The light from the moonlight lit the dark room of hers; she was still lying on her right side, half asleep. She didn't know why but at that night, she felt the need to drink water. She already can feel the dryness on her

throat. She weakly and forced her body to sit on her bed and raise her left hand to get the glass of water she always prepared before she sleep beside her.

With her closed eyes she reached the table that was set on the left side of her bed only to found-out, that the glass was empty. She was confused on why it happened since she remembered filling it full before she slept. She decided to just forget drinking and goes back to lie again in her bed.

Toss and turn... toss and turn...

A repetition but still she can't find the dreamland she wanted. Her throat is really quiet annoying and at the same time she's conscious on her surroundings for some reason; as the light from the moon that is occupying the dark space of her room is really unusual.

She even loathed Amy, the working student who is staying in their house for changing the color of her room's curtain. She doesn't want to think badly on

her, but it really irritates her now that it became one of the reasons why she can't sleep.

At last, she perks up her body to sit again, she already decided to go to the kitchen and fetch water. She also wanted to add additional cover to the window as light really blinded her consciousness though her eyes were already close for a long time.

She moves her body to the right side of the bed and let her feet fell down just to feel the chill from the floor tiles. Still with half-closed eyes, her foot moves unconsciously on her bunny pink slippers which she remembered leaving there after she climbed on her bed before sleeping. But it only made her more irritated as she can't also find it.

"Shit! Did Ron bullied me again? That brat, till the end?" she whispered as she stand furious feeling the chilled-tiles floor through her feet. She walks but stops as she felt shiver running on her whole body. She already reached the doorknob and only one click and she can go out freely and fast. She knew, at that moment there is something wrong in her surroundings. But why did she stop, out of all the time, when she's in-front of her door. She's thirsty, she understood but the chill that she is feeling is making her nervous for some reason that she can’t fully explain.

"Irish Min, you're a strong 29 years old woman already. Stop fidgeting and move." She whispered again while trying to be strong.

Her eyes rolled from left side to her right side staying for a moment on the same position she had, still listening not even moving her head, afraid that she might see something that she will regret. She’s checking and proving that her guesses are wrong and when she felt the need that it's already settled, she turned the doorknob and opened the door slowly but with cautious. It's too dark, she can't see anything at front of her, she wanted to go back in her bed and bring her phone to use it for some light but her nervousness is telling her body to not look back, so she did.

"Ah! whatever! My eyes will be accustomed to the dark anyways, I should not always use man made things, it's dangerous." She speaks again with high spirit, as she knows, that is the only way to be stronger mentally.

She thought that it's only her imagination but she really felt her body moving very slowly, as she takes her first step forward outside her room with her right foot. She can feel the heavy atmosphere for some reason, and the funny thing is that, she can only feel it from her right foot that is already outside her room. It felt like someone is grabbing it. It's not even cold or

warm on that certain area, but it only felt heavy. Like a dark force is trying to hold on to it not wanting to let go. She gulps the last bit of saliva she had from her throat. She stops moving. No, she doesn't want to move anymore, she felt like, if she decided to move her body to go outside she will be eaten alive on whatever it is that is hidden in the darkness.

The moonlight is still too bright but the funny thing is, it didn’t occupy the space outside her room. And that makes it much more scarier for her. The door is open but the moonlight can only reach the tip of her left foot that still inside her room. And the most terrifying is that, though she wanted to justify the fact that she don't have any shadow at the other side of the room,

she really can't explain and those big sweat is now forming on her forehead.

She knew there is no one outside, the quietness is really suffocating.

Buzz...buzz..buzzz...

She felt an electrifying force on her body and thus the reason for her to pull back her right foot inside her room. For the very first time of her life, she felt alive. Her phone is vibrating, she remembered putting it in

silent since she don't want to be disturbed on her sleep by the calls of her long distance boyfriend. She hurriedly holds the doorknob and closes the door

once again.

She walked hurriedly to the side of her bed and took her phone. Her eyes got bigger, eyebrows flicked and cold hands busy tapping. The confusion added, there was no call, no miscall, no text, no chat, it's not even the alarm that rang. But she can promise at that moment that her cellphone vibrated and even the light appeared.

"I think this is a dream. Yeah! It must be a dream. Let's lie down again." Convincing herself from what is happening.

She lie-down in her bed again with the assumption that everything that is happening is only a dream. She forced her eyes to close but her consciousness is killing her. She can still get a sight of her bright room from

the effects of the moonlight.

“Why the- this annoying brightness of the moon…” she mumbled while covering her whole body with the blanket.

Even her throat is killing her; she still can feel the dry throat that wanted a sip of water. She tried to forget it, calmed herself but later on decided, after many minutes of thinking and listening to her surrounding, that she will go down, wake Amy to make her accompany to fetch water and she would sleep to Amy's room.

"Yes! That's the best solution. I should go to Amy."

She stands again, and this time she grabbed her phone, tapped for a few times, and alas, switch opens the flashlight. But before stepping, she uses her flashlight to look on every corner of her room. There's nothing. Her eyes felt satisfied but her mind is still thinking twice.

"Damn! It's just my imagination and maybe it's the cold tiles fault why I'm chickening." She whispered with eyes still looking sideways.

She stepped slowly, from her right to left foot until she arrived at the door. She slowly grabbed the doorknob once again with her left hand; right hand

holding the phone that is beaming with light. She breathes slowly but heavy and she slowly opened the door. She didn't even blink, but to her surprise, when

she point the light from her phone to the right side of the corregidor, she stops at the middle front where she stands. The shadow that she can't find a while ago is now there. She stops moving again. She thought at that moment that she need to close the door at that instance and go back to her bed or just shout to try calling the attention of her parents who is only sleeping next door. But she can't open her mouth. She can't move her hands. And what's crazy is that, she saw her shadow moving its right foot. She can't move. Her eyes looked down without moving her head. And there, the crazy stuff that she saw in her shadow is happening to her. Her right foot moved, taking a step forward outside her room. She wanted to cry, the emotion is building her up. She finally realized at that moment that something is really wrong and it’s not only strong mentality that she need to harbor at that moment but also a strong body, to escape at that situation, because she knew that all this is really happening and her body is moving and she can't feel anything.

"What's happening? Why? Ahhh!!!!!"

I can feel the cold breeze touching my skin but I can’t move. My sight is blurry. People are either running or shouting. But I can’t hear and comprehend properly. All I can see is a tree at front and a pool of water. Is it a river? No it’s not. A pond? Yes, a pond. But why here? I remember that I… oh… it’s a dream… I think I jump from another dream again… my throat is dry…

“Water…” I whispered. They can’t hear. Why is…black….

At the Red Phoenix Manor…

“How is she?” the woman with her hair tied-up with a lot of accessories on her head and body asked. She wears a blue beautiful flower design, a traditional Chinese dress. If sophisticated is a person, then she could be it. She is standing beside her, who is lying in the bed.

“I’m sorry Empress Yun, but this time the poison that she swallowed is too strong. I already did my best. But I think my knowledge is not enough to treat the Red

Princess” an old man responded with his head down on the floor apologizing and explaining to the empress of the empire.

Empress Yun, felt the rage that is going to erupt any minute. She stayed to be well composed in-front of everyone everyday despite the fact that her only child is being poisoned by someone still unknown. Though this is not the first time that this happened, but this still make her nervous and scared. His husband, the emperor, is still the same, not even minding and don’t have any care if the Red Princess will die because of those people who wants power. She knelt beside her daughter who looks like sleeping comfortably not knowing what to do at that moment.

“Yurin!” she called trying to stabilize her voice from all the building emotions.

“Yes, Empress Yun.” The head servant of the Empress answered with her both hands clasped together traditional way with her head bowed. She was dressed simple but elegantly.

“Have you found them?” the empress asked again still on her knees trying to aid her daughter, wiping its sweats from the towel that is being handed to her after she waved her hand to a maid servant near her that is holding the basin with warm water

inside.

“No, my empress,” she paused for a moment, “they’re well-hidden for centuries; I don’t think they will show up just because we needed them in time of emergency. But I already stationed 100 of our men to find them.”

She sighed as she realized that she needed to ready herself on the death of her only child. Tears flows on her eyes as she remembers that the princess just turned 14 last week. She never thought that this will be the end of her ambitions. She knows it already that it is very hard to let a girl get a throne and become an emperor itself. That is why, 17 years ago, she claimed a son from an emperor’s concubine to become hers after

that concubine died. But that adopted son of her began to rebel on her and openly showed its interest on becoming a soldier to be sent to the borders.

That is the reason why the crown prince title was given to the 12th son of the emperor, son of Concubine Ma of Red Valley. They have a very strong backing from the very start. That Red Valley has the strongest families that have a big position in the empire. Though her family and her being an empress is not to be taken lightly also, since she is from the clan of White Dragon Valley, her, not having a son from blood is the very reason why her clan is not fully standing on her side. Since a son being born in a phoenix is impossible, especially if the phoenix came from the White Dragon Valley. A curse given by the old goddess of War, Nemphina for the betrayal the clan made to her thousands of years ago.

And now that her daughter is also dying, what else can she do? She will become an empty empress at the age of 30 and later on be disposed in the cold palace for not having a heir for the heavenly throne.

“Let me in!!!”

“I said, let me in!!! Mother!!! It’s me, the 18th prince, Man!”

“What’s the commotion?” head servant, Yurin, yelled. The empress stands and turned looking to the entrance after reminiscing the past and the situation.

“Let him in.” the empress said with composure.

A young man, aging 16 appeared. Though with its playful and handsome face looking so worried that even his eyebrows curled and with heavy breath, he turned his head outside and is looking to a young man on his 20’s. He gestured on him telling him to get inside and he did.

The empress and the people inside was confused on what the 18th prince is thinking also stared to the young man who made an entrance with his black faded clothes with its tied long hair flowing freely. At one glance you can already say that the one the prince brought is a peasant but to why he brought him is a big

question for everyone especially the empress.

“Mother, this is Ching-an, and…he know how to cure the Red Princess!” Prince Man declared with eyes that give assurance.

“Why would I trust my only child to that peasant?”

“When I was small, I know someone from Snow Valley.” The peasant answered with his head down. (let’s make it clear people, not looking or not leveling eye to eye or having eye contact into the emperor or empress or any big status personality in the past is a sign of respect. That is why many of them low status is either bowing or lowering of their heads looking below whenever they are answering to those high status people)

“Everyone, get out! Yurin, and you, young man, stay!” the empress yelled turning her body to her daughter’s. As everyone leaves, only quietness echoed in the big space of the room. A minute passed and the empress still standing and not talking, alongside with the two who have been left inside.

“Come up, and save the Red Princess.” The empress instructed after a few minutes. The man slowly

walks and sits beside the princess; he takes-out things from his bag. Dextrose like things was there, with a bottle of medicine. He hung the glass type clear bottle that really looks like dextrose from some world that is not theirs. He checked her pulse before injecting the medicine through the things he take-out

from his bag.

After an hour….

The empress is sitting in the middle place of the room, waiting for the young man to sit also, after he was done curing the princess. She’s taking a sip of her chamomile tea with her head servant on her side.

“Why?” she asked the young man.

“She’s the Red Princess. Though the clan don’t want to recognize her, we also don’t want her to die. The elder knows that she’s weak and that is the primary reason why the clan is not approving on her becoming our new master. If only you are the chosen phoenix, then we will also follow your chosen emperor.” He answered while standing. He’s belittling the empress who is in-front of him still head held down, not meeting her gaze.

“How ironic! She’s the chosen phoenix but because she’s weak you don’t want to support her and because I’m not the chosen phoenix you also don’t want to support me. But just because she’s the chosen phoenix you are here trying to save her useless life but still don’t want to support her. Have you already chosen a dragon instead? In this world that only the chosen phoenix will be the way to knowing the door to heaven? You won’t know those medicine and medicinal procedure without the help of the previous chosen phoenix!” she shouted, furious. At the day she was born, those red phoenix followers all turn their back to them, the descendants of the red phoenix.

He only stared on her for seconds after hearing what the empress stated, then bowed his head and leaves.

The quietness is now lingering with the noise of the opening of the door and a person getting inside.

“Mother?” Prince Man asked slowly, tilting his head trying to sense the situation that his witnessing at the moment.

“Comeback after 5 days. You can meet her on that day Man’er” (‘er is being used when you want to call your child in a sweet way. Though he is not her child. He’s one of the emperor’s child anyway.)

“Yes, mother” he answered politely while peeking into the princess bedroom.

As accustomed, no one can enter the princess bed (there’s a thick veil covering the bed to prevent other people to peek inside the bed) single or married. The only people who can peek and get inside the bed is the personal servant, princess head servant, princess doctor (emergency), mother of the empress and the princess’s future husband. Even the emperor is prohibited on entering unless there is an emergency. They always thought that a princess is a phoenix and any time they can become a queen, an empress or even an emperor. Which all emperor (men) really hates. But there is no written history that said that a girl became an emperor in the past since the world that they have is a man domineering, a phoenix will always become an empress. And a phoenix will always be the one to choose, guide and support the dragon.

“Water…”

The first word I spoke. My throat really felt dry, it feels like I slept for too long since I can feel my back sores. I can hear people talking, walking and opening the curtain that hides my bed. It feels like it’s not my bed but at the same time I felt comfortable.

“Princess?” someone talked. Yes. I definitely heard it.

“Princess” she talked again, looking confused but a sight of happiness is clearly seen in her face.

“The princess woke up!” she yelled. I felt my eyelids heavy.

“Princess!!” she shouted again.

“Ugh…stop…shouting…” I said before I rolled to the other side of the bed. She’s noisy. This dream is too noisy. I can hear people busy walking, outside the tent

like bed that i am lying.

“I should close my eyes again, I need to wake up early since I still have many work to finish. The deadline for the new written book should be handed today, or else, they will kill me for sure, Mr. Song will. So I need to wake up already.”

“Princess? Are you still sleeping?” I can hear the voice again. It’s clearer this time.

“Princess? Do you still want to sleep?” her voice, it’s like a small girls voice, very cute and sweet. It felt like a kid that found a new toy.

“Whaa!!!??!!” I shouted, eyes opened while now seated in the bed looking at her, confusion in her eyes can be seen.

“Who are you? Where am I?” I can see people outside getting nearer but not letting themselves get inside inside of my bed that was covered heavely by some curtain. I hears footsteps, fast and heavy, approaching.

“Princess?! Are you okay? Is everything alright?” the new arrived person asked. Full of worries in her face. If I can compare her age, she might look like my older sister, that 36 years old brat that run away on her wedding day and now touring all around the world like nothing happened. My parents give-up on her already. But if I can compare who is much beautiful, I’m sorry, Cristile Min but this woman in-front of me right now is

much more beautiful than you.

“Princess?” she asked again, eyes looking on me from head to toe. Full of worries.

“Are you in pain? She added.

“Princess? Me?” I asked to make sure.

I still can’t get this kind of set-up. Am I kidnapped and they wanted to get all my money in the bank and also ask mom and dad to give them millions? Wait! We’re not that rich. Are they going to kill me if they’ll know that we can’t give them millions of dollars? My God! After that horrifying night, why?

“Yes. You are the princess. The Red Princess of Xi Manor of the Empire.” She answered confidently and elegantly.

“Wh-… Who am i?”