CRACK. WHIPPED. CRACK. Crown Prince’s whip lashed out at Bella’s leg. Bella was crying at the pain of Crown Prince’s cruel punishment. He was hitting her, to vent out his anger. He was penalizing her for agreeing to become his maid. How he wasn’t showing her any mercy as he expressed how frustrated he was to be stuck with a trash phoenix. He didn’t even care if he made her crippled that day. He was going to take his anger out on her small and tiny body.Crown Prince was huffing and puffing as got done punishing her. His three whips came down on her hard enough to make her realize his hatred for her. His eyes was staring at her coldly. His chest was rising fast and hard as he was trying to catch his breath. “Crown Prince,” said Braum. He didn’t answer.“Crown Prince?” asked Braum again.“What is it?”“Do you want to kill her? If so, I will bring out your sword.”Crown Prince stared at her with a deadlier stare.Bella wrapped her legs close to her body. Tears were spilling from her e
“Hurry up and clean up that mess!” shouted Crown Prince Wallace.Bella scrubbed the floor harder. Her tiny hands was trying to scrap off the dried food from this morning. “Humph, don’t think about leaving this room until you clean every inch of this place.”Bella nodded.“Hurry up and move it!”Bella started hurrying along before she took anymore beating from him.“How could someone like you take so long to clean this up?” asked Crown Prince, glaring at her.Bella was trying the best she could already. She’s been up all morning trying to scrub everything down as he requested. The kitchen was a big room, so she had to work around the large square footage with her small body. “You won’t be eating anything tonight if you can’t clean it up,” said the Crown Prince, folding his arms. Bella didn’t know what to do as she was trying her hardest already. Any more than this than her small hands will bleed. “Stupid girl. How could I, the Crown Prince be stuck with a trash and brainless maid.”
The next following morning the Crown Prince had an early morning to train with his grandmaster on sword fighting. His grandmaster is a world renowned swordsman, legendary in the Dragon’s power, gifted in poetry and literature, and master of military strategies. Grandmaster, Don Shui, also trained the Emperor when he was young as well. He is now in his early fifties. He have long white hair and a long white beard. Bella didn’t know she was supposed to bring his sword, forgotten it and ran back to his courtyard to get it. When she returned, he was being yelled at by his master. “It is your duty to be responsible for your own weapon. If you forget something as simple as this, you can easily be killed in the battlefield,” said Grandmaster Shui. Crown Prince glared at her angrily. “Don’t look at the girl. Look at me,” said Grandmaster Shui. “Yes, Grandmaster,” said Crown Prince. “You’re only failure will be yourself if you do not prepare for the unpredictable.” “Yes, Grandmaster.” “
A FEW DAYS PASS “Dear me, you have surpassed every one of my students,” said Grandmaster Shui. “Thank you, Grandmaster,” said Crown Prince. “Soon, you will be off on your own.” “It’s all thanks to your teaching.” Grandmaster Shui laughed loudly. “Now, let’s run along and get some lunch. I’m starving.” “Yes, Grandmaster.” “Come child, you too,” said Grandmaster Shui to Bella. Bella stood still as she thought he confused her with someone else. Grandmaster Shui turned around to look at her, as she wasn’t following them. She stared at Grandmaster Shui with confusion. “Child?” asked Grandmaster Shui staring back at Bella. Bella's eyes widened. Startled at his kindness she stepped back and shook her head. “Oh, why is that?” Grandmaster Shui walked closer to her. Bella didn’t say anything but put her head down. Her messy and dirty hair floated in front of her face. “What’s wrong, huh? Child?” Crown Prince clenches his fist tightly together. He was annoyed that such an ugly, du
Bella woke up in her small area in the barn. She washed her face and saw her beautiful white face. She thought if only she wasn’t treated like this by these people, she wouldn’t mind showing her pretty face. However, if she shows them her flawless look who knows what these cruel people would do to her. She thought, “Probably be sexually harass everyday by these yucky and disgusting older men. And when she is of no use like those other lustful women be sold to the brothel, where those perverted guys have their ways with them.” She shivers at the thought. Clenching her fist tightly she told herself that once she finds a way to survive the Crown Prince cruel punishment. Only a few more years that she have to endure. Once he set her free from being his maid, she will have enough savings to move to a far away country and start a new life. From there she will find out what happened to her family. Putting on her bruise makeup she crawled out of the hole in the barnyard. When she got up, sh
Crown Prince smile. “Tomorrow, I will get rid of her.” THE NEXT FOLLOWING MORNING Bella fell backward and landed on her back. Her wounds from last night opened up again and her clothes was soaked in blood. “You wretched girl, you caused me nothing but trouble!” shouted Crown Prince. “What’s going on?” asked the Empress Dowager. She walked into the Crown Prince’s courtyard. “Grandmother,” Crown Prince slightly bowed to her. Empress Dowager was looking at Bella as she was covered in bruises, whip marks, and blood. With not a pity in her look she glared at her. “You have done nothing but caused trouble the moment you stepped into this palace. Should have left you on the street to let nature’s take it’s courses.” Bella slowly getting up, bowed to the Empress Dowager. Not lifting her head, she also thought that it would have been better for her to stay on the street to fend for herself than being here. Here, life was nothing but torture. They abused her, neglected her, humiliated her
Bella braces herself for the cruelty of fate have befallen on her. “Stop!” shouted Prince Joseph.“Prince Joseph,” said Empress Dowager. She stopped her whip midway, but the whip still lash at Bella’s left arm and tiny blood splatter everywhere.Bella grabbed her arm in pain.Crown Prince who saw her in pain smiled at her.Bella looked up and saw his wicked smile.“Brother, what are you doing here?” asked the Empress Dowager.“Mother, please, she’s merely a child.”“Humph. You’re standing up for the enemy?”“Sister, she’s not the enemy.”“You still think that the phoenix and dragon can co-exist together.”“Sister, there is no more of them. So, we dragons are already superior to anyone else.”“Humph. You and your logic.”“My dearest sister, just think carefully before you vent out your angry on such a small worthless being.”The Empress Dowager stared at Bella.“If you beat this little girl up anymore, she will die.”“So, what if she dies.”“Elder sister, if I can tame her, she could
After they got done washing the dishes, Bella followed Cynthia to the washroom. There was a tub of lukewarm water with rose petals in there. Bella took a bath while Cynthia gently washed and scrubbed the makeup off of her face.“There we go, that’s the beautiful little girl, I see,” said Cynthia, smiling at her.After Bella was done with her chores, her master was waiting for her.“Come, it’s time to go.”Bella followed him for a distance. Then they came to a stop at a sharp turn. There was a cave that was dark and mysterious. He lit a flame, and she followed him inside. Inside the cave was glittering with rubies, diamonds, and gold.“Wow,” she thought. “He could have made a fortune with this kind of rare jewels.”“Here, you will stay every single day for about an hour. If you’re still alive, I will take you out. If you’re dead, I will bury you next to the marigold flower. From there, the marigold will be able to use your body for nutrients.”Bella wrote on the ground, “Don’t forget yo
“Ouch,” grunted Wallace. “What?” asked Bella. “That hurt.” He sucked on his thumb as the blood came forth from his skin. Bella chuckled softly. “Well that’s good, I guess.” Wallace looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean?” “It means you’re feeling pain. Which is a good sign.” “Of?” “Of you becoming human again.” Wallace’s eyes lit up. “Really?” Bella nodded her head. “Yes. I did promise you, didn’t I?” He tilted his head at her. “I said I will make you normal again.” “How? By poking me every day?” “It’s called acupuncture. It’s to test your blood flow.” He frowned at her words. She lifted his hand to her and said, “See, your veins are looking normal again. Instead of being black and blue, it’s becoming a normal color.” He pulled his hand to his face as he looked at the veins. He didn’t even notice that his blood vessels were becoming normal again. Bella pulled his hand into her breasts and said, “Feel me.” He frowned at her, but he didn’t hesitate as he wanted
Bella and Wallace carried their six month son up the stairs of the mountain passage towards Joseph’s house.“Great-uncle Joseph,” said Wallace.“Master Joseph,” called out Bella.“Odd, where did he go?” asked Wallace.Bella shook her head, “I don’t know.”“Are you sure he’s home?” asked Wallace.“Well, I’m sure he is. Maybe he went somewhere. Hopefully he will be back soon.”Kevin started to cry.“Oh, maybe he’s hungry. Why don’t you feed him while I go look for my great-uncle.”Bella nodded.“I’m over here,” said Joseph’s voice.They both gasped as they heard his voice, echoing around them. They walked around the house to the end of the patio. There they saw him floating with a glow around him.“Master Joseph,” gasped Bella.“Great-uncle, have you cross over?” asked Wallace.Joseph nodded at them. “Yes. I am finally at peace and is able to go rest now.”“When? When did you ascended?”“Shortly after I brought you back from the dead.”Wallace gasped. “So, that’s why there was the thund
THREE DAYS PASS“What should I do when I see her?” asked Wallace.“Whatever your heart desires,” answered his great-uncle, Joseph.“Desire?”“Yes.”Wallace moved a tree branch as he saw Bella walking out of the small house. He gasped it was indeed her. She didn’t leave with her parents. She didn’t go back to her phoenix clan.Joseph looked at Wallace and said, “Tell her the truth. The whole truth. Let there be no more misunderstanding between the both of you two.”“Alright,” nodded Wallace.“And…”“And what?”“Tell her or show her, either way your love for her.”“Yes. That for sure I will do.”“Good.”“All I ever wanted was her. That’s the reason why I went through all of this. Is to be with her.”“Then you should spend your time wisely with her.”“Yes, time is valuable.”“It is indeed.”“Remember that you two are meant to be. There was a reason why both of you have become what you are now.”Wallace nodded.His great-uncle walked away and left him to approach his wife.Wallace stood i
POOF went a small white smoke. His great-uncle was coughing. “Are you okay?” asked Crown Prince, his spirit floated towards his great-uncle. Joseph coughed and cleared his throat. “Yes. I’m fine, but how are you?” “Pardon?” “How do you feel now?” “I feel warmth in my soul, and something funny in my feet and legs.” “Oh.” “His great-uncle sprinkled some yellow dust on his hands.” “Is that what’s causing my hands to be all tingly.” His great-uncle nodded. “So, are we close?” “Are we almost there.” “Yes, a bit more and you will be back. However, know this, you will be back but in a dead body.” Crown Prince gasped. “I’m sorry, this is how the resurrection works.” “So, I will be dead, but alive?” His great-uncle looked at him and asked, “Yes. Are you okay with that?” Crown Prince nodded. “Yes. Yes, I am.” “Good. At least you accept that concept.” “And it must be my own body, correct?” “Correct. It must be your own body for it the resurrection to work.” “Alright. I prefe
On the third night, everything was quiet. The dead of night soon left everyone tired. Soon everyone went to bed and took a good rest. Crown Prince great-uncle Joseph sneaked in and swapped out Crown Prince’s body with another dummy that looked like him. “Crown Prince, I know how much you love her, so one last attempt I will try to recreate what my master did,” whispered his uncle Joseph. “Resurrection of the dead.” Crown Prince’s spirit was watching with horror as his great-uncle carried his body away from his casket. His great-uncle was committing a crime by taking his body away. His great-uncle Joseph jumped the wall and hopped through the sleepy guards. “Great-uncle what are you doing? Why are you not letting me be buried?” he thought. His spirit being with his body, floated along side him. Soon they were getting close to his great-uncle’s home.“Oh, why is my great-uncle taking my body here,” thought Crown Prince. His spirit drifted above his great-uncle, observing where he w
Bella came right in time as they carried Crown Prince’s dead body down the street. Everyone was crying and mourning the great loss of a good prince.Bella couldn’t believe with her own eyes that he was really dead. She gasped and started crying. Kick. Kick. Kick.Bella’s hand went to rub her belly. “Oh, my goodness. Heaven is playing a cruel trick on me. I left him to give him peace with the woman his parents choose. But he refuses. He chose to leave, leaving me behind. Leaving me and his child behind.” she thought. “How she would never be able to share the news that she was still carrying his child.” The thought of never seeing him again ached painfully in her sore heart. Tears were dripping uncontrollably down her face. “How could you be so cruel to me,” she cried. “How could you make me so miserable even after you die,” she thought.Bella watched as his casket passed her. She gasped as she saw him. She could clearly still see his handsome face. How she ached to touch him. To hol
“Bella!” shouted Master Joseph. “Yes?” asked Bella. She put down her pail of water. “Crown Prince-Crown Prince…” “What? What’s wrong with him?” Master Joseph didn’t even know where to start. He wasn’t sure how to tell Bella. The news will be devasting to her as she stayed behind in the mortal realm for him, but now that he’s gone the only other person, she will be living for is her child. Bella frowned. “Master Joseph?” “Bella, I’m sorry,” said Master Joseph, clenching his fists together. “What-What is it?” “The Crown Prince is dead.” Bella gasped in shock. She nearly fainted at his words. “Bella!” shouted Master Joseph. He caught her before she hit the ground. “Oh, my goodness. I’m sorry. I didn’t think that it would cause you to nearly pass out.” Bella was breathing hard as she was trying to comprehend what was going on. “I-I just thought that you would want to know. That you want to hear about his death. I wouldn’t want you to be caught by surprise.” Bella looked at
Crown Prince slowly opened up his eyes. He was trying to focus his visions as he stared up into the ceiling. Everything looked familiar. It was as if he was back in his room. He looked around and saw that he was indeed inside his room. Then a tear fell from the side of his eyes. “I’m back in the palace. Inside my room. Inside our bedchamber. On the bed where we first made love. But where are you? You’re nowhere to be found. What’s the whole point of being back if you’re not here,” he thought. “Crown prince?” asked the eunuch, as he saw the crown prince’s eyes opened. Crown Prince kept staring at the ceiling. The eunuch saw the tear that rolled down the side of his face. He gasped as the crown prince was indeed awake. He dropped the medicine in his hands and ran out the door. He was excited that the crown prince was alive and well. “Your majesty!” shouted the eunuch. The maids and servants once again looked at the emperor’s eunuch running through the palace halls again. Screaming
Bella was sitting by the waterfall listening to the sound of the water. For some reason that day her heart was feeling heavy. It was as if something was wrong. But what? She couldn’t figure out what was bothering her. FLASHBACK On the day that she was supposed to ascend to the heavenly realm, she hesitated as she couldn’t forget about her husband, the crown prince. Her love that she had for him was undying. The memories of him couldn’t be wiped away. For she still loves him. Her aching affection for him couldn’t be undone with any magic. No spells will be able to keep her sorrow at bay. Kick. Kick. Kick. Bella could feel her baby moving inside of her. She was nearly seven months. How could she bear to kill her own child that was growing inside of her. Her child that kept her company out of the days of her loneliness. “Bella, in order to step into the heavenly world, you must first get rid of that child in your belly,” said her father. Kick. Kick. Bella rubbed her belly as she t