Prologue: The Crimson General and the Crown Princess.
Crimson Red.
...
It was the color of her hair and eyes.
...
"Red haired freak!"
"Hey Rowan! Why don't you go back to where you came from?!"
"Hahaha! She's here again! Ugly Rowan should just shoo!"
The bastard daughter of the Duke.
"..."
With her fiery red hair, she had no escape of teasing from the other children of nobility.
Rowan Bonheur, not being allowed to take on a noble name by tradition for being a bastard's daughter, was never fully recovered as a blooded noble. Thus she was endlessly teased for when they were children, this made her tolerant and patient of all the horrible and hurtful things they've said.
...
Social parties, an event that has been hosted by their father- a high ranked Duke in the kingdom that manages the treasury has invited everyone to attend her daughter's birthday party.
The lights, decoration, and food were all exquisite- that is to be expected for a family high ranked in nobility. Every noble was clapping their hands as the birthday girl descended on the stairs of the mansion.
"Music-!" The musicians played the violin, cello and piano as she descended. Beautiful blonde hair by her waist, a young maiden being eyed by the noblemen hoping they could take her hand in marriage.
"Oh Lady Aveline the belle of the ball!"
"Happy birthday, Aveline!"
"Truly you're becoming beautiful as the days go by!"
"Oh-! You must meet my son, you two would make such a perfect match. You've just turned sixteen, haven't you?"
Aveline Voclain, the daughter of the noble family lineage filled with beauties known to have long blonde beautiful hair and blue eyes. She was like the perfect daughter that everyone admires.
Aveline who hears the compliments starts to nod in response, thanking them for such compliments but she wasn't happy.
"Thank you, thank you. You're all too kind." She chuckles looking around trying to find a certain red-haired girl.
"Though... I am not the only one with a birthday today." (Aveline) tries finding her half-sister that she considered a twin. "It is also my sister's birthday today. I would appreciate it if you could greet her a happy birthday too if you ever see her."
Aveline requested for the guests in front of her to also be minded by her little sister's birthday. Everyone had bought her gifts, but that made her feel heavy and guilty because all of those gifts had the card written with, 'To: Aveline Voclain'.
And none to Rowan.
The guests looked at each other and nervously smiled, they knew who Lady Aveline's half-sibling was, the gossip was already around the nobles of circles in the kingdom. That the Duke of Voclain had another daughter, but it was from a lowly maid.
"Of course, Lady Aveline. If we ever see... here we would do as you please."
"Aveline, you really care a lot towards your half-sister huh?"
Aveline blinked in surprise, she had never once thought of Rowena as merely 'half-sister'. She is just her sister and nothing else. How hard is that to say?
"Yes, I care a lot for my sister." Aveline smiles forcefully and looks around the party trying to find her again but it was all for naught because she wasn't anywhere to be found. "H-Has any of you actually seen my sister?"
They all shake their heads and Aveline could only express her worries, hoping her sister hasn't been feeling lonely on her own.
...
Despite it being a joyous birthday party to celebrate, many nobles would take this chance to step on people who they consider that are beneath them.
...
From the adults who gossip and whisper with a smile.
"I respect the Duke and I congratulate her daughter on turning into a beautiful flower but... is the bastard child still here? I cannot believe he would just let her live here after the maid whore passed."
"Likewise, I enjoy stories like these but it does ruin their image. Red is a dirty color, a stain to the Voclain family legacy."
"Indeed, oh but at least this party is well. Even the crown princess is invited. She should be around here- let us say our greetings then see if I can match my son with her." They all chatter, sipping wine and enjoying entrees passed around by the servants.
...
In a corner somewhere around the ballroom...
An isolated place where no one visits.
"Heh... I see Rowan going this way!"
To their children who only knew ignorance, hearing what the adults say and copying them thinking highly of their words. "Hey, hey. Rowan, do you think you can visit my mansion and clean it up too?"
"You look like a tomato not going to lie, your sister is a hundred times prettier than you!"
"I know right! You two have the same birthdays but hah-! One came out looking more attractive than the other. Rowan the ugly- uh-! Crimson haired witch!"
"..." (Rowan) could only keep quiet as she held her book in her hand and continued to ignore the other noble boys who kept poking fun at her features. "..."
Rowan even at such a young age was mature enough to not let her anger get the best of her. What they say to her is nothing important, they don't know anything about the real her so she should not pay any attention.
"Why isn't she getting mad, Simon?" one of them asked the other who rolled his eyes.
"I don't know... but she's just trying to look cool. Not unless she's gone mute."
"Want to make a bet on who'll make her cry first?" The noble boys stuck their tongue out and continued pointing at her hair in laughter.
They held their stomach to exaggerate their fun and smiles. "What a waste-! My mom told me you're not even a real noble girl! Your mom is just a lowly maid after all-! Hahaha! Don't tell me she got kicked out because she's just a commoner who seduced your father-!"
"..."
Rowan walked towards them at fast speed, hands clenched into a fist before punching the middle boy so hard that he fell flat down into the floor holding his cheek with a red mark with a shocked face.
Smack!
"...!" (Simon) the one who was teasing her the most grunted and cried. "M-My father and mother will hear about this! How dare you touch me when you're not even a legitimate child-!"
Rowena clicked her tongue, thinking that he didn't want to get punched. He should've held his tongue in the first place if he had nothing nice to say.
"Say that again. I dare you. Simon."
Simon stuck his tongue out and tried standing up to defend himself. "I said-!"
Smack!
"Do it again." (Rowan) stood tall in her red dress that complimented her hair. She didn't let the noble boy finish his words but punched him again in the face, this time right in the nose.
"You-! What the hell-! Girls aren't supposed to be strong!"
"..."
Smack!
Another punch for pissing her off, hearing them say such things like that only made her anger boil. "You talk too much." (Rowan) smirked, rotating her arms to stretch out her punching hand.
All the noble boys that stood still shivered, but eventually they all mustered up the courage to try and gang up on her into a fist fight because what can a lone wolf like her do against three people?!
"Get her-!"
"Y-Yeah!"
"Hold her arms-! That'll show her!"
The three boys held her down, gritting their teeth in struggle as they all couldn't hold her down.
"...!"
They were all yelling, but Rowan held her breath and defended herself by pushing each boy off of her.
"Argh!" (Rowan) held long, but not until one of the boys pulled on her long red hair laughing in victory. Her long beautiful red hair was being pulled and it was hurting her scalp. "We got her now! Quick hahaha! Simon don't you have your scissors?"
"You know I do! Hahaha! Come on, cut her hair!"
"Yeah, cut it!"
Simon laughs as his two companions hold her down. He pulled a huge part of it and started cutting some. "Hahaha!" (Simon) laughs, continuing to cut more.
"Stop-! That's my hair!" she pleaded, looking down at the carpet seeing her hair being violated- seeing herself violated only made her more angry. "You sons of a bitch-!" (Rowan) kicked one of the boy's ankles and escaped.
She grits her teeth patting her dress, she sees the end of her hair being shorter than she liked.
"Agh-! She kicked me!"
"Hold her down again- damn it!"
Rowan was about to be held down again when someone stopped the commotion.
"Good evening to you all, but am I seeing a bunch of noble boys hurting a maiden at a lovely party?" A soft voice rang out to them, a girl holding a fan hiding her frown upon seeing something unbecoming.
"Huh?! And who are you to talk like that to us- mind your own business girly-!" (Simon) retorted but soon stopped after seeing a brunette girl having a beautiful flower tiara made out of the rarest and purest gems the world could offer. "Y-Your highness!"
The sound of the fan opening got the attention of all the young teens.
"Good evening, my name- I suppose you would like to know then?" she joked but was still concerned towards the girl with long beautiful hair only to be cut by a pair of dirty scissors.
The three young men immediately kneeled at her presence.
"..." (Rowan) couldn't kneel but instead only curtsied and lowered her head.
It was the crown princess!
Princess Camille Nyle Kastil!
Simon had his knees shaking, and his two companions immediately fixed themselves in front of one of the most prominent and powerful people inside the kingdom. "N-No... that would be alright, your highness. I-I... It is my mistake for I have not known that you were near and- I... deeply apologize! I didn't mean to speak so informally!"
"A mistake- was it also a mistake to have seen you cutting such beautiful hair?" The brunette girl asked, glaring at the pair of scissors that was on his hand.
"...!" (Simon) threw away the scissors and laughed. "Y-Your highness it is only a joke!"
A joke?
A JOKE?!
The crown princess didn't find an inch of it to be funny. She moved a step forward and stepped on Simon's shoes using her heel, she slowly pierced it until a small hole could be seen poking out of his shoes.
Simon could only keep his head lowered and keep the pain, "Apologies, my feet must've slipped. In case you didn't get it, that is my joke. Did you find it funny, Lord Simon?"
"...!" (Simon) could only keep the pain and chuckle, after all if the crown princess says it is a joke then he must laugh for he fears that his family could get into trouble if they mess with the crown princess, his father will kill him! "A-A good joke, your highness!"
"I have been told I'm a good comedian." The crown princess places down her fan to her sides and smiles. Taking her foot away, the other boys could still not stand up and waited for her orders. "I would like to be alone with this lovely lady, please- gentlemen. May you give us some privacy?"
"...!" (Rowan) blinked, suddenly feeling a bit bashful.
The crown princess' eyes moved to the side where the scissors were thrown so carelessly.
"And take your trash with you, someone could get hurt if you don't."
Simon and his other companions noticed that from the tone of her voice she was being serious. They all stood up quickly feeling ashamed of how they got caught doing something atrocious and bowed one more time before leaving.
"Please excuse us, your highness." (Simon) walked towards the scissors leaving but not before glaring at Rowan- the bastard got lucky.
Now the two were alone.
Rowan stands up, staring at her savior; she couldn't help but look at her from head to toe. Brown hair with cute braids, green eyes and was just a beauty that she can't deny- the princess was a beauty. An eye candy at the ball.
"Sigh..."
"..."
"Are you alright, milady?" The crown princess asked to fix her posture, checking to see if the girl in front of her was hurt anywhere else other than her hair being cut down. "I cannot believe that they would do something like that at a birthday party."
The crown princess checks her shoes, patting her green dress awaiting for a reply at the other party who seemed like a mess.
"..." (Rowena) said nothing.
"Not much of a talker are you?"
"...I apologize for letting you see something like that, your highness." (Rowan) apologized, looking at the strands of hair being left on the floor. "It was unsightly."
"It was certainly my first time seeing an assault in public, I was just roaming around to find a place to be alone. The lord noble houses have no shame. Are you from a lower noble house that had the guts to do horrible things like that to you?" The crown princess saw her hair and thought it was a shame. "Do not fret, it will still grow."
Step, step, step.
"Your hair is full of color- I love how your hair just stands out. Those boys don't understand beauty, they only think of it well... other things about women." The royal was bold, she moved closer to inspect the damage that was done to her hair.
"Y-Your highness?" (Rowan) stood still at that moment, refusing to move as their bodies almost pressed each other; she couldn't help but hold her breath.
"Your red eyes compliments your hair, your lips are in a lovely pink shade, and you're... naturally beautiful." She wanted to have the girl gaining the confidence she needed thus compliments started pouring in.
"...tch!"
The uneven cut was bothering the crown princess. She still cannot believe that a group of men would handle a beautiful woman like this, they certainly have no taste!
"Hold on one moment." The crown princess digs through her [Storage Ring] before finding one of her pink scrunchy before handing it to Rowena. "It would be best to tie your hair so that no one could see or even gossip around what happened, I honestly prefer it laid down but-"
"I understand." (Rowena) took it out of her palm, their hands grazing each other. "Many thanks, to her highness."
Her sharp eyes were glistening happily, the vibes of the scary crimson demon Rowena was suddenly having flowers around her.
"You're welcome, and please do be careful. Do enjoy the rest of the party, see you around." The crown princess curtsies waving her goodbye before getting into the center of the party to greet the other birthday girl leaving Rowan alone.
"..." (Rowena) stares at the offering in her hand before holding her, looking a bit flustered and her ear becoming a bit red as she admires in a distance. "My... first birthday present." she muttered to herself, holding the scrunchy in her hand.
"The crown princess... is kind."