That sight, that horrendous sight, how can I ever forget it?
'Father, I'm the princess. I'm the real princess! Please! Please father believe me!'
But he doesn't. Father doesn't believe me. He just looks down at me in disgust.
'You are not my daughter.', Father says in a voice full of barely contained anger. 'What proof do you have?'
What proof do I have? That's right, I don't have any. Most things, we know they exist because they are right in front of us, they are never wrong, like the sky and ocean. But me? I'm only Yuri. What's the proof that I'm the real princess?
I look over to brother. No, wait. Is he even my real brother? Looking at me with such cold eyes, what sort of brother looks at his sister like that? Only the most pathetic ones. But he doesn't look at Erzin like that. He looks at her with such love filled eyes.
Am I really the princess?
I drop my head as tears stream down my eyes. I cry silently, but then I eventually get up.
But wait. Why, is Erzin smiling like that? She mouths something to me. 'I'm glad you'll be gone soon.'
I feel my heart sinking. What?
I turn to Father, to Brother, surely they saw that right? But they didn't. Their eyes are transfixed on me, both of them looking at me with those icy cold eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, how much I had longed for them, so I could prove I was the real princess. The same eyes that look at Erzin with so much love, why couldn't they have looked at me the same way?
'Very well then Father', I say, making my decision. 'If you don't accept me as your daughter then, I shall leave you.'
I bow, the elegant bow I had spent three months to master, before I burst into purple flames. Erzin and Ciel's eyes widen, but Father's eyes remain the same, and he covers Erzin's eyes.
That affectionate gesture, I really wish Father had loved me….
______________________
I'm scrubbing the floor. Scrubbing it with all my might.
Ever since that day, I thought my pathetic life had ended, but no. I had regressed, back to when I was six. At the time, I was in an orphanage, that was where father found me.
I was often abused in the orphanage, and so were the other kids. In fact, I had named myself, "Yuri". In the ancient language, Yuri means "Beauty". I had just thought it was a pretty name so I stuck with it, but no one in the orphanage knows my name anyway.
Father will find me three months from now, but I have no intention of going to him. Father can go to hell for all I care.
In my previous life, I tried so hard to be the perfect princess that I became a swordsman. I had even gone as far as to perfect my Magic abilities. But what was the result? I got thrown aside, like a worthless doll. It just…hurts now, to think I worked so hard and this is how I got treated in return.
In a few months, the Archduke will come here to look for a kid. But there's a slight problem. He comes after Father, which means I'll need to make sure Father does not look in my eyes at all costs.
My mother, Serena, had amethyst-colored eyes. She was the last descendant of her clan, and a rare beauty. I inherited mom's amethyst eyes, and her purple hair. I was a mini copy of her. This alone should have been enough to prove that I was the princess, but it wasn't enough for father. Why? Well, because of my mana.
Mom was a great magician with a lot of mana, whereas me, I barely had enough mana to kill a fly. But I trained, trained so that my mana could finally be the same as moms, and I finally achieved it.
But Father? Hah! He said that since I 'wasn't born with the mana' I wasn't his real daughter. He isn't that stupid, I know he isn't. He just hates me because mom died while giving birth to me. I'm pretty sure he never even wanted me to begin with.
A few months later
The Emperor comes to the orphanage with his eldest kid, Ciel. We all bow when they enter. Of course, no one in the orphanage knows how to bow, but they try. I of course, know how to bow, I'm a master at it. Yet I do it poorly, so I don't stand out.
I've used my magic to change my eye color. My hair color is rare, but other people have it too. Besides, no one in the orphanage remembers my real eye color anyway.
As Father and Brother go past, Father stops and looks at me.
'Lift your head', he says in a, kind tone. To me? That doesn't suit him, not to me anyway.
I look up, my now brown eyes meeting his. 'I greet his Highness', I say in a scared tone and an awful attempt at a bow.
Father looks at me and his eyes drop, drop for a second in sadness but he quickly hides it.
He shakes his head and continues.
Brother glances at me too, but only for a split second before he looks away.
Soon after, the two leave, and I sigh in relief.
The last time I was discovered was because Father had sensed a small bit of my mana (my appearance too of course), yet this time I hid it.
Good job myself
Last time, they weren't so desperate, so sad, yet this time, they're looking so pathetic.
That knowledge, it's comforting. Really comforting.
2 months later the Archduke Sigren comes to visit, with his wife Lady Rose and eldest son, Theodore.
But this time, since the director forgot about their visit they don't have a proper greeting.
When I hear a knock on the door, I immediately open it and am met with the Hawthorn family.
'Ah hello!', I say in a cheery voice. 'How may I help you?'
Lady Rose looks at me and says in a gentle voice, 'Hello dear, we're here to meet the director of the orphanage. May we know where he is?'
'Oh him?', I say in a bubbly voice. 'I believe he's in his office right now. Should I take you there?'
Archduke Sigren nods and I begin leading them to the director's office. Since I'm so tiny I'm really slow.
Archduke Sigren turns to Lady Rose. 'Um Dear', he says in a half-amused voice. 'Shouldn't I just carry her there?'
Lady Rose chuckles and says, 'Yes I suppose that is a good idea.'
Archduke Sigren turns to me, 'Urm kid, can I carry you?'
'Sure!', I reply in a bubbly voice as he picks me up, and goes to the director's office according to my directions.
'What's your name?', Theodore asks me.
'Yuri', I reply.
Lady Rose turns to me, 'That's a beautiful name Yuri.'
'Really?', I ask. 'I just named myself because I thought it was a pretty name.'
Archduke Sigren stops for a second then continues walking.
'You, named yourself?', he asks.
'Yup', I reply in a bubbly voice. 'I read in a book that it means Beauty, so I decided to name myself Yuri!'
As soon as we arrive in the director's office, I attempt to get down but Archduke Sigren holds me up. He knocks, but only for a split second before entering.
The director looks up, shocked. He's a thin man in his 40's, with a receding hairline, and a bushy blond mustache. The second everyone is inside, he instantly stands up from his desk, probably having just come back from the "Pleasure District" which is half an hour anyway.
'Ah m-my lord', he says in a slightly drunken voice. 'I-It's a pleasure to see you! I'm sorry I forgot about your visit. Here, p-please sit on the sofa!'
We all sit and Archduke Sigren makes me sit on his lap.
'S-So', says the director. 'I shall bring you some children and you can see which one to adopt!' He begins running to the door but Archduke Sigren stops him.
'No, it's ok', he says. 'I'm going to adopt this child.' He gestures to me.
Mission success!
The director looks in disbelief. 'Um milord, there are many other children. Why don't you adopt one of them? I mean I-', he pauses for a second and looks at me. 'I don't even know this child!'
Lady Rose says in a calm voice, 'Yes well we will still like to adopt Yuri, I suppose you don't mind right?'
The director immediately straightens and says, 'Yes milady! I'll bring the adoption papers immediately!'
After 20 minutes I'm now part of the 'Hawthorn' family.
Archduke Sigren, or I suppose 'Father', puts the pen down and says. 'Very well then. Now that the procedure is complete we shall head back.'
He carries me in his arms but as he gets up I say, 'But daddy, the director, you should arrest him first.'
Father turns to me, 'Why is that Yuri?'
I whisper in his ear, 'The director abuses children.'
Character Appearances
The Emperor (Sigrid)
He has neat blond hair and icy blue eyes. He is currently 30.
Ciel
Same as Emperor, but his hair is quite messy. He is currently 10
Erzin
She has red hair and blue eyes. She is currently 5.
Empress (Erzin's mother) Saki
She has red hair and pink eyes. She is currently 25.
Archduke Sigren
He has messy black hair and dark blue eyes and is currently 33
Lady Rose
She has creamy pink hair and same-colored eyes. She is currently 32
Theodore
He has messy black hair creamy pink eyes. He is currently 12.
Yuri
She has long curly purple hair and amethyst eyes. She is currently 6.
Serena (Yuri's mother)
She has long curly purple hair and amethyst eyes. She was 24 when she 'died' giving birth to Yuri.