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yosoyawriting · 2 years

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Chapter Four

My father was dressed for a funeral. His royal robes were the color of storm clouds and a crimson sash was tied around his waist along with a little pink braided fabric. His grand, golden crown that imitates the feathers of an eagle was missing today. Instead, he chose a thinner crown that was no less grand than the other one because this one was made entirely out of rubies that appeared to be enchanted due to the red light being emitted from it. He was leaning against the opposite door that was a bright green color. He looks out of place in the small, rainbow garden room. The bright and happy yellow, pink, white, and purple flowers do not match the dangerous aura radiating from him.

I bow only my head to him since the tight bodice keeps me from bending at the waist. I then clasp my hands and stare at the ground, waiting to be addressed.

"The wedding attire of a widower," he says to me in a low voice. "She would have liked to be here for you." I raise my head and look at him. His eyes are still cold as always, but right now they also seemed a little distant.

"Come here." My father pulls a long, blue ribbon from his inner pocket and motions for me to walk forward. "Our forearms must be tied before the wedding crowd sees us as per Shinan's traditions. It is considered unlucky and distasteful for the bride and her father to appear divided." He spoke in a mocking tone. The people of Yakasu take pride in their traditions so my father must feel a little jaded to have to follow a foreign leader's rules. I almost had the urge to let out a little chuckle as the reason behind the tradition is very ironic considering how he has been treating me all these years.

I tense up with every step. This is the longest he has ever gone in the past thirteen years without insulting me in some form. So I am wary of his currently calm state. I feel as if at any moment he will call for guards and have them drag me back to my room by my hair.

I reach him and hold out my arm. I flinch as he lines his arm up against mine. He does not acknowledge the movement and silently ties the ribbon gently around our arms. A strong power could be felt from his crown. The air around me felt similar to the air during a lightning storm.

"Perfect," he says as he finishes the bow. He holds my left hand and asks, "are you ready?"

Afraid that my voice will sound weak, I nod.

He sighs. "Unless you have somehow become mute, Yueia, speak," he scolds.

"Yes! I am ready!" My voice sounds clearer than I thought it would and it makes my father nod in satisfaction.

"You are so bold in front of others but become such a weak child in front of me." There is a strange glint in his eyes. He knows what had occurred this morning. "Keep your childish tendencies hidden, Yueia, especially from the husband. Never stutter or shrink yourself around him."

Has something happened that I am not aware of? Just yesterday my father was berating and degrading me and now he's giving me advice? After all these years, today is the day that he has decided to take on the role of a caring father. Who exactly is King Erix and why is he so wary of him?

He holds my hand, opens the door, and leads me down the corridor. Mara told me that this is a private passageway to reach the doors to the grand courtyard where the ceremony is taking place. It is Shinan's long-standing tradition for the bride and groom to be married outdoors. According to them marrying indoors is a great way to start a relationship full of secrets. On the other hand, an outdoor wedding symbolizes that the couple has nothing to hide from each other and is proud to be together.

This corridor bypasses the main hall and ballroom but takes a little more time to go through with all the twists and turns. Different glowing yellow flowers along with many torches, line the path making the windowless passage very bright and seemingly pleasant.

When we reach the end of the hall we pause in front of a door. My father looks at me. "When the ceremony is over you will no longer be known as the daughter of the king of Yakasu but as the wife of the king of Shinan." His gaze intensifies. "Yueia," his voice is low, "that title does not hold the same power."

He knocks on the door and it creaks open.

An old man dressed in a light green robe opens the door and crept inside. He had a long thick gray braid under a green rectangular hat and in his right hand is a golden staff with a floating baby blue cube hovering above it. He leans on it and says, "ahh, Your Majesty," he has a warm voice, "you're late." He looks my father up and down, "and are not wearing the appropriate wedding attire."

I gasp. Who did this elderly man think he was? I have never heard anyone speak so informally to my father. Servants wouldn't even dare to speak improperly about him behind his back let alone to his face. I look up at my father expecting to see complete anger but instead a silly smile is on his face.

"I can take as long as I want now, Grand Sage," he gestures to his crown, "I am King."

"Yes! A king!" The Grand Sage laughs, "A king who doesn't know how to treat his guests! And it's not just any guests you are neglecting. It's the royalty of an ally kingdom and me!"

My father rolled his eyes, "we are not late, Grand Sage, and you have not been neglected. I have had plenty of feasts thrown in celebration of my daughter's engagement which you and the others have attended. And speaking of my daughter," he looks down at me. "You have never met Yueia, have you?"

My eyes widen after hearing his title. This old man was the Grand Sage Erkey, a member of the Suka Council, head librarian of the Great Library of Shima, and my father's old mentor. All books regarding this man say that he is the best offensive spellcaster on Aitosukawa and if it wasn't for his guidance all those years ago my father may not have defeated the Old Evil.

"No I haven't and you know it!" He stomps his staff against the ground and the floating cube glows brighter. "You kept the poor girl hidden from the entire world! That should be a crime an–!"

"You know just like I do that the world is cruel and unforgiving." My father says cutting off the man's words. "Can you fault me for wanting to protect my daughter, my only child with my deceased wife, from danger?"

I clench my jaw. He wants to protect me? Has he forgotten about what he had said only just yesterday? How to him I was worthless and a parasite? He is a two-headed serpent who uses his venom wisely. I knew he acted differently when others were around but to see it in person is maddening. I want nothing more than to scream from the top of my lungs the truth but I remain silent.

The old man grumbles under his breath and finally turns his attention to me, looking at me and my dress intently, his eyes linger on my face. "She is also not dressed appropriately."

"We are proud citizens of Yakasu," my father says, "not Shinan so we are dressed appropriately. Red, white, and gold for the bride and gray, red, and, pink for the widower. When the marriage is finalized, my daughter can dress in her new nation's colors but until then the beautiful colors of Yakasu are what she shall wear."

"Hmph!" The Grand Sage slams his staff down again this time the cube doesn't glow as bright. "Fine be that way. She won't be Yakasu's for much longer anyways." His gaze is still on me when he says, "she looks just like her mother, doesn't she? What a lucky girl!"

My ears perk up and I straighten my posture. He believes that I look like my mother? His eyes must be failing him in his old age. When I was a little girl and free, many people who saw me always told me I looked just like my father. From our eyes to our smile to our hair and skin tone, it was clear that I was his child. Even now though I try my hardest to avoid my reflection I have seen it and that fact has never changed. I look just like my father but I do wonder what she looked like. Maybe we do have some type of feature that is similar. He could be telling the truth.

My father raises his right eyebrow, "many people would strongly disagree with you." He must feel the same as I then. This elderly man has poor eyesight.

"Well many people may not remember the beauty that was her mother considering the fact you have hidden away all of her portraits! However, I" the Grand Sage proudly exclaims, "am fortunate enough to have seen her many times before her passing."

"Okay that is enough," my father raises his hand to silence him. "If I let you go on anymore, we will actually be late." He tightens his hold on my hand and tugs me forward. "Let us get this over with."

With another hmph, Grand Sage Erkey turns and opens the door. Several bowing maids are waiting and the Sage steps asides as bows as well as we pass him. The maids gather behind us as we head to the grand door.

My heart began to beat rapidly. My palms start to sweat and I wipe my right hand on my dress to dry it. I have the urge to untie the ribbon connecting me to my father and dry my left hand as well but I resist.

The grand door is twenty feet tall and was dark walnut with black details. As we stood in front of it, music could be heard on the other side.

I haven't heard music in years. I think I could hear a piano and some violins playing a sweet melody.

My father squeezes my hand bringing me out of my thoughts. Without looking at me he asks one last time, "are you ready?"

I close my eyes and slowly inhale and exhale. When I open them I lift my head and say, "yes."

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yosoyawriting · 2 years

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Chapter Three

My flesh was scrubbed raw and it felt amazing. My new maids had begged me to stop when they saw my skin turning red but they were not aware of my past living conditions. All those years of gunk, rot, and death felt like they were coming off of me with each aggressive passing of the hand towel.

I had them empty and refill the enormous bathtub several times before I felt like I was satisfied with my hygiene. Luckily, some amount of good did come from Aline's unpleasant deed, I had more than enough time to prepare for my wedding. Next, I had them bring body oil that smelled of jasmine. I dowsed myself in it, soaking in the luxurious scent. Afterward as I drank tea mixed with Luksul, one of the maids named Annith did my makeup and then went to work on my hair. Combing out the stubborn knots that I could never get to bend to my will.

She was quite good. The nest located at the nape of my neck was no match for her skillful hands and the concoction that she put in my hair.

"It's a mixture of rose water and setera gel, my lady. It's great for gently freeing the hair of tangles." Annith has such a kind face, a beautiful one too. She was blessed with an oval face with soft features. She had big doe hazel eyes and nicely shaped thin brows. A light pink rogue was placed on her cheeks and lips. Her hair was warm brown and strains of hair framed her face while the rest was styled neatly in a tight bun.

"You're beautiful, Annith." I had said to her. She replied with a humble thank you and an array of compliments about my beauty. However, I haven't been able to confirm them as true. Every mirror I passed I had the strong urge to avoid so much of a peek of myself. I have kept my eyes trained on the people and miscellaneous items around me.

Because I know. I know I look like him.

After my hair was brushed out they brought in the dress. My wedding dress. Today is the day of my wedding. I am getting married to a man that I don't even know what he looks like or how he behaves around cursed beings. My heart begins thudding against my chest, attempting to jump out and end itself.

Since I found out about my engagement to the King of Shinan, I have been trying to ignore the feeling of impending doom that threatens to drown me every time the thought of the marriage lingers for too long in my mind. I always used to dream of being saved by a handsome prince and today it is going to happen but why does it feel like I am being dressed for the gallows?

The King is a newly appointed ruler meaning that there are no books in my library about him. On the other hand, the opposite is true of his father, the late King Omei. King Omei was said to be a wise ruler and a man of his word. Shinan itself was always a wealthy trading kingdom however under his rule and implemented policies, Shinan was ushered into another golden age. I pray that he has inherited those traits.

"How old is he, King Erix?"

Theresa, a brown-haired freckled maid, looks at me with surprise. "I believe he is twenty-four years old, Your Highness."

He's a few years older than me. "When–," I pause. To these maids, I should know these answers already. To them, I am Princess Yueia, heir to the throne of Yakasu and future queen of Shinan. I should be well informed of the politics of these kingdoms and if my fiance.

My father has kept my secret very well hidden.

According to the teachings of Nuwa, I should never hesitate at a chance to learn so I continue to ask, "when did his reign begin?"

Theresa takes the dress off the hanger. "Two years ago, my lady. A week after the passing of the late King Omei."

"He is quite charming." Annith helps Theresa carry it. They lower it enough for me to step in. "I had the honor of filling up his cup at dinner yesterday." My widened eyes shoot to her face which has a slight grin on it. "He said thank you to me when I did, which is a rarity among nobles. He seems very kind. That's something you too have in common."

She gives me a little pat on my arm before saying "take a deep breath, my lady." She and Theresa quickly pull the dress up, shove my arms into the sleeves, and then motion for the other two maids, Maya and Sara, to help.

They rush to me armed with button hooks and sympathetic smiles. The ladies pull and tug and the gown tightens. It feels like I have been holding my breath for an eternity when the maids finally say done.

The women step back and admire their handiwork.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Maya says. "If we had had more time we could have made it fit you perfectly." She sighs and touches the beading on the bodice. "Clearly, the maid who took your measurements did not do it correctly. "

Maya was the oldest of the maids, she was somewhere in between her thirties, and had a warm aura to her.

"It is beautiful," I say. I walk over to the grand mirror in the corner of my bedroom. Avoiding my face, I stand before it. The dress was gorgeous.

It was an ivory, silky ballgown dress with gold detail throughout it. The bodice was decorated with pearls and rubies surrounded by a gold casing. The neckline was high for modesty and it to was covered with gold, pearls, and rubies. The sleeves were see-through and were one of the only parts of the gown that was not tight.

I sit down in a chair next to the mirror as Sara and Theresa approach me, carrying heavy jewelry. I watch them place a gold necklace on me. There was a big ruby in the middle as well as smaller rubies dangling from the band. I hold out my hand and take the matching ruby earrings from Sara and put them on. Annith comes over with small, pearly heels and slips them on my feet. Lastly, was the tiara.

I remember I used to wear one when I was a little girl. I used to always take it off, complaining about how it gave me a headache and I was better off without it. I would leave a trail of sharp pins behind me wherever I went. When my father came and took it away from me, along with my freedom, it was one of many things that I missed.

This tiara was very heavy and very gorgeous. It was, of course, made out of gold and bedazzled with shiny pearls and rubies. A giant red gem in the middle was encircled with more gold that trailed off into a line of pearls that curved and gold dangling from them. I never would have imagined that one day I would wear something so stunning.

I stand and face the women who made me feel for the first time in years beautiful and happy. I bow my head to them and say, "thank you all for your time and care."

"Oh no, Your Highness, please do not bow to us," spoke Annith. "It was our honor to serve such a pleasant and kind-hearted lady."

In unison they bow to me, all wearing genuine smiles on their faces. Seeing their display of kindness I cannot help but compare them to the servants I was stuck with for years. Aline and the other maids, though they made some efforts, could not help but let their facade slip around me. I knew every time that they shut and locked my door, they would let out a sigh of relief. Not once did any of those men and women tried to help me or show me any true form of kindness. As days went on and the cold treatment continued, I soon believed that no good could live within the walls of the castle. And yet here stand four women who proved me wrong. Who would have thought such warm and well-mannered people could stay in a cursed place?

"Your wedding follows Shinan's traditions," says Sara, interrupting my thoughts, "instead of Yakasu's, Your Highness. Your father, His Majesty, tried to oppose it but King Erix insisted on having the wedding his way."

Puzzled I say, "I do not know Shinan's wedding ritual."

"Don't worry, my lady," Mara says reassuringly, "Shinan's traditions are a lot simpler than ours." Annith opens the door to my bedroom and the ladies lead me down the hall. "It will be very short. You and your father will walk down the aisle, you on his right and him on your left." Our footsteps echo loudly through the corridor as we walk on the well-kept marble floors. "Your fingers will be intertwined and your forearms tied together by a long, thin royal blue ribbon. It will be tied loosely of course." Sara and Annith are on either side of me holding me steady as we descend a grand staircase. "When you reach the altar, King Erix will stand in front of you two, and His Majesty will undo the ribbon and hand it to King Erix." As pass servants, they make sure to bow deeply to me. " King Erix will then take your hand from your father and bring you to his right side. Afterward, he will give the ribbon to our Priest Tyway." Flowers and plants decorate the halls giving them a heavenly scent. "The priest will say a few words, you two will say I do, the ribbon will be tied around your arms, and there you're married!"

We stop in front of a large door. It is raven black with tiny gold leaf details throughout the wood. "I thought," I pause and try to keep from blushing, "I thought we were to kiss."

"You would, "Sara says, "if the wedding was following our country's tradition. Unfortunately for you, Shinan believes in saving that and," she pauses and smiles, "other things for the bedroom."

The women giggle amongst themselves while I watch them in embarrassment. There were no books in my library about the intimate details between man and his wife, so all the things that I know come from the whispering of my old maids.

"You will be okay, my lady," Theresa says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Your father is on the other side of the door waiting for you. It is best not to keep the Great King waiting."

"No, I will not be okay," I whisper under my breath. I place my hand on the door and summoning all the courage that I have, I push open the door.

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yosoyawriting · 2 years

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From Dust We Rise

Chapter Two

I awake to see a small frail lady standing over me.

"Your Highness," she says, bowing to me. As she straightens her posture, the light from the sunrise highlights the artificial grin that's plastered onto her face. "My name is Aline and I have come to prepare you for your special day." There is a grimace hiding behind her smile. The rotten smell is still lingering in my room.

My special day. My wedding day. When I was around seven years old and was just locked away, I would spend my day reading old tales of princes and knights sweeping a lady off her feet and carrying her away to a land where they could live in peace together. I wished to be that lucky lady. I was a princess, after all, an obvious prize for a noble man, so every morning and every evening I would pray for a brave man to come and save me by making me his bride.

I can't remember how old I was when I stopped saying that ridiculous prayer.

I stand up and try to stretch but my vision becomes blotchy and my legs stumble. The maid grabs onto my arms and steadies me.

"I need...I need medicinal tea." My headache is a lot worse than I thought it would be.

Massaging my head I add, "one for headaches and put a dash of Luksul in it." According to Heven's Manuscript, a guide for healers, Luksul is a common weed found in Yakasu. It gives a bit of energy when consumed in tea and it also aids in calming the nerves. It is considered a miracle herb.

"Yes, Your Highness," she replies, "I'll have someone bring it to you right away but please let us first leave this room." The maid's voice is strained but she tries to have some composure.

Also wanting to leave quickly as possible, I allow her to usher me out of the room. The maid slams the door behind us and breathes a sigh of relief. I straighten my posture and turn and look at her with a raised eyebrow.

Realizing what she had done she whispers "my apologies, Your Highness." She then gestures for me to take the lead in walking down the corridor.

In my hall, there are only several doors and they are all along one side. The closest one to my bedroom was my bath chamber where I am only allowed to bathe myself using one bucket of water. A door down is my library which is only open during the day. Reading at night is prohibited for the risk of me setting fire to valuable texts by lighting candles too close to the fragile parchment. The following three rooms down are the chambers of my maids, manservants, and guards. The last room that was the farthest away from mine, was the kitchen, the place where flavor is considered unholy.

And at the end of the hall, there is a great door the color of blood with golden eagle heads mounted onto the door. Every time I walk through the corridor heading to the bath chamber or my mediocre library I would always avoid looking at the door. The eyes of eagles always sent shivers down my back. I cried the first time I saw it.

Now on my path that is promising me a chance of freedom, this door is the one I must pass through.

I walk past the chambers slower than I thought I would. Yesterday my heart danced with joy each time the thought of the future came to mind. But now that my chains might now finally break, I am…hesitant?

Each step I take it feels as if my restraints are getting tighter. My knees feel weaker and my headache grows stronger. My posture is now suffering and my feet drag along the floor.

I reach out to Aline for support but a new body grabs hold of my waist and steadies me.

"My apologies, my lady," says a young voice, "the barrier has not yet been dissolved. We were not made aware that you were leaving at this moment."

My head shoots up to look at the young man. He was not made aware? How was he not? And that was not the most intriguing thing he said. He bows to me waiting for my approval to rise. Though I'm still recovering from the shock of realizing how trapped I truly was for all those years, I tell him to rise. "What is your name," I ask.

"Sir Riueth, my lady."

"A barrier? You said there was a barrier? Where is it?"

The man dressed in armor carrying the Yakasu symbol replies politely, "yes, Your Highness, there is a barrier. It is on the door you see." He lets go of me and walks up to the door and knocks on it making pearly dust appear.

I am in awe. I have never witnessed any form of magic before but I had dreamed of it, imagining what it looked like from descriptions in enchanted books. I once attempted to wield it but could not even conjure up a wisp of smoke. And now there's beautiful pearly dust in front of me dancing around in the air before disappearing.

Aline appears at my side and places her hand firmly on my forearm. "I am deeply sorry, Your Highness, I thought they would have got rid of the barrier in light of the upcoming event today." Her eyes are void of any actual emotion. "I should have checked beforehand. Please forgive my negligence." She bows her head and I am left staring at her balding scalp. She begins to cough.

I ignore her coughing fit and look toward the guard and ask, "what is the barrier for?"

"It's to keep you safe, my lady," I glare at him, but the polite smile on his face does not waver. "As well as to keep you from leaving, my lady." He lowers his voice– his tone no longer pleasant, "you know your father would never want you to leave, well until today."

A chill runs through my body though I no longer feel a sense of dread. Aline's cough gets louder, sounding horribly painful but I still do not turn to her. The guard knocks on the door again but this time no magic dust appears. The barrier is gone.

He then gives a firm push on the door and it swings open revealing a sight to me that I have not seen in thirteen long years.

Before me is a magnificent courtyard with a glorious pistache tree plant in the middle and a well-kept stone path leading around it. Its red leaves beautifully capture the light of the sunrise, shining a strong crimson color.

To the far left of the courtyard was a gorgeous fountain. A golden eagle about to ascend into the sky is wonderfully crafted as the centerpiece, water spraying out from all around it. To the far right of the courtyard rows of red flowers grow in large pots as well as along the wall.

It was all so beautiful and well designed but for what purpose? The scenery was surely not for me to enjoy. Did the servants come out here to get a breath of air and space from me?

I look at Aline who has tears in her eyes from all of her coughing. Did she ever come here to take a little break? Rude Aline?

I take a breath and begin to walk through the courtyard, my eyes focusing on the auburn double doors across from me. I can feel Aline following and without breaking my gaze or stride, I hold up my hand.

"I am free now, am I not?"

"Uh, yes, Your Highness, but–."

"So I do not need to be shackled to you."

"But, my lady, I'm supposed to help!"

"I do not need you. I may not have been roaming the halls of the castle in recent years," my footsteps echo loudly on the stone ground, "but I am well aware that there are plenty of maids who can help me prepare."

I reach the doors and ignoring my rising anxiety and golden bear heads carved on the door, I knock twice. No magical dust appears this time instead the doors swing open in an instance revealing men clad in golden and red armor.

I fold my hands and tilt my chin a little higher. "Your Highness," they speak in unionism all respectfully bowing at the waist.

"Rise," I say, my voice clear.

They rise and one who appears to be the leader speaks, " My lady," he has kind eyes, "we were not expecting you for another three hours. Is there something wrong?"

Them too? What was Aline trying to do?

"So I have heard," I reply. " With that being said I request several maids to help me prepare and–," I point to Aline, "punished for her incompetence."

Aline's eyes widen in fear, " Please! Your Highness, I-!"

"Sir Riueth can inform you of the earlier events," I say ignoring her pleas. "King Tansei has made me aware that there is a chamber for me. Would you be so kind as to escort me to it?"

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yosoyawriting · 2 years

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So I'm writing a story. It's called From Dust We Rise.

Ooooooo.ヽ(ー_ー )ノ

Chapter One

A rotten smell stains the air. The singular window in the room has its shutters flung wide open. The small flames from the beeswax candles flicker and an old copy of Nuwa's Teachings lies discarded on my poorly crafted desk, pages dancing in the wind. Pain shoots through my palms and knees as I crawl on uneven stones looking for the source of the smell.

A foul odor has been present in my bedroom for a while now but it has recently gotten too strong to ignore.

I hold in my breath as I feel around the dark corners of my room. I know what the smell is.

Every living thing that lingers too close to me for too long dies. Rodents must have found their way into my room and met their unfortunate doom.

Right when I'm about to gasp for air, my hand brushes against a corpse. It was hidden away in a hole behind an almost completely barren bookshelf decaying away. Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I pick up the rotting creature, and holding it far away from my body, I walk towards the window.

Before I let it fall to the ground far below, I say a quick prayer for its soul. I then repeat the process several times until there is no longer a carcass in the hole.

When I finish, I whisper a final prayer even though I know — just like the prayers before—it would go unanswered. "Please let them be the last ones."

I let out a heavy sigh and I immediately regret it. The odor is still present and it only allows quick, shallow breaths.

I hurry to the door and knock as loud and as quickly as I can. The door unlocks and opens, a young maid looks at me questioningly before she steps back and gags. She must have smelt the unforgiving scent through the door and was already growing sick but the full impact smell of the room must have done her in. The maid turns and scurries down the corridor while other servants watch the spectacle from a safe distance.

A new maid, an older maid, steps toward me and bows deeply. "My sincere apologies, your highness, the girl has only just recently started work on your floor and has not yet been made aware of your...um...situation." Her wrinkled face attempts a fake sympathetic smile. "However", she continues, "that is not an excuse to behave the way she did. I'll make sure she is punished accordingly."

I only nod at her words — I'm too embarrassed and unsure of my voice to speak up, to lie and say that her action had no effect and did not offend me.

The gray hair maid accepts my gesture as a response. "How may I help you, Your Highness?"

I swallow the lump in my throat, " I would like a bath, a change of clothes, and a strong perfume," as well as a new bedchamber — is what I want to say but I bit my lip to keep that part inside.

"Yes, Your Highness, I will be sure to arrange that right away." I nod again. She bows and swiftly walks away. She too must be dying to get away from the stench.

"I would run far away from this room as well given the opportunity", I say to myself as I walk away from the door.

Someone shuts and locks it quickly.

.....

The perfume bottle was too small. I wish I could be given a huge bucket or few wooden barrels filled to the brim with gardenia fragrance. I would douse this room, coat my bedsheets, and soak my body until the smell of death was hidden away with a headache-inducing amount of perfume.

Honestly, I would settle for buckets of parasite-filled river water to clean the putrid room.

My skin was clean and fresh but I will always feel filthy staying in this room. A new pair of clothes was brought to me but it wouldn't be long until the rotten smell infects the clothing.

I sit on my broken bed, holding the perfume bottle to my nose, looking at the dying tree outside my window. Trees grow in spring, blossom in summer, fall in autumn, then lie dormant in winter. Unfortunately, because of my curse, this one is rotting away, no longer participating in the seasons of life.

It's my curse's fault that those little creatures suffered such a sickening ending.

And it is all because of my curse that I am not allowed to roam outside in the fields, explore the castle, speak to my people, eat in the dining hall, and know what my mother was like.

This is what my father told me almost thirteen years ago when he locked me up in this small pitiful room.

My father, who is better known as the Great King of Yakasu, is a highly regarded man. It was a title given to him by the people of the world because of his heroic deeds during the War of Aitosukawa. Not only did he prevent this kingdom as well as ally kingdoms from invasion, but it was also he who landed the final blow to the Old Evil.

He is a great king but a horrible father.

If only the people knew how he treats his daughter. How he removed her from the world from an early age. Refusing to spend a second of his time with her and kept her from having a care-free childhood. If only the people knew what she could do. How the Great Hero King's daughter slowly steals the life out of all those near.

Maybe that's why I'm hidden away. Not to keep his people safe from me but keep his perfectly crafted reputation untainted.

On the contrary, it seems my reputation is far from esteem. Through the whispers of my corridor maids, I have heard the rumors spread about me. Some have said that I am a witch and that I practice dark magic with living creatures. Others say I have a sensitive stomach and I let my food go to rot. I have even heard the impossible conspiracy theory that I'm an assassin for the kingdom and I keep bodies in my room if I hadn't found the time to dispose of them properly! None are true, however they are better than the truth.

I continue to sniff the gardenia fragrance making me grow faint, my head fuzzy. I do not care, for the funk of the room is so much worse than this feeling. For years I have had to deal with the stench of the dead but for some reason today was different.

My body begins to sway and my vision gets blurry but before darkness could take me, a knock comes on my door.

With wobbly legs I instantly stand up, blackspots dotting my eyes. It's not time for a meal nor have I ordered anything else so there should be no one knocking.

The door unlocks without my approval and the King of Yakasu enters my room. Warning bells begin to chime in my head.

He towers over me and has a look of disgust in his eyes which are blue as the scales of a northern dragon. With a gloved hand, he holds a cloth over his lower face. He knew there would be a smell in my room.

"Father I-" I try to speak but every time I look at him all the words I wish to say are nowhere to be found. The speech I practiced and the attitude I had trained myself to have is nonexistent. I lower my head. Nuwa would be disappointed.

"It is pathetic to think about how you are my child, how you are your mother's child."

Tears start to form in my eyes. A brutal blow from a cruel man.

"You're a waste of noble blood." He digs deeper. He rarely visits me, and rarely speaks to me, but he still knows all of my insecurities. "A talentless parasite."

A sob escapes my mouth while a cough escapes his. The tears now flow freely down my face.

"However," my head lifts quickly and I look at him, knowing my eyes give away how hurt and broken I truly am, "no longer will you be a burden to me", my eyes widen, "for you are engaged to a rich and powerful king. Your marriage to Erix of Shinan will be official tomorrow."

He goes quiet for a moment waiting for a response. I cannot give him one for I am too wrapped up in my thoughts.

Am I dreaming? Have I inhaled too much of that perfume? Did it put me in a deep slumber? Engaged? I must be dreaming! I must be!

No, I just misheard my father's words.

"King Erix has already arrived for the wedding." So I did hear him correctly. My heart begins to flutter and I wipe the tears from my eyes. My father lets out another cough then inhales sharply and says, "early tomorrow morning you will be moved to a new chamber." His cold eyes look around my room with distaste, "where you will be bathed thoroughly and dressed for the ceremony." My heart is racing. "After the vow exchange and reception you will be escorted to your marital chambers."

A strong blush rushes to my face. Our marital chambers? " The following day," he continued, "you will be taken to the kingdom of Shinan and be the problem of another man." And without giving me a chance to ask not a single question, he leaves abruptly, the door slamming shut and locking behind him.

I plop myself onto the bed overcome with emotions from what I just heard. I'm getting married? I'm leaving Yakasu? A life that I, up until this moment, believed could never be mine will be mine tomorrow. I look towards the window and out to the world beyond. The sun was setting. Soon night will come then morning —and a chance of freedom.

Or further imprisonment. What would King Erix do if he found out about me? About the curse. Will he lock me away, far away in fear of dying a horrible death? Will he just be another version of my father and his castle another iron chained casket?

I hold the fragrance back up to my nose and inhale deeply. This will knock me out quickly as well as give me a headache in the morning though a medicinal tea will fix that side effect. Tomorrow my life will change. For better or for worse I don't know, but it will change.

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