• The flames flickering in the red brick fireplace illuminated the pale girl's face. Her crystal blue eyes were focused on a white rose, which she held in her hands. Her silky red hair reflected the warm glow of the crackling flames. "...if only I could go back, if only I could have saved her... I'm..I'm such a failure.." she sobbed, dropping the rose and holding her head in her gloved hands.
    A transparent figure watched her from across the room. "Lilly..it had to happen.. There was nothing either of us could do, love..." it whispered sadly, knowing that she couldn't hear her. "Please, forgive me..."



    [Eleven months earlier...]



    "Mary! Come on!" A bright-eyed redhead giggled, tugging on the thin arm of a blond-haired female. "Okay, okay!" The crisp white snow made a satisfying crunching sound with every step the two young ladies took. Their breath turned into white clouds in front of their faces, causing them to laugh.
    Mary glanced up at the dark sky, surprised at how clear it was. Right before she looked back towards the castle, a loud 'CRACK!' resounded through the air, and a ball of purple light exploded in the air. "Lilly, the fireworks have started! We have to hurry!"
    With that, the two rushed along the stone path, not stopping once until the large wooden gate of Syfania was in sight. A large crowd was gathered nearby, barely giving the girls room to squeeze past.
    Giddy laughter escaped their lips as they watched sparks of various colors appear and fade in the sky, Lilly and Mary's faces tinted a bright pink from the chilly February air. They soon sat down on a bench, away from the loud groups of people closer to the festival.


    [To be continued...?]