princess mentioned and explained the terms to her father, who allowed us to live freely in the jungles under his protection. Were it not for her intervention, I would have been eliminated with the other nobles of my homeland."

"I see," Madoka said. "The princess is truly an unpredictable and intelligent woman."

"She rejected my courtship many times," Leopride chuckled. "And she calls me an uncle she's never had. Since I owe her my life, I support her upon the King's and Lord Zeron's request. Though, I found myself willing for free. I am sure you know the feeling, given how the princess is, no?"

Madoka felt her cheeks go warm and tried to hide her embarrassment at his comment. Leopride laughed.

"I mean no harm, I cannot return to winning the princess, given her situation," Leopride waved his clawed hands.

"Madoka!" Elise's voice echoed loudly from the east wing. "Help me! I need your strong arms to lift this thing!"

"It seems that you have been summoned," Leopride waved. "Be seeing you, Madoka."

Madoka opened the door and bowed to him on the way out.

Now then, Madoka huffed up the stairs. She was going to make the princess pay for raising her voice and causing a disturbance. Though, secretly Madoka knew it would be worthless. Elise yelled when she wanted to and there was not much the maid had for stopping her.

IV.

"HrAAAAGH!" Elise roared after what she called a deadlift. The staff of a spear was modified with large rocks conjured by Leopride at both ends of it. It was a gift. She breathed loudly after dropping the heavy thing to the ground, which matched her voice's volume as it clattered. The other maids present simply sighed. The princess, however, seemed oblivious to the commotion she was causing. "RAAAH! WOO!"

"Elise," Madoka closed her eyes. She did her training a while ago, but accompanied the princess because she was told to. She was knitting up a fragment for one of her torn dresses. Often when she looked after the princess trained or watched her study in the library she would knit or do her training quietly to avoid going into "idle mode," as the princess called it. Dissociation was another thing she called it, though Madoka thought nothing of it.

"Sorry, Madoka," Elise dropped the bar, making even more noise. "But this is something I gotta do to lift this guy."

She tugged at the weight beneath her feet. Madoka had never found anything more unladylike - the act of screaming like a savage. Even her doing manual labor like this was enough to hurt Madoka's head as she tried to get used to it. Elise grunted even louder as she lifted it once again.

Later, Madoka and the princess were outside. The weather was warm, so the princess would sit in the sun more. The tattoo was slithering around her right arm, but it did not seem to bother the princess anymore. She approached her maid with a new "good idea," one that Madoka as her slave could not refuse anyways. She was emboldened by Madoka's reminder that she is her maid and therefore cannot refuse, so the princess nearly dragged her out to the practice yard.

"Dodge this!" Elise charged her magic and conjured water up in a small stream. Madoka was not quick enough, so the water splashed harmlessly on her. Madoka understood why she came up with this. It was an excuse to train her magic and help Madoka train. It was still frustrating to get her outfits wet but the princess was adept at using water magic already.

Or Madoka would say, if she knew how magic worked.

"I'm just using mana to harness hydrogen atoms with oxygen and then.... Oh, I've lost you," Elise tried to explain how her magic worked. "I tried explaining it to one of Brother's mages the other day. He looked as confused as you."

"Brother? The Prince is here?" Madoka asked, almost dodging a water projectile from Elise. The water splashed on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Elise sighed, conjuring up more bubbles. "Or was. He left this morning. I tried to glean all the information on them. The mage said water magic isn't well known in whatever College he went to. I think it was Crosstella Magic College...? Whatever. If only Father sent me there instead!"

"It's still impressive that you're learning magic on your own..." Madoka mused. "Even if it is a little scary."

"It's taking too much time," the princess complained. Madoka was getting more accustomed to the incredible speeds of the water beams Elise shot from her fingers. "I needed to learn how mages of this world work... even if they are from my enemies..."

"Enemies?" Madoka remembered that Elise sees her brother as an enemy. She best not bring it up now.

"It's nothing," Elise said through an obvious forced smile. "Let's move on. Tomorrow I'll use two fingers to shoot water beams!"

"T-Two?" Madoka followed her, carrying her ax with her using both hands.

"Yeah. I have to catch up to you somehow!" Elise twirled. The way the sunlight and her misty water magic wrapped around her body made it difficult for Madoka to look away, a bewitching spirit basking in rainbow tinted mist from ocean waves and the emerging sun. She realized the princess was leading her to the stone formations.

"I think you have enough strength points in your stats— er I think you're strong enough to break these," the princess inspected Madoka's body. A little too closely, making the maid shift uncomfortably away. Elise giggled. "You just need a little... passion!"

"P-Passion!"?"

"Yeah," Elise pointed at her ax. "Can you strike that into the ground?"

Madoka raised her ax, admiring its plain blade glinting in the Summer sun before dropping it into the earth. The princess looked at it in thought.

"You're doing that without grunting, or anything," Elise remarked. "Wow."

"I just don't see how the loud roaring is helpful," Madoka complained. She nearly poked herself with the needle in her hand by being startled by her princess's intermittent yelling the last time.

"Passion, my dear Madoka," Elise repeated herself in a silly accent. "Need I remind you that you screamed for that extra bit of energy to defeat Lord Leopride the first time?"

"S-Stop, that's embarrassing..."

"Here," Elise sighed. She then marched up to Madoka's ax and roared as she lifted it. Was that not because of her training? Madoka was about to complain but then the princess did something incredible.

"Watch! RAAAH!" Elise raised the ax over her head and smashed one of the stone formations to pieces in one fell swing. The very same rocks Madoka was trying to break for a week now. Madoka's ax was not damaged in the slightest. She handed the ax back to her with a satisfied look. "You got this. Sorry for blowing one of these up. They're probably for training..."

Eh?!

V.

"Raining, huh," Elise stood by the window. "Even in Summer. Wonder if those two moons mess with the rain in the atmosphere... How is this planet not all jacked up? Two moons should cause so many adverse effects and gravitational pulls on the tides and tilt of this planet...."

Madoka ignored the princess's strange musings. Her hands still felt numb from attempting to shatter the rock formations. The vibrations still made her grip twinge when she tried to hold her duster properly. She did not have enough "passion" for it, apparently. Her grunt was weak like the breeze; the remark brought about an odd sense of déjà vu to her. Leopride has made comparisons to her halfheartedness, the way her forms were just going through the motions without intention.

Was it really so bad to do so? For what purpose was she really supposed to serve with all this combat knowledge? Madoka couldn't fathom the political spectrum, no matter how many ways the princess explained it. To her, merely owning an ax was heresy for she was a slave who did not deserve to own anything. So it was a foregone conclusion that she would go back to being a slave once she returned to the palace.

Still, she had a desire: With or without passion, she would destroy those rocks. But could she really be half-hearted if she's come this far? Or is everyone else, Royals and Lords, simply blessed by their efforts that the paths they walk on are simply easier and far more rewarding?

Was it the hard mode that Princess Fiara mentioned?

The difficulty of life's circumstances were simply not in her control and therefore she was simply not meant to be this "woman of her dreams." Madoka was consumed by her doubts, the looming shadow of her princess's illness and curse. She stood up.

"Madoka?"

"I refuse," Madoka said, not finishing her sentence and instead picking up her ax. She will smash her frustrations outside. She knew not if Elise followed her out and nor did she care at that particular moment.

Thunder roared outside and rain splashed on her skin. A kind god's cold sweat, with lightning polluting the sky. Madoka lifted her ax, ignoring the pain from her previous attempts and the frustrations of her unanswered questions, and let her voice match the thunder's roar.

"Hrargh!"

Solid powdered into a dirt crater. A formidable pillar of magic stone into a crumpled heap of cracked pebbles. Each form she practiced these long and harsh months, tossed away for the moment of her pure but simple frustration.

"It was not enough, was it?" Madoka breathed. All rocks were shattered and Madoka's hands felt no different than before she cleaved each one. "Maybe I am not smart enough to ask the right questions. Maybe I am a slave and do not deserve answers."

"Is that so?" A voice rang out through the rain. The tall outline of a muscular figure approached her. Leopride came into her view, though he seemed different.

"Lord... Leopride?" Madoka wondered why he was out late. Perhaps she was hallucinating. Leopride did not answer, but instead raised a blade in his hand and tossed it over to her.

"I've waited long enough for you to break these," Lord Leopride said. His eyes glowed menacingly in the night. Madoka realized that both swords were not practice wood, but of real metal. "Now it is time to break you."

The unsheathing of his sword sent sparks flashing in the rain.

"Is this what you want?" Madoka's voice was but a whisper in the storm.

Madoka may have been broken in her confusions over the princess, but she knew she was not the same weak slave he had beaten tenfold into blues and blacks during the spring of colors. Her body remembered every wound he gave her. So you were pretending, Madoka mouthed inaudibly and took up the blade.

Let all the worry fall away like those rocks, Madoka gritted her teeth. Rain made it hard to detect the Cherish-man's presence. A mistake, she thought. Anyone could sneak up on her during weather and hours like these. The two regarded each other, Madoka waiting for his killing intent to rise like the old times. Her stance was ready.

Lord Leopride's eyes flared and had it not been for the training she did with Princess Elise's magic bubbles, Madoka could have easily been defeated by losing sight of him from his incredible speed. His first swing flashed by her, but she dodged it. He smirked and distanced himself to observe her. Madoka stood stark still in the storm. This time, she was the rock formation for him to shatter.

That's right, Madoka remembered. She is her friend, the reason she was doing all this training for. The princess is in her heart, no matter how much this man wants to tear it out of her and make it stop beating. The two eyed each other, knowing that the fight would be decided by one attack.

That's when Lord Leopride took a step forward and vanished. Madoka's eyes had deceived her - for he was just that fast. In a split second, everything she thought hinged between life and death. She sensed his bloodlust all around her ready to strike. So Madoka closed her eyes.

"I refuse," Madoka muttered once again. The sword in her hand was a bit heavier than a wooden one but it was nothing compared to the ax she left lying in the grass amongst the shattered rocks. The bloodlust quickened, closing in on her. Her breath seized up, pulse pounding. Above her! She knelt just quick enough to provide the distance for her to raise her sword.

And so came the Cherish-man's strike like a lightning bolt. Madoka held firm against the flat of her blade as Leopride's sword beat down on hers. The flat sunk into her palm, making a horizontal bloody line across it. Madoka could care less about the pain if it meant she could survive.

His large form towered over her and his strength threatened to crash through her defenses and if he did that her heart would be next.

"I refuse to be half-hearted anymore! I will break through you!" Madoka let out a fiery roar, angling her sword and let Leopride's own sword careen off its blade to the earth. As she did, Leopride's force sent him downward — his heart stabbed right into Madoka's blade. "I don't care about anything you have to say about me!"

Madoka choked as Leopride gasped, the life escaping as blood out his mouth. He collapsed on top of her with both of their swords clanging against the earth.

"You are... worthy!" Leopride uttered. The duel was decided. Madoka was the true victor.

Madoka struggled to breathe beneath him, but then his form started to dissolve into a black mist.

"Was it an illusion?" Madoka asked no one in particular. She felt for the swords that were once in their hands, but they too were gone. Her palm where she reinforced her block against Leopride's strike was still bleeding, but despite all the pain she took it as a marking that her training was finally over.

She began to cry as the rain drenched her further, though she did not know why.

VI.

Elise looked at Madoka as if she saw an apparition float through the front door. She was soaked. "Madoka?!"

"Get. The. Healers," Madoka breathed as she clutched her bloody hand, feeling the sting finally inflicting her palm. Elise took the hint and ran with her to the soldiers.

"Ah, Madoka," Elise scolded her as the healer channeled into a strange object. Her eyes glowed as odd green strings of mana wrapped around her hand, sealing it as if it wasn't cut by a blade. They were mesmerizing and beautiful. "You need to stop making me worried!"

"Sorry, princess," Madoka hung her head. They were out in the hallway while Princess Fiara paced. Only a scar remained on her palm. Of the many that marred her hand, this one was the deepest. Elise held it up, inspecting it.

"This scar..." She looked at it, rubbing her hand. "Were you attacked?"

"N-No," Madoka lied. In truth, she was not sure if she fought an illusion brought on by her delirium or simply hurt herself breaking the rock formations. "I merely hurt myself by breaking those rocks."

Elise squeezed her hand. The tattoo was on her wrist, but slithered back up her forearm when Madoka noticed it. Her eyes lit up.

"You broke them?" She said excitedly.

"Yes, Elise," Madoka said. Although I was almost broken myself, she thought. "It is done."

"Well, woohoo!" She jumped up. Madoka was too exhausted to discipline the princess from making noise this late. "We can discuss what to do next since it's still night. You're crazy, Madoka!"

After the visit with the healer, Elise promptly sent her to her chambers and forbade her from leaving until the following morning when she got her. Madoka sighed in her bed. It was rare that the princess had a reason to scold her - she must be holding it over her head because of that. A small smile crept over Madoka, for she knew even if she fought an illusion her promise and willpower prevailed. A small victory that would etch itself in her mind.

Then she pictured the princess looking serious for once in her mind and she giggled quietly to herself. The princess was never so serious before and her scowl looked so silly. Perhaps she should be more mischievous just to see her be serious more often.

She dreamed good dreams that night, instead of having the usual nightmares of nobles.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Elise's voice came through Madoka's dreams to her. Madoka yawned, to see the princess smiling, sitting at the edge of her bed. She was dressed for the outdoors. Another maid must have attended her. Her carelessness frustrated her, for Madoka should have gotten to the princess first. "I have some good news. But first! Your hand!"

"Good morning," Madoka's voice dragged. "Don't you worry about my hand, princess."

"Bah! Nae waah!" Elise took her hand from under the sheets. She inspected it some more. "What an odd scar, it's almost like you withstood a strike with a sword."

"Can't say. I think I had a nightmare last night," Madoka was being truthful. "The formations are gone though."

"Hmm," the princess contemplated. "Yes, it is time to see Lord Zeron."

Madoka wanted to collapse back on the pillow.

"I thought you said 'good news,'" Madoka complained.

"It IS good news," Elise jumped up. "He is officially giving us the chance to do some exploring outdoors! And YOU get to ride a horse... with me of course."

Madoka failed to see anything good about riding a horse with her. Especially when her strength is considerably higher than the last time they did so. She worried for her arms this time around.

"We got to eat up, of course," Elise muttered to herself. "Such an arduous task of walking and hiking... and horses. At 3500 calories, no, maybe 4000 on the safe side. Jeez, this body is a damn bio-airplane powered by nothing but meat. Much different than a regular human-"

"Elise," Madoka stopped her from rambling. "Language."

"Huh? O-Oh you heard me," Elise turned. Madoka slipped her hand out of Elise's grip. "What is it, Madoka?"

"L-Let me get ready first," she struggled to unwind herself out of the sheets.

"Of course!" Elise twirled, a dance move they shared a while ago. She was still graceful and much healthier than even the last days of Spring. Has she been training without Madoka knowing?

Of course Madoka knew the answer.

Later, Elise dragged her to the healer mage again. The mage was a kind man, though his cloak did not have the insignia of the same kind as the guards. It matched Elise's Brother's crest. That meant that he was a part of his army. It was too much for Madoka to ask about, since perhaps this was Elise just using him for intel.

"It appears to be all fixed up, dear," the mage said. Madoka looked at her hand and back to Elise.

"Are you certain?" Elise triple checked.

"Hoohoo! You are loved, dear," the mage said. "Of course, Your Highness. This one's hand is healed by the kind gods themselves. And by you, of course."

"Whatever, thanks," Elise cut him off.

"Princess," Madoka said with a stern look. "Manners."

"Oh, no need for that," the mage waved Madoka off. "I am merely her servant, just like you."

Elise stormed off, giving a look to Madoka to follow her. Madoka had a question for him, however.

"What seems to be on your mind, dear?"

"It's the princess, actually," Madoka trailed off, thinking of that strange tattoo. "She has a marking on her left arm. It moves on its own and hurts Her Highness."

"Ah," the healer leaned back. "Those are the Marks of Ascension. A magical scar, really. It will heal on its own over time or when the princess finds inner peace."

"Madoka," Elise called out for her. "To me."

Madoka decided it was best to leave the kind mage and not test her luck. She bowed and exited.

"Awwhhh, Madoka," Elise rested her arms behind her head as they walked to the dining room. Madoka was accustomed to eating with her now but at first it was absolutely horrifying and absurd. "Don't ruin my good morning! I care an awful lot about you and you're spitting it back at me by talking with an enemy - er, stranger about my issues."

"F-Forgive me, princess," Madoka dropped to her knees. Elise simply sighed as she stopped at the door.

"It's just an expression, I think," Elise wondered to herself. "Get up, get up! We have to discuss this trip I plan on. Several, in fact. We're a few long months off from D-Day, might as well look into things."

As per usual, Madoka had no idea what she was talking about and followed her to the dining room.

"Brother's got his claws everywhere, even here," Elise had a dark and fierce look, her voice low. It was a side of her that Madoka never saw before. Madoka remained quiet as she ate, not even scolding her harsh language. "It's going to be a miracle if we pull this off and survive. For now, I plan on two different trips... Oh, sorry Madoka. I must have been thinking aloud again..."

"Pay me no mind, Your Highness," Madoka closed her eyes and ate silently.

A knock on the door was heard and a booming laughter came from behind it. Luckily, Madoka finished and simply placed her plates on a tray. An escape from this awkwardness was exactly what Madoka needed.

"Lord Zeron!"

The towering man entered and the princess got up and embraced him. Madoka simply curtsied and hoped to leave, cleaning the table as he stood laughing. "Where do you think you're going, little lady?"

The question froze Madoka in her tracks.

"I'll get these out of the way, sir," Madoka simply said, excusing herself. She would not take no for an answer when it came to her duties, however, to be spared from the added awkwardness of the whole situation was a helpful incentive.

"No, no, little lady!" Lord Zeron bellowed. "We have much to do!"

"Come, come!" Elise cheered. Well, Madoka thought. At least she appeared to be happier with Lord Zeron. She departed with them and left the tray behind.

Oh, kind gods spare me, Madoka prayed. She realized they were leading her out to the training grounds.

"You destroyed these by yourself?" Lord Zeron looked at the remains of the rock formations. They were conjured up by Lord Leopride's magic, Madoka simply sighed. She had left her axe outside here in the rain, but it remained sharp. She was beginning to think that this gift was much more expensive than what it appeared to be. "Impressive, little lady."

"P-Please," Madoka grimaced. "Call me Madoka."

Anything but the nicknames, she pleaded with her eyes. Zeron gave a chuckle. It was then Elise walked over with two wooden swords.

"You can fight with these, right?"

"Fight? Me? Of course," Madoka nodded with a small grin. She remembered last night. Plus, Elise was secretly annoying her with false "good news" and moodiness.

Elise was nervous at Madoka's sudden change of mood. Let her be nervous, Madoka could only shrug in response. The wooden sword's blade did not hurt when she placed it on her offhand, the scar seemingly not affected.

"I-I'm not going to hold back!" Elise said, assuming her fighting stance.

A few minutes later, Elise was knocked to the ground. Madoka had defeated her in one quick blow without even breaking a sweat.

"I'm better at magic anyways," Elise muttered. Madoka helped her up without saying much. When it came to weapons, her sword spoke enough. It was then when Lord Zeron took the stage holding a pair of real swords. Madoka had the feeling that he was waiting for this moment. After all, he has seen her form and her swordsmanship from the start of her training way back in Spring.

This conversation would be a lot more serious between Madoka and Lord Zeron. The question she had for him was a simple one indeed: Has he seen what she's become now?

"Ooo!" Elise said excitedly. "Things are looking serious!"

Lord Zeron laughed his usual hearty laugh, but Madoka stayed quiet as she took a sword from him. If she could only use her ax, carrying it around might prove burdensome.

"You're immaculate! You've defeated my pupil," Lord Zeron praised her. "But please indulge in me in this last test for today, let my fears fall."

"Fine," Madoka grimaced. He was beaming with confidence, as a warrior who served the country for many years. What could a servant like her with mere months of training do to sway his raging currents? She may have slew an illusionary phantasm last night, but she knew she could not defeat a real man who was much bigger and stronger than Lord Leopride.

"Ready, Madoka?"

A nod barely moved her head forward, so he laughed and signaled Elise to start them.

"Go!" Elise cheered.

Lord Zeron towered forward, then came at her like a wild bull. Was he mocking her? Madoka wondered. She dodged his strike and while the impact of his swing had enough strength to sweep up a cloud of dust and left a cut mark on the ground, Madoka was already behind him with an attack of her own. With such slow speed, she was sure he was holding back quite a lot.

"I win?" She tapped his neck with the point of her sword. He was too tall to reach with her hand. Lord Zeron turned slowly and applauded her.

"Excellent!" Lord Zeron laughed. "I think it's time now. You are ready to take care of her out there, though these lands are quite peaceful I think now I can let you go with the princess."

"D-Don't joke around like that," Madoka protested. "You were holding back quite a lot."

"I am not joking," Lord Zeron rested a big hand on her shoulder. The weight of his arm made her have to focus to carry or else she would topple over. "Not many can withstand the weight of my mighty hand! Gwah, hah, hah!"

Madoka nearly decided he was simply lying and just gave in. She did not understand the insults and simply wanted to go along with it. She freed herself from his grasp and faced him.

"So," Madoka spoke to Lord Zeron much differently, surprising Elise. Her sudden switch from her usual formal speech to commoner's tongue made him finally drop the act. "Why were you holding back? Do you mean to insult me?"

"Madoka?" Elise looked at her quizzically.

"It was a test, Madoka. Not a fight to the death. I wanted to see what you would do," Lord Zeron explained, trying to ease her doubts. "The heat of battle is much different than mere practice fights."

"That doesn't explain much," Madoka crossed her arms. "Or help me much."

"I have given you all the help I could, given Her Highness's situation," He said, his tone serious.

Surely he does not believe in the princess's delusions, right? Madoka had a difficult time understanding why a man like Lord Zeron trusted Elise's words. Elise nodded vigorously. Still, Madoka protested.

"But—" She began, but Lord Zeron cut her off, kneeling before her. He still was taller than her, even with strong knees on the ground.

"Most would flee from an attack like that. You remained calm even in the face of my attack. One day, I trust you will be calm even when the trials of life strike you or the princess."

"Uncle Zeron is trusted by my father to help me and do what I need, okay? It's really not that complicated," Elise told her. "You can trust me, can't you?"

"I am your servant, Your Highness," Madoka bowed her head, realizing who she was speaking to. Something in her was changing, a wellspring of confidence flowing in her heart. She would have to stamp it out or else she could be killed. Or was she merely taking advantage of her situation being so far beyond the Palace walls? "F-Forgive me, princess."

"What for?" Elise muttered. There was something about the princess that was unrecognizable to Madoka at that moment. She seemed happy about Madoka's sudden outburst. "Raise your head, Madoka. Times are changing, but rest assured you are still the woman of my dreams and you shall not be helpless!"

"I have an old friend of you two," Lord Zeron grinned after the tension was lifted. "They will help you get to what the princess's, ah, nature walk."

Lord Leopride? Madoka shook her head. He would not help at all for whatever mad scheme Elise has waiting. A group of soldiers rounded through the gate, guiding their horses through. Madoka caught a glimpse of a familiar white haired mane. It was Ciara who seemed pleased to see the two girls. She neighed as the soldier bowed to the Princess and left the beautiful beast with the girls.

VII.

"Oh no," Elise cowered behind Madoka. "Not again."

She had to be marched up to the beast after some calming down and "forceful encouragement" from Madoka. They've ridden several times to the villages around the estate, but the princess would whine every time she rode on horseback. The beast was able to carry Madoka's sword and hatchet. Both weapons were shortened enough by Lord Zeron to be strapped at her hip with minimal effort.

"What are you scared of?" Madoka sighed, then pushed the princess's butt up on the saddle before climbing on. "These 'nature hikes' were your idea, Elise."

"I know, but like, listen," Elise whined, gripping tightly on Madoka's waist. "When did you get so sassy?"

Madoka shrugged and stroked Ciara's mane. She snorted as the two girls adjusted themselves on the saddle. Lord Zeron told them they could go anywhere on the Estate's borders. Madoka assumed it was just the walls of the estate at first, but the princess said even the villages and the forest between were on the estate's premises.

"Just tell us where to go," Madoka told the princess. She regretted saying us, as if the horse and her were the same. "But if you squeeze me any harder I might fall off."

The air is warm.

I will guide you.

I trust you.

Let's go.

Where to? Anywhere.

Madoka sensed Ciara's thoughts like they were one. She still did not ask about it, but with a kick from Madoka they were off.

"W-Whoops," Elise loosened her grip. "I'm surprised this animal listens to you, Madoka."

"I'm not sure what you mean," Madoka lied.

"I always wanted to hike in a forest when I was a kid," the princess went on. "There was this little park in the middle of the city that I would go to when my parent's home went nuclear, but even that didn't have many trails or stuff like that."

"Uh huh," Madoka said. The two rode out quite far, but it appeared the princess did want to go exploring in the forest. Though she knew not what she was talking about, as far as she could remember the princess spent all her time inside the palace walls.

There were so many duties she neglected to do because of the princess.

"Did you have a brother in your, ah, past life?" Madoka had trouble thinking of what it could be like having multiple lives worth of memories. One could do a lot of cleaning with their past lives, Madoka shuddered at that thought.

"Brother?" theprincess scoffed. "No, I was an only child. Thank god I didn't leave any of those behind. Here is good. We can leave the stupid horse here."

"Do we have to walk?" Madoka asked.

"Yeah!" Elise hopped off Ciara. So she is capable of helping herself off the horse, Madoka thought as she watched her. "It's going to be fun!"

Madoka halted Ciara and tethered her to a tree. "We'll be back... hopefully."

The horse neighed in response, chewing at the grass.

"There's a bit of a trail here," Elise said, waiting for her. Her attire was that of a simple traveler's clothing, unfit for a princess. Madoka wore a similar garb, but that was to be expected. She turned and narrowed her eyes at Madoka. Her look made the maid blush. Still, Elise maintained her gaze.

"Plenty of time for you to share your feelings with me."

"My... feelings?" Madoka placed a hand over her heart.

The breeze gently pushed aside the glittering green tree branches as the two began to walk.

"Yes, Madoka," Elise took her hand. Madoka felt the princess's grip to be solid, no longer wavering from being lifted. "You have doubts about me, might even despise me for how I've been making you do —"

"I'm frustrated," Madoka cut her off. A rare moment of rudeness and lapse in her judgment. She covered her mouth.

"Go on," Elise did not ask for an apology. "Consider this like the emergency meeting we had ages ago. We are equals. We will be equals. There isn't much I can do to prove this to you, but..."

She trailed off. Madoka was not a smart woman and never had many opportunities to express herself. Her feelings were as simple as mud at a riverbank.

"I wish I could understand you," Madoka continued, moving closer to her. "Believe in you, be of use to you, but I do not. I am not smart enough to see your greatest plans and you know that."

The princess flinched as if she got hurt but Madoka suppressed her desire to apologize.

"Even your Brother treated you kindly when you—" Madoka sighed. "I just cannot see what is wrong with what I am saying."

The princess scoffed at the mention of her brother.

"Or how you can believe in such visions," Madoka continued but stopped as she saw Elise's eyes darken. "I apologize, I shouldn't have pushed it..."

"No," Elise sighed. "I just can't help myself. These visions... I am a heretic in many ways, Madoka. Being in my presence is trouble but you know that, right?"

"You're sick," Madoka said. "I hate thinking of it that way. How it's all going to end. I—"

She did not complete her sentence.

"Do I look sick to you?" Elise snapped. Madoka could not answer that. Elise was much healthier than when she was in the palace. Madoka considered the fresh air that changed her but after seeing her training she changed her mind a while ago. "Don't answer that! I can at least believe that I can open a peanut butter jar all by myself now."

She flexed her arms in a joking manner.

"I'm sorry," Elise sighed. "It was a shitty thing for me to try and deflect with humor."

"You always do that to me," Madoka grumbled. "And Prince Fiara, too. It's no excuse to treat your brother with disrespect. After all he's done for you."

"After all he's done for me?" Elise shook a little, then increased with her emotions and broke away from Madoka. "He would have simply let Father kill me if it didn't ruin his reputation to standby! You don't know how he is! All this is his act and he's fooled even you! Hmph!"

With that, she ran off like the old times. Madoka quickly realized she made a mistake in upsetting the princess. Oh, kind gods, Madoka prayed for their forgiveness. She was sure she would not have any forgiveness from anyone if she lost Elise in the forest.

Madoka hardly noticed that they were, in fact, walking while they talked. They were quite deep into the forest by the time Elise ran off. She cursed herself. Why could she not track what other people were thinking as well?

The thoughts of other animals were fleeting so she could not track where she was exactly. Most were running from the princess as if she was a large predator. It made sense to Madoka, for the princess's magic powers were monstrous in her own eyes. She sensed Ciara's thoughts from far away but they were peaceful. Perhaps Lord Zeron was right in trusting them to be here, but he trusted the wrong servant. Madoka swore to herself again for being a burden.

Suddenly a scream pierced the foliage nearby. The princess was in trouble? Madoka sensed nothing out of the ordinary in the wildlife around her but trailed after the screaming anyways. She scanned for a sign of the princess within an opening. The forest branches were thick, but she caught a glimpse of blonde hair contrasting between the greens and browns of the trees. Madoka's heart sank as she pushed through the branches. The princess collapsed on the ground.

"Elise! Are you hurt?" Madoka rushed to her side, her ax ready.

"Madoka! H-Help me!" Elise clutched her maid's side. Was she attacked? Madoka squinted in the distance. Elise seemed like nothing happened, except she was a little dirty.

"What happened?" Madoka asked her. The tension was high. At any moment an attacker could show. There were no thoughts in the forest. There was only peace, which meant there was no attacker or a skilled assassin.

"A b-bug!" Elise pointed at a nearby branch. "What the hell is that thing! Get it away from me at once!"

Madoka's eyes darted across the branches. She has heard of many poisonous bugs but the princess seemed unharmed. Something moved on a branch, catching her attention. It was simply a fuzzy bug slightly darker than the branch it was trying to hide in. It opened its four jaws, trying to threaten Madoka. Its thoughts were primitive.

Keep away!

Don't kill me!

Back!

Stay away!

Ahhh!

Elise was pointing at it in horror. Madoka lifted it and placed it on a matching branch. The fuzzy bug scurried away, vanishing in the foliage without any further thoughts. She turned to the princess who was looking at her in complete shock.

"How are you not terrified of that!?"

"That's what you're afraid of?" Madoka asked her princess. Elise squeezed Madoka's waist and hid behind her. Madoka rolled her eyes. "I think that's enough outdoors for you, Your Highness."

Elise quickly nodded, quivering as Madoka guided her back to Ciara.

"W-What a terrifying creature," she muttered.

"It was terrified of you, princess," Madoka said, helping her on the horse's back.

"P-Please, call me Audrey— er, Elise," Elise's voice shook. "I'm not upset with you anymore."

"Anymore?" Madoka asked. The ride back home was quiet and peaceful, with Madoka thinking that perhaps the princess fell asleep. The poor girl went through quite an ordeal with a harmless fuzzy bug. Madoka smirked at the thought. Despite the headaches Elise caused her Madoka could not remain angry with her for too long. She felt a squeeze as they approached the Estate. "Princess?"

"I don't care about this dumb kingdom, Madoka," her voice was groggy. Madoka guessed she actually fell asleep or was talking in her sleep again. "Let it burn by my brother's hand. I hate him for what he does to you in my visions."

A terrifying feeling crept over Madoka when she heard what the princess revealed to her.

"What did he do to me?" Madoka asked. The princess made a muffled sound on Madoka's back. "Elise?"

"He stabs you in the heart," Elise murmured. "Before burning this place to the ground."

VIII.

"Hup! Ow!"

The princess was not quick enough to dodge most of Madoka's simple strikes. She has shown Elise how to dodge most attacks and anticipate them though she simply claimed she was not coordinated enough. Madoka knew that with more practice and pain the princess could learn a few Cherish sword style movements. She could use them in the future, Madoka figured.

"It's not fair!" she whines, as Madoka bats her side with her wooden sword. "Ach! I chose to be a support mage for my character job class! Ach!"

"I'm not hitting you that hard," Madoka sighed. "Or going as fast as I could be."

"What did you say to me?"

"Nothing, Elise," Madoka feinted a strike to Elise's right side, but tripped her with a sweeping kick instead. She toppled over like a crumbling wall of variegated bricks.

"N-Now that was just cheap," the princess dusted herself off. She once again refused to accept Madoka's hand to help her up.

"Don't be mad at me," Madoka closed her eyes. "This was your idea."

"I know, I know," the princess got back up.

"Dodge like this. Learn my reach," Madoka demonstrated, pivoting herself with her feet. "You've seen me do this many times while using your magic on me."

"You just want revenge!" the princess scoffed.

"Well, it's easy to get right now," Madoka teased.

"You!"

A water beam shot at her, but Madoka blocked it with her wooden sword. Elise shook her head.

"A shame I can't just use magic in this training," the princess sighed. "I could probably test it later but you know why I won't for now."

"Basics," Madoka guessed aloud. "For what it's worth, princess, you're getting better."

"Bah!" Elise focused on her feet and muttered something.

The birds above were circling above them. Their thoughts were carefree. It was a hot day for training, Madoka thought. She will wash the princess off tonight.

"Madoka?" Elise was asking Madoka something. "You here?"

"Oh, sorry," Madoka wiped some sweat off her forehead. "It's quite warm out today, isn't it?"

"Right?" Elise agreed. "We could go to the lake!"

"That will have to wait until your training is done," Madoka chastised her. The princess sulked.

"Nae waah," she whined. "Now I know what training under Uncle Leo is like."

The name made Madoka pause again, her attack stopping right at the princess's ankle. Elise jumped over it anyways.

"Lord Leopride," Madoka trailed off. She has not forgotten the duel between the two, though she was not sure if it was real or not. She assumed that the duel was not real though the scar on her palm was. "Is he still here?"

"What about him?" Elise looked puzzled for a moment. "Of course he's around."

"Ah," Madoka contemplated it for a moment. "Will he return soon?"

Elise stuck her hands to her waist and scrutinized Madoka. Was that jealousy on her face? Madoka could not guess why.

"Why are you asking for him?" Elise asked with a frown. Madoka resisted the urge to look at her scar and instead looked away. Elise was muttering something, but Madoka could hear her. "Hmph! I'll show you I'm better."

Elise was motivated to improve over the following weeks. Madoka could no longer surprise attack her easily and her movements were no longer sluggish. They did more hiking outdoors, though she did not like those as much as doing her duties. She found herself riding Ciara more and more, with the struggle of getting Elise on horseback not getting easier. Madoka sighed whenever the princess dragged her to the forest, but she was her maid and somewhat of her bodyguard.

They traveled further and further in until Madoka was convinced they no longer were in the Northern Estate's territory now.

"So far, I've mapped most of this forest out," the princess pulled out a notebook and scribbled more on it. "There's still two notable places that we've yet to check out."

The pair rested from the sun beneath the shade of trees. Elise would not be afraid of the fuzzy bugs if she could not see them, so Madoka chose not to say that they were around them. They walked by a few, but Madoka was not in the mood to point them out. The birds were chirping above, too high up to hear their thoughts.

"Notable places?" Madoka asked. She could pick out bits and pieces of the letters that Elise was teaching her how to read at nights in the library, although there were symbols not quite any letters in the books she was learning. Elise also had the map from the library.

"Remember the labyrinth I mentioned way back..." Elise stopped when she realized Madoka clearly did not. "Anyways, that's around this area. There's also another place I'm interested in investigating before I really start expediting plans."

"Right, plans," Madoka absently kicked a stick as they rested, ignoring her remarks about another place. Elise jumped up and nodded. She wore a strange hat, made of straw and leather. Her outfit was also strange. The princess apparently requested from a tailor in the village to make it. She called it her safari explorer outfit and urged Madoka to not laugh at how silly she looked. It was odd, since she was not sure what a safari is if she was the only one observing wildlife around her.

"Yup, yup! Plans, Madoka!" Elise said, but looked bitter. She checked her map. "Now it's a few hundred meters ahead... that way! Catch me if you can!"

She took off. Madoka grabbed her ax and followed her.

"Don't run off!" Madoka chased after the princess. The two were laughing, though. It was careless but Madoka felt freedom in the forest. The princess was quite agile, improved from Madoka's supposedly brutal training the past few weeks. The two hopped over a fallen log. There was an unusual silence from beyond. Elise paused and waited for Madoka. "I... I gave you a head start."

Madoka breathed. Elise chuckled.

"Just beyond these trees should be the labyrinth's entrance," she bumped shoulders with Madoka. Madoka shot her a concerned look. "W-We're not going in mind you! Just going to uh, look at it!"

"For some reason, princess," Madoka said as she followed Elise. "I don't believe you."

"Relax," Elise said. "The entrance should be closed. Ah, here it is."

The two passed through a clearing in the woods and came into view of what the princess was talking about. Madoka was in awe of the towering ruin. A large structure, overgrown with nature, stood in the center of the opening. On its face had a large door sealed tightly shut. Madoka was relieved that it was at least closed, so the princess could not open it easily.

Madoka figured she would have enough time to restrain the princess if she tried to pry it open.

"I'm not going to open it," Elise sighed, pulling out her notebook and marking her map with it. Madoka shrugged. "Yet."

"Please don't joke with me like that, Elise," Madoka sighed. The princess looked at her but said nothing and returned to writing notes in her book.

"According to legends," the princess said, tucking the book away. She contemplated for a minute, before taking it out again. Madoka sighed. Elise forgot what she read already. She cleared her throat after Madoka snickered and read a passage. "The labyrinth distorts time and space. The first floor connects to one entrance near the Palace and various other places for quick access in case of emergencies. There are no monsters... yet."

She shut her book and tucked it in. Madoka felt uneasy about monsters.

"It makes me feel a lot smaller in the world," Madoka mused, looking up at the towering door. There were runes on each side of the door. For a moment, a sick curiosity struck her and she wondered how to open the door.

"Right?" Elise said in amazement. "It's totally cool, like... oh. Ach!"

Elise clutched her arm. The tattoo on her arm, Madoka realized, was moving again. The princess rolled up her sleeve and checked it.

"This tattoo, as you might have heard," Elise explained. "Is a Mark of Ascension, kinda like a key for a labyrinth. I guess this body's previous owner had that right and passed it onto... Nevermind me! I'm fine."

"So that marking can open the door?" Madoka asked, scared that Elise would try it. Elise still waved her hands at her alarm.

"Yes, but it's complicated," Elise said, holding her arm as the tattoo wriggled on her skin. "It's kind of a mark that shows a person has already been there before... But I'm not sure how I got it."

"I told you, remember?" Madoka reminded her, though she did not know why. "You had a nightmare and used magic in your sleep."

"I guess so," Elise murmured. "Anyways, this is the first spot I wanted to see. Let's go home, Madoka, before this mark tears my arm off."

The mark seemed to be pulling away towards a certain direction. The two watched it tug towards another clearing in the woods. Elise suddenly had a mischievous grin on her face.

"I thought you wanted to go—"

"Yo! It's like a videogame puzzle!" Elise headed towards the clearing. "Come on! Come on!"

The usually careful Madoka sighed but could not stop her princess. They were inevitably going to get into dangerous things but that is what their training is for, she supposed. The two approached the clearing and found the remains of an overgrown metal plate. Elise kneeled on the ground and palmed the earth off of it.

"Is it a round shield?" Madoka looked at the object.

"It's a plate to stand on!" Elise got up and stood on it. As she did, the plate embedded itself further in the ground with a clicking noise. "Uh, don't comment on my weight."

Madoka would not have said anything but then the earth trembled. A flock of birds scattered out their perches amongst the branches like white petals in the wind. Both girls hung onto each other until the tremors stopped abruptly.

"Do you think that the labyrinth door opened?" Elise asked. Madoka helped straighten her up. The two peered closer at the labyrinth entrance. Only half the door was cracked open, with the runes glowing with magic. An ominous feeling slipped through the opened door, making Madoka's skin crawl. "That's totally wicked."

Elise checked her marking again to discover it was pointing towards another spot. Even Madoka could guess another plate lay across from them. Her guess was correct as the two approached it. Elise did not waste any time and stood on the mossy and dirty plate. A click was heard as it sank into the ground with blue mana strands pouring out from beneath the princess's boots.

"That didn't happen before," Elise said but was cut off as the earth began to tremble again. The two held onto each other as they wobbled. "N-Not again!"

They barely withstood the violent shaking, though the forest became silent once more. Elise looked back to the labyrinth's opening. Her jaw dropped and she pointed to it. "The door is open, Madoka!"

"T-That's wonderful, Elise," Madoka's legs quaked, regaining their senses. The two inspected the newly opened labyrinth but not up close. "It makes me feel uneasy."

"Me too," Elise said. "My legs feel like jelly. We should definitely get back home now. Tomorrow or the next day we can search for the next location."

Madoka looked back before following the princess back. Its ancient stone steps beckoned all who looked. Is it fine that we can just leave that open? She thought. She realized the princess mentioned a second place which made her nervous.

"What other location?"

The princess turned and faced her with a grin.

"Those spooky ruins!" She said with a wicked look.

"You mean the ones we have to walk around?"

"Yeah!" Elise said excitedly.

"Isn't that a sign of danger? Everyone tells us to avoid it!"

"Yeah!"

The princess teased her with a funny face. Her enthusiasm seemed to be increasing much to Madoka's dismay.

"Are you scared, Madoka?"

Madoka scoffed, but she definitely did not want to go to those ruins. "Are you sure you're not afraid of the ruins yourself, Elise?"

"Yeah!" She repeated herself again. Her enthusiasm was beaming. Madoka rolled her eyes. "Come on, I can picture the scary stories we can tell. We can call them the 'Madoka and Elise Adventures!'"

Madoka was not sure about it but they traveled home without speaking of the labyrinth. She could only imagine what her father, the King, was thinking when he let her loose up here. As they pulled up to the gate, Madoka halted Ciara and an ominous feeling overwhelmed her.

"Madoka?" Elise asked.

Was it truly...? Madoka sensed no tension from Ciara but she knew someone familiar was there. They were rounding the corner. Now!

Madoka climbed up on the horse's back and leapt off, her ax drawn. She landed squarely on the familiar figure's chest and knocked him to the ground with her knee. Ciara neighed, nearly shaking Elise off her back, but Madoka had her ax drawn to the man's neck already.

"Madoka?!" Elise shrieked.

"Lord Leopride?" Madoka was hostile and confused. Yet, she looked intently at an equally shocked Lord Leopride staring up at her beneath her ax's blade. She had one question for the Cherish-man. "How are you alive...?"

IX.

"You've certainly kept up with your training," Lord Leopride kept up his composure. He was out of breath from Madoka's attack. She kept the ax at his throat.

"Madoka!" Elise approached Madoka. "What the hell are you doing? Get off of him!"

"I killed you the night I destroyed the rocks," Madoka said, her voice calm. "So how is it you are here right now?"

Lord Leopride's eyes shifted in confusion.

"Let him go!"

Madoka felt the full weight of Elise crash against her body, her ax narrowly missing Leopride as she lost hold of it. No, Elise managed to knock it out of her hand away from Lord Leopride's neck. The two girls tumbled into the dirt. Madoka heard the scared thoughts of Ciara as she neighed. The horse was fearful for Madoka's safety, but was hesitant to do anything. Elise managed to restrain Madoka, but she did not offer any further resistance anyways. She instead clicked her tongue in frustration.

Her answer to her question was already there. The Leopride that attacked her was an illusion and the real one was alive. He did not seem to have any bloodlust or hidden agenda at all since he could have simply ordered her to die for her insubordination at any moment. Still, Madoka did not understand what that illusion was. Her hand still had the scar.

Elise was on top of Madoka, breathing heavily. Leopride was getting up, dusting himself off and slightly perturbed but Madoka did not care. Sunlight made the princess's face glow, skimming orange stones over the reflection of her eyes. Madoka was swallowed in the view.

"You look beautiful up there, princess," Madoka said absentmindedly, recalling that was the same line Elise used when they tumbled together trying to put out a fire she made.

"Are you back?" Elise said, with a hint of fear that Madoka might attack again. "No funny business right? Everything is okay between you and Leopride?"

Madoka's head spun as the pounding of adrenaline receded but she nodded obediently. She refused to apologize, however Lord Leopride laughed.

"Truly marvelous," he clapped. "The form of your attack. Honed. As expected, my dear."

Madoka lay there for a moment trying to regain her bearings. Elise got off of Madoka and Lord Leopride held his hand out to help her up. Madoka accepted it. She eyed him awkwardly but he held no bitter feelings.

"I have been dodging the princess's spells to keep up with my training, sir," Madoka said, recalling the princess's water spells during her training. He picked up the ax and held it up. The fading summer light glinted off its blade as he admired it. Satisfied, he handed it back to her. The ax used to be heavy. It now slung comfortably around Madoka's waist. Its weight was as light as a feather for her.

"I can tell that you've been working hard," Lord Leopride said, but grew more stern. "But you need to rest more! Your judgment and discernment of what is real will become useless. It will be your undoing. So do not neglect your rest, you understand?"

"I understand, sir," Madoka hung her head. Elise patted her shoulder.

"That's my Madoka, right there, Uncle Leo!" Elise cheered. "She's always working too hard."

"And you, princess," Lord Leopride directed his attention to the princess who seemed to shrink beneath his gaze.

"Eep!"

"You've been working hard, too, I trust?" Lord Leopride snapped incredulously. "Look at what you are wearing. Ridiculous! And need I remind you to not go venturing out there?"

"B-But!" Elise protested. "I have her! She's a beast! You saw how she took you down from the top rope, like—"

"You work her too hard!" Leopride was having none of her nonsense.

Lord Leopride growled at the princess who made a squeak in a mock-fear. The exchange between Madoka reminded her of their time at the Palace, making her laugh out loud. The two paused and listened to her as she did. At first she did not notice the two's quarreling died down, but after she did Madoka quickly stifled herself.

"M-My apologies," Madoka bowed her head. She truly missed those simple times dearly.

"That's, like, got to be the first time I've heard you laugh," Elise remarked, beaming at Madoka. "You sound lovely!"

Lord Leopride grunted in agreement.

"S-Stop that please," Madoka begged the two out of embarrassment. She made an excuse that a servant should remain quiet, but she could not help herself.

"Now then," Lord Leopride said. "The reason I am here is to inform Your Highness of... ah private matters. And of her. Your Highness should come inside first and the both of you should clean yourselves off."

"Yes, sir," Madoka gulped and bowed before she dragged the complaining princess to the washing room.

"Come to my chambers tonight," Elise said as Madoka washed her back. "We have a lot to discuss tonight."

"As you command, Your Highness," Madoka said. She nearly dropped her cloth and felt suddenly unwell from the oncoming feeling that came with the shift of Elise's tone. A pang of guilt lingered in her throat as she washed herself off. Her reckless and foolish attack was definitely going to be declared unforgiven.

"Aw, Madoka," Elise sighed and fell silent.

Madoka was in trouble but said nothing as well. She dried her princess off and sent her off to meet with Lord Leopride. She was instructed to wait by her chambers, but Madoka preferred to stay busy and clean the entire hallway while waiting for Elise to return. She was trying to fend off the overwhelming sense of anxiousness flooding her senses but she was just a mere twig in a raging wave. She did not even notice the princess's return when the twin moons hung above in the night sky.

"Madoka," the princess folded her arms. Madoka snapped straight and bowed. "Please, I didn't mean to startle you like that. Come."

Madoka obeyed as if her being dutiful now would save her from the impending disaster, leaving the duster behind. As she was led to Elise's chambers, Madoka felt her offhand being pulled by the princess; her thumb tracing the outline of that scar. As soon as they entered, Elise shut the door before Madoka could. She stood by as the princess closed her eyes and looked up.

Like her father did with her when she was younger. Madoka felt like a failure at the age of 13 for letting the princess face trouble on her behalf.

"What's with you, Madoka?" Elise paced before her. Her voice was tense and angry. "That was out of line, even for you. I am shocked, like, astounded how you did not get killed by him or the guards."

"F-Forgive me, Your Highness," Madoka fell to her knees. The fear of getting punished by a Royal crept back into her heart from the shadows. The princess frowned in thought. "You can have my head, now."

"What? No! This... this wasn't in my plans," her eyes flitted back and forth, like she was searching rapidly for something Madoka could not see. "I mean, thank God that we were able to play it off and it was Uncle Leo, however... That doesn't make it an excuse for you to put yourself at risk like that! I don't want your life, I want you to live, dammit!"

Madoka was sobbing as her head planted on the carpet. She has failed her duties as the princess's maid. How could she face a day like this? Was she forgetting that she was nothing but a slave?

"Madoka?" Elise's voice quickly drained of her anger and was concerned. "D-Don't cry! I wasn't angry that you did it, just that... I'll get a handkerchief!"

The princess frantically searched for something to dry Madoka's face.

"Here, here," the princess cooed. Madoka shifted away from Elise, refusing her help. "Come on."

"Why do you care so much about me?" Madoka mumbled. "I'm a slave and I have failed you by attacking your ally."

"Well, you're the woman- '' The princess started.

"Enough," Madoka cut her off. She scooted away towards the doors and buried her face in her knees. In the heat of the moment, Madoka hid her unworthy self from Princess Fiara but she had so many questions for so long. "Be truthful to me! Why do you scheme so? You could have lived as a brilliant ruler! Why am I a part of your plans? Am I just a part of a game Royals play?"

She received silence in response. She cared little for the answers. She only sought after one answer to one of her questions.

"Why me?" she sobbed, her voice dying down like the last embers of a dwindling campfire. After sometime, Madoka felt Elise's back lean against hers. She did not bother turning to face the princess. It was just the two of them sitting on the floor with the princess in the twin moonlight and Madoka wanting to slip away in the shadows.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Elise said, her voice almost as soft as the wind outside. Madoka heard a sniffle. Was the princess crying too? "I was so worried that Leopride would act like the rest of those men and take you away from me."

"Why me?" Madoka repeated in a defeated voice. She felt a hand place itself on her own offhand, once again tracing the scar stretching across her palm.

"Something that looked like him must have attacked you," Elise whispered back. "This scar is a sign of the changing times. Someone must be watching over you, testing you. I believe in you Madoka, no matter if it was Lord Leopride or someone else. I can't explain to you my visions.... I simply cannot bear this world if I lose you, Madoka."

She did not know how times were changing, but for some reason it made her feel less pain. The changing of times- the shadow that attacked her, the supposedly fast growth in combat, the princess. All must be a part of the kind gods' plans.

Madoka instinctively squeezed Elise's hands in response.

"Please, Madoka," the princess sounded like she was begging. "Don't do anything wild like that anymore."

Another squeeze was given and the night sealed itself for the two girls once more.

X.

Madoka was the first to wake up on the rugs of her princess's chambers. If times were to change, Madoka still would rise earlier than Elise. She shuddered and folded her hands between her arms. Her body felt the draft of cold air whisper their chills across her skin.

Her skin was quite sore and she ached as she propped herself up. She has done more sleeping on the floor in the past month than she would care to admit. The princess's hand was on her leg, so Madoka peeled it off.

"Wi-fi!" Elise mumbled suddenly. She yawned and crumpled back on Madoka's leg. "Signal... Where is the signal? Why do I have such low bars?"

"Good morning, Elise," Madoka said, though she knew that the princess was not actually awake. Elise opened one squinted eye at her and squeezed it back shut. A snore escaped her mouth.

"What did you do to my phone?" she whined. "Give it back."

"What is a phone?" Madoka could not help but wonder aloud. Elise barely budged as Madoka poked her cheek. "Well, we can't have the princess sleeping on the floor, can we?"

Madoka unfolded her legs to stand up. With a grunt, she scooped the princess up in her arms and tucked her away in the bed. She began to quietly fold her princess's clothes and clean her chambers. Madoka was lucky Elise was quite a heavy sleeper. She also did not want to talk to Elise anyways, especially on what happened yesterday. She recalled Lord Leopride needed the two of them today, but perhaps she could stall and hide away.

Madoka smiled to herself, for those thoughts were like the princess's thoughts. Instead of lingering for too long here in her bedroom, Madoka figured the best way to stall was returning to her own room to finish her exercises. However, when she reached for the door's handle she heard a noise. The princess was stirring.

"I'm still here," the princess mumbled, her voice filled with disappointment. "In this stupid world."

"Good morning, Elise," Madoka chose to say her princess's name. The princess sat up, her eyes squinting in the sunlight. "Let's get you ready for today."

"Bah!" Elise laid back down and pulled the covers over her head. "I don't wanna, Madoka! I want to pop!"

"You cannot pop or whatever you said," Madoka sat on the bedside, waiting for the princess to make the mistake of letting the covers go. "Lord Leopride is probably waiting to speak for you."

"Let him wait longer!"

"Elise, you have nothing better to do," Madoka sighed.

"Not true!" Elise mumbled. "I have sleep to do!"

"Then tomorrow will come and I will still be here," Madoka told her pouting princess. The princess stirred again for a second as Madoka vigilantly scanned for Elise to let go of the sheets.

"You make that sound like a bad thing," Elise mumbled. She poked her head out and yawned. She peered at Madoka, her gaze held long enough to make the maid blush. "How do you look so good every morning? You don't have any makeup or tricks up your sleeve, do you?"

With that, Madoka seized the opportunity and swooped the sheets off the princess's bed. She was naked, of which Madoka was used to the sight. She apparently kicked off her attire to the back of the bed. The living tattoo wriggled its way across her shoulder blade to her arm. Elise did not even react after Madoka pulled the dress out from the crease of the bed frame.

"It's cold," Elise complained. "Maybe you can warm me up with your—"

"Up you go!" Madoka interrupted her and pulled her up. "Wearing clothes will make you warmer, you know."

"Awh, Madoka. Where's your romantic side?" Elise complained, but did not resist Madoka when she got her ready. Madoka took her readiness as a sign of things to come. She did not want to guess what the princess had in store for today but the princess explained anyway.

"Today's the day," Elise said with a sigh. What does that mean? Madoka did not ask. "We're going to do a mock battle. A duel between us, could you believe that?"

"Why?" Madoka always found the idea of fighting her princess abhorrent, but since she's been training Elise to be a better fighter she considered it to be another test of those two Lords.

"To see if we could go deeper into the woods, of course," the princess stretched her arms. Madoka realized she wanted to go to the ruins as she inspected both herself and Elise in the mirror. Madoka noted that both of their heights were similar, with Madoka being taller by a few inches. That would not make much of a difference in fighting, but if what the princess spoke about in her visions was true then they would be fighting people possibly.

Even with all her training, Madoka shuddered at actually fighting for real. She did not know how to find her resolve should the time come. The princess chuckled. Madoka gave her a quizzical look from behind her in the mirror.

"It's funny," she says, turning. "I've never even held a sword before I arrived here. It's cheesy. I truly am in a videogame. Could you go easy on me?"

"What would be the point in that?" Madoka poked Elise's head.

"Bah!" Elise pouted. "Nae waah! You're a fighter class, though! I'll have to go extra hard!"

"Remember your training," Madoka shrugged. "If we were to fight today, I can make no guarantees."

"You're no fun," Elise sighed as the two marched to the foyer where both Lord Zeron and Lord Leopride stood. They eyed each other like rivals then back at the girls.

"It's time!" Lord Zeron bellowed out a laugh. "Let's see who's precious student will win."

"You old coot," Lord Leopride crossed his arms. "The point is to see if she is ready to travel—"

"Nonsense!" Lord Zeron retorted.

Madoka bowed to them both while the princess cleared her throat.

"Bah, let's get this over with!" She stomped outside. Lord Zeron howled with laughter while Madoka silently followed Lord Leopride through the sun-filled doorway. Soon, Madoka found herself facing Elise out in the training yards. The crushed rock formations still remained behind the grounds. Lord Leopride and Lord Zeron handed them each a sword.

"Remember your breathing," Lord Leopride instructed Madoka. "She is your friend and the Princess, but do not let that stop you in your goals of protecting her."

Her heart was not into it. Lord Zeron spoke encouragement to the princess, whose grip on her sword focused.

"I won't go easy!" Elise said while Madoka said nothing. Last time she said that, her voice was not confident at all. This day, however, Madoka could tell that Elise meant it. After a small moment, Lord Zeron shouted something.

The match has begun.

The sword in the princess gleamed the sunlight in Madoka's eyes, but she was able to avoid the trick. Much to her surprise, the princess was on the offensive. Her strikes were even and refined, though Madoka blocked each one. Madoka's technique and skills were better and she could easily keep up with the princess, but she felt like something was missing. Sparks flew as their swords clashed.

Madoka finally saw Elise's eyes as their blades held against each other in a bind. Sheer determination filled her beautiful irises, her brow furrowed in concentration. Madoka felt something new. Elise's strength was rising and Madoka was losing her footing in the bind. Elise was mouthing something. A spell? Madoka reinforced her grip and pushed Elise off to get distance again. She was not sure if magic was allowed to be used but she tossed that thougt aside.

Elise was mouthing something directly to Madoka. It was not a spell, to her surprise.

"I'm sorry, but I need this," Elise said, and Madoka sensed something off. Elise was preparing an attack. Was that killing intent? "Here I come!"

The strong, negative emotion from the princess broke Madoka's concentration as the princess launched one final attack. Madoka hardly had any time to react, instead she narrowly blocked the advance. The next thing she saw was the view of her own sword flinging into the sunlight and falling somewhere nearby before she crashed to the ground.

As she lay on the ground she heard clapping. A wave of dust and emotions settled on her. Was she supposed to feel humiliated that she lost? It was not the feeling of humiliation that caused her to slip up, but the hopeless feeling that the princess was willing to kill her to achieve her goals. Madoka could not help but slowly fall back to those old questions of the night before. She was clearly hiding her true strength and Madoka could not fathom it anymore.

What was that killing intent? Madoka wondered. Dirt got in her hair and stained her clothes. It dwarfed even that of the illusory Lord Leopride's killing intent she fought that one fateful night. The flash of the princess's negative emotions was gone the moment Madoka heard footsteps approach her as she lay on the ground bewildered. Elise stood above her and extended a hand to help her maid up.

"Looks like I won!" Elise said with a smile, facing away from the two lords. "That was tough!"

"So I was right," Madoka whispered to Elise, not accepting her hand. "I am nothing but a pawn in your games."

The two eyed each other, with Elise suddenly turning pale.

"It's not like that, Madoka, I—" Elise was about to say, but Lord Zeron interrupted the two with his laughter.

"The winner is the Princess!" Lord Zeron clapped. Elise returned to her cheerful state around him, though Madoka knew that she was pretending. Lord Leopride rolled his eyes. Just what lies and truthes did the princess have?

As they headed back to the Estate, Lord Leopride gestured at Madoka to wait a bit to have a private conversation with her. As the two entered the gates, Lord Leopride spoke up.

"I am not disappointed in you, Madoka," Lord Leopride said. He stood with a certain dignity that made Madoka stare. Madoka was too busy wrapped up in her thoughts that she had forgotten that Lord Leopride wanted her to win the duel. "The winner has learnt nothing from victory. But you and your heart — they have grown stronger and will learn deeper. Be a dear to Her Highness, will you? You will have more opportunities to be better than her."

Madoka pondered if perhaps he meant other ways than battle. Perhaps she did find it upsetting that she lost the duel, but more at herself instead of at Elise's sudden and vast improvement. She would review the duel in her head later on. If she could not defeat the person she was supposed to protect in a mock battle, how could she be of use? Lord Leopride simply chuckled. It was as if he knew what she was thinking.

She wanted to ask him if he sensed the bloodlust from the princess, but she did not want to seem like she had gone mad. So Madoka nodded instead. Elise probably will explain it later, so Madoka chose to forget it. Lord Leopride smiled and gently guided her to the entrance. He refused to let her open the door for him so she went in ahead of him.

"We will celebrate the both of you tonight," he said.

"The both of us?" Madoka asked him. "Why not only her? She beat me."

"It was not about who was winning, despite what that old fool says," Leopride said with a sigh. "It's a celebration of your training's end."

"The end...? Of my training?"

"Yes, Madoka. I have no more things to teach you. Only that you continue your exercises and grow with the princess," Leopride stated as she stopped and looked at him in confusion. The twin moons hung over him in the night sky through the windows. He continued. "You should be proud of yourself. I am proud of you."

The two glanced at each other before Lord Leopride gestured towards the dining hall. To Madoka's surprise, there were several nobles and Cherish nobles gathered inside. This must be the princess's faction.

"I did my training as you taught me," Elise was explaining to Lord Zeron. Madoka entered with Lord Leopride and several maids. She bowed along with them. "Besides, I'll have you know I have done a lot of water coloring in the past. Water coloring? Oh, it's, like, super physically exhausting and grueling..."

Her voice trailed off as she saw Madoka.

"About time you two showed yourselves!" Lord Zeron laughed. He shoved a glass of wine in Leopride's paws and raised his own. "Cheers! Let us celebrate!"

Elise smiled and raised her own glass, but avoided looking at Madoka. Madoka had trouble guessing what could be going on in her princess's head, so she just remained quiet as the night went on. Later on, Madoka caught Elise walking off alone to the balcony. The very balcony she mentioned she hated. Madoka knew she wanted her to follow and it was her duty to, after all.

Elise was looking at the palace, far away yet still shining brilliantly upon the hill and nestled under the light of the twin moons. Madoka opened the glass door and stood by the entrance.

"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here for too long, princess," Madoka faked a scolding voice. The princess chuckled.

"I'm sorry for all of this, Madoka," Elise turned and faced Madoka. "Uncle Zeron thought this whole party up. As for me, hell is other people. The introvert in me gets, like, overloaded and—"

She trailed off as Madoka nonchalantly walked up next to her and leaned against the balcony's balusters.

"Did you truly want to kill me?" She asked softly. A small breeze pushed her hair in her eyes, but she did not need to see anything. Her ears yearned to hear a simple answer.

"No! I would never!" Elise said, holding a hand above her heart. "Why would you ask me that?"

The truthfulness in her princess's words spoke with conviction and that was enough for Madoka.

"I— I think I let out a lot of pent up frustration during that fight," Elise admitted with a sigh. "Nothing to do with you, but my memories of my past. And what's to come? That whole thing."

"What about your birthday?" Madoka ignored the princess's ramblings about a future.

"My... birthday?" Elise asked. "I forget that birthdays are a thing. Never lived to be fourteen years old, even in my past. Even now, Madoka, I'm simply winging everything. Who knows if you or I will live to see age fourteen anyways.... Madoka, I..."

Madoka turned and faced the princess. The wind has tossed her hair about, covering all over her face. Was she crying underneath it all? Madoka pushed it back to discover that the princess was somber looking.

"We'll just have to see," Madoka said. "The kind gods will see us through it all."

The princess did not respond to that statement for a while. Madoka did not mind the silence. In her heart, the doubts she had in her princess's motives subsided. The princess outstretched her arms.

"Dance with me?" She asked Madoka. "Like old times!"

Madoka crossed her arms.

"Please? Pretty please?" Elise pleaded with her eyes. "I don't like this balcony or men at all, but it's so rare we get to dance now—"

Madoka grabbed both of her princess's arms without another word. She was satisfied that at least if she was a pawn, the princess whom she trusted deeply did not want to throw her away needlessly like the other nobles. She will embrace the princess as she is for now. The two danced under the stars and the twin moons into the night.