I grunted in pain when my knees touched the uneven surface of the ground. Father was out for a very important meeting and I was left under my step mother's abusive power.

Today's the second day that Magdeisene showed her real color. Yesterday, she deprived me of food after hearing the servant's answer to her ridiculous question, which was in any manner, seemed too shallow.

And tonight, she forcefully dragged me out of our palace with the help of her most loyal servant.

"Tie her hands!" She ordered. "She may escape—and that would be your worst mistake. If ever she escapes and you fail to do what's tasked to you, I'll take your life in return."

The male servant nodded earnestly and tied my hands as ordered. I was whining in pain as I was being tied. I'm just seven and I don't understand some adult stuffs but definitely not this one. I know what's going on and had already foresee what will happen next.

Magdeisene smirked when she saw me staring at her evil facade, she moved down and gripped my jaw as hard as she could. After that, her smirk turned evil and cunning. And as a seven years old kid, all I could do was to succumb in the pain.

"You're a gifted kid, Snowleigh and you're a total waste if ever you leave this world early. But you're the only hindrance in my plans, so you better stay in silence. Forever."

"Where are you taking me?" I asked the servant when he lifted me up. "Where are you taking me?! I'll tell this to my king!"

Magdeisene laughed upon hearing my misery, that made her the baddest person in my entire childhood.

"You're indeed a child no matter how intelligent you are," she barked and shook her head. "How could you tell this to your stupid king if this is your last breathe?"

The spine-chilling impact of her words spread throughout my body, that even after the servant carelessly dropped me on the back compartment of his car, I felt no pain but pure horror.

"Before you go, let me ask you a question once again," she added. "Who's the prettiest girl ever existed in this palace?"

The servant did not answer, that made her mad. She glared at us then took out her black thin baton.

"Who?!" She yelled.

"Lady Snowleigh...?" The servant answered. "Of course not, it's you my queen."

"You're lying, I know it's her. This kid is really getting into my nerves, she's just like her mother. They're both stealers!"

"The king will punish you if he finds out!" I fired but she's enraged.

"Then he won't, I will not let him. And you will die brutally, everything you know will be buried deep with you."

"No-"

The servant covered my mouth by a huge and thick cloth, I gagged when he forced it inside my mouth. Then he covered my head by a bag. I heard the compartment closed and we drove for how many hours. I was real exhausted, hungry, dehydrated, weak and scared. The ride was hellish, I thought that was really my end. The thought of dying without telling my father about his wife's betrayal was terrifying.

My body was limp when I saw the sunrise burning my skin. We're on a forest near a lake, I saw the servant unbuckling his belt while staring at me lustfully.

I groaned in pain and fear when he caressed my bare legs since I was wearing a dress. It was disgusting. He removed the cloth in my mouth as he tried to kiss me but I'd already shouted.

"No! No! Please...father! Help me!"

"Shut up, Snow White!" I received a slap that almost rendered me unconscious. "Behave, this will be quick so behave."

Saying that I was terrified was an understatement. That day was unforgettable.

"No! No! No--"

"Fortneigh!"

Shit!

Nagising ako sa bangungot na paulit-ulit akong dinadalaw gabi-gabi. Habol ang hiningang pinunasan ko ang namuong pawis sa aking nuo at tumayo para dumungaw sa bintana at lumanghap ng hangin.

"Fortneigh, ayos ka lang ba?" Rinig kong tanong ni Canary at lumapit sa'kin. "Parehong panaginip na naman ba?"

"That wasn't a dream," I said, heaving heavily. "That was a nightmare, a memory of my past that I cannot seem to forget."

"Same exact happenings?"

"Yeah."

Napapikit ako at lumunok, parehong-pareho lang yun sa madalas kong bangungot. Walang pinagbago. Nakuyom ko ang mga kamao nang maalala na naman ang nangyari noon. For fuck's sake, that was sixteen years ago. Pero hindi ko nakalimutan hindi gaya ng iba kong memorya.

"Kalmado ka na ba? Ikukuha kita ng tubig."

Hindi ako sumagot at nagtatagis ang bagang na tumanaw sa buwan. Ilang taon din akong nagtago sa pangangalaga ng dati kong tagalingkod. Nag-aral akong mabuti at pinag-aralan ang sistema ng palasyong iniwanan ko. Kinilatis ko lahat doon, pinag-aralan at hinanapan ng baho at kahinaan. Ngayong handa na akong sumabak sa dilikado at buwis buhay na laro ay sisiguraduhin kong hindi ako matatalo.

No, none can defeat me. Nobody should, even the king himself.

Nang makabalik si Canary ay iniabot niya sa'kin ang dalang tubig. Diritso ko yung nilagok at kalmado ng umupo sa kama. Ngumiti siya nang makitang maayos na ako.

Siya si Canary, ang nag-iisang anak ni Magdalene at Patricio Jeminez pero ako ang una nilang anak sa mata ng batas. Inampon nila ako matapos maitakas sa Spain at mga tauhan ni Magdeisene Fallon.

Their ancestors were wealthy back in Spain, but their wealth vanished when the new generations came. They ended up working under our power and were truly loyal to our family.

Recently, they'd gain back their popularity and name. Slowly, they raised in the society—the very reason why they were requested to send a young, fine lady that's credible enough to be the king's bride. Knowing that their ancestors were once associated with the palace.

And that was my greatest blessing.

Dahil adopted nila ako, ibig sabihin nun parte ako ng pamilya Jeminez. Dahilan para pwede akong pumunta ng Spain at paunlakan ang request ng hari at ng council.

Kinabukasan ay araw na ng pag-alis ko papuntang Spain, may pribadong sasakyan panghimpapawid ang palasyo na siyang susundo sa'kin. Maaga akong naghanda para sa pagdating ng representative ng Dampierre sa aming bahay. Habang naghihintay ay hindi napigilan ni Ina na maluha.

"Mag-ingat ka ro'n, Fortneigh. Higit sa lahat ikaw ang nakakaalam kung gaano kadilikado ang mga tao ro'n. Mag-iingat ka at 'wag kang magtitiwala kahit kanino."

"I'll keep that in mind, Mama. Believe me, I never trusted anyone but you, papa and Canary."

"Mabuti, alam naming kakayanin mo 'to, Fortneigh." Nakangiting tinapik ni papa ang ulo ko. "Ikaw ang tatama sa suwail na pamamalakad ng hari at reyna. Ikaw ang babangon sa pangalan ng ating pamilya."

"Umasa ka, papa. Hindi lang pangalan at reputasyon natin ang itataas ko, maging tayo. Babawiin ko lahat ng ninakaw sa'tin."

"Be wise and brave, Fortneigh. Remember, hit them where it hurts. And tell your king fuck off!"

"Papa, ang bunganga niyo po. Baka dumating na pala ang representative ng palasyo at marinig kayo," saway ni Canary.

Ngumisi ako at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Ano naman? Totoo naman yun, sasabihin ko nga yun sa kaniya 'pag nagkita kami."

"Fortneigh talaga," si mama.

Ilang sandali pa ay nakatanggap kami ng tawag na papuntahin na ang representative ng Dampierre para sunduin ako. Malaki ang bahay namin at may nakahandang helipad sa rooftop. Nang dumating ang helicopter sakay ang isang matangkad at mestizong lalaki alam ko ng mami-miss ko ang lahat ng maiiwan ko rito sa Pinas. Tanaw ang malawak na syudad, unti-unting umangat ang helicopter na sinasakyan ko hanggang sa matabunan yun ng puting ulap. Seryuso ako at tahimik buong beyahe, hanggang sa makatulog ako at paggising ay nasa malawak na lupain na kami ng Dampierre.

Labis na pagkamangha ang bumalot sa'kin nang matanaw ang kalawakan ng buong estate. Maraming royal guards na nakahanay sa paligid habang may hawak na long firearms. Their clothing were combinations of red and black and white, they have magnificent hats and everything just feels magical.

A smile curved my lips as I descended from the helicopter and walked in the red carpet readied above the clean cut grass. Hmm, this is home but doesn't feel like one. All I feel is danger, this tells me to always be on guard.

"Mistress Fortneigh Eleanor Jimenez, from the house of Jeminez in Spain back then but now they ruled in the Philippines as one of the elite family!"

The baritone voice announcer announced, the royal guards extended their arms with their long guns and reverse after I walked past them. Nostalgia is it, I remembered this kind of welcoming gesture. My ancestors used to do this.

Nang marating ang pinakadulo ng pulang carpet, nakaharap ko ang anim na naggagandahang babae suot ang kanilang magagarang damit. Isa o dalawa sa kanila ang ngumiti sa'kin, isa ang seryuso akong sinuri at ang iba'y walang reaksyon. Isa-isa silang pinakilala sa'kin, kahit na ang totoo ay kilalang-kilala ko na silang lahat.

Pumasok kami sa bulwagan ng palasyo at binati ako ng halos lahat, kasama ang mga nagtatrabaho roon at tagapaglingkod. Binigyan ako ng sariling kwarto, magara yun at talagang kamangha-mangha. Nakaka-miss din pala ang palasyong tinalikuran ang aking ama. Ngayon pa lang gusto ko ng makita ang hari at ang reyna.

Pinagpahinga ako ng abot sa gusto ko bago inatasang magpakilala ng personal sa hari. Agad akong na-excite. Sobrang lawak at laki pa rin ng palasyo, maraming nadagdag na estraktura at merong binago. Kahit sa sistema ng pamamalakad sa loob ng palasyo.

I wore a creamy longsleeves dress paired with a pink buckle heels, my used to be long and as black as charcoal hair was dyed in purple—that's to hide the real color of my hair. Because it's really black, charcoal black, jet black, it used to be too much dark that complimented my then as white as snow skin and as red as blood lips. I got this beauty from my mother, Eleanor Reale Dampierre.

What my then evil stepmother hated the most about me is my divinely beauty, which she used to loathe the most. Saying I'm the same as my mother, well who wouldn't envy us? Even my mother's dead, her greatest enemy is still envious of her.

The king is a very busy man, but according to my knowledge, he's really good in time management that he can sometimes, go out without causing his subordinates a trouble. In short, he can bend his time and works and gets to hang out outside the palace. Incredible, isn't it?

"Here's your majesty!"

I bowed half-heartedly when I saw the king, sitting in his throne while doing some works. What I'm saying his throne is his golden royal chair because he's really not in the main hall.

"Your majesty, I am Mistress Fortneigh Eleanor Jimenez from the house of Jeminez," I introduced politely with a small smile. "An honour to be one in your harem of girls."

Hindi ko pa talaga natitigan ang mukha niya dahil agad akong yumuko nang bumaling siya sa'kin. Naramdaman ko ang nagtagal niyang titig sa mukha ko bago tumayo at iniwan ang ginagawa.

"Mistress seventh, huh?" And when he spoke, I felt like I'm obliged to look up and see his handsome, jaw-dropping face. Of course, he's a royalty, he must be very handsome. "Mistress Fortneigh Jeminez, beautiful, classy and very credible."

"I am."

"But that doesn't garantee you a sit beside me," he added with an enigmatic eyes. "When I requested for a mistress to your family, that means you have a tendency to be my bride. But the mere beauty and brain you may have isn't enough reason for me to choose you."

"What do you mean?"

"Prove yourself worthy of the crown, I need a queen that can do all out. Can be an adviser, a warrior in times of chaos, can be both a good mother and a wife, a queen, a ruler, a defender and perform all duties well."

My jaw secretly clenched. How can this bastard set a standard this high knowing the fact that he's not really a royalty? He doesn't have the blood of the royal family of Dampierre!

Pero wala akong choice ngayon kundi ang mag-comply sa gusto niyang reyna. Like duuh? Ako na agad ang panalo dahil wala naman sa anim na babaeng nandito ang kaya yung mga sinabi niya.

Ilang minuto akong nakatitig sa pagmumukha niya, ayaw ko man purihin pero pwede na siyang maging tunay na hari sa mukhang meron siya.

His mesmerizing eyes can be an asset, well, his defined nose can compete, too. Let's not just add the sharp jaw line and kissable lips to the choices so women wouldn't have a hard time choosing which part of his face is the best assest to his Adonis-like facade. He surely have the greatest sex appeal among all men I've met but I refused to think that he's the most attractive, irresistible and most gorgeous men on Earth. That's just too fictitious!

Sobrang tangkad niya nga lang at kung hindi lang ako matatag, baka bumagsak nga ako sa nakakapanghina niyang titig. But there's no way I would let him affect me! Let's just enjoy his really attractive and ogling facade.

"I'll do my best to be really, really deserving of the sit beside you, then." I smirked but he remained stone-cold and unreadable. "I'll prove you something more than what you need, your majesty. Because I'm the best woman you could ever call your queen. I'm not included with the choices, believe me."

"Great, then you may start now. You're free to go, I'll see you around." And he sat back to his chair with a morbid face. What's wrong? "I sometimes play and have fun with the Mistresses, don't miss out the fun, Mistress Fortneigh."

That just sounded weird to me. Pero tumango ako at ngumiti bago tumalikod. Pagkalabas ko ng gusali at naglalakad na sa hallway pabalik sa kwarto ko, doon ko lang nailabas ang matitinding emosyon na naramdaman kanina nang makaharap ang hari.

Nanghihina ako, nanginginig at nanlalamig ang mga tuhod at kamay. Parang ang sikip doon sa office niya, naso-suffocate ako. Siguro dahil unang araw pa lang ay nakaharap ko na agad ang anak ng babaeng sumira sa buhay ko noon.

Tiim bagang akong suminghap at binalingan ang hallway na konektado sa office ng hari.

"I will not settle for this, your majesty. Believe me, you'll soon realize that you take a poisonous apple inside the palace. I'll poison you as bad as I could."