Grey clouds blanketed the sky above Wonderveil that day. Though not pitch‑black, the heavy clouds cast a gloomy pall over everything, making the whole atmosphere feel oppressive—as if something terrible was just waiting to happen.
Alice walked slowly through the grounds of a nobleman's mansion where a private gathering was being held. Inside, distinguished guests chatted and laughed amongst themselves, completely unaware of her presence. She slipped quietly inside without attracting the slightest attention, moving silently like a shadow drifting through patches of light and darkness. She wore simple, ordinary clothes—plain attire that made her look no different from any commoner, so nobody considered her a threat or paid her any mind.
"I heard the coronation has been delayed until next year. Such a long time indeed," murmured one nobleman with a heavy sigh.
"Too long, if you ask me," another man grumbled in reply, his voice clearly showing his dissatisfaction. "How can we allow our kingdom to remain without a proper ruler for so long?"
"Exactly my thoughts. If things continue this way, ordinary citizens will soon begin questioning the very authority of the royal family itself," added a third voice sharply.
Alice stood motionless not far from them, listening carefully to every single word spoken. Her eyes watched them intently, and slowly... a faint, almost invisible smile crept across her lips.
"Please forgive me for interrupting..." Her soft voice cut gently through their conversation.
Immediately, every head turned toward her in surprise and confusion. One nobleman frowned sternly.
"And just who exactly might you be?"
Alice bowed her head humbly.
"I am just an ordinary citizen... I used to work briefly at the royal palace some time ago."
She raised her face slowly, her expression calm, composed—far too calm and steady to be natural or honest.
"And... during that time, I happened to witness something that I probably should never have seen."
Slowly, tears began to well up in her eyes. The whole room instantly fell silent. Curiosity and suspicion instantly stirred amongst the nobles watching her closely.
"What exactly are you implying, young lady?" asked one noblewoman gently yet curiously.
Alice hesitated, twisting the hem of her clothing nervously with trembling fingers, acting as though she was struggling painfully with indecision and fear.
"I... I really don't know whether I should speak of this..." Her voice shook slightly, sounding sincere and frightened.
In that split second however, something about her changed completely—just for a fleeting moment, barely a heartbeat. A dark, dangerous glint flashed deep within her eyes, vanishing almost instantly. Nobody noticed it. Nobody suspected anything.
"I once saw Princess Elowen..." She paused dramatically, lowering her head once again, her shoulders trembling visibly as if she was terrified just remembering what she claimed to have seen.
"...punish someone harshly and cruelly... without any clear or just reason whatsoever."
The nobles exchanged uneasy glances. Seeds of doubt began to sprout and take root in their minds instantly.
"That cannot possibly be true..."
"Princess Elowen is strict and firm, yes... but cruel and unjust? Surely not..."
Alice lifted her tear‑streaked face, tears now visibly streaming freely down her cheeks.
"I honestly didn't want to believe it myself either..." Her voice broke into a quiet sob. "But that poor man begged and pleaded... insisting over and over again that he was innocent..."
Once again, that dark dangerous light flared brightly within her eyes—clearer, darker and deeper than before, yet still invisible and unnoticed by everyone watching her sympathetically.
Slowly, subtly, the atmosphere shifted and changed around her. Small doubts grew larger and stronger, spreading like wildfire among the gathering nobles.
"I have heard rumours before about Princess Elowen..." whispered one noble thoughtfully.
"They say she was terrifyingly ruthless and merciless upon the battlefield..."
"If such things are true... perhaps everything this girl says might well be true after all..."
Alice said nothing more. She simply remained silent, allowing them space and freedom to imagine, assume and weave their own terrible stories inside their heads. She knew perfectly well—the worst lies were those people chose to believe and create themselves.
Elsewhere, in the crowded marketplace nearby, townsfolk chatted casually as usual, unaware of the storm gathering silently around them. Alice walked slowly amongst them, unseen and unnoticed, like a ghost drifting silently through the crowd.
"I really hope the gentle princess will be our future Queen..." murmured an elderly woman softly to her companion nearby.
Alice paused in her steps. A thin cold smile touched her lips instantly.
"If only you truly knew the whole truth..." she whispered quietly to herself.
The old woman turned around, looking at her in confusion.
"What exactly do you mean, child?"
Alice moved closer, until she stood right beside her—close enough so only the old woman could clearly hear her words.
"Not everyone who appears strong and brave truly protects and cares for you..." She paused deliberately, her voice dropping lower, heavy with hidden poison.
"Sometimes... those same people are simply experts at hiding their true cruel and ruthless nature beneath beautiful masks."
A gentle breeze blew through the market, lifting strands of Alice's hair softly around her face. Once again, that dark glint appeared clearly in her eyes—sharper, heavier and far more sinister than ever before.
The elderly woman fell instantly silent, her expression troubled and uncertain. Even the people standing nearby, though hearing nothing clearly, felt instinctively uneasy and troubled by the strange heavy feeling hanging suddenly in the air around them.
"Princess Elowen..." whispered the old woman fearfully. "Could it truly be like that?"
Alice offered no answer. She simply turned her back calmly upon her and walked silently away, disappearing into the moving crowd.
She had planted her seeds perfectly. And already, they were beginning to sprout and grow deep within people's hearts and minds.
Far off in the shadows, her faithful furry companion watched everything unfold silently and calmly. He stood perfectly still, observing every single detail, clearly understanding exactly what was happening and exactly what she had done.
"You truly are cruel and heartless," spoke a quiet voice from beside him.
Alice stopped walking for a brief moment, but she didn't turn around or look back. She simply smiled faintly to herself.
"I know," she replied calmly, completely unashamed or regretful.
"Only those willing to be ruthless and cold‑hearted are truly strong enough to survive in this world."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, shining with ambition and dark determination.
"That throne belongs to me," she whispered fiercely to herself.
"And I will destroy anyone and everyone foolish enough to stand in my way."
She continued walking forward, vanishing completely within the deep shadows of Wonderveil, leaving chaos and lies silently spreading in her wake.
........
Inside the palace, the maids went about their daily tasks as usual. Some tidied the rooms, others arranged clothes or cleaned the marble floors until they shone brightly, reflecting the light from above. On the surface, everything seemed completely normal and unchanged—but appearances could be very deceiving.
Outside, near the laundry yard, several maids were busy scrubbing sheets and towels under the warm sunlight. Soapy water splashed softly every time they rubbed the fabric against the washing boards.
"Have you all heard the stories spreading around lately...?" one maid whispered quietly, lowering her voice as if afraid someone else might overhear.
Her two companions immediately stopped scrubbing and turned towards her curiously.
"What stories?"
The maid glanced quickly left and right, checking carefully to ensure nobody else was nearby or listening in. Only after she was certain they were alone, she leaned closer toward them.
"They say... Princess Elowen is actually a cruel and heartless person."
The cheerful atmosphere instantly vanished, replaced by heavy silence.
"I heard those rumours too," whispered another maid, her voice even quieter and more cautious. "Some people claim... she has ordered innocent people to be put to death."
A third maid tightened her grip on the wet cloth she was holding, her knuckles turning slightly pale from the pressure.
"I... honestly don't know whether such tales are true or lies. But one thing I do know for sure is that Princess Elowen is very strict and firm in everything she does."
She paused briefly, swallowing nervously before adding softly,
"And besides... she has been to war and fought on the battlefield herself."
None of them said anything else for a while. All that could be heard was the soft sound of splashing water and the steady rubbing of cloth against wood.
"I also noticed something strange lately..." spoke the first maid again, her voice trembling slightly with fear and unease.
"Several palace workers and servants have simply vanished completely, without any warning or explanation whatsoever."
Her friends turned their eyes quickly towards her, shock and fear clearly written all over their faces.
"Do you really think... this isn't just pure coincidence?"
"Shhh! Quiet down immediately!" Another maid hissed urgently, fear flashing in her eyes. "We are merely servants working here in the palace. We know absolutely nothing about high‑level matters. It is dangerous enough just hearing such things, let alone speaking them aloud."
She swallowed hard, looking nervously around them once again.
"I really don't want anyone else to overhear our conversation and get us all into serious trouble."
All three of them nodded slowly and silently in agreement. Without exchanging any more words or glances, they returned immediately to their work. Yet, their hands moved less freely and confidently than before; fear and doubt now clearly weighed heavily upon their minds and hearts.
At the Nobleman's Residence
A group of nobles sat together comfortably, chatting casually as they usually did. However, the topic of their discussion today was certainly lighthearted or ordinary—it was serious, heavy and extremely sensitive.
"Do you think Princess Celestia will eventually become our Queen?" one nobleman asked thoughtfully.
"Possibly yes," answered another, shrugging lightly. "She is far gentler, kinder and more graceful... and the common people adore and like her much more."
"Unlike her older sister..."
The sentence hung unfinished in the air, yet everyone understood exactly what he meant.
One nobleman let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Personally speaking... I fully support Princess Celestia becoming our future ruler."
"Why exactly is that?" asked another nobleman curiously.
He hesitated for a brief moment, choosing his words carefully and cautiously.
"Because... I simply do not wish for someone known as cruel and ruthless to sit upon the throne and rule over Wonderveil."
Nobody argued against his words. No one defended Elowen or spoke up in her favour. Instead, there was only one question everyone was silently asking themselves:
"But... what exactly can we possibly do about all of this? We have absolutely no solid proof or evidence that Princess Elowen is truly as cruel and wicked as people claim."
"Evidence..." One nobleman smiled coldly and knowingly. "Trust me... sooner or later, the truth will definitely reveal itself and come to light."
Their conversation stopped abruptly there. Yet deep inside their hearts and minds, the seeds of doubt had already taken firm root and were growing stronger with every passing day.
Inside the Royal Palace
Elowen walked calmly along the long palace corridors, her steps steady and composed. Her facial expression remained calm, serious and unchanged, exactly as it always had been. To anyone looking at her, she appeared perfectly normal, confident and completely unaware of everything happening around her.
Yet... she could clearly feel that something was very wrong and different now.
A servant walked past her, bowed respectfully and politely—but his eyes never dared to meet hers directly or for very long.
Another person greeted her formally and immediately hurried away quickly, as if desperate to put as much distance between them as possible.
Elowen paused in her steps, stopping right in the middle of the hallway. Her gaze travelled slowly forward.
"It feels... very strange indeed," she whispered quietly to herself.
Nobody said anything openly against her. Nobody argued with her orders or directly opposed her decisions. No one dared to speak out loud about the rumours or suspicions spreading everywhere. Yet she could feel the invisible distance growing steadily between herself and everyone around her. Slowly but surely, she was being pushed further and further away, isolated and separated from everyone else.
In a Secluded Place
Far away, an abandoned mansion stood silently at the edge of the kingdom, completely neglected and forgotten by everyone. The plants and trees surrounding it were dry, withered and lifeless—as if life itself refused to grow anywhere near this place of darkness.
Alice stood calmly upon the balcony of this decaying building, letting the gentle wind blow softly through her golden hair. From where she stood, the magnificent Palace of Wonderveil was clearly visible, shining brightly in the distance.
"Just wait patiently a little while longer..." she whispered softly, her eyes gleaming dangerously in the dim light.
Her loyal furry companion stood silently beside her, watching her closely and obediently.
"What exactly would you have me do next, Mistress?" asked the creature quietly.
Alice turned slowly towards him, a wicked smile slowly spreading wider and wider across her beautiful face.
"For now... you have done more than enough," she answered calmly and confidently. "Just continue to quietly convince everyone, nobles and commoners alike, to believe exactly what I want them to believe."
Her eyes narrowed sharply, dark and full of malicious intent.
"You are my eyes, my ears and my hidden agent. I want these doubts and fears to remain alive, growing and spreading everywhere, never allowing people to forget or doubt the lies I have planted deep within their hearts."
The creature nodded obediently.
"As you wish, Mistress. It shall be exactly as you desire."
Alice smiled wider, her expression becoming darker, colder and more sinister than ever before.
"Wonderveil..." she whispered softly into the wind, her voice dripping with ambition and cruel determination,
"...will soon fall completely and entirely into my hands."