Slave princess

BORN PRINCESS

                  The car screeched to stop at the entrance of the palace. The chauffeur got down immediately and opened the door. Aliya stepped out skeptically looking at the humungous mansion which stood in front of her radiating its grandeur as the golden pointed towers were looming up to reach the sky . Though the palace was two centuries old, the grey stone walls looked strong enough to withstand any battles and quakes.

The colorful flower garden around the palace looked exquisite like a scenery against the bright day light. Aliya looked down at her blue gown she wore which was faded at places and wondered how she could belong to this place. A shrill burning pain raised in her chest at the thought of her parents, the King and the queen, who passed away in a car accident when she was two years old. Aliya and her two step sisters inherited the whole property and their father's cousin offered to help them until they stand on their own.

By the age of 7 Aliya recognized how unfortunate she was, as her step sisters never loved her and neglected her. Her eldest sister Sunayna always hated Aliya's mother and after her death, she discarded everything that reminded of her. Sunayana sent Aliya to a boarding school far away as she was turning into a reflection of her step mother and deliberately forgot Aliya's existence.

Now, After 10 years Aliya walked in the pavement slowly reminiscing old memories as she was escorted by the chauffeur carrying her bags. The soft lawn grass in the flower garden instead of giving her beautiful memories reminded her of herself running in horror and hiding behind the narrow bushes to avoid being beaten by her uncle's son, Arush.

The thought of Arush ignited fear in her as his memories haunted her as nightmares her whole life even away from the palace. Being the son of a pampering mother and strict father, Arush took Aliya's loneliness as an advantage and showered his tantrums on her. Fortunately she escaped him by going to the boarding school.

She walked through the widely opened wooden doors which was guarded by two men dressed in uniform, who looked straight ahead not bothered by her presence like they were expecting her arrival. She reached the center of the enormous hall of the palace which made her feel tiny. Several paintings were hung across the huge stairs which joined from either side to form a common stairs leading down to the hall. The huge painting in the middle drew her attention and tears welled up in her eyes as she recognized it was her father, sitting in a majestic posture on a chair illuminating pride and power. His eyes were dark brown just like her eyes and had a hint of kindness in them. Her lips spread in a smile as her eyes twinkled with tears feeling proud to have inherited his features.

She wondered what part of her resembled her mother and walked forward in search of picture of her mother. She was disappointed to find none among the many pictures that held their position on the wall. She immediately passed her hands into her sling bag in search of something.

Her face calmed as she found what she was looking for. The only remainder of her mother that she had. A story book of Cinderella, hard bound. The front page had been signed by her mother with a message,

To
My beautiful daughter
Aliya

Every storm runs out of rain and
Every dark night turns into a day.

Never give up during tough times
There is always a happily ever after that awaits!
                   Your ever loving mother
                                 -Ananya
This book was everything to Aliya. She looked into it at her tough times and she always found solace.

As she stood there lost in her thoughts, she heard a deep voice from behind

"Wow".

       She turned around to see who it was and saw a tall man with well-built body. He had worn a tuxedo which gave him a sophisticated look yet the wicked smile swooped away the dignity. His face was long with his beard trimmed to perfection. His expensive dressing added to his looks. She looked at his eyes and a spark of realization hit her. She never forgot those eyes .They haunted her in her nightmares for years .Watching her nightmare in the day light made her heart accelerate like a chicken's heart.
            "Only If I had any idea you would grow out to be this stunningly beautiful?" He said looking at her with eyes filled of lust
              "Aa. Arush? "She spelt his name stammering as spelling the name was like spelling VOLTEMORT for her.
               "Yes! Missed me these 10 years?" He asked with a foul smirk on his face.