Beyond The Veil,

The room fell in a heavy silence after Derrick dropped the bombshell. Creusa was almost frozen on the spot. She didn't move or speak. She didn't even blink. Her father stared at her, deep worry lines etched on his forehead.

"Princess…" his voice was soft and imploring.

Creusa stared at the man she'd worshipped all thirteen years of her life, the closest friend she'd had, her brain refusing to process his words. Derrick had an intimidating aura around him, but over the last year, his presence had started to fade. He seemed to have grown older, and it came as a surprise to Creusa that she was only noticing it.

"S–sorry, I don't understand," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Derrick felt his heart break at her reaction. 'There's no other way Derrick. She has to know.' he remembered his wife's words that morning, urging him to do something he'd been putting off.

"I've been consuming poison and I don't have much time left."

Creusa felt the room start to close in on her. She blinked at her father severally, still finding it hard to understand what he was saying. Her head was buzzing. "Why would you consume poison?" Her voice was now breathy as she struggled to keep the tears at bay.

Derrick's eyebrows furrowed and his face morphed into a sad look. "Someone has been poisoning me without my knowledge. In my own house."

Creusa felt the hot tears start to fall, and there was no end to it. The room was rotating and she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. No! No! She screamed inwardly, but she only shook her head, unable to say anything.

"They… they'll get you treated. Brook will get you the best physician. You're not dying. You cannot die!" She ranted frantically, tears freely streaming down her face.

Derrick's jaw clenched and his hands clenched to fists as he fought the urge to hug Creusa, rub her back and assure her that everything would be fine. That he'd get treated and he wouldn't leave her. But he knew that for the next stage of her life, she needed to be tough. It had to start there.

"Creusa… Creusa listen to me. You're my successor. You'll inherit everything I own when you come of age and I'll need you to take care of your mother. You know she's not strong like you are, princess. You'll have to take care of her." Derrick hadn't realized that he had also started crying.

He'd known he was dying for over a year, and every time, the physician would tell him it's just a matter of time. He'd lived with the fear of dieing, avoiding confiding even in his wife. He knew it would break her heart to know that he was scared of death, so he pretended to be strong, focusing all his attention on growing his wealth so that Creusa would never have to suffer a day in her life. He had avoided facing the reality of leaving his only child. His family. He had suppressed those thoughts, but seeing Creusa break down, he could no longer hold it together.

That was the longest week Creusa had ever had. She cried every day and night and refused to eat anything. She refused to talk to anyone, even her father. She couldn't accept the harsh reality.

Derrick Levan died at the end of that same week, and Creusa fell into a state of depression. Her mother was despite herself in grief and there was always a dark atmosphere shrouding the Levan household.

They mourned Derrick for two weeks, but Creusa never got over her father's death. Her mother was on her feet again a month later and launched an investigation as to who had been poisoning Derrick. She also took control of the businesses and almost never had time for Creusa.

Creusa's mother died three months after her husband's burial. She was attacked by unknown bandits on her way from Scarrow and she never made it home.

When Creusa received the news, she wasn't frantic like people had expected. Ever since her father's death, Creusa had been numb. She lived like she was already dead, not caring about anything. She lived every day like a routine. That night she cried herself to sleep.

A week later her mother was buried and many people were in attendance, including King Merlin. Creusa could hear whispers and murmurs wherever she passed.

'I feel bad for her. She's used to getting everything but now there's no one to spoil her.'

'it's so sad that wealthy people spoil their daughters so much. Now how will she survive?'

'they should've had a boy. Now all their wealth will fall in strange hands'.

'I bet there are people already asking for her hand in marriage. All that money.'

Creusa had attacked a woman who'd insulted her father's memory by saying they deserved their death.

That's when the ruckus begun. Till now, Creusa still thought it was all planned. Her older cousin Byron, the first Levan male cousin of her generation started befriending her. She must have been in a vulnerable state because after a while she started giving him access. Access to her personal space, her working space since she'd been running the business with the help of Brook, her father's advisor. In no time they'd gotten close enough to spend time together and attend meetings together. Creusa didn't see anything wrong with it, after all, he was just trying to help.

There was a time when Brook had hinted that she be careful with Byron. Creusa had listened and started distancing herself, but Byron charmed his way back into her life.

They had been invited to the New Year's party by King Merlin and Creusa was accompanied by Byron, extending the invitation to his family. It was just common courtesy. But it was a comment made by the King that made Creusa start to question her own judgement.

The crown prince had congratulated Byron on his good eye, hinting at his choice in women, Creusa in particular, and the King had frowned in disapproval, wondering aloud what Derrick would have thought about such a match.

Such a match. Such a match?

They weren't a match. They were cousins. What were these people talking about?

Creusa had turned around and felt everyone's eyes on her. She nearly screamed at them. Her and Byron were not a match! They were cousins! He was like a brother!

Later that night Byron had confronted her, asking her why she'd behaved the way she did. He'd asked her whether she was not happy with him as her match.

Creusa had been enraged, calling Byron all kinds of perverts for ever thinking that she would think of him that way. She'd yelled for almost an hour, calling him delusional and blaming him for every rumor that circulated about her and her family. Byron had left angrily.

The following year was when things started getting clear for Creusa, when Byron came back and tried to force himself on Creusa, claiming that even if he couldn't run the business, she would bear him a child that would take everything. That was when Creusa realized why her parents never wanted her to interact with her relatives. All they were interested in was her father's name and wealth. All they had been doing even when he was alive was to plot against him.

But the realization came a little too late. Aftere Byron's first plan failed, he was advised by his mother to send Creusa to the wisteria convent. She had already met with the person in charge and arranged everything. All they had to do was find a way to get her there.

A month before Creusa turned fourteen, Brook revealed that her father had been suspecting Byron's mother, Derrick's first sister in law, was behind the poisoning and that her mother's death was no accident. She was sent to the convent at the end of the same month.