Crowned

Prologue

“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin.” 

― Mitch Albom, For One More Day 

~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rain drizzled repetitively on the window. Flashes of lightning threatened to tear the night sky, there was a deep rumble in the distance.

She was immoblised with fear, her face turned pale.

"Mummy!!" She screamed, sitting straight up from her bed.

Within seconds, her mother came rushing into her room, comforting her child. Just like any other mother who would do the same.

"Mummy! Can you tell me a story?" The girl asked, looking up at her mother. Her mother was famous in story-telling. The kids in the kingdom absolutely loved her. And of course, so does her daughter.

"Alright.." Her mother said, stroking her daughter's hair. The girl snuggled into her duvet while listening to her mother.

"Long ago, every girl, at the age of 18 and 19, in the kingdom would be sent somewhere in the castle for training. As the Prince has come of age and had to choose his future Queen," she explains to her child.

"I know that story mummy! You have said that a million times. That when I have to grow older and so does my friends, we'll be sent of to the Princess Academy, to be chosen by the Prince," The girl interrupts.

"Yes. But not the whole thing yet. You see, there was this young woman who are among the teenage girls. She remembered she stayed in the most beautiful room she had ever seen. The largest bed she had ever slept on. And the room had more than enough space to fit her entire family. Each and every girl had two maids, so as to prepare for any upcoming occasions." She paused for a while.

"When the girl bumped into the Prince. She immediately gained favour in the Prince's eyes. They soon became closed friends. When it was supposed to be lights out for the candidates, the prince and the young woman would often sneaked outside. They would play and talk. They were like the best of friends," The mother smiled as the girl listened intentively.

"The King and Queen has also grew favour in the girl as well. They liked her very much, so as they want her to become the future Queen of Ara."

"One day, it was the girl's birthday. No one celebrated her birthday like last time, because she was not at home. Where her family and relatives would come together and celebrate her big day. But this year, wasn't the year. Somehow, the prince managed to find out and he celebrated her birthday with her. And what was the prince's present?"

"What? What?" The child asked, her eyes grew big, she cocked her head to the side.

"A kiss."

"Ew! Cooties!" The girl stuck out her tongue.

"But one day, the prince and her drifted apart after the kiss. She was soon dismissed, because they told each other it would never work out. There was no romantic spark and there was no sense of connection. They weren't in love and she didn't want to force herself into a life full of unhappiness and misery."

"She must be very sad then? Even now." The girl pouted.

"She moved on with her life. She has her husband and beautiful children and so is the Prince, now the King of Ara. They never managed to get into contact at all. But hopefully and one day, they would see each other again."

"Aww. But who's that girl? Where is she?" The girl asked and looked at her questioningly.

"That girl whom I was talking about is...here."