My Shining Star

Chapter 43: My downfall to a new change?

(Chapter cover: Reddit/ Zandraart)

3rd POV

"Guards! Take them away! I'll dea-"

"NO!" She pleaded

That short yet serious command was what Willow heard from the leopard king. Her green eyes widened to what she just heard. When her seven suitors called for her to run away in the background. All she could do in this situation was freeze in place. Her body trembled as she was too scared to move.

The screams and sobbing of her and her males when being dragged out was terrifying. Especially, when Willow saw a glimpse of the leopard king's cold gaze. Her body trembled seeing him this scary.

Her plans in humiliating Maxine backfired. The leopard king standing to announce their punishment was the last and final hearing after being sentenced away.

"I-I didn't mean to"

Willow stuttered out loud, not really meaning those words with sincerity. Her sorrow words when kneeling down under the leopard king were just to survive his wrath.

When she planned to shame Maxine over thousands of orcs she wanted Maxine to cry and feel embarrassed just like how she had it in the past. After all, Willow knew that Maxine was not an orc but a human just like her.

Deep down Willow felt envious to a girl like Maxine. How can a human like Maxine have everything she wants?

Willow was the one that had faced greater hardships. She was nothing but a lonely orphan who had no one by her side.

When transported to the beastworld her life switched around. She was now loved not from what she was as a person. But her beauty captivated the beastmen.

Her world was turned upside down. Willow who used to live a shabby life on Earth is now the brightest and prettiest girl in the beastworld.

Being loved by others instead of being looked down on.

Having the finer things in life instead of struggling.

Being here in the beastworld fullied what she ever wanted on Earth.

At the start Willow liked the beastworld. On the outside she knew she was loved by all. When the days went by she felt sorrow. She did not miss her life back at Earth but she didn't know why she kept reminiscing about her life back then.

She came to a realization that unlike Maxine who might have fond memories back on Earth. Willow had no loving memories that she could cling on to for comfort. She knew that she herself was just a lonely orphan with no family.

Only wanted to find real comfort from someone.

From someone by her side.

Willow remembers back then when she arrived at the fox village a fox female harassed her. Fear and being judged by others, Willow was frightened as she knew that this world was just like Earth. But a miracle happened seeing her situation flip around.

Instead of the fox female bullying her the orcs around her felt pity. When the fox female was confronted it made Willow feel satisfied in herself. It was the first time she felt this way. It was like these people who saw her as the victim to this frightening situation were on her side.

Thereafter the bullying male orcs felt pity towards her. Many males give her gifts in hope to cheer her up. Day by day that's when Willow started to believe that playing the role as the victim was what she was meant to do.

Not only does playing victim help boost her confidence more. It was a way for her to seek comfort in others. Even when she denies it everytime that these male orcs who come see her don't really love her but only for her beauty. Those doubtful words in her head soon faded and only became an illusion.

Her reality of playing victim was glued to her head.

She believed that she was the victim...

That's not until one day when Willow heard Maxine's foolish words to her.

"Don't let your hatred for others be your downfall. Use your hatred to change for the better."

Willow laughed and laughed at how foolish Maxine was telling her that. She didn't believe her hatred for Maxine was true. Willow believed that it was Maxine's fault for her hatred. At the time Willow was driven by hatred and envy.

But little did Willow know that Maxine's words were embedded inside her...

When the reality struck hard for Willow after the fall banquet her world changed. She was banished out of the beast city. When she seeked help from others no one, not even her female friends helped her.

She now knew that Maxine's words were that of a shooting star. Seeing it once made her feel hopeful to live instead of feeling satisfied just for a short limited time. She wanted to feel hopeful to feel happy with her life.

Willow who was now living in the borders of the beast city with her seven suitors looked at the night sky. She walked out of the cave meeting the chilly breeze under the Willow tree. There with her green eyes she looked up and saw the night sky.

It was so beautiful yet so far away.

The starry night sky that had the pretty stars was like that of her and her dreams to what she wanted in life. She knew that the Willow who played victim wanted nothing but to feel comfort by others who took her side.

Looking back at Maxine's words Willow now knew what she meant.

A change is for the better.

-thx for reading