Fateful Night I

Her room served as a prison cell longer than she could remember enough for all the spaces available to be painted with abstract images inspired by her strange dreams.

She built fancy castles, exotic dragons, enchanting beasts, and magical entities using her paintbrush so she would have companions amid her melancholic solitude.

Her mother forbade her to come out and play with kids about her age. The loneliness crippled her life with depression. At one point if it weren't for her paintings she would have gone mad a long time ago. Enough reason for her mother to never let her out of the palace.

Jia smiled..... A bright lovely smile powerful enough to held a prince's heart captive by its charm. Her curly eyelashes fluttered in concentration, her gaze never once left the white canvass as her fingers moved magically to create another breathtaking masterpiece.

The paintbrush slithered to the canvass. She watched intently with her eyes lit with fire as the image slowly formed. Her attractive lips stretch wider when she finished dipping the brush tip's into the palette and proceed to color the eyes into an enchanting hue of gold.

"You look just perfect Hon."

Jia smiled mischievously. Her eyes glint with affection from the lifeless drawing. Finally, the image of her vampire prince was completed.

Inked stained her fingers when she clasped her hands together with the paintbrush in between. The paintbrush no longer interests her, it was the image of a breathtakingly handsome man her eyes feasted upon.

A pair of golden brown eyes stared at her straight from the canvass. His unsmiling lips were red as blood, a perfect contrast to his smooth alabaster skin. His bushy eyebrows were thick and she admires them despite the eternal scowl that seems to merge them into a single line. His long, curly eyelashes were longer than hers which she can't avoid but envy wishing hers was as long as his.

If weren't for this man, she has given up life already.

Footsteps echoed the hallway, by the sound of the heels clicking against the marbled floor she knew it was her mother. She took the wet canvass and shoved it under the bed mumbling her prayers that her mom's laser-sharp eyes would not find it.

The door flung open exposing her mother's stone-cold expression.

"Are you painting that man again?" The Witch Queen roared before she even made her first step inside the room. She lifted the front of her black gown, hurriedly approached her with rage contorting her youthful face.

Fear gripped her heart, her breath suspended in the air as her mother stopped in front of her and captured her face with deeply penetrating eyes.

"N-Noo!" Jia manage to reply shakily. Her fingers clutching the paintbrush behind her back trembled violently.

"You're lying Jia! How could you lie to your mother!"

Slap! The Witch Queen's finger's landed on her cheeks. The unexpected blow numb her cheeks.

Fear-stricken eyes landed on her mother's face. It was the first time her mother hurt her. The thought broke her heart into a million pieces. Tears flowed down her cheeks as her face clutch the red imprints of the blow.

"A man will kill, don't you ever dare forget that Jia. Stop your illusions about happiness and true love. They will destroy your life! They don't exist! Your life isn't a magical fairy tale."

The Witch Queen's rage burned brighter she flicked her fingers and in an instant, the painting floated to the air.

"No Mom!! Please don't do it again." Jia screamed desperately but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You need to learn your lessons, Jia. I'm doing what's best for you."

Best? This is not Jia's definition of best. Can't she enjoy a little bit of freedom before she met her immutable death?

The Witch Queen's silvery eyes burned with rage. Countless times, the Queen had been angry before but not to this extent where she resorts to hurting the only daughter she has.

Jia watched as the painting burned until there was nothing left but ashes on the floor. Her heart ached badly. Tears continue their abundant flow on her red cheeks.

Her tears drained off and she crumbled to the ground, too weak to even move or say a word. Swirling thoughts filled her with more pain within. It's just a painting, she thought watching the ashes on the floor.

"This is for you Jia! I'm doing this for your safety." The Witch Queen's tone was surprisingly calm this time. She did not attempt to touch her. Instead, Jia heard her footsteps trailed to the door with her head still bowed to the floor.

If her life continues this way how was she supposed to live in peace? She doesn't want to die miserable either. The remaining day of her life, she wants them to be memorable!

The door slammed shut. Eyes burning with determination, she eyed the door with her mind made up. She's had been planning this for weeks now, finally, she now has enough reason to do it.

If she can't run away from her death then she might as well shortened the process by finding the man who could kill her.

Tonight, she will run away from Ytheria. She will search for the Vampire Prince.

Serenity lay nestled in her bed like a delicate flower, her form curled up similar to a child. The celestial orb of the blood red moon cast a foreboding radiance upon her chamber, lending an air of mystery and intrigue to the scene.

As she turned her head her red-rimmed eyes opened. Her delicate fingers, as graceful as a swan's neck, caressed her cheeks, wiping away the remnants of her sorrow. To her amazement, she discovered that her tears had dried.

She had poured her heart out for hours. It was no surprise that she had no more tears to shed.

Her stomach grumbled, protesting out of hunger, but she paid it no heed. She wasn't allowed to eat for days as a punishment. And the hunger she felt was nothing compared to the searing pain from her injuries.

As the mellifluous sound of the grandfather clock filled the air, it gently reminded her that the bewitching hour of midnight had finally arrived.

With the utmost elegance, she willed herself to move, only to be met with a sharp pang of agony that spiraled through her delicate frame. 

With sheer determination veiling her countenance, she patiently bided her time until the gentle ebb of the passing hours had soothed the ache within her, before she carefully abandoned the bed.

With a heart heavy as a stone, Serenity's delicate fingers curled into a tight ball by her side, as her thoughts danced back to the last words of her beloved mother; words that pierced her soul like a thousand needles - "I never wished someone like you for a daughter. How I wished you were dead."

As long as she draws breath, she will never forget the words for they carved a deep-inch wound in her soul that is sure to leave their mark forever.

With a deep sense of longing to find a place where she would belong, Serenity made the bold decision to depart from the grandeur of the palace walls. With a resolute spirit, she has made the decision to set forth on a path of self-discovery and find her rightful place in this world.

Her heart had longed for adventure, to wander through the vast unknown and explore the world beyond the confines of her prison. 

She had always thought of running away but she never had the will to do so, but now she had made up her mind after she realized she always lived in Amerysse but never did she felt like she belonged in it. 

No one seemed to want her, not even her own mother so there seemed no reason for her to continue playing like an unwanted ornament in the palace.

Serenity's lustrous, braided silver hair cascaded down her back, reaching the very limits of her narrow waist, as she lifted her gaze to the clock.

The moment has arrived. A voice in her head told her

Barely making a sound, she grabbed her cloak and draped them on her back like a cape.

With her delicate fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt of her trusty sword, she bravely pushed open the door, poised to execute a swift and graceful strike upon the unsuspecting guards stationed outside. Her intention was not to cause them harm, but rather to render them unconscious with her impressive combat skills. 

As she ventured forth, she came to the sudden realization that there was no one outside her door.

There's nowhere in hell that the Queen would post no guard in her room. As surprising as it is, she just let it slide thinking why would she complain since it only made escaping far more easier now.

With the grace of a swan, she glided through the endless corridors, her footsteps as silent as a whisper on the wind. 

As she treaded through the dimly-lit corridors, the stillness of the palace enveloped her. 

Serenity was taken aback by the sight that greeted her! The hallways, which she had expected to be bustling with servants working late at night, were utterly devoid of any signs of life at this hour. Lo and behold, the guards who were tasked with vigilantly patrolling the vicinity were nowhere to be found. 

Finally, she arrived at the back of the palace, her heart beating with anticipation of what lay beyond.

The steel back door loomed ahead, and she held her breath, hoping that she would safely make her way to it.

Swallowing hard, she scanned the area for any sign of life. And then, with a sudden surge of relief, she let out a cry - the coast was clear. 

Her hand trembled as she reached for the door handle. She had expected it to be heavily chained, but to her surprise, it was left unlocked.

She released the breath she wasn't aware she was still holding and stepped out, closing the door behind her with utmost care, as if her life depended on it.

Serenity looked around frantically, her heart pounding in her chest. There was no one in sight, but the princess couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. 

She knew she had to move quickly, before it was too late. If anyone saw her, it could mean the end of everything.

"Serenity."

Her body tensed up as she stared ahead, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Her head turned slowly towards the source of the voice.

From the shadows, she watched as her royal servant emerged.

"Jen." She muttered quietly to herself, feeling a sense of relief at the sight of someone other than her most trusted servant.

"You're running away, aren't you, Princess Serenity?"

Cold dread spread through her spine. 

"Answer me or I will alert the guards." Jen said.

The silence hung heavy in the air as Serenity and Jen stood before each other, their eyes fixed and unyielding. 

The threat was clear to Serenity - answer, or face the consequences.