Who is Edith Cordelia

Chapter 1

"Princess! Princess!" I heard the voice of Miranda, the maid assigned specifically for me, call out in a rush as she burst through the door. I slowly sat up from my bed, trying to wipe the sleep off my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked her when I saw her panic-stricken face.

"Princess, we must hurry. We are being attacked!"

"What?! Attacked?! What do you mean? Where's my father?" But she didn't answer any of my questions anymore. She just threw a robe around my body; wrapping an arm around me before hurriedly rushing me out of the room.

As soon as we got out of the room, I heard the chaos going on from afar, though it's quickly coming closer. "You must stay quiet, princess" Miranda whispered to me nervously as we started to make our way out of the palace or, hopefully, to where my father is. From time-to-time, we would stop for a while and hide when footsteps were too close for comfort. Neither of us know if it's the palace guards or the intruders, but Miranda didn't want to risk it.

I looked at Miranda while we were hiding in a corner. There were voices nearby and we didn't recognize it so we're both sure they're intruders. I can feel my heart beating loudly against my chest and I can slightly feel Miranda's, too, since she's holding me tightly against hers. But she didn't show any sign of fear in her face and that helped me feel a little courageous, too.

We have to find my father.

Was the goal that I set in my mind. He's always surrounded by guards, tons of it, so I'm sure he's safe.

When the voice disappeared, Miranda motioned for me to stay and wait for her as she moved out of our hiding spot to check if the men were really gone. Once our way is clear, she took me and we, once again, resumed our journey with light feet.

I can't believe what's happening. We were just so happy yesterday. We were celebrating my 17th birthday and there was an enormous party that everybody partook in. Of course, it was also extravagant, my father always wanted me to have the best party and he never failed to throw it, especially for me. It was also a time for everyone to just enjoy everyone's companies. The adults enjoyed their bitter drinks while us, young people, enjoyed our sweet ones.

Of course, the guards couldn't fully indulge, but I'm sure they also had a bit of drinks themselves.

We were just so happy, and now this is happening.

We've already passed by numerous bodies. Unfortunately, all of them were a part of the palace guards. Miranda said that they'll be fine once the medics arrived, but by the way some of them were lying in a pool of blood, I know she's just saying it so I wouldn't panic more than I already am.

"We're already near" Miranda had whispered to me. I looked at our surroundings at it took me a while to recognize that we're near my father's quarters. I got excited and almost ran towards his room, but then we heard a loud crash.

Miranda and I couldn't stop the nervous gasp from escaping our lips as we hurriedly walked to my father's room the best we could without causing too much noise. By my father's door I saw much more bodies compared to the ones we've passed by. 

All of them had been broken. Literally. I could even see some bones sticking out of their bodies and all their eyes were open, which means they probably died quickly. But, there were tons of them. How is it possible for all of them to die in a flash? They're even properly armed.

"How is this possible" I whispered to myself and all Miranda did was look at me with a worried look in her face. Then, we heard my father's voice.

"No! I don't remember you!" we could hear his voice quiver with fear. "Please, stop this. Let us go" My father begged profusely. My father, who is known as a proud man by the whole country, is begging as if his life depended on it to whoever is in that room with him. But, I guess his life does depend on it along with the remaining members of the palace who hasn't been slain by these intruders.

I looked at Miranda with a desperate look, but she just shook her head at me and motioned me to keep quiet.

"Why should I? The fun is just about to begin" I could practically hear the smirk on the voice. It was deep, but it was definitely a woman's voice. It didn't sound like she has a malicious intent, but the fact that it sounded so innocent made a chill run down my spine. 

It was so sweet.

Then, suddenly, we heard a loud thud which was followed by my father's scream of agony.

My feet then started to move on its own and I started running towards my father's room. Miranda wasn't quick enough to stop me, but she ran after me. I slammed the door open and gasped at the sight in front of me. 

My father is on the floor, bleeding through his nose and he seems to be fighting to be awake, while the woman is looking at me with a huge smile on her face. 

When my eyes landed on her, it suddenly felt like I couldn't move.

I don't recognize her. Yeah, I've met so many people due to all the trips my father and I have made, but I'm pretty sure that anyone with this kind of beauty will be remembered.

She's tall, taller than my father who is a 6-footer man, but she was slim. Her hair was long, it ran down to her waist, and it was brown. It looks silky, the kind that will make people want to run their hands through it, kind of like what I'm feeling right now, and her skin is so white and looks so healthy, it also looks very smooth. 

But, her eyes, it was of a golden hue and it looks so enticing. Her lashes were long, even from this distance I could see that. Her lips, which is still sporting a huge smile, is a little thin, and her face has a shape of a heart.

I was so busy admiring her that I didn't notice she got close to me, real close.

Her face were only inches from mine and her body bent a little so her face was in the same level as mine.

"I was wondering when you were going to come in" Her smile slowly became vicious, then her hand was suddenly enclosing one of my wrists tightly that I yelped in pain. 

"Princess!" Miranda hollered in panic and tried to attack the woman, but, as expected, it was in vain when the woman slapped her away. She moved so quickly that I almost missed her movement.

Miranda came flying across the room and passed out.

"No" My father suddenly whispered weakly from behind that made the woman and I look at him. "Let her go" he forced himself to sit up with a determined, yet pleading, look on his face. "She doesn't have to be involved in this" he said.

Involved in what? I asked myself internally.

"Oh, but she does. By being your daughter, she got inevitably involved in this" the woman said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder after releasing my wrist. When her arm landed on me, I felt my whole body tense up. 

When she started patting my shoulder, a cry wanted to escape my lips, but I held it in the best I could. I don't know what this woman can do to us, but just based on the passed out Miranda on the side and my father bleeding, it's already a safe guess that it won't be good.

"I would like to play a game with you, King Andrew" The woman said as she moved away from me then started walking towards my father. I could see my father get nervous, but tried to hide it from both the woman and I.

"What game" My father asked through the pain. His eyes turned to me when I tried to take a step towards the woman and I know that she felt it, too, by the way she looked at me from her peripheral vision. I would've ended up like Miranda if I tried to attack this woman, too, but I am desperate, I'm sure my father is, too, but when he shook his head, my shoulders fell in disappointment and I just stood my ground.

"A game wherein you will be the prisoner and I will be the Queen. Just like before, but, this time, the roles are reversed" When she said those words, it seems that my father had remembered a certain memory because, he suddenly looked like he remembered the woman. But, before he could speak, the woman touched his neck and, just like that, my father fell.

"Father!" I screamed in panic and tried to run to him when the woman was suddenly in front of me. In just a blink of an eye, she was in front of me.

I staggered a bit and I gasped at the suddenness of everything.

"By the way, my name is Edith Cordelia" she said with a wink.

Then everything turned black.