The Betrayal

Esmeray was trapped inside a coffin.

"Help! Help! I can't breathe in here!", she screamed.

But nobody dared to open the coffin. Afterall, they didn't want to go against the Lore king, as she was his sacrificial bride. If there weren't any holes in tue coffin, she would have been dead, long gone. Finally they arrived at the palace of Maleficium. The Lore king was sitting on his chair, with legs crossed and waiting for his sacrificial bride. The people left the coffin there and rushed out, as soon as they were done. If they had looked into his eyes, they would have turned to stone. The Lore king came slowly to the coffin and opened it. Esmeray took in a deep breath, she was finally able to breathe but the Lore king's eyes grew wide in anger.

"What's this!?", he screamed," so, you humans decided to trick me huh?!"

Esmeray dared not say anything. He was a tall man, black-haired, complete red eyes with no whites and a handsome face. If only he weren't in a bad mood, maybe Esmeray could have been mesmerized. But she trembling wity fear in front of him, afraid that he'll kill her.

"Isabelle! Lock her up! Until I decide what to do with her!", he ordered.

Then a maid came and took her to the dungeon and threw her in. She locked the cage and went outside.

She was thinking what she did to deserve this, but again she remembered that none of this could have happened only if, she had never gone to that ball.

And all of that begin only a day agon, when her gamily received an invitation to the royal ball.

"Oh what a wonderful day, it is!", Esmeray cheered as she stretched her arms and took in the fresh air, early in the morning.

She had just woke up and was in her small window, admiring the azure sky.

"Esmeray! Come now and help me with bakery!", her mom, Maria shouted.

"Coming!", she said and rushed diwn the stairs.

" Don't run or else, you'll hurt yourself", Maia said.

"I know, mother", she giggled.

"You don't need to tell her that everyday, because she's always like that", Arthur, her father said.

"Father!", she pouted.

"What aren't you always like that?", he chuckled.

"Alright, you too now, help me with bakery, the cakes and tea won't make themselves", Maria scolded them.

"Well, if could make themselves, won't we be jobless?", Arthur mocked her.

"Ugh! You're always having fun!", she rolled her eyes," why did I even marry you?"

"Because you love me!", Arthur chuckled and Esmeray giggled.

"Even in front of our daughter, you're acting up all like a love sick guy!", she yelled.

"But she's used to this, aren't you Esmeray?", he asked her.

"Yes, I am", she smiled.

"You two! Go and get the cakes ready!", she shouted and turned red.

Esmeray and Arthur then knew she was serious, Esmeray rushed to get the flour, Arthur rushed to get the eggs.

"I can't find the bowl!", she said.

"And I can't find the whisk!", he said.

"Ugh! These two are impossible, they can't get anything dine done without me!", Maria let out a sigh and went to help them.

Esmeray was the only daughter of Maria and Arthur, and the apple of their eye. She was just like any other girl of 18, a lovely, sweet and always optimistic. She always wanted to be a beautiful and graceful woman like her mother, whose beauty and grace was unmatched and unrivaled, the one of a kind indeed. But she herself thought that, she could never be like her mother. Her beauty was average and her grace was not good, she would spoil the whole milk when putting in a glass or throw the flor on the ground when was trying to bake cakes. But Maria encouraged her not to be disappointed, that all of us have something beautiful and graceful within us. And inside Esmeray, her heart was the most beautiful thing of all. But it never hurt her to try and be like her mother, even though she could never be exactly like her.

Maria was not some ordinary girl, she was the Princess of Crasatra until, she decided to marry Arthur, who was just a baker. But she believed that love is greater than any wealth or status, and left everything for love. Then her little sister, Diana became the queen and married the general. Diana also had a daughter, Elizabeth, who was just like her, arrogant, rude, and would always think that she's better than everyone else. But Maria was the exact opposite of her sister, beautiful, lovely, sweet and pure. No wonder, why people wanted to marry Maria so much but her heart was stolen by only Arthur.

As they were making dough, Esmeray glanced at her parents, who were always acting like love birds.

"Is the dough soft enough now?", Maria asked.

"As soft as you, my dear", Arthur said.

Sometimes, his words would still make her blush and embarrass her in front of Esmeray.

"You and your oily tongue", she blushed.

Esmeray never wanted someone too rich or handsome, she just wanted someone like father, who would love her in the same way as her father loves his mother.

"Esmeray! Why are lost in thoughts?", Maria scolded her.

"Oh sorry!", she then started helping them.

In the Bakery, they used to bake cakes, chocolates, breads and much more.

In the noon, customers started coming and all the bakery items were sold.

"As always all the items get sold, early", Maria smiled.

"It's because we make tuem with love!", Esmeray added.

"All you did was, throwing things around", she teased.

"Mother!"

"I'm just teasing you, I'm sure you'll learn everything soon and perfectly", she assured.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Arthur opened it, a man came from the palce to deliver a message.

" I've come from the palace to give this invitation to Princess Maria and her family", he bowed and gave her the invitation.

"There's no Princess Maria here, only Maria Orison and her family", she stood up.

"The queen would like your family to attend a ball", he said.

"We don't want to", she refused.

"I knew you would say that, so; I came by myself with Elizabeth", Diana walked in with Elizabeth.

"Why won't you come, dear sister?", she asked.

"I left my royalty long gone, then why would I come to a ball?", she narrowed her eyes.

"It's like a family reunion and besides, many nobles and royals will come too, maybe you'll find a good man for your daughter", she laughed.

"My daughter doesn't need to go to your ball to find a man!", she shouted.

"Maybe she thinks Esmeray isn't good enough to go a ball", Elizabeth mocked.

"Watch your mouth! Young lady, didn't your parents teach you any manners!?", she flared up.

Esmeray then stood up.

"We'll come for sure!", she assured.

"You got your answer, you go!", she warned and Diana and Elizabeth went way, laughing.

"Esmeray, you don't have to go!", Maria said.

"Don't worry mother, I have a plan!", she smirked.