Cordelia walks hurriedly home after bringing the packed lunch for her adoptive father. She sighs to herself as she gazes upon the inviting rice field with the crops almost ready for harvest, slowly swaying with a light breeze. She wanted to linger on in the fields but she knew that her stepmother will get upset with her if she will not get back home soon.
She touches her left cheek gently; as she recalls the heavy slap she received from her stepmother that last time she was late. She winces upon remembering the pain of it. With that, her strides become quicker so as to get home faster.
Cordelia can now see her stepmother's silhouette at their house's entrance. Her arms were on her hips while her face had a livid expression.
"What are you doing? Did you daydream again? Or did you perhaps lose your way home? You're such a stupid girl!" Her stepmother growls at her while pulling her by the ear inside the house.
"Stepmother, please, I am sorry. I did my best to walk as fast as I can." Cordelia tries to reason with her but her excuses fall on deaf ears.
"Stop making excuses! You are such a useless girl!" Her stepmother shouts at her as she drags her all the way to their living room and forcibly sits her on the couch.
Cordelia does not dare fight back. She is too scared to be beaten once more.
Her older sister Sofia watches the scene from across the sofa. Sofia merely smirks at her without a single pity on her face. She is used to seeing such scenarios of her stepsister with their mother. Sofia is the real daughter and she gets all the luxury in life. She is treated like a princess with nothing to be bothered about.
Cordelia is adopted by her crop farmer father and mother so that they will have someone to officially slave around without spending a single cent. Cordelia never knew her real parents. They just told her again and again while she is growing up that she is the daughter of some poor lazy couple who died in an accident. They keep reminding her that she is lucky that they took her in. She should be grateful that she has food to eat, clothes to wear, and a house to sleep in.
"So, I have something of great importance to tell you."
Cordelia's train of thought on her sad past is cut short by her stepmother's words. She turns to stare at her sister Sofia who is looking at her with a superior smile.
"Cordelia! Are you even listening to me?" Her stepmother snaps at her in impatience when she does not say any word in response.
"I am so sorry stepmother. What is it that you want to say to me?" Cordelia asks as politely as she can manage as she focuses on her stepmother's face. Her stepmother is now sitting beside Sofia on the sofa.
"Well you see, someone in the palace visited this morning and inquired about my daughter." Her stepmother starts to say calmly.
Cornelia frowns in confusion. What is her stepmother saying?
"What does that have to do with me? I am not your daughter?" She replies still clueless.
"I am not done yet! Stop butting in when I am not through! This is very important!" Her stepmother gives her a sharp glare while Sofia giggles very amused with the situation again.
"The Royal family is searching for a commoner bride for the Prince. They intended him to marry a daughter, not of Royal status. Any girl at the age of sixteen is invited to the palace to meet the Royal family." Her stepmother narrates hurriedly.
In the corner of her eye, Cordelia notices her stepsister Sofia making a smirk. She seems to be amused about something.
"We are obliged to send a daughter to the palace. However, I am not putting my own daughter at the mercy of a prince who seems not interested to marry. Besides, Sofia has Desmond already. She is happy here. Therefore, you should take her place as the option for this marriage!" Her stepmother spills out everything too clearly.
"But mother, do you think they will let Cordelia be one of the candidates? She is so plain and stupid!" Sofia cuts her mother's narration, full of mockery in her tone. She glances at Cordelia ready to add more to ridicule her stepsister.
"Sofia, my daughter, can you please stay out of this? According to rumors, that Prince has a girlfriend but is not liked by his parents. This is the chance for Cordelia to make herself useful. Let her replace you!" Their mother says in finality.
"Cordelia is so ugly and the Prince will surely be disappointed! I do not think she will even be chosen." Sofia adds on but does not go against her mother any further.
"Stepmother I cannot do that! I cannot marry someone I do not love nor have even met?" Cordelia finds her own voice in protest against her stepmother.
"You have no choice in this! The King will punish us if we do not comply with this! You shall go there and meet this Prince in replacement for Sofia!" Her stepmother shouts to Cordelia these words like a death sentence.
Cordelia runs to her room already in tears. She does not care if she receives another beating.
**********************
Cordelia stands in front of the royal family.
The King and Queen sit on their golden thrones. After a long day of screening countless ladies above sixteen, King Rob and Queen Cynthia are so exhausted.
Zoe, the witch, stands a few feet from her, staring like a hawk. This witch is the trusted adviser of the royal family. The witch has been foretelling every prophecy that keeps the King's control of his kingdom very strong.
Cordelia remains in her bowed stance in front of them.
She waits for the King to say something but it is the witch who speaks first.
"So, you are the one I have foreseen. Why did you try to run away?"
The witch steps are closer to her as she speaks and inspects Cordelia's face. She holds her face with both her hands.
"How did you...?" Cordelia cannot hide her shock at how this witch knew that she tried to run away from her home before she was brought to the palace.
Zoe ignores Cordelia's question.
Cordelia can smell the sweet flowery infuse of the witch for her close proximity to her. The witch can see every bruise that was hidden beneath the makeup in an attempt to cover them. Those were the marks of the numerous slaps she received from her stepmother when she was caught trying to leave their house. Her stepmother was so furious with her that she kicked her several times too in her rage that Cordelia might have gotten away from her. The consequence was to bring her immediately to the palace so she will not be able to escape anymore.
"Did you hear my question? Why did you run away?" The witch asks again after Cordelia remained silent.
"I am sorry. I did not intend to displease your highness. I just felt you have the wrong person." Cordelia responds meekly as she turns her gaze to the royal couple.
"You are not to address them directly. I am here to check if you are truly the one I have seen in my foretelling." The witch says in a stern tone.
"Are you saying you are not certain?" The King finally speaks, with a little worry in his voice.
"No, you're highness. I am confident of my skills." Zoe answers quickly as she continues to scan Cordelia meticulously like merchandise.
"Well then, let us see what Prince Bernard thinks about his bride-to-be." It is the turn of the Queen to speak up. She stands and walks to Cordelia with a smile.
Cordelia smiles back. The Queen seems to be nice.
"You can find the Prince in one of the palace chambers. He might be reading some books or taking a rest. Feel free to look around so you will get used to living here." Queen Cynthia instructs Cordelia methodically but affectionately. Even King Rob gives her a smile.
Cordelia does not speak a word. She just bows politely and leaves the room to look for this Prince. She desperately intends to leave that area for she feels suffocated and trapped already.
How can she escape her fate? She tried sneaking out of her home but she failed and got bruises and an abused body as rewards. Why can't she just be free? She does not like to get married to someone she has not even met. Even if he is a Prince, this Bernard is rumored to have a girlfriend. Why can't he marry his girlfriend instead?
Cordelia walks aimlessly at the palace. She can see guards on every corner of this palace. The place is really huge.
After a while, she feels tired of searching and stops to ask one of the guards.
"Kind sir, do you know where Prince Bernard is?" Cornelia chooses to ask a friendly-looking one. This guard looks fatherly.
"Miss, Prince Bernard is through that aisle and in the master's chambers." The guard points his hand towards one of the halls on their right.
"Thank you, sir." Cordelia says and continues to walk in the direction the guard pointed out.
When she goes well further into the hallway, she notices that there are no more guards in sight. She walks carefully and from where she is, she cannot deny the loud moaning of a woman. She stops in her tracks to listen. It is definitely a woman screaming insanely in sexual pleasure! Cordelia gasps to herself. Though she has never done such a thing herself, she oftentimes has heard her stepfather and stepmother that way in their house.
She plans to turn around from where she came from when she heard the woman's voice say…
"Oh Bernard, come on harder, harder. You know how much I love that. Go on, keep on." The woman begs in an excited voice.
Cordelia turns red. She cannot decide if it is out of embarrassment for overhearing such lustful words, or out of anger for discovering that the woman is having sex with the Prince.
This is Prince Bernard? The man she is being forced to marry! How can this be her fate? A very tragic fate she has not chosen but is forced to have.
