CHAPTER 1: I have come back

I opened my eyes to see myself in the room, it wasn't a big one, it was just a small room in the attic. Even though it was small, I loved it. It was quiet and peaceful, and the view from here was just splendid. I got up and walked up to the mirror.

“I have truly come back, that means the voice I heard was..... it was the great one above! I think the mighty one felt pity on me. But if they did, why did he bring me back here?”

*Knocking on the door*

“My Lady, your breakfast is here,”

“Yes, come in!”

The maid came in holding a plate of soup.

“May I ask, what is today's date?”

“It's June 24, 1337, my Lady,”

So, I have come 8 years back in time and my bruises are not there anymore. I look fit and healthy, though I am a little too skinny for my age.

“My Lady, here is your breakfast,”

The maid throws my food on the table and snickers to themselves. As expected, they expect me to eat rotting food.

“Take it away, I'm not hungry, instead dress me up,”

I got dressed and went to the garden, where I saw Nina. She was a new joiner, and she was in my end of the duchy.

I went to Nina and said, “How have you been doing?” she looked at me, shocked and confused because we never knew each other since she was new around here, but she kept her composure and gave out the friendly Nina smile and answered me.

This itself was enough for my day to be bright. I wanted to hug Nina so bad and tell her everything that happened to be, but most of all, I wanted to thank her for always being there for me. That's why, I want Nina to wait for me, and once I can stand on my own, I'll keep her under my wing so that nothing can remove that smile from her. I never want to see her cry again.

“Hello my Lady, I have been doing well thank you,” said Nina bowing down.

“You don't need to bow, Nina,”

She looked a little shocked, “Um, I never told you my name, my Lady, I hope I'm not rude but, how did you know it?”

“You might not know me, but I know you,” I said, smiling brightly.

Nina tilted her head in surprise and I just stood there giggling.

“Well, Nina, how about working under me and being my handmaid?” I said, extending my hand.

The maids behind me gasped when I said that because I already had a handmaid at that time.

“B-b-but my Lady, you already have a handmaid, I am your handmaid my Lady. How can you trust such an untrained and lowly creature like her?” said Jinni, my handmaid.

I glared at her to keep her mouth shut, but she kept blabbering her nonsense at Nina.

“Enough! If she is lowly, as you say, then you must be lower than she. If you can talk like this, why don't you serve me that same? But no, you keep barking and barking but when it comes to biting you got nothing, toothless! So before you go all out and start ordering me, and putting the Erwin Duchy down the ground and dragging it, why don't you shut that mouth of yours and stay silent,” I said and looked at Nina.

I could tell Nina was hurt by those words, but guess she was now frightened by me, did I mess up?

I looked at Nina and asked, “Are you okay? Furthermore, I'm sorry on their behalf,”

“My lady! Please don't, it's completely fine, thank you,” said Nina with her sweet, and pure voice.

I pulled Nina towards me and whispered, “Umm. Nina, I will recommend you as my handmaid to the Duke, I want you to become my handmaid, so cheer up!”

Nina looked at me and thanked me, and then we parted ways.

“Lead me to the duke's place” I ordered. The maid looked hesitant and tried to ask me questions about why I needed to go there.

“Enough! You don't need to escort me I have legs to walk, and I am fit to do any activity, so you don't have to come” I spoke. Anyway, they will get caught in a few days for theft and the great above gave me a second life to live freely, so I will do it the way I like.

“Good morning, Father and Brother”

“And what are you doing here early in the morning? Didn't you want to have your food in your room rather than coming here?” said Father, turning his newspaper.

I was shocked and looked at my handmaid, knowing what they did.

They knew me as a timid girl who used to listen carefully to them, and they would take control of my life and backstab me, but this time I decided to change everything and live my life protecting the ones I love.

“I never gave any command like that, father. I thought it was you who commanded I eat my meal alone?”

Father folded his newspaper, removed his glass, and folded his legs “But your maid told me that it was you who didn't want to come all the way here to eat,” he said, looking at me dead in the eye.

I turned to her and smirked, to see her face filled with fear.

Now is the time to attack through emotions.

“B-b-but Father, I was so lonely living in my place, that I always wanted to see you, but my maid told me that you were busy and that I should not get in the way!”

I hate to admit, but I learned a thing or two from that Lilian brat, how to act like the perfect innocent to capture people's hearts.

“Bring out the handmaid of the Lady,” said, brother.

My brother, Aster Erwin, was the firstborn and the hire to the Erwin duchy. He had jet-black hair and eyes which were like the night and besides his good looks he was called the young genius since he had the ability of a true leader at the age of 14, he stopped a disaster that could have led to war between our neighboring country. If he didn't stop it, it would have caused lots of damage to the country and mainly the people.

As for me, I too had inherited my father's genes but had my late mother's blue eyes. Since my mother died because she was weak after giving birth to me, my father was so sad and depressed that he only gave me a name, and he came to visit me just to see if I was alive.

I have been titled the 'trash princesses', for I was timid and never attended any social events. Many people mocked me, saying I was 'born in the wrong family' and 'she should have been born in the trash'. Since I never came out, many people made up false rumors about how I looked and why I didn't come out because I looked hideous.

“My lord, have you called me?” said the handmaid.

“What have you said to the princess?” my brother asked

“I haven't told the princess anything my lord,” she said hesitantly, she looked at me in disgust and ticked her tongue, and down came her crocodile tears.

“My lord, I have done nothing wrong, it was the princess who told me she didn't want to eat food with you all”

What a nuisance. She talks too much, and now she dug her own grave.

“Huh! When the hell did the princess tells you? Is it true what the maid said, Amora?” said brother.

I acted shocked and shook my head, “The maid told me it was you all who didn't want to eat with me.”

Father and Brother both looked annoyed, I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my tears and I looked at her.

“She is lying to you, Your Majesty! I would never do it, I just want to protect the Duchy from a monster like her”.

“Looks like the actual monster over here is you and not my daughter, you made her live alone, and now you lie to your master, you have disgraced the Erwin Duchy and henceforth you shall be executed!”

The target was hit right on its head, and I pulled the chair to take a better look at the situation, I was tired of being mistreated and defenseless. So, in this life, the trash princess shall show her true colors and live a long, and full life.

“Guards take her away! She is untrustworthy to be in the palace.” Shouted my brother.

Now is my time to earn sympathy and gain a new pawn.

“F-father, please don't kill her! Though she might have given me rotten food or mistreated me, she still took care of me so don't do that, instead, why don't we make her work in that land we got that day!”

Father smirked in amusement, knowing well that no one could live on a barren land and if she did, she had to work miserably hard to even get a day's food.

Father and Brother both smirked and nodded to each other.

“Since my daughter has that much sympathy as to let you go even after all the crime you did, I won't kill you, instead I leave you to work as a laborer in the mine in Darwin. You will have to work your blood and bone out in that barren land,”

The maid did not have any idea of where she would be going and left thinking she survived death.

After she was taken out, the room was filled with silence and awkwardness.

“I am so sorry Amora! I didn't know something like this would have happened. If only I knew sooner that you were mistreated” said brother holding his chest.

I smiled and replied, “It's okay. And is it okay if I had my meals in the maid building with father and brother?”

Father smiled and said, “You are always welcome here!”

In the past, I never had a proper meal with my brother and my father and if I did the air would always be so cold.

“I finished my meal, so you both should finish yours,” said Father as he wiped his mouth and got up from his chair.

“It has been a longtime right sister, and my coming-of-age ceremony is coming after a few months, so I hope you attend it and do not get ill like the other times, dear sister,” said my brother as he held my hand with care and smiled warmly.

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