Madeleine.

I quickly turned around, scanning the crowd as fast as possible.

Was she still here?
Or was she going to arrive later?

I quickly hurried to the entrance after realizing that she wasn't in the crowd.

I approached one of the examiners.
"I'm sorry to bother, but I must ask; was a girl with white hair and pink eyes around here? Her name is Madeleine Campbell."

He looked at his papers, scrunching his brows.
"The one who got first place? She just went to the courtyard. And you are?"

"Antoinette Crawford."

He looked down at me, before sighing and bowing. "Congrats on second place your grace, but I can't allow you to bully Miss Campbell just because you got second place-"

I immediately walked away.

It seems that even at my young age, people assumed that I was going to follow in my grandfather's violent footsteps.

I pushed away from the irritated feeling in my mind.

The courtyard was full of trees and bushes. It was quite difficult to get around.

I walked toward the center, hearing muffled voices.

"-who do you think you're kidding?!? You obviously bribed the teachers to raise your grade!"

"There's no one who'd score higher than the prince!!!!"

How cliché.

There were three kids, ganging up on one girl.

I was internally debating my course of action.

"We're talking to you, uggo!" One of the boys grabbed her by her braid, yanking hard.

She cried in pain.

I hadn't even registered what happened before I was in front of him in three quick strides, my hand hitting his cheek.
"You have some nerve, ganging up on someone because you know they won't fight back... truly cowardly."

"OUCH!!! Who do you think you are?!? I'll have my father-" The boy started screaming before I raised my hand, as if I'd hit him another time. He shut his mouth.

"I am Antoinette Crawford. And if you ever, and I mean ever, bother this nice lady again.... let's just say I have ways to deal with the situation." To hell with good reputations. I wasn't about to let an innocent child be bullied.

The boy shot me a look like I was insane.
"Let's go. She's just as insane as her family after all. No surprises there."

The kids just scoffed, before scampering off.
I could hear them calling me names behind my back, but chose to ignore it.

I looked back at the girl, who was still sitting on the ground, staring at me.

It was strange seeing Madeleine so young.

In my previous life, I had met her when we both had just turned sixteen.

The memory seemed so vivid, as I looked this child in the eye.

She gasped, quickly getting up and bowing deeply.

"Th-thank you so much, Lady Crawford. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up."

".... May I know your name?" Looking at her made me realize why even at her young age, people would practically flock to her. There seemed to be a magnetic pull to her, beckoning you to come ever so closer and look at her.

"It's Madeleine Campbell." She tilted her head.

"I see. So you are part of the other duchy. Congratulations on first place. May we meet again." Bowing, I turned away and started walking toward the exit.

I hadn't noticed it in my past life, but Madeleine made me want to protect her. Perhaps it was this "Magnetic pull" of hers.

Perhaps it was something else.

Either way, I couldn't afford to be too close to her. Unless I wanted a jealous crown prince to have my head chopped off again.

I looked back at her. She was picking up her scattered things from the ground, in an almost comical hurry.

I felt the sides of my mouth lift.

Why was I smiling?

I shook my head, walking back to my carriage.

...

...I...

...I wished I could see her again soon.