Chapter 1 - An Ued Murder *Drip* *Drip* *Drip* The sound of dripping blood became louder and louder as the body hanging from the ceiling slowly emptied its life force. The metallig filled the room, mixing with the musty st of decay. The sound echoed in my mind like a haunting melody, each drop of blood a reminder of the nightmare I had just escaped. I jolted awake, heart rag, only to find myself in my own room, drenched not in blood but in a vibrant pool of spilled juice. The crimson liquid glistened on the floor, a stark trast to the pale marble tiles. Seems like the maids are at it again. I let out a sigh of relief, my pulse slowly returning to normal. These nightmares would never end, but at least this time, reality was a little kinder. As I wiped the sticky mess from the floor, the chatter of the maids drifted up from the stairway, a cacophony of whispers and ughter that grated on my nerves.-Amoria Pace; The Stairway- “Oh my, look at her wearing that dress; it absolutely doesn’t suit her!” one maid scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “I agree! She is not worthy of that beautiful gown,” another chimed in. “Who does she think she is?” Their ughter echoed like the g of metal against metal, sharp and unyielding. I rolled my eyes, pushing the remnants of sleep from my mind. The pace was a gilded cage, and the maids were its most obnoxious inhabitants. If I wahe bao clude without a se, I had to navigate this minefield of gossip with care. As I made my way down the grand staircase, the maids blocked my path, their expressions a mix of mockery and malibsp;“You seem quite happy today. Is it because yoing to meet His Majesty the King and try to please him so you be moved to the Helia Pace?” one maid sneered. “Hey! You filth, speak up! Who do you think yn?” another demanded, her voice rising. “Hurry, let’s go. The knights from the Helia Pace are here to take the prio the ball. If they see us bullying her, we’d get in trouble,” a third maid urged, her eyes darting nervously. “Tsk. We’ll see about you ter, Princess. Have a great time being ignored by His Majesty again. HAHAHA.” Their ughter was a bitter pill, but I refused to swallow it. In a fsh of defiance, I.... *SLAP* I spped one of the maids across the face. “You deserved this,” I said, my voice steady. “WHY! YOU—” she shouted, her indignation rising. Before she could finish, she retaliated, her hand striking my cheek with a sharp sting. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?” a knight bellowed, marg toward us, his armleaming in the dim light. “The maids are edug me, since I’m an illegitimate princess born of unroyal blood. I’m equivalent to them in status, so they find it on to educate me like this,” I replied, my tone dripping with sarcasm. The knight’s frown deepened, and he ordered his men to seize the maids, their faces pale with fear. I couldn’t help but smile as I walked away, the knight esc me toward the carriage that would take me to the Helia Pace.I am an illegitimate Princess of Domino, at least that's what they call me. A nation known for its overwhelming powers of the dragon fme passed down from geion to geion to its direct bloodline. But to everyone's amazement....there is no one in this geion in the royal bloodline who have ied this power. But there have been rumoing around that my younger sister, Isabel has awakened her powers. And at today's ba, it will be firmed! I holy do not have any i in this, because I know nothing good is to arise from this disheveled child born from a e who was nothing more than a mere maid before she killed my mother the Empress and stole her position and status. Even though I'm a legitimate child, everyone siders me illegitimate because it is believed that my mother had a secret affair with another man before she had me. This is just a rumor started by the e. And I know the truth better than anyone else, there was absolutely nothing like that. -Helia Pace; Porte-Cochère- *Knobsp;*Knobsp;“We’ve safely arrived at the Pace, Yhness,” the knight announced from outside the carriage, his voice steady and reassuring. Today was signifit; it was my first appearance before my father, the King, and the high society after eight long years.-Helia Pace; Grand Ba Hall- “Her Highness, Princess Luxana De a Mera Domino, is entering the ballroom!” The Master of Ceremonies’ voied, cutting through the chatter like a sword. The grand ba hall stretched before me, a magnifit expanse adorned with s ceilings that seemed to touch the heavens. Intricate frescoes depicted legendary dragons s through a cerulean sky, their scales shimmering with hues of gold and crimson. Crystal deliers hung like celestial bodies, their prisms casting a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the polished marble floors, refleg the flickering dlelight and illuminating the grandeur of the spabsp;Long tables, draped in flowing white linens, lihe hall, eae den with golden chargers and crystal goblets that sparkled in the soft glow. Eborate terpieces of fresh flowers burst with color, while ptters of roasted meats, spiced pastries, and an array of cheeses beed with their rich, entig aromas. The air was thick with the mingling sts of ary delights, promising a feast fit for royalty. At the far end of the hall, a grand dais rose above the rest, draped in opulent gold and crimson fabrics. The throne, an imposing structure of carved mahogany and gold leaf, awaited its octs, a symbol of the power and legacy they represented. Nobles in their fi attire filled the hall, their ughter and chatter creating a symphony of sound that echoed against the high walls, while the king of gsses and the rustle of silk added to the vibrant atmosphere of this opulent gathering. The urheir eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and disdain. “Oh my God! Look at those vishing reddish-e colored hair!” one noble gasped.“She really resembles the te Empress,” another whispered, their tone ced with envy.“I ’t believe su illegitimate child had the ce to show her fa high society,” a voieered from the babsp;Sigh. It seemed I would bee the topic of their ea parties again. A smirk tugged at my lips; perhaps being the ter of attention wouldn’t be so bad after all. “His Majesty, the King of Domino, Hades Limonizer Vernoke Domino, along with Her Majesty, the Queen Daleyza Limonizer De a Domino and Her Highness, Princess Isabel Limonizer De a Domino, are entering the ballroom,” the Master of Ceremonies announced. *Everyone bows* “You may lift your heads...We meet here today to honor the birthday of this exceptional man who has aplished more than anybody else in this kingdom, and as I—” And there he went, my father, delivering his ludicrous spiel about his owness. I g my stepmother, the Empress, who wore a scowl that could curdle milk. Her mood alpable, thiing the air around us. It must be because the King was expected to firm the rumors today. *After 20 minutes* “Now, let the Birthday Ba begin!” the King decred, his voiing. *Lights shut**Lights open* What just happened? My eyes widened in disbelief. A body y sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around it like a dark halo. Unstoppable Chatter buzzing around the room like a swarm of bees, making it difficult to focus on anything else. The stant noise seemed to fill every er, drowning out all other sounds. “Greetings, Your Majesty. I wish you a very spectacur birthday,” a boy said, his foot resting casually on one of the two lifeless bodies. His eyes sparkled with mischief, as if he were a child pying a game rather than standing amidst a se of horror. “Cillian De Valentine Eriko Elmir! What sort of behavior is this? How dare you ehe Pace without any prior notid it a crime in my Pace right in front of me?!” my father shouted, his face flushed with anger. His face was red with anger, and his voied throughout the grand hall. I could feel the weight of father’s disappoi in him as I stood there, uo speak. Elmir…..Isn't that one of our Enemies? Well I must say, he’s got quite the ce to do something so eous in the grounds of his Empire’s Enemy. Furthermore, he is the son of the Valentine family, one of Elmir's most prestigious and renowned households. I am curious what type of turmoil and flu-like rumors will arise from here on out.To be tinued...