It hurts.

It hurts so much.

Ever since I was young, I've been suffering from an unknown disease.

I used to be healthy and strong. But now, my health is deteriorating. It might be related to the particular birthmark on my chest. I had it since I was born.

My birthmark is a form of ancient marking, they said that it was a lost language as no one could decipher the code. At first, it was harmless. But then the horrifying dark markings began to spread throughout my body, and it was excruciatingly painful to bear.

My parents became afraid of me as they treated me like a monster and shunned me out of the mansion. Even my fiancée cowered in my presence. No one was willing to hear me out as I could only suffer in agony.

It's been almost a year since I became a prisoner of this tower. To be honest, I don't even know how I survived this long. It might've been because the servants of the House Ainsworth would drop by and give a meal three times a day, and a change of clothes under the orders of my parents. Or maybe it was because I didn't want to die in such a morbid place. I'm not sure what was giving me the will to survive when I've lost all the hope there is.

There was nothing much in this place. I only have a bed, a table with a lone chair and a clock hanging on the wall as there is a bathroom next door. My sole source of light was coming from a window that is completely out of my reach. Few steps ahead of me was the door, but it was always locked from the outside. Only the servants at the household has the key as they would use it in order to come inside with my necessities in a daily basis.

It was easy to steal the key, but I didn't had any desire to do so. I can no longer go back to the mansion nor I have anywhere else to go to. I've thought about escaping, but a goal without a plan is merely a delusion. The safest place I could be is to stay within this tower and continue to live the rest of my life in mundanity.

Since my cell is completely empty, I had nothing to cure my boredom, but at least I wasn't restrained. I used to walk throughout the four corners of the room to pass time, but now it was impossible for me to do that kind of leisure anymore.

I eventually lost the strength to move my legs. Even walking became such a tedious task for me. My body gradually weakened as I was getting thinner each day that passed by. I could only lay on the bed as I stare blankly on the ceiling and do nothing for the rest of the day.

To make it worse, I developed an monochromatic vision as I can no longer distinguish hues — everything seemed to appear in black and white. It was like I was living in a world devoid of colors. I felt so hopeless in my feeble condition.

What did I do to deserve such punishment?

I could still remember that these dreadful cursed markings are the retribution of my ancestors' wicked deeds. I kept wondering why is it that I had to be the one to carry this misfortune and suffer for the rest of my life.

I tried praying to the Guardian Deity of this empire, with hopes that my wish would be fulfilled. I wasn't really asking for much. All I ever wanted was to be freed from this curse and regain my health once again.

But it seemed like my attempts were futile. My prayers didn't reached God. It was all for naught.

...Is there anyone who can bring me to salvation? I don't care who it is, I just need someone to free me from this unbearable pain...

Tears began rolling down my cheeks as my pillow were soaked once again. I felt so lonely and miserable. There is no one who I can confide my feelings with. I am isolated inside my own little world.

My eyes darted on the wall as there is a lot of carved markings which indicated how long I've been imprisoned here. Three hundred and sixty-four days to be exact. Once the clock strikes midnight, I will turn into thirteen. The year passed by in a blink of an eye.

...If I knew that my twelfth birthday would be my last time to celebrate a grand party with everyone... I should've had endured this curse just a little bit and enjoyed it...

It's no use to think about the past. Everything is all over. My parents gave me a false sense of security to lower my guard and claimed to love me just because I am the Crown Princess. I wonder if all of it was a lie. It seemed like God is having so much fun while watching me writhe in pain to repay the treacherous sins that I never even committed in my lifetime.

I guess I am hated by life itself. That's why I'm suffering so much.

I was too preoccupied with my thoughts as I didn't noticed that my consciousness faded into a state of nothingness, eventually drifting to a deep slumber.

I kept having the same dream all over again.

I would always find myself lost in a garden filled with roses as the pale moonlight was my only source of brightness. No matter how much I walked throughout this place, I would always find a dead-end blocking my way.

But I prefer to be stuck in this never ending maze. Whenever I'm asleep, there is no need for me to suffer. I can move as freely as I want, but my cursed markings were still there to remind me that my time here would last only for a short time — because once I wake up, I have to continue living in my painful reality once again.

Ever since I became a prisoner of this tower, I began having this fleeting dream and everything seemed to be fabricated. I don't know the reason behind it, but I'm thankful since I am able to enjoy a little bit of freedom that was taken away from me in my waking world. Even though I don't recognize this place, at least in here, I'm not held in the tower though I still can't get out of this huge garden.

Both in my dreams and reality, I am still a prisoner.

I decided not to dampen my evening stroll as I stopped for a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature. Whoever is tending this garden, I could easily tell how much they love and care for these roses. It was such a shame that I can no longer distinguish its color.

Though I knew what the color of the sky is, how green the grasses were, and the pastel-like shades of the flowers. But now, it's like I'm living in a monochromatic world. Everything is devoid of life.

While I was busy pondering, I heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes as I looked down to see what it was, and saw a small slithering snake near my bare feet.

"AAAAH!" I screamed on top of my lungs as I accidentally kicked the snake out of impulse. I began running away from it since I was afraid that it might chase after me and bite me.

Yes. I have an Ophidiophobia. It is an abnormal fear of snakes, and mine happens to be in a severe case. I salute those courageous people who can handle snakes well without even being shaken. The mere sight of it makes my skin crawl.

I couldn't tell what color it is to determine if the snake is venomous or not, but I am completely aware of how reckless it was to kick it. That's why I'm running as fast as my legs could take me so it won't counterattack me. My body reacted even faster than my brain could.

I encountered a snake for the first time when I was just six years old. My fiancée and I were sauntering throughout the Imperial Garden as we stumbled upon a poisonous rattlesnake with banded colored patterns of yellow, brown and black on its scales.

The reptile suddenly bit my ankle as the venom paralyzed me, rendering my movements. Fortunately, the Crown Prince sucked the poison out of my system and immediately got me treated by the court doctors and pharmacist. I think that was the beginning of my immense fear of snakes.

I could still remember his adorable crying face as he held my hand tightly while I was resting in the clinic. He was so worried about my well-being that he refused to leave my side until I get better.

My beloved fiancée, Prince William, who I was deeply infatuated with. I wonder if he was just being kind to me because I was the Crown Princess? He probably thought it was his obligation to shower his 'unconditional' affection for me. But I can no longer go back to those day of happiness again.

It was such an irony that I am so afraid of snakes even though serpents are the animal symbol in our family's emblem. My parents, especially my mother liked to keep them as pets. She has an Ophidiophilia, an attraction to snakes.

I eventually ceased to run when I confirmed that I've already lost sight of the snake. A sigh of relief escaped my chapped lips as for once, I felt lucky since it didn't chased after me. I still hope it wouldn't suddenly appear out of nowhere and attack me.

I decided to continue sauntering throughout the garden aimlessly after the bizarre appearance of the reptile. It's not like I can go anywhere either. I've already grown weary of the same routine, I wanted to go somewhere nice for a change of pace. Outside this garden, there is a huge mansion. I've been wandering here for almost a year, but I can only look at it from afar since I cannot find the way out of here.

"I wonder if there is really someone living at that mansion." 

I suddenly heard an alarming hissing sound as my body froze. The clicking noise of the snake rattling its tail against the ground became even louder.

Slither. Slither. Slither. 

My pulse quickened as a temporary paralyzing fear overwhelmed me as I turned around and saw a pair of elliptical, slit-like eyes, resembling a cat, glowing in a golden color.

Wait — golden?! 

I rubbed my eyes since I'm clearly aware of the fact that I can no longer perceive any tincture. For a split moment, I thought my eyes were miraculously cured, but everything except the reptile is still in black and white. The snake has a glamorous silvery scales and I realized that it was an albino monocled cobra. I've seen it in a book before as I know that it is a highly dangerous snake.

"I-I'm..." I slowly backed away as I held an eye-contact with it. My lips quivered as my entire body trembled in fear. "S-Sorry! I-I-I didn't... m-mean to... h-hurt you!"

My tears started welling up as I wasn't sure if I could experience pain inside my dream or will it have an side-effect once I wake up. Though, I don't want to experience it either.

"...I-I was... just s-scared!" I could feel my tears streaming down my cheeks as my body refused to listen to me. I was too afraid to move even though I desperately wanted to run away.

It began slithering towards me as I was surprised that it just went past me. A wave of relief splashed all over me as I was so terrified. But how come I was able to determine its color?

Even if I'm very curious about the logic behind it, I wasn't brave enough to follow it. Call me a coward, but I had an terrible experience with it.

For as long as I could remember being held up here, I haven't seen any animal wandering in this garden. How come a snake would suddenly appear now? The garden was so well-maintained that I could not even spot any pests.

I probably should just forget about it. You know what they say, ignorance is a bliss. The less I know, the better it goes for me.

Pushing my thoughts aside, I continued strolling throughout the garden and something alike of a silver caught my eye. I realized that it was the very same white snake that I saw earlier. It was just a few steps ahead of me.

I flinched when the albino monocled cobra suddenly hissed at me as it began moving ahead. Don't tell me... The snake waited for me? Is it expecting me to follow it?

There was an intersection of three different pathways as the reptile went in the middle. I was about to walk into the left one, hoping to lose it, until the white snake hissed at me once again. It was kind of odd for me to assume, but I feel like the snake was telling me to continue following it.

Since I was afraid of what it might do to me, I decided to go after it. I don't know where it was going, but I didn't had anything better to do either. There was nothing here in this garden that could provide any sort of entertainment for me. Only a monotonous breathtaking scenery.

I decided to abide in the snake as I kept a distance of exactly ten meters away from it for safety precautions. I have been walking for awhile now and I still have no idea where the reptile was taking me.
It took me for a few minutes to realize that the house I was gazing at earlier was getting closer in view.

"N-No way..." I gaped in surprise as the white snake led me out of the maze and the mansion was within a few steps ahead of me. It was hard for me to believe since it's been such a long time that I was trapped inside that garden. I don't know why it went out of its way to help me.

Though I couldn't help but stare at the view in front of me. A derelict huge mansion stood before me, repugnant and moldy. The house was tall and thin as it gave me a creepy vibe. It was towering over me as if attempting to intimidate me. It had a unique architecture, made from large cobblestones. There were a peerlessly twisted fencing that kept the house enclosed, neatly trimmed hedges surrounded it. The roof was peaked, slanting down at an angle. There was also a broken glassed arched window at the second floor and a few rectangular windows nailed with plank woods. I could see lights illuminating from the windows which indicated that there was someone inside.

This seemed to be a haunted run-down mansion that was abandoned by its owner. I could feel a lump formed in my neck as it was hard for me to swallow. My lips quivered in fear as I was reluctant to enter such a frightening place.

The white snake slithered through the gaps of the iron fences as the gates suddenly opened and it crawled towards the battened and ledge door which was the main entrance of the mansion.

I felt reluctant to trespass in an unknown territory. It was a normal human instinct to get a little bit frightened of entering a haunted house. There might some who are not afraid, but unfortunately, I am not one of those brave people.

I was about to lift my foot and turn away when I suddenly heard a mysterious voice inside my head as my ears began ringing.

"When will you stop being afraid? Are you going to live for the rest of your life holed up in your shell? Is that the future you desire?"

I don't who was speaking to me and how they were doing it, but it was giving me a terrible headache. My knees crashed on the ground as I held my forehead within my palm.

"Who are you?!" I screamed hysterically as my headache became intolerable and tears began cascading down my eyes. "I don't know who you are but please... I'm begging you, stop doing this to me! I already suffered enough in reality... I don't want to feel any pain at least in my dreams!"

I could feel my consciousness gradually fading as my head continued throbbing in pain. I bit my lower lip in frustration as I can no longer understand the logic behind this strain. This was the first time that I had suffered in my dream.

"I really thought that you would be the one, but it seems like I was sorely mistaken..."

Those were the last words that I heard before regaining back my consciousness.

My eyes fluttered open as the first thing that I saw was the same stoned ceiling in my room. I slowly sat up on my bed and noticed a beam of sunlight trespassing from the window above. It was already morning and today is September 11 — my thirteenth birthday. A year has finally passed by which marked how long I had been staying here.

I noticed that my head stopped throbbing as I could also no longer hear my ears ringing. A sigh of relief escaped my lips, but the pain which was inflicted by the cursed markings immediately kicked in my system. It was too naive of me to think that it would all go away.

I heard a loud knock against the door as it eventually opened after inserting a key in the hole. It was one of the oldest servants from the manor as the elderly head steward entered the cell and placed a tray of breakfast on the wooden table along with a change of clothes.

"Thank you..." I murmured softly, but it was loud enough for him to hear. The servant flinched as he heard my hoarse voice.

I noticed him trembling in fear as he couldn't dare to look straight into my eyes. "Y-You're welcome, Milady..." He stuttered while hanging his head low.

"You may leave now." I told him, keeping my voice low so I won't intimidate him. He immediately scurried out of the tower and locked the door before leaving.

I hated the way they looked at me with so much fear within their eyes. Why were they so afraid? I did nothing wrong for them to act like that towards me. Is it because I'm cursed? I never even asked for this misfortune in the first place!

I thought I was already used to the fact that I am nothing more than an object of fear to them, but it truly infuriates me. I am innocent! Why must they looked at me with so much contempt in their eyes. I am not an epitome of evil nor a vicious monster... I am only a human being with a cursed fate... I am the one who is suffering... Why can't anyone help me relieve this pain? It hurts so much and it's driving me insane!

I tried gathering my strength to stand up as my legs began wobbling, and I eventually crashed against the cemented ground. Since I couldn't walk properly, I decided to crawl towards the table.

"Damn it, I should've told the servant to give it to me personally." I gritted my teeth in frustration of my hopeless situation, but I knew that I couldn't ask him such a favor since he was terrified of me.

I finally reached the table as I lifted myself up and took a seat on the chair. I lowered my gaze on the tray as my giddy mood instantly dropped. It was the same meal. A cold soup and stale bread with a glass of water.

I am the only daughter of the House Ainsworth, but this is what they serve to a noble lady?! How ludicrous!

Are my parents even aware of how these incompetent servants mistreated me?! To think that today is even my birthday is so hilarious! I'm already used in eating a meal that lacks nutritional value, but I thought that today they would at least serve something different.

Who am I kidding? I am merely a filthy prisoner! Why did I expected that I would be given a special treatment just because it is my birthday? I'm such a fool...

Since I can't go against my insatiable hunger, I decided to eat the leftovers that they gave me. Tears rolled down my cheeks as the food tastes terrible.

"This is the worst birthday ever..."