CHAPTER ONE

1000 years later

It was in the middle of winter, in the year of the rabbit. Terrified screams filled the night air as the sky in the human world suddenly turned red, but this didn't last a second before it returned to its original form.

Before the eyes of everyone a new star appeared beside a red star called the “ devil's star ” causing a great uproar.

All these signs remain unknown to a group of people hiding somewhere in the palace of DeHaven. 

 KINGDOM OF DEHAVEN.

"It's a g-girl, your highness," 

Prince Hendrick froze,his hands, resting on his exhausted wife's body, shook as he turned and looked at the royal chief midwife. 

He had secretly arranged this delivery months ago, and now they were hidden in one of the underground rooms in the palace, where his beloved wife Ava was giving birth.

"What did you just say, Mia?" Prince Hendrick hoped he had heard it all wrong. Perhaps it had been a mistake. But the look of pity in the older woman's face couldn't be concealed. 

The royal midwife turned the little bundle so the couple could get a better look. "The baby is a girl, your highness."

A pin drop could have been heard in the silence that followed. Terror crossed crown Princess Ava's face, ignoring the heart wracking pain she was feeling, she slowly sat up with the help of her husband and adjusted herself to take a closer look at her baby, with a trembling hand she unwrapped the lower part of the bundle to see for herself. 

"No. goddess Hera, please no..." She shook her head vigorously as if calling upon the goddess will suddenly change the child's genital , warm tears gathered in her eyes.

The midwife understood the couple's predicament so well that it brought tears to her eyes. " Please accept my condolences, your Grace," she expressed with genuine empathy.

"No!!!" The crown princess cried out weakly as she fell on her husband's arms and buried her face in his waiting blossom as sobs after sobs ripped from her throat. 

Young Prince Hendrick felt numb as he held his wife, allowing deep sadness to wash over him.

This was his first child, he knows how much the current king hates female children, his brother's first child wasn't even Aekeira, five yet, and the King was already negotiating with other kingdoms to sell her off. 

King Hendrick DeHaven the II might be his father, but he was a renowned crazy tyrant.

His father already hated him for choosing to marry into a powerless family, but since the princess was quick to take in, he had secretly hoped it turns out to be a boy, for that's the only way to get back on the king's good side but fate was not on their side. Not only was the child a girl, she chose to enter the world in a strange way also in the forbidden hour. 

His brother had been devastated when he heard what their father was planning. He and his brother had pleaded with the king over and over again—at least to wait until Mirabella came of age before matching her. But in the end, they really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. 

Now, another girl child?

Tears filled Prince Hendrick's eyes as he looked upon the crying little bundle wiggling around in the midwife's arms. The world was not safe for his daughter.

"Why does the heavens hate me thus!?, I don't even have much time left, I gave up my life to bring this child to such a cruel world!, I'm such a bad mother!, she will never forgive me,my child will forever hate me for giving up on her!" Princess Ava was bawling, the sounds of her cries were so heartbreaking that it got everyone in tears, she was losing a lot of blood her once beautiful skin was as pile as those of the night creatures, and it got everyone worried but they are all helpless since it was a secret delivery, they can't risk attracting the king's attention or that of his trusted aids. 

With the assistance of Gemma, Ava's handmaiden, Mia cleaned up the child and finally placed her in her mother's awaiting arms.

Ava stared down at the child with sad eyes. Hendrick knew his wife was like this because of the unbearable pain of knowing your child will suffer in the future and there was nothing any of them could do to change this ill fate.

A broken sob escaped Ava's lips as she instantly fell completely in love with her baby. She had the most gorgeous baby blue eyes she had ever seen.

 It’s going to kill her to know her child would never feel safe in this world because of predators lurking at every corner with watchful eyes.

Seeing that her master is struggling to breathe now Gemma said something that has never crossed the minds of anyone present. “I’ll raise her like a boy, your highness,” Gemma declared all of a sudden, all eyes falling on her,as the angle of silence flew over the little room.

“ What did you just say?”, princess Ava asked in disbelief, this idea was like a lay of light in her dark soul, how come she never thought of this. 

 “ Yes your highness,” Gemma fell on her knees with her head bowed, " you can cross to the other world with your heart at peace for this child will never be seen as a girl, tonight, her highness gives birth to a prince.No one will ever think otherwise.” she vowed, raising her head up to look her master in the eye. 

“ Gemma, what will I ever do without you?" Ava's heart was filled with unspeakable gratitude. But the other people were still in shock. 

“Are you suggesting we keep the princess' identity a secret?” Mia asked after a stunned silence, she was already picturing her head rolling on the floor after this sinful act was discovered. 

“Yes,” Princess Ava affirmed, her resolve strengthening, she appears to be ready to bring the midwife along with her to the underworld if she will end up being a threat to her son.

“As far as we are concerned, the child I bore today was a prince. Only the five of us in this room will know the real identity of this baby.” The princess concluded, hugging her child to her chest.

Mia's eyes widened, “B-but, it’s almost impossible to hide something like this, your Majesty. The king might even order our execution if he ever finds out about this.” 

Mia added in that unusually firm voice that no one would ever associate with a savant unless they witnessed who's mouth it came from. 

“Then, we would try our best not to get caught, Mia. If possible, we should take this secret to our grave. No one can ever find out that the Prince was born female.” Prince Hendrick injected, in complete agreement with his wife, without giving the midwife another chance to rethink the Prince snap her neck, silencing her forever. 

This was their best chance to keep their daughter safe, and they would take it.

With the plan fully in his mind, Prince Hendrick looked at the two others in the room and swore them to secrecy. They would protect this child at all even with their last breath. 

Seeing that everything is settled queen Ava breathed her last breath with a smile on her lips, but her death was never announced.