CHAPTER III
2126 Words
(ENCHANTMENT)
EVERYONE’S eyes are wide in shock. Jaw drops and some aristocrats even faint from the scene that they just witness.
“Stop!”
The King screams. The once crown prince who never truly care for me and genuinely once. But only watching how ruthless and cold-hearted I could be he screams. Seeing that his only heir and the perfect princess who once stood in front of him with cold eyes now cut her ties from the royalty and in front of the whole kingdom.
“I tried to be what you want me to be even though it pains me so much, and to further emphasize, I hated it to the bone.”
I started to pour my feeling of resentment into him once more.
“I was perfect. Too perfect indeed. My perfection in front of the crowd that you should have let it be. I only wanted one thing, but that only thing that I hope that you will consider is something that you are thinking to be my rebellion.”
I then smirk, showing an insane expression that put everyone in horror. To surprise to react quickly, for their known perfect princess is an insane one deep inside.
“So, I let you be. But enough is enough. You cross the line and too much this time, your Majesty.”
I drop my long lock of hair to the ground. Signing my rebellion to the extreme and the very end. I immediately jump on my horse’s back and ride Knight away from this hell and place I grow up into.
“What are you doing? Get the Princess back!”
His screams, along with the palace guards quickly on their horses and chase me after. But I couldn’t let them catch me, to be put once more into that hell that I swear to not go back into.
“Knight, faster. You can do this boy.”
I ask my horse, riding him with speed as I look back from time to time, checking my pursuers that wouldn’t let me go until they caught me and put me back to that hell.
“Princess!”
The Kingdom’s general, Lord Killian screams my name. But I didn’t give any attention to him nor the heart to listen, for just like anyone else. He is the king’s, loyal man.
“Yah!”
I keep Knight running even faster, training him for a long for this escape that I didn’t expect to be this early. Yet, the perfect time for me to do so. The sky suddenly darkens, brewing a storm as I can see the dark forest people in the kingdom believed and legends say to be a curse.
“It’s better than being trapped in that hell of a place.”
My pride, my anger, and my resentful heart won. I then lead Knight inside the forbidden forest they so-called and were afraid to step right into, knowing that no one of them and their naïve mind would dare to follow me through.
“Tsk!”
A sinister and winning type of smile is then painted on my face. Looking back to prove how naïve they all can be, and just that they left me alone. Yet, it was all too early for me to celebrate.
“Just a little more to go, you can do this Knight.”
I don’t know where I am heading, nor I do not want to think about the possibilities of what will happen to me once I came out from this dark and cursed forest that they all talked about. All that I wanted is to run away for good.
“Yah!”
Knight runs even faster, with the two of us now running away from the brewing storm that is now rumbling louder with each passing chance. Along with the lightning that somehow by any second will be about to strike us.
“Tsk! This storm.”
I look around, left to right. Looking for any shelter, a big hallowed tree or a cave live formation of a tree’s roots for us to use until the storm clears. Yet, the heavens are somehow against my escape. The rain started to pour harder with each passing moment. Making it hard to see where I am going, worst with the piercing ice-like rain that’s getting painful with each passing second.
“Give up, they are all worthless.”
“Tsk!”
I click my tongue, grit my teeth, and tighten my grip on Knight’s bridle. When those words from the good-for-nothing King suddenly cross my mind. Yet, the perfect thing that I needed to go on and stay alive for long.
But then.
‘Neigh!’ ‘Neigh!’ ‘Neigh!’
“Knight!”
My horse panicked, taken worse than being surprised by the lightning that strikes to the tree that then split in half burning and falling in front of us.
“Calm down!”
‘Neigh!’ ‘Neigh!’ ‘Neigh!’
Knight’s in utter shock, scared, and inconsolable. His hind legs raise, kicking and turning, worst when his feet caught fire.
“Knight!”
Somehow the heavens disapprove, and I accidentally let go, falling and rolling into the steep ground. Hitting my head with something that immediately turns everything dark.
“A princess should act like one, no matter how difficult and whenever she may be.”
His Majesty’s words suddenly and once more ring back inside of my mind. Those royal teachings that I rather throw into the trash rather than acknowledge it. In this somewhat empty, dark, and suffocating place, all I wanted is to,
“YOU shouldn’t be here, human.”
The words and deep voice welcome me into the warm place, and into this bed roses where I woke up. To the vast green forest, surrounded by different kinds of sweet-smelling flowers. Birds that’s chirping and some are flying around. Animals that I had never seen before roam freely in my sight. Knight approaches me with his leg all patched and cured.
“One time. I asked of you, who are you?”
Deep yet calm, my entire attention falls on the person, not a being with silver-colored long hair, and sapphire blue eyes that gleam like stone under the light of the sun. Physic that is built for a thousand wars he experiences and wins. His clothes are made from the best fabric, silk, gold, silver, and gemstone that exceed even the luxurious robe of his Majesty the King.
I am in awe, facing the being that is more like a God.
“Who are you?”
The question that I find easy to ask at that moment. Asking him the same question that he asks of me, which expectedly draws a frivolous smile to his face that made my heart skip a beat.
“Should I be the one asking that, human?”
Human? I thought to myself, snapping out of my thoughts when he asks me that question in an intimidating way. Intimidation that sure enough will make anyone shiver and might as well cower in fear. Yet, for someone like me, that is all used to such face, to such warnings, threats, and all my life I am faced to endure and suffer from. His devilish expression, so I called it, is not the same as theirs.
Not complicated, nothing of any sort of hidden agenda, but a pure threat that I prefer to have. Say that I am a bit out of any righteous mind out there. But this kind of warning that I am facing, is a comforting one that I somehow longed for so long.
“If I will offer my life to you, would you let me stay?”
One bold move. One big word. But for that moment I do not care about any consequences that I will be facing. For I prefer to be trapped in a cage of a devil than a kingdom full of lies.
“Can you say such if you will know who am I?”
He smiles, showing his fangs and the look in his eyes that marks all the curses and the fact that he will eat me whole and alive without any hesitation.
“I am neither a human, a spirit, nor anything you could ever think of. I hold nothing but this place which I guard. I am not an ally nor an enemy, but I will punish everyone who will come and enter my realm.”
His introduction, his entire being, and without any pretenses. The one that I needed, the risk and dangerous corner that I rather take than be a trap to that place where I came from.
“I am of royal blood. I carry the sin of my ancestors and already tainted my hands with the blood of my companions. I escape the heaven that they call and I am now willing to enter your hell. I do not care about anything or everything. Will that be enough to take me and whole?”
My introduction. My words and conviction to stay gave my trust to be killed by someone else rather than the kingdom that I hated and curses my entire life.
“Tsk!” He smirks, with the words that scream from his eyes that I somehow amuse him.
The thing and the bit that I needed right now.
“Aren’t you afraid of me, human?”
“If being afraid means dying? Then, I am not, not anymore. For you see I just die a while ago.”
I clench my hands and tightly hold on to my horse so that the two of us knew that he was the one who took care of the both of us. The uncanny being that I rather trust those puny humans.
“A princess and a being without a clear identity. A fallen angel, but is not yet a devil. Such an uncanny match doesn’t you think?”
He’s playing with words. Testing my wit and my patience. A test that I am more than confident enough to ace.
“But a princess is worth your while than any ordinary human that is scared of you. King of this forest.”
I finally called him by his title. The title that the people back in the kingdom branded him. The entity that’s living inside and in the deep place of the cursed forest everyone is afraid off.
"You amuse me somehow. Well then, I accept such a proposal. Who are you, human?”
“My name’s Miyu.”
“Very well, from now on you are under my care, and into this forest only king, Rafael.”
The name that beats the familiarity that brushes a sudden sting inside my heart. Yet, I couldn’t pinpoint what could it be and why. But this unfortunate-fortunate encounter, I will rather be left under the wing of this cursed forest devil. The king of this sanctuary is named, Rafael.
“Then I am lady Miyu, at your service.”
A deal that I took. A familiar scene, yet a very different atmosphere from the dream that I once had back then when I was little. The deal, a temporary one until he is done and no longer needed me amuses him so much.
“You will be my servant, my puppet, a doll. My ears and eyes are from the outside world. You will carry my command and will never be allowed to leave me until I say so.”
I accepted the terms, the simple exchange for the favor that he gave me. The time that I needed to have the things that I needed to get on my knees. Have everything under the palm of my hand and the ticket to find another place far away from my past. My real identity and living the common people that I always wanted to be.
“I’ll heed everything that you wish for me to do, my master.”
My pride that I can tuck away for now, knowing that this path is the only way for my escape and to give back his kindness towards me. My life could finally start right now.
“Someone told me that everything existed by the will of destiny and the heavens plan, that everything from the day that you are born, your heart is destined for someone that will care, long, and always be someone greater than everything in this world. But what if it is not the way it should be? Will you still forgive the heart that forgot because of the curse?”
TO THAT SAME SYMPHONY, I UNKNOWINGLY FOUND THE ONE THAT LIES FROM DEEP WITHIN MY PRECIOUS DREAM OF A MEMORY.
- Writer
