Chapter 4: A Guest

Anastasia's POV

"Anastasia.." I heard someone muttered quietly, I didn't open my eyes, no..I couldn't open my eyes.

I tried fluttering my eyes open to no avail, "If I kill you right now, I would certainly be imprisoned." The voice then followed up, my whole body tensed.

I felt a hand graze my bare skin, my breath hitched as I felt a murderous aura.

"How many years has it been?" I felt his mouth whisper to my ear, my heart beats faster than ever as it was harder to breathe.

I heard a knock to my door, "Is somebody there?" I felt a sense of hope, it was sir Rox's voice!

"Shit." I heard the voice curse under his breath, a gush of wind entered my room as my door bursts open, I heard sir Rox's screaming my name while a few more footsteps were heard.

"Princess!" Sir Rox shook me awake, I sat down panting, I coughed up some blood and gagged.

I felt my face full of sweats dripping down, sir Rox was screaming but I couldn't hear what he was saying, all I could heard was static noises and a deafening noise.

I felt my mouth screaming but couldn't hear it, I grasp my stomach and chest, it was getting harder to breathe.

I kept my eyes shut, I felt tears coming down and I realized I was still screaming.

Someone picked me up and was hurriedly running me to somewhere.

45 minutes later

"Princess Anastasia?" I heard a soft voice call out to me, I turned my head to the side as I attempted to open my eyes.

My body is tired.

I am tired.

"I'm one of God's disciples, Freya, I was given the miracle of healing." Her sky like eyes sparked with her ocean blue hair.

"But.." Her eyes saddened, she looked away from me then turned her gaze to my father, who nodded.

"You have a curse placed on you." She said it, somebody finally said it. I knew what was causing my illness, and god finally somebody said it.

"I know." I said as she swiftly turned her head to mine, everybody in the room was shocked and was looking intently at me.

"W-what do you mean, you knew!?" The empress had tears welling in her eyes, her trembling hands covered her mouth that was wide open. I cringed at her reaction.

"Anastasia, what do you mean?!" The emperor hurriedly stormed to me, he was in disbelief, he was shivering, I looked into his eyes as there was a distinct emotion in it that I couldn't figure out what.

"The Curse of Ameriliana." I looked at Freya who had a shocked expression.

"That's the curse I have." I said calmly, I don't know why their so surprise, well maybe it's because I'm so calm about it or because I knew it before they did.

She nodded silently and slowly, I saw pity in her sky like eyes.

I hated it.

The Curse of Ameriliana is a curse that the goddess of evil and corruption Ameriliana bestowed upon the second emperor,

The second emperor was greedy, corrupt, and evil. His existence alone was considered blasphemy and an insult to the goddess Gabriella, the goddess the kingdom worships.

Gabriella was Ameriliana's sister-

She was also my mother.

I know about this illness or should I say curse, because of course I've read the novel. She's been cursed the moment she was born.

Her fate was set in stone the moment she took her first breath, Ameriliana didn't know that Anastasia was her beloved sister's daughter, that's why in the novel she felt a sense of guilt when she tried to kill Anastasia for her crimes.

Anastasia was cursed because of the adultery of the emperor, which was a grave sin. Therefore, I was the one who got cursed because I was the result of that sin.

It's unfair.

"I need to rest.'" I blankly stated, I took my blanket and wrapped it unto me. I heard footsteps getting out of the room as I sighed.

Why did I have to reincarnate as the villainess?! And worse, she has the worst life there is in the novel! So bothersome.

I heard a knock to my door as I gripped my sheets tighter out of annoyance.

"Princess Anastasia..?" I recognized the voice in an instant, Xaervin. He knocked once more before opening the door.

"Are you alright?" I looked at him with an annoyed look, I'm wrapped up in bandages and is currently bed bound, in what world do I look alright?!

"I-I'm sorry for asking such a mindless question.." He apologized and looked down at the floor, he was waiting for me to be angry and punish him as he stood there.

"It's fine." I mumbled, he stared at me, stunned. I didn't mind him and just laid my head against the headboard.

"Would you like anything your highness?" He asked again while I shook my head.

He stood there in silence, I gazed at his face, it looked like he wanted to tell me something.

"What is it." I mumbled out of breath as he immediately turned his head to mine, his eyes glisten while I felt a sense of relief.

"The tower mage." I raised my brow at him,

"I'm working with the tower mage."

He said.

HE SAID?!

I looked at him with widen eyes, I'm not surprised that HE'S working with the tower mage. I'm surprised because why would he tell me that?!

It's forbidden that the royal servants, no, anybody who has any connection to the royal family to work with the tower mage.

It's considered as being a traitor of sorts, why would he tell me this if he knows he'd be in a vulnerable situation?!

"Oh." Is what all I managed to say as I was still shocked on what he said. "Oh?" He raised a brow while I nodded.

"Oh." I repeated and laid down to my side and made my blanket cover me. "Why are you telling me this." I muttered, I felt my blanket ruffled and covered me better.

"Should've I not told you this?" He raised a brow and made me faced him, his eyes glisten with the moon and I felt my heart flutter. "Your highness?" He asked once again.

"N-no, I was just surprised why you would tell a powerless royal about this kind of information." I stuttered and blushed as I pushed him away through his chest, he surprised me that's all. "Then would you like to have more power?" He said calmly.

I sighed and furrowed my brows.

"Stop with this nonsense, I need to rest." I pushed him away and hid behind my blanket, I heard him sigh and felt his hands fixing my blanket before he left.

.

"Your highness?" I heard a faint voice call out to me as she shook my body. I groaned and opened my eyes to see the previous maid from a day ago.

"I apologize if you were disturbed! But..the emperor needs to see you at this instance!" She bowed and kept her head glued to the floor, I raised a brow and sighed.

"Help me up." Was all I said before she frantically and gently guided me out of my bed. I slipped my feet into my slippers and placed my hair to my shoulders.

Everything she did was gentle, I always wondered, why did she had that look in her eyes whenever she looks at me.

I could never describe it but it's a look of, longing? Or remembrance?

"I never asked for your name," Her head turned to mine as she gazed at me confused.

"I'm asking for your name." She then turned red and apologized.

"Hana, it's Hana your majesty.." She had a saddened gaze while staring at my eyes, it looked like she was trying to find something in me, something.

"Alright Hana, help me dress."

.

"Anastasia!" The empress said as she hurriedly came to me with a hug. Maids and knights were gazing at each other in disbelief, the atmosphere was uncomfortable to say the least.

My eyes then fell to Xaervin's, he was looking at me intently, not with rage nor anger, but, discomfort?

I could understand why he had that reaction, he knows how I dislike the royal family as of now.

"Older sister Tasia!" Calisto yelled with his hand up in the air, I raised a brow to Xaervin while he shook his head.

"The young highness has taken a liking to you I suppose my crown princess." I raised my brow once more.

"Crown princess?" I asked, gazing into the emperor's shock face, as well as the empress, Ariliana's and Calix's.

"Didn't you hear? What kind of maid do you have?" The emperor asked with annoyance, a hand on his forehead.

I raised a brow, my eyes landed on Hana who's head was glued to the floor with embarassment, the maids around her snickering. I felt annoyance when I saw the scene.

"My maid isn't lacking, the information simply didn't reached me." I subtly said as he nodded.

"But,"

All eyes turned to me.

"Why am I the crown princess?" I raised a brow at the emperor while he had a nervous gaze, "Your highness, as you are the first born we have decided that you will be the next ruler of the kingd-" I cut off the emperor's secretary.

"The noble function would be furious, wouldn't they?"

Everyone went silent.

I look to see the emperor who looked furious, the empress trying to calm him down.

"Let them be furious, who are they to disrespect the imperial family?!" The empress ranted while gazing at me with sorry eyes.

The secretary sighed and nodded.

I know why they're angry, it's because I'm an illegitimate child.

The nobles wouldn't want an illegitimate child to be the ruler of the kingdom, a princess with mixed blood and not a pure royal, I wonder what their reaction would be if they knew I wasn't a dancer's daughter but a goddess'?