The Cursed Princess

Anne's POV: I thought I wouldn't make it through this winter. In Northtown, the winters are brutal—cold, dark, and full of blizzards that bury everything under snow, hiding all signs of life. The fierce wind howled, pelting snow grains against doors and windows, creating an incessant racket that made sleep impossible. Jenny Manor, an isolated pearl-white estate, stood in the center of the snowy plains, surrounded by scattered lowly farms like stars around a moon. In the northwest corner of the manor, on the top-floor attic, I huddled on a cramped, narrow bed, clutching a threadbare blanket that had seen too many washes, desperately seeking some warmth. Cold air leaked in from the cracks in the ceiling. I wrapped my arms around my knees, curled up in the corner, and shivered uncontrollably as my teeth chattered so hard, filling the silence with an eerie, rhythmic clicking. The fireplace had long gone out, and the temperature in the attic dropped steadily. Last night, I begged my aunt, Isabella, for some coal to last through the harsh northern nights. Yet her laugh was colder than the howling wind. "Anne, you're supposed to be reflecting on your misdeeds, not living in comfort. I can't spare coal or firewood for you. Perhaps the cold will clear your head and teach you, as a proper princess, to consider the hardships of the common folk." Yes, technically, I was a princess. The current king, Henry III, was my grandfather. As the first princess of my generation, my birth was once a cause for celebration in the royal family. However, three days after I was born, my grandmother, Queen Mary, left the palace to visit me, only to meet with a tragic accident. Her carriage overturned, and she died on the spot. My grandfather was devastated by the loss of his beloved. With nowhere to direct his grief, he poured his rage onto my poor father, Lionel. From that day on, they called me "Anne the Cursed." Everyone feared me and avoided me as if I carried a fatal disease that could bring them nothing but misfortune. Even my mother, Princess Eleanor, was convinced of the curse. When I was six, she finally had enough of those malicious whispers. On a summer night, she had her maid Abby send me to Northtown. Abby was very kind to me, treating me as if I were her own daughter. She always smelled of fresh-baked bread, and that scent became the most comforting part of my childhood. Not long after, my uncle Owen arrived at Jenny Manor with his wife, Isabella, and their children. Naturally, the couple took over as my guardians. On the day Abby left, I clung to her, refusing to let go. She tearfully promised me, "Your Highness, wait for me. I'll come back for you." I waited for that promise to come true—for ten long years. Now, slumped in the corner, my vision blurred. I felt feverish, my thoughts growing hazy. "Cold... so cold..." I murmured in despair. I could feel life slipping away, as if I were a cracked hourglass, my time pouring out grain by grain. Abby... I might have to disappoint her. She would probably cry if she saw my frozen corpse. "Your Highness, open your mouth, please. Drink this, and you'll be fine." A faint voice reached me, and a strange-tasting liquid flowed into my mouth, making me swallow it instinctively. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Teal's face, her brown eyes filled with relief, and her freckles almost dancing with life. "Teal... I..." I murmured. "Shh, Your Highness, don't move," Teal whispered, holding me close. "You've got a fever. Fortunately, my mom had stuffed some herbs into my bag, and I made a herbal soup for you. It'll help, I promise. Back home, we always drank this when we had fevers. I'm sure you'll be better in no time." She tucked the blanket tighter around me, bundling me snugly. "Look, I even sneaked two of Madam Isabella's unused blankets from the storage room. They're really warm. Still feeling cold, Your Highness?" I glanced around and found myself surrounded by layers of heavy blankets, feeling like a cinnamon roll on a breakfast tray. Teal hugged me, trying to share her slight warmth with me. Beads of sweat broke out on my forehead, and my body started to feel sticky. "Teal... it's a little hot..." "Is it?" She touched my forehead, pulling back at the cold touch of my skin. "Your Highness, just hold on a little longer." Teal, shy and unassuming, was just another servant here at the manor, going unnoticed by most. Most of the servants orbited around Uncle Owen and his wife Isabella, treating me with the same wary disdain as the rest. Their eyes held fear of my so-called curse, as if I were something loathsome and vile, like a kitchen roach or sewer rat. They couldn't kill me, so they tormented me instead, using my misery to soothe their fear. So, when Alyssa once casually remarked, "Anne's room has such nice sunlight. I'd be so happy if I could have a room like that," I was promptly moved to a cramped attic with two broken, dark planks as a bed. My soft, feathered quilt that I had been using for years was replaced by a threadbare, colorless blanket that even a dog would reject. I persuaded myself that it was just a room. If Alyssa wanted it, she could take it. No big deal. Just like that, when Josephine took my dresses, I was given servant's clothes to wear. What did it matter? Just a few scraps of fabric, right? Yet no matter how much I gave, it was never enough. Gradually, everyone began treating me as a slave. They ordered me around, day in and day out, for nothing more than barely enough food to stave off hunger. But then came Teal. She would find ways to help with my chores and sneak a few rolls to me after dinner, bringing them to me in the dead of night when everyone else was asleep. To me, she was like my savior. She pulled a faded candy from her pocket and placed it in my mouth. The candy melted in the heat, sending sweetness down my throat and calming my churning stomach. I sighed in relief, and my vision began to clear. Only then did I notice the fireplace was somehow stacked with firewood again. A soft glow filled the attic, making it just a little warmer. I managed a faint smile, reaching out to grip Teal's hand. "If anyone finds out... Andrew will fire you, won't he?"