Where to start a story like this? A story of a woman losing everything. I think it should be a good idea to start this story at the very beginning. The day I was born into this cruel world.
It was the early morning of the 19th of January 1914. A cold monday morning, as my mother used to tell me. Snow had been falling from the sky, all windows had been frozen and all fireplaces in the castle had been in use.
I was born into a wealthy family of high social status, the first child of Cesare Dimitrescu and his wife Mariana Dimitrescu. I could have been the blessing of god, as my dear parents used to tell me, but unfortunately I was a girl and there was a war about to come...

"My Lord?", the butler announced himself at the door, as his master had not reacted to him knocking. Lord Dimitrescu was standing behind his desk, arms crossed behind his back, his ganz had wandered out of the window, far, far away over his lands covered in white snow. Stars adorned the night sky and the moon was shining in its full beauty.

The Lord had noticed, that the moon was changing this night. He was different. Not because it was a full moon, but because he was colored in a crimson red.

It was a bad omen, the Lord thought as he watched the bloody moon rising.

A fire burned in the fireplace, cracking and dancing in an orange and red dress, giving its warmth to the room.

The Lord had always been a handsome looking man with his dark ravenblack hair that was falling onto his shoulders, his neat beard and his green eyes. One could say his facial features were a bit harsh and unfriendly looking, but this was thanks to him smiling rather rarely. Nothing seemed to brighten him up these days. He was dressed in his uniform in black, a golden ring adorning his middle finger on the right.

Lord Dimitrescu turned around to face his butler without saying a word. With a gesture of his hand he allowed his servant to continue. "The Lady has given birth this early morning",the butler seemed nervous despite the happy news. Cesare's mood seemed to lighten up a bit as he walked around his desk, hands still folded behind his back. "Is it a boy?", he asked, a rare smile on his lips. The butler lowered his head as if he had to tell his lord that someone of great meaning to him had died. "No, my Lord. Lady Mariana has given birth to a girl."

For a moment the smile of the lord fated away. Indeed, the moon had been a bad omen. He tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment and continued smiling. "Well", he said with his deep voice,"I wish to see her." The butler bowed and waved his hand to the door. "This way, my Lord.", he said and waited until he had passed, before standing straight again and closing the door behind him.

Together they walked through the halls of his castle. The walls were covered in blue satin tapestries, adorned with silver ornaments. The floor was made of expensive wood, shining like glass. The windows were high, nearly reaching the ceiling. The Lord personally liked the ceiling most, because of the mystic ornaments, showing masks, flowers and the sun, a sign of his power. The red moonlight shone through the high windows, making the Lords smile rather sinister.

The butler opened the door at the end of the hall, stepping in and bowing slightly in front of his Mistress. "His lordship, my lady. He wishes to see his daughter."

The lord entered, observing the room without smiling the slightest. The maidens, taking care of his wife, bowed and left immediately. There was a moment of silence, before he stepped closer to the bed dominating the large room. Cesare sat down, kissing his wife on her forehead, before taking his child in his arms.

She was a beautiful little being with black curls, pale skin and green eyes. "She takes after her father.", the Lady of the house said, trying to lighten up the mood. Cesare brushed his thumb over his daughter's cheeks. He smiled, but he could not help himself to feel a little regret. This day could have been the day where all his problems could have been fated away.
"I am so sorry",Mariana said to break the uncomfortable silence, "I promised you a son and heir." Cesare sat down on the edge of her bed again, giving her a loving kiss on the forehead. "It's not your fault. She will be a perfect young lady and will serve her family by marrying. We are young, my dear. Chances are high that you will give the gift of life to many sons after her." He looked back at his daughter, who slept peacefully in his arms. Mariana sat up a bit. "You are right. I promise to raise her well, so she knows her status. When the time comes she will make us as proud."

The Lord nodded and gave his daughter a kiss, but he knew he would never love her like a son. His firstborn was a female, not able to continue the family line, not able to carry on the old name Dimitrescu.

His eyes wandered through the room, looking at an old portrait, which was covered with linen. The Lord stood, taking the linen off of the painting, immediately looking into his mother's eyes. He adored and hated her. He loved her for giving him the opportunity to live, but hated her for being an only child. He nearly had lost his family name to that of his father... Cesare was ashamed, but he associated his daughter with his mother, with the fear of losing his name.

Again he looked down at his daughter, who now opened her eyes once again. He did not see his eyes, but the eyes of his mother. "She should be named Alcina", he said. Mariana was caught a bit off guard. "After your mother?", she asked in pure disbelief.

He did not answer her, but gave his daughter back to her mother. "I will leave tomorrow morning.", he announced and walked towards the door. "What? But..." He cut her off. "I have an important business to attend to. In Romania.", without any further explanation he left his wife alone.

The woman, now alone with her newborn, was trying to hold back her tears. "Why?", she whispered, those hot tears finally running down her face. "Why couldn't you be a boy? You could have been the blessing of God", she cried, looking into the old, gold framed mirror hanging across the room. Her brown curls falling onto her hips, her lips being pale, her eyes a light blue. She was dressed in a white nightgown. She did not look like the mother of this child.

Her ganze felt back onto the girl in her arms. "Alcina...", she repeated the name her husband gave her. She swallowed all the sadness within herself. At least she tried while looking up at the wooden ceiling, tears still falling down her cheeks. The candle's light was not enough to fully light the room, giving the scene a dramatic atmosphere.

Mariana looked at the portrait of the woman, looking like her daughter, but grown. A proud woman with black hair, white skin, red lips and green eyes. Those eyes seemed to look deep into her soul, seemed to judge her as if she knew that she was not able to love her firstborn. The Lady felt uneasy and backed away from the porait.

Suddenly the cracking of glass could be heard. The wind had somehow broken one window and now the frozen air was blowing away the royal blue curtains. The crimson light of the moon entered the room, shining directly onto the portrait, hanging on the wall.

The Landy was still staring into her mother in laws eyes as Alcina began to crie loudly, surprised by the loud noises of the breaking window.

She would give birth to a boy, she thought, trying to calm her daughter down. She had to. Otherwise she would not be able to forgive herself...