Happy Ending

Written by: Prince Diafygi

"How did this happen, Loudilia?! " Loudilia's mother barged inside her chamber jointly with her husband following her behind. Loudilia was perplexed as she scratched her eyes, which were still heavy from her inability to sleep because of her joy. It's a very early morning. What exactly are they whining about now?

"Prince Anthony sent a letter canceling the engagement," Loudilia's conscience was jolted awake by the unexpected news. She sat up right away after lying down. "How did you get away with it?! You were just talking with him yesterday, and then this happens?! Mrs. Barlow went on as she tossed the letter onto her bed.

Lia took the letter in her hands and read the words aloud to the three of them. "Dear Mr. and Mrs. Barlow, I am writing to notify you that my engagement with your daughter Lady Loudilia has been canceled. This unexpected news has nothing to do with your daughter's needs or qualifications. In truth, she is ideal for the position of next queen, but there has been a sudden shift in my feelings about my marriage. I want to marry for the love of it, and I don't want to push your daughter to marry someone she doesn't even like. I appreciate your patience and wish you the best. Anthony, your highness..." Lia was overjoyed as she read the letter, but she had to keep her emotions in check so her parents wouldn't suspect her of badly wanting to call off the engagement. He moves quickly. I had no idea he'd submit the engagement cancellation first thing in the morning.

"Perhaps it was His Prince's choice, honey." "Calm down," the father murmured, attempting to soothe his own wife. He looked at his daughter, who he was pleading with to give him an explanation. "Lia, what exactly happened?" "

"Father, I-I don't know anything." "I promise," Lia muttered somberly to make herself appear miserable and unhappy. "I can't think of a good reason for him to cancel it."

"Well, you better have nothing to do with this!" The atmosphere is thick with Lia's mother's rage. "By all means, you should be the queen! Before the news spreads, you must travel to the palace and persuade his highness to retract his remarks."

"But mother--"

"No buts, Loudilia! Do as I say!" That was what her mother said before leaving her room.

"Father…" Loudilia sought for his father's comfort as soon they heard her mother gone. Mr. Barlow responds to Lia's hug to comfort his daughter. "What should I do, father? Mother won't let me go off without marrying the prince." she sobbed while hiding her face in her father's arms.

"I guess you have to obey your mother. That's the only thing she could let you go."

Loudilia wondered if her father would support her or his wife. He treats her well, but he has always encouraged her to obey her mother, claiming that it is for her own good. Despite this, she is grateful that her father listens to her and soothes her following a disagreement with her own mother. Despite her mother's decision, she will follow her father's advise if that is what he wishes for her to do.

Mr. Barlow stood up and gave Lia a direct stare. "If you want to be free, obey your mother," he said before exiting the room, leaving Lia with little choice than to obey their commands.

"I've come to meet the prince," Lia said to the guards as she approached the door.

"Visitors are not allowed into the palace unless the royal has been informed first. Lady Lia, you must return your carriage," the guard remarked. Lia couldn't help but wonder if it was just her or if the wall guard didn't respect her. They weren't like that with her before.

"I am Duke Barlow's daughter." "I really need to speak with the prince," she implored, ignoring their treatment.

"What's with the commotion here?" Both Lia and the wall guard looked at the person approaching them.

"Prince Anthonio!" The wall guard immediately gave his respect to their highness.

"Prince Anthonio! Please listen to me. My parents--"

"Who cares?" the prince interrupted her words.

That made Lia frown, expressing her confusion. " P-pardon?"

"I said, who cares?" the prince repeated his words.

Loudilia can't find the right words to say. H-how did this happen? Why is he treating her like this? This is all confusing! "My prince…"

"I'm neither your prince nor your fiancé, That is no longer the case... Isn't this what you were hoping for? " says the prince, smiling at her.

"But you said you will help me."

"By cancelling the engagement. I already did my part." He shrugged. "Look, Lia. I have never told you that I am a good person. Actually, I should be thanking you for willingly wanting to cancel the engagement with me. I don't need someone weak who is going to rule the kingdom with me. And you can't guarantee the satisfaction I needed from your ruling if you have other things you wanted to achieve. Freedom."

You sent

The anger inside Lia's heart is building up from the expectation that the prince will help her, that they were friends, that he is the key to her long time dream. Tears are starting to flow from her eyes and streaming down her soft and rosy cheeks.

"Oh.... Don't cry, Lia. You chose this path. I'm only helping you this once, hold tight on it." He said, smirking.

Loudilia restrains herself from assaulting the prince on the other side of the wall with her own fist. She was praying for some sort of teleportation magic simply to get a single punch in the face of the man in front of her. She is viciously murdering Prince Anthonio in her head. Even if it was only in her darkest dreams, she would torture him. "It's a good thing you're not here with me. I might just want to change my goal in life."

"Scary…" he mocked.

Loudilia moved away from him and began to return to her chariot. When the prince called out her name, she halted from climbing into the carriage."Someday, you'll thank me." Lia rolled her eyes and sat down inside the carriage.

"What did the prince say?" That was Loudilia's mother's first words as she approached her, smiling, after seeing her carriage enter their gate from the window of her chamber.

Loudilia is unable to manage her emotions. She's at a loss for how to conceal her feelings of rage.

"What did the prince say, Sweetheart?"

Mrs. Barlow inquired once more.

Loudilia was initially hesitant. "He stated it was his f-final decision," he explained.

The air surrounding them was thick with silence. Mrs. Barlow's smile fades as the information Loudilia provided to her is processed.

"YOU AWFUL CHILD!! " Loudilia's head tilted to the side as a sudden hand flew right into her cheek. She was speechless and stunned by her mother's actions. She raises her palm slowly to her face, feeling the heat and stinging. "I CARRIED YOU FOR MONTHS IN MY BELLY AND THIS IS WHAT YOU REWARD ME WITH!" "

She wailed out, "I'm sorry..." being the only words that came out of her mouth.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT! I don't want to see you!"

Loudilia cried and fled away. Dang! Why is it that she is constantly obedient and receives nothing in return? This life is a sham! Loudilia is the most obedient daughter, yet she is also the least valued. That is infuriating!She ran and ran to nowhere. She came to a halt amid the wide expanses surrounded by huge trees.

"ARGHHHHH!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. She kept on shouting, letting all her anger out. "IS THIS WHAT HAPPY LIFE YOU SAY?! MAKING ME FEEL DEPRESSED AND HURT?! BULLSHIT!" Lia reached for a branch of the tree and threw it with all the force she got, shouting over and over. She's exhausting herself. She's already fed up with everything. Is there anything else to be hopeful about? Loudilia sobbed as she fell to the ground. "I'm exhausted."

"Does it mean you've already given up?"

Lia raised her head, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Your story doesn't end here, Lia. There's more to come."

" She rose up and turned her head, hoping to capture the owner of the voice in her line of vision.

"I'm all over the place, Lia. Always. And you already knew that," Loudilia realized. This is who this'someone' is. That's someone who's working on her novel.

Lia's rage rises once more within her heart. "You're a jerk!" What have I ever done to you to cause you to write such nonsense? "

"Quit cursing. That's not good."

"Answer me!! I thought I would be having my happy ending? I thought this is a fairytale story. I was under the impression that I was the major character."

"You are,"

"Then why? Is this the definition of happiness to you?!"

Lia was perplexed. She is baffled by everything that has occurred. She was meant to be happy and would be rescued if she got into trouble. Why hasn't anyone come to her aid? Where has her knight in shining armor vanished to?

"Because you're the protagonist... And you have to go through all of this anguish in order to get a favorable review of the novel."

"Your narrative is terrible!"

"I understand. Hahaha! That is why I am attempting to write the worst."

"Worst? What's the worst case scenario? Show yourself! " Lia was desperate to figure out who was speaking.

She took off running and continued her quest. She isn't going to give up until she finds the person who owns the voice. However, while trying to find the voice, she noticed her father seated near the cliff.

"Father?" She inquires, her tone befuddling. What does her father do when he's near the cliff?

"Lia? What exactly are you doing in the woods? " Mr. Barlow rose up and approached his daughter, setting aside the fishing pole. "Did you shed a tear?" " he inquired, his gaze falling on her swollen, reddened eyes.

Loudilia wiped her tears away and nodded. "Just a little."

"Why? What happened?" He walked his daughter up to the edge of the cliff where he had been sitting earlier.

"Mom yelled at me for not retrieving Prince Anthonio's words regarding the cancellation of the engagement." Lia sobbed. She hugged her father to comfort herself from remembering the painful words her mother said to her. "I tried, father. I also thought that the Prince will help me to seek freedom, it turns out he only wanted to get rid of me from being his future companion."

Mr. Barlow remained deafeningly silent. Loudilia opted to observe her father's reaction, which she found to be emotionless. "Father? "

"Tsk," her father's tongue clicks in her ears. Why does he seem irritated?

"Fathe—"

Those three words: "useless...impudent...and worthless." Even though it's only three words, it feels like a thousand needles have pierced her heart. Loudilia had no idea why her father said such words, but she knew it was about her.

"Agh!

When her father pushed her, Loudilia screamed. Loudilia stared up at him, perplexed as to why he was acting so strangely. "I reasoned that you might be able to assist me. I was mistaken. I've been good to you and haven't pushed you to do things you don't want to do, instead motivating you to do them. I pushed you in a positive direction for your future, and this is how you return me?! " Mr. Barlow's final remarks ring all too true for Loudilia. That was also something her mother told her.

"I've been convincing myself to treat you properly, to be a good parent to you, in the hopes that you'll be the one to help me achieve my goals. Being a member of the royal family is a dream come true for many people. Despite my want to yank your hair and show all our servants how sad you are, I refrained because there is still some kindness left for you. He answered, "Of course, you're my daughter," as if he was disappointed.

Loudilia mumbled amid her sobbing, "F-father...I thought you...you truly love me." She never expected the person she trusted to be the one who betrayed her the most. Her mother's remarks to her are more painful than being deceived by your most trusted person.

"You thought wrong, too," he slapped his own daughter as he took a step closer to her. Loudilia is at a loss on what to do. She's been wreaking havoc on her life while waiting for her pathetic happy ending.

Mr. Barlow gave her a hug. "Please accept my apologies, sweetheart. I made every effort to be a decent father. Mr. Barlow kissed her daughter's forehead before shoving her off the cliff, "But now that you're useless, things won't work for the both of us."

The most terrible view she witnessed was collapsing after being pushed and seeing your father looking down on you from the ground with his sorrowful appearing eyes. Lia isn't sure if she was upset by her father pushing her or by seeing his sad eyes, despite the fact that he was the one who pushed her. Lia was perplexed, yet recollections of laughter flashed before her eyes.

Lia has always known she was destined to be a queen. Her parents only wanted her for one reason. Being a member of the royal family. Imagine your parents marrying for the sake of status and money, not for love. How will she attain her happy ending now that her life has turned out this way? Isn't it meant to end happily for her? Where is that'someone' who says she will have a happy ending? I guess I'm the only princess who wouldn't get her happy ending. What a pity...

Unknown and dark. At the time, that was the only description Lia could come up with. What happened to her? She is terrified at the prospect of having her thoughts open to her unfamiliar surroundings while her existence remains unlived.

"Finally! The long-awaited happy ending you've been waiting for is finally here! "

That'someone' is back. "Will there be a happy ending? You know, I'm not happy at all."

"Ooh. Are you insane? Lia, take it easy. "At long last, you're going to get your happy ending."

"Do you mean by dying? Really?"

"Hasn't this always been your dream? To be liberated? Now that I've granted your most cherished request."

"Was suicide the only means of achieving freedom?"

"Well, you basically defied me, so I was disappointed. When you wanted things to turn out the way you wanted them to."

"I'm tired of being played, okay? All I wanted was to break the rope that was wrapped around my wrist and...be free."

"If that's what you want, you'll have to work for it."

"Are there any more issues now?"

"Not much... By the way, as you transfer to another book, there will be constraints for every area you travel. Best of luck! "

"Wait! Where am I supposed to go?!"

to be continued....