CHAPTER 3

Three years have already passed since the king, Yoona’s father, died. The people of Azure thought that the new queen will remarry but that was what they thought. The new queen didn’t remarry another man from the royal family. She had the power to rule the kingdom of Azure in her hands since the king’s death and she’s now enjoying her powers.

On the other hand, Yoona still remains the princess of Azure. She is the princess whom all the people in kingdom love and adore. She is unharmed by anyone especially that she’s attached to her stepbrother.

Unknown to her, the queen grew jealousy and envy towards her. She hates the fact that her people love the princess more than her. She is somehow feared by her own people, maybe because of her strict laws and the merciless executions being held often times. Also, the fact that her own son is somehow more attached to the princess more than her.

The queen is inside her secret room. She looked around to assure that she’s all alone. She opened a cabinet and inside it a large and oval-shaped mirror is placed. She smiled evilly at the sight of her most treasured possession.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?”, she chanted as she stares and waits for the mirror to answer. Suddenly, the mirror emits a golden light which seems not to affect the queen.

Then, a voice was heard. “You, my queen was the fairest of them all.”, the voice said which made the queen’s eyebrows narrowed.

“Was?!”, she asked beginning to get frustrated. “What do you mean was?”

“You are fairer than any woman in the kingdom but someone is fairer than thy queen.”, the voice, which seems to be from the mirror, explains which made the queen frustrated.

“And who is this woman who is fairer than I?”, she asked impatiently as she clenched her fists.

“A woman from this kingdom she is. A heart of gold she possesses. A hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood she has.”, the voice explains descriptively.

Anger, jealousy and envy is painted all over the queen’s face. With narrowed eyebrows, eyes full of jealousy and clenched fists she muttered a name. “Yoona.”

*******

She has already decided. She will leave tonight. She won’t let them treat her like lifeless doll ever again. With eyes full of determination, she packed all her clothes.

“YURI!!” She sighed as she heard her stepmother shouted her name. She hid her baggage under her bed and went out of her room.

“What is it, mother?”, she asked softly. The older lady glared at her. Yuri suddenly felt her heart shuttered into million pieces as she saw her stepmother holding a small cat carelessly.

“What is the meaning of this? How many times did I tell you to throw this smelly feline away?!”, her stepmother shouted angrily.

Yuri can feel tears beginning to form in her eyes. She looks at her stepmother with a pleading eyes, “Mother, please let me keep it. I will be responsible in taking care of it. I assure you that the cat won’t destroy anything.”, she begged.

Her stepmother smirked. “Do you know that Jia’s allergic to cats, stupid?! Do you want my daughter to catch colds?! Throw this away or I’ll both throw you away from this house!”, her stepmother strictly ordered as she throw the cat carelessly.

Yuri began to tear up as she carried the cat carefully. She went inside her room and placed the cat somewhere which her stepmother wouldn’t find the cat.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be leaving tonight. You’ll stay with me. You’re the only friend I have.”, she muttered as the cat nuzzled on her legs.

*******

Joohyun’s at the market place when she heard some nosy people talking about something.

“Did you hear it?”

“Hear what?”

“The queen’s son attacked a poor servant.”

“What?”

“It’s true. I also heard that the servant is a new one. Maybe the servant insulted the prince and then the prince got frustrated and that’s it.”

“He’s really a monster. How cruel he is.”

“Sshh! Be careful. You don’t want to be the next, do you?”

Joohyun heard this all and began to worry about her father. She knows that her father is a royal servant who takes care of the prince. She heard many stories about the prince, how he looks and how cruel he is but she never thought that he can hurt an innocent and helpless servant. She just wished that her father is safe.

Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder lightly. She turned to look at the person and was greeted by the person she doesn’t really wants to see.

“Good day, Joohyun.”, the person greeted.

Joohyun smiled awkwardly at the person. “Good day, to you, too, Changmin.”, she greeted back.

Changmin is a rich merchant who likes Joohyun. He tried to woo her before by sending her expensive gifts and wines to her father. But she told him that she isn’t ready to be in a relationship because she still wants to take care of her father and it is her only priority at that time. Changmin said that he understands her and after that he stops sending her gifts. She thought that he already stopped but she thought wrong because every time she meets him, he would always acts like real gentleman towards her.

Joohyun doesn’t really like him. He is greedy and selfish and only thinks of his own sake. Well, that’s what she sees in him No one can blame her because Changmin really acts like that. He thinks of himself as highly and important and Joohyun hates it.

“Well, are you going home after this?”, he asked with a confident smile.

“Yes and as you can see I’m already finish so if you don’t mind I shall leave now.”, Joohyun informed him and left the guy dumbfounded. Joohyun smiled. Well, I think he got my point. She thought and headed to their humble abode.

*******

SmileLoveEnjoy :)

~Kai