Like No Other Princess.

Chapter 1: Too much To Ask.

Prophesy The fIrst: There is a girl fated Ozilia.

It was the annual ball the queen of the East held in her court, the most anticipated ball of the year. People came from all over the world to stare at her amazing beauty and the awesomeness of her palace. That is what she likes to believe but that is not true.

I am going to tell you a secret but you have to promise me you will tell no one. This Queen's name is Shiar; she is a witch. I knew you were expecting that, there's no princess story without a witch after all.

That's the secret, her name and the fact that she is a witch but nobody must call her such to her hearing, her name that is. One may wonder why she hates being called Queen Shiar but I don't know either.

Before I tell you this story you need to remember just one thing: you have to disbelieve everything you know and I mean everything; reality, fairytale, magic, everything.

So back to Queen Shiar; she has a raven, a white raven with the deepest green eyes ever; trust me this bird is the epitome of evil and is very evil-looking. You will be so shocked when you see it, like how can white look so evil? But it does.

We were at the ball and it was a ball for creme da la' creme; only those with the bluest of blood attend this ball. I know what is on your mind, ' a gathering of the elite ' you say, that's quite funny because the truth is it's a gathering of slaves. I will get to that shortly.

On this lovely day the sun shone bright, it was the month of Anus Afterall and the trees were all white with envy and the wind blew from the North with a warmth that sailed so smoothly. I have told you to disbelieve everything you know or else you won't understand a thing.

It's okay. You can do this, take a deep breath in and then out. How do you feel? If you still believe everything you once believed you might need to check your stress levels. They're pretty high because you're thinking way too much.

As I was narrating to you, it was the month of Anus and the sun shines so brightly during the day and it is completely pitch dark at night. It's a beautiful month and the Queen hosts her annual ball this month where she invites all her slaves. Let me explain; this particular queen is so powerful she has conquered the world or most of it for there is one kingdom she is yet to overcome and that is the Northern Province of Tyalia, even I do not know how that is pronounced.

Shiar has conquered the world and everyone has been branded as her slave including all the nobles. It is something she demands when she has overpowered a kingdom. She brands everybody as her slave and those who refuse are killed and their heads well I'll tell you what she does with them later.

"Rilikia," Queen Shiar says as she spots her most prized slave, not quite yet but will certainly be.

"Yes, your majesty," The eleven-year-old girl turns around and bows her head until it reaches her belly button to Shiar.

"Hmm! I don't want to spot you at all throughout my ball. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your majesty," She replies, her head still bowed as deeply. Shiar stared at the child for a few more minutes loving the smell of fear she could sniff in the air coming from this little girl. To imagine there was a prophecy that this ragged thing in front of her could ever rule the world was preposterous; absolutely absurd! And she was going to prove that prophecy wrong.

"You can leave," The queen orders and Rilikia lets out a sigh of relief as she scurries past the queen. All this while this exchange was going on Rilikia had her head bowed down. The consequence of lifting your head even an inch higher in the presence of the queen was severe; in fact, it was considered treason to do so.

Rilikia was relieved to know that she had to do nothing on this day. It very rarely happened that she had any sort of free time on her hands. It wasn't like she had anything to do with her free time except play with her dog, Leo.

The palace was especially busy on this day and no one will notice if she went to do a little research on her own. You see, Rilikia was never allowed to go anywhere except the places she was assigned to clean and whenever she was anywhere cleaning she must be under strict supervision.

Today was different though. She was going to explore and no one will be any wiser because they were all so busy.

As she went from corridor to corridor and from floor to floor with Leo at her feet, the head maid noticed the bubbly little girl entering everywhere possible and knew in no time she will discover something that will make the Queen have her head.

''Rilikia,'' Toshi, the head maid shouts.

''Rilikia!" she shouts louder because Rilikia seems to be in her own world and cannot hear her.

''Rilikia!'' the head maid is thinking that this little girl might end up putting her in trouble herself.

''Rilikia!'' Rilikia would have to be deaf if she hadn't heard Toshi's voice at this point.

''Toshi,'' Shiar does not allow for hierarchy amongst her slaves in her palace. A slave was a slave and there was no senior slave so all slaves address each other by name no matter their age or position.

"What do you think you are doing? It is the annual ball that means work and you know it," Toshi tries her best to sound angry, it is hard to be angry at Rilikia, she's so adorable.

"But I never do anything during the ball,'' Rilikia pouts and it is true. Rilikia is not allowed to enter the ball and that is where the load of the work usually is. Asides from that, Rilikia is always sick during the ball, it is a mystery that no one understands except me.

I will tell you now because I'm sure I'll forget later; it is the great witch. Yes, the same Queen Shiar, she casts a spell on Rilikia to keep her so sick she has to be in bed throughout the ball. Fortunately this year her spell did not work for some strange reason. You must have guessed that Queen Shiar is very worried about this development and she is and this ball will be an opportunity to intensify her efforts to have magical dominance over Rilikia's body or so she hopes.

"Go clean the servants' quarters," Toshi orders her.

"Can I just have this one day?'' Rilikia asks, it isn't too much to ask for a child that grew up as a slave and has never had any such thing as a play day or playmate.

''No Rilikia, slaves have no off day,'' at least here in Shiar's palace, there is no such thing. If her slaves can live without food or sleep she will make sure they work round the clock without food or rest.

''That's cruel,'' Rilikia blurts out frustrated.

''Shut up. You must not say such things," No one indeed matches Shiar in wickedness but no one must ever voice it out. The last time a slave had uttered such words Shiar had ordered that all his limbs be cut off. Let me explain, she made sure he lost a limb everyday meaning if he lost an arm today he will lose another tomorrow until he lost it all and eventually bled to his demise so you can imagine the pain this slave must have suffered before his passing. One more thing, this happens to be the most merciful death she gives to slaves.

"She's not here," Rilikia frowns at her. To Rilikia, it is annoying how everybody hates the queen and no one can vent about it.

''Rilikia please never utter such words again,'' the head maid is checking their environs to be sure no one has been eavesdropping for there were some slaves who thought they could gain the Queen's favour by telling on other slaves.

''Is that clear?'' Toshi asks the little girl.

''Yes," Rilikia answers and Toshi seems satisfied with her answer, it will be a pity if Shiar should hurt this precious soul.

''Go now, clean the servant's quarters," The head maid orders.

''Can I play after that?" Rilikia is hopeful, if there is no more work to do surely she should be allowed to play, right?

''We'll see. Now hurry and remember to stay away from the ball,'' Toshi replies.

''Ok Toshi. Leo come on let's go, I promise we'll get to play later,'' The little girl hurries off with her dog.

Rilikia enters the servants' quarters which is the smallest part of the palace and yet still very large. This is so because Shiar has so many slaves and she is constantly increasing the number of slaves she has. You might be wondering if perhaps the slaves procreate in her palace but that does not happen.