A FEW DAYS PASS “Dear me, you have surpassed every one of my students,” said Grandmaster Shui. “Thank you, Grandmaster,” said Crown Prince. “Soon, you will be off on your own.” “It’s all thanks to your teaching.” Grandmaster Shui laughed loudly. “Now, let’s run along and get some lunch. I’m starving.” “Yes, Grandmaster.” “Come child, you too,” said Grandmaster Shui to Bella. Bella stood still as she thought he confused her with someone else. Grandmaster Shui turned around to look at her, as she wasn’t following them. She stared at Grandmaster Shui with confusion. “Child?” asked Grandmaster Shui staring back at Bella. Bella's eyes widened. Startled at his kindness she stepped back and shook her head. “Oh, why is that?” Grandmaster Shui walked closer to her. Bella didn’t say anything but put her head down. Her messy and dirty hair floated in front of her face. “What’s wrong, huh? Child?” Crown Prince clenches his fist tightly together. He was annoyed that such an ugly, du
Bella woke up in her small area in the barn. She washed her face and saw her beautiful white face. She thought if only she wasn’t treated like this by these people, she wouldn’t mind showing her pretty face. However, if she shows them her flawless look who knows what these cruel people would do to her. She thought, “Probably be sexually harass everyday by these yucky and disgusting older men. And when she is of no use like those other lustful women be sold to the brothel, where those perverted guys have their ways with them.” She shivers at the thought. Clenching her fist tightly she told herself that once she finds a way to survive the Crown Prince cruel punishment. Only a few more years that she have to endure. Once he set her free from being his maid, she will have enough savings to move to a far away country and start a new life. From there she will find out what happened to her family. Putting on her bruise makeup she crawled out of the hole in the barnyard. When she got up, sh
Crown Prince smile. “Tomorrow, I will get rid of her.” THE NEXT FOLLOWING MORNING Bella fell backward and landed on her back. Her wounds from last night opened up again and her clothes was soaked in blood. “You wretched girl, you caused me nothing but trouble!” shouted Crown Prince. “What’s going on?” asked the Empress Dowager. She walked into the Crown Prince’s courtyard. “Grandmother,” Crown Prince slightly bowed to her. Empress Dowager was looking at Bella as she was covered in bruises, whip marks, and blood. With not a pity in her look she glared at her. “You have done nothing but caused trouble the moment you stepped into this palace. Should have left you on the street to let nature’s take it’s courses.” Bella slowly getting up, bowed to the Empress Dowager. Not lifting her head, she also thought that it would have been better for her to stay on the street to fend for herself than being here. Here, life was nothing but torture. They abused her, neglected her, humiliated her
Bella braces herself for the cruelty of fate have befallen on her. “Stop!” shouted Prince Joseph.“Prince Joseph,” said Empress Dowager. She stopped her whip midway, but the whip still lash at Bella’s left arm and tiny blood splatter everywhere.Bella grabbed her arm in pain.Crown Prince who saw her in pain smiled at her.Bella looked up and saw his wicked smile.“Brother, what are you doing here?” asked the Empress Dowager.“Mother, please, she’s merely a child.”“Humph. You’re standing up for the enemy?”“Sister, she’s not the enemy.”“You still think that the phoenix and dragon can co-exist together.”“Sister, there is no more of them. So, we dragons are already superior to anyone else.”“Humph. You and your logic.”“My dearest sister, just think carefully before you vent out your angry on such a small worthless being.”The Empress Dowager stared at Bella.“If you beat this little girl up anymore, she will die.”“So, what if she dies.”“Elder sister, if I can tame her, she could
After they got done washing the dishes, Bella followed Cynthia to the washroom. There was a tub of lukewarm water with rose petals in there. Bella took a bath while Cynthia gently washed and scrubbed the makeup off of her face.“There we go, that’s the beautiful little girl, I see,” said Cynthia, smiling at her.After Bella was done with her chores, her master was waiting for her.“Come, it’s time to go.”Bella followed him for a distance. Then they came to a stop at a sharp turn. There was a cave that was dark and mysterious. He lit a flame, and she followed him inside. Inside the cave was glittering with rubies, diamonds, and gold.“Wow,” she thought. “He could have made a fortune with this kind of rare jewels.”“Here, you will stay every single day for about an hour. If you’re still alive, I will take you out. If you’re dead, I will bury you next to the marigold flower. From there, the marigold will be able to use your body for nutrients.”Bella wrote on the ground, “Don’t forget yo
Crown Prince got injured during the winter hunt and needed to tend to his wounds. He came to see his uncle Prince Joseph for treatment. He have gotten taller and more handsome, but like always he have a cold face.Bella was thirteen and Crown Prince was seventeen. He pretended not to know Bella and ignored her the entire time he stayed at her Master’s home. Every time she entered the room, he would purposely turn the other way or not look at her. Sometimes he even acted like she wasn’t there.However, Bella didn’t care. As long as she could stay away from him it was even better for her. She hid her beauty from him, so he doesn’t know what she really looks like. She avoided him in every turn she gets just so she doesn’t get his annoying stares.“You’re still alive, trash,” sneered Crown Prince, every now and then.Ignoring the Crown Prince, she would tend to her duties. When she’s done, she would take off to the mountains to gather herbs for medicine. There were times when she would sta
“Nothing. Nothing special at all.” He gently bowed and walked away.“Oh. Then what were you looking at?”“Nothing. Nothing special at all.” He gently bowed and walked away.When Bella came to his room, she put on her torn up dress and her makeup of bruises.Crown Prince sneered. “Too late. I already know your secret,” he thought. “You’re a beautiful woman, hiding behind some cheap makeup. You’re gorgeous that no one even come close to your beauty. You’re graceful that I have never seen before. Your body makes me yearn for you like I have never felt before. For that, I wouldn’t mind having you as my one and only woman.” Bella was shocked at his smile.“Come. What are you doing outside my door?”Bella nodded and entered his room.“Close the door.”Bella frowned.“You’re letting all the hot air out.”Bella nodded again. She got inside and gently closed the door.“Do you think he found out her real identity?” asked Cynthia.“No. I don’t think so,” answered Joseph. “Why do you say that?” a
Crown Prince chuckled. “Just because you’re my great-uncle’s wife I will let you get away with it. But remember that lying to the royal family is punishable by death.”“Yes, Crown Prince.”“You may leave.”Madam Cynthia gently bowed and closed the door.“Bella. Bella,” said Madam Cynthia looking around for her.Bella went running to her.“Did the Crown Prince see you?” questioned Madam Cynthia.“I don’t think so. Last night was rather dark.”“Are you sure?”“Yes. Why?”“Because he is questioning about your look.”“My look. Why?”“I don’t know. But whatever it is. You need to be careful.”Bella was taken back. Now she kind of knows why he all of sudden is taking interest in her. Frowning, she nodded her head.The next few days she avoided him as much as possible.Crown Prince was irritated that she hadn’t come to his room to tend to him. His uncle’s excuse was for her to take care of other chores that needed more of her attention. Since she was his apprentice, she knows more about handl