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Under the blinding rays of light that is my father's aura, I kneel on the white marble floor. I greet him politely with moving my right hand gracefully through the air. If one must greet the King of Fire, they must perform this action. Even his five wives, six sons and eight daughters must greet him in the mornings.

I rise from my spot to return to the line of princesses standing in front of the thrones. I am the fourth princess of the kingdom of Phoenix, I always greet my father after the third princess and before the fifth. With a bright smile my father sends me back to the line.

I feel my sisters all look at me with contempt. I always feel half of my siblings loathed me for I have gained my father's favor. My sisters are jealous creatures and I am aware of their personalities. It is my brothers who always come to save the damsel and in the process, give my sisters more reason to dislike me.

I patiently wait for the rest of my siblings to go up to the thrones, kneel, and perform the greeting motions. A few of my sisters groan about their cramping feet while others blatantly voice their impatience. I turn to Flare the princess on my left and Glim on my right. Flare is older and Glim is younger. "We have been doing this daily ritual ever since we can walk. It does not take long and if father is happy, we should not complain."

"I do not think you have any right to speak, daughter of a wench. Our father only likes you because he pities you. Your mother was crowned as his favorite queen but she will always be a poor prostitute." My elder sister laughs behind her sleeve. The older girls also join in her mocking laughs. "So, I suggest you shut up. Fourth princess."

"Is that how you should treat your sister?" I hear from behind us. My eldest brother tapped both of our shoulders, smiling at me while glaring at Flare. My sister looked surprised but he just rolls his eyes. "Every day you complain about this ancient tradition and every day, my little sister here has to lecture you for your own good. Yet, you always insult her using the mother she never saw?"

"But I saw her enough to know she was a low woman. Unlike my mother who is a princess of the water kingdoms, her mother came in looking like a female courtesan." Flare throws her golden hair behind her back, whipping my brother in the face. "I love you Lux, but I think you are blinded by her. Just like her mother, she is a born seductress!"

"Silence!" The loud voice of my father begged our utmost attention. I kept smiling until he waved for us to go about our day. My father called everyone's name as they walk out huge golden doors. The princes did not rush but their sisters looked like children escaping schooling lectures.

I stayed behind like I always do. Sometimes I would tell my father about my hardships while on some days I just stare at him. Today it looks like he is the one wishing to speak. I shuffle closer to him because he beckoned me with a finger. His wives all looked angry when he does so.

"Lucerna, we can drop the formalities since you greeted me just now. I have some news for you today." My father says with such excitement I think I am infected with his excitement. There was a mischievous glint in his eye. "Do you remember the purple haired man at the previous ball? He was dressed in black and he claimed to be a noble from the kingdom of Tenebris?"

I nod quickly, remembering even the conversation we had shared in the palace's library while all other guests drank and danced. He was a refined man, very knowledgeable. He left such an impression on my family that even my brothers talked about the handsome man dressed in black. I do not know much about him.

"Yes, I remember him. He had purple hair, black eyes and he had a black falcon sitting on his shoulder! Why father, is he visiting our kingdom again?" I could not contain my excitement and without knowing I started to bounce on my feet. The queens sneered at me but my father was beaming.

"Yes, but this time he wishes to find his bride, the girl from the library. It took me so long to find that beautiful creature he spoke of and I replied to him a month after I received his letter." My father sheepishly ran his hand through his fiery hair. His excitement died. "The noble of Tenebris was under a disguise. He is not just a mere noble, but the Emperor of Tenebris. His kingdom is enormous!"

"I beg your pardon?" I stopped bouncing to stare at my father in shock. The man I spoke to in a library was someone like my father? My family had attended many banquets in Tenebris but I have never seen the emperor. I just knew one fact and that was he is an unmarried man despite his many assets. "The Emperor of Tenebris wants to marry me? How did you respond?"

"I wrote with a heavy heart, knowing I will miss you when you leave my household. Phoenix will celebrate but I will feel like I lost something." My father was still beaming brightly. He shook his head, something I've never seen him do. "He is a fine suitor for my daughter. Merchants and workers from Tenebris told me he is a fair ruler but I have heard other rumors about his ruthlessness. I told him to come meet you again."

I release a sigh of relief, glad my father did not fully accept or decline the proposal. I wonder why an emperor would not ask for my eldest sister's hand in marriage. Most kings would aim for the oldest children because the eldest are closest to the parents. They have more influence.

I am certainly inferior to my elder sisters. My mother is a subject of gossip and I do not think I am more talented than any of my siblings. My fiery powers are average, nothing close to what my father can do. I have hobbies that are not very exciting and others tell me I act like a prince. Therefore, I will never be married.

"But father, if he comes I believe that I will embarrass you. I have thought it over and I suggest that you pick from my sisters. He will be more happier to get a formidable wife." My father stared blankly at me. I fiddled with the flowing skirt of my dress to keep my nervousness under control.

The doors open with a loud bang, bringing our attention to the newcomer. I gasped as a purple haired man dressed fully in black stepped into the showing room. I have not noticed the silver mask on his face during our conversation. He did not wear a mask but he did have it in his hand!

I saw the smoky aura he had and with the mask on, I felt intimidated as I realize I forgot his facial features. He seems powerful and dark just like his kingdom. The billowing black cloak looked very much like a black tail or the wings of a bat. I find myself gawking at the emperor and quickly right my wrong by curtsying. My palms are sweating profusely.

The dark man looked very out of place in our bright palace. The blinding white light bouncing off our walls seemed to be absorbed by his dark clothes and even his tan skin does not glow. He looked regal, confident, mysterious and graceful, all traits that would intimidate anyone. The smirk on his face sent shivers down my spine and when his beady eyes looked straight into mine, I felt my soul depart.

"It seems that I have arrived too early in the morning, the corridors and courtyards are empty. Even the announcer was not present to make my arrival known!" His excessively long black sleeves fell to the ground and I would have thought they are supposed to be attached to a fancy dress. The large horns protruding from his forehead does not make his appearance any lighter on the eye. Again, I did not see the obsidian antlers as I spoke to him in the library.

I turned back to my father to avoid the emperor's black stare and to see my father's reaction. The King of Phoenix had to rise and pay his respects? His wives followed his lead and I could feel how powerful this dark man must be. My father would not go so far as to bow towards any other ruler and yet, he is bent like a horseshoe at this moment.

"I have come to see the girl from the library," he says beside my ear. I tried to keep myself from jumping as he startled me with his deep voice. I thought he would make noise when he walks but he is more like a phantom than a living being. He stands so close that his breath runs down my neck. In the corner of my eye I see him look at me.

When his eyes lands on me a playful smile forms on his lips and my own eyes return to staring at the marble floor. His hands hooked my chin, raising it up gently. His face displayed a fake sense of astonishment, a deep laugh that originates from his throat rang through the room. "What a surprise, the girl in the library is right here!"

"Yes, she is my fourth daughter. Lucerna is warm, intelligent and she practices many virtues. All of my daughters are betrothed except her because her mother was not a noble. You were the first to have eyes for my fourth." My father sits back on his throne, suddenly looking like a king again. His wives were glaring at me, angry that I gained a powerful emperor's attention. "I will apologize for being stingy."

"I understand your reluctance but I do not think your hesitance is a problem. I have brought a year's worth of items that I will need and I have bought a few pieces of land from your father. You can say the Emperor of Tenebris is also a noble of Phoenix?" The man in black grins when as my father laughs heartily. I start to squirm in his hands. He finally let go of my jaw with a false look of shock. "I would like to become familiar with Phoenix and its fourth princess."

"My Lord, may I dare to ask you one question?" Two out of five queens growl, telling me not to speak or act out of place. I know that they always correct me when they never touch their children but as a child living under their care, I had to listen to the queens. I shake my head to retract my question and I rip my eyes from the dark emperor.

"Lucerna, you may leave while we speak to the emperor," my father waves me away but the man beside me did not look impressed. I quickly curtsy and scurry through the large room, feeling my presence is for the most part, unwanted. My father starts speaking to the man when I open the large gold doors, their voices were hushed.

With a racing heart I ran out of the room and into the corridors, stumbling towards the main courtyard where my brothers should be practicing with their swords. My sisters would be gossiping and doing each other's hair at the large fountain in the center of the yard. My sisters are very boring people who sit around and smile at young nobles day in and day out.

My eldest brother, Lux, can wield all sorts of weapons with ease and he is also blessed with fiery powers from our father. My other brothers and sisters are not able to practice magic so they usually look at Lux and I with more scorn just because we do use magic. My brothers are very kind men who love each of their siblings dearly but Lux brings out their green-eyed monsters. I bring out their darkest souls.

My sisters only relate to each other, fighting my brothers because they defend me from their attacks. I know my brothers would protect my sisters but I am always in their hands. My brothers have no need to block them from slander or punches. The main reason I am an outcast among the girls is because of my behavior that is at times, not lady-like. Then, there is always the issue with my mother.

"Lucerna, are you going to the courtyard?" I turn around to see one of my brothers, Ignatius, the youngest brother who is one year younger than me. Like me he has our father's red hair but his is not as dark as mine. His red hair reminds me of the color of cranberries. "Did father scold you again because of second mother?"

I shake my head and wait for him to reach me. He looks quite handsome in his new golden vest. "Yes, I am currently headed to the courtyard to see the rose bushes I planted last week. Father had to speak to me about an unimportant matter, that is all. Even if I was scolded by second mother I would have ignored her like I always have."

"And ignore her you should. If that woman did not pretend to adopt you, she would not be a queen but she enjoys scolding you a little too much. Her only son died and she was smart to take you under her wing." Ignatius loops his arms around mine and we skip towards the main courtyard. Once we exit the white palace we race down the long flight of stairs. Of course, I lost the race because of my dress and shoes. My younger brother leapt around me, "I won!"

"You did," I gave him the win knowing I will win if I wore his clothes. I did wear male clothes at a ball once which did not sit well with all five queens. My father thought I looked dashing and my brothers pretended I was a prince, fooling girls with me. My sisters were just like the queens, looking at my brothers and I as if we were the fools.

"Ignatius, spar with me!" Lux calls from the farthest side of the courtyard, standing beside the golden gates. He waves at me with a bright smile on his face and I returned the gesture. Ignatius leaves me to join his brothers, picking up a dull sword from the ground. Lux was prepared for Ignatius' sudden attack, unlike the last time they sparred. "My, you are stronger today!"

I watch my brothers exchange moves until I remembered the rose bushes. Despite the queens urging my father not to let me decorate the courtyard with plants, he let me plant rose bushes in the garden beside the courtyard. The garden is separate from the courtyard, marked with a white arch where green vines snaked around the pillars.

I have never seen a living soul enter the gardens throughout my life thus far. When I first stepped into the garden to start working, I thought I was visiting a jungle. The vines crept around dark tree trunks, skeletons of dead animals hid under the decaying plants and everything looked so dark compared to the glittering courtyard. I did not see a gardener and as far as I know, no one looked after the palace gardens until I started planting my roses.

I used three months to clean the dead garden and after days of toil, I finally planted rose bushes six days ago. My sisters burned one bush but a merchant gave me a rare flower to replace the lost bush. My brothers offered to help me move the rose bushes but I had told them the thorns would scratch heir hands and that I should work alone because it was I who wanted to plant roses.

As I walk down a dirt path I glanced down at my hands. The thorns have created red patterns on my flesh which I did not need to get treated. There are many fine physicians in Phoenix and in the palace but I absolutely do not like them. Many healers refuse to heal me because their reasoning is that I can wield magic therefore, I should be able to heal myself without wasting resources.I know they do not like my mother.

I wrapped my hand in gauze for a day until third mother noticed the cloth and I had to abandon the coverings. The queens said that a princess must look pretty at all times and her hands must look delicate at all times. Oh, how disappointed they were when I removed the gauze from my hand. My father was concerned but my mothers just shook their head with small smiles on their faces.

My nose caught a whiff of smoke carried by the light breeze. My eyes widen when I realize the ashy smell came from the area I planted the rose bushes and the Emperor's Flower. I can always plant more rose bushes but the Emperor's Flower is a rare plant that I have not yet seen in full bloom! I do not know why the bushes would be on fire but I followed the smell of roasting plants.

As I approach the rose bushes and a glass gazebo I saw about six shadows race away behind the other plants. I disregard the shadows, running as fast as I could to the flowers around the gazebo. The fire ate the white roses, quickly turning them into ash that drifts away in the wind. Without having to think I dig my hand into one spot between the biggest bushes. This should be the place I planted the Emperor's Flower.

The flames licked my hands but I did not burn as I am immune to fire. If I wanted I can also absorb the fire, but I will lose some energy in the process. I dig around the space, feeling tears flow down my cheeks as more thorns scratch my hand each time I swipe at ash. "The Emperor's Flower, where can it be? Where?"

After feeling nothing but sharp thorns I finally gave up trying to find the rare flower and pull my hand away from the burning mass. The glass gazebo reflects the light throughout the garden, making the death of the bushes seem colorful. I drop to my knees without making a noise, letting the blood trickle off my fingers.