Chapter 2: mother (1/2)

scum

That was the name I had been called so many times in the past for so long that I was starting to forget my real name.

It is at times like this that I truly realize that time really is the greatest thief in all existence. It steals first the memories, then the details and finally all it leaves are lines which are blurry and vague. Despite its ability to steal, it is also known for its great ability to heal.

Whether it can heal these wounds and scars in my heart and in my soul is another matter altogether… Afterall, my wounds run far too deep.

My first six years of life had always been great and cheerful and those were the sole brightest moments of my life. My mother was nothing more than a commoner… an extremely beautiful one at that which was what led to the calamity that befell her. Her dazzling ethereal looks stole the breaths away from all who gazed upon her regardless of age and gender. Unsurprisingly, she also stole the heart of the young crown prince who would soon become the emperor of the Great Grisalian Empire as he was strolling around the streets in the commoner district of the imperial capital whilst under a disguising spell.

For him it was love at first sight which led to him relentlessly pursuing and confessing his love for my mother at every turn and opportunity despite being turned down just as many times. No fault could be found in his methods as he was a good guy and he refrained from using any underhanded methods like his power to pressure her into accepting his hand. For him there was no better honor than winning my mother's heart fairly and so he never gave up.

Eventually after a full three years of confessions, my mother eventually relented after being charmed by his sheer persistence and you can guess what followed after. They lived another two years as dazzling secret lovers and eventually the fruits of their nightly passion bore fruit when my mother became pregnant with me and therein lied the problem.

The imperial family had a system where the crown prince had to marry the most outstanding daughters of the twelve great noble clans. You see, the Great Grisalian Empire was the strongest and largest nation in the Northern super continent and due to their super technologically advanced weaponry such as guns, tanks and land assault vehicles, their domination over the land and their expansion and control over the northern super continent was unstoppable.

The large territory had to have strict management and so the royal families of the twelve great nations that once ruled the continent were absorbed and turned into the twelve great noble clans and served to support the imperial family and ruled over their previous territories which were aptly renamed to imperial prefectures after being annexed by the Imperial Family.

The most outstanding daughters of the twelve great noble households would be appointed to be the matriarchs of their clans after they were married to the crown prince and were tasked with siring heirs so as to promote a strong bond with the imperial family.

My father was the strongest and most outstanding amongst the princes and princesses of his generation with his power dwarfing that of the ruling emperor. He refused to marry any other woman of the great noble clans until my birth right as his first son was acknowledged and I was appointed as his heir.

Eventually, the Emperor grudgingly relented and a historical sensation overtook the whole empire as the heir to the crown prince was actually birthed from a commoner turned princess overnight. It was like the story from a fairy tale.

This happy fairy tale story did not end with a happy ever after in the end at all. It instead became the worst nightmare that would scar me for life. The world may have accepted the fact of a commoner marrying into royalty but that didn't mean the emperor and the twelve queens from the great noble clans my father married soon after were satisfied with such an arrangement.

She was subjected to a miserable life in the imperial castle under the whims of the emperor, his queens and my father's other wives during the times my father was away on a five-year conquest campaign. Despite the misery and suffering she went through; she always maintained her bright cheerful personality around me and showered me with even greater love and affection. She hid her pain behind a smile.

She tried very hard to protect me from the darkness within the castle but that was bound to fail as I started noticing the looks of disdain and disgust the maids showed me and the way I became isolated from my younger brothers and sisters.

The ill treatment my mother received extended to those who worked for and supported my mother as one after another, they started to leave under the pressure of the suffering they were under. I was even shocked when one day the maid who used to act as my baby sitter and wet nurse committed suicide after her whole family from her home village was murdered.

Slowly but surely, darkness started creeping into our lives as I had to watch as the smile on my mother's face grew dimmer and smaller with each passing day.

I thought things would improve, my father would come back and save us with those broad shoulders I had grown to admire and look up to, but I was far too naïve. The spite of the imperial family knew no bounds as my father was murdered whilst leading a battle during his campaign. His right-hand man had shot him in the back of his head when he was at a vulnerable moment with his guard down.

The man had been executed but even a child like me could smell the conspiracy behind this which was further evidenced by the now blatant abuse we were now suffering through. People started calling me scum to my face and other derogatory names which I ignored as I was concerned about one thing, the lovely smile that once adorned my mother's face was now nowhere to be found.

I watched as she quickly aged beyond her time as lines of worry and grief marred her face though they did little to diminish her radiant beauty. And things turned even worser still when she suddenly fell seriously ill after being poisoned by her personal chef.