1 1. She live as a man

Desmond opened the blue velvet box with simple decoration. It is suited to give a present to a man, but looking inside the box surely that gift was not for a man.

Inside that box, there was a beautiful pendant with emerald-green gems. There also had some white diamonds that adorn the jewel to look a bit more beautiful and elegant. It was so simple and not too big to put on the neck.

Desmond liked it so much. After all, this was a gift from that person. He was so important in her life after her mother. Without him, Desmond did not know if she can continue to live like this anymore.

Desmond put the pendant on her neck. Her delicate fingers touched the pendant while looked at herself in the mirror. She gave a heavy sighed. She did not count how many times she had sighed when she looked at herself in the mirror. Thus, she felt ugly looking at herself. With the shorted hair like a man and muscles, everywhere within her body. Indeed, this sort of thing is not suitable for her.

She tried to remove the pendant from her neck but a hand prevented it. She was very surprised and her face became pale but then when she looked at the person, she released a deep breath.

"Why do your faces look like that?" A man with blond hair and blues eyes looked at her with an amused face. As expected from the eldest son of the Rosxewell Family, Bennett Rosxewell, he was so tall and handsome young man. The differences between our heights were just four centimetres. Indeed, compared to another woman she was the taller. Bennett lips filled with smiles when he looked at the pendant on her neck.

"I thought that you are him." She immediately tried to remove the pendant because she felt embarrassed to wear the girly thing and was caught by that man while doing so. But his hand was still there, preventing her to take off the pendant.

"Don't remove it. You look beautiful, Des." He praised her.

"Is that your eyes have a problem? Why did you give me this present? You know it is impossible for me. Are you mocking me or what?" She asked with sharp eyes.

"Hahahaa... Don't be angry. I'm not mocking you. Within my heart, you are a lady so this pendant is suited for you."

"Don't play with me. That's not funny at all. Why don't you give me a present likes you did before? You are just looking for trouble."

"Nope. It is just that I want you to remember who you are especially on your birthday."

"Brother, you know this very well that I never can be who I am. He will not allow it. Don't talk about my name even my body more masculine than other ladies even though I don't have a dick like you." She tried to humour her brother. Bennett chuckled at her jokes.

"Who cares about that? It is about the time before that crazy bastard die. After that, I will make sure you will be a lady that all man crazy about." He patted Desmond shoulders to give her encouragement.

"You sure are so fantasized about me. Don't forget about the curse he put on me." Bennett was speechless. He almost forgot about that.

The memories came flowing to Bennett mind. At that time, he was just twelve years old boy that curious about everything. He once really looks up to his father, as a Duke of Arundel state. The most powerful man at that time. The knowledge about he will become a successor in the future give him a proud feeling to be like his father. So, he got permission to follow his father wherever Duke Rosxewell went out except when the Duke was going to the wars.

The incident was so vivid and still etched in his mind. That day was proof that his father was not the kind of man that he thought he was. On the same day, he also learned some truth about he had another little sister and stepmother.

It was the first time, he came here. The house was not as big as his but the scenery enough gave his mind aesthetically. He sat obediently after his father commanded him to do so while he was going to find someone. Surely this house gave him shuddered to feel. Even though it was so pleasant but this house was so quiet and sorrowful. It was different from his house which was lively and big. There were not many servants in this house. So far, it is just one butler and two maids. Looked at their faces surely, they were not friendly at all.

Five minutes felt so long to him. Suddenly, the throats become thirsty. He took the cup and sip the tea. The water almost came to his throat but because of the shock, he spits out the tea from his mouth.

'Waaaaa….'

He heard a girl's voice was crying out loud. Enough to occupy the space of this house. The crying of this girl's voice was so painful to hear. As she was crying out loud, Bennett felt his heart feel the pain as well. It aches so much that he felt his heart as if pierced by a sharp thorn. He did not know why he was feeling like that? He just did not want to hear this painful voice anymore, so he took a step forward to the places where the voices came from.

He peered behind the door. His eyes looked like they will be popped out from the socket. His body trembles vigorously. He was scared. For the first time in his life, he saw his father act violently toward a little girl. She was so young as if her body will be torn apart if he does not stop his father immediately. He wants to save the little girl but his legs do not move as he wants.

"How many times did I tell you?! Never give him to wear a dress. What with this long hair?" Duke Rosxewell asked angrily.

The appearance of this little girl was not pleasant at all. He took the scissors from a drawer and pull the hair off. He roughly cut the hair until her hair became shorter than before. It was so pathetic, to look at her. The dress was torn apart from his father hand. The girl cried endlessly while her mother kneeled and was holding his father's thighs telling the Duke to stop hurting her daughter.

"Your Grace, have some mercy! That is my fault. Don't hurt her anymore. I'm begging you. Please!!!" She begged nonstop while her tears fell like waterfalls.

"You dare not listen to me. I used to talk to you before. If you want him to keep alive, don't ever dare to give a dress to him. Put the shirt and pants right now!!!" The Duke gave a command to the young lady.

"This is my last warning, Lady Carter. I'm banned her to dress like a normal girl as she grows up. She must live as a man until she dies and no one will know who she is. That is the curse I give to her because of you. If you dare not listen to me, you will see her dead body in front of your eyes. As well, if she does not listen to me, she will see your dead body in front of her eyes." As the Duke finished, the red lighting appeared from his hand and went through the little girl body. After she received the light, she screamed in pain. Afterwards, her body collapsed to the floor.

Bannett awakened from his memory when he felt there was a hand touching his shoulder. He gave sympathy looked at Desmond. She was the unlucky one to live in this misery.

"Des, don't worry about that. Like you said even you are masculine because of the heavy training as a knight of this kingdom, you still sure have a lady body. If we can't undo the curse you still can form a happy family."

"As if, Father has a short life. I don't think this is easy as you think brother. Furthermore, who wants a lady like me brother? If my partner is a woman, it's acceptable but if a guy, I don't think so."

"You know Des, I think you are not aware of this by yourself but there are so many guys out there who admired you endlessly. It's just that you did not know about this."

"Please, stop. You are talking nonsense, brother. Your word does not ease my mind a little bit. In this world, it's just you, mother and Duke who know who I am but others know me as a man. I live as a man. That's my destiny. You know the consequences if I try to live like a lady, she will die. I also can't see you again. We know how powerful he is."

"I know that very well. So, I will protect you but I will not allow you to forget who you are. I am so happy because I get to see you wear this pendant even for a short time. You look so beautiful. Beautiful and handsome young man." He smiled earnestly. Desmond gives the looked, she never believed what he said.

"I don't think that is a compliment brother."

"What? If I said you beautiful, you are indeed beautiful but verse young man. Hahahaha…." Bennett laughed a lot. She felt irritated to listen to his brother laughing. To stop her brother, she gave a good punch to his stomach. He silently screamed in a pain.

"Des, you know your punch is not a joke."

"You deserved it!" Bennett smiled. Even his body was hurt but his heart was so happy. The pendant was still hung on her neck. She did not aware that she still wears the pendant like nothing.

"Des, how about this? You wear the pendant under your shirt. Nobody knows you wear it. I ordered it special for you and it looks waste if you do not wear it. The design is not too heavy and crowded. So, I'm sure you can wear this pendant like your daily accessories." He suggested with enthusiasm toned.

"What if I get caught?" Her heart was pounding when she asked the question. It is not that she will let herself be caught by others especially her father but she still does not know if this is a good decision or not.

Bennett put his index finger under his chin. His mind explored the possibility of the reason that can be used. The important is, it does not look suspicious to anyone. He flicked his finger.

"How about this?" He gave a few words that make her dumbfounded for a while.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't think seriously about that. I'm just suggesting because it looks like you love the pendant. I don't want you to feel regret for not wearing it. It's up to you. I just hope you are happy."

Bennett gives her encouragement. She smiled at her brother. Felt grateful for her brother concern, she hugged him. Bennett embraced his sister body full of love.

"Thank you, brother."