CHAPTER I

(FOREST OF DREAMS)

'BEING ordinary is an atrocity remember that, Miyu.'

Firm, bold, and standing on the highest pedestal ever build for an aristocratic family, I am born with the name. My mother, whose words hold only to the plack of fame and power that comes with our bloodline, is the words that were the lesson I intended to live forever. The words that make me who I am. The truth is that in this world, I couldn't be the one I wanted to be, for being ordinary means being nobody, and nobody means you are nothing. The reality I want to run away forever from and the same truth that's what makes me curse this life, for every time I open a door, all I can get was,

'I don't know why we have to bow down to the likes of her. She's not that special. It happens that she is the Duke's daughter, and in any case that she's not, there is no room for her in this world.'

They all tell about me behind my back. The pretenses, those smiles, and the friendship they all offer were all but a lie. For being me is everything about not being ordinary. An impossible thing for me to have, that I deserve nothing or anyone below my status. For the luxury of this life, the gold and silver that I wore and everyone adores of me are all but a well-laid cage I am within.

'Who do you think you are, a queen?'

The rejection, the harsh words, the lies of their smile, and the facade they wore behind their perfect mask is my judgment. My life as an aristocrat and a princess is not meant for even a lowly and decent commoner.

'You are not welcome here.'

They all made it clear to me.

'You do not belong here. The Duke strips us of our noble title, and because of you, we have nowhere to go! I hate you!'

Their anger towards me, the accusations, and the brand they stick to my name just because I am a princess by blood made my life miserable. If only they could listen even for a minute, they will understand. That I have nothing to do from the political affairs outside my well-guarded and sheltered life, that I have no idea of the things they envy of me. All I wanted is a friend, someone I can rely on, talk to, and exchange smiles with, but I could not as no one would let me. If having just one friend is costly enough, then I will gladly exchange everything that I have.

'We only befriended you because of your status and your name, but that is all, we do not like you even for a single bit, we even do not consider you as our friend, and that is how we envy you.'

'Stupid Princess.'

Pushed, harm by words, and pin into the corner of having the perfect name I never wish to have. That was the 2nd lesson they thought me as they made it all clear to me and all day of every day, and the only thing they do and nothing else, but that.

'Do not mind those people, they are just jealous of everything that you have that they will never get.'

Jealous? Should they be? I wanted to ask that question, for, in reality, I am the jealous one. I honestly envy the people who had nothing yet have everything I do not. If being a commoner and poor will paint that smile, then I will gladly exchange everything. Yet, to pedestal and castle where I am trap, everything that spins to my life, my royal blood, and the name comes from that tiny fault, but the inevitable truth that I will forever be alone.

'Can I have a wish?'

I whisper the reasoning of that past and the words I did not know to be taboo. Facing the gentlemen in all of his formal clothes and gentle smile, I never knew that I already fall into the sin of greed. If only I realize it sooner and wake up from the nightmare of the sin I am falling deep down, I maybe still have my sane. For, if I did not wish for it and deal with the entity that marks every red flag and warning that there is, maybe I do not have this regret in my life now.

'Of course, shall I grant it for you, Miyu?'

Those creeping presence, yet the tempting tone of his voice, and the very night of that full moon, I was drawn to the contract he laid in front of me.

'Why do they hate me, mother?'

Holding back to the question that I often ask, the words that ring the innocence, pure, but hurting lies of my life, the sacrifices, and the reason for living.

'Remember this Miyu you are born with the luxury greater than anything and everything of this life. They may hate you now, push you away and treat you as their enemy, for they do not know what they are doing and what they are saying. Remember you are greater than anyone and anything in this world and lifetime, and being one comes with a price. To protect you, we need to be someone, someone else that everyone hated and needed to.'

I do not understand as I do not have the slightest idea of what is true or not. All that I ever knew, all that was clear to me back then, is that everything of those words is true. That I am someone that is both needed and hated at the same time, as the time ticks, and days past, to the nights where I wonder looking up to the vast dark and starry sky, one thing that this heart of mine wanted for so long, but I could not have, that would be to smile with someone I can call my friend. If only someone and at least one from out there could answer my call. I want to ask, of what could be true to this false life of mine, do I belong here? Just what am I doing in this place?

Then in that cold night under the bright full moon, a vivid whisper of someone else voice I knew, but I could not pin who. A memory echoed to my ears.

'Can I have a wish?'

Somewhat drag back into the abyss and thrown into the scene, my bewildered eyes froze my body in place. As those words and gentle cold voice is me, yet the dirty clothes that she wears, the pale and skinny body she owns are all far from being me now. Somehow in this time, I am witnessing a dream from a past I could not recognize, but I own.

"Your wish is my every command."

Dark and ominous, that is the tone of the one in front of her and front of me. To the tired, hungry, and poor girl in my eyes, her pain and longing are the same as mine.

"Shall I grant it for you, Miyu?"

Taken back by that name as the frail girl agrees, a piece of paper is given to her as she signed with her name and sealed with blood. To the fear, I am seeing and the pain that is beating my heart now, I knew she should not do that, yet I cannot find my voice to scream the words but to wake up in my very room panting with air.

"No!" I scream, waking up from the nightmare within my dream. Running to my window as I look at the forest where he lives, my heart calms as my mind erased everything that I have seen and exchanged with the words and voice on the day where I first met him.

'IF you want to run away from everything and hated your life, then leave, run away, and never come back, a royalty as you must end with nothing.'

Disappointed and heartbroken, I aimlessly run away from home that one stormy night. To the angry heavens that became the sole witness to that night, I rode my horse and went far away from everything, wishing and hoping that I could find a place that was meant and only for me, just then. In a slight fault and accident as a lightning strike startling my horse, I roll down a dirt patch losing consciousness, and by the time I opened my eyes, I found myself in an enchanted place where he is all been.

"You should not be here, human."

As a deep yet calm voice says. Looking ahead as I slowly stand drench and quite tired, to the thirteen-year-old girl who just found herself in an unknown place, I was bewitched. Laying my eyes to the epitome of God, the beauty that is in front of me gazes at the wonder that I never had.

"Who are you?"

Snapping out from my thoughts as he suddenly asked. My eyes gaze to pass through him realizing, that the place I am standing now is embracing me with the warmth, out of the cold I should have right now. Looking back at him, who owns the pair of the beautiful sapphire ocean-like blue eyes. The one, standing in the middle of the vast grass field in the middle of the vast, magical forest, with his shining silver hair that somehow dances by the aid of the wind. To a muted same melody that I could not hear, but my heart could feel. To the one that somewhat lost, but not, who had a family, let alone. The one who wears the robe, the dress, the shoes, and the crown for a king and the same whom I found in that vast loneliness he owns in his eyes that show, I confess.

"Tell me, am I dreaming or better yet, I am seeing someone of a Prince so beautiful that I have never seen before?"

I ask as I cannot help but be mesmerized by his grace and beauty that somehow by a glance and look for once from him, it can melt and freeze anything of his path. To my beating heart and the back of my mind, that's telling me that I have seen him before and that I know him, yet I could not recognize, I somehow knew and have long found the one in front of me from my long past life.

"I am neither a human, a spirit, nor anything you could ever think. I hold nothing but this place which I guard. I am not an ally nor an enemy, but I will punish everyone who will come and enter my realm. Now, are you not afraid of me, human?"

The question that became a trivial puzzle, to his gaze that marks the warning tone and every bit of a dangerous road from ahead. My heart is somewhat foolish enough, but gaze back as it beats for the very first time to the tone that from those ticking moments that the one in front of me is the one, I can trust. For those threats, the warning that should leave me to run away just like any logical one should do, yet it only paves for me to trust him. I do not know why I do not doubt the being that is not from this place as I should have been in a panic right now and beg to be released. But my heart and the very me are screaming the words of 'trust' is there comforting me.

"Should I be?" as innocent as I am, but I cannot help myself but be indulge with the warmth that I never had before. "King of the forest, your highness," I called out to him as I held my hand for him with the purest smile I had ever done before. The stranger that is him is peculiar and magical. My heart beats it wants to stay and be by his side.

"Who are you, human?" asking back as I gleefully nodded with him in a slightly hesitant way at first, but finally took my hand, my heart never felt genuinely warm, but now.

As I replied, "Miyu, my name is Miyu." My dull and lonely life finally ended at that time. To the King that is bound in one place, I found my wish.

"Foolish human, yet you are courageous to stay firm standing before my sight. You who holds that bravery, I commend your strength as I gifted my hand for you." Poetically laid those words, he slowly took a step close, kneeling as he gently holds my hand unto his.

Taken by his perfect features and never an ordinary beauty, I closed my eyes as his warmth surrounds me. His kiss unto my hand opens the path that I will never regret in my entire life.

"I am the King of this forest, protector, and knight, Rafael."

Introducing himself as he took a robe out from the hollow space beside him, flipping it open and wrapping it unto me, my face painted in flustered red. Yet, I did not let it drive me into a panic as I buried it with a smile replying.

"Standing before his highness, I am Lady Miyu, at your service." Bowing courtesy to his gentle, genuine, and warm smile that took my breath away, I found what I am looking for my entire life.

The times that I spent just being with him and secretly going back and forth, breaking the rules and law that I grow up to, dragged me away and way deep and down and without an escape route as I care less off. My heart only wants one thing, to see him, to be with him, and forever. The first and only person I wanted to have. The first person ever calls me his friend. The one I forever treasure. The one beyond this boundary of a human world that exists unexpectedly, yet not, and the one I fall.

"Someone told me that everything existed by the will of destiny and the heavens plan, that everything from the day that you are born, your heart is destined for someone that will care, long, and always be someone greater than everything in this world. But what it is not the way as it should be? Will you still forgive the heart that forgot because of the curse?"

TO THAT SAME SYMPHONY, I UNKNOWINGLY FOUND THE ONE THAT LIES FROM DEEP WITHIN MY PRECIOUS DREAM OF A MEMORY.