2 | THE BASTARD CHILD

[Elyse's POV]

Everyone here in the manor is fake. I see, I remember it now. The way they hate me, the way they ignored me through all these years. No one helped me. They knew my mother is being harsh, even my brothers who sides with my mother. I remember her telling me in front of the mirror while preparing me for the party told me I am beautiful and she loves me the most in the whole world which is why she's being cruel to me.

But I know that is a lie.

If you love your children, you wouldn't do things that will hurt your child. Whenever I made a mistake, she would punish me by locking me up in the tower or in my dirty room, sometimes even in the library when I failed a test in my subject at school. She would force me to love books — to love knowledge. She would force me to do things I never want to do. And yet, naive I was, I would always follow.

Those days I would always think, "If that's what mama wants and it'll make her proud of me, then I will do it." I know, it was the stupidest idea I ever had. The very first mistake in my entire life as Aniya is to force myself to love myself back. And when I realized my mistake, she would corner me for killing all the ones who truly loves me. Making me left with no choice but to obey her.

After that, just like her usual line, she would always say, "You know, Momma loves you so much... right?" She said with her wide eyes staring at me — staring right into my soul. I nodded, defeated. I regretted it all. In order for me to get out of the hellhole I made for myself from my mother's trap, I confessed to Tina for the mistakes I've done to her and it made her go insane. She killed everyone and starts getting corrupted. She cursed, and murdered, as our blood stayed at her sword.

I could feel her anger and pain. And I couldn't forget the night I saw her murder Hezelle. Yet I know Hezelle is not completely dead. In the end, Hezelle became the last standing Alpha to survive Tina's wrath. Everyone died. Yet here I am, going back to the past, being Aniya again.

I don't know what's going on with the Princess's mind, but I know it has something to do with me going back to the past as Aniya. After all, she did say something about a deal, or I might be overthinking. Nevertheless, pain shouldn't distract me in this timeline. In order for me to find out the reason why the Princess did this to me, I must come forward, but I need to not repeat the same mistakes again, or else, I will be doomed and I won't find Tina here.

I need to find Tina, with finding the reason why The Princess regressed me back as Aniya. As soon as I calmed down my nerves from the traumatic memories, I heard a horse's noise from below the tower. I look down from the window and saw The Crown Prince's carriage. Right, I remember it is also the right time for me to meet the Crown Prince for the first time.

I look into the mirror once again and I realized, I came back to the time when I am still 9 years old. I will be 10 years old 2 months later — on the coldest night of September. As expected, a knock on the door came and the butler spoke outside the door.

"Your Grace, we need you to get ready." He spoke. It is still Jonathan, the butler who hates me and gave me another traumatic experience in this household. As far as I can remember, this room is not originally my room. I have a fancy room inside the manor — outside the tower. Mother would always lock me up or let me stay here whenever there are no guests. The room inside the manor is only for decoration — a pretentious scenario that mother loves me so ever gently rather than my three brothers.

I followed the butler who made me go down from the tower to give me a royal bath. The maids chose the clothes I will wear and followed them again like a prisoner meeting the Crown Prince. As I reached the staircase, I looked below and saw the young version of Crown Prince Samuel — Tina's future husband waiting for me. In reality, Mother wanted me to marry Samuel. However, something happened that I could not comprehend why but Mother's mind changed and married me to Thaddeus.

I went down the staircase and when I reached the bottom, I called his name.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince Samuel. May the Goddess of Beginning and the Saintess of Beginning bless thy innocent soul." I greeted and he nodded his head while smiling at me.

"You already know me. As expected of Duchess Vierra's daughter." I froze. Shoot. I forgot I was Aniya and not Elyse! I suppose to never know his name since this is our first meeting! Oh, good gracious, you are really a piece of holy Elyse!

I smiled back at him and acted shy. "Please pardon me for being so rude, Your Highness. I have heard your great deeds even though you are still a Crown Prince." I spoke and I was frozen to realize that I just spoke as Elyse and not as Aniya.

'Aniya doesn't speak that way you little dumb! My speaking tone in the past is much more elegant! Not sounding like a country bumpkin!' I scolded myself.

"You flatter me too much, Your Grace, Lady Aniya." He spoke and held my hand and kissed the back of my hand. He looked at me back and I smiled. Somehow, I can read his emotions in his eyes — he isn't interested in me and so am I.

"Ah! Your Highness, The Crown Prince of Olympia, Samuel. May the blessings of The Goddess of Beginning and the Saintess of Beginning be with you." Duchess Vierra came into the scene while fapping her fan to her face while smiling at the young Samuel.

I felt frozen to see my once mother, Duchess Vierra once again after the long sleep from the cycle of my reincarnation. She's beautiful indeed — men would admire her beauty, be it old or young everyone desires the beautiful Vierra. However, she is now married to my brother's father and had an affair with my father.

"Greetings to you too, Your Grace Duchess Vierra." The Crown Prince answered with his blunt tone. I could feel that the Crown Prince doesn't like Duchess Vierra too. Duchess Vierra kept on talking with the Crown Prince while I was left alone being silent and watching them how to try and to converse with each other. With this, I can observe or know who's pretending or not — and with the conclusion of what is happening in front of me, with all the laughs and smiles they both shared, everything is fake. They are doing this for the sake of reputation.

As I finished my observation, they still aren't done talking so I divert my attention to the Crown Prince. Focusing on him right now, I just realized that the Crown Prince looks like the carbon copy of Raymond especially with those captivating oceanic eyes with all those stares he would give. They also have the same type of blond hair and the same vibes — they look like they don't care about others but kept on pretending to care for their reputation, a practiced smile, and words.

I wonder, did Raymond reincarnate himself too? If he did, then maybe he did it for the sake of his regret — also a Binding Fate of him from Tina who he had great sins.

"Lady Aniya," Duchess Vierra called my name which made my train of thought disappear. I gazed at her, "yes?" I froze. Shit, I forgot that Aniya does not talk that way, AGAIN!

"I-I mean, yes Mother?" Duchess Vierra only glare at me with her scary eyes yet I didn't flinch — which I should flinch so I pretended that I flinched. Duchess Vierra sighs.

"Aniya, my sweet child, will you please take the Crown Prince on a tour of our manor?" She said sweetly, changing her tone all of the sudden. The sweet child my ass, you just want to show off your wealth because Samuel doesn't have much freedom in his home back in the day because he is the Crown Prince.

I smiled back at her, sweetly. "Of course, Mother. Shall we go then, Your Highness?" He nodded his head, accepting my invitation and I took him on a tour of our manor. I didn't really talk much while we were walking down a hallway of the manor after I took him to places that would make him feel interested but as I glance at him, he didn't look interested at all. He just nodded his head, sighed, then smile, then sigh, and repeat.

I stopped in my tracks when we were walking in the hallway and he stopped walking too.

"What's the matter, my lady?" He asks. I turn around to look at him. "You don't need to pretend, Your Highness. It's okay to have your own opinion, don't let others form you into something you don't really want." I said and he was frozen.

"What do you mean —"

"You might've thought about this, but I am not like the other kids. I know you're just pretending to like these things, Your Highness. I presume it was because you thought 'a crown prince must know these things or something like that?" I cut off his words. I don't care if he will call me rude or anything but this is an opportunity. From what I have heard or know, Samuel does have feelings for Tina. But Mara entered the scene and became a mistress to Samuel. Tina, however, I don't know what she truly feels but I will assume she also somehow liked Samuel because they are both engaged to each other. As for Samuel, I can see that he likes Tina but he couldn't express himself because he was born to be like that. Just like me.

"What are you talking about —"

"Nah. I don't really care if you're going to imprison me for disgracing your highness. But I am true when I say to you, be honest. It is not easy indeed, but your highness. You are young, you can be whoever you want to be without the controls of adults. You can express your emotions and thoughts freely without the control of adults. Be free, Samuel." I spoke softly and it made his facial expression soften. Those words felt like words that I truly want to convey it to him that day. We didn't end up together, but Samuel is still my friend. Although, I have no face to call him my friend because of what I did in the past I am here in "the past" to change what I must do and find Tina.

"Now your highness, what do you want to do? Read books? I have a lot of books! I also have my own Library here..." I started to talk comfortably with him and I saw him smile genuinely. He must've been comfortable with me too. As I tell him some of the jokes my papa would say to me, he would leave a soft chuckle while we sit down in the garden and tell stories about each other. It was a lot of fun until evening came and I must go.

I escorted him first in his carriage and went back inside walking back to the hallway again since it is also the way to my old dirty room. I was walking quietly when I saw my older 1st brother, Edward. He stopped when he saw me, I stopped walking too. He was only there in front of me being silent while he stares at me.

"Where are you going?" He finally asks and breaks the silence between us.

"To my room. I will take my rest now." I spoke coldly.

"Well then, have a great night, Your Grace." I continue to speak coldly towards him as I tried to pass through him but all of the sudden, he grabbed my arm and glanced at me.

"You didn't call me brother. You didn't greet me too." He spoke.

"I did greet you, Your Grace. I wished you a good night's rest." I answered. Right. I forgot in the past I used to call my half-brother, brother. I will also greet them every time our paths cross with my bright smile. But now that our paths crossed again, I greeted them with my cold tone and blunt expression. It must've been the first time for them.

"You won't join us for dinner?" I froze from his question and felt my blood boiling in anger.

I laughed, "Hah. Join you? Pardon your grace but I am not welcome in this household. Why should I join you to eat dinner with the likes of you? I would get a stomachache if I did or worst, I would be crazy hanging out with you all." I saw his eyebrows flinch and I smiled.

"So, stop acting like you cherish your own lovely little sister, Edward," I whispered in his ears. I glance at him once more and walked away from him.

I won't be weak in this timeline. The time is gold, I should find Tina quickly.