1 CHAPTER ONE: THE CONFINED PRINCESS

The cold breeze from the outside blew through the small window of a secluded room in the palace.

It looked dark but beautiful with flowers decorated around the corner of the room. The wonderful fragrance alone could make one spend eternity in the room, but that is not the case of princess Luciana.

'Leaving the palace. Getting married to a cold, yet sweet prince. Giving birth to beautiful children. Living happily with her family at the corner edge of the world'. That has always been her dream, rather than been confined by her father.

"My lady, the ceremony has started". Her favorite maid informed her.

She felt like crying. She wished not to return to this dark room which she has lived all her life without anyone to talk to, play with nor rely on.

"Oh. I think I have to start dressing". With her voice sounding colder than usual, she muttered as she cleaned the tiny tears on her double eyelid.

Today is supposed to be the happiest day in the life of any princess. 'The day they will be marked royale'.

"My lady, suitors will start trooping in for you after their parents get a glimpse of your beauty". Her maid complimented as she combed her long dark brown hair.

'if only you knew how I wished I didn't exist! You wouldn't have wished me to get married'. She muttered as her memory flooded into her head.

It looks dark, scary and even creepy.

How can she forget the days her father will whip her if she becomes adamant on going out, the nights she will be starved if she refuses to sleep early?

Her existence seems like she does not exist.

"How does it look?" The voice of her maid her jerked off her thoughts as she immediately picked a small crystal mirror.

She stared at herself with contempt and resentment. "I wish I could just die".

Even with tears clustered in her dark ocean blue eyes, she still looks beautiful. Her hair which was styled in a chignon and her dark brown silky gown made her look exceptionally gorgeous.

"Do I really look pretty?" She asked with a soft chuckle as she stared at her maid, who understood how she was feeling.

Maid Azirin is the only person in the palace that truly understands her. She has been like a mother to her ever since the late queen passed away.

"You look stunning. Breathtaking enough that heaven will shiver at how beautiful you are. Pretty enough that those oldies out there will drool over". She complimented as she arranged the flower pin on here hair.

"Thank you".

Luciana smiled for the first time in her life, her smile is the rare type. The gap in-between her front teeth made her smile more cute.

"You are becoming a princess! No more living In the dark anymore. No more hiding in the shade anymore". Azirin words gave her a glimpse of hope, even if she clearly knew that maids' opinions don't matter as they are facts far from truth.

"My lady, the great Lion of Madid seeks your presence". The royal messenger relay and took his leave afterward.

Taking a deep exhalation to suppress her nervous and strange feelings, she picked up her royal ring and inserted it in her middle finger.

It soothes her long beautiful fingers which look like that of a fairy, and her neck chain was no exception either.

"Let go, my lady". The other maids bowed their heads and followed princess Luciana outside.

Each step she took outside made her feel like she was going to fall. Of course, she isn't used to walking on soft sand.

"My Lady, you have to learn how to work on cold and hot sands in case you get married in the near future". Azirin muttered.

"Will she just stop talking about marr—" the bright view from the beautiful clouds made her pause.

She suddenly wished to stare at the bright cloud without taking her gaze off it. It is beautiful just the way it was portrayed in books she does read.

"If we get late to the ball, the great Lion of Madid will get mad at us". Azirin words made her jerked off from her overwhelming fantasy.

The sudden thought of getting married to a prince struck her. She wants to stare at the blue sky, sun and sing in her melodious voice under the bright moonlight with her hand firmly on her husband's hand.

"Princess Ara is here". Her father, the great Lion of Madid, King Feoras announced the presence of his beautiful daughter.

'What is father trying to do? Changing my name to gain popularity from the people? How can I be Ara?' She asked herself as she walked up to the assigned space for her.

Cheers and admiration of how beautiful she is, rented the air as some men chat indistinct among themselves.

They obviously want the king to let their son marry princess Luciana. But can they abide by the condition given to them when they aren't their son?

How do they confront their sons about the idea of confining their wife? Does it even make any sense?

Luciana, who already knew her father would take advantage of her, immediately turned her gaze from the cheering peoples then to her father.

She is good at listening to words from afar. Their words are all spoken in her ear.

'So father wants my future husband to confine me again? What is the essence of getting married? To just stare at the wall of my room, or what?' She asked herself as anger stirred in her.

"If you can't abide by my simple rule, then just go. Besides, there are thousands of suitors ready to have her at a wonderful rate rather than your cheap…" She vividly heard her father's words.

'Is he selling me? Must it be all about him? Does my feelings, not matter?' Not able to withhold the anger in her, she asked herself.

The anger kept getting worse, and uncontrollable as she watched her over negotiate her with more than fifty men.

Balling her fist strongly as her anger took the better part of her, she closed her eyes and opened it after a short while. Her ocean blue eyes turned into red, flame began go form as she gather the wind by rubbing her two palms together.

"How can he?" Those words kept echoing in her head a million times at once.

Her father, who was at the other edge, immediately remembered he had forgotten to introduce his daughter to the kingdom, and the guest. He walked up to where Luciana was standing but trembled back.

The flame that surrounded her was obviously from the sacred hell! The flame that could burn the world! "Is the prophecy about to happen?" Trying not to believe his thought, he walked up to his men and ordered. "Kill her!"