Chapter 1- The birthday party

It was Sylvana St Clair's 24th birthday bash, a day as remarkable as this was to be adored and remembered. After all, she was the imposedHeir to the St Clair Empire.

Her mother, Her Royal Highness, Queen Julia St Clair had taken it upon herself to give her daughter the best of the best upping the budgets and spending heavily on creating a foreign-themed and unique birthday party with the help of her husband Dominic, they were definitely going to succeed.

The birthday girl was roused like the princess she was, groomed and pampered by the best hands in the city, she was watched and waited on with everyone around her doing her bidding as she prepared for her birthday party.

Lunaria had often listened to fairy tales from Sasha while growing up, in these tales, the poor unfortunate soul had been the one to have the upper hand, getting her Prince and her happy ending, and ever since she turned Sixteen following her own mother pushing her down the stairs in an attempt to finally get rid of her, she had since begun to cease her hope and beliefs in fairy tales.

They were just words on paper with no significance, improving the delusions of the less fortunate.

Lunaria knew that there was no Prince coming to save her and she wouldn't get a happy ending and her present predicament was proof enough.

She had grown up as an outcast, Sasha's care was the only thing she knew next to a mother's love and while Sasha cared for her, her family ousted her, treating her like a plague.

To the outside world she was just a scurry maid but within the walls of the mansion, the secret was kept but ever so evident that she was the rightful heir and not Sylvana.

"I need another sip." Sylvana groaned and Lunaria quickly bowed, bringing the glass cup closer to her sister holding it still as she sipped from it, "Ugh! You didn't make the juice well."

"I am sorry." Lunaria curtsied.

"Sorry for yourself and your hideous-looking face!" Sylvana screeched getting up abruptly from the seat and banging her fists across the table, "Why are you intent on ruining my big day?!"

"I am sorry, Sylvana." Lunaria whispered stepping back in a frown, bottom lip quivering with fear, "P-"

"Mother!!!" Sylvana screamed for Queen Julia, "Come quick Mother, something terrible has just happened."

"What is it my darling?" Queen Julia entered the room, her heels clicking against the tiling, "What seems to be the problem?"

"This swine had the guts to make me imperfect juice."

"Lunaria or whatever it is you call yourself!" Queen Julia attacked the girl immediately, her words cutting sharp, "Must everything you do be as imperfect as you look."

"I am sorry Your Royal Highness." Lunaria bowed addressing her mother, "I just thought-"

"No thinking! You do not have the capacity or luxury to think!" Queen Julia walked up to Lunaria, "I would teach you a lesson!"

She snatched the glass from her and raised her hand smashing it over her head.

Lunaria cried out in pain clutching her head as she jumped, biting her lips to muffle the screams, "Ah please Mother, your royal Highness - I am sorry."

"Save your apologies!" Queen Julia barked, "Get on your hands and knees and crawl out of the room, crawl down the stairs and back! That would be your punishment for discomforting my daughter."

Lunaria got on her hands and knees immediately, crawling away from the messy sight, she bit her lips and fought back tears while her older sister was preparing for her birthday.

Today was her birthday as well, even if Sylvana was 2 years older, they shared the same birthdate, a fact that was hated by Sylvana and while she was crawling and carrying out her punishment, her sister lay in the room awaiting the arrival of the most important guests of her life.

                           By the time Lunaria had finished her punishment, it was already the hour for the commencement of Sylvana's birthday party.

She had wished to hang around and maybe serve at the party so that she would get the feeling at least. She wanted to experience the thrill of being treated like a queen and having gorgeous gowns by watching her sister but her mother had other plans.

"Come here." She grabbed Lunaria's hand and dragged her towards the stairs that led deeper into the mansion, "Where is Sasha?"

"She is working an extra two hours at the hospital today, she wouldn't be able to come early," Lunaria whispered.

Good, Queen Julia told herself, I can keep her away without the guests having to set their sights on her.

As Lunaria grew older, Queen Julia noticed that despite her skin tone and birthmark, her features had taken on an appearance of resemblance to her and she hated it.

She had severally regretted not killing her on the night of her birth, she knew that if people looked deeper they might be able to tell that she was her blood and so she was determined to keep on hiding the girl.

Lunaria followed her mother innocently, her brows scrunched together as they took the path up to the dusty attic where She stayed ever since she was sixteen.

"Aren't I going to be present at the party?" She asked when Queen Julia pushed her through the door, "What is going on?"

"I did not train you to question me!" She barked at the poor girl who was sprawled on the ground, eyes misty with tears, "You will stay put till the party is over."

"Please, mother." Lunaria crawled towards her, her fingers grabbing the hem of her dress, "Let me attend, I promise that I won't make any trouble "

"Get away from me!" She kicked her aside ignoring the cries that came from her, "Your sister is about to have the best day of her life and at the end of the day, she would be announced as the rightful heir, and after this, good riddance to you!

I wouldn't want the guest setting their eyes on you and so you had better stay put here and watch the party from the window like the lowly life you are if you want so bad to experience it."

Lunaria nodded, crawling to the corner of the room and she sat there, her eyes glued to her mother's as the woman left the room, slamming the door shut and clicking the lock.

"I wish Sasha was here." She whispered to herself drawing her legs closer to her chest, "She would have kept me close to her and mother wouldn't have enough power to keep me away from the party."

After Lunaria cried for some time in the corner, she wiped her tears and walked to the half-broken mirror in her room, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

She took in a deep breath, her brown eyes took in her dusky appearance, a tone that she had come to hate despite Sasha always talking about how pretty she was.

She wished she was lighter, even as white as her sister, and that her brown eyes were green and her hair was silky and blonde not a tough texture and black.

She wished for a cute dot beneath her eyes and not the huge mole like a Dalmatian's mark rearing its presence and increasing her unattractiveness.

She was a bit chubby, her mother always hated it and reminded her that she didn't look fit like Sylvana.

"Your hair is different from Slyvana's. look at how her skin shines, can't yours be like that? Look how graceful she is, why are you different?"

Lunaria had a hard time loving herself when these were all she heard daily and even Sasha's positive words were no match for the negativity rooted in her.

She only had herself and Sasha, and her only friend who was named, Aaron.

She cast away her sad thoughts, wore a smile, and walked to the window, wiping over the dust and plastering her face to the glass so she could get a full view of how the party was going, and just then, her phone beeped.

She took the phone out of her apron and saw that it was a text from Aaron.

Aaron: why aren't you at the party? I can't see you...

Lunaria: I feel sick, I can't come down.

Aaron: That's a lie. Is Sasha with you?

Lunaria: No, she isn't.

After her last text, Aaron didn't respond and she shrugged looking back at the window, and admiring Sylvana's glittering green dress.

Lunaria knew that Sasha didn't like Aaron, she never liked any boys around her and she always warned her against them.

She warned her not to go near boys.