The emperor looked onto the coffin where his dead lover layed.

"It's a shame that she died" The first concubine, Mariane said holding on to her 10 year old child the first prince Damon. The emperor held Mariane embracing her tightly.

"Your majesty, Aren't you going to visit the child? I heard the 3rd concubine is already there" The first concubine Mariane said.

The child! Yes! The child Carlina left behind, he hoped that the child looked like Carlina but even if the child doesn't he'll still take care of the child.

The emperor left abruptly causing most of the people in the wake to relax.

"Congratulations, first concubine! You are now set on taking over the empress' seat!" The count exclaimed. All the people were wearing masks and shedding crocodile tears making the first prince Damon frown.

A person just died but instead of telling their condolences they're congratulating my mother!

The young Damon thought.

The person lying in the coffin was the empress. Damon was sometimes jealous of his brother Daniel because he has Carlina as his mother and the emperor also showed him great favor.

I also want Empress Carlina as my mother.

If Empress Carlina was his mother he would probably be taken care of, his mother the first concubine is a very evil woman, she poisoned the empress just to take her position, he vowed to never be like his mother.

I will take care of my sister!

At the thought Damon left the room and went straight to the moon palace where his newborn sister is.

***

The emperor looked at his daughter tearfully.

"Who is this monster?!" The emperor screamed. He couldn't believe it, the woman he loved gave birth to a monster destined to destroy the kingdom.

"Your majesty! Calm down, she only has black hair! There is still a possibility of her not being the child in the prophecy!" The 3rd concubine Lara exclaimed!

What are they talking about?

The empire is known for being cruel specially for the royal family born with black hair because of a certain prophecy.

A young princess will be born from the royal family that princess with cause havoc among powerful men, she will look exactly like her mother except for the color of her hair and eyes instead she will have black hair and blood red eyes, she will destroy a kingdom. No one will be able to stop her.

"Bring the high priest!" The emperor exclaimed!

...***...

A messenger from the palace came into the temple.

"The high priest is needed in the palace!"

The priest payed no attention to the messenger and tried their best chasing him out.

"It's an order of the emperor!" The messenger added.

"The high priest is receiving a vision, He cannot be disturbed" The priest responded calmly.

Before the messenger could open his mouth the high priest came out and headed towards the door of the temple.

"You holiness! Where are you going?" All the priest asked.

"There's no time to explain! Prepare a carriage!"

***

The high priest was scared he didn't know what to say in front of the terrifying emperor.

"Is it true? Is she the girl in the prophecy?"

All of the children born with black hair was either executed or burned in flames.

"It is, your Majesty" He couldn't say anything else, no matter how much he wanted to protect the child he couldn't.

"Lock her up" The emperor whispered.

"Pardon?"

"She will bring chaos onto the kingdom to stop it we need to sacrifice the child" The emperor said calmly.

You can't just do that to your daughter! The high priest thought but he was a coward and dared not to question the decision of the emperor.

I just hope you wouldn't regret this.

"At her 18th birthday she is to be sacrificed for the piece of the kingdom, starting now she is to live in the cold palace no one will take care of her" The emperor said and started to walk out of the door.

"Your majesty! She is still your child please reconsider!" The 3rd concubine Lara exclaimed bowing her head onto the ground. Larriet the first princess looked at her mother with a fearful face.

The emperor looked at Lara and smiled bitterly.

"This is what I like about you, A self righteous young lady" The emperor said "She is not my daughter but if you want you can take care of her"

The child is innocent.

"Yes please but take care of Larriet your majesty" Lara said

"If that's what you want then go ahead, spend time with Larriet" The emperor said and left.

"Mother! What are you thinking?" Larriet asked with a tearful face.

"You will know about my decisions when you grow up" Lara said with a face that doesn't display regret.

"Mom! She is a cursed princess-"

"She is nothing but a child at the very least I can take care of her and give her happiness before being sacrificed" Lara said

"What about me?" Larriet said crying

"You can have you want but the child doesn't have anything"

"I'll try my best to understand mother"

"*There she is! The cursed child"

"She should just hurry up and die*!"

The maids working for the imperial palace exclaimed, as if what they said was funny, they laughed while chatting amongst themselves. They talk as if I don't hear them.

I clenched my tiny white fists.

Auntie Lara always told me to never be vengeful of anyone, Auntie Lara was never ambitious, she's satisfied with what she has so having such a merciful mindset is not a surprised. Aunt Lara was the person who raised me in this cruel and cold palace, in this place she's the only person I have.. if everyone was like her I would be merciful.

What's the point of being merciful if they've never showed me mercy?

I'm almost six years old yet I've already been through so much. From having to eat rotten food to being cursed at by maids, scholars and nobles.

I sighed and continued walking.

Aunt Lara must be waiting for me at home, although she's the third concubine the palace staff act as if they hold a higher position than Aunt Lara, in this world if you have a high position you are praised but if you don't have power, you are stepped on. As much as I'm aware Aunt Lara has power but never uses it. She is foolish.

I wanted to steal some stuff, I'm hungry so I'm sure aunt is also hungry.

I should look for a window, I can't go through the door since the butler and a few guards are guarding there.

Hopefully no one would see me, if they do I'd get another beating.

I reached my tiny arms out onto the window, the window is a bit high, no, too high for a child like me. If only I can grow a bit-

"Would you like some help?" A boy's voice rang, I looked up, horrified.

I have to go back home, aunt's waiting for me! I shouldn't have come outside.

I fell backwards and sprang up, I can't let this boy capture me! The noble that caught me last time didn't let me out and hid me for a week, aunt would be worried if that were to happen again.

I ran as fast as I could, come to think of it the boy was wearing cool clothes, he was pretty too. Blue hair like the sea and pretty gold eyes.

"Undine" I whisper.

A dolphin made of water appeared in front of me and made a big circle water for me to see my reflection.

I held my cheeks as I looked at my reflection.

He looked completely different from me, unlike him, I had hair as back as a crow and blood red eyes.

There was no drop of innocence in my face.

***

The cold palace is very unkept, it's dirty and aunt Lara has grown a hobby of cleaning. I'm just worried since the palace is too big for her to clean alone.

"Letisha!" Aunt Lara who was busy with cleaning turned her head and ran towards me.

Although she looks thin and sickly, she was still beautiful. No wonder the emperor took a liking to her.

That damned emperor is a bastard, taking in so much concubines then abandoning them. If only I could crush that emperor in my hands like a bunch of ants.

But I could never do that.

"Dear, we have to get you ready! You have to meet your father and siblings tonight at dinner" Aunt Lara exclaimed happily.

She looked excited, probably because she can take a glance of her daughter.

She often talked about her daughter, she always described her as a pretty and innocent little princess but I know that's not the case.

The princess often saw me getting bullied by the servants and she would do nothing but look at me with hatred in her eyes.

She's the same as others but I couldn't tell aunt Lara what her beloved daughter has become.

I can sneak in the imperial palace and take some food from the kitchen, that emperor has been neglecting us for quite a while now so stealing a few things from him wouldn't be bad.

Truthfully, I've never been to the palace, this would make it the first time I stepped foot in there.

I hated everyone in the palace, whether I've met them or not. I hate everyone but still I couldn't help but be excited.

That damned emperor, my father.

I wonder what his reaction will be, will he pity me or show the same hatred everyone has shown me.