Silence. Darkness. Never-ending darkness surrounds me as I stand not knowing where I am and how exactly I get here.

Am I dreaming? Where am I?

Blinding light suddenly appeared in front of me, covering my eyes, seconds later, hearing a child - a young girl laughing, wholeheartedly. Sudden warmth engulf my whole body. I was safe. At ease and felt like I've been here before, like I'm at home.

Dropping my hands, I was standing on the garden, different flowers and grass occupies every inch of the garden floor, pebble pathway leading to the beautiful fountain at the center - a single stream of water which shoots out from the top of the fountain, landing like a spray, in the basin below, the tall trees standing magnificently - its canopy casting a shadow on the ground.

As the wind gently blows, hearing how the flowers dances gracefully and the trees rustles. Birds can be seen flying, chirping, and some in their nest with their young. Hearing the girl laugh again, I turned towards the sound. She was sitting on the grass, her hands softly running through the fur of the stunning white coat dog - a Samoyed. The dog was laying on the ground with its head resting comfortably on the lap of the girl, eyes closed and tail wagging.

The girl chuckled again, looking at her. Heart-shaped face enclosed with a peculiar color of titanium hair - like metallic, cool, silvery, and striking. Rosy cheeks. Full, thick eyebrows. Purple Eyes. Button Nose and pink heart-shaped lips - she was beautiful.

Blinking my eyes, startled as everything changes. The girl was obviously happy. She had a father, who is stern-looking but honest, a handsome man he was. A loving mother who is infinitely benevolent and a beautiful woman. The girl was the very spitting image of her mother. She was an only child. And of course, their family dog.

A happy family they were. At least that was until the father - a lowly baron, sold the little girl's mother to a high-ranking aristocrat and killed the poor dog. Anger immediately consumes my heart. As the scene in front of me continues, I was left standing there watching everything unfold in front of me.

Hearing the girl whimper, hiding at the corner of the room, her father staggered inside, looking at the child with so much anger. "Those eyes... Don't look at me with those eyes. The look in your eyes is the same as that whore. You're the same." He said, voice raspy and slurry. Gasping as he grabbed the collar of the girl, lifting the poor trembling girl in the air. "Your fucking mother from the start had another man!" He added, venomously.

"Are you even my kid?!" He asked as he lifts his hand and begin to strike the girl without mercy. Tears stream down my cheeks - I can't move, I can't speak, and I can't protect the girl. I feel so helpless. What was once a joyous laughter was now filled with tears and painful groans.

Beaten black and blue, littered with countless wounds, the little girl's body had to endure every single one of them alone. Abruptly closing my eyes, as the scene moved forward. Slowly opening my eyes, it was already after 3 years, her mother returned to her. To say the girl was beyond happy was an understatement.

Smiling, seeing her smile again. The girl cried and cried to her mother as they engulf each other with hug - missing each other's warmth. The door opened, the father entered, he was happy seeing his wife again. "Kerensa! Is it really you? You came back?" He asked and immediately ran towards her and engulf them with an embrace.

It seemed that the misfortune had finally ended. However, this was only the beginning of the girl's tragic fate. A fate in which even she couldn't have seen coming. Her mother was sitting on a rocking chair gently resting her hand above her protruding belly, sunken cheeks, dark circles underneath her eyes, pale complexion, and a very thin body.

Her mother lovingly looked at her, noticing how her daughter hesitates, "It's okay, do you want to come and touch my belly?" She softly asked, the girl approached her mother and gently placed her head on her mother's belly. The girl smiled brightly, feeling something moved.

Both mother and child startled as the door slammed open. The father entered, holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand, the wood floor creaking by his heavy stomp. Hearing him hiccup and his face red as he was obviously under the influence of alcohol.

"Bram... You said you wouldn't drink again." her mother said, holding the trembling girl beside her. My breath hitched as he throws the bottle and the mother quickly dodges it. "What the hell are you trying to say? You dirty whore... Suddenly appear in front of me again with another bastard's kid in your stomach." He said, voice full of rage.

Kicking the chair, and grabbing harshly her hair, "You should've died! How the hell did you come back alive?!" He shouted, slamming her on the ground, "You really think I am that stupid?!" He added and grabbed her again. "Bram. Don't be like this. Please." She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The little girl embraces the leg of her father, "Father, please stop." She begged, "Father, please!" She added, kicking his daughter, a whimper escapes the little girl, biting my lips as different emotions swirled inside me - mainly anger and pity for them.

He dragged her inside a room, locked the door as the girl quickly stands up, racing towards the closed door. Her small hands banging the door, requesting him to open it, hearing how her mother beg for mercy as her father mercilessly hit her.

The girl drops on the floor, hearing her mother let out a painful scream. Her small body trembles, worried and fear engulf her. Stuck in a maze of emotions and surrounded by darkness. The little girl was desperately trying to find an exit. "Please, please... stop... stop..." She cries, covering her ears with her hands.

She hoped that the darkness would have sympathy and swallow her up. Hours later, slowly approaching her bed ridden mother, her mother looked at her and forced a smile. "I'm okay, Davia." She whispered to her daughter weakly, bruises littered her face and body.

The little girl stared at her mother as she coughs, red liquid came out of her mouth, some splatter on the little girl's face. "Mother the medicine... I'll get the medicine..." She said, panicky.

Please don't die. Please, mother. Don't leave me alone again.

Her thoughts were screaming it as she dashes. The sharp blades of grass dug into her feet and covered it with small wounds. But compared to the anxiety of being swallowed by the darkness that was always watching her, she ignored it - all of it.

Panting as she frantically looked around the market - a troubled expression plastered on her face. Her eyes found an herbal store, swallowing a lump on her throat, she quickly grabs a handful of herbs, "You rascal what are you doing?!" the vendor shouts.

As she runs away, tripping at the rock causing for her to fall. It was already night when she escapes the vendor, her small body full of bruises, her right eye swollen, a purple bruise appearing, busted lips, blood on her white shirt. Without mercy, the little girl run relentlessly with the herb securely on her hand.

"Just a little more... Wait for me a little longer, mother." She mumbled and increased her speed. Mustering and squeezing out all of her strength to reach the end of this long darkness. "I'll bring it to you, mother. Please don't die..." She added.

But what made her drop into a bottomless pit of despair was not darkness. Rather it was the flames that devoured everything whole. Covering my mouth seeing the house on fire, a flash of memory as I witnessed the same thing.

Looking back at the girl, fear and loneliness of being left alone was on her face. "M-mother." She mumbled. She dropped to her knees as she cries her heart out in front of the burning house.

The scene changed again, you can hear the water flowing and rats squeaking - the location was now inside the tunnel. There was a man standing in front of someone, face covered in dirty hooded cloak. The man glanced around looking if there was someone beside them.

For a girl who grew up knowing only the darkness, there wasn't much she could do. "Is this all?" She politely asked, "If you don't like it then it doesn't matter." the man said and snatched the basket away from her. "Even if you don't want it, there are plenty of others who will." He added, and began to walk away.

"N-no wait." She said and quickly followed him. "I'll do it. I can do it." She stated, "Ungrateful brat. I know girls like you very well. Dirty scumbags who would do just about anything to get what they want. How dare you insult me so disrespectfully when I was offering you alms?" He shouted and spit at her.

The girl bowed down her head to the ground, "No, Sir... Of course not. How could I not know the mercy you have shown me?" She mumbled, the man throws the basket in front of her, bread rolling out from it. "Then... It's your turn now to repay me that mercy." He said as he crouched down, lifting her chin up with his index finger.

His eyes hungrily stare at her body, smiling sinisterly, his hand begin to move and began to violate her. Biting my lips hard, as my tears flowed like a river. The grunt and moans of pleasure escaping from the mouth of the man while the girl - no emotions can be seen in her face, not a single tear slip out of her eyes as she stared at the ceiling.

Instead of trying to adapt to the darkness and overcoming it alone, she chose to completely surrender herself to it. Thinking it was the only way for her to survive.

☘

The scene changed again, the girl shivering on the cold winter night, with only her cloak protecting her from the chilly wind. She sold everything she could possibly sell just so she could fill up her empty stomach.

A carriage - a luxury one, slows down, the door creaked open. At the end of the girl's despair, she met him. A handsome man wearing an expensive thick coat suitable for the cold weather. His slicked jet-black hair, white complexion like snow, thick eyebrows, long downcast eyelashes, cupid bow-shaped lips, and his eyes, a very peculiar one - her blood like eyes, pure, vibrant red to slightly purplish red color.

The girl quickly bowed down and reached out her arms, "Mister, please give me one dime." She said, "Raise your head." He replied, in which she quickly obliged. Their eyes locked, as the man smiled, his lips stretching into a kind and gentle smile.

His name was Marquess Frederick Christian Windsor, the richest marquess and the most sought bachelor at the empire.

☘

"How does it look?" He asked, several arrays of expensive sleeve cuffs lining up in front of him.

Frederick, who had become the head of the Windsor family at a young age since his father's death, instantly noticed the girl the moment he saw her on the street. Grabbing the box of sage green sleeve cuffs, "Does it suit me?" He asked, "As expected you have a good eye, Sir. It's the best sleeve cuffs we've got. The price is..." Frederick ignored the man as his eyes landed on the girl standing beside him.

Donning a beautiful and simple baby blue dress paired with a pair of peach close shoes. Her hair braid neatly behind her. "It suits you, Sir. But the cuffs' radiance looks dull on father's noble sleeves." She said as Frederick gave her a wide smile.

Davia was far more beautiful and noble than any other gem, Frederick thought. "Is that so? Then which one would be better?" He asked, Davia's eyes landed on the red sleeve cuffs across the room. Davia and the servant beside it locked eyes, the latter quickly the first one to lower hers.

"The ruby beside the girl. It reminds me of your eyes." Davia replied, "Ah... I'm sorry that one is already..." a deep and raspy voice interrupted him, "There's no such thing. If it's for him, then I'll gladly give in. Of course, for the price that I paid for..." Frederick quickly stood up greeting the man.

"Your grace, Duke Herbert." He greeted and politely bowed. "Even though it's such a small gift. Please accept it as it is from the bottom of my heart. More than that, this girl has quite the standards. She's just as beautiful as she looks." Duke Herbert said, eyeing Davia.

"Davia, why don't you greet the duke?" Frederick requested, placing a hand on her shoulder. Davia slowly approached him, a smile on her face and bowing gracefully, "Pleasure to meet you, Your grace." She softly stated as he reached for her hands and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "The pleasure is all mine." He replied.

But her adoption was not out of fatherly affection. As the scene changes, an eerie feeling surrounds the dark room. Wincing hearing the sound of a whip, "What are you doing?" Frederick asked, holding a whip, "You have to cry out. You have to beg me, Davia." He added.

My eyes widened, seeing Davia's state. Both her hands tied by metal cuffs above her head, naked as the day she was born, hair matted with dried blood, head hung lifelessly, some bruises on her stomach.

As much as I wanted to look away I couldn't, clenching my fist as Frederick whip her again, Davia trembled, "Such a naughty girl. You're making this father very angry today." He mumbled. And that is how the girl becomes a tool for his dirty and ugly pleasures.

Frederick grabbed a hot metal rod and mercilessly poke it on her abdomen, her screams echo inside the four cornered room along with a sizzle as her flesh burns. Once again, she had fallen back into the strained darkness that was marred by violence.

"Ohh, Davia. Look at you crying with such a miserable face." He said, gripping her chin and his thumb caressing her tear-soaked cheeks. "My dear daughter. That look of yours gives me ecstasy." He added, wiping her tears, "Father will always love you. You feel that way as well, don't you?" He asked, running his tongue over his lips, "Answer me now." He commanded.

Hearing no answer from her, he continues to whip her, "I was wrong." Davia mumbled, another whip hit her body, "I love you!" She shouted, "I love you too... Father." She muttered.

With the pain of torn flesh bleeding into the darkness, while the deep sleepless nights continue to pass. Frederick locked her in the dungeon - cold where the sun or the light can't even touch it. Metal cuffs tied her hands, a thin blanket covering her body. Surrounded by thick walls, she felt her blood, wounds and heart becoming colder. "Mother." She mumbled and silently cried.

Tying tightly the blanket at the crack of the ceiling, with no other possibilities. She finally learned what it meant to fully surrender herself. She was desperate to end everything. Exhaling a breath, she closed her eyes, and jumps. Hearing her neck broke and letting out her last breath.

The morning after that, Frederick's eyes widened as he quickly ordered to lower the body of Davia. Her body was cold, no presence of life left - no pulse, nothing. As Fredericks eyes glows, he embraces the dead body of Davia.

"Oh, Davia. Why did you do this? My beloved Davia." He whispered, gently caressing the cheeks of her. "No, this can't be. I won't let you go. You're mine. Did you hear me? Mine!" He shouted, tightly gripping both her shoulders.

"I will come get you no matter wherever you are." He stated, a magical ring appeared with Frederick and Davia in the center and Frederick chanting something I can't hear. "I will find you. I won't let anybody touch even a strand of your hair. You're already mine. I already claimed you." He continued.

My eyes widened and my breath hitched as our eyes locked, "I'm coming to get, mi vida." He said, looking directly into my eyes, "Even if I have to stain my hands with blood. I. WILL. GET. YOU. YOU'RE. MINE. Davia Eibhlin Amery Bazin." He added and disregarded the body.

He slowly strides towards me with a wide sinister smile. Lifting his hand to my cheeks, shivering at how cold his hand is, caressing it gently, his thumb running over my lips. "Just wait a little longer, mi vida." He whispered in my ear, goosebumps running all over my body.

"I can't wait to have you in my arms. I missed you so much." He said and looked at me. His glowing red eyes staring into mine, looking through my soul.