YOONA

“How did you know I was the princess? I don’t remember myself introducing to you.” After wiping the joyful tears from my eyes, I asked him, this General Lee Dong Wook. He gave a small smile and pointed at me.

“The necklace that you’re wearing, your highness. I remember Princess Cassandra, your mother, putting that on you when you were still an infant back then.” I looked at him weirdly and in disbelief. What is this guy saying? I don’t remember putting on jewelry back in the castle. I quickly checked my neck as I speak.

“But I’m not wearing such—” I stopped midway when I touched a chain wrapped around my neck. I looked down in shock to see that I was really wearing a necklace! A very familiar necklace!

“H-how did this happen? I didn’t even put it.” I asked to no one in particular. General Lee didn’t speak, knowing that he has no answer as to how and why a thing like this just happened. We stayed quiet, the both of us not muttering any words.

As I continue to ponder on my thoughts, I realized that I’m still not safe, that I and this man in front of me were still in the danger zone. Staying silent for this long equals to the increasing chances of us getting killed by the witch. She’s probably still looking for me, to kill me and maybe, end it all in her way.

I can’t let that happen.

“What happened to this place?” I asked General Lee, after how many minutes of silence. The general in front of me formed a thin line with his lips and sat at the chair across me.

“A lot, your highness. As far as I could remember, the unfortunate begun before I could even save my own family.” He replied with a grim smile. “It was around that time, 2 months before your first birthday and when I was still a meek soldier, when the cruel witch made chaos to this place.”

I clutched the hem of my now dirty shirt as I patiently wait for General Lee’s long explanation. I have to know what really happened behind the barrier of this hidden kingdom, where I was originally from.

“First off, it was the late king, your grandfather, who put up this protective shield.” He gestured towards the open window, where the barrier could be clearly seen. “For the first years, this barrier was indeed strong, preventing unwanted beasts from getting in. I could sometimes see the disastrous things happening outside the barrier, compared to the inside where everything is normal and quiet.” He broke his gaze from the window towards the floor beneath him as he sighed.

“But the normal and quiet of this kingdom did not last long.”

“Why did the late king—my grandfather per say—put up the barrier? What for?” I asked, still needing answers from the man.

“It was to keep the witch from entering the kingdom’s premises. The king knew that Jezzy is a revengeful witch and avenging is the only thing she’s great at. To think that the witch is now in this very kingdom, it just so means that the barrier is already losing its power. She found a way to get through it.” He answered in a bitter tone, obviously displeased. I gulped, feeling a bit tensed.

“Do you happen to know why Jezzy is this intent on revenging this kingdom?” I blurted out, curiosity getting the best of me.

I felt a tad bit disappointed when he shook his head no.

“Over the past 22 years, I also asked that very question to myself.” He added, making me more disappointed.

“Tell me why you’re the only living person in this kingdom then.” I changed the subject, seeing that there’s probably a bit time left before the unexpected will happen. I raised an eyebrow when General Lee suddenly stood up, muttered a small ‘wait for a second’ before going towards a room.

After a few minutes of me staring at the opened door of the room where General Lee just went into, he walked right out of it, carrying a box with him. The box he held with his hands had the size of a shoebox. He lent the box in front of me, waiting for me to receive it. I took it from him gently and placed it on my lap.

“I was ordered by the king to guard the kingdom, to keep the barrier intact by giving me small amounts of the barrier’s powers, and to give this to you. Knowing that the time he wanted me to give this to you is still too far, he provided my needs by bearing the only fruit trees around my home and made a well for my water. He prepared all this, weeks before Jezzy attacked the kingdom 22 years ago.”

I looked at him in surprise and quickly observed the box on my lap. The box was wrapped in leather, and seeing how the colors look faded, this was already years old. I slowly took the lid off while General Lee continued to speak.

“He also told me that all of this, everything that happened starting from your father’s death until right now, is going accordingly by Late Queen Rein of Sunny Kingdom’s prophecy.”

As he finished his sentence, the lid of the box was already off, and there came out strong streaks of light. The lights were shining yellow and I could see the glitter in these rays of lights. I placed my arm in front of my eyes, preventing the intense rays from hitting them. I don’t want to get blind just yet.

The rays of light don’t seem to stop though. They keep on getting brighter and brighter that I had to close my eyes. I don’t feel any heat but man, the light makes me want to peel my skin off! But not literally, of course.

“What’s in this box, general? The light doesn’t seem to go off.” I asked General Lee, not understanding why the box seemed so important. A few seconds passed but I hear no reply.

“General?” I called again, my arm still in front of my closed eyes. Like a while ago, I don’t hear any reply from him. Where is he?

“General Lee. Are you there—hOLY MOLLY WHERE AM I?!” I blurted out shockingly, because as soon as I removed my arm from my eyes, I’m surrounded by vintage-colored houses, people, and kids! I squeaked out of nervousness.

Who took me here and why now? That witch could crash in General Lee’s home in less than 2 seconds and I’m not even there to protect him!

I quickly walked towards the middle-aged woman who was selling silk just by the street. I knelt down to meet her gaze and bowed to give respect.

“Uhm, hi and good afternoon, miss. Do you know where we are right now?” I asked, trying not to sound desperate when in reality, I really am. But it’s as if she didn’t hear me and continued to call out customers. I stood up and tried to get her attention but her gaze would always go elsewhere.

I’m really, really desperate to go back now!

“I’m sorry miss but I really have to know where we are—” I tried to touch her hand to let her focus on me, but instead I was horrified to see that my hand just slipped past hers. My eyes widen in shock. What just happened?

I gave up on asking the woman and tried to approach the man standing beside her. Like what happened with the woman, he would avert his eyes elsewhere when I’m standing in front of him, and my hand would slip past his. I was even more horrified when he suddenly walked straight ahead, passing through me as if I was not even there to begin with.

They can’t see me? Why?

“I’m finally going to be a father! Everyone, I’m going to be a father!”

I jumped in shock when a loud voice suddenly interrupted the busy streets of this vintage-looking village. I looked for the source of the voice and saw no one but crowds. Where did that came from?

I then realized that most people were going westward. I turned towards west and saw a very familiar castle structure. It's a bit far from where I stood so, along with the bustling crowd, I walked towards it.

“Everyone, your beautiful Princess Cassey, is going to bear my child! I'm finally a father!"

The booming voice continued to speak, his words echoing from the distance. The people around me suddenly rejoiced, some even raised their arms up in happiness. They started to chant, which surprised me because they did it in chorus, as if they were united as one.

"Hurrah for the princess! Hurrah for the prince! Hurrah for the new child! Hurrah, hurrah!"

They continued to chant as their voices became louder by each second. I could see that the people are also happy with this news.

But why? Who is that guy screaming?

I look up back to the familiar castle to see if that's where the loud voice came from. I walked closer and also made myself fly a bit, since no one can see me. I flew towards the castle and went closer to the balcony, where I finally found the person I was looking for.

"I'm a father, everyone I'm a father!"

The good-looking man continued to shout in joy, which made me chuckle a bit. If what these people are chanting are right, then this man in front of me must be the prince. He looks so very carefree though, as if he's just a regular man. He seems different for a royalty.

But its not bad on him. I like it.

"Stefan, father's supposed to announce that! Not you."

A new soft voice joined, which caught my attention. The owner of that voice then appeared beside the prince, revealing herself to the people. I noticed the crowd below me chant even louder. I stared at the new person in shock.

She has long amber hair with curls by her tips, much like mine only that her hair is in a lighter shade. She's wearing a simple long caramel dress, with eye-catching accessories attached to it. She has a flower crown on her head, giving justice to her beautiful and perfect-like face. I then noticed that the prince also had a flower crown atop his head.

Her gentle eyes and pretty smile, everything looks too familiar.

This woman resembled mother, although a younger look then how I used to remember.

Before I knew it, tears were already falling as I covered my mouth to prevent any weird noises. I quickly flew towards her and landed on the balcony. I stood there in front of her, crying and sniffling as my mother, not seeing me, placed her hand on the man's shoulder.

"You really don't know how to give out elements of surprise, do you, honey?"

"After 2 years, our efforts are finally paying off, Cassey. So why should I still hide it from our people? They have the right to know!"

"You should really stop calling me Cassey in public, Stefan. Be professional for once."

"Alright, Princess Cassandra. Your orders, I will follow, because of my undying love for you."

And the man smiled at her after saying those words, kissing her on the forehead right after which made the crowd go wild. Stefan then slowly broke the kiss, and the two stared at each other with loving eyes.

I slowly walked towards the couple in front of me, and stared at Stefan's face. If this woman is really my mother, then this man she's looking at with love and care, is my father?

Another bucket of tears spilled out of my eyes as I wept in happiness. I covered my eyes and wiped out the tears that kept on pouring. I continued to stare at mother and the man beside her, as they turned to face the crowd with big and proud smiles on their faces.

After all these years, I finally got to see how my father looked like. I suddenly felt relief, knowing that my father's not actually some selfish dude but actually a wonderful person. I could see why mother fell for someone like him.

"Hildigar, stop it!!"

I jumped in shock and turned around, another scene suddenly unfolding before me.

I looked around to see that I'm not in the castle's balcony anymore but inside some big forest. I checked behind me and felt disappointed to see my parents not there anymore.

Why am I here this time?

"Hildigar, p-please control yourself. E-everything will be alright if you'll just calm down—"

"CALM DOWN?! CAN'T YOU SEE UNNIE? I CAN'T!"

I let myself gaze at my mother who looks so worn out and tired as her piercing eyes stare at the woman across her. I squinted my eyes to observe this new person closely.

She looks like a replica version of mother, but with a smaller body.

But, unlike mother's worn out state, she was a lot more worse.

"I'm crazy, unnie. Crazy and mad! I-I keep on making wrong decisions, a-and breaking tons and tons of rules! I'm useless and weak, and these powers with me are no help either!"

The woman exclaimed with obvious fear in her voice. Her hands were on her messy, curly hair, strangling them as if they were parasites. Her clothes had a lot of scratches and torn out parts, ruining what seemed to be a pretty dress. She was also bare-footed.

Hildigar's her name, if that's what my mother just called her. That rings a bell in my memory. Mother probably told me a bit about her back then.

"Its not your fault, Hildigar. I know you didn't mean to ruin the party."

I hear mother's comforting words, but Hildigar probably didn't because she kept on screaming profanities.

"I'm a freaking monster, unnie. I'm a monster, though I didn't mean to! Everyone hates me. Everyone disgusts me! I don't deserve to be royalty, heck, mother and father probably hate me!"

"Don't say like that! Mother and father will never hate you! I don't hate you."

I gulped at how the two of them talked and shout at each other. They were a bit meters apart but its that kind of distance that doesn't need shouting just to be heard.

But this is a different case.

And I, for sure, have a bad feeling about this.

"You'll never understand unnie. You don't understand!"

"Hildigar, don't—"

My eyes widen in shock when suddenly mother's sister screamed, her voice breaking every tree trunk nearby her. Mother quickly covered her ears as Hildigar's cries and painful scream increased. I was surprised when she started throwing different kinds of magic, the magic hitting nature which results to different things. I can't explain what things but, many turned into ashes, into ice, into dirt, and some even melted right away.

Hildigar kept on screaming, that she didn't notice that her powers were slowly reaching mother. I wanted to scream to let herself get away, or bring her to somewhere safe.

But I would just pass through her curled up body.

"Hildigar, no!"

Everything suddenly went into slow motion, when Stefan, my supposed-to-be father, suddenly came into the scene. There was an approaching fireball that's accidentally aimed towards mother. And I screamed like a child when he jumped in front of her and hugged her.

The fireball hitting his bare back.

"STEFAN!"

I could only look in shock at the scene unfurling before me. I, I don't know how to react to this. I'm speechless, scared, and most of all, feeling incredibly useless. I feel like trying, no,  saving them but how? All of them are suffering!

Hildigar, mother's sister, who's on my right, is going incredibly insane out of her wit.

Stefan, mother's husband and who I assumed to be my father, is burning and turning into ashes because of the hellfire that spread from his back.

Mother, who's crying and crying, her whole self being dragged from her husband because of the guards who just arrived.

I fell to the ground in utter despair, my hands forming into knuckles. Tears continued to fall, never stopping ever since a while ago.

Why am I seeing this? Who brought me here to see the past?

Why do I have to witness this right now when I have to be focusing on making a plan to fight the witch?

What purpose do I have to see such painful memories from before?

~~~~~

"So this is where you were hiding huh, Yoona." Jezzy smirked as she stared at the only fixed and nice house in front of her.

"Get ready to die, you little b*tch. No prophecy is going to stop me now.

~~~~~

A/N

LONG CHAPTER IS NOT EDITED, ALONG WITH EARLIER CHAPTERS PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR ERRORS

Now this is exciting, if you find it exciting too 😂 Last chapter is up next then the epilogue.

I can't believe its almost been 2 years since I published this book, make it 3 to add MTFY. I feel accomplished because finally, I'm almost done.

And also, if you have questions, comment down too! After the epilogue, I'll answer them. It could be about the book, about the characters, or about me. ^_^

See you next week guys! I'll update in April 8!