꧁Chapter 2꧂

꧁𝕰𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖊꧂

Right now, I am ready.

Behind the back of my corset is a dagger that I will use for self-defense and I prepared the long curtains that will serve as my rope to flee. I would not escape perfectly because the guards were all awake at night, but I will surely chant a spell that will help me to escape. Though they see me as a useless and a decoration "Princess", little did they know that I practiced and studied something that will be useful for me.

I will get my pony named Chompie, and I will go straight to the forest where I am destined to be killed. If you are wondering why, that is because, they will not find me there if they concluded that I escaped.

Just like before, I will live there temporarily, because I have used to it, but unlike before, I will bring my memories with me.

I will make sure that my divine powers are not a curse anymore. I will practice using it while my seclusion. Indeed, this divine power has troubled me, ended a thousand lives, and killed my own lover. But right now, I am certain, I am a noble woman. I am not a witch, I will not bring any misfortune with me again, because in the beginning, I had a noble blood and a royal title within me.

But still, I am wondering, if I had an amnesia, and still have a noble blood within me, what makes my fate have turns and twists just because I own a divine magic when I am allowed to?

tok tak tok tak

"Nathaliaaaa!" I finally heard Queen Deoria's voice.

Back then, whenever she screams my name, anxiety flies through my spine. But right now, I have two persons inside my body. I am more courageous and confident that this will be the first time I will not let her hit me.

Back then, whenever she scolds me, I will not do anything because I loved her. I might miss her voice but right now, all I fill is disgust and hatred towards her unlike my old self who yearns to see her every day. How foolish have I became before!

As planned, I pretended to be extremely sick and just woke up. Her heart is full of greed and very narcistic that she will not mind how sick I am.

"How dare you sleep in such important event?"

I only felt irritated from what I have heard. How could I yearn a mother like her? She only thinks for her reputation!

How can she scold me? She really did not care. Obviously, she is also behind those abduction. I cannot believe her.

I came from her blood, but the way she treats me—it is really absurd!

She knows I am not important. My presence does not matter in the banquet. I will only be a laughingstock. Most importantly, all I get is humiliation.

Is she this eager to embarrass me?

"Q-Queen Deoria?" I pretended that I just woke up.

Her hands immediately flew toward my face, luckily my two hands held her hands slapping me. I smirked. How could she?!

"How dare you?!" she screamed, let her another hand hit me again, but I made the book I am reading shield me from her heavy hands. Luckily, I escaped.

Back then, whenever she hits me, I allow her. I respect her so much, and I will never protect myself no matter how harm I face whenever I am with her. But right now, even the tiniest respect from my body, she would never have it.

Since this will be the last day, I will be seeing her. I took the chance to answer back.

"I am sick. I might get others sick too if I joined them."

"You should at least talk to nobles!" she insisted.

"I find their conversation nonsense as well." I replied.

Her hands were about to hit me again, but I blocked her.

I am only a child in my state, still suffering from malnourishment and yet, I was able to block her. My hands were about to fall, but I managed to stay still due to my flowing emotions. I stared at her with a cold eye.

"Bartolome will punish you again for being disrespectful. I am ashamed of you! You are not participating in such gatherings. You are just proving yourself that you don't belong!"

Aha! The worst punishment I will ever receive is to be killed.

But I will not let that happen again. They will not be successful this time unlike before.

The Queen is useless and ruthless to her own daughter. She did not even mind that her own daughter would become the king's hostage and will be killed.

The death of her daughter will not even matter to her. How hard her heart is!

Now, do I deserve to be slapped by her? Of course not!

"What can a ten-year-old lady do? I don't even understand what they're talking about."

"Nathalia, I am pissed of you. I am disappointed! What mistakes have I done to have a burden with me? I do nothing but to feed a living demonic child! You are a piece of shit! Wait for Bartolome to punish you!" after she walked away and slammed the daughter, Linda went inside my room.

Feed me? What does she feed me? A remaining food of hers? A remaining food of Yeshua? What do I wear? The unwanted clothes of Yeshua? My books? I picked them up from the streets. My silvers? Linda shares me some.

Am I a noble, or am I a living dog?

"Nathalia, are you alright? Were you hurt?" her voice spoke in a worried tone.

I smiled after hearing her calling me "Nathalia" instead of "My lady" whenever she is worried about me.

"Don't worry. I did not let her slap me, and I'm alright. My hands are kind of swallowed but I'm okay." I said to assure her.

"M-My Lady..."

"Linda, if ever I vanished within this day, there's a letter behind my pillow and please, read it."

"Are you going to escape?" she asked.

I did not answer. I let my head began to slowly nod at her question.

"Please... read them..."

Her tears are slowly falling into her eyes again.

"Are you giving up already, My lady? Have you suffered a lot?" she asked.

"I won't give up, but I would like to live for myself. My plans are better than others." I replied with a smile.

"Then I will let you escape. I will help you! I have heard from the other servants that there would be a chaos happening in this kingdom and the Princess had already flee. The King will choose who will be his bait to the enemy that will result a war between a two kingdom. For now, Fiderecio wants to fight with Harmonia." Linda explained.

My eyes widened from what I have heard. When I was at this age, I never cared and value those typical conversation about wars, about the other kingdoms or even the trading system. I know nothing about politics.

But right now, having her mention the word "Harmonia", my heart began to feel sad. My hands are trembling. James... is he alright?

I am currently in the body of my 10-year-old self, and the way of thinking I not the same!

I am more concerned now. If only I could do something...

Finally! Everything makes sense...

"Are you alright, My Lady? I am not expecting that your reaction would be like this, I apologize. Back then, your emotions were always blank and the way you smile seems oblivion whenever you hear something like these."

That is why James and I's fate were bound to be like this.

"Everyone is growing up, Linda." I smiled.

"I want to witness what kind of person you will grow up, My lady."

I forced myself to smile again, refraining to frown. If only Linda knew how I grew up, then, will she despise me?

The time flew at 1 am. Surely, the time does not stop, and it is constant. When the clock reaches at 2 am, the assassin who will enter my room will be there.

I do not want Linda to witness my abduction. Seeing her cry for me, hurts already. If she knows that I will encounter more dangerous situation, she will be in grief for a long time.

In my past life, Linda did not show up in the timeline where I have grown up already. And I lost my memories, so I did not know anything about her. I have no news about her, how her life went after I left.

But there is one thing I am certain...

Fiderecio will surely lose, and absolutely will become a lost kingdom. Like a thousand of lost kingdoms everywhere.

"I'm getting tired." I faked myself to yawn.

"Should I sing for you, My lady?"

I shook my head. This is the first time I refused to sing her for me. Though I admit that I missed her lullabies, but I cannot let her witness my sufferings anymore.

"Then I should leave..." her voice began to break again as if she will be crying soon.

"I will be alright." I smiled, assuring her.

She began to leave my room and I prepared myself for the assassin that will be coming. The game will begin soon, and I need to play it too. I need to pretend, as usual.

Since he will be entering the window, he will break it by force. In that way, if I successfully escaped, the King would be frustrated because they will not discover if I'm still alive or dead.

I must pretend that I am the one sleeping in the bed. Knowing that I do not usually sleep in the bed, this will be easy to fool him. I will sneak around the dark side of my room, behind the shelf to prepare an attack.

It was already 2 am.

My guess was right!

My calculations are perfect!

He broke into the window since he was unable to open it. He was wearing all black and his moves were soundless. His face is also covered with a mask.

Since the King planned this by himself. No matter how I scream or seek for help, no one will hear me. Of course, they do not have a conscience to be worried about me since I don't matter in this place.

I may sound hopeless, and you may pity me however...

Only I, myself, I can depend on!

I immediately prepared my dagger.

I concealed my presence and tried my best. I did not let any breathe out of my mouth and nose. He began searching the whole room and when he found out that it was only a pillow and there was no child in the bed, I smirked.

I jumped into his back and pointed my dagger, "Looking for me?" I grinned.

"Y-You know h-how to use a dagger? Impossible! Kids like you are afraid of sharp----"

"You won't know unless I try." I pressed the dagger on his neck.

He was startled from what I have done so he immediately used his force to push me. He was successful this time because I flew from his force.

I instantly remembered that this body is too fragile. This body is only 10 years old. In addition, malnutrition is flowing in this body.

However, this is also an advantage for me to escape.

But of course, I will not let him slide easily.

The King knows everything. Unlike before, I have a plan in my head. Though this will make me look like evil, I must do this.

"You are really serious. Since when kids like you know how to use daggers?" he grinned.

I stood up and attacked him. "Since I knew that I will be killed by my own adoptive parents." I replied.

Like as if I am scared. I have gone several things more than this before.

I even happened to witness a bloodshed, been slain thousand of people and killed my own lover.

Of course, in this kind of age, it is normal for me to be scared of holding a knife or dagger. A lady like me should be demure and noble gracious. But how can I still act the same person after knowing I will barely live after he abducted me?

Back then, when he abandoned me in that forest, I had to use different kind of blades and even learned archery just for self-protection.

My yearning for life made me brave and strong enough to learn these martial arts. If I had not learned this, I would probably die before I could even meet James.

"H-How?!"

"You have the answer." I grinned as he pushed me again. My impact on the wall is very strong, but my strong determination will surely make me out alive this time. I will bring these memories with me.

I will prove the world, this Mystica, that I am not cursed because I am allowed to use magic!

He tried to attack me again, but I managed to dodge his swift attacks. Maybe, King Bartolome thought that I am a weak child so a weak assassin could hurt me. He was right about that before, but right now, I can see their plans transparent as glass. I will not let these happen again.

As an assassin like him, it is normal to be swift in his actions and attacks. They are soundless and very well trained. However, the weakness of assassins are they do not have magic. Surely, they learned, but they are focused into their vigor.

Potions, they may have used, but I do not see any potions being used by this assassin because he was unprepared. He thought, I am just a normal kid.

But even if he uses potions against me, I wore an amulet that has a shade of lilac. My father gave it to me before he passed away. Amulets are capable of using a protection for those evil intents and for poisonous materials.

They were successful before because I did not wear this amulet as a command of the Queen and the King. But right now, I am neither foolish nor obedient to these greedy people. Because of greed, I have died.

Since the time rewind, I will be prepared and will not let these things to repeat again. If I could change the history, I will use my power to change them. The pain, agony, grief, and hatred I've felt before will surely be never felt again.

The assassin got tired immediately after throwing different attacks but all I do is to dodge them. Without their vigor, they are nothing. They can neither fly nor run fast.

Adults get more exhausted than kids like me.

When I saw how he sweat, I began singing or shall I say, chanting a spell.

I am not even sure if this would do but if this is a spell, I could make it happen.

"Once upon a time... There I see a fairy..."

I picked the dagger that was been misplaced when he punched me, and grinned.

"In the starry night, she barely smiles." I slowly walked in front of him, his eyes were slowly shutting as the spell began to bring its effects.

"Counting the stars, she ponders..."

"Asking her life, she wonders..."

I did not like killing people. But I have done worse than this. If this will hurt me, do me damage, and with evil intentions, I can say, what I am doing is a karma.

I even killed my own lover.

But right now, I will prevent myself doing more sins. But what I am doing is a retribution.

"Will she be alright?" I continued singing the lyrics of the spell. I put my dagger on his neck and slashed it. The blood splattered on the laces of my lower dress, so I immediately cut the lower part of my dress.

Disgusting!

"Sweet eternal dreams..." I finished the spell.

In this way, everyone would worry and panic. But they will neither know if I have died nor escaped. I will let them judge the scenario. Even if I am found guilty, I can tell that what I have done is a self-defense. If I did not help myself there, I will be the one who was been killed.

But I am the victim here.

When the victim protects himself and ends up killing the murderer, the world condemns him.

When the victim dies, the world will pity him.

What a bunch of hypocrites!

I prepared the rope I have made. It was a long rope. When I finished climbing down, the end of the rope has three feet high, so I jumped. I did not get any injuries since I am used into jumping from trees whenever I climbed up when my father was still alive.

I snapped my fingers and the roped immediately vanished.

No evidence left.

I smiled when the guards and soldiers guarding the kingdom were all sleepy and some of them were still drunk. King Bartolome was so incompetent that he did not know that his people are just slacking off. His fighting for nothing. It is a war between a cat and a tiger.

These guards did not give any interest on me or cared for me. It was their part to not serve me as a second princess because I am nothing but an adopted princess. I am always prisoned in the attic and knows nothing, so they did not pay any attention to me.

Some are still awake, but I will not let them feel my presence of escape. I will make sure I will succeed this time.

My vanishment should be mystery. So, they will die knowing they abducted me and used me as a bait.

Instead of living a normal life in the towns or villages, I will rather to live in the forest.

Though dangerous, but I do know how to live there than surrounded by many people.

Some says that you are living for the other people. But what if these people are destined to kill you?

Living in seclusion is not a bad idea.

"Seeking the light within the shadow..." I began singing the second lyric of the spell. The second lyric has a stronger effect since I am managing tons of guards unlike when I faced the one assassin.

"She cannot fly, unlike the others..."

I found Chompie immediately. He was a black pony, but he is my most favorite pony. There are tons of gossips that I am riding a black pony because I am a misfortune. They may be right, but at the same time, I am lucky to have Chompie by my side. Though this pony is so fearful and coward, I can talk to him, and he understands me.

I don't need to hurt him just to run. I am the only one who treats him lucky.

"Go to Ampento." I commanded.

He did not let a sound and immediately run as I ride him. He was so fast that I managed to escape the guards and already been 10 kilometers far from the kingdom.

While I am riding Chompie. I closed my eyes and pondered. Am I able to do things right from now on? Will I have the power to prevent the unfortunate things that happened to us?

I will never forget everything.

I am not going to be Nathalia anymore. From this day onwards, I am no longer Nathalia.

She died like what they wished her to be.

I will not be the princess they humiliated and turned into a mediocre person. I will not become a bait neither a puppet.

A person who lives in seclusion in the woods, that should be my fate.

But unlike from what I've done before, I will make sure, I am not a curse and will never be a cursed person.

I am not guilty! I did not do something wrong. In the first place, I am allowed to use magic.

Now, I am confident.

Linda, since I will be gone from your side, you should live your life to the fullest.

Nathalia may have died, but Linda, live a life according to your will.

I did not die, so if ever you heard I died, do not be sad. Believed that Nathalia had died, but the Lady you have been serving left and still alive and she is now free.

꧁𝕰𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 2꧂

Words and Terms:

Baron - a member of the lowest order of the British nobility. The term "Baron" is not used as a form of address in Britain, barons usually being referred to as "Lord.".

Viscount - a British nobleman ranking above a baron and below an earl.

Kingdom of Fiderecio - A small kingdom located in Mystica, known for their talented army and assassins. This kingdom is being ruled by King Bartolome and Queen Deoria.

Crowned Princess - A female heir to a throne

Vigor - exuberant and resilient strength of body or mind; vitality. substantial effective energy

Spell - a state of enchantment caused by a magic spell

Assassin - a murderer of an important person in a surprise attack for political or religious reasons.

𝓐𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻❜𝓼 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓮: To avoid confusion, I will summarize today's chapter. Nathalia's cause of Memory Loss was abduction that made her think all this time that she is a slave because she has no identity. Her memory loss was cause of severe trauma (probably the tortures and abuse that the Queen and King of Bartolome caused her). The assassin not only abducted her but cause her huge physical pain that made her barely alive. Since Nathalia woke up after the abduction scenario in the past, she believed she lives in the forest and was harmed by the wild animals. But after Alyanna finding out that she was a noble lady but doesn't live one, she decided to trick her abductor causing him death and escaping the Kingdom before the war incident happens.