Mei Ruan May 1st, 20XX

As Cai took on the tiresome task of accepting the tributes that had been delayed for the past seventeen years I made my escape towards an obscure corner of the courtyard.

Initially, I looked around to make sure I wasn't being followed but the further I got from the prince the more I could feel the restrictions weaken so I switched to using a surveillance spell and focused on getting to the location.

There were very few people that would dare follow me around but that in turn meant that the few that would were of the very troublesome sort.

I reached my destination, flying up to the rooftop of a ridiculously large gazebo and was met with the sight of three fairies, dressed in resplendent clothing, hung by the wings by black tendrils of magic.

They had been completely bound and gagged, as per request.

“ Lillian. Loosen the ties around their mouths.”

The second that their mouths were freed they began to yell.

"HELP! THE GENE-”

Well two of them immediately began to yell and panic. The other just sat there with an oddly smug look on her face.

“ Is there any reason for this General? It's the royal ball!”

I dismissed her taunting tone and cut to the chase, not wanting this to take any longer than 15 minutes. In between fielding offers to meet and properly accepting all of the tributes it would take the Prince about 30 minutes to finish; I couldn't have others thinking I abandoned him right from the beginning of the ball.

“ I ask once. Where is she?”

Another annoyingly smug smile.

“ I'm afraid there are too many women here General. You'll have to specify who you mean by ‘she’”

Lillian extended her wand into a thin sword and took a swing at her hair, cutting off the mass that had been captured into a hairstyle atop her head.

“ Baroness Saral… I find it hard to believe that low blood like yourself you would dare insult the prince within the palace.”

She took another swing, this time ripping off the outer layer and exposing her skin through the inner layer. The sight irritated me.

Why did I have to be here seeing this when I had a much more pleasant sight in the main building.

“ I find it even harder to believe that you would do so within my range of hearing. The only other explanation is that whoever put you up to this, somehow believed that they can protect you from me. ”

It was clear the other two had no idea what was going on, as they were now trembling in fear and attempting to beg for mercy even through the gags. I waved at Lillian to take them away and stepped back as the Baron fell to the ground, no longer supported by Lillian's spells.

“ Take them right to the prisons and have them held for a fortnight on grounds of defamation against the royal family. Use the seal of the Ruan family if there are any complaints.”

Once Lillian had left, carrying the two lackeys like sacs of flour behind her I extended my wand, this time into a thin needle and stabbed it into her wing, pinning her to the ground.

“ I don't have a lot of time so I’ll just remind you that not only is Jaya no longer the duchess, she has also lost more than half of her power. If you think she can save you now or make good on any promises that she made to you in return for doing this, I'm afraid you're much mistaken.”

She let out an agonizing scream, even as she was face first on the ground and began to writhe from the pain but she still managed to find the energy to irritate me once more.

“ General, do you think that you'll be able to get away with this just because you’re the future queen? Nothing has been decided yet you know? I'll sue! I'll bring the case to the court and have you replaced! There are other contenders-”

I removed the needle from her wing and stabbed it down once again, this time closer to her back.

She screamed again but this time she didn't thrash around, having learned from the previous time that it only made it worse.

I crouched down beside her and used the needle as a balance, widening the hole as I pushed it further into the ground with my weight.

“ I ask the second time, where is she?”

My response was only heavy breathing and small pants of pain. They escalated into a scream once more but with much less energy than previously as I pulled the needle out and aimed again, holding it over my head.

“ Do you want to take your chances with me having to ask a third?”

I suddenly felt a presence, not even 20 feet from me and got up; turning my wand from a needle into a sword.

“ My beloved Junior sister!I’m flattered that you care about me so much! Even going as far as to torture my friend for information about me.”

A dark sinking feeling materialized itself into my stomach as she stepped into the light.

She looked ragged and worn like she hadn't slept in a proper room for months, which was ridiculous because she should have been resting in a comfy jail cell by now.

“Jaya.”

She looked at me with dull eyes that did nothing to hide the insanity within them and an eerie smile. Her voice was hoarse and harsh as she tried to reach towards me.

“ Little sister. did you miss me?”