Daughters of the Lullaby

(Written in late 2011. Not compliant with canon.)
Clarith, the white-haired outcast who apologized just for existing, and Michaela, the spirit of the Eldoh Forest who became human – though they were two very different people, a bond formed between them. However, they've become tangled up in the tale of the Daughter of Evil, and even something as simple as staying together seems like a mere dream.

Notes:

EDIT 2017:
AHAHAHA wow this is embarassing. What even is canon? Okay, I'm gonna write a bunch of silly, serious words about The Making Of this story. The short version: This was written based on incomplete info and is totally incorrect, but it was also incredibly indulgent, and that's why I'll still keep it.
I started drafting this fic sometime in early 2011. At the time, there was very little consolidation between non-Japanese Evillious Chronicle fans, and certainly not any concentrated efforts to mine the novels for info and translate pieces to other languages; we'd only just barely started accepting that their names weren't the same as the Vocaloid names. So, I believed in the common interpretation that "Miku" had loved "Kaito" back, and that "Haku" truly was only her friend.
I think at the time, I believed I was taking some big risk by saying that I preferred Miku with Haku. I was so worried I'd be shouted at for "ruining canon" that a huge subplot was Miku also loving Kaito and trying to arrange with him a polyamorous relationship that included Haku - "see, I can't be contradicting canon this way! Please don't yell at me!"
(I'm totes here for more polyamorous Evillious, btw. Give me some Lukana x Lilien x Rajih, please and thanks.)
It wasn't until later that year that I started learning more about Mothy's expanded world and all the details he left out in his songs. Miku became Michaela, Haku became Clarith, and slowly I began incorporating the bits of pieces of novel text, which had been cherrypicked and run through machine translations. Which...has led into its own controversy, but I'm way too late to that argument.
All translation issues aside, one thing really pushed me to finish this story: The release of EVILS COURT, complete with a song in Michaela's point of view. And it confirmed something I hadn't anticipated: Michaela and Clarith really had been in love with each other. And even though a lot of people kept trying to tell me how it didn't count ("they meant sisterly love" or "maybe Michaela was a boy spirit"), I wanted to finish this so that they had at least one fic out there for them - at the time I also couldn't anticipate the Evillious Chronicles managing to grow into its own franchise, with its own fandom.
Looking back, I think writing this helped me figure out a few things about myself. I doubt a bunch of strangers want to hear about my personal life, so let's just leave it at... For all of the many, many faults with Mothy's writing and plotlines, I'll still cherish what he offered with Michaela and Clarith.
...That said, this is a huge mess that only scarcely resembles canon. The main plot beats are there: Michaela is still a spirit-turned-human-turned-tree, she and Clarith still become maids for the Freezises, Riliane still responds to rejection with genocide, and Ney still leaves Michaela dead in a well. But there is no Ayn or Chelsea or Irina, no secret collusion with Mikina, and no hint of what awaits everyone five years down the road. To say nothing of the wildly incorrect ways I portrayed Held and Elluka,
I can clean up things like incorrect spelling and awkward phrases (some of which I feel really bad about - I don't know why past me thought a blunt statement about suicide made a good first impression). But the actual content is irreconcilable with canon and can't be altered so easily. And maybe it's for the best, because who wants a straight-up retelling of Mothy's novel, detail by detail, with the exact same POV characters?
So, for however much it's worth, I hope people still enjoy this old labor of love.

Chapter 1: Everything Changed When I Met That Girl

Chapter Text

Even with their limited knowledge on human relationships, the spirits of the Held Forest knew when people did things that weren't right. They understood that when Duke Venomania brainwashed dozens of women and forced them into his harem, as well as when the former warlord Conchita treated those around her not as human beings, but as delicious meals. They knew that the current poverty in Lucifenia was caused by the selfish Riliane who always got her way, while in Marlon, the former queen Prim was using her children Ney and Kyle as tools to carry out a takeover of the other kingdoms.

Right within the backyard of the forest, though, even more crimes were taking place. Deep in the forest was a village called Yatski that was so isolated from the rest of the country of Elphegort that they only ever saw people with green hair. It could be any of the associated shades, from a dull and dark turquoise to a bright spring green, but as long as there was some green in the hair color, it was perfectly acceptable in the eyes of these villagers.

Even a complete outsider, who would normally treated with suspicion, would be welcomed without distrust if he or she had green hair. That had been exactly what happened the day a bloodied woman with greying green hair wandered into the village, her hours-old infant lying quiet in her arms. Although the townspeople were startled by the baby's bright red eyes and pale skin, they were not slow in trying to provide aid to those two.

The woman had been trying to travel to the capital city of Aceid to find a new life for herself after her husband's sudden drowning in a lake, but ended up giving birth en route, forcing her to seek out a different destination. Complications from the labor had presented themselves, though, and she had been slowly bleeding to death the whole time. She was able to reveal her daughter's name as Clarith before collapsing, unable to stay conscious anymore; by the end of the night, she was dead. Clarith was adopted by a couple whose other children had already reached adulthood and moved out of their home. To them, it wouldn't hurt to have one more child to raise.

Everything changed when Clarith grew a bit older and it became obvious that her hair was completely white, like freshly-fallen snow; it seemed that the girl's father had been a descendant of the Netsuma lineage, which was notable for its distinctive hair and eye colors, and she had inherited his traits. From that moment on, she suffered nothing but torment and scorn. She was picked last for a team in the children's games, if she was picked at all, and people would stop what they were doing to stare at her whenever she passed by. Even her own foster parents were uninterested in her and left her to fend for herself. If there was ever a crime, Clarith often became a scapegoat, and she had been forced to pay restitution for other people's wrongdoings numerous times. Sometimes this reputation for being a troublemaker got her kicked out of stores under the suspicion that she was going to steal something or else taint the goods so that no one would want to touch them after she did. The only reason she wasn't simply run out of town was because letting her die in the forest was simply going too far. On the flip side, so long as they didn't get her killed, they were free to treat her any way they please.

Even Clarith started to hate herself, convinced that she was filthy and wrong for her hair. She had attempted to "fix" herself on several occasions, such as by washing her hair with the dye used for clothing. The strong chemicals burned her skin and clumps of her hair fell out. People only laughed at her harder when they saw the disheveled and damaged hair that had fading dye here and there and white roots growing in. After this, Clarith didn't even attempt to shave her head bald, anticipating similar reactions to that look. Resigned to the curse of her white hair, she spent her days gazing enviously at the beautiful green hair of all the other girls of Yatski, knowing that they didn't have to suffer this abuse day after day.

One day, Clarith traveled deep into the forest. While it was often the subject of horror tales about murders that had taken place there long ago, she found it to be a tranquil place where no one could mock her. She came across the largest tree in the entire world, the Thousand-Year Tree. Although she had no magical abilities, she was still able to feel its connections to the spiritual world – the three-beat lullaby, once sung by the twins who spread the Seven Sins, echoed into her mind, ru-ri-ra, ru-ri-ra. Consoled by this melody that had resounded throughout in the forest for half a millennium, she began to pray under the shade of its branches.

"I don't care who it is. I just want somebody to be my friend."

A spirit of the forest had been passing by her at that moment. For almost an entire millennium, there was that sacred Thousand-Year Tree, which housed the guardian called Held, and along with it were countless spirits that wandered the forest in physical bodies. This one spirit in particular had the body of a robin, with a dark teal body and an orange breast. She had been picking out grapes to give to some of the other spirits, and became distracted as Clarith's wish resounded throughout the clearing. She landed several feet away from her, watching.

It was the first time that she ever got to see this outcast up close, and she could see the pain etched on her face. Knowing despair for so long could only lead Clarith to a dark path, and the spirit wanted to protect her from whatever terrible fate she was heading toward. However, she was limited by her body, and she stood there in the open as she tried to think of as way to help her.

This left her vulnerable to attack, and a jealous crow swooped in without warning. She couldn't blame it for wanting to steal her fruit, but it held no regard for her own safety, landing right on top of her and poking her with sharp talons, trying to pluck the sprig of grapes she had right out of her beak. As timeless as the spirits of the forest were, they were not immune to physical harm, and the robin screeched in pain.

The noise caught Clarith's attention, and she yelped as well, startled by the sudden scream. When she looked back and saw what was happening, however, she crawled closer to the birds. "P-Please stop fighting," she asked quietly.

As non-threatening as she was, her size was enough to intimidate the crow, which quickly flew away, taking a few of the grapes as a consolation prize. The spirit flopped over on the ground a few times, preening and yanking on a few broken feathers. She had gotten into a few tussles here and there and had been lucky to keep her body intact. It didn't feel like she had been seriously injured, so she wasn't concerned about the attack at all.

"Are you alright?" Clarith leaned in over the bird, slowly extending her hands toward her. To reassure her that she wasn't going to hurt her by touching her, the robin pressed against her hands, rubbing her head against them. Clarith flinched a bit in surprise, but when she saw that it wasn't an attack on her, she relaxed, carefully scooping her up. "Your feathers are broken… Can you fly?"

The spirit chirped happily. "Yes, I can!" She paused then, realizing that her thoughts were unable to enter Clarith's mind. None of the spirits of the forest had human bodies and were thus not capable of verbally communicating with them. They had innate telepathic abilities, but humans had to learn to use it in order to be able to receive the messages, and it was simply impossible for Clarith to learn magic as she was now, given how isolated she was from books and instructors.

The bird had to express her status another way, and she flew out of Clarith's hands. A few broken feathers weren't enough to ground her, and while she couldn't fly as long as she wanted to, she was able to go in a circle around Clarith, landing by her side. Clarith reached out once more, stroking her head gently. "You're a very pretty bird. I'm sorry I don't have any bread for you."

The robin chittered happily, letting herself be lightly pet. For a brief moment, she wondered if she could get through to Clarith this way, as humans were known to have animal companions. Then again, it just wasn't the same thing as being able to talk to her and console her in times of need.

They spent time just sitting together quietly. Soon, the inevitable came, and Clarith stood up. "I'm sorry, but I should probably go now; it's already dusk. You need to get home, don't you? I'm sorry I kept you here so long…"

The bird chattered once more, trying to tell her that she had nothing to apologize for, and that she was perfectly welcome to stay at the Thousand-Year Tree as long as she wished, but Clarith did not understand any of it, brushing it off as the call of a songbird. She waved goodbye to the robin, managing to force a tiny but sad smile, and then walked away.

It was just a tiny taste of companionship, and the robin didn't want it to end that way. She wanted to be able to interact with her as an equal, and as she watched Clarith leave, she found she couldn't help but make her own wish.

"I don't care what happens. I just want to be her friend."

A few days passed, and the opportunity to make the wish come true came by in the form of Elluka Clockworker, the immortal sorceress who was trying to cleanse the Seven Sins, who had traveled to the Thousand-Year Tree all the way from her home in the neighboring kingdom of Lucifenia. She was friends with Held, but this was the first time she was requesting aid from it instead of the other way around. Several spirits of the Held Forest had gathered in the clearing to listen; the robin stood on a branch of the tree and watched, knowing that Elluka would not have come here if she didn't have something important to ask.

"Lucifenia is the home of Superbia," she remarked, becoming distracted from her question as she tried to sort through the information she knew. "I know it, because I've watched Riliane grow up, and I've seen how she reacts when she doesn't get her way. It's not greed or wrath so much as it is pride, because she feels entitled to luxury. The way her country is going, however, I doubt it'll be much longer before her role is done."

She was one of those special few who could communicate with the spirits of the forest, and while she preferred to talk out loud, Held simply sent its reply right into her mind, although it did not lock out the other spirits from eavesdropping on their conversation. "Good work, Elluka. Have you found her fragment of sin yet?"

"That's the big problem." Elluka sighed. Conchita's fragment of sin had been taken by someone else, as the castle showed signs of being looted when Elluka arrived there after Conchita killed herself. It was obvious that she wanted to be able to retrieve Riliane's fragment the moment she died. "This is why I've come to you. I may have all the time in the world, but I'm still just one person. Would you happen to know of any suitable partners I could use?"

There she went again, speaking of others like they were tools and not beings. Even when she had helped out Lukana Octo, a frightened woman who had been one of Venomania's victims, she had done so only because she wanted to swap bodies with her, and she would not have even remembered her name had it not been for that switch.

Elluka had been wounded when she confronted the corrupt duke long ago, and she could not travel easily with her badly-scarred leg; she was lucky enough to be able to retrieve his sword, which was tainted with sin, before the looters reached his mansion first. Lukana, on the other hand, had escaped captivity just to be spit upon by her town when it became apparent that she had become pregnant with Venomania's child. Elluka jumped upon this opportunity, offering to exchange bodies with her so that Lukana could have a new identity and Elluka could have an uninjured body, and Lukana agreed. Even though it was a win-win situation for them, Elluka did not give any more thought to Lukana's fate, and she just gave birth to the child before leaving him behind at an orphanage and continuing her quest.

Held reprimanded her for her apathy toward human life, especially since she too was once a mere human before she gained her agelessness. Elluka just dismissed that concern by saying that she need to look out for herself so that she could keep searching for the vessels of sin. According to her, it didn't matter what happened to Lukana and to that boy at the orphanage, so long as she could prevent the entire world from falling into ruin.

Four-hundred years had been more than enough to reinforce how Elluka should not be so dismissive of other people, though, and Held instead addressed the current issue. "No. Your most suitable match would be someone else who transcends time just like you, but I'm afraid that no one else like that has contacted me."

Elluka's lips curled into a frown for a moment, and she placed a hand on the trunk of the tree. "You aren't bound by time either, and neither are any your friends in the forest. In fact, you're the ones that have been around back when this land was barren – I'm just a whippersnapper to you!" She smiled, trying to flatter Held. "I could always take one of you."

"You know you can't take the tree with you, Elluka. But I can still provide an army of chipmunks, if you'd like."

"I'll consider it," she shot right back. Even though she took orders from Held, they often joked with each other as friends. "I actually believe that I can provide a human body for one of the forest spirits."

"If this is another body-swap, I suggest you stop talking right now."

"No, it's not quite like that! It does involve transferring the soul elsewhere, but it's not switching with another being. I can create a whole new body from scratch, and the old body will revert to a normal animal. So long as that animal stays alive, the spell is reversible."

Held was silent for a few moments, considering the offer. "That is actually a very creative solution. I'm giving you permission to attempt it and see where it goes."

At that moment, the robin left her spot on the branch, fluttering down onto Elluka's shoulder. "I would like to join you!" she projected into the sorceress's mind.

"Now, settle down," Held gently scolded. "You know you won't get a chance to do what you want if you travel with Elluka."

The bird puffed her feathers, chastised. Elluka was not aware of Clarith's existence and thus did not understand what the robin's motives were. "Hey, fill me in, you two. What do you mean, she can't do what she wants? I'm not a strict, no-fun employer!" Elluka couldn't help but stroke the robin's head, trying to reassure her that she could speak her mind.

Held spoke for her first. "Well, I don't think that it would hurt. I can ask for someone else to your apprentice, but I'd like you to do a favor for this one as well."

"How rude! I give and give to you all, and yet you ask for more?" Elluka was smirking, however. A true refusal would have been a simple "no", and it was understood that she was merely making more snide remarks.

Excited and relieved that Elluka was willing to indulge in her wishes, the robin began to relay the story. "There is a girl in this forest who has no friends…"

Clarith felt like apologizing to herself for still being alive, in spite of everything. Sometimes, it felt like it would have been easier not to leave her house every day and face the world. But she persisted nonetheless, more out of habit than any other feeling.

She was in the forest again, picking fruit for pies. It wasn't as if anyone would ever share the dessert with her, but she had to do something with her time. It gave her excuses to stay out of public, at least.

Clarith was wandering toward the large tree again. Though the whole forest felt peaceful to her, this place gave her the most comfort, and sometimes she'd almost forget how miserable her life was. This day, however, her stomach began to tie itself in knots. It wasn't the same kind of nervousness she got when she knew she was being watched by onlookers, but instead she felt…curious?

Her thoughts immediately went to something else entirely when she saw that someone else was at the tree, lying haphazardly across the roots. Her first reaction was to hide behind another tree, not knowing how anyone found this spot. However, she realized that this person wasn't moving at all, and a gut feeling told her that she wasn't simply taking a nap. Slowly, Clarith walked out from her hiding spot and approached the girl.

Long, thick ponytails of teal hair obscured her face and most of her clothing, and it was obvious that something had happened to her to knock her out, although there weren't any immediate signs of injuries. Clarith was about to try and shake her awake, but flinched when her hand was a mere inch away, pulling back. What would happen if she woke up? She might go home and weave up a tale of how Clarith ambushed her in the forest. It certainly wouldn't be the first time anyone framed her for a crime, but petty theft and vandalism were a far cry from assault. Even if this girl didn't try to blame her for anything, she could still tell others that Clarith was spending her time at this large tree, and that would be the end of her peaceful outings.

Then again, did this girl even live in the village? Clarith could not remember ever seeing her around town, and she usually remembered the faces of her tormentors, mostly so that she could learn to give them a wide berth. With no reason to believe that an outsider would be any different from the villagers, however, she was ready to just leave and pretend she was never there, but her legs wouldn't allow her to stand up. It wasn't like she could just leave someone lying here unconscious. Would anyone know to look here for her? Would she die here of exposure if no one helped her. She looked up at the large tree, trying to find guidance. Her breath stopped in her chest for a moment, and she knew she had to do the right thing.

She turned the girl over to double-check that she had no wounds, and then hoisted her up onto her back, thankful that the girl was shorter and lighter than her. Clarith couldn't hold her basket as she did this, but it seemed safe enough to just leave it behind for now. Slowly and cautiously, she made her way into the forest, heading for the village.

The trek took almost twice as long as usual, and it was already dusk when Clarith finally arrived at the edge of the town. Unsurprisingly, no one even took a second glance at her, not noticing the person on her back. "Um… Excuse me." Her meek words attracted just as much attention as her entrance did. "Please come here. I-I need help…" It wasn't working. Clarith forced herself to raise her voice. "Excuse me! There is an ill girl that that needs help now!"

Her shouting left her breathless, and this time people took notice, clamoring as they lifted the girl off her back without actually acknowledging her existence. One of them was strong enough to carry her off toward the house of the village doctor, and some of the other bystanders followed him to make sure that this went smoothly. Clarith watched them, thankful that at least the girl was going to get the medical attention she needed.

That was when she felt a pebble smack against her head. Several girls had stayed behind, and all of them were glaring at her. "What did you do to her?" one of them demanded as she bent down to pick up more rocks.

"Nothing! I found her while I was picking berries in the forest, so–"

"Liar! You lying bitch! You don't even have a basket!" The girl threw a much larger rock, and it barely missed Clarith's eye. Shielding her face to protect herself from any more damage, she began to flee toward her home, hearing the sounds of rocks pelting the ground and the jeering of her tormentors ringing throughout her mind.

Two days had passed, and there was no sign that Clarith had left her house in that time. This just wouldn't do; she'd have to go visit the other girl herself.

It took nearly five minutes for Clarith to come answer the knocking at her door, and she was very timid when she opened it, peeking out from behind the front door.

The girl with long, thick ponytails of teal just spoke happily, as if she had been greeted with a smile. "Hi! I believe this is yours!"

"Wh… What? I'm sorry, what?"

"I think this basket is yours. You left it at the Thousand-Year Tree."

Elluka's spell had been successful, and two spirits from the Held Forest had been reborn into human bodies. Elluka then took one of them, a girl with short green hair who once had the body of a chipmunk, as her apprentice. As for the robin, she had become a girl with long teal hair and was put into a magic-induced coma that was set to wear off once she entered the village. The plan was to have Clarith find and rescue her, giving them an excuse to meet and grow close.

There had been so much fuss over the new girl when she woke up, though. Yatski was just small enough that many citizens were perplexed at why no one knew who she was and how she had arrived there. She explained that she was a traveler who had tried to use a shortcut through the forest, gotten lost, and passed out after not sleeping for days, and the townspeople seemed to have bought her story. They then asked her for more and more details about herself, most of which she made up on the spot.

She was Michaela, sixteen years old, from the faraway city Toragay. She had no living relatives and had been thinking of spending all of her free time traveling the world, but had now decided that it wasn't quite the thing for her and that she was instead going to try settling down in the tiny village. Many people offered to house her, a few insisting that it was free, and she settled on staying with the family that ran the tavern. Still, despite all the offers to spend time with the teenagers who already considered her one of their peers, she was focused solely on meeting with Clarith.

Poor Clarith just looked baffled at the fact that Michaela was returning her lost basket. "Did you go back and get this for me? Are you sure that was safe for you?"

"I was able to recover, so I made the trip all by myself while no one was looking. I even found some fresh fruit to replace the spoiled ones; it was my fault you had to leave them behind, after all!" Michaela pulled back the cloth she had covered the basket with, revealing the apples and raspberries inside.

Clarith didn't reply at first, mouth agape in shock. She looked at the filled basket, then up at Michaela's face, then back down at the basket. It was obvious that she had no idea how to respond to this gesture of kindness, and when she finally did speak, it came out in soft stutters. "Um, th-thanks. I mean, this was really nice of you, and I don't want to… What I'm saying is, ah… Sorry. You didn't have to do all of this for m-me…"

"It's the least I could do; you saved me, after all." Michaela gently pushed the basket into Clarith's hands, and the timid girl was too dumbfounded to resist. "What's your name, anyway?"

"C… Clarith." She seemed about ready to close the door and continue to hide in her house, but after a few seconds, she resumed the conversation. "How about you?"

"Michaela. Thank you again for helping me into town."

She extended her hand in order to shake Clarith's, but instead of returning the gesture, Clarith winced and shrunk even further back into the safety of her home, as if a weapon had just been pointed at her. Michaela frowned, pulling her hand back; she knew that the situation wouldn't instantly become better upon her arrival, but now she was understanding just what kinds of scars had left on Clarith's emotional state by the abuse she suffered her whole life. Every person she had ever known had spit upon her and told her she was a freak against nature, and a few acts of generosity wouldn't be enough to convince her that this new girl wouldn't be just like the others.

"What's wrong?" She smiled gently, hoping to ease Clarith out of her fears. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

Clarith looked away. "…You're a traveler. You don't know how this town works. People say that I'm not right, because of my… I-I'm not someone you should be seen talking with. I'm sorry. You really should leave before you're seen here with me. They'll yell at you, too."

"What are you talking about? You're a very kind girl."

"Please don't say that. Haven't you noticed that I'm the only person here with white hair?"

"Yes, but I don't see why that makes you deserve to be alone." Michaela stepped back a bit, trying to look less intimidating to Clarith. A friendship wasn't something that could be easily created in the span of a single conversation, especially with someone who never knew companionship before. "There's nothing you need to apologize for. Don't let anyone tell you you're a bad person; you wouldn't have helped me if that was true."

Clarith stared at the ground, her lips moving in a futile attempt to form a reply. Eventually, she gave up, just slamming the door shut. Michaela sighed, thankful that at least she managed to talk to her. Even if it took a lifetime to get Clarith to trust her, it would be worth it the moment she finally learned to smile and laugh.

Clarith simply lacked the emotional knowledge needed to respond to friendly gestures. Very few people had extended a comforting hand to her, and those that did were merely setting her up for an elaborate prank, tricking her into humiliating herself in the name of friendship. After a few of these pranks, she had become skeptical of any sign of kindness directed toward her. Not even an outsider was beyond suspicion.

Michaela seemed to have settled down quite nicely in the village, earning her stay by doing odd jobs like sweeping the streets and assisting the tailors. She was often accompanied by two or three other teenagers, and they would talk and laugh as if they were old friends. Even Clarith had to admit that Michaela had a magnetic personality that endeared her to the normally-guarded citizens of Yatski, and she blended in with the town as if she had always lived there. Still, that friendly nature only made it worse whenever they managed to make eye contact when passing each other on the streets, with Michaela never failing to send a smile her way. Clarith always turned away in response, not wanting to talk with her. The two were nothing alike; Michaela was like the day, vibrant and full of life, whereas Clarith was the quiet and feared night.

She put restrictions on herself, not wanting to be seen out and about town so shortly after being accused of assaulting someone. No one had come to arrest her or exile her, but the whispered rumors were enough to warn her that it wasn't just those teens who accosted her that believed she had done some wrong. Her parents refused to let her shut herself in her room day and night, however, calling her lazy for shirking her chores. Reluctantly, Clarith continued her daily jobs of retrieving fresh produce and getting water from the well.

She had been doing the latter when she encountered Michaela once more, but she couldn't simply run away this time, as she was pulling up a full bucket of water. Clarith braced herself the moment she heard the other girl's voice, and tried to pretend as if she couldn't hear her.

Michaela did not relent, however, and soon she had walked up by Clarith's side, watching her. "That looks heavy. Do you need help?"

"N-No," Clarith responded. For some reason, Michaela's offer upset her; did she think Clarith was unable to perform a task as simple as this on her own?

Michaela did not press the matter further, thankfully, but she did not leave, instead leaning against the side of the well. "You know, I've been visiting that big tree again. Did you know this was the time of year for fireflies?"

"Um, yeah." It was hard to not know, given how deep in the wilderness Yatski was, and yet here was Michaela, stating the obvious. Then again, Clarith wasn't sure where Toragay was – perhaps firefly swarms were unheard of there.

The sardonic tone of her voice did not put Michaela off. "Last night, I was visiting the tree, and I saw many of them flying about. I think I might go again tomorrow night and catch some."

"That's nice." Clarith tried to focus on her work, hefting the bucket onto the side of the well and taking a breath. Before she could tell Michaela that she had to take the water home, her companion interrupted her.

"It's not much fun to do so all alone, though. I'd like you to come with me, Clarith."

Clarith stood up straight, her eyes widening. "What? What do you mean, me? I-I mean… What about your friends? Don't you want to go out with your friends?"

Michaela grinned. "You're the only other person I know that's actually visited the tree lately. Besides, we're friends too, aren't we?"

Just what game was this girl playing at? They had barely spoken to each other this past week, but she was adamant that they had actually become friends. As in, people who enjoyed each other's company and felt comfortable being together.

"I can't do that. I can't. I'm sorry." Clarith had difficulty mustering the iron will she wanted to inject into her voice, so she settled for backing away, putting distance between herself and Michaela. "I… Look, I'm busy tomorrow, and all next week… I really should be taking this bucket home now, in fact, so that I can start working on making dinner…" It wasn't in her nature to lie, but Clarith wanted out of this situation desperately.

Her day took an abrupt turn for the worse when she heard someone else call out Michaela's name. She easily recognized the voice as that of a boy who had once cut off a lock of her hair as a sort of trophy. Knowing that there was no possible way to flee the scene now, Clarith stayed rooted to one spot, wishing that she could just wither away into dust so that no one could bother her again.

Three teenagers in total had arrived, two boys and one girl. The boy who had called out to Michaela kept talking as he approached her. "Hey, there, Michaela! I was hoping I'd get to see you!" Although he did not acknowledge Clarith's presence, the stifled snickers of his companions was enough to shame her into staring down at her feet as she attempted to blend in with the scenery.

The girl picked up the conversation next. "So, hey, my cousin's inviting my family to dinner at his house tomorrow night, and I'd like you to join us."

Clarith gulped and mentally pleaded Michaela to agree to this, but she instead turned down the offer. "Thank you, but I have plans to go into the forest that night, and I've been trying to convince Clarith here to join me." Although she didn't immediately look up, she could clearly imagine Michaela nodding in her direction while the others looked on in shock and disgust.

The girl's surprised tone said it all. "What? What do you mean you'll be in the forest!? Michaela, it's dangerous! Bears have been known to attack people there, you know!"

"It's not that dangerous. We'll be heading out before sunset and camp out in a clearing I already know about, so we won't be in danger."

The other boy, who Clarith recognized as the son of the baker, threw his opinion in. "But wouldn't it be better to spend time in a comfortable house with a friend, instead of in a dark forest alone with…" Clarith looked up in time to see that he was gesturing derisively at her.

"Another friend," Michaela finished for him, her tone suddenly becoming a lot less pleasant. "She is as much a friend of mine as you all are. I'm sorry that I can't make it tomorrow, but I don't have anything planned for the rest of the week, so I can make up for it. Is that fine?"

"Not really, no," the girl snapped. "Michaela… Have you noticed just how many blondes there are here? How many brunettes? How many white-haired individuals? There are only shades of green here." To prove her point, she held up her own braided ponytail of pale green hair.

"If you keep hanging out with Clarith," the first boy spoke, "people are gonna think that, y'know, you're messed up like she is."

"And why is Clarith 'messed up' in the first place, then?" Michaela took a few steps toward Clarith, putting herself between the outcast and the bullies.

"Michaela, cut it out…" Clarith whispered, seeing that the mocking grins had twisted into angered frowns. Bystanders were stopping what they were doing in order to watch, amused by the torment she was being subjected to. "I never agreed to this outing, and I seriously need to get the bucket home before…" …Where was the bucket?

When she saw that the pail of water was now in the hands of the baker's son, she had only a few seconds to react, and she shoved Michaela out of the way as hard as she could, enough to send her hurtling onto the ground. At the same time, he thrust the bucket in their direction, and Clarith was soaked head to toe in cold water.

Cackles erupted from the group of teenagers, and the girl struggled to talk in-between howls of laughter. "Did you see that, Michaela? She threw you onto the ground! He tried to stop her with the water, but she was too fast! Come on, you need to get away from her before she lures you into the forest to hurt you again." She extended her hand to help Michaela up.

In an uncharacteristic show of rage, Michaela slapped her hand away, silencing them all. "Don't you dare talk about Clarith that way." She was able to stand on her own, the skirt of her dress now wet from the splashes of water. "You guys – everyone in this town – keep putting her down and saying she deserves it, but why? Because her hair is white? Is that all?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"What?" Michaela looked over at Clarith, visibly surprised at what she was saying.

The words kept bubbling to her lips as years of fury boiled over, burning the nearest target. "Why does it matter whether or not you think it's wrong for them to make fun of me? I am an outcast! I'm a freak who killed my widowed mother when she gave birth to me! There, is that what you people want me to admit!?" Her fists were clenched and her whole body was shaking as her voice cracked and crumbled into sobs, but she was finally letting out her darkest feelings, and there was no stopping the flood of tears and fears. "I admit it! I am the most disgusting creature alive, and the world would be a much better place if I was dead! Is that why you're trying so hard to be my friend, Michaela!? Do you just want some inferior waste of space to pity in order to make yourself look so angelic and kind!? I don't want your charity! Just spit on me like everyone else does, but don't lie to me!"

Clarith gasped for air, now unable to see the world around her through her tears and her wet hair. There was an uneasy silence for a few seconds, before some onlookers began to chuckle, and it quickly swelled up into mocking laughter. It was just another day in the life of an outcast, and soon Michaela would show her true colors and–

And suddenly, Clarith was pulled into a hug, and she could feel long twin ponytails brushing against her. She fought against this embrace. "Let me go, Michaela. I don't want your pity."

"No. No, Clarith, I'm not pitying you just to boost my own reputation." Michaela's own tone had softened once more, although her voice was just loud enough to let the other teenagers hear. "Not once have you shown me that you deserve to be shunned. You were gracious enough to rescue me when I was hurt. You've never insulted me or manipulated me, and you're not a monster. I told you, don't ever let anyone convince you that you are."

"Please let me go…" Clarith's voice dropped into a whisper, and she knew she didn't mean her words now. This was the first time she could ever remember being embraced and comforted this way. Not even the people who had feigned friendship had done this. She was beginning to wonder if Michaela really was as genuine as she seemed.

"I will, if you really want, but just know this first: Clarith, you are truly the most wonderful person I have ever known, and I'm glad that we're friends."

Clarith didn't know how to respond. The words kept repeating themselves over and over in her head, and she felt her stomach churn, like it always did when she was about to cry. Yet, for some reason, she couldn't help but grin as she dissolved into sobs once more. She couldn't even figure out how she came to one particular conclusion, but when she did, she clung onto that revelation, not wanting to let such a wonderful feeling end. I'm not alone. I'm not alone anymore!

Michaela didn't do anything to stop her from crying all over her, and just continued to hold her, providing a comforting shoulder to lean on. The fact that they were being watched was not a concern to Clarith, who was finally experiencing the euphoria that was crying from joy. It didn't matter if every other person in the world despised her, for as long as she had this one friend, she would always be happy.

Not surprisingly, the fact that Michaela had called out the entire population of Yatski and defended the laughing stock they had mocked for eighteen years did not go over well, and her status as a popular girl had ended abruptly. People stopped talking whenever she walked by and began to whisper amongst themselves; knowing that they were making rude remarks behind her back left an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she was starting to understand why Clarith felt so terrible about herself after an entire childhood of this. Still, Clarith seemed to finally be opening up, and watching her smile and laugh for once replaced that heavy feeling with light joy. As long as they were together, they didn't have anything to fear.

Clarith finally agreed to spend a night catching fireflies at the Thousand-Year Tree, and even brought along a pie that she made herself. Michaela was still getting used to stimulating human senses; each bite sent shivers through her body as she savored the sweetness of the fruit and the crispness of the crust. She knew that becoming a human meant she would be unable to experience the world the same way she used to, but she was amazed just how much she could feel in one day.

Michaela leaned her head back and sighed, her gaze straying from Clarith, who was currently trying her hand at bottling fireflies on her own, and going up toward the branches of the trees. There had been a trade-off for her new body, and it involved the loss of many things she once took for granted, such as her intrinsic magical abilities and her connection to the Thousand-Year Tree. Even though she still felt Held's comforting aura as she sat against the tree, she could not communicate with it through telepathy. Elluka mentioned that this would probably happen without training to maintain her magical abilities, something that her apprentice surely was receiving, and yet Michaela didn't understand up until now how awkward it was to not be able to communicate with the beings she had existed with since the beginning of civilization.

"I caught some! Michaela! Michaela, look!"

Clarith ran to where Michaela was sitting, kneeling down next to her and presenting her bottle, which contained several fireflies. This was the first time anyone had genuinely tried to play games with her, and she couldn't contain her excitement.

Michaela smiled. "I knew you could do it." It was amazing how much just a little bit of encouragement changed Clarith. It seemed like the girl who considered her very existence to be worthless was now a distant memory.

Still, Michaela had to consider that this was not a permanent fix. For one thing, even though they could now watch each other's backs, they had no friends in Yatski to turn to. Everyone would continue to torment them, and ignoring the abuse could only work for so long. If she and Clarith were going to be truly at peace, then they needed to leave this poisonous village entirely.

"We should move to the city."

"What?"

Michaela had to pick her next words carefully. As starved for affection as Clarith was, she was still cautious about her new friendship, and she didn't want to scare her off. "This forest is not too far away from the capital city, Aceid. And I don't think I need to explain why we need to get out of Yatski."

Clarith sighed. "Yes, that's true, but… Will things be better at the capital? I've grown up in this village, Michaela, so this is all I know."

Michaela nodded in sympathy. Even though Clarith was a pariah at the town, it was still her hometown, and no force in the world would change that. It wasn't surprising that the suggestion to leave Yatski lied beyond her comfort zone. Even for Michaela, moving away from the forest was difficult; most of her knowledge came from listening to Held, and that meant that she too knew little of what truly existed past the forest boundaries. Still, she had enough knowledge of the kingdom of Elphegort to know that Aceid was a good place to run away to, with immigrants hailing from every country settling down there. The chance of hair color becoming a hot issue there was slim.

"I'm certain it will be better. We'll be able to find permanent jobs there, and there'll be more places to spend our luxury time. The best part is that no one will mock you for your hair. There are many different kinds of people there, with many different hair colors. Red, blue, brown, purple… You won't stand out so much."

Clarith gave a tiny smile. "Is that so? I don't think I've ever seen any travelers with blue hair… Do they cover all colors in the rainbow?"

"Of course! I knew a pink-haired woman. She was a pretty cold person, but she did know how to crack a joke with people she considered friends!" Michaela giggled, although she tried not to elaborate on Elluka and how she got pink hair. That would have probably freaked Clarith out more than Michaela's true identity.

The fact that she lied to cover her origins still filled her with guilt. Her body would not age, so even when Clarith was sixty years old, Michaela wouldn't look a day over sixteen. She could just claim that she was a young-looking adult for the next seven or eight years, but one day, she would have to reveal the truth. Right now, though, it was still risky to do so. Michaela could just imagine Clarith reacting in fear, choosing to run far away from the girl who claimed to be a forest spirit that had watched her since birth.

Looking back, Michaela had already come on too strong for Clarith many times, and she had to keep telling herself not to rush things. Clarith didn't seem to suspect that Michaela was not a real human, though, possibly because of her own lack of positive socialization. Both of them were learning how to function in society, and that was why they needed to get out of a town that would never treat them as equals.

Clarith had been doing some thinking of her own, mulling over Michaela's offer. "…I'm a bit scared, honestly. Like I said, I-I've never wandered any further than this spot. It's a lot to think about so soon…"

Michaela understood where she was coming from. "I'm not saying that we should pack up tonight and leave before sunrise. There's no reason to hurry, so take your time on deciding. I don't want to make you do something you don't really want to do."

Clarith nodded, staring down at the grass as she became lost in her thoughts. "…Michaela?"

"Yes?"

She looked into Michaela's eyes, the tiniest hint of mischief on her smiling lips. "I don't have to tell my parents I'm going away, right?"

Chapter 2: As Long as We Are Together

Chapter Text

By the end of the week, the two had left Yatski without a word, packing only food, money, and a few essential clothes and tools. Most of the trip was done on foot, taking up an entire day. Still, it was worth it to finally be free of the life of pain Clarith had known, and she and Michaela passed the time by telling each other stories and making plans for what they'd do when they reached the capital. The next day, they found the road leading to the city, and they encountered a woodcrafter who was heading there on a horse-drawn wagon to sell his goods. He allowed the two girls to hitch a ride, and by late afternoon, they were in Aceid City.

The capital of Elphegort was so much more than Clarith had dreamed it would be. Everyone hurried around with purpose and the streets were lined with salespeople plying their goods. The scent of fresh food from restaurants and bakeries permeated the air, and the pair spent the next few hours just drifting about from place to place, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells.

And the hair colors! Clarith was absolutely fascinated by the diversity of the city. The majority of people had green hair, sure, but they mingled with everyone else instead of laughing at them. Blue-haired children played with pink-haired children, red-haired shopkeepers sold goods to blondes, and there was even a couple, one with black hair and the other with green, exchanging quick kisses when they thought they were out of the public eye! Such a pair would have been exiled where Clarith lived!

They had scraped up enough money to spend the night at a decent inn, but they were still in desperate need of a steady source of income. There were many bulletin boards scattered around the city, and the next day was spent inspecting them in search of job openings. Clarith had trouble understanding what most of the offers said, as few people had taken the time to teach her how to read, but Michaela understood them clearly and read them out loud for her. Most employers were looking people who already had some experience in the field, such as for tutoring and entertainment jobs, and others asked for an extraordinary amount of work, such as spending the whole day fashioning stone blocks. The girls did not give up hope for finding a job that suited them best, though, and their search stretched on until the late afternoon.

"Oh! Clarith, this one! I think we should take this one."

Clarith was beckoned over to the flier that Michaela had pointed out, and she slowly sounded out some words that were written in bold lettering. "Fam-i-ly of… Family of, um… Free-sis." The name seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quite recall who they were.

"They're immigrants from Marlon who've made a big impact here. Mister Freezis runs the trading guild of all of Elphegort."

Ah, that explained why she was able to recognize the name and why Michaela would be excited to have a chance to work for them. Clarith kept on reading, even as the words began to blur together in her head. "So, they want, um… What do they want? I'm sorry, Michaela, I can't understand this."

"Don't worry about it. They're hiring maids to help take care of their manor and watch over their children." She tore the poster off the board. "I know where their home is. Come on, let's check it out!"

It didn't take very long to find it, especially once they were able to see the tall mansion towering over the other buildings. The whole manor just radiated power, from the immaculate walls of the home to the lush lawn that was decorated with flowers and trees. Clarith was actually rather nervous about stepping foot on the property, afraid that she might break something just by breathing on it wrong.

Michaela was much less reserved about being around the mansion, walking right up to the massive doors and knocking loudly. After about half a minute, they finally opened, and standing there was a brown-haired man who wore glasses. Clarith figured that he was the head of the trading guild, judging from his carefully-stitched formal attire. "Hello, sir," Michaela greeted, still holding the flier. "My friend and I saw your offer, and we would like to work for you."

"Ah, I put that up just last night. Good to hear a prompt response!" The man laughed and stepped aside. "Come in, ladies, I'll show you around."

Clarith was still hesitant, but when Michaela complied immediately and followed the man inside, she gathered up her courage and went inside. She could barely contain her amazed gasp as she looked all around at the interior. Paintings and plants stood out against the pale walls, the floors were lined with plush and ornate carpets, and even the banisters on the stairways had been decorated with gold. Now it was really obvious why Michaela was so eager to try and work for this family.

She was so entranced by her luxurious surroundings that she barely realized that the man was introducing himself, and she learned that his name was Keel Freezis and that his last maid had retired very recently. He also went on to explain that he had decided he needed extra help for two reasons. First, the mansion was very spacious, so maintaining it would be much easier with two people. Second, his eldest daughter was starting to become rebellious, and he hoped that having two extra sets of eyes watching her would keep her under control. The description of the job made it sound like it wasn't difficult work, and Clarith certainly knew how to clean and cook, although she hadn't worked with children before.

Keel led them to a library room, and even before he opened the doors, Clarith could hear a child whining, although she couldn't make out the words just yet. When they entered the room, she could see a woman with long orange-pink hair sitting down in a fancy chair, resting her head in her hand as she listened to the children. Two young toddlers, a boy and a girl, sat quietly in the middle of the room as they played with wooden blocks, in contrast to their older sister, who was no older than nine and wore her dark hair in pigtails. She was at her mother's side, ranting about something.

"But I want it! I promise I won't spill ink all over Daddy's papers again, and you never let me play with what I want to play, and–!" The girl's tirade stopped when she realized her father was in the room, and her mood instantly shifted to delight. "Oh! Daddy!" She ran across the room and into his arms, hugging him as he scooped her up.

"This is my family," Keel said to Clarith and Michaela, gesturing to each relative as he introduced them, "my daughter Yukina, my twin babies Shaw and Aile, and my lovely wife Mikina." He then started speaking to his wife. "These ladies answered the job offer. Their names are… Er…"

"Dear, did you bring them all the way into the house without asking their names?" Mikina smirked slyly. It seemed that this was something she had come to expect from her husband.

"Um… No?"

Mikina merely chuckled at the weak fib, getting up from her seat and walking over to the group. "My apologies. He may not seem like it in public, but he can be very absent-minded at times." She shook the hand of Michaela, who was closest to her.

"It's perfectly fine! I'm Michaela, and this is my friend, Clarith. We came here from a tiny village in the forest."

"So, you're like forest people, right?" Yukina asked, suddenly interested in her visitors. "Are there really man-eating bears there? What about talking trees?"

Michaela laughed at her imaginative questions. "No. Well, there are bears, but they don't stalk humans as prey. And there certainly aren't talking trees."

"Oh." Yukina was momentarily disappointed by this answer, but she then turned her attention to Clarith, moving onto another topic. "You're very pretty."

"R… Really?" Clarith felt the heat rising to her face and could easily imagine just how red she was now. The fact that Mikina was shaking her hand now did not help. She still wasn't used to positive interactions in general, and she was having a hard time figuring out if Yukina was being genuine or if she was just fibbing in order to tease her.

"Uh-huh. I like your hair. It's so much better than boring old green."

"Yukina!" Keel scolded. "That is very rude to Michaela!"

"It's okay! It really is!" Michaela held her hands up defensively, even though she wasn't the one being reprimanded. "A lot of people say my hair's nice, so one bad comment isn't going to hurt. It's good to hear someone compliment Clarith's for once. She used to be made fun of for it, you see…"

"It was nothing," Clarith lied, not wanting to get into a detailed discussion of her life in Yatski. "Just a few bullies."

"Well, teal hair or white, we aren't going to look down upon you for that." Mikina smiled softly. "What we're looking for is whether or not you can work. Are you willing to clean everything and prepare meals, as well as help take care of the kids? This will be more demanding than serving other families."

"I'm okay with that," Clarith reassured, still believing that this was easier than carving stones into blocks. "I just want to make a living in Aceid."

"You can start tomorrow, then." Keel set Yukina down onto the ground before continuing. "There will be two rooms for you to live in while you work here, so you can go fetch your belongings and bring them here. Try to be up just before dawn to prepare breakfast; we have all the supplies right now, though we'll have to go shopping later this week."

"Thank you for your generosity, Mister Freezis." Michaela curtsied, then began to walk out to the hallway to go back to the inn and grab her items. Clarith was about to follow her, but was stopped by someone tugging on the skirt of her dress. She looked down to see Yukina there, the bright look of curiosity in her eyes.

"Clarith, right? Did people really bully you because you had white hair?"

"Yes… Quite a lot of them did, actually. It's a long story, so I don't want to bore you all with the details…"

"It's not boring; I wanna know more about those people! It's stupid that they bullied you for your hair. They're stupid."

Mikina gave an exasperated sigh. "Yukina, please don't insult people."

"But if they can't hear what I'm saying, they have nothing to feel insulted over!"

"Yukina!"

Knowing that part of her job was to watch over this girl, Clarith knelt down, wanting to calm her down. "They were mean to me, yes, but I don't want to dwell on that anymore." She had to tell this to herself as well. It still hurt to think back to all those times people spit upon her, but she had to look to the future. Even now, she was still scared of the idea of living outside the forest; her first night had been interrupted now and then by the sounds of city life. However, she genuinely wanted to move on in her life, and if leaving Yatski and the Held Forest behind was part of it, then so be it. "I need to keep moving forward."

"But don't you want to punish them? When someone does something wrong, they get punished."

Clarith thought carefully, knowing that if she said the wrong thing, it would make her seem unqualified to her employers. "…If I tried to give them back what they've given to me, that'd be called revenge. It would only make things more hostile."

There had been a few rare moments of defiance from Clarith, but she was beaten down each time. Even her apologies for her existence had started out as a sarcastic remark; the one mocking her then proceeded to tell her that if she really believed it, then why was she still alive? In her case, leaving the town was the best thing she could have done.

"Maybe one day I can return there and show them the life I've made. But right now, I only want to focus on living here."

Yukina didn't seem to be completely satisfied by this answer, but it did stop her for pushing the subject further. "I guess I get it." She then perked up, choosing not to think about it anymore. "Well, we won't bully you here! You'll definitely be happy now!"

Clarith got up, taking a moment to look around at her luxurious soundings, then at Michaela, who was waiting for her at the end of the hall. "I'm already much happier."

Life as maids of the Freezis family was hectic. Every day involved cooking meals and cleaning dishes, and they often had to tidy up the house and wash their clothing. Yukina was a very rowdy girl who enjoyed jumping around and roughhousing, and sometimes it almost seemed like she was willing to get into a physical fight with other children over perceived injustices, even after Clarith's chat with her. None of this deterred the girls, though, and even as they worked hard each day, they found that they were much at peace than they had been in Yatski.

For Michaela, it was an opportunity to experience the world for herself, rather than having to rely on what Held told her. While her main reason for becoming human was to comfort Clarith, the fact that she could move around and communicate with others and just be was exhilarating. There were some days where the workload did not consume a whole day, and this gave Michaela time to dance about in the streets and let all her senses drown in her surroundings. So long as she didn't go overboard and fawn over something as simple as a streetlight, she didn't have to worry about blowing her cover even when in the company of others. She could find many ways to keep herself entertained, such as testing out all sorts of snacks from the bakers and the food stands, watching public performers play their instruments and show off their magic tricks, and even simply sitting by fountains, watching water spray into the air and rain down into the pool. There were so many little things that enriched human life.

Even at the manor, there were interesting days, as Keel Freezis received many visitors; because of how much influence he held over Elphegort, numerous diplomats chose to appeal to him about any suggestions they had. And one day, just a few weeks into Michaela's job, a very unique yet familiar visitor arrived at the mansion.

Elluka Clockworker was easily able to gain an audience with Keel, as she was well-known as one of the three Great Heroes of Lucifenia who defended it during the war with Beelzenia and Asmodean. She had been the top adviser to the previous rulers and remained in Riliane's court as her head magician. Her reputation as a powerful sorceress had caught Keel's attention when she sent him a letter requesting that they have a private meeting about a magical artifact of some kind; Michaela speculated that it was about the vessels of sin, but she couldn't just join in, as it would be hard to explain why an orphan from Toragay would know about such a sensitive secret. The conversation Elluka and Keel had on that day was behind locked doors, keeping out even Elluka's new apprentice.

Clarith was busy watching the twins while Mikina tutored Yukina, so when Michaela was done cleaning up after lunch, she had a chance to approach the apprentice with short green hair. The girl was currently sitting outside, next to one of the trees in the front yard, and Michaela knelt down next to her, recognizing who, no, what she truly was. "What's your name?"

"Gumillia. And yours?"

"Michaela."

Although the city was an amazing place, Michaela still felt a bit homesick at times. For the first time since she moved to Aceid, however, she was finally feeling a connection back to the Held Forest, in the form of this fellow spirit. The term "sisters" would have been fitting for them, as they shared the same origins. Their paths split just a few hours after they were transformed, and Elluka and Gumillia were gone by the time Clarith took Michaela away. It was a pleasant surprise to get to talk with her sister again, even if she was very quiet and distant.

It seemed that contrast was a constant theme of Michaela's life as a human, as she and Gumillia shared little in common besides their true identities, starting with the appearances they had chosen for themselves. Gumillia was made in the image of an Asmodean aristocrat named Gumina Glassred. She had grown up with Sateriajis Venomania, going from being his friend to being his bully, and he both loved and hated her. These emotions were so closely intertwined that, after he made his deal with the devil, he didn't think twice before enchanting and raping her.

After his death, Gumina was scorned by her former friends, who told her that it was all her fault Venomania became a monster. She was told that all she did was hurt people that loved her and that if she had just returned his feelings, that whole debacle would not have happened. This was not a totally unique event, however, as the attitude toward the victims was abhorrent throughout the whole region; most of them ended up being driven out of the country, fleeing to new places to start their lives over. In fact, one of Clarith's ancestors, a woman named Hakua Netsuma, had been one of his victims who ended up running away to Elphegort to escape the contempt, just like Gumina did.

In defiance to the empire that shamed her, Gumina began to travel from town to town there in order to defend not just herself, but all the women of the town who had been hurt by him. It was a difficult battle she could never decisively win, but she had helped ease some of the torment. Gumina refused the apology of her family, however, instead staying in Elphegort and becoming its first female prime minister and a lifelong advocate for women's rights. She visited the Held Forest often, becoming a follower of Held, and it was there that Gumillia saw her for the first time.

On the other side of the coin was the woman that Michaela resembled, Eve Moonlit. If Gumina's actions left a positive effect on the world, then Eve was the source of all its evil. She herself wasn't an evil person, but her emotional strength and grip on reality had deteriorated throughout much of her life, starting with the abuse of her lover and the death of her infant twins. Less than a year later, she hallucinated that she was stealing two apples from a vicious bear, when she had actually murdered a woman and kidnapped her own twin children; Michaela had witnessed this event herself. It only went downhill from there for the next thirteen years, and during a famine she and her husband chose to save themselves and abandon the children to die in the forest. The twins came back, their own hearts tattered, and shoved her into the fireplace, thinking she was a fairytale witch.

As Eve suffered an agonizing death, seven bright lights flared from her body. The Original Sin that had rooted in her soul had split apart and was unwittingly scattered all across the world by the children; each piece lied dormant until the time came for them to corrupt someone who would later commit a deadly sin. So far, only two had awakened, and a third was beginning to play out. There were four more in waiting, and each awakening would herald an atrocity. That meant there would be seven crimes against humanity that only came about because of that one night where a scared woman believed a bear was going to kill her.

When Elluka used her magic on the two spirits, she told them to think of someone they wanted to look like as humans. Gumillia picked Gumina out of respect what she had done for the world. Even if it did open the way for a dictator like Riliane and a manipulator like Prim, it also allowed Anne to rule without question and lead Lucifenia into glory. On the other hand, Michaela took Eve's form because she had committed such a terrible crime. Perhaps in another world, someone could have recognized Eve's breakdown before it hit the point of no return and supported her, eventually helping her learn to cope with her loss. In that world, the Original Sin would not have been created, at least by Eve, and she could have lived a full and happy life instead of dying horrifically at the hands of the children to whom she had denied their own happiness.

What might have happened if Clarith was still bullied? It was known that people under pressure could do unspeakable things. Even people who weren't tainted with a deadly sin had carried out crimes either in self-preservation or out of blind love. There wasn't any way to be absolutely certain what Clarith might have done, but Michaela had seen a glimpse of pure rage from her when she snapped at her by the village well. It wasn't unrealistic to think that she could give in to that fury if she ever reached her breaking point.

"How is the white-haired girl?" Gumillia asked, jolting Michaela out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, Clarith is doing just fine! She's still very shy, but not so much that you'd have to drag her out of the house."

"That's good to hear." Another difference between the two was their personalities. Where Michaela was enthusiastic, Gumillia was stoic. It was a good trait to have for someone who had to assist an ageless sorceress in tracking down the fragments of sin, but not so much for someone who was being put into social situations. "What do you plan to do ten or twenty years down the road?"

"Well, I'd probably still be with Clarith, and I don't think we'll leave the city. Maybe we'll stop working for Mister Freezis and find another job, like being bakers."

"All while you're still in a teenage body?"

Michaela couldn't find a suitable reply to that. She had kept pushing aside the reality of her relationship with Clarith; she was a spirit in a body that would never age, and Clarith was a mortal human. How was she going to tell her the truth, and when? Would she ever tell Clarith about herself?

"You cannot be with her forever. She'll become suspicious of you, and you may have to flee. Even if you aren't run out of town by her, she'll still grow old and die."

"But I don't want to leave her side…"

"You've granted her wish and given her friendship, and you even got her out of Yatski. Haven't you fulfilled your promise yet?"

"No, I haven't!" Michaela's response was more defensive than she would have liked it to be, and she took a moment to calm down before continuing. "I mean… It's not like there's a concrete goal for this like there is for cleaning the house or finding the fragments of sin. Friendship is…"

Just how could she describe friendship when she was still learning about human relationships? Even though the inhabitants of the Held Forest had watched civilization develop and could explain the emotions behind the major events in human history, none of them had any personal experience before now with the fine details about interacting with humans. Michaela was adjusting to toning down her curiosity a bit so that she wouldn't overwhelm everyone, but she hadn't thought about how to put her friendship with Clarith into simple words.

"Friendship is wanting to be with that other person forever, even if it seems impossible. It's laughing together in the face of adversity and protecting each other from those that would do you harm. It's loyalty, kindness, forgiveness… It's a lot like what humans call love, in its truest form."

Love. It was sometimes used as an excuse to hurt others. Duke Venomania supposedly loved Gumina, so it was perfectly okay to force her into his harem. Allen loved Riliane, so he had become her faithful servant and followed her order to kill his foster father. Yet there existed love that was untouched by evil, such as the love between all members of the Freezis family; even if they annoyed each other sometimes, they always made up after their arguments and laughed about it together later on. There was the love that Queen Anne had for Lucifenia and all who resided in it, guiding the country into a short but glorious period of prosperity. Untainted love was one of the most beautiful things a living creature could experience, and Michaela finally understood what it felt like, even if she couldn't translate it into words.

"So, do you love Clarith?"

"Yes." She didn't know yet if it was platonic or romantic, but she was certain that she loved her. That was all that she could be certain of when it came to human interactions. "It's very hard to explain. I hope that one day you'll find someone else you love, Gumillia, so that you can see what I'm talking about."

"That would be nice, but I don't want it to distract me from my work. Finding the fragments is more important than making friends. That reminds me, Michaela… Elluka has a message for you."

"Yes?"

Gumillia's stony mask finally broke for a fleeting moment as her brow furrowed with worry. "She says that you need to be cautious now; the robin you once inhabited was killed by a fox five days ago, and you don't have another body to return to, so you must be careful with the one you have now. We're not sure if you can get a new animal body, since you've been away from Held for a while."

Michaela winced, for she did not like the idea of the body she had for five hundred years being destroyed so easily, but at the same time, she was in no hurry to return to her old life in the forest. "Is that all?"

"No. We're still monitoring Lucifenia, and she's certain that Riliane's role is about to end, maybe in a few months at most… The gears of destruction churn once more, and Elluka warns you to be prepared to flee if the coming disasters spill over here."

Michaela felt her body stiffen as she considered this warning. Elphegort was right next door to Lucifenia, and it wasn't implausible that a war that originated there could impact this kingdom, especially given the widespread damage that the previous sinners had caused; Venomania kidnapped several queens and princesses. Riliane's reign of terror affected only Lucifenia so far – it had actually been her father that defeated Asmodean and Beelzenia, although they had attacked his kingdom first – but the influence from the sins could cause her to take a turn for the worse…

"Where would we flee to?"

Gumillia thought about that for a second, her face returning to a neutral expression. "The deserts of Asmodean would be the best chance, as it has already been cleaned out by Lucifenia's forces long ago. There isn't much that Riliane can do to it. Continue east, and you'll leave the Evillious region entirely."

"East…" Michaela grimaced. Would she be able to convince Clarith to travel across the continent for no apparent reason? She could try waiting for an actual threat to pop up so that she wouldn't have to explain why she had knowledge of an impending disaster, but that might be too late to escape. Leaving for Asmodean herself and leaving Clarith behind was completely out of the question. Still, at least she had some warning in advance of potential complications, giving her time to figure out what to do. "Thank you for the advice, Gumillia. I'll consider it."

As Gumillia nodded, a female voice called out her name. The two girls looked back to see that the front doors were open, with Elluka and Keel standing there.

Michaela quickly stood up, not wanting to look like she had been shirking work. "I'm sorry, Mister Freezis, but I had finished clearing the table and washing the dishes, and I thought that I might chat with Gumillia for a while…"

Gumillia got onto her feet as well, helping build a cover for Michaela. "We were childhood friends, you see." She then turned her attention to Elluka. "I am ready when you are, Elluka."

"Right, kiddo." Elluka walked over to Gumillia's side, then looked back at Keel. "Thank you again, Mister Freezis. I may come to you in the future and deliver that item to you for safekeeping, if circumstances call for it."

"I wish you luck on your travels." Keel was smiling, but Michaela could see that he couldn't stop nervously looking at the scabbard on Elluka's hip. She wondered if she was planning on letting him hold onto Venomania's sword; a merchant would be expected to have all kinds of fancy objects, so Keel having the sword would not raise suspicion.

It wasn't as if she could ask him for more information, however, and she tried to ignore her curiosity, instead just seeing the sorceress and her apprentice off. When she went back into the mansion with Keel, he managed to do a pretty good job of masking his fears, simply asking her to prepare some tea.

Life had to go on as normal, no matter what may or may not have been on the horizon. It hurt Michaela to have to keep hiding the truth, but she didn't feel she was close enough to any of them to be able to reveal just what she was. Even Clarith had to be kept in the dark. Michaela wondered if she was just scared that Clarith wouldn't love her back if she found out what she was.

Clarith could scarcely catch her breath, even after all the work had been finished. The whole Freezis household had been buzzing with activity the entire day, as that night, Kyle Marlon would be visiting. She knew that he was the king of a country across the sea, but this was the first time that she learned that he was very friendly with the Freezis family; Keel was his childhood friend, and Mikina was a distant cousin of his. After they left Marlon and settled down in Elphegort, Kyle visited every month to be able to spend time with them.

The entire city of Aceid always celebrated these nights. It was true that this had been going on for years and was nothing new, but he was still a foreign king and needed to be treated as such. Initially, Clarith and Michaela were tasked only with meal preparation, but as the sun began to set, they couldn't help but notice Keel pacing around the house, fretting over something.

As it turned out, the woman who was supposed to sing during the festivities had become ill the day before, and her condition only got worse, her throat becoming too raw for her job. There was now the problem of finding a last-minute replacement.

It was then that Michaela offered to take her place, and proceeded to demonstrate her singing abilities for Keel. Clarith already knew how wonderful her voice could be, but was still surprised when he decided to let her be the singer, chiefly because it meant a major change of plans for both of them. She had been hoping to spend time with Michaela as they served the guests at the Freezis manor, but she would have to focus on preparing for the song, away from where Clarith would be working. They wouldn't have a chance to hang out until the last third of the party.

Still, she found some comfort in the fact that they got to greet the king together. As the sun began to set, the partygoers all stood in the front yard of the mansion, with the family and their maids at the gate, watching as a blue and white carriage made its way down the street and in front of the first to exit the carriage were royal guards who cleared a path. Then came the trumpeters, ready to provide fanfare the moment the king showed his face. Clarith was intrigued by all of the flourish he was being given, especially given that this was a monthly ritual.

The trumpets heralded the exit of the king, who stepped out of his carriage and headed straight for the gates. Clarith couldn't help but smile, especially when she noticed his dark blue hair. Would those people from Yatski have applauded for this man the same way the crowds behind her were applauding? She had only been in Aceid for a few weeks, and yet she felt comfortable enough to call it her new home.

She and Michaela stood back as Kyle approached their employers first. He embraced Keel the way that only old friends could, gave Mikina a friendly kiss on her hand, and patted the children on their heads when Yukina hugged him tightly. His attention then came to the maids, and Clarith suddenly felt like a stone had been dropped into her stomach; only now was she realizing just how close she was standing to royalty, especially once he started to ask about them. "Are these your new servants? I know you said the last one was retiring…"

Mikina nodded, then introduced the pair. "Clarith and Michaela. They've been here for just a few weeks, and they've already proven themselves to be exceptional workers!"

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies." Kyle shook their hands, and Clarith just couldn't stop trembling. It felt like a dream, and she was expecting to, at any moment, watch Yukina turn into a firebreathing dragon while Kyle's hair changed into all the colors of the rainbow.

As Kyle turned away to speak to his hosts, Michaela leaned in close to Clarith, whispering. "Your face is as red as a tomato, you know."

"I-I know!" Clarith squeaked, before quickly lowering her voice, thankful that no one else seemed to have noticed. "It's just that… You know, I've only ever seen kings in storybooks. And suddenly I get to meet one in person… It's a lot to take in!"

Michaela giggled at her nervous reactions, although Clarith understood that it was meant in good fun. "Well, you would have never gotten that chance if we hadn't left Yatski, right?"

She couldn't argue with that. It was amazing how something as little as finding a friend that could encourage her into taking bold steps out of her comfort zone had changed the whole course of her life. Had Michaela not collapsed by that tree, Clarith would have still been in the village, mocked for her ugly hair.

A shudder rippled through her body, and Clarith unconsciously ran her hand through her ponytail. Sometimes, she still felt revulsion when she thought about her hair. It was a thought that had deeply embedded itself into her and refused to go away. Even as she made a living in a whole new environment where no one cared about something as silly as hair colors, she still sometimes felt she didn't quite fit in.

Michaela had noticed her trembling, and her smile faded into a frown. "Are you alright?"

"Michaela!" Keel had been leading his family and Kyle toward the front doors of his manor, but spared a moment to look back at the maids. "Don't forget your job!" Kyle was also watching them, smiling, and Clarith had to look away from embarrassment.

"Oh, right, sorry about that, sir!" Michaela responded. She then sighed, addressing Clarith once more. "I really should get going now."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you scolded," Clarith quickly muttered, her old habits beginning to rear their faces.

Michaela clicked her tongue, and then pulled Clarith into an embrace. "Didn't I say that you never have to apologize to me again?" She let go, and her grin returned. "Just take care. I'll see you later, after the song!"

She then walked away, disappearing into the crowd to find the musicians she was supposed to work with, leaving Clarith to reflect on the past few minutes. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding now, and yet her mind was now no longer on the king, but rather on her friend. Michaela was right; Clarith needed to stop putting herself down. It was a task easier said than done, of course, but as long as they were by each other's sides, it wasn't an impossible dream.

The hours flew by in a flurry of celebrations. Everyone had moved to the massive backyard of the manor, enjoying the outdoor dinner. Clarith's job was to stay near the tables and keep an eye on the supply of food, replacing it with the stocks that were still inside the home if needed. Occasionally, there would be someone asking her where a specific meal was located, and she would direct that person to it. It kept her busier than her usual daily work, and she had no time to seek out where Michaela had gone, although every now and then, she looked over at the empty stage that had been set up.

It was during this that a boy approached her. "Have you seen where King Kyle's gone?"

Clarith hadn't quite expected this question, and she had to think about the answer. "Um… I think I saw him in the gardens with Master Freezis." She turned around to see who she was talking to. The adolescent boy wore a white cloak, covering whatever clothing he had underneath, but he left the hood down, not trying to hide his tied-up yellow hair.

The boy sighed. "Great, I have to wait for them to stop talking… Thanks anyway, miss."

"You're welcome. Is it okay if I ask why you wish to speak with him?" It seemed to be very bold of the boy to want to just walk up and talk to the king, so Clarith assumed that there was more to him than at first sight.

"Oh, it's not much. My lady just wants to send him a message. She refuses to come out of her carriage right now, however – doesn't want the poor to gawk at her, you see."

Clarith figured that this boy served a very high-ranking noble, and a haughty one at that. Before she could inquire further, a young girl's voice called out. "Allen! Allen, you jerk!"

Another adolescent rushed over to where they were standing. Her gold-colored hair was extremely long, tied up into a ponytail on the side of her head, and she wore the clothes of a maid, although Clarith was fascinated by the golden trim on the hems; she would have assumed that she was a noble incognito had it not been for the boy returning her annoyed gaze, looking directly into her eyes. Was their mistress a generous soul, or did she just want to flaunt her wealth by dressing up their servants?

"Ney, what are you going on about this time?"

The girl, Ney, stuck her lower lip out, still upset. "How dare you leave me and the princess all alone!? You're supposed to stay by her side!"

"She requested that she be left alone," Allen countered. "She's not a toddler in need of constant supervision. Besides, haven't you left her all alone as well by coming to find me?"

"I–!" Ney quickly went quiet, unable to refute Allen's point. "…Well, still, you could have at least warned me you were going into the party."

"I was looking for Kyle. He's busy at the moment."

The more they spoke with each other, the more Clarith was feeling lost. "I can, um, go now, if you'd like."

"Oh? Nah, it's okay!" Ney's mood lifted, and she gave a little smirk as she looked over Clarith. "Huh. That's an interesting hair color. Are you a Netsuma?"

"Y-Yes. How did you know that?"

"Ah, well, they were mentioned in a couple of books I read. Their blood's been diluted a bunch, but there're still some white-haired ones left, like you." Ney extended her hand in greeting. "I'm Ney Futapie, and this dope here is Allen Avadonia."

"I'm Clarith," she responded. "So you work for a princess? Which one?"

"Riliane Lucifen D'Autriche of Lucifenia," Allen replied flatly, as if he had rehearsed this line often so that he could recite it flawlessly.

"Riliane," Clarith repeated, her voice faltering. As isolated as she had been all her life, she still heard bits of information about the child monarch, and in the few weeks she spent at Aceid, she learned about how Lucifenia was losing its status as the most prosperous country as a result of her rule. She was a bit worried to know that Riliane was in a carriage somewhere nearby, but she decided that as long as she didn't do anything to insult her or her servants, she would be alright. "What is it like to serve her?" Clarith hoped to get her mind off her concerns by asking questions.

"Tough," Ney replied. "She demands only the best of us, and severely punishes those who can't live up to those standards."

"I can't complain, though," Allen said. "As strict as she is, I enjoy working for her. It's very rewarding to see her joy at a job well done."

Ney grinned. "I think Allen has a crush on her. He's always talking highly of her and defending her from the slightest criticism."

"I do not have a crush on my lady! Stop spreading rumors, Ney!" Allen snapped, highly embarrassed by these comments. He quickly picked up the conversation in order to get the subject off whether or not he had feelings for his princess. "Clarith, what is it like working for Mister Freezis?"

"Busy. He's not as strict, but he has us do a lot of work. We clean, we cook, we shop. I've been babysitting his children, and my friend is actually going to be the singer tonight!"

"Really? He's allowing a servant to take on that role?" Allen looked surprised by this.

"It was a last-minute arrangement. I'll introduce you to her once she's done." She was surprising herself with how easily she was handling a social situation, figuring that some of Michaela and Yukina's enthusiasm had rubbed off on her these past few weeks.

Clarith glanced around, and she saw that people were flocking toward the crowd of seats that were set up in front of the stage. Mikina and Keel stood in front of the curtains on the stage, waiting for enough of an audience to gather before she started the show. Clarith gestured for her guests to follow her, leading them to the edge of a row close to the front, with Allen seated between them and Ney taking the outermost seat.

After about another minute, Mikina was prepared to begin, and she spoke loudly to get her voice heard. "Thank you all for coming here tonight, and thank you, King Kyle, for visiting our home once more! Tonight, the musician Anthony Arpeggio and his band will be providing entertainment. His lead singer is currently under the weather, however, and her substitute tonight will be Michaela from Toragay!"

The pair grabbed the curtains and headed for opposite ends of the stage, revealing the musicians behind them. Clarith did not know any songs from Anthony's group, although he figured that he was a renowned musician given that he was performing for a king. She was also unable to identify most of the instruments, although they resembled guitars and violins. In the end, though, all of her focus was on Michaela.

Michaela was borrowing one of Mikina's dresses, as she had no fancy clothes of her own. After a few seconds of instrumentals, she began to join in. Her voice was a high soprano, almost like the voice of a songbird, but she understood how to wield and control such a voice. Michaela did not hold any notes longer than she had to, focusing on fitting the slow tone of the song:

"Only you and I will ever be in this room

"Let's keep on singing the lullaby together

"I won't ever try to learn about the outside world

"Because that is what you wish."

Clarith shut her eyes, being drawn into the melody. It was mellow and calming, almost like a lullaby, and she was tempted to simply fall asleep to this tune. However, she couldn't help but notice the melancholy tone, and her throat closed tight around a lump as the song triggered raw emotion from her.

Before she knew it, applause erupted all around her. Had she truly nodded off? She glanced over to her guests, seeing that Ney was clapping, even though her own eyes were half-shut. Allen, on the other hand, sat dumbstruck, his gaze fixed firmly on Michaela as she curtsied in appreciation for the ovation.

Ney noticed this and elbowed her friend in the ribs. "Hey, Allen, you're drooling!" she joked.

"I am not!" he insisted. While he was correct, Ney's remarks made his cheeks flush, and he turned away from her and toward Clarith. "You said she was your friend, right?"

"Yes. We met a few weeks ago, but we're pretty close…"

"What's her name, again?"

"Michaela."

"Michaela," Allen repeated softly. "It's a fitting name for her. She's a wonderful singer, you know."

"Allen's got a crush!" Ney teased loudly, giggling. "Wait 'till I tell Riliane that you're looking at other girls!"

"Quiet!" Allen scolded. "Look, Kyle's getting on stage. Pay attention!"

Ney refused to let him have the last word, repeating his words back at him mockingly before crossing her arms, sinking into her seat. The appearance of the Marlon king seemed to have turned her attitude to mischievous to just plain rotten.

Kyle and his hosts made their way onto the set, shaking hands with the performers. He then prepared to make a speech, standing center stage, where Michaela once stood. "Citizens of Aceid City! I thank you for yet another grand party! The people of Elphegort are always so kind and welcoming, and I always feel right at home upon your soil. They say that green is the color of vibrant life, and I believe that you all represent this the most."

"He says this crap every month," Ney muttered. "It's just theatrics he uses to hide the fact that he's spineless compared to his mother Prim– Ow!" It was Allen's turn to elbow her in the ribs, shushing her. Several people looked over at the duo, annoyed at their noisiness, and Clarith just hoped they weren't lumping her in with them.

Kyle did not notice this interruption and kept on talking without missing a beat. "I must say, Keel, I didn't know that you were training your servants to become singers."

"I'm not! Michaela just volunteered, because we had a little problem with the planned singer…"

"Is that so? Then you are quite impeccable, Miss Michaela, to be able to sing with little preparation."

"Thank you, sir. Please enjoy the festivities my masters have organized for you."

It seemed that Michaela expected Kyle to continue his speech, and she backed further away to give him room. However, Kyle seemed more interested in continuing their conversation and took a few steps in her direction. "If it isn't a bother, Miss Michaela, I would like to spend some time with you for the rest of the evening."

"Really? I would love to! Clarith, did you hear that?" Michaela looked toward the audience, quickly seeking out the head of white hair. Her excitement rubbed off on Clarith, who grinned and nodded. They, two lowly maids who came from faraway villages, would get to be in the company of a king!

"Clarith… That's the name of the other maid, correct?"

"Yes. I promised to spend some time with her as well, so I hope you won't mind her being with us."

"I see. It's not too much of a problem…" Even from all the way in the audience, Clarith could hear Kyle's hesitance, and her soaring mood crashed; he definitely had some sort of problem with her presence. Kyle continued to ramble. "I have to leave by tomorrow night, however… Would you be interested in accompanying me to Marlon?"

"Wh-what!? Do you really mean that!?" Michaela looked around, at Kyle, at the Freezises, at Clarith, as if trying to find approval for this plan. "I… I have never been outside of Elphegort, sir. I don't know where I would live in Marlon."

"I could arrange housing for you with a noble family. I would really like to get to know you, Michaela."

"You cheating pig!" Ney could no longer keep her jeers quiet. Everyone stared at her as she stood up. "You're already engaged, aren't you!?" Allen quickly stood up with her, trying to calm her down, and Clarith just slumped into her chair, trying to pretend she did not exist.

Kyle flinched at these words, but did not reply immediately to Ney, even as Allen pulled her out of and away from the audience, leaving Clarith alone. "…Yes. As many of you know, I was betrothed to Princess Riliane of Lucifenia when I was thirteen."

"Sit down!" someone harshly whispered to Clarith. She hadn't even realized that she had shot out of her seat when Kyle admitted that. The idea that an engaged man was flirting with her friend upset her greatly, and she was still livid even as she sat back down.

"But I don't care about that. Michaela, I am fascinated by you. You're beautiful and talented, and I would like to have a chance to know you better."

"Kyle, I…" Michaela looked once more to the audience. "I have a good friend that I don't want to leave behind, though…"

"The other maid? She can join you in the court as well, if that's what you'd like."

"It's just so much. I… I can't answer now, sir. It's too sudden. I need to think." Without waiting for his answer, Michaela fled off the stage, heading straight into the audience and next to Clarith's seat.

Clarith wasn't sure what to say or do. On one hand, the idea of getting to live among the high class in Marlon was elating. However, it was such a huge change from what she was used to that it was also rather scary. She could understand why even Michaela would need time to think about it.

More concerning, however, was that she kept getting stuck on one detail: Kyle wanted to court Michaela, even though he was already engaged. How could anyone be sure that he wouldn't throw Michaela away on a whim just like he did for his fiancée? Was it acceptable for a king to date a common maid? And why did the idea of Michaela being in a relationship with someone make Clarith feel like she was being deprived of her friendship with her? It wasn't like having a boyfriend would keep her from spending time with anyone else, and yet Clarith couldn't stop feeling envious of Kyle, as if he was stealing something from her.

Kyle sighed heavily, the appearance of a strong leader fading away. "That's fine, Michaela. I'm not going to force you to do something you aren't comfortable with. However!" He stood up straight, regaining his tone of authority. "Let it be known now that I care nothing about Riliane. She is a tyrant, and I will not carry out my mother's wishes. My engagement to her is over."

Clarith recalled with a start that the servants she had been talking to had mentioned that they worked for the Lucifenian princess and that she was in a nearby carriage.

The indignant voice of a young girl caught the attention of the crowd. "Oh, really, Kyle? Would you mind repeating that to my face?"

Standing by the audience, flanked by Ney and Allen, was Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche.

Chapter 3: I'm Sorry for Being Alive

Chapter Text

When confronted with a scenario she did not like, Riliane's first reaction was to kill everyone that had displeased her. The problem was that, while she had a vague idea of what Michaela looked like, she had fled the scene too fast to be captured, and no one was willing to tell Riliane who exactly she was. She then made a very simple order: Elphegort was to be utterly destroyed, and every green-haired woman residing in it was to be captured and executed. That way, she could be sure that the right girl died. As for the others that weren't her… Well, who cared? They all should have gone and dyed their hair black or something the moment the invaders crossed the border between the two kingdoms.

Lucifenia's army was ruthless. They had already devastated Beelzenia and Asmodean long before Riliane was born, so what was one more kingdom? Even though there were several towns separating Aceid from the Lucifenian border, there was still not enough time to properly defend against the onslaught. And when the royal family, made up entirely of green-haired individuals, was marched out into the streets and publicly decapitated to symbolize the power of Riliane, the capital was plunged into absolute pandemonium. Many citizens were able to flee the city, but others ran into dead-end streets or were simply too slow to outrun the soldiers. Eventually, a chunk of Lucifenia's forces had the city surrounded, and they began the slow process of searching for any green-haired female, woman or child, that had not managed to escape in time.

Kyle had left the mansion for his own safety, finding refuge somewhere deep in the market district. It was understandable, given that his actions contributed to this invasion, and not only was there a chance that he was being targeted as well, but he likely had enemies from Elphegort who blamed him for what was happening. Keel wasn't satisfied with just this, however. Michaela had already been seen on the premises by several servants that had reported it to Riliane, so who was to say that there weren't any special orders to search the manor for her?

That was why she was spending her time hiding in a well down the street. It was a shallow well that was built generations ago and fell out of use when the water level dropped, but it was just big enough for her to fit in. It was extremely uncomfortable, but Michaela just grit her teeth and endured it. Sooner or later, Lucifenia's soldiers would leave the capital, and she could go back into the mansion. Until then, she relied on Clarith to send her food, clean water, and information.

She knew that Kyle had been engaged to Riliane, and she knew the danger in being anywhere near him. That was most of the reason that she had rejected him so easily. Michaela hadn't expected chaos to break loose overnight, though, and she couldn't help but regret ever volunteering for the role of singer.

Screams pierced through Michaela's mind, killing her concentration. It seemed that the soldiers of Lucifenia hadn't quite finished up their invasion. It was the night of the third day now. Was Aceid really so huge that they had to search it so thoroughly? Had they reached other towns yet? Had they reached Clarith's hometown?

Michaela had only her thoughts to keep her company during her time in the well. It was dangerous enough to have Clarith send food down there, as just hiding and helping a green-haired girl was enough to be targeted by the army, and if she was seen sticking around by the well, then both of them would die.

It hit Michaela then that she too was at fault for this invasion, to some extent. Had she truly been a sixteen-year-old orphan from Aceid, she would have been clueless about the extent of Riliane's cruelty, and she couldn't be held accountable for that lack of knowledge. The reality was that she was a spirit of the Held Forest, and she knew that Riliane would one day carry out Superbia. All it would take was some kind of trigger, even a minor one, but Michaela's presence as a human girl had sped that up, and perhaps even changed the fate of Elphegort; for all she knew, the destruction might have been contained in Lucifenia alone had she not showed up.

She should have left Elphegort entirely and traveled far away from Lucifenia to minimize the chances of crossing paths with Riliane, but she was too engrossed in the city and all the new experiences it had to offer to seriously consider leaving, even with Gumillia's warning. There was also the problem of not wanting to trouble Clarith and trying to make sure she stayed within her comfort zone, which also ruled out a trip to the other side of the continent. This invasion, this genocide, existed only because she became human just to make one person happy.

A lump formed in her throat at that thought. How many women and girls had died because of her existence? The goal of Held was to cleanse the world of its sins, not cause more suffering on top of what already existed. There was no way to turn the clock back and return to peaceful times, though, and all she could do was keep looking toward the future, and that meant protecting everyone she could from further harm.

What kind of hell was Clarith going through, not knowing how her friend was doing and whether her hometown was safe? What about Gumillia? Had she been seen? Would Elluka be willing to mark herself as a traitor to Riliane in order to protect her apprentice, or would she decide that her own life was more important and choose to abandon her to die?

There were so many questions, and not a single one had an answer. A crushing despair was starting to get to Michaela, and she tried to focus on positive things that she was certain about to ward it off. She was in this well for her own protection, and even though it was damp and cramped, she would be pulled out the moment it was safe for her to be seen in town. Kyle was also in hiding, but he was not going to abandon his allies, and he had already made the choice to reject Riliane. There was no turning back for him, and even if he and Michaela were not meant to be, she took solace in the fact that she wasn't the only one who could not return to the past.

Most importantly, no matter what happened, she was not going to abandon Clarith. She didn't become human and befriend her just to dump her the moment trouble brewed. She didn't trigger a war just to forget her very reason for being there in the first place. Michaela loved her – romantically, she was now certain – and there was no war in the world that could tear them apart. She made an unshakable vow at that moment; Michaela was going to make to through these events and remain by Clarith's side, and she was going to be happy.

"I must fetch water for my mother," a voice sang out. It was a code phrase to warn Michaela that someone was approaching the well, and she looked up, seeing a crown of silver hair shimmering in the light of the rising moon. She smiled gratefully at Clarith, who scanned the area once more for anyone who could be searching for survivors, before placing a bucket into the well, lowering it gently with a rope.

Inside of it was a bag of food that the family set aside for her, and Michaela couldn't stop herself from immediately biting into the chicken leg, savoring the roasted flavor. Being deprived of any new stimulation to her other senses intensified these sensations, and she almost didn't hear Clarith talk to her.

"They haven't come back to the mansion. I think Mister Freesis was right; they're not under orders to kill us. We're still keeping the barricades up, just in case."

"Makes sense," Michaela replied, her mouth now full of bread from the dinner rolls. "I want you to be safe, all of you, so it's best to have too much protection than too little."

She could barely see Clarith nodding as she began to pull the now-empty bucket back up out the well. "Maybe. Just worry about yourself for now, alright? There's no doubt they're looking for you."

"I understand." Michaela continued eating, but when she saw that Clarith was about to walk away, the loneliness came rushing back. She didn't want Clarith to leave, not just yet. "Hey, please, stay with me for a while."

"You know I can't do that, Michaela… They might catch us."

She could hear the sorrow in her friend's voice, and she wanted to make sure that she didn't leave in such a downcast mood. "It'll be fine. I just want to talk to you for a minute, please."

"Mm… Fine, but only for a short while." Clarith leaned against the well.

"…Do you want to go to Marlon?" Michaela had to hear Clarith's opinion on the whole matter, even if she had no romantic interest in Kyle.

"I don't think so. It's so far away from anything I've ever known. But, um, if you want to go there, you… You can just go without me."

"It won't be nearly as fun without you, though." Michaela was finishing up her meal, allowing her to focus on Clarith. "If you're not going, then I'm not going, either."

"Michaela, you can't just throw away this chance. A king personally invited you into his court."

"He invited you, too."

"Only because you mentioned me. You'd fit in perfectly with the rich. They'll love you there…and Kyle loves you already."

Michaela had a hunch that Kyle had serious feelings for her. Unlike his mother or his former fiancée, he had a righteous heart, and with the right encouragement, he could become a great leader. However, all that wasn't enough to make her love him back. She simply did not know him well enough to marry him right away, and she wasn't interested in dating him.

"I don't love Kyle. I love you, Clarith!"

Clarith jolted up. "H-Huh!?"

Those wonderful words filled Michaela with courage to express her feelings. "I don't want to go away to Marlon, and I don't want to become a noble or even a queen. I want to stay by your side!"

"I, uh…" Clarith searched for an answer, and when that failed, she simply went with, "I need to get back to the mansion," before running away.

"Clarith, wait!" It was futile, and Michaela was left all alone. She leaned against the wall of the well and sighed, her boost of energy fading away; bluntly confessing had been a terrible idea. Clarith was a very shy person who did not react well to change, and it had taken a lot of patience just to get her willing to become friends with Michaela. A sudden declaration of love made her uncomfortable and unwilling to talk about their relationship.

The biggest problem, however, was that this confession had taken place in the middle of a war zone.

The moonlight was suddenly blocked out, and Michaela looked up and gasped, realizing that someone was looking into the well; Clarith would have given warning. The stranger's ponytail of gold-colored hair hung into the well, shimmering in the light. "Who… Who are y–"

There was the glint of a blade being thrown down the well, and white-hot agony suddenly exploded in Michaela's chest, stealing her breath away and chasing away all concrete thoughts. She could barely hear her attacker's taunts over the ringing in her ears.

"If Allen can't do this, then I will. I hope Kyle sees you. I hope he sees you and marches right into Lucifenia's gates to murder that princess. Because after you all tear each other apart, Prim will take over what is left. I'm gonna make sure that white-haired girl isn't coming back. You better be dead when I get back here." With that, she walked away, leaving Michaela to die. She could finally remember who this person was; she was Ney Marlon, lost sister of Kyle and spy for her mother Prim. If any of the spirits of the forest ever expected her to be capable of being an actual assassin, they never expressed it to Michaela.

With Ney gone, Michaela could see the beautiful night sky. Even from the bottom of the well, she could make out each individual star that shone and glittered above her, even as the edges of her vision began to blur with dark red. The ringing in her ears didn't stop, and her heartbeats grew frantic, her injured heart pumping against the knife in her chest.

Michaela couldn't pull herself out of the well, and taking out the knife would only speed up the bleeding. Was this truly it? One moment, she was healthy as she could be, even if a little cramped in the well, and the next, she was dying. Even if their animal bodies were gone, the spirits of the Held Forest could always be reborn into new bodies, but Michaela had lost her affinity with the forest, so she had no idea what would happen to her soul. Could she still return to the forest? Would she be sent to the human afterlife and to the gates of heaven and hell? Or did an entirely different fate await the wayward spirit?

"Clarith." Even though it hurt to even whisper, her name kept bubbling to her lips. The coppery taste of blood lingered in her mouth. "Clarith." This couldn't end now, not before she could make sure things were okay between them. She had promised herself to always be by her side…

Her mind went fuzzy with fragmented memories, of Eve committing the Original Sin, of Elluka reporting her progress on her quest, of Clarith catching fireflies. Even visions of no specific time frame came to her, and she saw the Thousand-Year Tree, beckoning her. Held was calling her home.

Michaela's senses faded away, and the last thing she saw before darkness consumed her was the image of Clarith's smile.

If I could be reborn…

"I'm so sorry, Clarith." Keel's words rang empty to her, and she just walked away to survey the damage the village had suffered herself. What did he have to feel sorry for? He still had his hometown in Marlon intact, and his wife and children were safe and sound at the home he had in Aceid.

He had been kind enough to honor Clarith's request to be taken to Yatski, even though she herself didn't understand why she wanted to return. Those who resided in that town had no warning whatsoever that Lucifenia's forces were coming, so there was no way that anyone could defend themselves. There was nothing left but the smoldering ruins of buildings and a few dozen men and boys. All of them had lost someone dear to them, many of them women – daughters, mothers, sisters, wives, all struck down by the army just because of their gender and hair. A few men had died, of course, but only if they chose to fight rather than flee; they weren't sought out like the others.

A mass grave was hastily built in the cemetery by the survivors, and Clarith forced herself to inspect it, just to see how many names on the makeshift tomb markers she could recognize. There was the tavern owner who accused Clarith of stealing bread. There were the girls that had turned throwing rocks at her into a game. There was the family that had adopted her, which apparently never made any effort to find out where she had gone, and over there was the name of the baker's son, who threw water at her. Most of her peers were gone, in fact. Only a couple remained, all male, and when they saw Clarith, they didn't say a single vile thing to her, instead tearfully embracing her as if she had always been part of their community.

On one hand, Clarith wanted to slap those that cried upon her shoulder. Why did they only accept her after a massacre took away their loved ones? Why did it have to take the loss of everything and everyone they ever knew for them to realize how painful it was to be all alone in the world? That said, she couldn't blame them for believing that she was mourning alongside them. Even though this village had spent nearly two decades tormenting her and making her feel like she was trash, it was still the place where she grew up, and it hurt to see familiar buildings turned into charred skeletons. She could not deny that she didn't pity the survivors. Loneliness was a horrible feeling that she couldn't wish upon her worst enemy.

Still, it wasn't this discovery of her ruined hometown that hurt the most. This wasn't the event that had left her curled on the floor for hours, paralyzed by sobs and screams. It had been coming across Michaela's body in the well. Someone had found her during the night and murdered her, not even bothering to remove the knife that was buried in her chest. And that was that; Michaela was gone. And for what reason? Just so that some snot-nosed spoiled brat could keep her fiancé all to herself?

Clarith quietly slipped away from the village, her only warning being a brief comment to Keel that she was going to take a walk by herself. She stumbled blindly through the forest, no longer feeling that she was in control of her body. Fires from Yatski had spread into the forest, and there were still some trees and shrubs burning slowly. Every place she walked was dusted in ash, and the forest was silent, with all the animals either having gone into hiding or having been killed in the fire. Before she knew it, she came across a familiar clearing, with a large tree looming overhead. Even the Thousand-Year Tree had been damaged in the attack, burnt bark peeling off its trunk.

Her memories of this location played out vividly in her head, as if she was merely an observer of a play. There she was, walking right over to the unconscious girl by the tree, internally debating whether or not she should carry her to the village. In another memory, she saw her and that girl playing together in the dead of night, their faces illuminated by the moon and the captured fireflies. And when she looked in another direction, she remembered kneeling right in that very spot and praying that one day she would have somebody by her side.

"Why?"

It was a word that began countless questions. Why did the Lucifenian army obey such a heinous order? Why did Kyle have to fall in love in Michaela, and not some other girl? Why couldn't Clarith have been that mistress so that she could die instead of her?

"Why would you give me a friend just to take her away from me?" Clarith glared upward, looking beyond the silhouetted branches overhead and out at the blood-red and ash-filled sky. She knew it was wrong to curse at the heavens and all who inhabited it, but her rage was more important to her than her morals at the moment. "Were you just trying to mock me, too? Did you want to give me a shred of joy just to slaughter it right in front of me!? I hope you're really damn happy!"

Her body became wracked with shudders, her blasphemy leaving a dry and bitter taste in her mouth. She was overwhelmed by a fury she had only experienced once before, when she believed Michaela was trying to trick her. Even now, she thought back to when she saw her lying at the bottom of the well, limbs limply contorted in uncomfortable positions, blade pierced through her chest, and lips twisted into a final smile, and she started to wonder if Michaela had been in on this sick cosmic joke, playing along in order to laugh at the heartbroken Clarith in the afterlife.

This one thought brought tears of horror to her eyes. What was she thinking? How could she spit upon Michaela's memory like that? Her grief was driving her mad, and she could do nothing but let it consume her.

The last thing she had done to Michaela was reject her love. It was an unexpected confession done at a bad time, but there was no excuse for her running away and evading reality. Clarith had tried to justify it to herself when she left to return to the manor: She knew that had she accepted, there were people who would sneer at them for their love. She didn't want to return that that hell and take Michaela with her, so she ran away to avoid having to confront their feelings.

When she reached the gates of the mansion, however, she thought about how joyful she was with Michaela, how her life truly began when they met, and how much it hurt to see another person flirt with her. Clarith kept telling herself that it would be doomed, and yet she could not deny that she didn't want to be by her side. Michaela got her out of Yatski, and she could probably find a place where no one could ever harm them again.

Clarith made the decision to return to the well, if only to apologize for her behavior. However, a gruesome sight awaited her…

Clarith would never get to apologize to Michaela now. She'd never get to tell her they could take a chance on romance, never get to spend her life with her either as her friend or as her lover, never get to see that beautiful smile again. She was no longer afraid to admit that Michaela had been the most important person to her, but it was too late to do anything about it.

"Please, just smite me now!" she yelled in half-hearted defiance to the heavens. "You heard me! I blamed you for all that happened! Punish me! Strike me down, and let her live in my place!" The only reply to her cries were the calls of startled birds who were taking flight to flee from this noise. This silence ate away at her, letting her incoherent thoughts muddle together, and her lower lip began to tremble, all will to merely keep standing melting away from her. "Please… I-I want to switch places with her. I just want Michaela back…"

Her words melted into sorrowful mumbling broken up by sobs, and Clarith collapsed to her knees, burying her face into her hands. A familiar feeling was flooding back into her, drowning her. She was all alone again.

It was a complete mess. Elluka let loose a stream of curses under her breath. She had failed again.

One month ago, she had tried to search through Riliane's castle to find her vessel of sin, but during the revolution, the rebels did their own looting, taking whatever that object was with them. Elluka had obtained only one fragment of sin out of three that had shown themselves, and her failure rate infuriated her.

Elluka tried to hide her anger, though, as she had to focus on Gumillia. Her apprentice was sprawled across the roots of the damaged Thousand-Year Tree, trembling. When in the forest, her strong connection to it was rekindled, and that meant that she was currently attuned to its suffering. Elluka had run away from Lucifenia with her to protect her from the genocide, but she failed to reach Michaela in time.

Although Gumillia was normally calm and stoic, the destruction in the forest and the death of her friend unbalanced her. She rubbed her face against the rough, ashy bark, breathing heavily as she looked to Held for comfort. From the way her expressions changed, it seemed it was consoling her in her mind, locking Elluka out of these personal matters.

After some time of this, Held finally addressed her, its words echoing into her head. "You failed again, Elluka." Gumillia went still, letting her teacher deal with Held herself. Being burned by the flames of war did nothing to lessen its authority over the forest and over Elluka.

"I know that!" she snapped, before taking a breath to calm down. "I mean, yes, I did. I'm sorry, Held. And you probably already know this, but Riliane survived. It was Allen who was beheaded during the revolution."

"There's no point in pursuing her. As you said before, her role was coming to an end, and it has."

Elluka lifted her head up to look at the tree, surprised at these words. She had assumed that the death of the sinner was requirement for her quest. "But… The revolution in Lucifenia…"

"She has been ousted, and all of her power is gone. Plus, most people don't believe in the rumor that she escaped. Revealing the truth right now would just reopen wounds that haven't healed yet. Wait a generation or two if you truly want to reveal her survival, but don't push it now."

Elluka could not think of a good reply. She had been so convinced that Riliane was going to die that it took effort to comprehend a reality where she was better off alive.

Without warning, Gumillia got up and ran out of the clearing and into the forest. Elluka watched her leave, before changing subjects on Held. "What was that about? What did you tell her?"

"I just told her how she could help make things right again. You see, my time as guardian is approaching its end, and my successor needs to know more about human emotions than I do."

"Successor…? Are you taking my apprentice away from me!?" Elluka was surprised at how much the thought of separating from Gumillia hurt. She had come to care for her as a good friend, and she had risked her life to keep her safe during the slaughter of green-haired women.

"No, Gumillia is still yours. However, there is another spirit of the forest who has experienced humanity, and she is in need of a new body."

From wherever she was, Gumillia was casting a spell, her voice rising to a crescendo as a brilliant blue-green light began to shine through the trees.

I'm sorry for being alive.

There she went again, apologizing just for existing. It was the same old story about an ugly girl with pale white hair, the same story about a lonely girl with no friend in the world. It had been almost four months since the invasion of Elphegort, and both it and the events that transpired in the immediate aftermath now seemed like a distant nightmare that haunted Clarith but did not torture her.

Kyle disappeared just a week after Michaela's death, but before he left, he confided to Keel and Clarith that he was going to avenge Michaela's death, and judging from the reports that one of the leaders of the Lucifenian Revolution was a masked man wearing Marlon Blue, he stayed true to his word. Clarith now respected him and did not blame him for what happened, but she still wondered how much different her life would be if he had never come to the mansion, or at least if he fell in love with someone who didn't have green hair.

When the revolution ended and Riliane was executed, Clarith went up to Keel and told him that she was going to quit her job as his maid. Too many memories lingered in the mansion, and anything that reminded her of Michaela left her in tears, unable to concentrate on her work. Although he respected this wish, he didn't want her going off into the world all alone and offered to have her transfer to a church at a port town; a high-ranking member of the trade guild had family members who ran the church, so he would be able to put in a good word for her.

While she accepted this offer and was satisfied with the work she had in this town, Clarith had gone right back to being the social recluse that she was before meeting Michaela. She wasn't treated as a freak, so at least that improvement had stayed, but she actively resisted making new friends. How could she do such a thing when there was always the possibility that some disaster or war was going to take them away?

Besides, the people of the harbor town relished rumors. Having been the victim of rumors in the past, Clarith was inclined to treat them all as false. Some people suggested that Kyle was courting the swordswoman who led the rebellion, which she knew to be a lie. Other rumors included the return of the long-lost princess of Marlon and the possibility that Riliane never even died that day, instead being replaced by her twin. That last part seemed impossible, as it was known that her brother had been murdered when he was younger. Clarith decided to stay far away from all the rumors and keep to herself.

Most of her free time was instead spent in one of two locations. First, Michaela had been laid to rest in the cemetery of the harbor town in order to be accessible to both Clarith and Kyle. Although she did spend time with him on his monthly visits to her grave, she was alone every other time she stopped by, not doing anything more than sitting next to her tombstone and reflecting on the past.

Her other new pastime was walking along the coast of the beach and watching the ocean, reflecting on the life she and Michaela could have had in Marlon. The idea of Michaela being a busy queen with little time to socialize didn't seem so bad now, given that at least she'd be alive.

One day, while heading toward the beach, she realized her stomach was in knots. It wasn't the same feeling of dread she got when she thought she was about to be insulted until she started crying, nor was it the jealousy that she had felt when she realized Kyle loved Michaela. It was the same nervous curiosity she had when she found an unconscious person lying across the roots of the Thousand-Year Tree.

A young girl about fourteen years old had collapsed on the beach shore, her long yellow hair tangled around her. Clarith was much less hesitant about saving her, knowing that no one at this town was going to throw rocks at her and accuse her of hurting the girl, and she scooped her up into her arms and carried her to the doctor's house.

That night, the girl woke up, visibly shaken and looking as if she was in a death trap rather than a comforting guest room. After her initial shock, though, she was able to explain her situation. She was Rin, a girl who became orphaned during the famine in Lucifenia, and she had been traveling for months in an attempt to carve out a new life for herself.

Clarith could sympathize with her, as many people had died as a result of Riliane's rule. She offered her shelter in the church for as long as she needed it; just because Clarith had been lucky with jobs didn't mean that everyone else was. Rin accepted this quietly, and she earned her rent by cleaning the church so that the other employees didn't have to. She was a very slow and uncertain worker, as if she had never even looked at a broom before in her life, and yet, in spite of her inexperience, she tried her best to repay those who sheltered her.

The pain that Rin had suffered was evident in her melancholy expressions and body language, and Clarith couldn't help but be reminded of her own self. They were both all alone in the world, victims of selfish and cruel people who cared only for their own pleasure and amusement. For a while, she wondered if maybe she could try again at making friends, before dismissing that thought. If this girl was going to have a friend, then she needed a strong and cheerful person who would be able to pick her up when she fell and never falter in the face of adversity. Clarith simply wasn't that person. Besides, as she learned within a few days of Rin's arrival, it seemed that contrast was a constant theme of her life, and she discovered that this girl was very different from her.

In the middle of the night, Clarith returned to the church, realizing that she had left behind her coin purse. However, after she retrieved it and was preparing to leave, she could hear crying from the confessional room. Even though it was a sin to violate the privacy of confessional, Clarith was attracted to the voice like moth to fire, and she eavesdropped, slowly realizing that Rin was inside.

"Allen… Allen, please, forgive me…" She could barely speak between her sobbing hiccups. "It's all my fault. I got all those women killed… I got you killed. You weren't supposed to be at that guillotine – I was. I never even knew we were related… I'm sorry, Allen…"

Clarith's mind went back to memories she had tried hard to repress, and one scene stuck out. When Riliane angrily confronted Kyle, she had been accompanied by two servants, a boy and a girl. The boy seemed to be the same age as the princess, and, upon reflection, he actually looked quite a bit like her, right down to the same shade of hair and eye colors…

The pieces began to fall into place. The country-wide massacre of green-haired women. The prince of Lucifenia who was supposedly killed because of a political war. The servant named Allen who was glad to serve a strict and cruel girl. The rumors that a brother had died in the place of a sister.

But it was just such a horrifying possibility that Clarith tried desperately not to believe it. She stumbled away, nearly alerting the girl to her presence, and dashed out of the church and toward her home, trying to deny this over and over. There had to be another Allen, another one who had nothing at all to do with Riliane. But then there was the admission that Rin was responsible for some kind of massacre and that she was supposed to be decapitated at the guillotine – just the way Riliane was supposedly killed. Clarith's heart raced and she broke into a mad sprint, her thoughts came to one conclusion:

She is the Daughter of Evil.

All of her thoughts blurred together, and she could no longer tell apart what were memories and what were actions she was carrying out at that moment. There were just rushed snippets of scenes playing over and over in her head: Discovering Michaela's corpse in the well, returning to her home in the harbor town, finding Michaela at the Thousand-Year Tree, finding Riliane at the shoreline, sifting through her drawers in the kitchen, Riliane's confession, finding out that she wasn't in the church anymore, Kyle publicly denouncing Riliane, Michaela confessing her love to her in the well, a lonely girl standing at the shore with a glass bottle in her hands…

Riliane was completely unaware of anything around her, looking as if she was deep in thought as she tightly held the bottle. Good, it would be easiest if Clarith could sneak up undetected.

The tyrant princess should have died. The entire point of the revolution was to overthrow her and give her the punishment she deserved. The entire point was to avenge everyone she had hurt and killed. Clarith was going to fix this grievous error.

She gripped her knife tightly, going over the plan a thousand times a second in her head. The first blow would be at her back, to incapacitate her with agony. After that, she would simply slash her throat open so that she could never again bark out orders for genocide.

Clarith was mere feet behind Riliane now, watching as she threw the bottle into the ocean. Was that a letter in there? It didn't matter – whatever message she was sending out now would not save her when she was dead. Her mind was still preoccupied with her own troubles, and the heavy breathing told her that the girl was crying. Riliane looked like a pitiful child, especially as she began to hum a lullaby to herself in a steady three-beat rhythm. Yet four mere months ago, she had caused more destruction and despair than any other single human being before her had caused. She could no longer be called a child – she was a monster.

Knowing that she needed to act now before Riliane turned around, Clarith raised the knife high, thoughts once more flooding her as she took aim at the former princess's back. Yatski in ruins, Michaela embracing her, Yukina defending the bullied, a tormentor throwing a bucket of water at her, fireflies at the Thousand-Year Tree, Michaela smiling, becoming maids for the Freesis family, Michaela, bullies, Riliane, Yukina, Kyle, soldiers, Michaela, Keel, Michaela, Michaela–

I love you.

She prepared to strike.

Chapter 4: The Vow of a Thousand Years

Chapter Text

Despite her resolve, Clarith found that she was frozen with hesitation as more coherent thoughts crept into her mind, filling her with doubt.

What was the point of all this? Yes, it would carry out the mission that the rebels in Lucifenia unknowingly failed at, but then what? It wouldn't bring anyone back to life – not the innocents she executed, not the people of Yatski, and certainly not Michaela. Even if she killed Riliane, nothing would change. Clarith would still be all alone.

Her hands shook as she tried to regain her wits and focus on her task. Was she really this weak? Was she really so weak that she couldn't bring herself to kill the Daughter of Evil?

I… I can't do this! I can't do this to Michaela! She needs closure! I need closure!

She squeezed her eyes shut, and forced herself to thrust her gripped knife downwards.

At that moment, she felt a force push back against her, as if a hand wrapped around her wrist and stopped her mid-blow. Clarith nearly squeaked in surprise, thinking for sure that Riliane had finally noticed her and defended herself, but when she opened her eyes, her voice died in her throat as she could only stare in shock.

It was no longer the middle of the night, but rather during the final hours of the daytime, the sky painted with the orange colors of twilight. A boy in an ornate butler's suit stood in front of her, holding her by the wrists. Angry red scars encircled his neck, hinting at what had caused his demise. His face had been seared into her memory, and she could recognize his bright blue eyes and golden yellow hair.

He gave a wry little smile, before letting go of Clarith, watching as her arms fell limp at her side. Confident that she would not attack, he approached Riliane, who was now wearing a luxurious and regal dress, her shorter hair tied up into a ponytail with ribbons. She remained oblivious to the changes all around her, still sobbing, even as the boy leaned in close and pecked her on the top of her head. Despite the obvious differences in their class statuses, the two looked similar enough that they could switch places without anyone ever knowing…

Just as suddenly as the scenery changed, her mind returned to reality, and Clarith found herself standing under the cloudy midnight sky once more, the only other person in sight being the crying girl who wore servant's clothing. She understood then that even the Daughter of Evil once had loved ones.

"…Riliane."

Upon hearing her true name, Riliane yelped, turning around to see who had found out her secret. "Clarith! I… What did you call me!?"

"Riliane. I know who you are."

Riliane looked around, as if hoping for some kind of escape route or rescuer, but when she saw none, she merely sniffled. "…I'm sorry."

Clarith trembled, her fingers wrapping tighter around the handle of the knife. "My friend was Michaela, the woman you had searched for. I was the one who discovered her body in the well."

"I'm sorry," Riliane repeated numbly.

"Saying 'sorry' won't bring her back!" Clarith shouted, trying to get some other response out of her. "I-I loved Michaela! I loved her more than Kyle ever did, and you took her away from me just to get him back!"

Riliane flinched, her gaze now directed at the knife; if she had any comments to make about Clarith and Michaela, she was currently preoccupied with the sight of the weapon. "D-Do you want to kill me? If you do, I-I wouldn't blame you."

Clarith slowly held out the knife, watching as Riliane shut her eyes tight, preparing for her death. She sighed and dropped the blade onto the ground. "…What would be the point, Riliane? It won't bring back any of the dead. Not even Allen."

Riliane opened her eyes and stepped back in shock. "You know about Allen!?"

"I met him the night Kyle visited. We were maids for the Freezis family, and I came across Allen and Ney… Allen said that he enjoyed working for you and that he was happy when you were."

This made Riliane burst into a fresh wave of sobs as she mournfully called out Allen's name.

Clarith was finding it more and more difficult to watch her, and she looked away. "…Do you truly regret your actions, or are you just sorry that your brother got killed?"

"I truly hate myself!" Riliane replied through her tears. "I always thought of people as expendable, but then Allen…! And that's when I thought about how awful it must feel for you all… But I know I can't make it right. It's like you said: We can't bring back the dead."

Clarith could once more see her former self in Riliane. This was someone who had no friends in the world and thought of her own existence as worthless. Even though she had committed terrible crimes, Clarith still felt that loneliness was too great a punishment for her. She knew what that pain was like and wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy.

"I won't turn you in, Riliane," she whispered. "You seem like you genuinely want to fix things. I can shelter you at my home, if you'd like, and you can continue working at the church. If nothing else, you can give aid to those who have suffered because of your actions. Listen, you've had a rough night. Come home with me, and we can talk about it more in the morning."

Riliane stared at Clarith for a few long seconds. "…Does this mean you forgive me?"

"No." The answer was immediate and blunt. Clarith could not forgive Riliane so quickly, and she was still going to be cautious around her. However, she was no longer baying for blood, and that was a huge first step. "That doesn't mean you can't earn it later on, but right now, I don't forgive you."

Riliane nodded. "I kind of expected that, but thank you anyway." She knelt down, picking up the knife. "I have just one favor to ask, Clarith." She handed the knife to her, then turned around, grabbing her hair with one hand. "Cut it short, so that I can be better disguised. I want it to be about here." Riliane gestured with her free hand, putting it right onto her neck, where a guillotine blade was supposed to cut her.

Clarith grabbed the long yellow hair tight, sawing away with the blade. Riliane winced at the yanking feeling, but did not complain. "It's not going to be even," Clarith commented. "We'll have to trim it later. It'd be a shame to leave uneven ends on such pretty hair."

"It's not as pretty as your hair," Riliane mumbled.

"Thank you," Clarith replied just as softly, for once truly believing her white hair was beautiful.

They started their lives over in that church. Riliane continued to work under the name Rin and became an assistant to Clarith. Clarith often took Riliane to charities, wanting to nudge her into humanitarian work. The former princess understood that sins like hers could never be erased, but she was willing to take on the lifelong trial that was atonement. The first step would be giving aid to those who had lost much more than them as a result of her actions. Riliane, who was once unable to handle kitchen tools properly, soon learned to make brioche all on her own, serving it to the people who visited the soup kitchen.

The days stretched into weeks, then months. Out of the blue, during a day off, Riliane nervously made a request: "Take me to the graveyard."

Clarith was concerned, as Riliane was reluctant to ask, but she quietly insisted that it was something she had to do. Deciding that refusing would do more harm in the long run, Clarith led her to the cemetery in the harbor town.

Riliane weaved between the tombstones, stopping to kneel at any of them with a death date around the time of the invasion. Clarith said nothing and stood back, allowing her to mourn at her own pace. After several minutes of this, Riliane stopped in front of one grave in particular, which was adorned with a tall statue in the shape of an angel, finely crafted and well within the price range of a king. She inspected the name etched into the stone. "…Michaela." She looked back, searching for confirmation that this was Clarith's love.

Clarith nodded softly, and all Riliane could do was sink to her knees, bracing her hands against the tombstone. This was the woman she had hated more than any other being just six months ago. She had despised Michaela without ever knowing her face or her name and had sent an entire army into Elphegort just to find her. Since then, living among those she had hurt and being taken in by Clarith had humanized Michaela, and while Riliane was barely audible, her apologies could be heard.

Would Michaela have wanted this? Even now, Clarith still had doubts that she was doing the right thing. Riliane made it very clear that, should she ever break her vow of repentance, Clarith should turn her into the authorities and let them do with her what they pleased. However, what constituted such a breach would be left up to Clarith's discretion. The slightest misstep, a brief moment of sass, even a few burnt meals could be chalked up under an inability to adjust to a humble life, if she wanted to be strict. Even if she was that kind of person, however, she didn't think she could ever turn Riliane in, as there was no doubt what her ultimate fate would be, and Clarith didn't want to send her to her death.

Just keeping Riliane around was risky, however. If someone else found out who she was and reported it, Clarith would also be arrested for sheltering a fugitive like her, and if she wasn't executed alongside her, she'd be imprisoned for life. Pleading ignorance of her true identity was an option, but a cowardly one, as it would leave Riliane completely alone.

Clarith was starting to wonder if any location would be safe for them to live in. Levianta was in the process of being reconstructed and had avoided contact with Lucifenia, so it seemed like a good choice. However, moving there would take Riliane away from charity work for her victims and Clarith away from the Freezises and Michaela.

She knew that if she was going to bring the subject up, she needed to do so delicately, and she thought back to how Michaela talked about moving to Aceid. Before Clarith could think of what to say, somebody began to speak to her from behind. "Are you Clarith?"

Clarith turned around, seeing a tall pink-haired woman and a young green-haired woman. She wasn't too surprised that the latter was around, as there had been many green-haired women who had been away from Elphegort for various reasons and thus did not get attacked. However, the pair looked vaguely familiar to her. "Yes, I am. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong," the woman with pink hair replied. "I am Elluka Clockworker, and this is my apprentice, Gumillia. We once visited your old employer, Keel Freezis."

Clarith nodded, now remembering who they were. She didn't get much more than a glimpse of them when they stopped by, as she had to babysit the twins, but Elluka's pink hair was distinctive enough to jog her memory some more.

And that was when she recalled more about Elluka. She had been told that she was from Lucifenia's court, as head mage. This meant that she would most likely be able to recognize Riliane's face.

Clarith kept telling herself to keep her cool and not to look at Riliane. If she pretended that she didn't know her, Elluka wouldn't try to talk to her, and she could go undetected. "I see. How are he and his family doing now?"

"Pretty good. They've been getting Aceid back in its feet, and will be traveling to other towns soon to help them. But that's not important right now…" Clarith's heart sank when she saw that Elluka was peeking over her shoulder, looking right at Riliane. "…I know who she is."

Riliane yelped, and Clarith looked back, realizing that she had been staring right at Elluka the whole time. Riliane stood up, but did not approach the group, instead standing her ground right where she was. "Elluka, please! Just go away and pretend you never saw me!"

Clarith looked back at Elluka, trying to steel her nerves. "She isn't at all what she was like before. She's been doing charity work this past month, and she truly regrets her actions." It was worth trying to argue in favor of Riliane's character.

The younger girl kept going, trying to shout over Clarith. "She didn't know! I told her my name was Rin! Take me if you have to, but leave Clarith out of this! She's my only friend!" Her voice cracked on that last sentence, and Clarith shivered; she knew exactly how Riliane was feeling and how badly she wanted her to survive.

"Ladies, ladies!" Elluka interrupted, throwing her hands in front of herself defensively. "I'm not here to turn anybody in! I'm here to talk. Riliane, come here, please…"

"I don't want to!" she responded, half hysterical.

"Riliane," Elluka repeated sternly.

Slowly, Riliane approached them, and Clarith prepared herself to protect her should it come down to it.

"You killed countless people," Elluka bluntly began. "You put people to the guillotine for 'crimes' such as looking at you the wrong way or advising you to pay attention to the citizen's needs. When you couldn't find the woman that your fiancé fell for, you chose to cut down anyone that looked vaguely like her. And all you cared about was having brioche for dessert. You were the embodiment of the deadly sin pride."

Riliane just nodded tearfully at each accusation. It was a far cry from a girl who would have had Elluka's head for such statements. "I know I should have died. Allen died for me, you know…"

"I already know that. I also know this: You did something that the epitomes of lust and gluttony never did. You tried to make amends." Elluka sighed. "I am on a quest to cleanse the sins, and you were always a selfish child. That's why you were targeted for Superbia. However, my quest does not require your death. I just needed your vessel of sin – and I failed at obtaining that. Your role in this journey is over, and I can let you go free."

"…Huh?" Riliane sniffled, looking up at Elluka. "Are you serious? You aren't going to kill me?"

"There's no point. The people are healing right now, and revealing that you survived will only hurt the process. Many would turn against their heroes, sympathizers would rally around you and fight those that want you dead… I will wait until you die of some other cause before I spread the truth."

Clarith was having a difficult time understanding where Elluka was coming from. She had called Riliane one of the most sinful people she had ever known, but she still wanted to spare her. Plus, her brief mention of her quest only confused her more. Cleanse the sins? What did that mean, and was such a task even possible?

"Why did you come here, then?" Riliane asked.

"I wanted to speak with her." Elluka nodded toward Clarith. "You were Michaela's girlfriend, weren't you?"

"N-No. I mean, I considered it, but … No, wait, how would you know that!?" Given that Elluka was so open-hearted toward Riliane, Clarith didn't think that she would scorn her for loving another woman, although her knee-jerk reaction had still been denial of any involvement with Michaela, mainly because it never got that far. However, it was concerning that Elluka would know this to begin with, as all that had happened were brief confessions of attraction during the middle of an invasion. She was beginning to suspect that Elluka could read her thoughts.

"If I may…" Gumillia finally joined the conversation. "I believe that this is something easier to show you than to describe to you. Elluka and I have rented a building not far from here, so please come with us."

Gumillia began to walk away, Elluka walking by her side. Clarith glanced over to Riliane for guidance.

"I think Elluka is trustworthy," she muttered. "She was always the type to speak vaguely, though. Must be a mage thing."

"Can she read our minds or something?" Clarith whispered as she began to follow the mysterious pair.

"No. I don't think so, at least. I get what you're saying, though; it's pretty creepy how much she knows about you."

An awkward silence came over the group as they headed for the home. As Elluka opened the door, Clarith could immediately see that they had not broken it in much at all. It had barely any furniture, with only a table, some chairs, and a potted sprout. She had to wonder how long they intended to live here.

"Please take a seat, Clarith. You'll want to be sitting before you hear this."

Clarith stared at Gumillia for a moment, before taking her up on her offer and sitting at the table. Riliane took a chair by her side, and Gumillia and Elluka seated themselves on the opposite end. Elluka took a breath before beginning. "Do you remember when you were in the Held Forest several months ago and you rescued a robin that was being attacked? She would have been greenish-blue, with an orange breast."

Clarith racked her brain for that memory, as it didn't seem so important after Michaela came into her life, but she could recall a bird matching that description. "I sort of do. I never bothered to look for her again, though."

"You wouldn't have found her, at least as she was then. Clarith, are you aware that spirits inhabit the Held Forest?"

"Not really." She had never thought deeply about it, but she knew of the legends of the forest and how it was a gathering point for the supernatural. Given that the public and Riliane both held Elluka as an authority in magic, Clarith decided to trust in what she was saying.

"The spirits of the forest are created with two different forms. The first is intangible and shapeless, but the second is physical. As an example, the god Held, whom the forest was named after, chose the form of the Thousand-Year Tree. Most spirits choose more flexible bodies. Gumillia here was once a chipmunk."

"Wait, but–" Clarith looked to Gumillia, who sat silently, her expression not changing. "But then why is she…?"

"A human?" Gumillia finished. "I asked Elluka for this. She trained herself in transformation magic so that she could take a student in to help her for her quest, and I and another spirit were chosen to become human. The other spirit did not join us on our journey, however, and instead stayed behind to fulfill her own goals."

"Clarith, this will probably be hard for you to hear, but there's no delicate way to put this." Elluka sighed. "Michaela was not a true human."

…What? What was she talking about?

"You're lying." The words just slipped out. She couldn't comprehend such a thing.

Elluka seemed to have anticipated such a response, and she kept talking without missing a beat. "Michaela's first body was that of a teal bird, the same one that you found just a few days before she appeared by the Thousand-Year Tree. She wanted to give you happiness, so when I entered the forest to find a partner, she asked me to introduce her to the life of humans."

"It's impossible. Birds don't become humans. Birds just don't become humans." Clarith found herself becoming increasingly defensive. Elluka's story would mean that Michaela had been lying to everyone she had ever met, that she was never Michaela of Toragay.

Gumillia spoke again. "No, she wasn't just a bird. She was a spirit, as timeless as Held itself, and so was I. We saw the Original Sin being committed. We've seen the royal family of Elphegort develop over generations. We saw you being abused day and night by the people of Yatski."

"Then why didn't you stop it sooner!?" Clarith snapped, standing from her seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Riliane shrink into her chair, trying to protect herself from this sudden burst of rage. "Why did it take eighteen years for one of you to help me!?"

Gumillia was not deterred by these words. "As knowledgeable as we are about facts and even human motives, we know nothing of intimacy. Most of us prefer to let humans live their own way, and the only reason we care is because Held cares. I have to admit that I'm finding it hard to relate to humans, myself. But Michaela was fascinated by humans. She embraced the chance to learn about them, and your wish at the Thousand-Year Tree inspired her."

"But… Prove it!" They had already given her proof just by knowing things they would have otherwise been unable to know, but Clarith was trying to resist their explanations, not wanting to believe in this. "Michaela never wanted to use me! She genuinely cared about me!"

Gumillia closed her eyes. "…I told her that she could not be with you. Our bodies do not age, so you would grow old and she would have remained the same. I warned her that Riliane might endanger Elphegort and that she should flee the kingdom, even if you refused to follow her. She still went on to say that she loved you. If she had only wanted to use you as a means to the end, she would have left. Just because she lied about who she was doesn't mean that she lied about her feelings for you. I'm sorry that it had to come out this way, but please don't think badly of her."

"Clarith…" Riliane slowly extended a hand toward her, hoping to console her. "…I lied to you about who I was, and you still accepted me. Please calm down."

Clarith sat back down in her chair, brushing off Riliane and burying her face into her hands. Riliane had a point, but she was still struggling to wrap her mind around the idea of Michaela not being a human. "I… I don't care…" She had to admit to herself that it didn't matter in the end. Even if she was old and grey while Michaela was as young as green saplings, she would have never stopped loving her. "I just want her back. I want Michaela back."

"I don't have the kind of power needed to bring back those who are truly dead. Yes, Riliane, that applies to your brother as well." Upon hearing Elluka's words, Riliane looked away, trying not to let her thoughts be so obvious. "Michaela is a special case, however. Gumillia, if you'd please."

Gumillia left the table, going toward the only other piece of furniture in the building, a potted plant, and placed it onto the table. Now that she was getting a closer look at it, Clarith could see that it was just a tiny little sapling. Even though she was a normal person with no magical prowess, she could feel faint spiritual energy off it, almost like the energy she felt near the Thousand-Year Tree.

"Michaela was called back into the forest after her death," Gumillia explained. "She had no body to use, however, as the bird she once was became a regular animal and ended up dying while she was alive, so she remained near Held, the spirit of the Thousand-Year Tree, until a few months ago. Elluka and I traveled there to report on our quest, and Held instructed me to seek out the youngest sprout I could find. The tree had been damaged, and it was time to start a whole new Thousand-Year Tree."

Clarith was starting to get used to these two beating around the bush, so she went straight to the point. "Is this Michaela?"

Gumillia finally let a hint of emotion show, and she smiled. "She knows what humanity is like, so one day, she will replace Held as the protector of the forest. For now, though, she needs to stay in this pot. The forest is still too volatile for such a fragile thing, but once she gets bigger, she'll be planted there. You were closest to her, so you should be the one that cares for her as she grows."

"Michaela." Most of the explanation had gone over her head, and Clarith just leaned in, gently tracing her fingers across the leaves of the plant. "Michaela's spirit is here." It didn't matter if she was a human, a bird, or a tree. She was Michaela, and that meant the world to Clarith.

"One last thing." Elluka gestured for Gumillia to stand, and they both walked around the table and behind Riliane and Clarith, and they clasped her hands over their eyes. "I have one more gift for you, Clarith. Wait for a moment."

Clarith could barely see flashes of light peeking from between Gumillia's fingers, and there was no way to keep her from hearing the sounds of a mumbled an incantation while something whipped through the air, and she could feel a pleasant warmth fill the room.

"…The guardian of the forest must know how to use magic, and Michaela has been giving quite a bit of emphasis on transformative ones. See for yourself."

The two mages removed her hands, and Clarith now saw a new person standing in the room, on the opposite side of the table. Her turquoise hair was tied into long ponytails, and she wore a maid's outfit.

There were no words that could be said. Clarith simply got up, ran across the room, and yanked Michaela into an embrace.

"I missed you," Michaela whispered, holding her much the same way that she held her so long ago at the well in Yatski. "Clarith, I'm sorry I never told you about myself earlier, but I was scared that you wouldn't–"

Clarith didn't allow her to finish that thought, instead locking her into a kiss. She just wanted to drown in the feeling of contact with her and prove to herself once and for all that this wasn't some kind of cosmic prank or impossible dream.

Clarith was truly the most wonderful person Michaela had ever known.

She had her problems, of course. It had taken her a long time to shake off her inferiority complex, and when she thought that she was being deceived, she could become angry and stubborn. Many people who had suffered like she did had broken under that pressure and lashed out against the world, however. Clarith was different from them and refused to go down the path of violence.

It had been several months since their reunion and almost a whole year since the revolution. Elluka mentioned that she could stay as a human up until the time came for her tree to be planted in the forest, after which she could no longer change her form, as doing so risked weakening her protection over the forest. Michaela spent those few precious months with Clarith, helping maintain her house while she and Riliane worked. There had been the hard question of showing herself to Kyle, which she eventually chose to do.

To say the meeting had been awkward would be an understatement. Michaela had to explain to him not only that she was in love with Clarith, but that she would have to spend a thousand years rooted in a forest clearing, guarding the whole region. He had a hard time accepting it, but, in the end, he decided that Michaela the human would soon be gone once more, and he would mourn for her and not pursue Michaela the guardian. Judging from his blank expression as he left, Michaela was concerned at what damage this revelation would do in the long run. However, Kyle stopped his monthly visits after this meeting, and thus she did not get to talk with him again to see how he was holding up.

Riliane, of course, stayed far away from Kyle when he did show up; all of her old feelings for him had been replaced with fear of the secret of her survival coming out. It had taken some convincing just to get her to travel all the way to the Held Forest, as she was afraid of being recognized. However, deep down, she wanted to take part in this little ritual, as part of her penance. They had to take less-traveled routes in order to keep people from recognizing Riliane or Michaela, but it only added a few days to their journey. Eventually, they reached their destination.

The Held Forest was healing more and more each day. Given another year or two, all signs of the fire would vanish. By the time that happened, Michaela would have settled into her new role as the protector of the forest. Held would give up its own position and spread its energy throughout the forest, shielding it from future attackers.

The trio entered the clearing and was greeted by the sight of the current Thousand-Year Tree. Almost immediately, Held called out to Michaela, projecting into her mind. "Hello. Are you prepared to rest here?"

"Just a second, Held." Michaela was getting the hang of using telepathy and wanted to practice it so that she could communicate with others. Clarith had vowed to learn how to use telepathy, no matter how it long took for her understand it, so that she could keep talking to Michaela. She looked back at the other two, who were setting down the plant, and she approached Riliane. "Stay safe. Enough blood has already been shed, and there will be more trouble to come. The least you could do is stay out of danger from this point on."

Riliane smiled. "I'll try my best." The more time that passed, the more unrecognizable she was from the person she once was. It only reinforced Michaela's beliefs that, with the right intervention, many people who would have otherwise been lost to evil could be saved. Perhaps the future sinners could be pulled out of the pit as well.

Michaela then went to Clarith. "…I'll always be here for you."

"I know. As soon as I master telepathy, I'll come back here. I'll even live in Yatski again for you."

"You don't have to, Clarith. Wouldn't they just torment you again?"

Clarith shook her head. "They can try, but I think I can hold my own against them this time. Being near you is worth it. But, Michaela, are you sure you want to wait for a little old human like me?"

Michaela's only reply to this light teasing was to kiss Clarith; no matter how short human life was, it was worth the time she spent with her. With that established, the three began to work, taking their shovels and digging into the ground. The sapling was as tall as Michaela now, but it didn't require a large hole, and their task was done quickly. Together, they hefted the tree into the ground, covering it up and making sure it could stand on its own.

Riliane went silent, staring at their work. "…This is it, then." She looked up at Michaela. "…I wanted to get to know you better."

"You'll always be welcome in this clearing."

Riliane thought about the offer, before sighing. "But if I study magic, it'll take time away from charity. I'm sorry, but I think I'll have to pass."

"The offer still stands in case you change your mind." Michaela then moved close to the tree. "I'll see you in a while, Clarith."

"Take care until then." Clarith tried to put on the appearance of content serenity, but her voice cracked with emotion.

Michaela concentrated, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together, whispering her spell to herself. She could feel her body growing cold as her spirit began to leave it; she made sure to prepare another spell to destroy it as soon as she left, so that Clarith wouldn't have to see her human corpse again. Teal lights enveloped her, visible even with her shut eyes, and the sensation of floating away overtook her, and she knew that she had transferred into her new body.

Her senses became dull at first, but she could soon imagine the scene around her. Riliane had called out her name in surprise, and Clarith sensed the rush of energy from the new Thousand-Year Tree. She knelt down, carefully hugging the tree, wanting to spend just a little more time with her girlfriend.

"I'll be leaving matters up to you, Michaela," Held called to her. "I hope that you got everything you wanted as a human."

There had been agonizing lows, but the blissful moments more than made up for it, and she had accomplished one of the greatest things humans were capable of: She had forged a lifelong bond with a wonderful person. "Yes, I enjoyed my time in the outside world."

Held left the old Thousand-Year Tree, and all humans and animals who dwelled in the forest could feel the last of its energy ripple throughout the region as a final act to protect the woods. When it was done, a new age had begun.

Even if the entire world hated and despised me / Even if the entire world hated and despised you

And branded me as the victim of all of its mockery / And branded you as the victim of all of its mockery

There's still someone who needs me by her side / I'll always be prepared to protect you at all costs

And that is all I will ever need to be happy / And it's all worth it just see you smile happily

If is it possible that we can both survive until the end

And if we could meet and never again be torn in two

Perhaps we two forest girls could finally live in peace

Don't fret, for I'll wait an eternity for you…

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VIVIAN_SAMINA on Chapter 1 Tue 10 Jun 2025 05:24PM UTC

The start of a legend.. Great work btw! Love it <3

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FahcLove on Chapter 4 Thu 09 Aug 2018 01:03AM UTC

This was amazing. I loved Clarith and Michaela's relationship in the songs and this story just made it so much better. I love this story so much its so well written and just beautiful!!

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Dressup_Doll on Chapter 4 Sat 09 Apr 2022 07:40AM UTC

This entire chapter is me going, “It cost you nothing to do this, yet I’m paying with my tears. Wwwwwhhhhyyyyyy????!?!???”
I loved it.

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