Chapter 2 It's him again chapter 2

"My lady, it's time to wake up". My nanny's nagging voice pulled me out of my sleep.

Can't I sleep for a while? I questioned her in annoyance.

Gwen got closer to my bed. "Princesses must follow royal rules and etiquette…."

I pulled the quilt over my head, completely covering my face to delay starting this dreaded day, and spoke, Etiquette is for those who will marry for the kingdom's sake and make the King and Queen proud. Not like I will marry anyone ever.

Despite my answer, Gwen tried to pull the quilt. Still, my lady needs to be ready. It's an important day in the palace.

Not for me, I resisted.

The pull on the quilt suddenly ceased, so I took a peek, only to see something that I didn't like.

Gwen had stepped back, her fingers twirling, and her eyes focused on them. White fog appeared surrounding her fingers.

What are you doing? I asked, despite knowing what she was up to.

"My last resort is to get my lady out of bed," Gwen replied.

I clearly remember what she did the last time. I was thrown out of bed, and it was humiliating.

Wait, wait!  I jumped out of my bed. With a frown, I couldn't help but complain. I can't believe I'm the princess, and you are the servant.

Gwen crossed her arms, and the fog on her fingers disappeared. My lady, your bath is ready.

When I stepped inside the bath, as usual, Gwen stepped in as well to help me.

I removed my sleeping gown and had nothing except for the permanent veil covering the lower part of my face. Despite my reluctance, I gingerly lowered myself into the wooden tub filled with steaming hot water.

Do witches love their children too?

Gwen smiled warmly. All mothers are the same.

She wouldn't have abandoned me if she loved me.

Everyone has their reasons. As always, she didn't sympathize with me and took the side of the person whom no one ever saw.

Leave me alone.

After saying that, I got comfortable inside the hot water tub as I rested my back on the wooden wall and stretched my legs.

Gwen left as instructed, finally giving me time to soak. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth on my skin.

After a few moments of brief relaxation, I felt something pulling me down into the water. I gasped as a strange force pulled me away.

My eyes opened in shock, only to find myself no longer in my wooden tub but deep underwater and a tall figure had held my right hand tightly.

I looked around in panic.

Though mild sunlight touched the water surface, it was not enough to clearly see the tall figure's face.

A man?  I concluded after regaining my senses.

My free hand moved to secure the veil on my face in fear that the mysterious stranger would remove it. The veil in itself didn't matter to me, but it was a reflex of the teaching that I got since I was a child. Not to take off the veil and not let anyone else take it off.

However, before I could touch the veil, the stranger caught my other hand as well. He was so close, but I couldn't see his face. The only thing I could notice in the darkness was the glittering tattoo on one side of his neck.

Seeing that tattoo, I screamed inside, my eyes round with pleasant surprise.

"It's him!"

I didn't feel scared. Instead, I was excited about meeting him again.

The curiosity to see his face took over my rational thoughts.

I moved my gaze from his tattooed neck to his face. In the darkness, two red eyes shone.

"Red eyes?"

I could feel those fierce red eyes staring into mine.

This was my chance to see his face clearly, especially since he continued to grasp both of my hands.

Unfortunately, a distant yet familiar female voice called out, "My lady".

The voice pulled me away from his grasp. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself the same as before; I was inside my tower, soaking in my tub as if I had never left.

Was it a dream?  I wondered and looked at my wrists.

They had faint red marks, and I could still feel the stranger's touch lingering on my skin. The way he held it so tightly almost pained me.

"If it's not a dream, then what is it?" I thought.

Gwen had come in to add scented herbs to the water, and I cursed her in my mind for her bad timing. Because of her, I couldn't see the man again.

But why was he staring at me like that? Who is he? Does he know me? Countless questions filled my mind.

I got out of the bath after a while, and Gwen helped me into a silk robe.

I sat in front of the dressing table to let her do her work on my appearance. From the large oval mirror, I could see our reflection. She started drying my hair while I stared at my veil-covered face. I yearned to take it off but couldn't.

Am I that ugly to keep my face covered all the time?

Gwen let go of my hair and did something with her fingers. The veil fell from my face to my lap.

She looked at me through the mirror. "My lady can decide for herself."

I looked at my face, not knowing what to think. How can I decide when I don't know what pretty is?

"My lady can compare it to the other princesses."

Gwen referred to the other daughters of my father, my so-called stepsisters.

It's better to be ugly if my looks need to be compared with them, I retorted.

Gwen smiled lightly. "A woman with such beautiful and rare purple eyes, how can she not be pretty?"

Then why do I always have to cover my face?  I asked, picking up the veil from my lap.

"To protect you, my lady."

I know, but from whom?

Gwen didn't answer, and there was a silence for a while.

When she finished drying my hair, she started to put makeup on my face.

Do I even need it? What's the use when no one can see my face?  I mumbled.

"Half of the face they can," Gwen replied.

I frowned. Then only put makeup on half of it.

Gwen brought out the newly-arrived gown prepared for today's occasion, which the King sent along with lots of jewelry to match.

Though I was an abandoned daughter, my father, King of Ceredigion, made sure to provide everything for me.

Since I was young, I had always wondered if he truly cared for me or if his actions were meant to save his face in front of others by showing that he treats his daughter well even though she was a witch. Perhaps he might not like to embarrass himself if I were to be seen wearing shabby clothes by the rest of the kingdom.

Gwen helped me put the ice-colored silk gown on me. The multi-layered gown was long enough to reach the floor, and it had delicate embroidery made using soft silver and dark blue threads on its hems. It fitted my body perfectly; the round neck, as well as the ribbon at the waist.

Lastly, I wore a long-sleeved floor-length outer robe made with a delicate see-through fabric, which was left open in the front to let the gown inside be visible.

Once Gwen made sure I was ready, she put on the spell again and tied the veil to my face. The white veil changed its color to match with my ice blue gown.

Even though I had seen her cast this spell several times before, it was something I could not do on my own. I wondered if I could do this kind of magic on myself and change my life completely.