SOLE PURPOSE

'Laleen my dear, come here ' Her father's voice came from behind where he beckoned her to come to him.

Laleen watched from a distance as the little her got on her feet from the floor of her balcony where she had sat all day awaiting her father's return. She was lonely all day since her stepmother wouldn't let her play with her brothers.

Raising her gown to aid her movement, her little feet ran towards her father's direction. Laleen smiled bitterly at the sight in front of her. Was she dreaming? This was on her ninth birthday.

"Child, what are you doing all alone here?" Her father, the King asked as he rubbed her head while dressed impeccably in a regal attire.

Laleen pouted at his question. Not forgetting her manners, she curtseyed, "Greetings Father".

Raising her head to stare at his grey eyes she continued, "Mother said I'm not allowed to come outside." Her voice grew quieter in sadness as she continued, "She said I would curse people if they saw me".

The King chuckled as he shook his head, "Not at all child. It's your birthday. You shouldn't be here when we're celebrating you "

Then he crouched down to her level and with a smile he said softly, "Besides, I have people I want you to meet".

Little Laleen's eyes sparkled at his words. The thought of going in with her father made her extremely happy and excited.

Laleen on the other hand, scoffed as she stared at the scene in front of her.

That had turned out to be the worst birthday of her life and the sole reason she hated them. The memory still haunted her any time she recalled it. 

Suddenly the scene in front of her changed and she found herself inside the main hall of the palace where the celebration was taking place. Laleen sighed at the memory.

She watched silently as the little her sat beside the King on one side and the Queen and his sons on the other. 

One by one, various men came in their direction, bringing gifts and kissing her knuckles. They spoke with the King about her. About how beautiful she would become in a few years. And how they'd like to court her. 

Laleen had never felt so lonely her entire life. Her ears rang with the persistent sounds of their racing heartbeats that invaded her ears. 

That day, her father had formally displayed her to the world. Like an item to be studied, bid on, and given to the highest bidder.

The scene changed again like a movie she'd watched ten times and knew about every single detail. The little her was crying herself to sleep when her father had walked in. 

He stared at her in the darkness, his jaws clenching. She wiped her tears quickly and silently hoped he wasn't angry.

Laleen watched quietly as he wrapped his arms around the little her and embraced her. She swallowed the ball of bitterness that was hanging at her throat.

"I don't like the way they looked at me" Little Laleen muttered, forgetting her boundaries as she sought solace in her father's arms.

And there, he muttered the dirtiest lie, "One day, I promise, you'll meet that very special someone who won't look at you the same way as the others. He would respect and love you for who you are."

Little Laleen looked up from his embrace with teary eyes, "Really? Will he play with me too".

Her father hummed in response, "I promise".

***

When Laleen finally opened her eyes, she found herself in her now familiar room. She sighed as she sat up. What kind of a dream was that? And why was she remembering it now? 

She looked around her but all she made out was darkness. Reaching for her phone on her bedside table, she turned on the flashlight and got off the bed to get a glass of water.

Opening the door to her room with a creaking sound, she went towards the kitchen.

Getting to the kitchen, she tiptoed towards the fridge quietly opened it, and pulled out a bottle of water. 

Her eyes darted left and right to make sure she wouldn't be spotted by her mother and then she quickly uncapped the bottle and drank till it was half empty.

Only then did she allow herself a sigh of satisfaction. With a victorious smile at the thought of not getting caught, she quickly tiptoed back to her room with the bottle in hand.

Laleen's new parents were not wealthy. They lived in a small house and ran a small bakery shop. But even then, Laleen found more peace living with her new parents than she ever had in all her years as a princess.

But that didn't mean that she didn't experience difficulties. She struggled to go about her daily activities on her own without the help of her maids. 

Not to mention, her mother was strict and seemed to be very angry with her ever since she returned from the hospital. 

Just yesterday, she had let their dinner burn by mistake and her mother had punished her by leaving her with a mountain of clothes to wash in the middle of the night and forbade her from using the washing machine.

Of course,she wasn't allowed to have dinner as well and she crawled to her bed with an empty stomach after she had finished her punishment.

But even then, Laleen felt strangely at peace with her new identity and environment. 

She was halfway to her room still tiptoeing when she heard footsteps. Laleen instantly panicked as she quickened her pace, careful not to make any sound. When she got to her room, she carefully shut the door close as quietly as she could and ran back to her bed with a mischievous smile.

Slipping into the bed, she quickly covered herself with a blanket and remained quiet. 

Thankfully, the footsteps she had heard faded soon after and she breathed a sigh in relief. 

As she stared into the pool of darkness in front of her, her thoughts drifted once again to the man she had met three months ago.

Three whole months had passed since then and she never saw him again.

She remembered her father's promise she had dreamt about. Sure, he lied but who knew that it'd turn out to be true? There really was an exception to her curse.

She remembered the overwhelming sense of relief she felt when she saw him. She almost couldn't believe it. She smiled at the darkness as his face flashed in her mind. Like she could ever forget his face. She clicked her tongue in disappointment when she recalled how easily he had slipped through her fingers.

She would find him, no matter what it takes. That had become her sole purpose in this new life that she had been granted.